Latest Human rights and civil liberties News
Hawaii gun permit ruling sides with 'homesick' Navy officer
HONOLULU (AP) — A U.S. Navy officer stationed in Hawaii cannot be denied a firearms permit solely because he sought counseling for feeling depressed and homesick, a federal judge ruled. Michael Santucci, a cryptologic warfare officer from Fort Myers, Florida, saw a medical provider...
Rainbow struggle playing out on sidelines of World Cup
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Aside from the competition for the World Cup title, one of the most hotly contested issues in the tournament in Qatar is over rainbow colors. In the first week of the tournament, seven European teams lost the battle to wear multi-colored “One Love” armbands...
Emboldened Biden, Dems push ban on so-called assault weapons
WASHINGTON (AP) — When President Joe Biden speaks about the “scourge” of gun violence, his go-to answer is to zero in on so-called assault weapons. America has heard it hundreds of times, including this week after shootings in Colorado and Virginia: The president wants to sign...
Gary man awarded $25.5M in lawsuit against ex-cop, Hammond
HAMMOND, Ind. (AP) — A federal jury has awarded a Gary man $25.5 million in his lawsuit alleging that a now-retired police officer violated his civil rights and deprived him of a fair trial in a case involving a 1980 rape and robbery. The jury in U.S. District Court in Hammond...
Turkish police detain protesters at anti-violence rally
ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkish police on Friday broke up a rally calling for an end to violence against women and for Turkey’s return to a treaty aimed at protecting them, detaining dozens of people. The demonstrators tried to march along Istanbul’s main pedestrian street, Istiklal,...
Cricket flourishes among Qatar World Cup migrant laborers
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — As dawn broke Friday in Qatar, the laborers who built this energy-rich country's World Cup soccer stadiums, roads and subway filled empty stretches of asphalt and sandlots to play the sport closest to their hearts — cricket. The sport that spread across the...
Illinois legislators to decide whether to end cash bail
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — One of Illinois' most comprehensive — and contentious — pieces of criminal justice legislation is scheduled for another cleanup, after it was both venerated and vilified during the fall election campaign. This is legislators' last chance to finalize details before...
Swedish activists sue state over its climate policies
STOCKHOLM (AP) — Hundreds of activists, among them Greta Thunberg, marched through the Swedish capital to a court Friday to file a lawsuit against the Swedish state for what they say is insufficient climate action. More than 600 young people under the age of 26...
Midterms free of feared chaos as voting experts look to 2024
Before Election Day, anxiety mounted over potential chaos at the polls. Election officials warned about poll watchers who had been steeped in conspiracy theories falsely claiming that then-President Donald Trump did not actually lose the 2020 election. Democrats and voting rights...
Hong Kong court convicts Cardinal Zen, 5 others over fund
HONG KONG (AP) — A 90-year-old Roman Catholic cardinal and five others in Hong Kong were fined after being found guilty Friday of failing to register a now-defunct fund that aimed to help people arrested in the widespread protests three years ago. Cardinal Joseph Zen, a retired...
