Global Scans · Civil Rights · Weekly Summary

• [New] While nuclear power might experience a resurgence globally and eventually have a role in Australia, right now, no matter how much intent there might be to activate a nuclear power industry, it is difficult to envision before the mid-2040s. SmartCompany
• [New] The chaos on America's borders alone threatens to extinguish the freedoms and national identity that generations of Americans took for granted. Strategic Culture Foundation
• [New] The European Court of Human Rights will hand down decisions in a trio of cases brought by a French mayor, six Portuguese youngsters and more than 2,000 members of Senior Women for Climate Protection, who say their governments are not doing enough to combat climate change. The Washington Post
• [New] The new powerful system is future-proof and will ensure that all Nigerians have access to a secured, trusted identity, enabling them to exercise their rights and responsibilities as a citizen. IDEMIA
• [New] The Putin regime's continued suppression of dissent, its disregard for human rights, and its aggressive foreign policy have created a climate of fear and instability within Russia. The Moscow Times
• [New] Europe's top rights court has ruled in favour of a group of elderly Swiss women who argued that their government's efforts to combat climate change were inadequate and put them at greater risk of death from heatwaves. Al Jazeera
• [New] The United States has resorted to airdropping food into Gaza and plans to build a floating pier at sea to deliver aid, a proposal criticized by 26 nongovernmental organizations, including Human Rights Watch, as risky, expensive, and ineffective. Human Rights Watch
• [New] As the United States contends with stark racial disparities in maternal health, experts are pushing states to mandate training for medical professionals to combat implicit bias, the prejudiced attitudes a person might hold without being aware of it. Stateline
• [New] New Zealand expects the PRC to respect its right to explore joining AUKUS, a trilateral security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Institute for the Study of War
• [New] A UK fleet of Xe-100 reactors would play a crucial role in delivering clean electricity and industrial decarbonization and also bring huge opportunities for companies right across the UK. MarketScreener
• [New] In mid-March, the California Public Utilities Commission approved new interconnection rules that take into account how, with the right structures in place, solar and solar-plus-battery systems can be more help than hazard to California's overworked grid. Canary Media
• [New] The Florida Supreme Court allowed voters to decide this fall whether to expand abortion access, ruling 4 to 3 that a proposed constitutional amendment that would guarantee the right to abortion before viability, usually around 24 weeks, could go on the November ballot. The New York Times
• [New] Data privacy and protection - whether required by the Florida Digital Bill of Rights or not - is something Florida residents and companies will increasingly come to expect. Orlando Sentinel
• In a world threatened by multiple crises, from diseases to disasters, conflicts and climate change, the right to health for all people is more important than ever. World Health Organization: WHO
• The shift away from an extractive, resource-driven global economy toward one that values human rights and livelihoods could redefine global economics and offer reasons for optimism. PubMed Central (PMC)
• With civil society organizations under threat throughout Europe and Central Asia, we need an EU that in words and actions protects civic space and sets the right standards. RFE/RL
• The European Union's dithering has allowed foreign agent laws to spread in Europe and Central Asia, Human Rights Watch says, increasing the risk to civil society organizations that are already under threat from governments who are seeking to stifle democratic institutions and the free press. RFE/RL
• With the right policies, regulations, governance and access to financial markets in place, sub-Saharan Africa could meet 67% of its energy needs by the year 2030. Baker McKenzie
• The Security Council must ensure compliance with Resolution 2724 (2024) demanding an immediate cessation of hostilities in Sudan, continue to condemn the ongoing fighting, and call on all parties to respect international humanitarian and human rights law. NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security
• The United States has said it will impose new visa restrictions on a number of Hong Kong officials responsible for cracking down on rights and freedoms, days after a draconian national security law went into force in the Chinese-ruled territory. Al Jazeera
• The Global Fund and IOM recognize that human rights barriers including discrimination, punitive laws, gender inequality and gender-based violence threaten universal access to quality healthcare. ReliefWeb
• The return of asylum seekers to a place where they fear persecution or other serious harm violates US federal law as well as US obligations under international human rights and refugee law. Human Rights Watch
• The long-term success of Pakistan's counterterrorism strategy will depend on its ability to address the root causes of extremism, including poverty, inequality, and political instability, and prepare itself against the 5th generation hybrid war that has already gained maximum velocity. The Nation

Last updated: 14 April 2024