Building civil society (non-governmental and non-profit organizations) has been one of the major achievements in Afghanistan in the last 18 years. This flourishing new field gained recognition early on and became influential in addressing issues in the interest of the public. These issues have often included human rights, women’s rights, government accountability, foreign assistance, and […]
All-Male Feminism Panel in Pakistan Receives Backlash
The Arts Council of Pakistan received backlash for its discussion titled “Feminism; The Other Perspective,” which featured an all-male panel. After receiving criticism on social media, the Arts Council of Pakistan changed the name of the discussion, the makeup of the panel, and the graphics promoting the discussion. Originally, “Feminism; The Other Perspective” featured all-male […]
Afghan Saffron in High Demand
In an attempt to replace opium cultivation in Afghanistan, the Afghan government has continued to increase its efforts to replace the deadly plant with saffron cultivation. Saffron cultivation began in Herat, in the western part of the country, and is now being grown in 33 provinces of the 34 provinces in Afghanistan. Farmers are being […]
Seattle Man Whose Guns Were Confiscated for Threats Against Women has Guns Returned by Judge
A Seattle man, who made multiple gun violence threats on social media, had his guns returned to him by a judge. Charles Donnelly had his firearms, all legally owned, confiscated in mid-October after multiple threatening social media posts. Several weeks later, he returned to court and testified that the posts were only jokes. His lawyer, […]
Representative Carolyn Maloney Elected to Lead House Committee on Oversight and Reform
New York Representative Carolyn Maloney was elected chairwoman of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform Wednesday after winning a caucus-wide vote for the position, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a news release. As the most senior member of the panel, Maloney has been serving as acting chairwoman since the October 17th death of […]
Taliban Releases Two Kidnapped AUAF Professors in Zabul
The Taliban has freed two Western hostages Tuesday, American Kevin King and Australian Timothy Weeks, after holding them hostage for more than three years, a U.S. official and the prime minister of Pakistan said Tuesday. Kevin King, 63, from the United States, and Timothy Weeks, 50, from Australia, were professors at American University of Afghanistan […]
House Oversight Committee Holds Hearing On State Reproductive Health Care Access
The House Committee on Oversight and Reform held a congressional hearing on November 14, 2019 to examine state efforts to undermine access to reproductive health care. Led by Acting Chairwoman Maloney, the committee examined “how states, emboldened by the Trump Administration’s sustained and systematic attacks on reproductive health care, are restricting access, and it will […]
Non-Binary Gender option now available on Massachusetts Driver’s Licenses
On Tuesday, the State Department of Transportation reported that the gender designation “X” became part of the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicle’s technology system upgrade, launched by Governor Charlie Baker’s office. The department added that the option is also available for new credential issuance, renewals and amendments of licenses and IDs. This change comes following […]
The Apple Credit Card is Being Investigated for Sexism by a U.S. Regulator
A U.S. financial regulator has opened an investigation into claims Apple’s credit card offered different credit limits for men and women. It follows complaints that algorithms used to set credit card limits may be inherently biased against women. “My wife and I filed joint tax returns, live in a community-property state, and have been married […]
Australian Woman’s Stalker Used an App to Track Her Phone and Control Her Car
An Australian woman’s ex-boyfriend used multiple apps to stalk her, including an app that controlled the functions of her car. The 38-year old man pleaded guilty on charges of stalking his ex-girlfriend, to whom he dated for six months. After police searched his home, they found a notebook tracking his ex-girlfriend’s information, including places she […]
Supreme Court to Hear Oral Arguments on DACA Case
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments regarding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) case. The Obama-era federal program that has allowed over 700,000 undocumented immigrants to avoid deportation, was rolled back by the Trump administration. The initiative allows children of undocumented immigrants who’ve arrived in the US when at a very […]
Japanese Companies Ban Glasses For Women At Work
Some Japanese companies are enforcing sexist dress code policies, including banning glasses and makeup requirements, sparking a social justice movement amongst Japanese women. Women are reporting on their companies’ sexist dress code policies and the lengths they have had to reach to comply with them. These policies range from shoe styles to hair and nail […]
Director Roman Polanski Accused of 1975 Rape by French Actress
Valentine Monnier, a 62 year old French actress, revealed in an interview with Le Parisien that director Roman Polanski violently raped her in 1975 at his skiing chalet in Gstaad, Switzerland. At the time, Monnier was 18 years old while Polanski was 42. She told Le Parisien that she went to Polanski’s skiing chalet with […]
Congressional Democrats Eye Ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment After Virginia Elections
House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler, a Democrat from New York, announced Friday that the House Judiciary Committee would be marking up a bill eliminating the deadline for states to adopt the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), which was one state short of the 38 needed for ratification when the deadline passed in 1982. The markup of […]
Federal Judge Strikes Down Rule Allowing Clinicians to Refuse Abortion Care for Moral or Religious Reasons
A federal judge in New York on Wednesday struck down a new Trump administration rule that would allow health care clinicians to refuse to provide medical services, such as abortions, to patients for moral or religious reasons. United States District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer of the Southern District of New York rejected the rule on […]
International Criminal Court Sentences Man to 30 Years in Prison for Sexual Slavery
Bosco Ntaganda, a former rebel leader in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has been sentenced by the International Criminal Court to 30 years in prison after being convicted of 18 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including rape, murder, sexual slavery, and the use of child soldiers. Ntaganda is the first person to […]
At the Height of the Opioid Crisis Walgreens Handled Nearly 20 Percent of the Most Addictive Pills Shipped to Pharmacies
At the height of the opioid epidemic, Walgreens handled nearly one out of every five oxycodone and hydrocodone pills shipped to pharmacies across the United States, according to a new report from The Washington Post. Walgreens dominated the country’s retail opioid market from 2006 to 2012, with the company buying about 13 billion pills — […]
Democrats Win Control of Virginia Legislature and Claim Narrow Victory in Kentucky Governor’s Race
Democrats won complete control of the Virginia government for the first time in more than two decades Tuesday and claimed a narrow victory in Kentucky’s governor race, as Republicans captured the governor’s mansion in Mississippi. In winning majorities in both chambers of the Virginia legislature, Democrats have cleared the way for Governor Ralph S. Northam […]
Federal Appeals Court Blocks Trump Administration Contraceptive Rule
The Trump administration issued a ruling to block the enactment of a Trump administration policy that would allow employers with religious or moral objections to opt out of the Affordable Care Act’s requirement to provide birth control coverage in their insurance plans. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has recently joined the Third Circuit in […]
Missouri’s State Health Department Tracked Patients’ Periods in an Attempt to Identify Failed Abortions
Missouri’s top health official testified Tuesday that the state health department kept a spreadsheet monitoring detailed personal information about Planned Parenthood patients, tracking patient’s menstrual cycles with the aim of identifying those who had failed abortions — news that has raised questions about patient privacy violations. The spreadsheet included patients’ medical identification numbers, dates of […]