Protections

Suit says administration is impinging on rights to life and liberty by worsening planet-warming and toxic pollutionEighteen American youth are demanding that a court immediately halt the Trump administration’s repeal of the scientific finding underpinning virtually all US climate regulations.The plaintiffs sued the Trump administration in February days after officials revoked the 2009 endangerment finding, which found that greenhouse gas pollution threatens public health and welfare. Filed in the Washington DC circuit court of appeals Venner v EPA alleges that the move infringes upon rights guaranteed by the US constitution, including to religious freedom, life and liberty. Continue reading...

Council of Europe members plan to change interpretation of rights laws to make it easier to deport peopleKeir Starmer’s government has been accused of trying to water down legal protections for torture victims as ministers from 46 countries including the UK prepare to make it easier to deport refused asylum seekers and foreign criminals.Yvette Cooper, the foreign secretary, is expected to agree a “political declaration” on Friday with other members of the Council of Europe, which oversees the European convention on human rights (ECHR). Continue reading...

Women using informal warning systems to protect themselves and others, comedian tells equalities committeeUK politics live – latest updatesSexual harassment and abuse on the comedy circuit has is persistent and under-reported, with protections available to women often limited or absent, a comedian has told MPs.Performers and campaigners said many female comedians are left to rely on informal warning systems to try to keep themselves safe but added that these systems can expose women to further risks. Continue reading...

• The Trump administration is dismantling civil rights protections in housing that have been used to challenge discriminatory practices, marking a significant shift in federal enforcement of fair housing laws. • The policy reversal affects regulatory mechanisms historically used to combat housing discrimination and bias, with implications for fair lending and rental practices across the United States. • Civil rights advocates and housing advocates are expected to challenge the rollback, with potential legal battles anticipated over the constitutionality and necessity of the protections.

President is convening so-called ‘God squad’ to override provisions of Endangered Species Act for ‘national security’Donald Trump is dispatching a so-called “God squad” of top officials to revoke protections for endangered species in the Gulf of Mexico, purportedly to protect national security by expanding oil and gas industry operations.If successful, the administration may kill off dozens of protected species – from Rice’s whales and whooping cranes to sea turtles. Continue reading...