Sexual abuse of boys often overlooked by state laws, global study warns

Stronger support urged for young men affected by abuse as researchers find existing measures tailored towards girls

Sexual abuse of boys is “barely addressed” by the laws in many countries, according to a global study that warns of a lack of support for young male survivors.

The study, which examined child rape laws in 40 countries, found that just under half of jurisdictions lacked legal protections for boys. In many cases, laws were specific to girls and did not recognise boys as victims.

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Wales has highest incarceration rate in western Europe – study

Prison population in 2017 was 154 per 100,000 in Wales, compared with 141 in England

Wales has the highest rate of imprisonment in western Europe, the first study of its kind has revealed.

Sentencing and Immediate Custody in Wales: A Factfile found that in 2017 (the latest figures available) there were 154 prisoners per 100,000 of the population of Wales, compared with 141 per 100,000 of England.

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McDonald’s loses Big Mac trademark after legal battle with Irish chain

Supermac strips US food giant of trademark across Europe after landmark EU ruling

Pat McDonagh earned the nickname Supermac as an Irish teenager after a barnstorming performance in a Gaelic football match in the late 1960s.

The centre half-back guided his school, Carmelite college of Moate, County Westmeath, to victory over St Gerald’s, a more fancied team.

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Children ‘still being tortured to confess to Isis links’ by Kurdish security forces

Nearly two years after raising the alarm, Human Rights Watch report reveals continued allegations of electric shocks and beatings on boys aged 14 to 17

Kurdish security forces in Erbil are continuing to torture children to confess their involvement with Islamic State, according to allegations in a report released by Human Rights Watch.

According to the organisation, which first raised the alarm about the mistreatment of child detainees by Kurdish security forces nearly two years ago, it has collected claims of the continued regular use of beatings and electric shocks to extract confessions, often prior to trials lasting a handful of minutes.

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China thinks it can arbitrarily detain anyone. It is time for change | Michael Caster

The lack of global outcry over the detention of two Canadians virtually guarantees the next such case

Canada’s foreign minister, Chrystia Freeland, has called China’s detention of Canadian citizens Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor a “worrying precedent” but for many China watchers it is all too familiar.

It reminds us of the detentions of other foreign citizens, such as Canadian Kevin Garratt, Briton Peter Humphrey, Sweden’s Gui Minhai, or Taiwanese Lee Ming-che, and that over the years China has institutionalised arbitrary and secret detention affecting innumerable Chinese citizens, and with little international consequence.

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British MPs seek access to detained Saudi activists amid torture claims

All-party group and lawyers concerned for eight women allegedly mistreated in Saudi Arabia prison

A cross-party group of British parliamentarians and international lawyers is requesting the right to visit eight female activists detained in Saudi Arabia, following allegations that they have been subjected to ill treatment, including torture.

The lawmakers and advocates, who have convened a detention review panel, intend to produce a detailed document on their findings, following claims that the activists, some of whom were instrumental in securing women the right to drive in Saudi Arabia, have been maltreated in Dhahban prison and denied access to lawyers or relatives.

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Elizabeth Warren’s new bill: let the US government manufacture…

Senator Elizabeth Warren has introduced a bill called the Affordable Drug Manufacturing Act , which allows the US government to manufacture generic versions of drugs "in cases in which no company is manufacturing a drug, when only one or two companies manufacture a drug and its price has spiked, when the drug is in shortage, or when a medicine listed as essential by the World Health Organization faces limited competition and high prices."

When Republicans decide to love an activist judge: The Affordable…

President Donald Trump talks about drug prices during a visit to the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 25. He's pictured with HHS Secretary Alex Azar. On Friday, members of the GOP hailed a ruling by U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor striking down the Affordable Care Act as unconstitutional.

Report says Rep. Rod Blum likely violated ethics rules

An Iowa congressman likely violated a host of ethics rules in his private business dealings, including his ownership in a company that used false claims and House resources to promote itself, according to an independent report released Monday. The Office of Congressional Ethics launched the review into Republican Rod Blum and his internet marketing business, Tin Moon Corp., following an investigation by The Associated Press earlier this year.

Obamacare ruling won’t affect coverage a ” yet

A federal judge's ruling that the Affordable Care Act is unconstitutional was a Friday-evening bombshell and a first-round victory for opponents of the law. But it will need to survive review by higher courts to have any effect on the program that's credited with expanding health insurance to about 19 million people in the U.S. A crimson banner appeared on the federally run healthcare.gov website over the weekend to reassure potential customers: "Court's decision does not affect 2019 enrollment or coverage."

Kansas Medicaid expansion in doubt despite governor support

Democratic and moderate Republicans lawmakers worked together last year to try to make Kansas the latest state to expand Medicaid, only to see their bipartisan effort rewarded with a veto from former conservative GOP Gov. Sam Brownback. The election this month of a governor who supports Medicaid expansion seemed to remove the biggest hurdle for those hoping to bring health coverage to thousands of the state's poor.

Tom Perez struggles to defend Democratsa #MeToo record amid Keith Ellison accusations

Democratic National Committee chair Tom Perez ran into trouble Sunday after insisting that the party has "never hesitated to take action" on misconduct allegations against Democratic officials, including DNC deputy chair Keith Ellison . Mr. Perez defended the DNC's refusal to call for the resignation of Mr. Ellison over his ex-girlfriend's domestic-abuse accusation, arguing that the Democratic Party has a better record of dealing with such charges than does the GOP.

Look past the deceptive labeling on Proposition 6

When it comes to protecting consumers, the federal government comes down hard on companies that engage in deceptive labeling on things we consume. The Fair Packaging and Labeling Act , enacted in 1967, directs the Federal Trade Commission and the Food and Drug Administration to issue regulations requiring that all "consumer commodities" be labeled to disclose net contents, identity of commodity, and name and place of business of the product's manufacturer, packer, or distributor."

GOP on defense to explain pre-existing condition protections

This combination of file photos shows Wisconsin Republican Gov. Scott Walker, left, and his Democratic challenger Tony Evers in the 2018 November general election. Walker, who is seeking a third term, has been working for years to repeal Obama's health care law and signed off on the state attorney general joining the lawsuit against it.

Midterm Election Could Reshape Health Policy

Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., speaks on a proposed protection plan for people with pre-existing health conditions, during a news conference on Capitol Hill, July 19, 2018, in Washington, D.C. Mark Wilson/Getty Images hide caption Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., speaks on a proposed protection plan for people with pre-existing health conditions, during a news conference on Capitol Hill, July 19, 2018, in Washington, D.C. Obamacare - as the Affordable Care Act is commonly known - won't be on the ballot next month. But the fate of the eight-year old health care law could be decided by which party wins control of Congress in November.

Senator apologizes for naming sexual assault victims in ad without permission

To continue reading this premium story, you need to become a member. Click below to take advantage of an exclusive offer for new members: Senator Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., attends a hearing in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 2, 2018.

Ted Cruz vs. Beto O’Rourke: The Texas Debate as it happened

Sen. Ted Cruz and challenger U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke went head to head Tuesday night in The Texas Debate, clashing over climate change, border control, healthcare and more. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and challenger U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke squared off for an hour in The Texas Debate at KENS 5 in San Antonio on Tuesday night.