Burma's Army Committing "Crimes Against Humanity": Daily Brief

Finally! Women will reportedly be able to drive in Saudi Arabia, as the government has said it will lift its ban on women obtaining driving licenses. The decree is set to go into effect in June 2018. It's good news for Saudi women, but if Saudi authorities want to get real on women's rights, there's a lot more to do. However, it's not all good news from Saudi Arabia. The Saudi government has threatened trade repercussions on countries supporting a proposed resolution in the United Nations that calls for an inquiry into serious abuses in war-torn Yemen. It's the latest attempt by Saudi to thwart international scrutiny of its role in atrocities in Yemen. There was big news in the United States today as a proposed healthcare bill to replace the existing 'Obamacare' was pulled before it could be voted on in Congress. And it was a good thing, as the draft legislation threatened the right to health for millions of Americans. Threats to healthcare have surely not ended in the US, but this was a huge victory. Forced anal examinations are a cruel and medically discredited method of "proving" someone's sexual orientation. More often than not, these "tests" lead to criminal proceedings. It's incredible that this practice is still used anywhere in 2017, but we may finally be witnessing the beginning of the end. The Trump administration wants to cap the number of refugees admitted to the United States next fiscal year to its lowest since 1980. With the large number of refugees around the world needing serious aid, this is a poor idea. From earlier today: Burmese security forces are committing crimes against humanity against the Rohingya population in Burma. In new legal analysis based on on-the-ground investigations and analysis of satellite imagery, HRW says that the "massacres of villagers and mass arson driving people from their homes" are all crimes against humanity.