Healthcare Under Trump; Netherlands' Burqa Ban; Aleppo Agony: HRW Daily Brief

Finding mass graves dug by the Islamic State (ISIS) has become a ghastly ritual for Iraqi soldiers as they reclaim areas in Iraq that have been under the group's control. Recently, a grave containing the bodies of hundreds of Iraqi police officers was uncovered following a battle near the city of Mosul. Unfortunately it is one of many, and only one of the newest in Iraq's legacy of mass burials. Two Tunisian journalists are before a military tribunal after they criticized the army. Rather than using military law to muzzle free speech, authorities in Tunisia should fix leftover laws from a more repressive time and promote free speech. Over a year ago, Human Rights Watch documented impediments to media freedom in the Western Balkans, including in some cases, the beating and harassment of journalists. Governments in the region as well as European Union institutions have since failed to take concrete action to address the issue. And unfortunately, troubling new cases have emerged. Only four years ago, things looked better in Rio de Janeiro. Killings had dropped to about half the rate of the previous decade. Now, Rio's homicide statistics seem to come from a war zone. From January to September, 4,482 people died violently, 635 of them killed by police. What happened? From earlier today: The UN has expressed alarm at the situation in the Syrian city of Aleppo as thousands of residents have begun to flee the city as a government advance intensifies. Up to 16,000 people are displaced, but they still face near-constant airstrikes as well as a devastating siege. Urgent action - including a long-overdue arms ban - is needed to prevent the conflict in South Sudan from spiralling further out of control.