Canada’s federal government announced on Monday that it would commit CAD 250mn (USD 186mn) to address the growing problem of encampments and homelessness across Canada. Provinces will be required to match the government’s investment cost to qualify for the grants. The funding builds on the existing Reaching Home program, which aims to allocate $3.7 billion [...]
The former minister of transport of Singapore, S Iswaran pleaded guilty on Tuesday for receiving gifts worth over S $400,000 ( more than US $300,000) while in office and for obstructing the course of justice, local news agency Channel News Asia (CNA) reported. Iswaran faced charges related to his interactions with two Singaporean businessmen, Ong [...]
A coalition of environmental, human rights, and indigenous groups has called on the EU to designate Malaysia’s Sarawak state as “high risk” under its new anti-deforestation law. This comes as the EU prepares to implement the Deforestation-Free Products Regulation (EUDR) in January 2025, which aims to curb imports linked to deforestation and human rights abuses. [...]
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama announced on Sunday during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly’s Summit of the Future an ambitious initiative to create a Bektashi sovereign state within the heart of Tirana. Speaking from the prestigious hall where global leaders convene, Rama emphasized the importance of this initiative in promoting religious tolerance and [...]
Iranian singer Shervin Hajipour announced on Monday that a recent amnesty order dismissed his three-year prison sentence. He shared the news on Instagram, stating, “A series of amnesties has been launched and my case was amongst them, all charges have been dropped.” Initially sentenced in March 2023 for “inciting unrest” after his song “Baraye” became the [...]
Non-profit Indigenous advocacy group First Light has released a report finding that the Newfoundland and Labrador government has made limited progress on many of the calls to action set out by the National Center of Truth and Reconciliation (TRC). The report highlights alleged shortcomings in the province’s efforts to fulfill calls to action related to [...]
United Nations special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation, Mariana Katzarova, condemned the violence perpetrated by former Russian convicts against women and children upon their return from Ukraine during a press conference on Monday. The Special Rapporteur reported that “an estimated 170,000 convicted, violent criminals” who were recruited to fight [...]
The Ontario Superior Court of Justice on Monday began hearing a constitutional challenge to Ontario’s controversial Bill 7, the More Beds, Better Care Act. The challenge claims that the bill violates the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms citing concerns about age discrimination, personal autonomy, and informed consent. Bill 7 was enacted in September 2022 [...]
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) released 1685 mostly ill inmates from the country’s largest prison on Sunday amid ongoing efforts to reduce overcrowding at the facility. The release from Makala Central Prison was announced by Minister of Justice Constant Mutamba to local media, which reported that the sick inmates were released due to [...]
The Hong Kong High Court on Tuesday rejected a habeas corpus application lodged by Kinson Cheung, who challenged the legality of his continued detention following a successful appeal against his “excessive” sentences, according to local media Witness HK. Cheung’s application for relief under the writ of habeas corpus questioned his ongoing imprisonment despite an appeal that [...]
