A US federal jury on Thursday ordered Uber to pay $8.5 million in compensatory damages to a passenger who alleged she was sexually assaulted by her driver, marking the first plaintiff victory in a multidistrict litigation including thousands of similar claims. Thursday’s verdict hinged on the legal theory of apparent authority, under which a company [...]

The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on Friday issued warning letters to 42 law firms, stating that their participation in a diversity certification program may violate federal antitrust laws. The letters from FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson targeted firms enrolled in the Mansfield Certification program, operated by consulting company Diversity Lab. According to the company’s “Meet [...]

A Virginia judge on Tuesday ruled that the state’s legislature violated its own procedural rules and state constitutional requirements in passing a recent redistricting amendment. A permanent injunction was issued, blocking the amendment from moving forward. The decision by Tazewell County Circuit Judge Jack Hurley declared all legislative actions on the proposed amendment void from [...]

The US Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear a case that asks whether the 1988 Video Privacy Protection Act (VPPA) applies to users who sign up for newsletters from websites that use Meta’s tracking technology. The lawsuit accuses Paramount Global of violating the VPPA by disclosing digital subscribers’ identities and video media information, without [...]

Michigan Attorney General (AG) Dana Nessel on Friday filed a federal antitrust lawsuit against several large oil companies, alleging a decades-long conspiracy to suppress renewable energy competition. The lawsuit, filed in the US District Court for the Western District of Michigan, names BP, Chevron, Exxon, Shell and the American Petroleum Institute as the defendants. The [...]

The Seoul Central District Court on Friday sentenced former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol to five years in prison on several charges, including obstruction of investigators’ attempt to detain him last year. This marks the first criminal sentence imposed as a result of Yoon’s December 2024 declaration of martial law. Friday’s sentencing convicts Yoon [...]

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) on Tuesday released a previously classified memorandum assessing the legality of the Pentagon’s Operation Absolute Resolve, which led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Heavily redacted, it concludes that the president possesses the constitutional authority to order the military operation, which ultimately moved forward on January 3. [...]

A federal court on Tuesday denied the government’s motion to dismiss a lawsuit challenging changes to COVID-19 vaccine recommendations. The case will continue on Administrative Procedure Act (APA) and Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) claims. The US District Court for the District of Massachusetts held that the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) established standing by [...]

A French court on Monday convicted ten individuals of cyberbullying charges related to spreading false claims about First Lady Brigitte Macron’s gender identity and personal life. The defendants, eight men and two women, aged 41 to 65, received sentences ranging from cyberbullying awareness training to eight months of suspended imprisonment. One defendant received six months [...]

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) announced on Monday that it has opened a formal investigation into potential corruption in the country’s military procurement contracts. MACC Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki announced that the investigation was launched under Section 17(a) of the MACC Act of 2009, following a complaint filed by political activist Badrul Hisham Shaharin. [...]