US District Judge Robert Pitman for the Western District of Texas Wednesday blocked a Texas law that would prohibit large social media platforms from censoring users based on their viewpoints. This law was set to take effect Thursday. House Bill 20 prohibits social media platforms from censoring users’ digital expression based on viewpoints or geographic [...]
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) Thursday approved a $9 million settlement agreement with Uber for the company’s failure to report data on sexual harassment and assault. The approved settlement agreement is between CPUC’s Consumer Protection and Enforcement Division, Uber, and the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network. In its 2019 US Safety Report, Uber [...]
The US Supreme Court Wednesday heard oral arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, a case involving a Mississippi law banning all abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. This case arises out of a lawsuit between Jackson Women’s Health Organization—the only abortion provider in the state—and the state of Mississippi. Mississippi’s Gestational Age Act, passed [...]
The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) Wednesday expanded authorizations for nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to engage in certain transactions and activities in Syria. The department amended some of its sanctions against the country in an effort to allow continued humanitarian assistance to the Syrian people. In July, OFAC imposed sanctions on [...]
The South Dakota Supreme Court Wednesday ruled that a state constitutional amendment legalizing recreational marijuana is unconstitutional. In 2020, South Dakota voters passed a ballot measure to legalize medical marijuana for qualifying patients. They also passed a constitutional amendment, Amendment A, to legalize the recreational use of marijuana for individuals 21 years or older. Following the [...]
The US Department of State Wednesday removed Nigeria from its “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) list, which designates countries with “particularly severe” religious freedom concerns. This decision preceded Secretary Antony Blinken’s visit to Nigeria on Thursday and Friday to “discuss furthering cooperation on global health security, expanding energy access and economic growth, and revitalizing democracy.” [...]
The US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit Wednesday rejected a challenge to a Michigan law restricting term limits in the legislature. Michigan voters added term limits for state legislators and state executives to their state constitution in 1992. The term limit in the Michigan House of Representatives is six years, while the term [...]
US President Joe Biden Thursday signed into law legislation designed to secure telecommunications systems against potential foreign threats. The new law, known as the Secure Equipment Act, will ban the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from considering or issuing authorization for products made by companies on the FCC’s “covered list.” This list includes Chinese telecommunications groups [...]
The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit Thursday granted former President Donald Trump’s request to halt the release of documents related to the January 6 Capitol riots. A three-judge panel, considering Trump’s emergency motion for an administrative injunction and expedited briefing schedule, granted the administrative injunction. This order temporarily enjoins the [...]
US Air Force Inspector General Lieutenant General Sami Said Wednesday provided his findings and recommendations on the August 2021 US drone strike in Kabul that killed 10 civilians. He stated that the drone strike was caused by a series of errors, including not noticing a child right before the strike, not by criminal negligence. On [...]
