European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen Wednesday announced a series of options to hold Russia accountable for its war crimes in Ukraine. 14 commission member states have already initiated investigations into international war crimes committed by Russia. The commission supports these investigations and the investigation of the International Criminal Court (ICC). However, Russia does not [...]

The Singaporean Parliament Tuesday voted to repeal a ban on gay sex in the country. The law was remained from the colonial era and did not enjoy support from the Singaporean public. In August, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s announced that his government intended to repeal the law. While the law was not enforced in [...]

The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) Monday denied a petition concerning federal preemption of a local law requiring employee health benefits. The petition was brought by the ERISA Industry Committee (ERIC) against the City of Seattle over an ordinance requiring large hotel chains to give their employees $1,375 a month in insurance benefits [...]

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Thursday published a draft agreement on climate change from the COP27 climate summit. The agreement includes preliminary measures to keep the average global temperature from increasing beyond 1.5 degrees Celsius but notably omits a comprehensive plan to target fossil fuel emissions. The draft begins with a [...]

The Swedish Riksdag Wednesday adopted a constitutional amendment regarding anti-terrorism – a key demand from Turkey in Sweden’s quest to join NATO. The amendment passed with 278 votes in favor out of a 349-seat parliament and makes it easier to introduce laws to limit the freedom of association for those who engage in or support [...]

The United Nations (UN) General Assembly Monday approved a resolution calling for Russia to pay war reparations to Ukraine during an emergency special session devoted to the conflict. The resolution outlines the creation of an international mechanism that will compensate states who have sustained damage, loss and injuries due to illegal activity by another state. The [...]

The Center for Biological Diversity and 289 additional organizations Thursday sent a legal petition to the Department of Transportation (DOT) Maritime Administration (MARAD) demanding a stop to all new deepwater port infrastructure for oil and gas exports. The Biden administration has yet to comment on the petition. Lauren Parker, an attorney for the Center’s Climate [...]

The UN Human Rights Council (HRC) Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Thursday reviewed the UK’s human rights record for the fourth time. The UPR announced the review on November 7. Some delegations, such as the Maldives and Malaysia, commended the UK on its recent efforts to protect women and girls by criminalizing gendered offenses. Other delegations, [...]

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Monday that it will send monitors to 24 states in an effort to ensure compliance with the rule of law and federal voting rights in the midterm elections this Tuesday. The announcement comes as civil rights groups warn of potential voter intimidation at ballot boxes. The DOJ monitors [...]

The Ethiopian government and the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF) signed an agreement Wednesday to cease hostilities. The diplomatic move brings an end to a war lasting two years which has resulted in the deaths of thousands of people, displaced millions, and left hundreds of thousands facing famine. The violent conflict began in 2020 after TPLF [...]