St. Louis County and the city of St. Louis are suing to stop the enactment of a new state law that penalizes police officers for enforcing federal gun laws. House Bill 85 circumvents federal gun regulations, carrying a fine of $50,000 for each police officer that attempts to enforce such rules. The bill’s vague language [...]

Grave violations against children in conflict remain alarmingly high, with the COVID-19 pandemic increasing their vulnerability, according to a UN report released Monday. The annual Children and Armed Conflict report covers the period from January to December 2020. It claims that grave violations against children are at nearly 26,500 due to increased vulnerability to abduction, [...]

The US Supreme Court ruled 5-4 on Monday in United States v. Arthrex that the America Invents Act gives powers to Administrative Patent Judges (APJs) that are inconsistent with the appointments clause of the US Constitution. APJs operate within the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), which is a subsection of the Department of Commerce. [...]

Canada announced the first phase of easing of border restrictions on Monday, as a result of the successful rollout of COVID-19 vaccinations in Canadian provinces. Beginning July 5, eligible, fully vaccinated travelers will no longer have to quarantine in a government-designated hotel. But eligible travelers currently only include Canadian citizens, permanent residents and those falling [...]

The European Commission and the UK imposed sanctions Monday on members of the Myanmar Armed Forces (Tatmadaw) and companies connected to the Myanmar military over the coup d’état that has devastated the country since early February. The EU sanctioned eight individuals, three economic entities and the War Veterans Organization. The individuals include the Attorney General, [...]

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet condemned the humanitarian crisis in Tigray, Ethiopia, in a statement delivered Monday at the forty-seventh session of the Human Rights Council. Bachelet said that Eritrean soldiers in Tigray “perpetrate violations of human rights and humanitarian law.” The UN estimates that more than 350,000 persons in Tigray are [...]

The UN General Assembly called Friday for a stop to the flow of weapons into Myanmar, as well as for Myanmar armed forces to stop violence against peaceful protesters. The assembly also called for the military to respect the November 2020 election results. According to the UN, about 600 people have been killed and 100 [...]

Former US President Barack Obama and former Attorney General Eric Holder held a 45-minute tele-conference Monday in support of the “For the People Act” (HR 1), on which Senate will begin to vote as soon as Tuesday. HR 1 would allow for 15-day advance voting, ban partisan gerrymandering, and require special interest groups to be [...]

The Wisconsin Supreme Court unanimously struck down a state law provision Friday that allowed police to draw blood from unconscious drivers and test it for alcohol content without a warrant. Under Wisconsin Statute § 343.305, an officer can request a blood sample from the driver of a vehicle involved in an accident resulting in the death [...]

The US Supreme Court ruled unanimously Monday in NCAA v. Alston that student athletes can receive education-related compensation. The plaintiffs, current and former student athletes, alleged that the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and some of its member institutions violated the Sherman Act, which requires courts to enforce a policy of competition so as to [...]