US Department of Justice (DOJ) Inspector General Michael Horowitz announced Friday that the department’s internal watchdog will be investigating illegal data seizures by the Trump administration. The Trump administration allegedly secretly seized phone data from House Democrats in 2018 when the administration was aggressively cracking down on leaks regarding Russian meddling in the 2016 elections. The [...]

China’s legislature passed a new anti-sanctions law Thursday following the enactment of blocking rules earlier this year. In January, China’s Ministry of Commerce published new rules designed to counteract extraterritorial application of other countries’ sanctions and export control laws. China has historically criticized Western nations for interfering in China’s internal affairs, but the blocking rule [...]

The US Supreme Court on Thursday overturned a ruling by the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit that “reckless” crimes qualify as violent felonies for purposes of the Armed Career Criminal Act (ACCA). The ACCA mandates a 15-year sentence for those persons found guilty of illegally possessing a firearm who have been convicted [...]

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper on Wednesday issued an executive order highlighting the state’s “commitment to creating clean energy jobs increasing economic opportunities, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions through the expansion of offshore wind power.” Executive Order 218, “Advancing North Carolina’s Economic and Clean Energy Future with Offshore Wind,” formally introduces North Carolina’s first-ever targets [...]

The European Commission on Wednesday advanced its infringement proceedings against the EU island states of Cyprus and Malta over their cash-for-passports schemes, in a move that may eventually see the two states face court proceedings and fines. The Commission justified its actions by arguing that the “golden passport” schemes of the two states, which offered [...]

The European Commission on wednesday referred Italy to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) for the country’s failure to comply with the requirements of wholesome and clean drinking water under the Drinking Water Directive. The Drinking Water Directive requires EU member states to ensure that water intended for human consumption is clean and free from [...]

The New York State Assembly approved the Gender Recognition Act Thursday, which, if approved by the governor, will provide for the “sex designation of M, F, or X as certified by the applicant , with no additional documentation required.” In addition to creating a gender-neutral designation for applicants’ sex, the bill provides that an individual [...]

The European Parliament urged the EU’s executive branch, the European Commission, Thursday to support waiver for patents surrounding COVID-19 vaccines.   The proposal, submitted to the World Trade Organization (WTO), demands that COVID-19 vaccine patents be exempt from provisions in the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) requirement protecting patent rights, essentially removing IP [...]

US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson signed an amended version of the Atlantic Charter on Thursday during the G7 summit in Cornwall, England. The original Atlantic Charter was a post-war declaration signed by former US President Franklin D. Roosevelt and former UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill in 1941 following the Declaration [...]

The developer of the Keystone XL gas pipeline confirmed its decision to terminate the controversial project Wednesday, marking the end of a decade-long legal battle. TC Energy ceased the pipeline construction in January after President Joe Biden revoked a necessary presidential permit. The permit, issued by the Trump administration in 2017, allowed TC Energy, a Canadian company, [...]