The European Commission criticized Romania on Friday for “backsliding on the rule of law.” Margaritis Schinas, Chief Spokesperson of the European Commission, expressed the Commission’s concern over Romania’s treatment of Laura Codruța Kövesi. Kövesi served as Romania’s chief prosecutor from 2013 to 2018 and is currently in the running to head the new European Public Prosecutor’s [...]
The Quebec government introduced legislation on Thursday that would ban public sector employees from wearing religious symbols while working. Religious clothing such as Muslim headscarves, Jewish skullcaps, Catholic crosses and Sikh turbans would all be prohibited under the new legislation. Since its introduction, the bill has experienced much backlash and is accused of violating peoples [...]
Alaa Abdel Fattah, a leading Egyptian pro-democracy activist, was released from prison on Friday after serving a five-year sentence, according to his family and lawyer. Fattah was a leading voice among the uprising of young Egyptians in 2011, which ousted president Hosni Mubarak from power after a 30-year period of rule. A prominent blogger and [...]
The US Supreme Court on Thursday denied an application for stay of the order from a Michigan District Court refusing to block a ban on bump stocks. Bump stocks are used to turn semi-automatic weapons into machine guns by using the “gun’s recoil to bump its trigger.” The suit was brought by Gun Owners of [...]
US President Donald Trump on Thursday announced in a presidential memorandum that, “upon further reflection and review,” he is extending an additional 12-month “wind-down” period for Liberians living in the US. This policy change will affect about 4,000 Liberians who are Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) beneficiaries. Last year, Trump said that he would end the DED program [...]
LGBT group Equality Arizona on Thursday sued the Arizona government, alleging that the state’s HIV/AIDS instruction statute, ARS § 15-716(C), unconstitutionally discriminates against LGBTQ students and restricts their educational opportunities, violating the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The challenged statute prohibits HIV and AIDS instruction that “promotes a homosexual lifestyle.” Plaintiffs allege that the [...]
The New York legislature signaled Thursday that it would approve of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s proposal to ban single use plastic bags that he included in his 2019 state budget proposal. Cuomo proposed following suit with California and Hawaii in banning the use of plastic bags across the state. The move marks a reversal of his [...]
British lawmakers voted against Prime Minister Theresa May’s negotiated deal for the UK to withdraw from the European Union for the third time on Friday. The vote, with 286 Members of Parliament voting in favor of the deal and 344 opposing it, leaves the future of Britain’s membership in the EU in doubt. The same [...]
The European Court of Justice ruled Thursday that Germany did not violate EU law when the member state implemented a renewable energy surcharge to help level the energy market for its domestic renewable energy providers. In 2011 the German Legislature implemented an energy measure aimed at leveling out the competitive play field between convention and [...]
The US Supreme Court stayed the execution of Patrick Murphy, a Texas inmate who was denied a Buddhist spiritual adviser at his execution, late Thursday evening. Previously, under Texas law only spiritual advisers for Christianity or Islam were allowed in the execution chamber. All others would be required to remain in the viewing area. Murphy [...]
