Singapore’s parliament on Monday tackled the escalation of fake news by introducing legislation that would restrict individuals from communicating a “false statement of fact” that would harm Singapore’s “public interest.” The Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Bill aims to prevent the communication of false statements and to enable measures to detect, control and safeguard against [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

UN Special Rapporteur Agnes Callamard on Thursday called for the investigation and prosecution for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi to be made public nearly a month after she announced that there was evidence the murder was planned by Saudi Arabian officials. A Saudi public prosecutor indicted 110out of the 21 suspects and sought the death [...]

On Wednesday, the European Parliament voted to ban single-use plastics. The new law bans certain single-use plastic items, such as plastic cutlery, plastic straws, and plastic plates. This ban is planned to be in place by 2021. The law also states that “ember states will have to achieve a 90% collection target for plastic bottles [...]

A three-judge bench of the High Court in Malé ordered police to release former Maldives president Abdulla Yameen on Thursday. The court ruled that there was not enough reason to hold Yameen beyond a month under the law, finding that the prosecution had not provided sufficient reason to extend his remand in custody. Yameen was [...]