A judge for the US District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina found Friday in favor of transgender state employees who were denied gender-affirming healthcare coverage. Judge Loretta Biggs ruled that the state health plan must offer “medically necessary services for the treatment of gender dysphoria.” The plaintiffs, represented by Lamda Legal and [...]

The Appellate Division of the New York State Supreme Court’s First Judicial Department Friday declared the New York State Assembly’s redistricting map adopted in February as unconstitutional and void. Gary Greenberg, a Democratic activist, last month brought the lawsuit against Governor Kathy Hochul and legislative officials, alleging that the state assembly map was gerrymandered “to protect Democratic incumbents.” The court ruled that the map was [...]

A Bolivian criminal court found ex-president Jeanine Anez guilty Friday of inciting a coup and sentenced her to 10 years in prison. In a statement, the Ministry of Justice and Transparency celebrated the verdict and sentencing, saying, “he Judiciary, in the exercise of its independence, issued a sentence that is framed in the principles and [...]

Tunisian President Kais Saied has caused serious harm to judicial independence in the country by granting himself the absolute authority to dismiss judges summarily by decree and quickly firing 57 of them, said 10 human rights organizations in a joint press release on Friday. The organizations called Decree 2022-35 an assault on the rule of [...]

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) Friday announced Colombia’s extradition of an alleged former senior commander of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) to the US on charges of “leading a continuing criminal enterprise and participating in an international cocaine manufacture and distribution conspiracy.” The DOJ alleges that Martin Leonel Perez Castro, who was arrested [...]

A Grand Rapids, Michigan, police officer Friday pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder for fatally shooting a Black immigrant during a traffic stop. The officer’s lawyer said that his client was “justified” in the amount of force used during the incident. As bodycam footage shows, on April 4, Patrick Lyoya was pulled over for an allegedly [...]

The US Supreme Court Thursday rejected an emergency appeal that would have prevented the counting of 257 mail-in votes in an election for a Pennsylvania judgeship. The votes, which could tip the scale in the election, are contested on the grounds that their envelopes were not dated in violation of state election law. The election, [...]

Health Canada Friday proposed a regulation mandating warning labels on individual cigarettes and cigars. The proposed regulations would place “health-related messages that are memorable, noticeable and impactful” on each cigarette, covering at least 75 percent of the surface area. If enacted, Canada will be the first country to have such regulations. According to Health Canada, [...]

A select committee of the US House of Representatives Thursday held its first public hearing regarding the January 6th attack on the US Capitol, releasing previously unseen footage from the attack. The Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the US Capitol broadcasted its proceedings on primetime television. The hearing included the testimonies [...]

Malaysian Law Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar Friday announced the state’s abolition of the mandatory death penalty and replacement with “substitute punishments” at the courts’ discretion.  The Attorney General’s Chambers, Legal Affairs Division, Prime Minister’s Department and Ministries in collaboration will conduct research and study on the proposed substitute punishment to make certain that the [...]