The 21st century has witnessed significant and progressive changes with regard to the rights and acceptance of the LGBTQIA+ community, with various legislations and policies being enacted/repealed for the protection of queer persons, and the increasing acceptance of sexualities and sexual orientations, other than those that have been indoctrinated as ‘normal’. This has also helped [...]
Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont signed legislation Tuesday legalizing cannabis for adult-use, in an effort to uplift those hardest hit by the failed “War on Drugs.” Senate Bill 1201 aimed to promote “responsible and equitable” regulation of cannabis use by making Connecticut the eighteenth US state to legalize recreational adult use of marijuana. Connecticut’s Senate passed [...]
The US Supreme Court ruled 8-1 Wednesday that Pennsylvania public school officials violated the First Amendment when they suspended a high school cheerleader for posting offensive images on Snapchat. After failing to make the varsity cheerleading team, former Mahanoy High School student, Brandi Levy, vented in a couple of Snapchat posts while visiting a local [...]
The US Supreme Court on Monday denied a petition for certiorari to review a ruling from the Ninth Circuit that ordered the Union Pacific Railroad and others to pay part of a $16.5 million cleanup of a California Superfund site. The case revolves around differing interpretations of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act [...]
After six months of deliberation, a panel of 12 independent legal experts from across the globe on Tuesday unveiled a working definition of “ecocide” that they hope will be adopted by the International Criminal Court (ICC). The panel was organized by the Stop Ecocide Foundation, an NGO whose stated focus is facilitating the adoption of ecocide by the [...]
A federal judge has granted a preliminary injunction blocking the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from enforcing its no-sail order for cruises. This gives the state of Florida a head start in its lawsuit against the federal government. The federal government had shut down all cruises in March 2020 amid the COVID-19 [...]
A three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals Ninth Circuit ruled unanimously Monday that a corporate shareholder has the right to challenge the constitutionality of California Senate Bill 826 (SB 826), which stipulated a minimum number of female board members for all public corporations headquartered in California. The suit was filed in 2019 by [...]
A joint statement from the US, Canada, UK and EU on Monday announced the imposition of new, “coordinated sanctions” against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko’s regime and its “continuing attacks on human rights, fundamental freedoms, and international law.” The new and comprehensive sanctions on Belarusian individuals and entities follow last month’s forced landing of a Ryanair [...]
A bill by the Canadian Parliament recognizing the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples 2007 (UNDRIP) and establishing a framework for its implementation received Royal Assent on Monday. The legislation requires the government of Canada to take measures for bringing the country’s laws in alignment with the UNDRIP as well as preparing and [...]
In late May of this year, the district court of Netherlands announced its judgment in Milieudefensie v. Royal Dutch Shell, which ordered the Royal Dutch Shell, a leading oil manufacturer, to reduce its carbon emissions by 45 percent (from its 2019 level) by 2030. This decision has been applauded by environmental activists who have called [...]
