The Review Committee on the Functioning of the International Health Regulations (2005) during the COVID-19 Response recommended minor improvements Tuesday to the 2005 International Health Regulations (IHR). Both the Review Committee and the Independent Panel were established by the World Health Organization (WHO) in response to World Health Assembly resolution 73.1. The Review Committee is [...]

Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh announced Tuesday that the country has sanctioned a number of former senior US officials and former president Donald Trump. Khatibzadeh said that the sanctions are a response to “acts of terror against Iran and Iranian nationals and violation of their human rights.” Specifically, grounds for the sanctions include the [...]

Joseph Randall Biggs, leader of the far-right organization Proud Boys, was arrested in Orlando, Florida, Wednesday in connection with the attack on the US Capitol on January 6. According to an FBI affidavit, Biggs has been documented in the Capitol. The affidavit includes images where the individual identified as Biggs is seen. Further, there is [...]

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) announced Thursday that it is imposing sanctions on 28 individuals, including former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, former National Security Advisor John Bolton and former White House strategiest Steve Bannon for violating China’s sovereignty. The sanctions prohibit the individuals from entering the mainland, Hong Kong and Macao. In [...]

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced Wednesday that it will halt deportations of certain non-citizens for 100 days. Acting DHS Secretary David Pekoske ordered the moratorium to review the policies and practices concerning immigration enforcement. The memorandum signed by Pekoske notes the significant challenges facing border security due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It [...]

The Hungarian government has ordered a publisher to print disclaimers identifying books containing “behaviour inconsistent with traditional gender roles.” The order is in response to the publication of Meseorszag mindenkie (A Fairy Tale for Everyone) a fairytale anthology published by Labrisz, an association for lesbian, bisexual and transgender women. The group says the storybook includes [...]

The Federal Council of Switzerland released a statement on Tuesday urging voters to reject the “Yes to a ban on full facial coverings” initiative. The electorate will vote on the initiative during the March 7 election. The Swiss government instead proposes a policy that would require persons wearing full facial coverings to remove them and identify themselves [...]

The US Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Tuesday in Federal Communications Commission (FCC) v. Prometheus Radio Project and BP P.L.C. v. Mayor and City Council of Baltimore. In Prometheus Radio Project, which was consolidated with National Association of Broadcasters v. Prometheus Radio Project, the court has to consider whether it was permissible for the [...]

The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on Tuesday struck down the Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) rule, ending the Trump administration’s efforts to relax rules regarding the emission of greenhouse gases from power plants. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under former president Donald Trump had promulgated the ACE rule in an attempt [...]

New York Judge Joel Cohen rejected a bid Thursday from the National Rifle Association (NRA) to move or dismiss a lawsuit brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James to dissolve the organization following investigations of “extensive fraud.” The lawsuit, filed in August, alleges that several NRA executive officers “breached their fiduciary duties” and illegally [...]