California Superior Court Judge Maureen Duffy-Lewis Friday entered a verdict to enjoin California’s Senate Bill 826 (SB 826) after finding that the law violated Article I, Section 7 of the California Constitution. The law, enacted in October, 2018, requires publicly held corporations in California to have one or more female directors for boards with four or [...]

The US Department of Justice Monday charged 55-year-old Venezuelan cardiologist Moises Luis Zagala Gonzalez with attempted computer intrusions and conspiracy to commit computer intrusions. According to authorities, Zagala taught himself programming and designed ransomware tools. Ransomware is “malicious software that cybercriminals use to extort money from companies, nonprofits and other institutions, by encrypting those files and [...]

The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Monday held that the District Court for the Northern District of California’s COVID-19 protocols violated defendant James David Allen II’s Sixth Amendment right to a public trial. In 2020, the district court prohibited the public from attending Allen’s suppression hearing and trial “and rejected his request [...]

The Ghent Court of Appeal Monday refused to extradite Spanish rapper José Miguel Arenas Beltrán to Spain. Arenas, known by his stage name Valtònyc, was due to serve a three-and-a-half year prison sentence for insulting the Spanish Royal Family and praising the Basque terrorist group Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (ETA), but he fled to Belgium before starting [...]

Four criminal defendants in Oregon Monday filed a lawsuit against the state for violating their rights to counsel and a speedy trial under the Sixth Amendment. The plaintiff’s allege that an underfunded and failing public defender system has left them without counsel for months. Jason D. Williamson, the executive director of the Center on Race, [...]

The National Assembly of People’s Power, Cuba’s Parliament, Sunday approved a new penal code as part of judicial reforms initiated after the approval of a new constitution in April, 2019. President Miguel Diaz-Canel and former President Raul Castro, who governed from 2008 to 2018, attended the session.  The new penal code reinforces sanctions for acts [...]

The Orange County (OC) Sheriff’s Department Monday released a statement regarding a shooting at a Laguna Woods church last Saturday. Investigators announced the arrest of 68-year-old David Chou, of Las Vegas, Nevada, on suspicion of murder and attempted murder after he allegedly entered Geneva Presbyterian Church “and fired multiple rounds, striking six victims.” Members of [...]

Peloton Interactive, Inc. (Peloton) and NordicTrack maker iFIT, Inc. (iFIT) Monday released a joint statement regarding “the settlement of all pending litigation” between the two companies. As a resolution, “iFIT has agreed to remove certain on-demand leaderboard technology from its products, and Peloton has agreed to license certain iFIT patents relating to remote control technology.” This series [...]

Liz Throssell, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Tuesday called on Iranian authorities to halt the execution of Ahmedreza Djalali and revoke his death sentence. Djalali, a Swedish-Iranian doctor and academic, is scheduled to be executed by May 21, 2022. Though they are still considering Djalali’s request to postpone the execution, Iranian [...]

Chile’s Constitutional Convention Monday finalized the draft of a new constitution, following 10 months of negotiations. Chilean citizens overwhelmingly voted in October 2020 to draft the new constitution replacing the guiding principles put in place in 1980 under General Augusto Pinochet’s military dictatorship.  The draft has been heralded for its progressive nature, with it requiring free higher [...]