US North Dakota Governor Kelly Armstrong vetoed a state bill on Tuesday that would have restricted books with “explicit sexual material” displayed or made available to minors in the state, including in public and school libraries. In a two-page rebuke of the proposed legislation, Armstrong wrote Senate Bill 2307 would represent “a misguided attempt to [...]
The Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) raised serious concerns Thursday about prison conditions and psychiatric care practices across Europe. The 34th General Report highlights issues pertaining to prison overcrowding, the continued influence of informal prisoner hierarchies, and the excessive use of pharmacological treatments [...]
Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Tuesday urged United Arab Emirates (UAE) authorities to remove the terrorism designation of 11 political opponents and relatives, and eight companies they own. In January, the UAE government released the cabinet’s decision, Resolution No. (1) of 2025 Regarding Approving the List of Terrorist Persons and Organizations, authorizing a list including [...]
Russia’s Tambov Garrison Military Court sentenced Major General Ivan Popov, who had publicly disapproved of the way Russian military forces operated in Ukraine, to five years in prison on Thursday and stripped him of his military rank. The military officer was convicted of grand larceny and service forgery. According to information from Russia’s Investigative Committee [...]
UN Special Rapporteur on the sale, sexual exploitation, and sexual abuse of children Fatima Singhateh welcomed on Thursday efforts from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to combat child sale and exploitation. She stated that the country demonstrated a firm commitment to protecting children and providing them with the necessary support. Singhateh noted that the UAE [...]
Independent UN rights experts expressed alarm Thursday about the use of forced psychiatric treatment to punish political dissenters in Belarus. The experts have stated that 33 people have been coerced into undergoing psychiatric treatment in response to political protest. Only eight of these have been reported released, meaning at least 25 more people are involuntarily [...]
Turkish authorities brought charges on Wednesday against Joakim Medin, a Swedish journalist for news site Dagens ETC, for insulting the president. Medem was also charged with terror-related crimes, with a potential sentence of 12 years of imprisonment. Medin travelled extensively to conflict-ridden areas in Türkiye, while allegedly promoting pro-PKK sentiments on his social media accounts [...]
Law firms Scott+Scott and Darrois Villey Maillot Brochier on Wednesday sued Facebook’s parent company, Meta, on behalf of France’s leading publishers over the tech giant’s allegedly unlawful business practices. A first in French history, prominent media companies including TF1, France TV and BFM were among 67 media companies representing 200 publications in the case. The [...]
The US Supreme Court heard oral arguments Wednesday in a case that sees fuel industry groups challenging vehicle emission standards in California. The justices indicated that the plaintiffs have legal standing, and the Court is likely to issue a ruling in the case. The lawsuit challenges California’s Advanced Clean Cars Program, which was launched in [...]
The US Supreme Court decided on Tuesday that immigrants who are offered voluntary departure have some deadline flexibility. The case, argued last November, concerned undocumented Mexican immigrant Hugo Abisai Monsalvo Velázquez, who was ordered removed and allowed to self-deport. The court sided with Monsalvo Velázquez, ruling that his Saturday departure deadline should have been extended [...]
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