A federal judge refused Friday to order California prison officials to release large number of inmates or impose social-distancing requirements as protections against the coronavirus, saying the state has acted reasonably so far by freeing several thousand prisoners ahead of schedule and taking steps to expand housing and improve sanitation. US District Judge Jon Tigar [...]
The Trump Administration announced a new program on Friday to help US farmers who are struggling economically because of disruptions from the pandemic. Farmers and ranchers are having a hard time getting their goods to markets because large buyers like restaurants and college dormitories have stopped buying. Not only is the lack of markets hurting [...]
El Salvador President Nayib Bukele defied the Supreme Court Wednesday after the nation’s highest judiciary issued an order for his administration to respect COVID-19 related rulings. In March the El Salvador government responded to the COVID-19 outbreak by ordering all citizens to undergo a mandatory month-long lockdown. Individuals found violating this order have been arrested [...]
Amnesty International on Thursday expressed human rights abuse concerns over emergency COVID–19 responses across Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Amnesty accused governments of broadening and abusing their police powers through emergency–pandemic measures intended to suppress political dissent, freedom of expression, and civil society. Daniel Balson, advocacy director for Europe and Central Asia at Amnesty, referred [...]
In a letter to the European Commission revealed Thursday, ministers of France, Germany, Italy and Spain proposed that a “binding mechanism” be added to the upcoming New Pact on Asylum and Migration to distribute asylum seekers. The proposal is an attempt to keep asylum reform on the agenda during the COVID-19 pandemic. The proposal states [...]
The German Constitutional Court on Thursday upheld citizens’ right to hold political protests after a group of activists in the state of Hesse petitioned the court with a document titled “Strengthen health instead of weakening fundamental rights – protection against viruses, not against humans.” The protesters hoped that the court would allow them to gather [...]
A judge for the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida entered a temporary injunction on Friday that halts the sale of an unproven, “potentially dangerous” coronavirus treatment product. The Department of Justice (DOJ) alleged that Genesis II Church of Health and Healing sold a product called Miracle Mineral Solution, which was sold [...]
US President Donald Trump unveiled new federal COVID-19 guidelines on Thursday in hopes of reopening American businesses. The guidelines, titled “Opening Up America Again,” outline a three-phased plan based on advice of public health experts, according to the White House plan. The phases are designed to allow people to slowly return to work if their [...]
Turkey’s parliament passed legislation Thursday allowing its sovereign wealth fund to assist companies in distress. The legislation will help the country survive the impact of COVID-19 by allowing the Turkiye Wealth Fund to send money in firms considered to be of strategic importance. The government will prevent excessive price increases by companies within the country. [...]
The most senior Chinese official in Hong Kong, chief of the Liaison Office Luo Huining, said Wednesday that the city should introduce new national security legislation “as soon as possible” in reaction to protests last year that undermined mainland China’s influence in the region. These remarks came during a speech for China’s National Security Education [...]
