US President Donald Trump on Friday signed a historic $2 trillion stimulus package that was approved by the House of Representatives earlier in the day. The House approved the bill after overcoming last-minute drama by using an unusual procedural move to thwart a demand by a conservative Republican to force members to vote in person. [...]

The Canadian legislature passed emergency legislation on Wednesday that will allow the Minister of Health to circumvent patent laws for supplies that are necessary to combat the COVID-19 public health emergency. The bill requires payment of renumeration for the patentees in the “amount that the Commissioner considers to be adequate renumeration in the circumstances.” “These [...]

The Hague District Court ordered the Dutch state on Wednesday to pay compensation to the relatives of 11 men executed by Dutch soldiers in South Sulawesi in 1946 and 1947. The Indonesian War of Independence took place between 1945 and 1949. As a result of Dutch soldiers’ misconduct during the war, 11 men were killed in [...]

The Singapore Ministry of Health enacted stay-at-home and social distancing regulations on Thursday amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The penalty for violating the regulations is a fine up to $10,000 or imprisonment up to six months or both. All travelers coming back to Singapore, including citizens and permanent residents, will have to go into quarantine for [...]

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a temporary policy regarding EPA enforcement of a variety of environmental laws on Thursday, saying regulated entities may have trouble complying with environmental standards due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The temporary policy applies to civil violations involving noncompliance and outlines what types of offenses will not be penalized as [...]

China announced on Thursday that foreign nationals will be suspended from entering China beginning March 28 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The temporary suspension includes those holding visas or residency permits still valid at the time of suspension. In the announcement, China stated: The suspension is a temporary measure that China is compelled to take [...]

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Thursday pardoned former army sergeant Sunil Ratnayake, who was sentenced to death for killing eight Tamil civilians during the country’s civil war. After a 13-year trial, the Colombo High Court found Ratnayake guilty of eight civilian murders and sentenced him to death in June 2015. The Supreme Court upheld [...]

The California Commission on Judicial Performance issued a notice of public censure on Wednesday, resolving disciplinary matters concerning offensive remarks made by California Judge Jeffrey Bennett. The commission publicly denounced Bennett’s racially and sexually charged comments in a 22-page decision and reprimand order. “Judge Bennett’s misconduct mostly involves saying things no judge should say—comments and [...]

US Attorney General William Barr directed the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to use home confinement for inmates currently held in jail or prison when appropriate in response to an increase of COVID-19 cases among prison populations on Thursday. Any inmates released on home confinement will be under 14-day quarantine. The move is intended to slow [...]

In a rare move, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) issued an indictment against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on Thursday. Maduro and 14 current and former Venezuelan officials have been charged with narco-terrorism, corruption, drug trafficking and other crimes. The DOJ alleges that Maduro conspired with the FARC, Colombia’s guerrilla army, prior to becoming the [...]