The European Court of Human Rights ruled on Tuesday that Russia has failed to justify the lack of legal acknowledgment for same-sex couples. The court stated in a press release that Russia has to provide a legal framework and policy to entitle same-sex couples to the same legal protection as opposite-sex couples. This is a [...]

The European Union on Wednesday announced the adoption of a package of proposals designed to make its climate, energy, land use, transport, and taxation policies fit for reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 percent by 2030, compared to 1990 levels. The announcement stated that achieving these emission reductions in the next decade [...]

The Texas Senate Health and Human Services Committee approved two bills on Monday that would require transgender student athletes to participate on school sports teams that align with the students’ biological sex at birth. The Senate committee advanced Senate Bill 2 and Senate Bill 32 in a 6-0 vote. Both bills limit a student’s ability [...]

In a split decision on Tuesday a three-judge panel of the Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit held that federal statutes and regulations restricting gun sales to persons 21 years old and older are unconstitutional. The plaintiffs, Natalia Marshall and Tanner Hirschfeld, filed suit against the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) [...]

A Baltimore City judge issued a preliminary injunction on Tuesday to prevent Maryland Governor Larry Hogan from terminating federal unemployment assistance for over 300,000 Maryland residents. The federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act funds three types of unemployment benefits that extend eligibility and provide supplement benefits. Last month Governor Hogan notified US [...]

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a lawsuit on Tuesday to stop a new Texas law banning abortion after six weeks of pregnancy from coming into force. According to the lawsuit, the law violates constitutional rights and also violates the precedent set by Roe v. Wade, in which it was held that abortion cannot [...]

A spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) warned on Tuesday of an impending humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan as mounting conflict gives rise to human suffering and civilian displacement. Speaking at a press briefing at the Palais des Nations, UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch raised concerns over the deteriorating conditions in [...]

The US imposed restrictions Monday on visas held by 100 members of the Nicaraguan National Assembly and Nicaraguan judicial system over the crackdown on political opponents by President Daniel Ortega under “treason” laws ahead of November elections. The US State Department said that the visa restrictions apply to Nicaraguans that are believed to be responsible [...]

Texas Democrats walked out on the state special session on Monday and headed for Washington, DC, to prevent Republican legislators from meeting the quorum required to vote on a bill that would restrict voting rights. They plan to stay out of state until the end of this summer term, which was ordered by Governor Greg [...]

France’s competition regulator, fined Google €500 million Tuesday for failing to negotiate “in good faith” with media companies over the use of their content under EU copyright rules. Google had openly disregarded several injunctions issued in April 2020 by displaying snippets of articles on its Google News service. The authority ordered Google to present a [...]