Germany’s Federal Fiscal Court, the Bundesfinanzhof, demanded changes Monday to pension taxation to avoid future double taxation of retirement savings. Prior to 2005, pensions had been basically tax-exempt because contributions came from taxed salaries. Under a 2005 law change, pension contribution payments gradually become tax-free. However, the taxable share of the pension increased. Because of [...]

Democratic members of the Texas House of Representatives blocked a vote Sunday on an election reform bill that would allegedly make it more difficult for minorities to vote. A bail bill also died in the house because of the walk-out. Senate Bill 7 would limit early voting hours and add more restrictions to voting by [...]

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday released a part of an internal memo that was used in 2019 by former Attorney General William Barr in his decision not to prosecute former President Donald Trump for obstruction of justice. Late on Monday, the DOJ said in a court filing in the US District Court [...]

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed two major criminal justice reform bills into law Monday. The Alternatives to Incarceration Act, which replaces the Tennessee Community Act of 1985, places a cap on the duration of probation. It is meant to help local governments find alternatives to prison. The Re-Entry Success Act decreases the amount of time [...]

US Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas announced Saturday an 18-month designation of Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). This humanitarian protection would allow an estimated 100,000 individuals to apply to remain lawfully in the US. There are three statutory grounds for TPS designation: ongoing armed conflict, environmental disasters, or extraordinary and temporary conditions. In Haiti, [...]

Members of the European Parliament adopted a proposal Wednesday to crack down on illegal broadcasting of live sporting events. This proposal includes the ability to block illegal broadcasts within half an hour. Live sports broadcasting provides a significant revenue source for event organizers. However, the illegal streaming of live sports has become a growing issue [...]

The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit upheld a decision Wednesday that dismissed a proposed investor class action against Uber. A three-judge panel said that the lawsuit failed to connect a series of scandals that Uber faced in 2017 to a decrease in the company’s valuation. In 2016, Irving Firemen’s Relief & Retirement Fund [...]

Hong Kong’s Security Bureau announced Friday that it had frozen assets belonging to pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai Chee-ying. This was the first time that authorities used the seizure powers granted to them under the new national security law. Lai was arrested under national security law in August when authorities raided his newspaper’s headquarters. In April, he and [...]

The US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit found Tuesday that a racist slur used by a former military officer was protected speech under the First Amendment. In November 2018, former military officer Jules Bartow was shopping at the Quantico Marine Corps Exchange when he used a racist slur that generally seemed aimed at [...]

Idaho Governor Brad Little signed legislation Monday that limits the governor’s power and prohibits government entities from enforcing President Joe Biden’s executive orders combatting gun violence. Biden has pushed for more gun control in the US. In early April, the Biden administration unveiled six measures that it would take to address gun violence, including asking [...]