The report of the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers (A/HRC/56/62) presented at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on Tuesday found the global state of human rights is deteriorating. The UNHRC emphasizes a concerning trend of declining human rights as democratic institutions face increasing pressure and leaders fail to uphold [...]

Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a mutual defense assistance pact on Wednesday during Putin’s visit to the North Korean capital Pyongyang since 2000. According to a statement from the Russian government, the Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership stipulates “mutual assistance in the event of aggression against one of [...]

Hamas responded to a US-backed ceasefire proposal for Gaza, senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan told Al-Mayadeen TV on Tuesday. While expressing support for the broad outlines of the plan, the Palestinian group submitted “a few remarks” aimed at aligning the proposal with its positions. The US plan, presented by President Joe Biden last month, envisions a [...]

The US Connecticut Public Defender Services Commission (PDSC) unanimously terminated TaShun Bowden-Lewis from her position as Connecticut’s Chief Public Defender on Tuesday. Bowden-Lewis, who was the first Black person to hold the role, was fired for misconduct since her assumption of the role two years ago. According to the Commission’s 113-page decision, her tenure was [...]

US District Judge Aileen Cannon denied special counsel Jack Smith’s request to restrict Donald Trump’s public statements in the ongoing classified documents case against the former president. The prosecutors had sought to bar Trump from making public statements that could endanger law enforcement agents participating in the investigation and prosecution. In her order, Judge Cannon [...]

The New York State Senate approved a bill on Wednesday that would allow evidence of a defendant’s prior sexual offenses to be admissible in sex crimes cases. The bill, which passed with a vote of 55-4, now moves to the State Assembly for further consideration. The bill comes in response to the New York Court [...]

The US removed Cuba the list of countries not fully cooperating against terrorism, also known as the Not Fully Cooperating Countries (NFCC) list, State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel confirmed on Wednesday. Patel said that the circumstances leading to Cuba’s designation as an NFCC have changed since 2022. The NFCC list is part of [...]

China on Wednesday sought to solicit public opinion on draft regulations aimed at regulating its rapidly growing lithium battery industry. The rules, proposed by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, are designed to curb unchecked expansion and promote sustainable and high-quality development within the sector.  The proposed regulations address several key issues facing China’s lithium [...]

Mexico filed an amicus brief Thursday with the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, voicing opposition to Texas Immigration Law SB 4, which authorizes Texas authorities to arrest and prosecute individuals suspected of illegal entry across the US-Mexico border.  On Tuesday, the US Supreme Court reversed its position and allowed the Texas law [...]

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a new bill into law on Wednesday that prohibits homeless individuals from sleeping in public spaces, such as sidewalks and parks. The bill, HB 1365, is set to take effect on October 1. DeSantis claimed the bill aims to address public safety and quality of life by ensuring homeless individuals [...]