Serious law. Primary sources. Global perspective

The Illinois Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that the odor of raw cannabis is sufficient to justify a warrantless vehicle search. The appellant, Vincent Molina, was a passenger in a car stopped by a police officer for speeding on the highway. The officer searched the car solely based on smelling raw cannabis and found several rolled [...]

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The UK Ministry of Justice predicted that more than 100,000 people may be held in custody by 2029, in a report released Thursday. The report alarmed prison overcrowds which may undermine prisoners’ rights in the country. In the report, the ministry provided a low, central and high estimate of the size of the prison population [...]

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The European Commission announced on Thursday that it would step up monitoring of the TikTok platform’s compliance with the Digital Services Act (DSA). The move comes in the context of the ongoing Romanian elections and aggressive online campaign of front-runner candidate Calin Georgescu. The European Commission issued an order, obliging TikTok to freeze all information [...]

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The US House of Representatives on Thursday rejected Democratic efforts to release a long-awaited ethics report investigating sexual misconduct allegations against former Florida Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz. The House rejected two privileged resolutions, voting against the Democrats’ arguments for the report to be released to ensure transparency and accountability. The House voted 206-198 against H.Res.1608, [...]

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Human Rights Watch (HRW) published a report on Thursday highlighting the unjust prosecution of Ukrainian civilians under Ukraine’s “anti-collaboration” laws. The report highlights how civilians performing legitimate and essential tasks in areas under Russian occupation have been prosecuted under these laws, and examines the broader impact these prosecutions have had on both the individuals involved [...]

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South Korean lawmakers on Thursday introduced a motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol just days after his failed attempt to enforce martial law. The motion is set for a full parliamentary vote on Saturday. Yoon is facing impeachment charges under Article 66 of the South Korean Constitution for “violating the Constitution or other laws [...]

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Bruce Reeve, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced Thursday that the government of the central Canadian province will introduce legislation to grant municipalities and police expanded powers to dismantle homeless encampments. In a letter sent to 12 mayors from municipalities across Ontario, the premier also indicated his willingness to use the Notwithstanding Clause of the Canadian Charter of Rights [...]

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The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of climate change Elisa Morgera on Thursday stated that climate change has negatively impacted the lives of the ni-Vanuatu people and threatened their well-being. This statement concluded Morgera’s nine-day visit to Vanuatu. She is expected to present a full report [...]

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Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a report Wednesday documenting extensive human rights abuses by Saudi employers, and apathy by state agencies. The report crafted a series of suggestions for Saudi agencies, employers, and relevant parties to curtail future abuses, which it argues are particularly salient following the kingdom’s bid for the 2035 FIFA World Cup. [...]

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