South American trade bloc Mercosur on Friday notified Venezuela that the country will be suspended in light of its membership requirement violations. Leading member countries Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay reportedly determined that Venezuela, a member since 2012, had not met the organization's economic, trade and immigration standards and had given the country …
The US Senate voted unanimously on Thursday to pass the Iran Sanctions Act, which would extend economic sanctions against companies doing business with Iran for 10 more years. Originally approved in 1996, the extended bill was passed onto the Senate with only one vote against it from the House in November. Prior to Senate …
The prosecutor for the Special Department for War Crimes on Friday indicted six former officials in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) for crimes against humanity committed during the Bosnian War. The men were members of a so-called "Crisis Staff," which has been accused of committing genocide against ethnic groups during the Bosnian War. Their group …
US Representative Steve Cohen (D-TN) introduced a constitutional amendment Thursday that proposes eliminating the electoral college and allowing for direct election of the president and vice president. This proposal comes after Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by at least 2.5 million, but lost the electoral college and presidency to Donald …
The Russian/Syrian coalition committed war crimes in Aleppo during September and October, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Thursday. HRW alleges that the bombings constitute war crimes, as the bombings appear to be recklessly hitting civilians and in some cases intentionally targeting civilian facilities, so far killing more than 440 civilians. HRW further alleges that the weapons …
The European wing of Uber was indicted in Denmark on Friday on charges of assisting drivers in their violation of taxi laws, although Copenhagen prosecutor Vibeke Thorkil-Jensen stated that this is just a test case seeking judicial assessment of Uber's involvement in the illegal acts of two of its drivers. One Uber driver was …
California's 5th District Court of Appeals on Thursday reversed and remanded a lower court ruling which rejected a challenge to a state law requiring gun microstamping. In 2007 then-governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a bill intended to combat gun trafficking and ease crime investigations involving bullet casings. The bill required gun …
The Obama administration on Thursday challenged a federal judge's decision to block the implementation of a new overtime pay rule. The Department of Labor (DOL) filed a notice of appeal in the Eastern District of Texas. The new rule would have made 4 million …
Chinese officials on Friday suspended the law license of prominent human rights lawyer Li Jinxing. The Justice Bureau of the city of Jinan, where Li's license is apparently registered, made the announcement in an official notice. The bureau stated that it was taking this action as a response to Li's unacceptable behavior in court while defending his client …
The US House of Representatives on Wednesday approved the 21st Century Cures Act. The $6.3 billion bill is intended to "spur medical innovation, speed access to new drugs, expand access to mental health treatment and battle the opioid epidemic. The Act received widespread bipartisan support, though there are concerns that the bill provides …
The German Parliament passed a controversial persons with disabilities rights act Thursday. The Federal Participation Law, has been in the works since early 2016 and is proposed to enhance an inclusive society and increase the access of Germans with disabilities to assistance and partnerships. The passage of the act was …
UN officials urged the international community on Wednesday to unite with the UN Security Council to protect civilians in the war-torn eastern Aleppo region of Syria. UN Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, stated that there is a "humanitarian tragedy" underway in Aleppo displacing an estimated 25,000 individuals from their homes in …
