Federal Judge Maryellen Noreika on Friday refused to grant Hunter Biden’s motion to dismiss the federal gun charges he is currently facing. This means the case against Hunter Biden, who is US President Joe Biden’s son, will continue. Hunter Biden’s original motion to dismiss the charges alleged that the appointment of Special Counsel David Weiss, [...]
Search Results for: 2016-09-09
Poland legislature votes on abortion rights issues, facing EU criticism for near-total abortion ban
After a contentious debate Thursday, the Sejm, the lower house of the Polish legislature, voted on four abortion–related proposals Friday and created an Extraordinary Committee to draft new abortion laws. Meanwhile, the EU Parliament voted to include the right to a safe and legal abortion in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, specifically condemning Poland’s [...]
Islam, Albania, and European Integration: The Vague Role of National Identity in Albanian Secularism
Every Eid-Al-Fitr, the Albanian Muslim community organizes a collective prayer in Tirana’s public square, a crowded event filled with people adoring and worshipping their God, ideals and morals. While attending as a spectator, one can witness a scene colored with feelings of tranquility, peace and harmony. Since the prayer is done in the direction of [...]
Under President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s leadership, the Sri Lankan civil war reached a brutal conclusion on May 18, 2009, ending a 25-year-long conflict between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a separatist rebel group. Rooted in longstanding grievances, including discriminatory policies against Sri Lanka’s Tamil minority, the conflict saw the [...]
Breaking Barriers: A Global Review of Legislative Reform on Women's Rights
The plight of women’s rights in various countries reflects a complex interplay of legal, cultural and societal norms that significantly disenfranchise women and girls, threatening their human rights and dignity. Countries like Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Iran, Yemen, Sudan, Pakistan, Somalia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Syria, and Nigeria present challenging environments where women’s rights [...]
US DOJ files new obstruction of justice charges against Senator Bob Menendez and his wife
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a new superseding indictment Tuesday against Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and his wife Nadine Menendez. The superseding indictment added new obstruction of justice charges against the couple in the ongoing case for bribery, honest services wire fraud, extortion and acting as an unregistered foreign agent of Egypt. The [...]
UK court finds Mozambique president cannot be sued in UK over bribery allegations
Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi cannot be sued in English courts over allegations that he accepted unlawful bribery payments as part of Mozambique’s “tuna bond” scandal, according to a Thursday decision from the English Court of Appeal. The money laundering scheme nearly crashed Mozambique’s economy and embezzled individuals worldwide. The Court of Appeal ruled that Nyusi [...]
The recent Australian High Court ruling in NZYQ v. Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs has prompted significant developments in Australia’s immigration detention policies. This commentary examines the legal implications of the ruling, the subsequent legislative response, and the ongoing concerns raised by human rights and refugee advocates. A History of Mandatory Detention for [...]
HRW: increase in human rights abuses by governments outside their nations' borders
Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a report Thursday detailing an increase in countries sanctioning human rights abuses outside their borders. Normally this would take the form of a former citizen of the nation who had either been exiled or forced to flee being harassed or worse by their nation of origin. These breaches have occurred [...]
A report released by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on Tuesday highlights human rights violations and abuses endured by Syrians upon their return to Syria. The report outlines a combination of challenges awaiting returnees, including general insecurity in the aftermath of the civil war, as well as ongoing violations [...]