Canada Introduces Legislation to Strengthen Ban on Goods Produced with Forced Labor
Canada’s government introduced Bill C-35, an act that would replace the current customs‑tariff prohibition with an independent legislative framework to block goods made with forced labour. The law empowers the foreign minister to publish a high‑risk goods list and requires importers to provide detailed supply‑chain tracing, with non‑compliance resulting in automatic bans. CBSA officers could detain suspect imports for up to 90 days while agencies coordinate enforcement and a cost‑recovery model is established. The move builds on Canada’s 2024 Supply Chains Act and aligns it with the US and Mexico’s forced‑labour bans.
Kenya Law Society Files Contempt of Court Application Against Government
The Katiba Institute and the Law Society of Kenya have filed a contempt of court application in Nairobi’s High Court, alleging the Kenyan government ignored a court order demanding disclosure of documents for a U.S.-backed Ebola quarantine facility. The order,...
Japan Plaintiffs Demand Oral Arguments and Clear Ruling in Same-Sex Marriage Case
Japanese plaintiffs have filed signatures with the Supreme Court demanding oral arguments and a definitive ruling on the constitutionality of the ban on same‑sex marriage. The case consolidates six lower‑court decisions, five of which found the ban unconstitutional, while the...
Hong Kong Proposes New Law Empowering Chief Executive to Certify Criminal Acts as National Security Offenses
Hong Kong’s Legislative Council panels have proposed subsidiary legislation under Article 23 that would let the chief executive certify any criminal case as a national‑security offence. The measure expands the chief executive’s existing certification power, removing any judicial discretion over whether...
UN Warns Rapidly Changing Ocean Putting Future of Humanity at Risk
The United Nations warned that without immediate, coordinated action the ocean’s health will continue to decline, jeopardizing climate stability, food security and the wellbeing of billions. Its new World Oceans Assessment highlights that only 8.4 percent of marine areas are protected,...
Kenya Dispatch: High Court Strikes Down Law Criminalizing Consensual Sex Among Teenagers
On May 20, 2026, Kenya’s Milimani High Court ruled that sections 8, 9 and 11 of the Sexual Offences Act, which criminalize consensual sex between adolescents, violate constitutional rights. Justice Bahati Mwamuye distinguished non‑coercive teen relationships from exploitative abuse, requiring...
Federal Court Strikes Down a Slew of Immigration Restrictions Impacting 39 Countries
A federal judge in Rhode Island invalidated the Trump administration's immigration restrictions affecting citizens of 39 countries, citing violations of due‑process and equal‑protection rights. The ruling halts a December presidential proclamation that suspended asylum, work permits, permanent residency and citizenship...
Kenya Dispatch: High Court Suspends US-Backed Ebola Quarantine Facility
On May 29 the Nairobi High Court issued a conservatory order halting Kenya’s plan to host a US‑backed Ebola quarantine facility at a Laikipia air force base. The order follows a petition by the Katiba Institute, which warned that the...
Canada Parliament Passes Cybersecurity Bill Amid Privacy Concerns
Canada’s Senate passed Bill C-8, establishing a mandatory cybersecurity framework for critical infrastructure across telecom, finance, energy and transportation sectors. The bill amends the Telecommunications Act, granting the Minister of Industry authority to issue binding orders, ban high‑risk equipment and...
US Supreme Court Clarifies Agency Powers in Pair of New Rulings
The U.S. Supreme Court issued two rulings that favor federal regulators, clarifying agency enforcement mechanisms. In FCC v. AT&T, the Court held 8-1 that FCC forfeiture orders are not final and must be followed by a Department of Justice lawsuit,...
DOJ Appeals Order Denying Access to Arizona Voter Registration Database
The U.S. Department of Justice has appealed a district‑court order that barred it from accessing Arizona’s statewide voter registration list. The Ninth Circuit appeal contests Judge Susan Brnovich’s finding that the list is not a record covered by the National...
Canada Lawmakers Urged to Soften Bail Reform Act
The Canadian Civil Liberties Association is urging MPs to amend Bill C‑14, a Liberal‑backed proposal that would reverse the presumption of innocence for a broad range of violent and organized‑crime offenses and strip away the court’s ladder principle for bail....
Canada Military Police Watchdog Seeks Greater Authority to Investigate Complaints
The Military Police Complaints Commission of Canada released its 2025 annual report, urging Parliament to grant it expanded legislative powers to overcome persistent oversight barriers. The report notes that the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal rejected 32.2% of the Commission’s recommendations,...
Canada Teacher Group Urges Government to Engage in Good-Faith Labor Negotiations
The Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF) issued a joint statement urging federal and provincial governments to engage in good‑faith collective‑bargaining with educators and to stop invoking Section 33 of the Charter, the “notwithstanding clause,” to block strikes. The appeal follows Alberta’s October...
Australia Court Admits First-Ever UN Environmental Expert in Natural Gas Site Extension Challenge
The Federal Court of Australia has admitted UN special rapporteur Astrid Puentes Riaño as an amicus curiae in a judicial review of the North West Shelf LNG project’s 45‑year extension. Riaño will advise the court on international climate‑law obligations following...