By Armando J Barcena.
This article describes the way in way in which continued mining in Brazil has endangered the biodiverse Amazon rainforest. Concerns about the health and the political rights of the indigenous inhabitants are also described. This article also describes how mining affects the relationship between the indigenous groups and the government as their rights are subverted for economic benefits.
Read MoreBy Victoria Hansen.
Three men are vying for the role of interim president. Which one of them is the President Jovenel Moïse’s rightful successor?
Read MoreBy Matthew Kramer.
In the 1980s, Pablo Escobar imported four hippos into Colombia. After his death, the hippos began roaming the forests of Colombia, where their growth remains unchecked. Because of their popularity and size, the local scientists are struggling with ways to mitigate what they view as an impending ecological disaster.
Read MoreBy Haley Tenelshof.
Abortions in Croatia have been legal since 1978. However, a 2003 Amendment has allowed physicians to conscientiously object to performing the procedure, which has dramatically reduced access to abortions.
Read MoreBy Peter Veldkamp.
Venezuela’s hyperinflation was largely caused by overreliance on oil exports and failing institutions. Once inflation began, it quickly grew exponentially as efforts to contain it were largely ineffective. Potential solutions exist, but they would require significant institutional and policy changes.
Read MoreBy Konrad Starostka.
Poland has a strong presence in the bachelor party scene. However, this comes with a price as tourists wreak havoc on the community. To combat this, Poland violates basic rights.
Read MoreBy Jasmine Shafquat.
Mexico has taken significant strides towards legalizing recreational marijuana. In fact, the country’s Chamber of Deputies (Congress) has already approved a bill that would specifically decriminalize cannabis for recreational, medical and scientific uses. And, it is expected that Senate of the Republic (Senate) will soon approve the bill as well.
Read MoreBy Margaret Marshall.
Could the intentional and systematic destruction of the environment one day constitute an internationally recognized criminal act? This blog post delves into the recent request of Brazilian Indigenous leaders to the International Criminal Court to investigate Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro for crimes against humanity and ecocide and what this lawsuit could mean for environmental protection.
Read MoreBy Adara Manamperi.
The Australian parliament has passed a new law which requires big tech firms, such as Google and Facebook, to negotiate and pay Australian news outlets for their content, and if they cannot come to a fair price, face binding arbitration. With the passing of the law, both Facebook and Google expressed complaints, with Facebook acting in protest against it. Now that the waters have settled, what does the passing of this code really mean for Australia, and does this open an avenue for more countries to create similar laws?
Read MoreBy Tessa Mallett.
Earlier this year, the UK’s advertisement regulation agency, the Advertising Standards Authority, held that influencers cannot use filters on promotional social media posts if they would mislead consumers. This blog post examines the ruling and the issues the agency faces in regulating influencer endorsements.
Read MoreBy Simonne Kapadia.
The Swedish Authority for Privacy Protection levied a hefty fine against the Swedish Police Authority for its improper use of facial recognition software. The Privacy Authority ruled that the use of the facial recognition software violated Sweden’s Criminal Data Act.
Read MoreBy Andrew Malec.
The new law would “create a new legal framework for the restitution of citizenship” and includes “entitlements to naturalization for persons who lost their German citizenship due to [Nazi persecution] who are not already entitled to restoration” under the current law. Overall, these new amendments would be said to close “loopholes” that previously existed that allowed for so many applicants, who were denied citizenship due to Nazi persecution, to be rejected altogether.
Read MoreBy Alexandra Welke.
Uber’s operation has been heavily restricted in Barcelona in recent years. After its 2-year absence in the city, Uber services have finally returned with different service options and features that abide by the current regulations. Even with the newly regulated system, taxicab drivers are generally opposed to Uber’s return.
Read MoreBy Douglas M. Johnson.
3D-printed guns are here. There have been incidents involving such guns in many countries including the US and Singapore. Singapore recently updated its weapons laws, opting to add an entirely new section on 3D-printed guns and their blueprints with the hope of heading off new source of potential violence.
Read MoreBy Bradley Harrah.
A portion of the United Nations has decided to ban nuclear weapons. However, the most notable nations are not signatories to the treaty. This article explores the effect, if any, this United Nations stance has on the nuclear arms race.
Read MoreBy Joe Giacalone.
President Biden’s statement that Turkey committed genocide against Armenians may impact Turkish-US relations.
Read MoreBy Kevin Cowan.
Nearly 20,000 ships pass through the Suez Canal every year carrying every different type of cargo. But when a 220,000-ton quarter-mile long ship runs aground blocking the canal for six days, who should take the blame for the damages and shipping delays?
Read MoreBy Dominick Cortez.
On March 15, 2019, fifty-one people were killed, and forty-nine people were injured in the worst mass shooting in New Zealand’s history. Twenty-six days later, all military style semi-automatics were banned in a near unanimous vote by the national assembly. The effect of this stricter gun control measure is mixed considering that gun crimes and deaths are on the rise heavily in New Zealand although they are still much lower than the United States.
Read MoreBy Emily Bengel.
Alibaba, a tech giant begun in China, may have employed anti-competitive tactics from its beginning, begging the question: was it bound to be fined by the Chinese government eventually?
Read MoreBy Mary Bradley.
After an overwhelming election victory from the Myanmar’s National League for Democracy in 2020, the country’s military regime claimed election fraud, declared a state of emergency, and subsumed power once again. In an effort to undermine the military, Myanmar’s citizens are placing their lives on the line to protest. On the international level, countries including the United States have imposed sanctions, including upon Myanmar’s lucrative and military-controlled gemstone industry. But can sanctions against these prized gems actually help undermine the regime and stop the coup?
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