Transnational Bodies

First person Charged Under Hong Kong National Security Law Found Guilty

July 28, 2021

Tong Ying-kit, 24, the first person to be tried under Hong Kong's national security law, was found guilty of inciting secession and terrorism and now faces life in prison after crashing his motorcycle into a group of police officers and carrying a banner with the slogan "Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times."
RSF Calls for Regulation Against Spyware

July 28, 2021

Following the report of the the “Pegasus Project” investigation, showing that the Israeli spyware is systematically used for surveillance that violates fundamental human rights including again journalists, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has called for strict international regulation of spyware.
U.S. Government Issues Hong Kong Business Advisory

July 27, 2021

The U.S. Government has issued a new advisory highlighting the growing risks associated with doing business in Hong Kong including potential regulatory, financial, and legal exposure following the changes to Hong Kong’s laws imposed by the Government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in June 2020, eroding Hong Kong’s autonomy.
Biden Administration Urges Ukraine to Stay Quiet on Russian Pipeline

July 21, 2021

As U.S. officials have signaled that they will no longer stop the Nord Stream 2, a controversial Russia-to-Germany pipeline, the Biden administration is asking Ukraine to stay quiet about its staunch opposition during negotiations with Berlin.
CNET: What to know about Pegasus Spyware

July 21, 2021

CNET explains how security researchers found evidence of installation of Pegasus Spyware, a software made by the Israeli cybersecurity company NSO group, on 37 phones of activists, journalists and businesspeople, showing how vulnerable personal information is to digital prying.
G20 Finance Ministers Sign Off on Global Tax Deal

July 14, 2021

Finance ministers from the G20 have signed off on a plan for global tax reform that seeks to introduce an international tax on multinational companies and set a global minimum tax rate at 15 percent, but will not reach final approval, after some adjustments, until the G20 meeting in Rome in October.
Academic Freedom Decreasing in Hong Kong

July 13, 2021

Since the implementation of the national security law in July 2020, Hong Kong has seen a rapid dwindling of academic freedom including attacking teachers at all levels of education on the grounds that the teacher's behavior in some way endangers national security, as public comments that are critical of the Hong Kong and Chinese governments are illegal.
Russian Opposition Politician Leaves Moscow District Role over ‘Pressure'

July 13, 2021

Ilya Yashin, a prominent Russian opposition politician and close ally of Alexei Navalny, has resigned, claiming his team has been increasingly pressured by Moscow, including endless inspections and detainment.
SCOTUS To Decide if Vouchers Can Be Used At Schools that Teach Religion

July 07, 2021

In a move that could expand educational opportunity for all families, the Supreme Court has agreed to hear hear a case that could eliminate a major legal barrier to educational choice programs across the country following last years decision in Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue that declared it was unconstitutional for educational choice programs to block parents from sending their children to attend religious schools simply because of their “religious status.”
Critical Race Theory Opponents to be Targeted by NEA Teachers' Union

July 07, 2021

The National Education Association (NEA) has released a message on its official website that declares the group will research the organizations in opposition to educators teaching critical race theory, as well as give a list of resources and recommendations for state affiliates, locals, and individual educators to use when faced with opposition.