Transnational Bodies

U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Texas AG's Bid to Block Ballots

December 14, 2020

CNN reports that the United States Supreme Court rejected a bid from Texas' attorney general Ken Paxton that was supported by President Donald Trump, to block the ballots of millions of voters in battleground states that went in favor of President-elect Joe Biden.
Forbes: Hong Kong Media Tycoon Arrested Under China's National Security Law

December 11, 2020

As Mainland China continues to expand their control over the region and enforce their new national security law, Hong Kong business tycoon Jimmy Lai, owner of the pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, has been arrested and charged with conspiring with foreign forces to endanger national security.
NY Post: Texas Lawsuit Against Four Battleground States Grows

December 11, 2020

Seventeen states and President Trump have filed a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court joining a Texas lawsuit against four battleground states , charging that, prior to the November 2020 election, they unlawfully changed their election laws in a manner that violates the constitutional rights of citizens in other states.
Suspected Chinese Spy Targeted California Politicians

December 11, 2020

As revealed by a yearlong investigation by Axios, a suspected Chinese intelligence operative developed extensive ties with local and national politicians, including a U.S. congressman between 2011 and 2015, in what U.S. officials believe was a political intelligence operation run by China’s main civilian spy agency.
China Declares Australia Potential Threat Over Weapon Development

December 08, 2020

China has declared Australia a "potential threat" and "provocation," as the Morrison government announced plans to build and test high-tech cruise missiles with the ability to travel five times the speed of sound and sink aircraft carriers, calling it a provocation.
Howe: When Can a U.S. Company Be Sued for Human Rights Abuses Abroad?

December 02, 2020

Writing for the SCOTUSblog, Amy Howe previews two pending cases in the Supreme Court of the United States that will consider whether foreigners may sue a U.S. company in U.S. courts for alleged violations of international human rights.
UNSC Report Reveals Turkey Remains Transit Hub for Foreign Terrorists

December 01, 2020

The 2020 report to the UN Security Council of the United Nations’ Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team regarding ISIL, al-Qaeda and associated individuals and entities revealed that Turkey continues to be an important transit hub for foreign terrorists and jihadists and a safe haven for Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) affiliated groups across the region.
NATO Needs to Adapt for Future Challenges

December 01, 2020

The New York Times writes that in the face of numerous challenges, including an aggressive Russia and a rising China, a report requested by the NATO secretary-general, Jens Stoltenberg, recommends significant changes to fortify the alliance’s cohesion and better coordination with democratic allies around the world.
China Runs Trials of Biometric Online ID Card

November 30, 2020

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has launched a trial of an online ID system based on biometrics, including facial scans and fingerprints, that has increased capabilities to track its citizens' online activities.
SCOTUS Strikes Down NY COVID Restrictions on Religious Freedom Grounds

November 30, 2020

In a 5-4 ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court decided that Covid-19 restrictions put in place by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo limiting the number of people attending religious services violated the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment because the regulations treated the houses of worship more harshly than comparable secular facilities.