In The News

National Security Legislation for Hong Kong: SCMP

Gary Cheung May 22, 2020
China is moving on a national security resolution for Hong Kong, relying on the National People’s Congress rather than waiting for the territory’s Legislative Council to shape its own rules. The resolution would “ban all seditious activities aimed at toppling the central government and external interference in Hong Kong’s affairs” and “target terrorist acts in Hong Kong,” reports Gary Cheung for...

Democracy Will Survive Pandemic: Atlantic

Tom McTague May 14, 2020
With the Covid-19 pandemic democratic and authoritarian governments alike shut down economies and cracked down on public activities. To protect public health, large majorities in democracies acquiesce on surveillance and other controls that were once unthinkable. “Immunity certificates, mass testing, government surveillance, and a volunteer army of contract-tracing officials are no longer the...

German Court Ruling on ECB Asset Purchases: FT

Martin Wolf May 13, 2020
The German constitutional court ruled against the European Central Bank’s public sector purchase program, launched in 2015. Martin Wolf argues for the Financial Times that the move contributes to EU disintegration: “It is an attack on basic economics, the central bank’s integrity, its independence and the legal order of the EU…. The court “did not argue that the ECB had improperly engaged in...

Legalizing Abortion in Latin America: WSJ

Juan Forero March 6, 2020
After a lawyer filed suit to legalize abortion, the Constitutional Court of Colombia accepted the case to examine the issue – a breakthrough for Latin America where abortion is tightly restricted. While a few small countries including Uruguay, Cuba, and Guyana allow elective abortions, Colombia is the first regional power to consider legalizing abortion. Currently, the procedure is legal for...

Appropriate Response to COVID-19: Korea Herald

Robert J. Fouser February 28, 2020
As the coronavirus spreads, some countries respond by closing borders, blocking visas for some travelers and blocked cruise ships from ports. At the community level, some protest arrival of patients for monitoring in secure locations and discriminate against Chinese nationals. Societies must resist fear and panic, balancing public safety and individual rights in fighting the coronavirus, argues...

US Travel Ban Includes Nigeria: Al Jazeera

Shayera Dark February 6, 2020
US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order extending travel restrictions for citizens of six countries including Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Nigeria, Sudan, and Tanzania. Previous orders restricted travel for Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen as well as Chad, North Korea and Venezuela. Nigerians express concern about blocks on family members, and current visa holders...

“Public Charge” Immigration Rule: Politico

Susannah Luthi January 30, 2020
US officials have expressed a preference for wealthy immigrants, and the poor can expect challenges in obtaining green cards that allow permanent residency and work. The US Supreme Court voted 5 to 4, allowing “the controversial immigration rules go forward even as lower courts wrestle with multiple legal challenges against them,” reports Susannah Luthi for Politico. “The policy in question would...