U.S. jurisdictions take steps to reform ‘dishonest’ bail system
It is common for judges to set bail based solely on the charges a defendant faces, without regard to the defendant’s criminal history or financial means.
Nations
Obama to quadruple Hawaii monument, creating world’s largest protected marine area
The designation, expected to take effect Friday, will expand Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument from 139,797 square miles to 582,578 square miles, making it the largest marine protected area on the planet.
Obama bans drilling in parts of the Atlantic and the Arctic
President Obama announced on Tuesday what he called a permanent ban on offshore oil and gas drilling along wide areas of the Arctic and the Atlantic Seaboard as he tried to nail down an environmental legacy that cannot quickly be reversed by Donald J. Trump.
Egypt cracks down on female genital mutilation
Three months after a teenager died while undergoing female genital mutilation conducted by a doctor, Egypt is cracking down on the practice.
The Egyptian cabinet approved a draft bill on Sunday that would enact a punishment of five to seven years in prison for anyone who performs FGM, according to Ahram Online. Previously, the penalty was three months to two years.
U.K. mass surveillance ruled illegal by E.U. court
Europe’s highest court says that the provision for mass surveillance contained in the recently-passed Investigatory Powers Act ‘cannot be considered to be justified within a democratic society’.
170 countries agree to ban HFCs in landmark climate change agreement
The agreement was seven years in the making. HFCs became common after ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) were phased out by the 1987 Montreal Protocol. Though the amount of HFCs released by humans into the atmosphere is small, HFCs are known as a “super greenhouse gas.” The chemical compound traps heat 1,000 times quicker than carbon dioxide.
U.S. Senate approves $270 million in funding for Flint water crisis
The Senate on Thursday approved legislation to spend $270 million to aid the residents of Flint, Mich., and other poor communities that have suffered from lead-contaminated water, attaching the funds to a broader bill authorizing $9 billion to repair ports, dams, levees and other water infrastructure in 17 states.
Canada declares high-speed internet a basic service
The regulator has now officially declared broadband access as necessary for the quality of life of all citizens, a claim backed by up to CAD$750 million (US$556 million) in new funding to bring every last Canadian online.
France becomes first country to ban plastic plates, cutlery
The initiative is one small part of the country’s Energy Transition for Green Growth Act, as lawmakers aim “to make France ¦ an exemplary nation in terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, diversifying its energy model and increasing the deployment of renewable energy sources.”
Obama names new national monuments in Utah and Nevada despite opposition
President Barack Obama designated two national monuments Wednesday at sites in Utah and Nevada that have become key flashpoints over use of public land in the U.S. West.