Law News

Australia passes cyber snooping laws with global implications

By AFP

Sydney - Australia Thursday passed controversial laws allowing spies and police to snoop on the encrypted communications of suspected terrorists and criminals, as experts warned the "unprecedented powers" had far-reaching implications for global cybersecurity.

ICC members back court, but urge it to speed up work

By AFP

Den Haag - Countries signed up to the International Criminal Court renewed their backing Wednesday for the embattled global legal body, targeted by the Trump administration, but urged the ICC to speed up its work.

Australia set to pass sweeping cyber laws despite tech giant fears

By AFP

Sydney - Australia's two main parties struck a deal Tuesday to pass sweeping cyber laws requiring tech giants to help government agencies get around encrypted communications used by suspected criminals and terrorists.

Ukraine raids Orthodox churches with Russia ties

By AFP

Kiev - Ukrainian authorities on Monday raided three Orthodox churches aligned to Russia as political and religious tensions between the two countries grow.

Chile enacts law allowing sex change from 14 years of age

By AFP

Santiago - Chile on Wednesday enacted a gender identity law that will allow people over 14 to change their name and gender on official identity documents.

Poland reverses disputed Supreme Court reform

By AFP

Warsaw - Poland's parliament on Wednesday passed legislation reversing a disputed Supreme Court retirement law, bowing to a ruling from the EU's top court, which had raised fears of a threat to judicial independence.

Poland reverses disputed Supreme Court reform

By AFP

Spain takes first step towards historic 'stolen babies' law

By AFP

Madrid - Spanish lawmakers voted unanimously Tuesday in favour of examining an "historic" bill to probe the "stolen babies" scandal that saw scores of newborns snatched from their parents during and after Francisco Franco's dictatorship.

In Iraq, bloody tribal custom now classed as 'terrorism'

By AFP

Baghdad - A bloody, age-old custom used by Iraq's powerful tribes to mete out justice has come under fire, with authorities classifying it as a "terrorist act" punishable by death.

Indonesian jet crash victim's family sues Boeing

By AFP

Jakarta - The family of an Indonesian man killed in a Lion Air jet crash is suing Boeing, alleging that the accident may have been caused by a problem with the flight-control system in its newest 737 plane.

Mexico Supreme Court overturns security law

By AFP

Mexico - Mexico's Supreme Court overturned a controversial "internal security law" Thursday that formalized the use of the military to fight crime, a practice critics say has caused an explosion of violence and rights violations.

Czech opposition to seek confidence vote after PM's son claims abduction

By AFP

Prague - Czech opposition parties on Tuesday decided to seek a no-confidence motion against billionaire Prime Minister Andrej Babis after his son claimed he had been forcibly sent abroad to hinder a fraud probe.

Egypt to amend controversial NGO law

By AFP

Apo - Egypt plans to amend a controversial law passed last year that places tight controls on non-governmental organisations, the prime minister's office said Wednesday.

Foreign parents fight in vain for custody in Japan

By AFP

Apo - Emmanuel, Stephane, Henrik and James come from very different backgrounds, but they share the same painful experience of battling Japan's legal system -- in vain -- for access to their children after divorce.

Poland Supreme Court judges return to work after EU court ruling

By AFP

Warsaw - Poland's Supreme Court chief justice asked 23 of the court's judges to return to work on Monday, days after the European Union's top court ordered Poland to "immediately suspend" their retirement under a disputed law.

Growth of Esports raises legal questions

By Tim Sandle

Two Toronto-based lawyers have started Canada’s first law firm dedicated to Esports. Esports are one of the world’s fastest growing industries and it presents several challenges, from streaming rights to contract management.

Interview: AI is set to disrupt the legal profession Special

By Tim Sandle

AI presents significant implications within the legal industry, according to technologist Dr. Khalid Al-Kofahi from Thomson Reuters. We look at how AI will shape the practice of law in the future.

New Syria law expands state regulation of religious affairs

By AFP

Damascus - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has signed into law a new bill expanding the powers of a government ministry overseeing religious affairs and limiting the term of the country's top Muslim cleric.

Romania court says penal code changes unconstitutional

By AFP

Bucharest - A number of changes to Romania's penal code recently pushed through by the ruling Social Democratic Party are unconstitutional, the country's highest court ruled Friday in a severe blow to the government.

I.Coast ex-president opens freedom bid at ICC

By AFP

Den Haag - Former Ivory Coast president Laurent Gbagbo will Monday ask the International Criminal Court to acquit him of crimes against humanity and free him after seven years in detention.

I.Coast ex-president to open freedom bid at ICC

By AFP

Den Haag - Former Ivory Coast president Laurent Gbagbo will Monday ask the International Criminal Court to acquit him on all charges of crimes against humanity and release him after seven years in detention.

Romania's constitutional court backs rights for gay couples

By AFP

Bucharest - Romania's constitutional court ruled Thursday that gay couples should have the same family rights as heterosexuals, a judgment that runs counter to a referendum next month seeking to interdict gay marriage.

Singapore diplomat urges repeal of 'antiquated' gay sex law

By AFP

Fpo - One of Singapore's most influential diplomats called Tuesday for the repeal of a law criminalising sex between men, saying it was time for the modern city-state to abandon the "antiquated" legislation.

Legalised pot: a rarity around the world

By AFP

Montr - Canada is about to legalise recreational use of marijuana, which will make it the second nation in the world to do so after Uruguay more than five years ago.

Russians could face jail for not deleting news judged 'fake'

By AFP

Moscow - Russians who refuse to take down online information that has been judged "false" by a court could be sentenced to up to a year in prison under a bill approved by MPs Tuesday in a key second reading.

Chile passes law allowing teens over 14 to change their legal sex

By AFP

Valpara - Lawmakers in Chile on Wednesday passed legislation allowing people as young as 14 to legally change their name and gender identity.The Chamber of Deputies passed the Gender Identity Law by a vote of 95-46.

Fresh challenge lodged against Singapore gay-sex ban

By AFP

Fpo - A Singaporean disc jockey has lodged a court challenge against a law banning sex between men in the city-state, his lawyers said Wednesday, inspired by last week's landmark ruling in India.

Jordan defends Bashir non-arrest before ICC

By AFP

Den Haag - Jordan defended Monday its decision not to arrest Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir during an Arab League summit last year, saying it was not obliged to detain and hand him over to the International Criminal Court.

'Five Eyes' agencies demand reignites encryption debate

By AFP

Washington - Privacy and human rights organizations expressed concern Tuesday after a coalition of intelligence agencies renewed a call for technology companies to allow so-called "backdoor" access to encrypted content and devices.

Saudi Arabia declares online satire punishable offence

By AFP

Apo - Saudi Arabia will punish online satire that "disrupts public order" with up to five years in prison, the public prosecutor said Tuesday, as the kingdom cracks down on dissent.