A Swedish prosecutor on Tuesday announced a preliminary investigation into Volkswagen regarding the emissions test cheating scandal that has affected millions. Sweden’s National Anti-Corruption Unit has said it is focused on claims of serious fraud and the keeping of false records. A spokesperson from Volkswagen said the company invited the investigation and denied the involvement [...]

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The US House of Representatives approved legislation Monday that would expand rights of unpaid interns in the federal government. Currently, unpaid interns are not classified as employees, leaving them unprotected from discrimination under the Civil Rights Act . This bill only involves unpaid interns in the federal government, with two other proposed bills focusing on [...]

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Saudi Guantanamo detainee Muhammed Abd Al Rahman Awn Al-Shamrani has been repatriated to his home country, the US Department of Defense (DOD) announced Monday. The Periodic Review Board (PRD) determined in September that “continued law of war detention of Al-Shamrani does not remain necessary to protect against a continuing significant threat to the security of [...]

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The US Supreme Court ruled 8-1 Monday in Hurst v. Florida that Florida’s capital sentencing scheme violates the Sixth Amendment. The Florida law states that in a sentencing hearing, the jury hears the evidence and votes on an “advisory sentence,” but in a separate hearing the judge must find and weigh aggravating and mitigating circumstances [...]

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Lebanese residency laws risk creating a large undocumented community of refugees living at the margins of society, according to a Human Rights Watch (HRW) report released Tuesday. Residency regulations adopted in January 2015 require refugees to apply to renew their residency permits under two categories: those registered with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) [...]

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The Venezuelan Supreme Court on Monday ruled that decisions from the opposition dominated General Assembly are void until three barred lawmakers are relieved from their seats. The three lawmakers are part of an anti-government party that threatens the structure of the government. The court believes that the presence of these lawmakers on the assembly would [...]

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Chinese authorities on Monday formally charged at least seven human rights lawyers who have been secretly detained for months, the lawyers’ family members said. The Chinese government believes that the individuals charged are linked to events that have disrupted the public order, including a police shooting. The lawyers charged are of the Beijing Fengrui Law [...]

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