Transnational Bodies

U.S. Sanctions 24 Chinese, Hong Kong Officials

March 24, 2021

In reaction to Hong Kong’s new electoral law that will reduce the proportion of those who are directly elected and just ahead of the first face-to-face meeting with China, The U.S. has sanctioned an additional 24 Chinese and Hong Kong officials involved with the ongoing crackdown on political freedoms.
U.S. State of Oklahoma Passes Resolution Asserting Sovereignty

March 24, 2021

In an effort to combat H.R. 1, the “For the People Act of 2021” and H.R. 8, the “Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021” in which the U.S. government attempts to usurp states’ rights, the Oklahoma House of Representatives adopted two resolutions that assert Oklahoma’s state sovereignty.
Gosling: Navigating the Three Seas Initiative

March 24, 2021

The Three Seas Initiative (3SI), a partnership to develop infrastructure across Central and Eastern European (CEE), recently came to the attention of the U.S. House of Representatives, who passed a bipartisan resolution in support of the initiative which seeks to fill in the missing links in the region’s transport, energy and digital infrastructure, and is being met with mixed reactions abroad.
France24: Western Nations Sanction China Over Rights Abuses

March 24, 2021

In what is the first such coordinated Western action against Beijing under President Joe Biden, the United States, the European Union, Britain and Canada imposed sanctions on Chinese officials for human rights abuses in Xinjiang which sparked quick retribution from China.
UK Declares Push for New, ‘Open’ and Democratic World Order

March 17, 2021

Boris Johnson’s government has declared the the UK will help shape a new global order and leave behind an “outdated” international system, outlining how post-Brexit Britain will seek to build strategic and commercial alliances away from Europe, especially in the Indo-Pacific region.
HRW: Navalny Persecution Just the Tip of the Russian Crackdown

March 17, 2021

Human Rights Watch investigates a political struggle underway in Russia of which Navalny is only the most visible part, highlighting the struggle for anyone who has expressed public discontent with the Kremlin’s rule, which imposes a wide array of penalties to prevent people from airing grievances.
China Approves Plan to ‘Improve' Hong Kong Elections

March 12, 2021

Following the Chinese government’s announcement that they would revamp Hong Kong's electoral system earlier this month, China's parliament overwhelmingly endorsed a proposal on "improving the electoral system" of Hong Kong, further restricting the ability of people in the city to freely elect their leaders.
France and U.S. Make Joint Commitment Against Climate Change

March 12, 2021

U.S. climate envoy John Kerry confirmed after talks with French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, the United States would lay out new financing commitments for the Paris Agreement to cut greenhouse gas emissions ahead of an April 22nd summit.
Are Vaccine Passports an Invasion Of Civil Liberties?

March 12, 2021

Various experts discuss the future of vaccine passports and their potention to create a permanent layer of increased surveillance infrastructure, encroaching on civil liberties, as well voicing concerns that participation in society would depend on taking a vaccine that has not gone through full regulatory approval.
GOP Pushes Bills to Allow Social Media ‘Censorship’ Lawsuits

March 10, 2021

In an effort to challenge a federal law that prevents internet companies from being sued for removing posts, U.S. Republican state lawmakers from two dozen states as well as a few Democrats, have introduced bills that would allow for civil lawsuits against platforms for what they call the “censorship” of posts.