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Civil liberties

Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos on Thursday announced that the streaming platform used generative AI for the first time in an original production — specifically in the Argentine sci-fi series "The Eternaut," creating a building collapse sequence in Buenos Aires.

Netflix Uses AI for First Time in Original Production

4 hours ago4 hours ago

Germany Deports 81 Afghan Nationals Despite UN Opposition

7 hours ago7 hrs

Bangladesh Violence Kills Four at Youth Rally in Gopalganj

Nationwide 'Good Trouble' Protests Honor John Lewis Legacy

11 hours ago11 hrs

Istanbul Mayor Imamoğlu Gets 20-Month Prison Term

2 days ago2 days

Ethics

House Republicans on the Rules Committee voted 6-5 Monday night to block a Democratic amendment that would have forced the Justice Department to release all Jeffrey Epstein investigation files on a publicly accessible website within 30 days.

House GOP Blocks Democratic Push to Release Epstein Files

3 days ago3 days ago

South Africa Suspends Police Minister Over Crime Syndicate Claims

4 days ago4 days

Spanish PM Sanchez Plans 2027 Re-election Bid Amid Scandals

High Court Orders New Investigation Over MI5 False Evidence

UK Synthetic DNA Project Receives $13M in Funding

Privacy

A bankruptcy court this week approved the $305 million sale of genetics testing firm 23andMe to TTAM Research Institute, a nonprofit organization led by 23andMe's co-founder and former CEO Anne Wojcicki, replacing a previous $256 million bid from Regeneron Pharmaceuticals announced in May.

Court Approves 23andMe Sale to Ex-CEO's Nonprofit

Report: 16 Billion Login Credentials Breached in Online Leak

States Sue to Block 23andMe DNA Data Sale Without Consent

UK Regulator Issues Smart Device Privacy Guidelines

Supreme Court Allows DOGE Access to Social Security Data

Freedom of speech & expression

French prosecutors have launched a criminal investigation into Elon Musk's social media platform X over allegations of algorithmic manipulation for foreign interference purposes. Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau confirmed the probe targets both X as a corporate entity and unnamed individuals connected to the platform.

France Opens Criminal Probe Into X Over Alleged Algorithm Manipulation

6 days ago6 days ago

BBC: Ex-Bangladesh Leader Ordered Protesters' Killing

Supreme Court Rejects Censorship Case from RFK Jr.'s Vaccine Group

IRS Will Allow Church Endorsements of Political Candidates

Australia Cancels Kanye West's Visa Over Hitler Song

Freedom & human rights

The U.S. imposed sanctions Wednesday against UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese, who investigates human rights abuses in Palestinian territories, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio accusing her of conducting "political and economic warfare" against the U.S. and Israel.

US Sanctions UN Rapporteur Over Israel Criticism

EU Report: Hungary Making No Progress on Democratic Reforms

Kenya: 11 Dead After Police Open Fire at Protestors

UN Adopts Afghanistan Humanitarian Resolution Despite US Opposition

Canada: Court Orders RCMP, TD Bank to Release Freedom Convoy Records

Gun control

Rhode Island's Democratic-controlled legislature Friday approved legislation banning the sale and manufacturing of semiautomatic rifles — commonly referred to as assault weapons — with the Senate voting 25-11 and the House 43-28 along party lines.

Rhode Island Passes Assault Weapons Sales Ban

Argentina Lifts Ban on Semiautomatic Weapons for Civilians

SCOTUS Ends Minnesota's Youth Gun Permit Restrictions

Supreme Court Declines Two Gun Rights Cases, Signals Future Review

Supreme Court Declines to Hear Challenge to NY Gun Restrictions

Capital punishment

Bryan Kohberger, the 30-year-old Ph.D. student of criminology who murdered four University of Idaho students at an off-campus home in 2022, changed his plea on Wednesday after accepting a deal from prosecutors that spared him the death penalty for his crimes.

Man Who Murdered Four Students in Idaho Changes Plea to Avoid Death Sentence

Mississippi Executes Longest-Serving Death Row Inmate

Oklahoma to Retry Richard Glossip After Death Sentence Tossed

Russian Soldier Faces Trial for Alleged Ukrainian POW Execution

Iran Executes Man Convicted of Spying for Israel's Mossad

Freedom of press

An Islamabad court ordered YouTube to block 27 channels operated by Pakistani journalists and opposition figures on Tuesday, following a request from the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency, which accused the channels of spreading anti-state content and false information against government institutions and the armed forces.

Pakistan Court Orders YouTube to Block 27 Journalist Channels

India: Reuters X Account Restored After Brief Block

Pulitzer Prize 2025: New York Times Wins 4, New Yorker 3

Trump Administration Fires 600 Voice of America Staff Amid Court Battle

Report: Media Freedom 'Crumbling' in Europe

Censorship

Hong Kong police on Tuesday warned residents against downloading "Reversed Front: Bonfire," a mobile game developed in Taiwan. This is the first known time authorities have invoked national security laws to ban video games in the special administrative region.

Hong Kong Bans Video Game Under National Security Laws

DR Congo Bans Media Coverage of Former President Kabila

X Blocks 8,000 Accounts in India After Government Order

US to Impose Visa Bans on Any Foreign Officials Who Censor Americans

Meta's Oversight Board Voices Concern Over Content Policy Changes

Church-state relations

The U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) heard arguments Wednesday regarding St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School, which would be the nation's first religious charter school if approved to receive public funding in Oklahoma.

Supreme Court Hears Oklahoma Catholic Charter School Case

Oklahoma Orders Schools to Teach Bible

JUN 28 2024JUN 2024

Japan Seeks to Revoke Unification Church's Legal Status

OCT 12 2023OCT 2023

French Minister Visits School Over Renaissance Painting Row

DEC 13 2023DEC 2023

France: Top Court Upholds Abaya Ban in State Schools

AUG 28 2023AUG 2023