Articles about Law

Nerdeen Kiswani, founder of Within Our Lifetime group, says FBI told her plot against her life was ‘about to’ take placeSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxFederal US law enforcement has foiled a plot to assassinate New York-based Palestinian American activist Nerdeen Kiswani.Kiswani wrote in post on X that late on Thursday, the FBI joint terrorism task force informed her that a plot against her life was “about to” take place, and that agents had conducted an operation in Hoboken, New Jersey in connection to the plot. Continue reading...

The 42-year-old is the 26th person charged after February rally against Israeli president that led to violent clashes between police and protestersFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastLawyers have raised concerns that New South Wales police used heavy-handed tactics when arresting an anti-Isaac Herzog protester this week, after eight tactical officers were sent to their home at 5am and “smashed the door open”.The 42-year-old was the 26th person to be charged after the protest at Sydney town hall in February against the visiting Israeli president. The police response on the night of the protest is being investigated amid allegations of police brutality. Continue reading...

• Utah Gov. Spencer Cox signed eight of nine AI-related bills passed by the legislature this year, advancing state-level AI governance. • Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson signed four of five AI bills post March 12 adjournment, including measures on AI safety and implementation. • These laws address AI in advertising, children's safety, and administrative use, signaling growing state regulation of AI technologies.

Broadcaster takes Kiis FM to court to argue licensee was wrong to terminate him for serious breach of contractFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesSign up for Guardian Australia’s free weekly media newsletter hereKyle Sandilands’ court case was not an occasion for a “royal commission” into his career and he just wants to get back to work quickly, the shock jock’s lawyers have told the federal court.Sandilands, who was earning $10m a year to front the Kyle and Jackie O Show, has taken Kiis FM to court to argue the licensee, Commonwealth Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), was wrong to terminate him for serious breach of contract earlier this month. Continue reading...

• Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Bernie Sanders introduced legislation Wednesday to pause new data centers in the United States until national safeguards are established for worker protection, consumer safety, and environmental impact. • A typical AI-focused data center consumes as much electricity as 100,000 households, contributing to record U.S. electricity consumption hit in 2024 that is expected to continue rising as data centers expand. • The bill is unlikely to advance in either chamber but signals deep progressive concerns about AI infrastructure's rapid expansion and its effects on working families, democracy, and technology equity.

Gavin Newsom set to sign bill to rename 31 March holiday following sexual abuse allegations against labour leaderCalifornia lawmakers have voted to rename Cesar Chavez Day as Farmworkers Day in an effort to reconcile the Latino labor leader’s legacy with explosive sexual abuse allegations before the state holiday on 31 March.Democratic governor Gavin Newsom is expected to quickly sign the bill. Continue reading...

• Rising sea levels are creating 'ghost forests' of dead trees along the eastern US coast, where saltwater intrusion drowns vibrant ecosystems, as presented at ACS Spring 2026 meeting in Atlanta on March 26. • Undergraduate Samantha Chittakone's team studies water cycling through these dying stands to predict coastal forest responses to climate change. • Findings could inform preservation strategies amid accelerating sea level rise threatening US shorelines.

Noelia Castillo, 25, has struggled with psychiatric illness since she was young and tried to kill herself in October 2022A Spanish woman who spent months fighting her father for the right to euthanasia after being sexually assaulted and becoming paraplegic is expected to end to her life on Thursday.Noelia Castillo, 25, has struggled with psychiatric illness since she was a teenager and tried to kill herself in October 2022 after being sexually assaulted. The attempt left her in constant pain and using a wheelchair. Eighteen months later, she used Spain’s euthanasia law – which was introduced in 2021 – to secure permission to end her life.In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email [email protected] or [email protected]. In the US, you can call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org Continue reading...

• On March 20, 2026, the White House issued a four-page National Policy Framework on Artificial Intelligence, recommending Congress preempt state laws interfering with a minimally burdensome federal standard while protecting children and consumers. • The framework prioritizes seven areas, including stronger parental controls for kids, letting courts decide AI training on copyrighted works, and requiring companies to cover data center energy costs without raising residential bills. • It references the March 2026 Ratepayer Protection Pledge by tech firms and calls for streamlined permitting and resources for small businesses; Democrats responded with the GUARDRAILS Act to block a related Trump executive order.

Courts in Australia may be willing to hold social media companies accountable for real-world harm, lawyers sayFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralian law firms are investigating the scope for future legal cases after a landmark US court ruling that found Meta and YouTube liable for deliberately designing addictive products.A jury in Los Angeles ruled against the two tech giants on Wednesday, finding both to be negligent and having failed to provide adequate warnings about the potential dangers of their products. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Labor bill recognising all animals as sentient and raising care requirements won’t be introduced before state electionWarning: This article contains graphic contentGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA bulldog trapped on a balcony, forced to live among its own faeces. A corgi kept in similarly squalid conditions, surrendered by its owner after community outrage. A Maltese shih tzu beaten with a metal pole – its attacker spared jail.These are the kinds of animal cruelty cases the Victorian government promised to target with new laws almost a decade ago. But Guardian Australia can reveal those reforms have been shelved indefinitely. Continue reading...

In House depositions, disgraced financier’s associates say they were not contacted after his 2008 plea dealSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailJeffrey Epstein’s accountant and his attorney have both said that federal government investigators never interviewed them about the late financier’s crimes and their work with him, according to deposition videos released by the House of Representatives’ oversight committee.Richard Kahn, Epstein’s accountant, and Darren Indyke, Epstein’s lawyer, said in hours of closed-door interviews with the committee that they did not witness, nor were involved in, any wrongdoing relating to Epstein, who died in 2019 after being charged with child sex trafficking. Continue reading...

The woman was arrested at routine ICE check-in and separated from two children, aged 18 months and fourSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxA Venezuelan mother of two who was allegedly trafficked to the US has been unlawfully detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and could soon be deported, according to her lawyers.The woman has applications in process for asylum and a visa designed for victims of trafficking. Continue reading...

The rapper discussed his 2024 sexual assault lawsuit and the Kendrick-Drake beef in a new GQ cover storyJay-Z has spoken out about his recent sexual assault lawsuit in a new interview.The suit alleged that Jay-Z and Sean “Diddy” Combs raped a a 13-year-old girl at a party in 2000. Combs and Jay-Z denied all allegations after the lawsuit was filed in late 2024, and the case was voluntarily dismissed in February 2025. Continue reading...

Refusing to comply could lead to year in jail and hefty fine, while providing false information carries up to three years in prisonHong Kong police can now demand that people suspected of breaching the city’s national security law provide mobile phone or computer passwords in a further crackdown on dissent.The amendments to the law also empower customs officers to seize items that are deemed to have “seditious intention”, regardless of whether any person has been arrested for an offence endangering national security because of the items. Continue reading...

• A federal judge blocked sweeping changes to U.S. vaccine recommendations, including reductions in childhood immunizations and removal of COVID-19 guidance for certain groups, in a lawsuit brought by the American Academy of Pediatrics and other medical groups. • The ruling paused a reconstituted vaccine advisory committee and signals a forthcoming decision on broader legal questions, with the case expected to reach the U.S. Supreme Court soon. • Changes were driven by RFK's authority over federal vaccine policy, which critics argue lack scientific basis and threaten public health.

• North Carolina lawmakers introduced bills to scale back hospitals' property tax and sales tax exemptions, potentially shifting millions to state and local governments amid soaring medical costs. • The Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services heard arguments on March 10, with a vote expected in April before advancing to full House and Senate. • Hospital groups like the North Carolina Healthcare Association warn of strained resources, especially for rural facilities operating on small margins, threatening patient access.

State legislation due to be introduced on Tuesday will give authorities powers to seize high-powered e-motorbikes. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastGood morning and welcome to our live politics blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then it will be Krishani Dhanji with the main action.International Energy Agency chief Fatih Birol told 7.30 last night that the “world is facing the greatest global energy security threat in its history” and Australians are feeling the pain at the petrol pump. We’ll have more coming up. Continue reading...

Government sources said new amendment to bill being worked on that would ensure duty of candour applies to individuals working for security servicesFamilies whose relatives were killed in disasters and who have suffered state injustice have written to Keir Starmer, accusing the government of an “insult” for failing to introduce the promised Hillsborough law in this session of parliament.Labour has promised for almost a decade to implement the law, which will impose a “duty of candour” on the police and public authorities, but the government pulled the bill in January during its passage through parliament. Continue reading...

• Republican legislators in Florida are advancing proof-of-citizenship voting laws as President Trump continues pushing the Senate to pass his SAVE America Act at the federal level. • The state-level legislation mirrors key provisions of Trump's federal SAVE Act, including requirements to prove citizenship before voting, reflecting alignment between state and federal Republican priorities on election security. • Florida's legislative action demonstrates coordinated effort across states to implement stricter voter identification and citizenship verification measures despite the federal SAVE Act facing significant opposition in the Senate.

• Nearly three weeks after the first strikes on Iran, GOP lawmakers are resisting the idea of calling top officials to testify before Congress, according to reporting from the New York Times. • The resistance reflects Republican Party divisions over the administration's Iran military operations and broader foreign policy strategy. • Democratic efforts to investigate the strikes face obstacles as the Republican-controlled Congress shows reluctance to pursue official inquiries into the military action.

Lawsuit alleged changes gave DoD free rein to punish reporters and outlets over coverage it did not likeSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxA federal judge on Friday blocked the Trump administration’s restrictive Pentagon press access policy, which threatens journalists with being branded security risks if they seek information not authorized for public release.The lawsuit by the New York Times in the Washington DC federal court alleged that policy changes by the defense department last year gave it free rein to freeze out reporters and news outlets over coverage the department did not like, in violation of the constitution’s protections for free speech and due process. Continue reading...

• A Congressional Budget Office report released March 19, 2026, estimates laws from the 119th Congress's first session (Jan 2025-Jan 2026) will boost the 2025-2034 deficit by $3.5 trillion. • The net effect stems from $1.1 trillion reduced outlays and $4.6 trillion decreased revenues, excluding interest costs on added borrowing. • Findings highlight fiscal impacts of authorizing and appropriations legislation, informing ongoing budget debates.

Animal Aid says reclassification of research facilities as key infrastructure could catch even most peaceful actionA charity has filed a legal challenge over a “chilling” change in the law that restricts protest outside animal testing facilities in England and Wales by reclassifying them as “key national infrastructure”.Animal Aid says last month’s amendment to the Public Order Act could capture even the most peaceful, non‑disruptive advocacy. It claims the change is unlawful because it goes beyond parliament’s intention at the time the act was passed. Continue reading...

Three people were suing ex-Sinn Féin leader for liability over IRA bombings in UK which left them injuredThree men who sued the former Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams over three Irish Republican Army bombings in Britain have withdrawn their lawsuit, their lawyers told the high court in London.Adams, who became the president of Sinn Féin in 1983 when it was the IRA’s political wing, was for many years the best-known face of the movement seeking to end British rule in Northern Ireland. Continue reading...

Prime minister makes hasty exit after people heard yelling phrases including ‘disgrace’, ‘shame’ and ‘genocide supporters’ Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAnthony Albanese has claimed he was heckled by people at one of Australia’s largest mosques because they were unhappy his government has outlawed “extremist organisations” like Hizb ut-Tahrir, although he failed to provide any evidence for his claim.The prime minister and the home affairs minister, Tony Burke, were at Lakemba mosque in Sydney’s west on Friday morning before celebrations for the end of Ramadan, one of the most sacred dates in the Islamic faith. Continue reading...

• A hacker claims to have infiltrated a U.S. platform for searching law enforcement hotline messages, accessing over 8 million confidential tips. • The breach exposes sensitive crime reporting data, raising alarms about vulnerabilities in public safety communication systems. • This incident highlights ongoing risks to domestic law enforcement databases amid rising cyber threats.

New York Times report leads to multiple cancellations of events meant to celebrate the late labor organizerSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxLawmakers, union leaders and several community organizations expressed their shock and disgust after several women shared allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior and abuse by the late labor organizer César Chávez.The New York Times released an investigation on Wednesday detailing the allegations, which revealed that for years the co-founder of the United Farm Workers (UFW) union had groomed and sexually abused girls who were involved in the movement. Continue reading...