Human Rights 

US  Government Forces Haitian Refugees to go back to Haiti

The Biden administration is aiming to remove a temporary camp in southern Texas that houses approximately 14,000 immigrants from various nations, most of whom are from Haiti. Hundreds of people have been crammed onto planes and flown back to Haiti, which is suffering from a political crisis and a series of natural disasters that have devastated the country’s economy, while only a few others have been allowed to stay in the United States to pursue their immigration applications. To read more click here, here, and here.

Switzerland votes to make same-sex marriage legal

A referendum in Switzerland yielded a nearly two-thirds majority in favour of legalising civil marriage and the right of same-sex couples to adopt children. As per the results of the referendum conducted by the Swiss Federal Chancellery, 64.1% of the population were in favour for the important change. The change will likely come into effect in July of next year. To read more click here and here. 

Conflict and Security 

U.S.-China Competition in the Indo-Pacific Worsens

With several new measures, such as increasing dialogue in favour of Taiwan and a new arrangement to supply Australia with nuclear submarines, the US and its allies are becoming stronger in their response to a rising China in the Indo-Pacific Region. China has reacted sharply to the measures, prompting UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to express his worries to the US and Chinese presidents, saying that they risk dividing the world. To read more click here and here.

International Environmental Law 

Poland Fined by the CJEU over Turow open-pit Coal Mine

Despite being ordered to pay a 500,000 euro daily fine to the European Commission for failing to comply with a previous CJEU court order to halt operations, Poland has vowed to keep its disputed coal mine functional. The Turow mine, which is located on the Polish-Czech border, is at the centre of a dispute between Warsaw and Prague, with the Czechs alleging that Poland expanded the mine’s territory and extended its extraction licence in violation of the EU’s environmental assessment impact directive. The mine is also said to be lowering the water table in the Czech Republic. To read more click here and here.

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Curated by Akshara Ravindran.