“A federal court in the United States has dismissed an effort by President Donald Trump’s administration to dismiss Palestinian rights activist Mahmoud Khalil’s legal challenge against his detention and deportation. Khalil, a Columbia University graduate student and legal permanent resident, has been held by the government since March 8 in a push to deport him over his participation in campus protests for Gaza last year. On Wednesday, Judge Jesse Furman ruled that Khalil’s legal request for a judicial review against his detention, known as a habeas corpus petition, must proceed. The Trump administration had asked the court to reject the challenge. Furman noted that Khalil is arguing that the effort to deport him violates his rights to free speech and due process, which are guaranteed under the US Constitution.” (03/19/25)
“Hungary’s president has signed a law proposed by Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s ruling party that will ban LGBTQ+ communities from holding their annual Pride march, defying criticism by human rights organisations that it restricts freedom of assembly. Protesters blocked a bridge in central Budapest on Tuesday evening after parliament passed the measure, fast-tracking a law proposed by Orban’s right-wing Fidesz party on Monday. President Tamas Sulyok, a former Constitutional Court chief who was elected to the largely ceremonial position a year ago by the Fidesz parliamentary majority, signed the law. His office did not reply to Reuters questions on Wednesday. The law bans Pride on the grounds that it could be considered harmful to children. It also says police can use face recognition cameras to identify people who attend the event, and impose fines on participants.” (03/19/25)
“Ben & Jerry’s says its CEO was unlawfully removed by its parent company, Unilever, in retaliation for the ice cream maker’s social and political activism. In a federal court filing late Tuesday, Ben & Jerry’s said Unilever informed its board on March 3 that it was removing and replacing Ben & Jerry’s CEO David Stever. Ben & Jerry’s said that violated its merger agreement with Unilever, which states that any decisions regarding a CEO’s removal must come after a consultation with an advisory committee from Ben & Jerry’s board. The Associated Press left a message seeking comment with London-based Unilever on Wednesday. Unilever acquired Ben & Jerry’s in 2000 for $326 million.” (03/19/25)
“The Justice Department is resisting a federal judge’s demand for more information about flights that took deportees to to El Salvador, arguing on Wednesday that the court should end its ‘continued intrusions’ into the authority of the executive branch. It’s the latest development in a showdown between the Trump administration and the judge who temporarily blocked deportations under an 18th century wartime declaration. President Donald Trump has called for the judge’s impeachment as the Republican escalates his conflict with a judiciary after a series of court setbacks over his executive actions. U.S. District Judge Jeb Boasberg, who was nominated to the federal bench by Democratic President Barack Obama, had ordered the Trump administration to answer several questions under seal, where the information would not be publicly exposed. There were questions about the planes’ takeoff and landing times, and the number of people deported under Trump’s proclamation.” (03/19/25)
“The presidents of Rwanda and DR Congo have expressed their support for a ceasefire after holding surprise talks in Qatar, hours after peace talks in Angola failed. Rwandan leader Paul Kagame and DRC President Felix Tshisekedi met Tuesday with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, a statement from the three countries said. The Rwanda-backed M23 armed group launched an offensive in the mineral-rich east of the DRC earlier this year, taking two major cities.” (03/19/25)
“A leading teachers union announced Wednesday that it is suing the Trump administration for cutting off public service workers with federal student loans from affordable repayment and debt relief programs. ‘By effectively freezing the nation’s student loan system, the new administration seems intent on making life harder for working people, including for millions of borrowers who have taken on student debt so they can go to college,’ said American Federation of Teachers (AFT) president Randi Weingarten in a statement. ‘The former president tried to fix the system for 45 million Americans, but the new president is breaking it again. … we’re suing to restore access to the statutory programs that are an anchor for so many, and that cannot be simply stripped away by executive fiat.'” (03/19/25)
“Louisiana has carried out its first nitrogen hypoxia [prisoner killing] and its first [pre-planned prisoner killing] in 15 years, killing Jessie Hoffman Jr. on Tuesday night for the 1996 kidnapping, rape and murder of a 28-year-old woman. Hoffman was [killed] at the West Feliciana Parish Coroner’s Office and was pronounced dead at about 6:50 p.m. CDT, the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections told UPI in an emailed statement. He was convicted in 1997 for killing Mary Margaret ‘Molly’ Elliot in St. Tammany Parish, La., in November of the previous year. LDPSC Secretary Gary Westcott told reporters in a press conference that followed the execution that Hoffman declined a final meal and a last statement.” (03/19/25)
“The Environmental Protection Agency plans to eliminate its scientific research office and could fire more than 1,000 scientists and other employees who help provide the scientific foundation for rules safeguarding human health and ecosystems from environmental pollutants. As many as 1,155 chemists, biologists, toxicologists and other scientists (75% of the research program’s staff) could be laid off, according to documents reviewed by Democratic staff on the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology. The planned layoffs, cast by the Trump administration as part of a broader push to shrink the size of the federal government and make it more efficient, were assailed by critics as a massive dismantling of the EPA’s longstanding mission to protect public health and the environment. The plans were first reported by The New York Times.” (03/18/25)
“Malaysia has agreed to terms and conditions of an agreement with exploration firm Ocean Infinity to resume the search for the wreckage of the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, its transport minister said on Wednesday. Flight MH370, a Boeing 777, was carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew when it vanished en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing in 2014 in one of the world’s greatest aviation mysteries. … The decision will enable commencement of seabed search operations in a new location estimated to cover 15,000 sq km (5,790 sq miles) in the southern Indian Ocean, based on a ‘no find, no fee’ principle, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said. Ocean Infinity will receive US$70 million if the wreckage is successfully located, he said.” (03/19/25)
“Heavily armed police swarmed CIA headquarters in Virginia on Wednesday after a man with a gun reportedly started making threats outside. The suspect allegedly pulled out a gun and pointed it at the building in McLean on Wednesday morning, ABC7 reported, citing a law enforcement official. No shots were fired and no injuries have been reported so far, according to the official. Fairfax County Police confirmed they were assisting with a ‘barricade incident’ at the agency’s headquarters but didn’t release further details.” (03/19/25)
