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On Monday, Canada's parliament approved Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's decision to employ rarely-used emergency powers to put a stop to pandemic-related protests that have shut down Ottawa's streets for more than three weeks. The Emergencies Act was passed by a vote of 185 to 151 in parliament, with the left-leaning New Democrats supporting the minority Liberal administration. Some opposition MPs have called Trudeau's extraordinary measures, which he unveiled a week ago, unnecessary and an abuse of power. Over the weekend, Canadian police in Ottawa were able to restore order. Initially, the demonstrators intended to put a halt to cross-border COVID-19 vaccine mandates for truck drivers, but the occupation morphed into a larger anti-Trudeau rally. Protesters shut down the busiest land crossing between the two countries. Trudeau told reporters earlier on Monday that his government still required temporary emergency powers, citing "serious concerns" about threat

Colombia's constitutional court ruled on Monday to decriminalize abortion until 24 weeks of pregnancy, according to a statement from the court. The decision is a triumph for abortion rights groups who petitioned to have the procedure removed from the penal code. Colombia joins a group of Latin American countries, including Mexico and Ecuador, that have recently liberalized abortion access. In 2006, a Colombian court decision partially legalized abortion, allowing it only in circumstances of rape, fatal fetal malformation, and the woman's health, with no time constraints. Women would not be prosecuted for obtaining abortions up to 24 weeks of pregnancy under Monday's verdict, which was approved by five of nine justices. After that, the procedure will only be allowed under the original three circumstances. "Abortion will only be punished if it is performed after the twenty-fourth week of pregnancy, and this time limit will not apply to the three conditions outlined in Ru