Today's Headlines and Commentary

The repeal of net-neutrality rules went into effect Monday morning, reports the New York Times. The Federal Communications Commission voted in December to repeal the Obama-era rules, which prohibited internet providers from charging websites for increased broadband service. The repeal has survived legal challenges from Democratic lawmakers, state attorneys general, and public-interest groups.

Spain will take in a ship of 629 migrants after both Italy and Malta refused them entry, according to BBC. Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini refused to let the ship dock early Monday morning, tweeting “Italy has stopped bending its head and obeying, this time THERE IS SOMEONE WHO SAYS NO.” Malta similarly refused to grant the group entry, claiming that international law dictates the ship was Italy’s responsibility. The group of migrants included 123 unaccompanied minors, almost a dozen children under the age of 13, and seven pregnant woman.

The U.S. Treasury Department announced new sanctions against Russia in response to cyberattacks, reports CNN. The sanctions target three Russian individuals and five companies. This announcement came after Vladimir Putin said Sunday he would like to meet with President Trump “as soon as the American side is ready.”

British officials warned a military assault on Yemen’s largest port “now looks imminent,” according to the Wall Street Journal. The United Nations are rushing to prevent the United Arab Emirates from invading the port city of Hodeidah after UAE forces say they came under attack on Sunday. More than 80 percent of Yemen’s supplies travel through that port, and officials fear the assault could further exacerbate what the U.N. already calls the “world’s worst humanitarian crisis.”

A warehouse fire destroyed paper ballots and voting machines from Iraq’s contested national election, reports the Washington Post. After widespread reports of electoral fraud and mismanagement, a group of Iraqi lawmakers voted last week to recount more than 11 million votes. The warehouse that caught fire housed one-fourth of those ballots. Officials say the cause of the fire is still unknown.

Qatar announced Monday it will accuse the UAE of human rights violations in the United Nations’ International Court of Justice, according to Reuters. The Qatari government claims the UAE violated the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination when it imposed a boycott on Qatar in June 2017 that is still in place one year later. The UAE maintains that they implemented the boycott because Qatar supports terrorism, an accusation that Doha fervently denies.

ICYMI: Last Weekend on Lawfare

Shannon Mercer, Megan Reiss, and Soumaya Keynes discussed trade and national security on the latest Lawfare Podcast.

Aqil Shah questioned whether drone strikes actually help recruit terrorists.

Quinta Jurecic posted the Board of Immigration Appeals’ decision which found that forced labor constitutes material support under the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Jurecic also posted Sen. Bob Corker’s (R.-Tenn.) bill to restrict presidential authority on national-security tariffs.

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