The US Supreme Court on Monday refused to hear a challenge by Liberty University to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) mandate requiring employers to provide affordable health insurance for their employees. The university sought review of the employer mandate’s constitutionality under the government’s taxing power, arguing that the requirement is a violation [...]
Egypt’s draft constitution was finalized on Sunday by a 50-member assembly, creating uncertainty about the country’s election procedures. The draft dictates that elections are to take place within the first six months of the constitution’s ratification. However, the draft does not determine whether a presidential election should be held before or after parliamentary elections. The [...]
The US Supreme Court heard oral arguments Monday in two cases. In Michigan v. Bay Mills Indian Community the court was asked to consider whether tribal sovereign immunity bars a state from suing in federal court to enjoin a tribe from violating the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) outside of Indian lands. In this case [...]
A US military judge has issued an order allowing for defense attorneys for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed to photograph the scars on the ankles and wrists of their client. The order, unsealed last week by US Army military judge Col. James L. Pohl, will allow the defense “to make a photographic record” to provide evidence that [...]
Hearings in a multi-million dollar class action suit against Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited (ANZ) began Monday before the Federal Court of Australia in Melbourne. More than 43,000 ANZ customers have accused Australia’s third largest bank of charging unconscionable fees, including “dishonor” fees on bank accounts, and over-limit fees and late payment fees [...]
Spain’s government approved draft legislation on Friday that would impose a fine of €30,000 (USD $40,800) for offenses such as insulting the government, burning the flag or protesting parliament without prior approval. It also sets stiff penalties for demonstrations that challenge the electoral process and unauthorized protests at places such as airports or power plants. [...]
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said Monday that there is growing evidence that the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is committing war crimes and crimes against humanity during the nation’s ongoing civil war . At a press conference, Pillay declared that there is “massive evidence” that high ranking officials in the [...]
Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Sunday urged the prosecutor’s office of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to expedite inquiry into international crimes committed in Afghanistan . In November the ICC released the Report on Preliminary Examination Activities finding that over 14,300 civilians have been killed in Afghanistan since 2007 and that violence against women has [...]
Croatian voters passed a referendum on Sunday proposing to ban same-sex marriages by defining marriage in Croatia’s constitution as a union between a man and a woman. The referendum came as a result of a petition circulated by a Catholic group which garnered over 700,000 signatures. Croatia’s population of 4.4 million people is about 90 [...]
Ukrainian demonstrators gathered in the streets of Kiev Saturday to protest President Viktor Yanukovich’s decision to abandon the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement , a planned trade pact with the EU. According to media reports the Berkut riot police responded to the demonstration with force to disperse the crowd. Amnesty International (AI) has called for a “prompt, [...]
