The Michigan Department of Treasury has determined that same-sex spouses must file separate tax returns. In a one-page notice posted on the Treasury website, Michigan residents are advised that same-sex couples who file a joint federal income tax return must continue to file income tax returns for Michigan with each individual using the single filing [...]
The UN said Friday that inspectors returned to Syria on Wednesday to investigate seven chemical weapon attacks, including three that occurred after the August 21 incident in Damascus . The investigation is set to be finished by Monday, followed by a separate visit by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) . The [...]
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) on Thursday released an interim report on the use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) . The report details that currently the FBI is the only DOJ component to have used UAS to support its mission. However, other DOJ components, such as the Bureau [...]
The Citizens for Objective Public Education (COPE) on Thursday filed a federal lawsuit to block the Kansas State Board of Education from implementing new science standards in education. In June, over strong objections from COPE, the Kansas Board adopted new guidelines promoting the teaching of scientific evolution and other natural explanations. COPE claims that these [...]
Judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday denied a request by Kenyan deputy president William Ruto to adjourn his trial so that he may manage the aftermath of the recent Nairobi shopping mall attack. Trial proceedings were temporarily suspended on Monday, allowing Ruto to return to Kenya in response to the terrorist attack [...]
The first UN ministerial meeting on the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) individuals was held Thursday during the General Assembly’s annual high-level debate. Representatives from the US, France, Argentina, Brazil, Croatia, the Netherlands, Norway, Japan, New Zealand and the EU, along with executive directors of Human Rights Watch and the International Gay [...]
Portugal’s Constitutional Court struck down an austerity measure Thursday that had given private companies greater latitude to fire employees. The changes to the labor code were adopted last year and allowed for private companies to fire employees that held positions deemed redundant or who were considered unable to adapt to changing job skills or requirements. [...]
A same-sex couple on Thursday filed a federal lawsuit in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania to receive recognition by the state of their marriage license, which was issued by the state of Massachusetts in 2005. After Cara Palladino and Isabelle Barker were legally married in Massachusetts, they moved to Pennsylvania, [...]
US Senators announced new legislation on Wednesday in a bipartisan effort to reform surveillance laws. In the wake of revealing disclosures from the National Security Agency (NSA) and Edward Snowden , Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), along with co-sponsors Mark Udall (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Rand Paul (R-KY), hopes to enact “real, and not just [...]
The Tokyo District Court on Thursday ordered Apple to pay 330 million yen, (USD $3.35 million) for patent infringement involving the iPod music player’s click wheel controller. The patent is disputed by Japanese inventor Norihiko Saito, whose company applied for the patent in 1998. Presiding Judge Teruhisa Takano stated that the 1998 patent covers the [...]
