Three environmental groups filed a notice of appeal Monday signaling their collective intention to challenge a lower court ruling upholding Congressional action removing federal protections for gray wolves in Montana and Idaho. The Alliance for the Wild Rockies (AWR), Friends of the Clearwater and WildEarth Guardians are seeking to reverse the judgment handed down by [...]
The Iraqi Parliament passed a bill Tuesday proclaiming to guarantee more protections and rights for journalists, although several journalist rights groups have opposed the law’s passage. The Journalists Protection Law, originally proposed in August of 2009 protects journalists from questioning or investigations unless a judge mandates that action. The original bill only protected Iraqi journalists, [...]
The Sri Lankan government on Tuesday announced it would lift emergency laws that have been in place for 30 years, though Parliament would renew some provisions temporarily. The emergency laws were established during the nearly 30-year civil war with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) . Most clauses of the Public Security Ordinance, which [...]
A Ugandan court Tuesday acquitted opposition leader Kizza Besigye of charges of rioting and inciting violence. Besigye was arrested earlier this year in connection with protests against rising food and fuel costs. The protests were known as the “Walk to Work” protests because participants refrained from taking motor vehicles to show their discontent over high [...]
A Zambian court on Tuesday ruled that President Rupiah Banda can run for re-election. The country’s opposition party, the Patriotic Front (PF) , had alleged that Banda’s father was born in Malawi , a factor that would prohibit Banda from running for office pursuant to the Zambian Constitution . A presidential candidate’s parents must both [...]
The US International Trade Commission (USITC) announced Monday that it will investigate a claim made last month by Apple that HTC committed patent infringement related to touchscreen and scrolling features. Alleging that HTC violated section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 by importing copyrighted products, Apple is seeking an exclusion order as well as [...]
A three-judge panel from the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on Monday upheld a law banning campaign finance contributions from foreigners. Two Canadian citizens filed suit against the Federal Elections Commission (FEC) , arguing that they should be permitted to contribute to US political candidates and committees. Though the plaintiffs [...]
Zimbabwe security forces are running illegal mining camps in the country’s Marange area where recruited civilian workers are regularly tortured and forced into labor, the BBC reported Monday. According to the report, workers are subject to mauling by dogs, multiple beatings and rape. The camps, one of which allegedly has ties to a personal friend [...]
The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) on Monday filed an amicus curiae brief seeking to uphold an Indiana state law that would block Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood of Indiana (PPIN) and other organizations providing abortion services. The brief, filed in the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit , urges the [...]
The US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit ruled Monday that a torture suit against former defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld can proceed. Two American citizens brought a cause of action recognized in Bivens v. Six Unknown Named Agents of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics against Rumsfeld, claiming that he was personally responsible for the [...]
