Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Tuesday urged the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to arrest suspected war criminal Bosco Ntaganda , a Congolese general wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes. At a conference at the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, advocates called for Ntaganda’s arrest prior to the DRC presidential [...]
The US District Court for the District of Columbia on Wednesday dismissed an appeal attempting to overturn April’s decision that ended an injunction on federal funding of embryonic stem cell research. The initial suit, brought by two scientists, was an attempt to stop federal funding for embryonic stem cells so there was more funding for [...]
An Indian couple on Wednesday challenged a UK immigration law that contains an English language speaking requirement. The provision , which was announced in June 2010 by UK Home Secretary Theresa May , requires an immigrant to be able to speak English before joining his or her spouse in the UK. The couple’s lawyer argued [...]
US President Barack Obama issued an executive order Monday imposing economic sanctions to combat international organized crime operations, freezing their US assets, preventing the transfer of property to the organizations and criminalizing providing aid the organizations. The order targets four specific Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs), though more could be named in the future: Los Zetas [...]
Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Wednesday urged the government of Bangladesh to ensure that those accused of being involved in a February 2009 mutiny are given fair trials. Members of the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) , a Bangladeshi paramilitary force, have been tried en masse for the mutiny, which left 74 dead. HRW’s call comes in [...]
The Constitutional Court of Colombia ruled unanimously on Tuesday that same-sex couples are “families” under the law and their relationships cannot be invalidated nor can same-sex marriage be made illegal, but gave the Colombian Congress two years to legislate same-sex marriage rather than declaring it outright constitutional. Without congressional action, same-sex couples will be able [...]
New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman filed an amicus curiae brief challenging the constitutionality of the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) barring recognition of same-sex marriages . The brief was filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York in the case of Windsor v. United States, arguing that DOMA [...]
Ukrainian Judge Rodion Kireyev on Wednesday rejected a motion to arrest former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko for disruptive courtroom behavior. Kireyev made his decision based on his ability to control his courtroom, although he stated that Tymoshenko had disrespected him by not standing when addressing the court and that her supporters were causing distracting disturbances [...]
The North Carolina House of Representatives voted Tuesday to override a veto by Governor Beverly Perdue on legislation that would require a 24-hour waiting period before an abortion . With a 72-47 vote , the measure, known as the “Women’s Right to Know Act,” will now go to the Senate, which on Monday overrode three [...]
Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday announced his intentions to propose a constitutional amendment that would provide a single, extended tenure for the president of Nigeria and its 36 governors. The president and governors are currently limited to serving two four-year terms and are permitted to run for re-election between terms. Jonathan cited the high [...]
