California voters on Tuesday approved Proposition 14 , which alters the primary election system, creating an open primary where only the top two vote-getters would advance to the general election. The ballot initiative was approved by 54.2 percent of voters and changes elections to create a system in which all candidates for a state or [...]
A bipartisan group of US senators on Wednesday introduced the Reduce Unnecessary Spending Act , which would give presidents the authority to use a modified version of the line-item veto in order to cut spending. In a process known as expedited rescission, the president could single out non-entitlement spending items and earmarks in legislation and [...]
Amnesty International (AI) urged world leaders to strengthen the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to meet international human rights standards in a report released Wednesday. The report, From Promises to Delivery, focuses on three main areas where governments can improve the MDGs during the coming review conference. These include gender equality, maternal health, and reducing the [...]
The US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit on Wednesday upheld a permanent injunction against the display of the Ten Commandments in two Kentucky courthouses. The displays, called "Foundations of Law and Government," contain eight other documents in addition to the Ten Commandments, including the Declaration of Independence, the Magna Carta, the Bill of [...]
Advocacy group Privacy International (PI) on Thursday accused Google of criminal intent for the collection of private data through unsecured Wi-Fi networks while collecting images for the website's Street Map view. PI released its statement in response an independent audit published by Google on the company's official blog . PI claims that information gathered in [...]
A Chinese appeals court on Wednesday upheld the conviction of earthquake activist Tan Zuoren who was sentenced in February to five years in prison on subversion charges. Tan was charged with and convicted of inciting subversion to state power, allegations stemming from e-mails critical of the government's 1989 policy toward the Tiananmen Square pro-democracy demonstrators. [...]
More than 30 defense lawyers from the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) released a joint statement Tuesday calling for the release of detained US lawyer and JURIST Forum contributor Peter Erlinder , who is being held in Rwanda on charges of genocide denial. The statement calls on international authorities to obtain Erlinder's release and [...]
US Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN) on Wednesday introduced legislation intended to reduce foreign oil dependence and cut greenhouse gas emissions. The Practical Energy and Climate Plan of 2010 would reduce foreign oil imports by 40 percent and greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent by 2030, according to a press release detailing the legislation. The bill [...]
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay on Tuesday renewed calls for Kenya to establish a special tribunal to investigate crimes committed following the 2007 presidential elections . Pillay called the investigation into the deadly violence by the International Criminal Court (ICC) a "major development." She warned, however, that the ICC's role would be [...]
The UN Security Council voted Wednesday to impose a fourth round of sanctions on Iran for failure to disband the nation's uranium enrichment program. Twelve member countries voted in favor of resolution 1929 , with Brazil and Turkey voting against and Lebanon abstaining. The council has asked Iran to cease its enrichment procedures and resolve [...]
