Former vice president of China's Supreme People's Court (SPC) Huang Songyou was convicted on bribery and embezzlement charges on Tuesday and sentenced to life imprisonment . Huang is the highest-ranking judge to be charged with corruption since the founding of the People's Republic of China. Between 2005 and 2008, Huang allegedly embezzled 3.9 million yuan [...]
Former New Jersey governor Jon Corzine signed the "Compassionate Use of Medical Marijuana" bill on his last full day in office Monday, legalizing the use of medical marijuana in the state. The bill allows doctors to prescribe marijuana to patients with chronic illnesses such as cancer, AIDS, Lou Gehrig's disease, muscular dystrophy, and multiple sclerosis, [...]
The British Government announced Monday plans for a new scheme to compensate victims of terrorist attacks abroad. Home Secretary Alan Johnson introduced the Victims of Overseas Terrorism Compensation Scheme as part of the Crime and Security Bill that is currently before Parliament. The scheme will be limited to British nationals who sustain any injury from [...]
The US Supreme Court on Tuesday issued two per curiam opinions , remanded the case of Mumia Abu-Jamal , and denied a preliminary injunction to Michigan in a dispute over Asian carp. The Court granted certiorari in Beard v. Abu-Jamal and granted the respondent's motion to proceed in forma pauperis. The Court vacated the judgment [...]
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Monday that the US will allow Haitian orphans into the country to receive needed care in the aftermath of last week's earthquake . The humanitarian parole policy , which grants individuals temporary admission to the US in emergency cases, will apply to certain groups of Haitian [...]
The Spanish High Court on Monday ordered the extradition of pilot Julio Alberto Poch so that he may be tried in Argentina for his alleged role in the nation's 1976-83 "Dirty War" . Poch was a navy officer at Argentina's Naval Mechanics School , one of the most notorious detention centers of the military dictatorship, [...]
A judge of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice Monday sentenced two men previously convicted in connection with the failed "Toronto 18" terrorist plot. Alleged plot leader Zakaria Amara was sentenced to life in prison, while Saad Gaya was sentenced to a 12-year prison term. Amara and Gaya were two of 18 men arrested in [...]
New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act, New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine, January 18, 2010 . Reported in JURIST's Paper Chase here. Latest commentary available here. JURIST has more on medical marijuana.
Ilan Pappe : "The building of the separation wall between Israel and the West Bank in 2001 and before that the construction of the fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel in 1994, were claimed by official Israel to be barriers against terrorism. In reality, in the case of the West Bank, they separated Palestinians [...]
A Spanish foreign ministry official confirmed Monday that Spain will be accepting two detainees currently being held at Guantanamo Bay . One of the detainees is said to be of Yemeni origin, while the nationality of the other was not released. Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos said last week that an agreement between Spain [...]
