The US Supreme Court on Monday granted certiorari in three cases. In Hamilton, Chapter 13 Trustee v. Lanning , the Court limited its grant of certiorari to "hether, in calculating the debtor's 'projected disposable income' during the plan period, the bankruptcy court may consider evidence suggesting that the debtor's income or expenses during that period [...]
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Sunday signed into law a bill that introduces stricter punishments for those convicted of manipulating the stock market. Traders and journalists convicted of market manipulation involving more than 1,000,000 rubles may now face prison time between two and seven years, along with fines . The law passed through the State [...]
The Obama administration on Friday filed a motion to dismiss a federal lawsuit challenging the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) . The suit was brought in July by Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley and challenges the DOMA on constitutional grounds. The US Department of Justice (DOJ) argued that states that allow same-sex marriages cannot force [...]
The Obama administration, top lawmakers, and news organizations reached an agreement Friday on legislation that would protect journalists from being forced to reveal their sources in federal court. The compromise version of the Free Flow of Information Act would extend protections to journalists by creating a qualified privilege for those who refuse to disclose confidential [...]
Eight men judged guilty of war crimes by the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL) were transferred to Rwanda Saturday to serve out prison sentences. Because Sierra Leone has no adequate prison facilities, an agreement with Rwanda was reached to allow them to complete their sentences at Mpanga prison . Three of the men, leaders [...]
Six Chinese Uighur Guantanamo Bay detainees were transferred to the Republic of Palau Saturday, according to the US Department of Justice (DOJ) . The six men, Ahmad Tourson, Abdul Ghappar Abdul Rahman, Edham Mamet, Anwar Hassan, Dawut Abdurehim and Adel Noori, were relocated to a home in the middle of Koror, the commercial center of [...]
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi will stand trial for corruption charges on November 27, according to court officials Saturday. The trial date follows a decision by the Italian Constitutional Court earlier this month, which struck down a 2008 law granting immunity from prosecution to the four highest officials of the country, including Berlusconi. The corruption [...]
Bruce Klingner : "North Korea has repeatedly been cited by the US government, United Nations, and independent human rights groups as one of the most egregious violators of human rights. North Korean citizens face abysmal living conditions, pervasive government surveillance, and a total lack of political and religious freedom. Overlaid on this depressing situation is [...]
Russia must undertake extensive legal reforms in order to protect human rights, according to a report issued Friday by the UN Human Rights Committee . The committee found that Russia is failing to protect important human rights in a number of areas. The report emphasized the problems the country is having guaranteeing its citizens rights [...]
The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday completed the confirmation of charges hearing against Sudanese war crimes suspect Bahr Idriss Abu Garda . During the hearing, prosecutors alleged that Abu Garda controlled rebel forces during the September 2007 attack against African Union peacekeepers in North-Darfur. Abu Garda is suspected of having led the Justice and [...]
