Afghan President Hamid Karzai told reporters Monday that the controversial Shi'ite personal status law , which limits women's rights, is being amended by the country's Justice Ministry. Monday's statement at a press conference with UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown came one day after Karzai told female members of parliament and human rights advocates that he [...]
The US Supreme Court on Monday granted certiorari in three cases. In NRG Marketing, LLC v. Maine Public Utilities Commission the Court will consider whether the Sierra-Mobile doctrine applies when an entity not party to an interstate electricity contract contests the contract as not being "just and reasonable" as required by Section 206 of the [...]
The Bangladeshi state prosecutor said Monday that he is seeking to drop two of several corruption charges pending against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina because they were politically motivated. State prosecutor Abdullah Abu said the two charges, as well as charges against other officials, were filed to harass leaders . Abu also said petitions to drop [...]
Iraq Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki denounced on Sunday a US military raid in Iraq as violating the bilateral Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) . The agreement states that any military offensives by the US are to be performed in accordance with Iraqi laws and prior notice of any military operations is be given to the [...]
Chairman of the US Senate Judiciary Committee Patrick Leahy (D-VT) reiterated his calls for a non-partisan truth commission to investigate Bush administration officials responsible for authorizing certain interrogation techniques during an interview with CBS Sunday. Leahy said the focus of the commission should not be vengeance, but rather to investigate the individuals in the Bush [...]
Wireless communications company Qualcomm Inc. reached a settlement in a lengthy legal battle with rival firm Broadcom , under which it will pay Broadcom $891 million. Under the terms of the settlement, the companies agree not to assert patents against each other for their respective integrated circuit products and certain other products and services, which [...]
Taiwan and China on Sunday signed a landmark judicial cooperation agreement , under which each side will help to repatriate suspected criminals. The transfers of almost 40,000 criminals and suspects between the nations have been facilitated by non-governmental organizations since 1990, but the new agreement allows for direct judicial cooperation . Taiwan hopes the agreement [...]
Kuwait's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement Sunday that US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has promised that the US will review the files of four Kuwaiti detainees at Guantanamo Bay . Kuwaiti Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammad al-Sabah met with Clinton on Saturday during her first visit to Kuwait as Secretary [...]
Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and 60 other groups on Friday urged the Burundian government to repeal a new law criminalizing homosexuality in the country. The law was promulgated by President Pierre Nkurunziza on April 22, and subjects those found guilty of engaging in a homosexual relationship to a fine or up to two years [...]
Leaders of the American League of Lobbyists, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, and American Civil Liberties Union on Friday asked the administration of US President Barack Obama to eliminate or change restrictions it has put on contact that lobbyists can have with administration officials concerning American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 projects. [...]
