The Communist Party of Nepal – Maoists (CPN-M) announced Tuesday that it is vacating the interim government and boycotting future elections until its demands for parliament to immediately declare the country a federal democratic republic were met. Senior members of the Maoist party, who say that they have secured over one million signatures on a [...]

Two advocacy groups in the Philippines said Tuesday that children are often the victims of extrajudicial killings, citing statistics compiled by Karapatan (The Alliance for the Advancement of People's Rights) . The Salinlahi Alliance for Children's Concerns and the Gabriela Women's Party criticized Philippine President Gloria Arroyo , saying that instances of human rights violations [...]

Iranian-American journalist Parnaz Azima, a reporter for Radio Farda , left Iran Tuesday after months of being held in the country on security-related charges. A spokesperson for Radio Farda's parent service Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) told AP that Azima will soon arrive in the United States. Azima was granted permission to leave Iran September [...]

The Maryland Court of Appeals on Tuesday ruled 4-3 that the state's 1973 law banning same-sex marriage is constitutional. In reversing the judgment of the lower Circuit Court, Maryland's highest court held that a law defining marriage as between one man and one woman neither denies individuals fundamental rights nor discriminates illegally on the basis [...]

The Zimbabwean parliament began debate Tuesday on a draft constitutional amendment bill that could essentially give Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe the authority to appoint his successor. The changes would allow the parliament to appoint a new president should the incumbent step down before the end of his term; there is speculation that Mugabe will step [...]

Frank Conaway, et al., v. Gitanjali Deane, et al., Maryland Court of Appeals, September 18, 2007 . Read the full text of the opinion . Reported in JURIST's Paper Chase here.

French judicial officials indicated Monday that the judiciary is launching a new investigation into the 1999 assassination of Iranian deputy chief of the joint staff Brigadier-General Ali Sayyad Shirazi in Tehran. The probe, renewed at the request of Shirazi's family, will focus on the Mujahedin-e-Khalq (MEK) , which has claimed responsibility in the assassination. The [...]

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf will only resign as chief of Pakistan's army following his reelection, government lawyer Sharifuddin Pirzada said Tuesday during proceedings in the Supreme Court of Pakistan . The high court is hearing petitions from opposition parties challenging Musharraf's dual role as president and army chief , as well as Musharraf's bid to [...]

A federal judge in California dismissed a lawsuit Monday alleging that vehicle emissions of greenhouse gases have contributed to global warming constituting a "public nuisance" that has cost the state of California millions of dollars. Judge Martin J. Jenkins of the US District Court for the Northern District of California wrote that the case "presents [...]

Mexican drug lord Francisco Javier Arellano Felix pleaded guilty in the US District Court for the Southern District of California Monday to running a continuing criminal enterprise and conspiracy to launder money. Prosecutors alleged that Arellano Felix helped run the Arellano Felix cartel , based out of Tijuana, Mexico, which became notorious for its aggressive [...]