A UN expert on racism warned Tuesday that instances of racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia are on the rise worldwide, and pose a special danger as they are not confined to extremist groups but have become integral to mainstream democratic systems. Senegalese lawyer Doudou Diene, UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, [...]
Jordan Paust : "A DOJ filing in the lawsuit against Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld concerning detainee abuse attempts to defend torture, cruel treatment, inhuman treatment, degrading treatment, and humilitaring treatment of detainees expressly authorized by Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld in at least two memos (e.g., the stripping of persons naked and hooding for interrogation and [...]
A CIA information review officer providing a sworn statement to US District Judge Reggie B. Walton has indicated that clearing top-level information requested by former vice-presidential Chief of Staff I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby could take as long as nine months. Marilyn Dorn filed the statement Friday but it was only unsealed Tuesday. Libby, who faces [...]
Former Enron Chief Financial Officer Andrew Fastow took the stand for the prosecution against his former bosses Enron founder Kenneth Lay and former CEO Jeff Skilling Tuesday. Fastow testified that both Lay and Skilling were aware of the creation of two partnerships in 1999 designed to keep the failing firm's liabilities off the books. Fastow [...]
US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales insisted Tuesday that US treatment of detainees is consistent with the Geneva Conventions , but questioned the relevance of some Geneva provisions in the context of "this new kind of war, against this new kind of enemy." In an interview with BBC News during an official visit to London , [...]
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg ruled Tuesday that a British woman could not have frozen embryos conceived with a former partner implanted without his consent. Natallie Evans and Howard Johnston entered an IVF program in 2001 and Johnson agreed to the implantation of the embryos, but later withdrew his consent after [...]
San Francisco Superior Court Judge James L. Warren ruled Monday that the University of California system broke a contract with students when it raised fees during their three-year professional programs. Under the ruling the system should refund more than $33.8 million, primarily to students who enrolled in the professional schools in 2002 or earlier. University [...]
US Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) , chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee , has said that the committee may recall US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to testify about the administration's domestic surveillance program . Gonzales testified before the committee last month and later followed up that testimony with a letter , which Specter said suggests [...]
Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said Tuesday that Israel would consider resorting to targeted killings of Hamas leaders if the group resumes attacks in Israel. Hamas , regarded by much of the international community to be a terrorist group, took control of the Palestinian Legislative Council this week after a surprise victory in January's elections. [...]
The French Conseil d'Etat , the country's highest administrative tribunal, held Monday that Sikhs have to remove their turbans to be photographed for driver's licenses as a matter of public security. The ruling overturned an earlier decision by the same tribunal made on procedural grounds in December, when the Council held that a directive by [...]
