Legal agenda and live webcasts ~ Wednesday, Feb. 16 News
Legal agenda and live webcasts ~ Wednesday, Feb. 16

[JURIST] Here's a run-down of law-related events, expected developments and live webcasts on JURIST's docket for Wednesday, Feb. 16.

The US Senate [official website] convenes at 9:30 AM ET today, and it will consider S. 384, the Nazi War Crimes Working Group Extension Act. Watch a live webcast of proceedings. The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee [official website] is holding a business meeting [Atlanta Journal-Constitution report, registration required] at 9:30 AM ET to consider S. 131, which would amend the Clean Air Act [text, PDF] to extend cap-and-trade programs to regulate air pollution. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee [official website] is holding a hearing at 10 AM ET on safety and security issues relating to drug importation. View a hearing agenda [text]. The Senate Judiciary Committee [official website] Subcommittee on Constitution, Civil Rights, and Property Rights is holding a hearing on obscenity prosecution and the Constitution at 3 PM ET. Read the hearing agenda [text], and watch a live webcast.

The US House [official website] convenes today at 10 AM ET for regular business. Watch a live webcast of proceedings. The House Resources Committee [official website] is holding a hearing at 11 AM ET on the status of the Indian trust fund lawsuit, Cobell v. Norton [plaintiffs' website]. Read a hearing agenda [text], and listen to live audio from the hearing. The House Energy and Commerce Committee [official website] Energy and Air Quality Subcommittee will hold an 11 AM ET hearing on the Energy Policy Act of 2005 [text]. Watch a live webcast of the hearing.

The Kyoto Protocol [official website], the global treaty on climate change, takes legal effect today, with 128 countries participating in the framework. In connection with this, EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas [official profile] will hold a press conference on the Protocol and its impact. Watch a live webcast of the press conference beginning at 11:30 AM local time [5:30 AM ET].

The UK Court of Appeal [UK Court Service] is expected to rule [Reuters report] today on whether a ban on using hunting dogs is valid. The Countryside Alliance [official website] has challenged the act, which is scheduled to take effect on Friday. A previous challenge [JURIST report] before the UK High Court failed.

At the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, the trial of Slobodan Milosevic [ICTY case backgrounder] continues today. A webcast begins at 9:30 AM local time [3:30 AM ET]. Also today, the trial of Fatmir Limaj and others [ICTY case backgrounder] continues, with a webcast beginning at 2:45 PM local time [8:45 AM ET].