Hungarian parliament rejects Iraq troop extension News
Hungarian parliament rejects Iraq troop extension

[JURIST] The Hungarian parliament has rejected a proposal to keep its 300 non-combat troops in Iraq until March 31, 2005. The troops were to stay in Iraq until December 31. The Socialist-led government wanted to extend the mission of the transport contingent serving since mid-2003 in Hillah, south of Baghdad, until after Iraq's elections scheduled for the end of January, but the Hungarian center-right opposition felt the soldiers should be back as soon as possible because the Hungarian electorate does not support the mission. The proposal needed to be approved by two-thirds of parliament but failed after opposition deputies refused to back it. AP has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

South Africa becomes first country on continent to legalize same-sex marriage

Same-sex marriages became legal in South Africa on November 30, 2006 as the country's Civil Union Act, 2006 went into effect, making South Africa the only country on the African continent to legalize same-sex marriage. Read the Civil Union Act, 2006.