Afghan authorities on Wednesday regained control of the Policharki prison after four days of rioting that was allegedly started by al Qaeda and Taliban convicts. Deputy Justice Minister Mohammed Qasim Hashimzai reported that over 11,300 unruly inmates, including 350 Taliban and al Qaeda loyalists, were transferred from Block Two where the riot took place to [...]

Within hours of the court-appointed deadline, leaders of the flight attendants union have reached a tentative settlement with bankrupt Northwest Airlines (NWA) , after the two sides spent over 24 straight hours at the negotiating table in New York, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported Wednesday. As Wednesday's end-of-the-business day deadline looms, the pilots union, Northwest [...]

Ranking US Senate Judiciary Committee Democrat Patrick Leahy rapped Attorney General Alberto Gonzales Wednesday after Gonzales sent a letter to Judiciary Committee members purporting to offer clarifications of his testimony last month on the NSA domestic surveillance program authorized by the White House and hinting that that secret program might not be the only one [...]

The US Senate Rules and Administration Committee has unanimously approved the Legislative Transparency and Accountability Act of 2006 , which incorporates only modest curbs on privately financed trips and earmarks. If the bill is passed by the full Senate, it will require senators to disclose all travel on corporate jets and receive advance clearance for [...]

Secretary General's report under Article 52 ECHR on the question of secret detention and transport of detainees suspected of terrorist acts, notably by or at the instigation of foreign agencies, Terry Davis, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, March 1, 2006. Read the full text of the report . Reported in JURIST's Paper Chase [...]

The Missouri Supreme Court has upheld a 24-hour informed consent abortion law in a unanimous decision, ruling that the law does not violate the Missouri constitution . The law requires doctors to wait 24 hours after consulting with women before performing abortions. Planned Parenthood challenged the law, arguing that the consultation requirements deprive people of [...]

Philippines President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said Wednesday that she will not immediately lift the state of emergency in the Philippines, rejecting calls that she immediately lift her earlier order. Arroyo implemented emergency rule last Friday after uncovering a plot to oust her from office and military officials have warned that another coup attempt is possible. In [...]

An Uzbek court sentenced opposition activist Nodira Khidayatova to ten years in prison Wednesday for embezzlement and tax evasion. Khidayatova, a leading member of the Sunshine Uzbekistan Coalition (SUC) , was arrested in December after returning from a news conference in Moscow during which she criticized Uzbek President Islam Karimov . The SUC campaigns for [...]

A bill banning same-sex marriage passed the Republican-majority Wisconsin State Legislature Tuesday evening and will be presented to voters on the state ballot in November. Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle (D-WI), who will not have an opportunity to consider the bill, has vetoed prior efforts to ban gay marriages and is expected to denounce the proposal. [...]

Military commission hearings for two Guantanamo Bay detainees scheduled to begin Wednesday have been delayed, but a third detainee will face a pre-trial hearing as scheduled. Ali Hamza al Bahlul is accused of serving as Osama bin Laden's bodyguard and making al Qaeda recruiting videos. He has said that he wants to represent himself during [...]