The US House on Wednesday approved a new short-term extension of the USA Patriot Act that will last until March 10. Certain provisions of the law were originally set to expire on December 31, but were extended until February 3 when Congress failed to reach an agreement on a long-term extension before Christmas. President Bush [...]

Brian J. Foley : "In response to the revelations about presidential spying, several Administration officials, including President Bush and Attorney General Gonzales, have argued that the electronic surveillance program — which appears to exceed the limits allowed by current law — is "necessary" to prevent another terrorist attack. They also say, as Vice President Cheney [...]

US Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, on Wednesday called for a re-examination of antitrust laws after the Committee held a hearing on consolidation in the energy industry . Specter noted that the Federal Trade Commission has approved numerous mergers in the oil industry in the past 15 years and voiced [...]

Both India and Indonesia have rejected a report released Wednesday by human rights groups claiming that relief efforts for the devastating 2004 tsunami were marred by numerous violations of the rights of survivors. Both governments denied that women and minority groups such as the Dalits, the lowest Hindu class, and the Mokens were being turned [...]

Two prosecution witnesses testified Thursday in the trial of Saddam Hussein on crimes against humanity charges before the trial was once again adjourned until February 13 to allow time for more witnesses to be notified. Neither Hussein nor his seven co-defendants were present Thursday. Hussein and four other defendants continued their boycott of the trial [...]

Leading Thursday's international brief, more than 500 people have been arrested in Nepal for protesting the autocratic rule of King Gyanendra on Wednesday, the one year anniversary of the 'Black Day' last February 1 when Gyanendra dismissed the democratic government and assumed direct control of the country. The arrests were made concurrently with a speech [...]

The UK House of Lords Wednesday narrowly defeated government-proposed amendments to the UK Terrorism Bill that would have given the police more power to control information on websites thought to be related to terrorist groups. Initially, the police were to have full power in deciding whether online information had ties to terrorism. Peers amended that [...]

Caricatures of the Islamic prophet Muhammad were reprinted in newspapers on Wednesday in Italy, Germany, France and Spain, sparking a new debate over freedom of expression in Europe and drawing protests from Muslims in Europe and the Middle East. France Soir ran the front page headline "Yes, we have the right to caricature God" complete [...]

Following a meeting Wednesday with Austrian Interior and Justice ministers, Efraim Zuroff, director of the Simon Wiesenthal Center criticized Austria for being complacent in investigating and prosecuting suspects involved in Nazi war crimes, saying that the country had become a "paradise" for fugitives. The Wiesenthal Centre has launched Operation: Last Chance , an initiative committed [...]

Global Corruption Report 2006, Transparency International, March 16, 2005 . Read the full text of the report. Reported in JURIST's Paper Chase here.