Two separate press-sponsored investigations reported Saturday show a marked increase in secret proceedings in US federal courts in the last few years, mirroring a general trend towards secrecy in the executive branch of government during the Bush presidency. Figures tallied by the Administrative Office of the US Courts for AP show that some 5,116 defendants [...]

The Manila Daily Tribune reported Saturday that it has been charged with sedition in the wake of the Friday lifting of President Gloria Arroyo's state of emergency . The offices of the paper, known for its sharp criticism of the government, were raided February 25 while the state of emergency decree was still in force. [...]

Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian told the Japanese Yomiuri Shimbun daily in an interview reported Saturday that he was resolved to drafting a new constitution for the country better suited to its current circumstances. Earlier in the week, Chen stirred controversy when he put an end to a 15-year detente with mainland China by scrapping a [...]

Sri Lanka Solicitor General C.R. de Silva announced Saturday that two men photographed stealing a gold necklace from a woman while she struggled in the rushing waters of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami will be prosecuted for murder. If convicted, they could face the death penalty under Sri Lanka law. After taking the woman's necklace, [...]

US mega-retailer Wal-Mart announced Friday that it will stock the emergency contraceptive pill known as Plan B in all of its pharmacies nationwide beginning March 20. Previously the chain had only stocked the pills in its pharmacies in Illinois, as required by law, and in Massachusetts following an order by the Massachusetts Pharmacy Board in [...]

In response to a February injunction imposed by US Distict Judge Jeremy Fogel , California prosecutors Friday proposed altering the combination of sedatives and life-ending drugs used in executions in order to ensure that prisoners do not become conscious or experience "wanton or unnecessary pain" during the process. The proposal stems from an appeal by [...]

The US Justice Department has launched an investigation into possible price-fixing of music downloads by major label record companies, according to Department sources. The Department has already issued subpoeanas to four major record labels: EMI, Sony BMG, Universal and Warner Music. Federal officials are attempting to discern whether the labels are conspiring to keep the [...]

An Ecuadorian judge Friday ordered the release from prison of former president Lucio Gutierrez , ruling that he was not a threat to national security. Ecuador's Attorney General's office has already said it will appeal. Gutierrez was arrested in October and later jailed after calling his ouster by Congress in April of last year illegal. [...]

Reprocessed Combatant Status Review Tribunal (CSRT) and Administrative Review Board (ARB) Documents, US Department of Defense, released March 3, 2006 . Review the full text of the documents (60 PDF files amounting to over 5000 printed pages). Reported in JURIST's Paper Chase here.

Former California Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham has been sentenced to eight years and four months in prison for corruption. Cunningham pleaded guilty last November to charges of conspiracy to commit bribery, mail fraud, wire fraud and tax evasion and promptly resigned from office. He admitted to taking $2.4 million in bribes in a case that [...]