Many Iraqis who voted for the new constitution in the October referendum have begun to call for amendments to its vague and controversial provisions. Those calling for amendments are concerned with the influence of religion on daily life because one clause prohibits any law that "contradicts the established provisions of Islam." There is also concern [...]

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Saturday indicated he plans to reject a second interview request from UN investigators running the probe into the bus bombing that killed former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri . Assad rejected the first request last week. Arguing that this is a matter of national sovereignty, Assad vowed not to cave [...]

Nepalese police on Saturday used tear gas to disperse protesters gathered to demand democratic reforms in the country after King Gyanendra seized power from the interim government last year. Many of Saturday's protesters threw stones and fought with police, and as many as 300 students were taken away in police vehicles . On Thursday, the [...]

In an attempt to help resolve the conflict surrounding Indonesia's annexation of East Timor , East Timor President Xanana Gusmao presented a report to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Friday detailing alleged widespread atrocities committed by the Indonesian government during its occupation of the country. The report, produced by the East Timor Commission for Reception, [...]

Two US military intelligence officers testified on Friday in the court-martial of Army Chief Warrant Officer Lewis Welshofer Jr. that the interrogation rules in place during the first months of the Iraq war were unclear and that Welshofer was not aware of what techniques were prohibited when he interrogated an Iraqi general in 2003. Welshofer [...]

US Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito on Friday provided additional written answers to questions submitted by Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee regarding his views of a variety of legal issues and reiterated statements made during his confirmation hearings that the Constitution protects a right to privacy. As he did during testimony before the Committee, [...]

The Coalition for an Effective African Court on Human and People's Rights , an NGO based in South Africa, on Saturday criticized the process of nominating judges to the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights during the ongoing African Union summit in Khartoum, Sudan. The coalition said that the nomination process lacked transparency and [...]

Defense lawyers for I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby , the former chief of staff for Vice President Dick Cheney indicted last October in the CIA leak case , said Friday they plan to subpoena journalists and news organizations for additional documents, such as reporters' notes and records pertaining to the leak of CIA agent Valerie Plame's [...]

In anticipation of US Senate Judiciary Committee hearings next month, Democratic Senators Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) introduced a proposed Senate resolution Friday, criticizing the Bush administration's authorization of domestic surveillance by the National Security Agency (NSA) . Presenting the administration's legal authorities for the NSA's interception of international communications with suspected terrorists [...]

US Bankruptcy Judge Eugene Wedoff from the Northern District of Illinois signed off on the United Airlines reorganization plan Friday, in a move that will allow the airline to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy by February 1. The plan was submitted by United's parent company, UAL Corporation, in September and United is now on track [...]