The International Atomic Energy Agency and Director-General Mohamed ElBaradei have been awarded the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize , the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced this morning. The Committee cited the IAEA and its sometimes-embattled chief "for their efforts to prevent nuclear energy from being used for military purposes and to ensure that nuclear energy for peaceful [...]

Hirst v. the United Kingdom, European Court of Human Rights, October 6, 2005 . Excerpt: In this case, the Court would begin by underlining that prisoners in general continue to enjoy all the fundamental rights and freedoms guaranteed under the Convention save for the right to liberty, where lawfully imposed detention expressly falls within the [...]

The UN Special Representative to the Democratic Republic of Congo William Swing said in a press conference Thursday that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for five leaders of the Lord's Resistance Army , a Ugandan cult infamous for its cruel treatment of children. The group is believed to have forced more [...]

In Thursday's environmental law news, the China State Council has issued a set of regulations regarding the safety, handling and reporting procedures for radioactive isotope and radiation devices. The procedures govern both local and national responses for any "radiation-related accidents", and include immediate reporting requirements and punishment procedures. The regulations will become effective December 1, [...]

Democratic senators Thursday urged US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to open a criminal investigation into the Armstrong Williams education scandal . The controversy stems from an agreement between the Bush administration and conservative commentator Armstrong Williams under which Williams agreed to promote the No Child Left Behind Act in various media outlets in exchange for [...]

In a letter sent Thursday to opposition colleagues, UK Home Secretary Charles Clarke amended a three-week old proposal to criminalize a broad range of activities that could be interpreted as “glorifying” terrorism. The proposal was intended as an addition to an official draft of a new Terrorism Bill that was agreed upon by opposition parties [...]

Leading Thursday's states brief, the Michigan Senate voted to approve two resolutions today that would prevent taxpayer money from being spent on same-sex benefits until the state Supreme Court decides whether a lower court ruling allowing public universities and the government to provide same-sex benefits was correct. The lower court judge found that a constitutional [...]

The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts , heard oral arguments Thursday on the issue of whether same-sex couples from out-of-state can marry in Massachusetts, the first state to legalize same-sex marriage . The court is deciding whether a 1913 law , which prohibits out-of-state couples from marrying in Massachusetts if their home states do not [...]

AP is reporting that presidential adviser Karl Rove has agreed to provide additional testimony in the investigation into how CIA officer Valerie Plame's name was leaked. Rove will testify before a grand jury without a guarantee that he won't be indicted later. AP has more.

Former Bosnian President Ante Jelavic , who unsuccessfully tried to establish an autonomous Croat state within Bosnia, was sentenced Thursday to 10 years for embezzling money from a bank set up by Croat nationalists to fund the mini-state. Released on bail in September, Jelavic has not appeared in court and an international warrant has been [...]