Suspect in Russian school hostage-taking pleads not guilty News
Suspect in Russian school hostage-taking pleads not guilty

[JURIST] The alleged sole survivor of a group responsible for the Beslan school hostage crisis [Wikipedia backgrounder] which last September led to the deaths of 344 people, including at least 172 children, pleaded not guilty Thursday in a Russian court sitting in the southern Russian republic of North Ossetia where the hostage-taking occured. Nur-Pashi Kulayev faces life in prison if convicted. He admits participating in the attack but denies killing anyone [JURIST report]. AFP has more. From Russia, MosNews has local coverage.

THIS DAY @ LAW

South Africa becomes first country on continent to legalize same-sex marriage

Same-sex marriages became legal in South Africa on November 30, 2006 as the country's Civil Union Act, 2006 went into effect, making South Africa the only country on the African continent to legalize same-sex marriage. Read the Civil Union Act, 2006.