Bush demands vote on Bolton; recess appointment not ruled out News
Bush demands vote on Bolton; recess appointment not ruled out

[JURIST] President Bush on Monday demanded a vote in the Senate on his nomination of John Bolton [JURIST report] as the US Ambassador to the United Nations, and White House officials would not rule out the possibility of a recess appointment [CRS backgrounder, PDF] to sidestep the Senate if necesary. Senate Democrats last week rejected a new Republican compromise offer [JURIST report] on his nomination, requesting more information about his pre-war assessments of Iraq. They have also objected to his outspoken criticism of the UN and have made other claims of wrongdoing [JURIST report]. Bush says Bolton is the right choice to help push for UN reform. Reuters has more.

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.