UAE court upholds sentences for Somali pirates
February 25, 2013
The Abu Dhabi Federal Appeal Court on Monday upheld the sentences of 10 Somali pirates convicted of highjacking a UAE-owned bulk-carrier ship. In April 2011, the men reportedly commandeered the MV Arrilah-1 as it hauled aluminum in the Arabian Sea en route to Dubai from Australia. The pirates allege....... [more] 
Australia judge rejects challenge to same-sex marriage ban
February 22, 2013
An Australian judge ruled Thursday that the nation's ban on same-sex marriage does not amount to gender discrimination, dismissing a challenge to the law. The ruling upholds the decision of the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) to terminate the complaint of sex discrimination under the Sex D....... [more]
Australia court allows US company to patent breast cancer gene
February 15, 2013
An Australian court ruled Friday that an American biotech company can patent a human gene linked to an increased risk of breast cancer. The Federal Court of Australia held that Myriad Genetics, a US biotech firm, could patent the gene BRCA1 because the gene is not natural, but rather the product of....... [more]
Australia high court rules Google did not violate consumer protection laws
February 6, 2013
The High Court of Australia unanimously ruled on Wednesday that Google did not engage in misleading or deceptive conduct in violation of Section 52 of the Trade Practices Act of 1974. The ruling overturns a lower court ruling. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) brought the c....... [more]
New Zealand joins Australia in dispute over Japanese whaling
November 25, 2012
New Zealand announced Friday that it will support Australia in an ongoing legal dispute before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) between Australia and Japan over Japanese whaling near Antarctica. Australia filed a complaint against Japan in the ICJ in May 2011 arguing that Japan's whaling pra....... [more]
Australia approves extradition of alleged Serbian war criminal
November 19, 2012
A spokesperson for the Australian Minister for Justice said Saturday that he has approved the extradition of Serbian war crimes suspect, Dragan Vasiljkovic, to Croatia. Vasiljkovic is accused of torturing and killing captured members of the Croatian army and police during the 1991-1995 Croatian War....... [more]
Alleged Nazi war criminal seeks damages from Australia for false imprisonment
October 29, 2012
An alleged Nazi war criminal has filed a writ to sue the Australian government for wrongful imprisonment after being jailed on a charge of killing an 18-year-old Jewish man in Hungary in 1944. Charles Zentai, a 91-year-old former Nazi and resident of Perth, was imprisoned for almost two months in 2....... [more]
Plain Packaging and Protectionism: What is Free Trade?
October 23, 2012
JURIST Guest Columnist Simon Lester of the Cato Institute argues that a greater focus on protectionism will expand trade liberalization and help to balance international trade rules...Come December, all cigarettes sold in Australia will be in "plain packages" — stripped of all brand logos, and....... [more]
Australia High Court upholds tobacco plain-package law
October 5, 2012
The High Court of Australia on Friday published its reasons for dismissing a lawsuit brought by several large international tobacco companies challenging the labeling requirements of the Tobacco Plain Packaging Act 2011 (TPP Act). The court originally dismissed the challenge in August but provided....... [more]
Australia Senate rejects same-sex marriage legislation
September 20, 2012
The Australian Senate on Thursday joined the House of Representatives in rejecting legislation to recognize same-sex marriage in the nation. The Marriage Amendment Bill, introduced by Senator Trish Crossin, was defeated in the Senate by a margin of 26-41. The vote was held just one day after the H....... [more]
Australia lawmakers reject same-sex marriage legislation
September 19, 2012
Legislation intended to legalize same-sex marriage in Australia was overwhelmingly voted down on Wednesday. The Marriage Amendment Bill 2012, introduced to the House of Representatives by Labor MP Stephen Jones , was rejected by a vote of 42-98. The legislation failed despite 64.3 percent of the p....... [more]
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