The new governor of Maryland testified before legislators Wednesday that the state's death penalty should be abolished because it is "inherently unjust," ineffective as a deterrent and a drain on resources. Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) , who took office last month, appeared before two committees of the General Assembly that are considering bills to repeal [...]

Australian Prime Minister John Howard on Wednesday asserted that his government will not issue a pardon to Australian Guantanamo detainee David Hicks if he is convicted by a US military commission. Howard, appearing on ABC's Lateline program, addressed remarks by opposition Labour Party leader Kevin Rudd , who claims that Hicks would not be presumed [...]

Tech giants Cisco Systems and Apple, Inc. have settled their trademark dispute over the use of the name "iPhone", the companies announced Wednesday. Cisco filed a lawsuit against Apple in mid-January, and under the settlement agreement both companies will share the "iPhone" name and explore opportunities for greater cooperation, possibly including development of collaborative projects. [...]

The Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD) , Mexico's primary left-wing political party, is planning to file a complaint with federal prosecutors against former Mexican President Vicente Fox for interfering in the country's 2006 presidential election on behalf of current Mexican President Felipe Calderon , PRD leader Javier Gonzalez said Wednesday. The complaint will allege [...]

A 50-year-old Iraqi woman has accused Iraqi forces of rape, an Iraqi official said Thursday, the second such accusation in a week. The attack on the Sunni woman and her two daughters allegedly occurred less than two weeks ago in the city of Tal Afar by four Iraqi soldiers, including one officer. An Iraqi official [...]

A federal judge declared Wednesday that an anti-Castro militant who allegedly was behind the 1976 bombing of a Cuban airliner will stay in jail pending trial on charges of lying on a naturalization application. Luis Posada Carriles , 78, a former CIA operative trained by the US for the failed anti-Castro Bay of Pigs invasion, [...]

Lawmakers in Texas advanced a bill Wednesday to rescind the governor's executive order requiring that school-age girls receive a vaccine to prevent cervical cancer. The House of Representatives' Public Health Committee voted 6-3 in favor of the bill , which is sponsored by more than 90 of the 150 House members. The bill provides, in [...]

Wallace v. Kato, US Supreme Court, February 21, 2007 . Read the court's opinion per Justice Scalia, along with a concurrence from Justice Stevens and a dissent from Justice Breyer. Reported in JURIST's Paper Chase here.

The South Dakota Senate State Affairs committee rejected a bill in an 8-1 vote on Wednesday that would have criminalized most abortions in the state with exceptions for rape, incest and life-threatening conditions to the mother. According to the bill, the state has a right and duty to protect the life of the unborn child, [...]

Rhode Island will recognize same-sex marriages of state employees performed in Massachusetts, according to Attorney General Patrick Lynch in a letter sent to the Commissioner of the Rhode Island Board of Governors for Higher Education . The letter said same-sex employee partners married in Massachusetts would be granted the same benefits as heterosexual married couples; [...]