The Supreme Court of Canada ruled unanimously Thursday that provincial governments can pass laws to recover health care costs incurred in taking care of people sickened by smoking. Canadian tobacco companies had challenged the constitutionality of the 1998 Tobacco Damages and Health Care Costs Recovery Act which authorized British Columbia to seek damages against the [...]

The US House of Representatives Thursday approved by 229-193 legislation that would overhaul the 1973 Endangered Species Act . Rep. Richard Pombo (R-CA) steered the Threatened and Endangered Species Recovery Act of 2005 (TESRA) through the House Resources Committee last week . If enacted, the law will eliminate the designation of "critical habitat" for those [...]

Leading Thursday's states brief, the Oregon Supreme Court ruled in separate decisions today that a state law banning live sex shows and a local ordinance that requires nude dancers to stay four feet away from customers both violate the state constitution guarantee of free expression. The majority opinion in the first case stated that freedom [...]

The New Orleans police department Thursday launched an investigation into police officers' alleged participation in looting that occurred in the wake of Hurricane Katrina . News reports filed in the wake of the hurricane placed some officers at the scene of some of the heaviest looting in the city. A spokesperson for the New Orleans [...]

Canadian holding company Ravelston Corp. will plead not guilty to US fraud charges alleging the company participated in a scheme to swindle more than $32 million from US-based Hollinger International . Ravelston, the holding company of former Hollinger CEO Conrad Black , and other former Hollinger executives were indicted last month on federal fraud charges [...]

Federal prosecutors in Miami have asked the full US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit to reconsider a decision by a three judge panel to throw out the convictions of five accused Cuban spies for spying for Cuban leader Fidel Castro . In its August decision that was praised by the Cuban government , [...]

Following this morning's confirmation vote in the US Senate, John Roberts has been sworn in as Chief Justice of the United States at a ceremony at the White House. Justice John Paul Stevens administered the oath of office. CBS News has more. 5:39 PM ET – Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony, President Bush said: Today [...]

The Japanese government Thursday proposed providing relief for asbestos victims in a plan that will have companies involved in asbestos-related activities picking up most of the cost. The bill mandates compensation for workers handling asbestos , their families and residents near businesses who have suffered from asbestos-induced diseases but are not covered by the workers' [...]

Belgium has issued an international arrest warrant for Hissene Habre , the former leader of Chad , lawyers said Thursday. Habre, rumored to be in exile in Senegal, is wanted for crimes against humanity that were allegedly committed during his 1982-90 rule of the African country. Under current Belgium law, prosecution for such crimes is [...]

Algerians voted Thursday in a referendum that seeks to bring peace to Algeria after a 13-year-long civil war. Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika says the Charter for Peace and National Reconciliation seeks to close the wounds of the battle between Islamic militants and government forces that left over 100,000 people dead and resulted in thousands of [...]