The US Legal Services Corp. debated firing the inspector general currently investigating the federally funded program's use of funds for luxuries , the Associated Press reported Sunday. Meeting transcripts obtained by AP indicate that board members criticized Kirt West and warned each other to be careful of their actions in his presence. The board planned [...]

Nearly 70 percent of Swiss voters Sunday approved new laws that limit immigration and asylum seeking in the country. The laws, passed by the Swiss parliament last year, require foreigners to produce valid travel documents within 48 hours or risk rejection. Those who have been rejected but who refuse to leave the country could face [...]

Saddam Hussein's top lawyer said Sunday the former Iraqi president's defense team will not attend his genocide trial when it resumes Monday in protest at the new chief judge's behavior, and will stay away "indefinitely," according to statements quoted by AP. The original judge was replaced last week by the government after he said in [...]

Members of Iraq's parliament reached a compromise Sunday establishing a committee to consider amendments to Iraq's constitution and allowing debate to proceed on a bill to create federal regions in the country. Constitutional amendment is a top priority for the country's Sunni Arabs, while Shiite politicians favor the federalism bill. Debate on the controversial draft [...]

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) , Taiwan's ruling political party, has opened debate on the drafting of a new constitution, a move promised by President Chen Shui-bian earlier this year. The current constitution , drafted by the Kuomintang party of China in 1947, has been amended seven times and was written 2 years before Taiwan [...]

Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda insisted Sunday that the recent executions of three Roman Catholic militants convicted in 2001 of leading a Christian militia which killed at least 70 Muslims in 2000 were legally justified. In an attempt to defuse tension manifested in rioting by Christian protestors last week, Wirajuda defended the legal process leading [...]

The US military plans to turn a new medium-security building at Guantanamo Bay into a maximum-security facility and enhance security in its existing structures at the military detention center, according to deputy commander Brig. Gen. Edward A. Leacock . Leacock told reporters earlier this week that security upgrades include constant guard escorts around the facility, [...]

A US Special Forces team in Afghanistan allegedly abused and killed two detainees in their custody and then coordinated their stories so that superior officers in the chain of command never discovered the incidents, the Los Angeles Times reported Saturday. One detainee was allegedly shot to death after he was interrogated by Special Forces team [...]

Human rights groups have called on the UN Human Rights Council to support an "independent international human rights monitoring mechanism" to guard against human rights violations and alleged disregard for civilian casualties in fighting between Sri Lanka government forces and the rebel Tamil Tigers that has claimed an estimated 1,500 lives since last November. The [...]

Already braced for a Congressional hearing Monday on its admitted use of 'pretexting' , technology giant Hewlett Packard Co. announced Friday that Board Chairman Patricia Dunn will resign immediately , rather than in January as previously scheduled , and that CEO Mark Hurd will take her place . HP also announced that former US prosecutor [...]