The US Department of Justice (DOJ) on Tuesday filed notice with federal judges overseeing the habeas corpus petitions of Guantanamo Bay detainees informing them that a provision in Title X of the defense spending bill signed into law last week strips federal courts of jurisdiction to hear the detainees' challenges. The DOJ plans to file [...]

In the weeks following the Sept. 11 attacks, the National Security Agency expanded its domestic surveillance program without formal authorization from President Bush, documents released Tuesday revealed. According to an October 2001 letter released by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi , after being briefed with other members of the House and Senate Intelligence Committees Pelosi [...]

The newly elected Dover Area School District school board on Tuesday evening unanimously voted to rescind the district's policy of teaching intelligent design theory as an alternative to evolution in high school science classes. The vote follows last month's federal court ruling that the policy, approved in October 2004, was an unconstitutional violation of the [...]

An advisor to the Syrian Ministry of Information said Tuesday that President Bashar al-Assad will refuse a request for an interview made Monday by the UN commission investigating the death of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri . A member of parliament said that such requests violate the Syrian constitution, which provides sovereign immunity to [...]

US v. Jack A. Abramoff, Plea Agreement, United States District Court for the District of Columbia, January 3, 2006 . Read the full text of the plea agreement . Reported in JURIST's Paper Chase here.

US v. Jack A. Abramoff, United States District Court for the District of Columbia, January 3, 2006 . Read the full text of the criminal information . Reported in JURIST's Paper Chase here.

Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD) filed a complaint Tuesday against Massachusetts Attorney General Tom Reilly , seeking to overturn Reilly's September decision to allow a ballot initiative banning same-sex marriage to proceed. GLAD argues that according to the state constitution, ballot initiatives cannot overturn a previous court decision, a power delegated exclusively to [...]

Egypt plans to deport 654 Sudanese refugees who were recently removed from a protest refugee camp, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Tuesday. The announcement follows reports that the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) received assurances from the Egyptian government that the refugees would be allowed to remain in the country. The deportation orders follow [...]

AP is reporting that, as anticipated , Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff has pleaded guilty to conspiracy, tax evasion and mail fraud charges. The US Department filed a criminal information Tuesday morning in federal court in Washington, DC and a hearing in front of Judge Ellen Segal Huvelle followed. 1:22 PM ET – In addition to [...]

Swedish prosecutor Christer Van der Kwast will investigate several well-known Swedish companies, including the bus and truck manufacturer Volvo and tool manufacturer Atlas Copco , for allegedly making payments to the Iraqi government in exchange for favorable oil-for-food bargains, according to a report Tuesday from Radio Sweden. Van der Kwast plans on investigating every company [...]