Workers in six countries filed a class action lawsuit in California Tuesday against retail giant Wal-Mart , alleging illegal sweatshop conditions in the company's toy and clothing factories. The non-US claims cite that the workers were paid below minimum wage, forced to work unpaid overtime and had to endure beatings by supervisors. The complaint also [...]

The UN General Assembly ended its session Tuesday by approving a draft agreement for the UN's 2005 World Summit , scheduled to begin Wednesday in New York. The watered-down agreement reflects consensus on several issues , including a pledge to establish a new human rights council, the obligation to intervene when civilians become the victims [...]

Following up on earlier questions about abortion , members of the US Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday pressed Chief Justice nominee John Roberts for his views on civil rights, torture, and the use of foreign law as precedent. Challenged by Senator Edward Kennedy on his allegedly lukewarm views of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, Roberts said [...]

B'nai Brith Canada officials said Tuesday that they are considering a constitutional challenge to the Ontario ban on rabbinical courts imposed by Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty , arguing that the ban may limit freedom of religion. The premier ordered the ban on all faith-based arbitration Sunday following his rejection of a government report that has [...]

The US Army said Tuesday that the court-martial of Pfc. Lynndie England will start next Tuesday at Fort Hood . England, accused of abusing prisoners at Baghdad's Abu Ghraib prison , pleaded guilty in May to charges of conspiracy, maltreatment of prisoners, and indecent acts. The court-martial judge later rejected England's guilty plea , however, [...]

Language Barriers to Justice in California, California Commission on Access to Justice, September 13, 2005 . Excerpt: California is home to one of the most ethnically and racially diverse populations in the world. Of the state's 34 million people, about 26 percent (roughly 8.8 million people) are foreign born. Californians speak more than 220 languages, [...]

Leading Tuesday's states brief, the New York Supreme Court Appellate Division heard oral arguments today on whether the court should uphold a lower court ruling that found the state's same-sex marriage ban unconstitutional . Attorneys for New York City argued that gay marriage is a legislative issue, while attorneys for the Lambda Legal civil rights [...]

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and other leaders Tuesday called on Palestinians to halt looting and restore order following Israel's withdrawal earlier this week from the formerly occupied Gaza Strip . Celebrations and disorder spread swiftly after Israeli forces pulled out Monday. Abbas, calling the withdrawal an "historic opportunity," said that it was imperative for Gaza [...]

A US probe into allegations of abuse of detainees at Guantanamo Bay reported that distrust between military police and investigators led to problems at the prison facility, according to new documents obtained by the Associated Press in a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit. The investigation revealed that MPs feared that interrogators gave MPs' personal information [...]

Muslim scholars in Nigeria have begun a campaign promoting Sharia or Islamic law as a tool for actually improving conditions for local women. Ibrahim Naiya Sada, director of the Centre for Islamic Legal Studies at a top Nigerian university, says Sharia can offer greater protection for women if properly applied to promote education and support [...]