Prosecutors wrapped up closing arguments Monday in the Abu Ghraib prison abuse case involving Pfc. Lynndie England by describing her as a willing participant in the scandal while defense attorneys portrayed her as impressionable and easily influenced by a manipulative boyfriend. England faces a prison sentence of up 11 years if convicted on all seven [...]

The International Crisis Group (ICG) of conflict monitors Monday criticized Iraq's constitutional process for deepening the country's political fractures and expediting Iraq's violent break up. A new ICG report noted that the draft Iraqi constitution to be put to a referendum October 15 reflects Shiite and Kurdish influence, but not significant Sunni input. The group [...]

In addition to the conviction and sentencing of al Qaeda cell leader Immad Yarkas , the head of al Qaeda in Spain, the Spanish High Court Monday also sentenced 17 other men to jail terms varying from 6 to 11 years and freed the remaining six defendants in Europe's largest trial of those suspected of [...]

Ten foreign nationals arrested in Britain after the July 7 suicide bombings in London are appealing their potential deportation to their home countries to Britain's Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) , saying that they have no connection to the London bombings . Human rights groups are also calling for deportation proceedings to be stopped, saying [...]

Australian Prime Minister John Howard rejected allegations Monday that Muslims were being targeted by new proposed anti-terrorism laws , saying that the laws were necessary to "protect the Australian community at a time of unprecedented and different threat." Zachariah Matthews, a moderate Islamic leader and head of Mission Islam , has said the proposed law [...]

A Pennsylvania federal court Monday was set to consider whether school districts may teach a concept known as "intelligent design" prior to teaching biology lessons on evolution. Eight families in Dover, Pennsylvania, claim that teaching the theory in schools is a violation of the separation of church and state . The "intelligent design" concept, developed [...]

The US Senate Monday afternoon will take up the confirmation of Chief Justice nominee Judge John Roberts , with two-thirds of the 100 senators having already announced their support. The Senate Judiciary Committee voted to recommend Roberts for nomination last week by a margin of 13-5, and Roberts is expected to reach the necessary majority [...]

Japan's Fukuoka High Court held Monday that a survivor of the 1945 Nagasaki atomic bombing living abroad is entitled to the same medical benefits and funeral costs as survivors living in Japan, without returning to Japan to file claims. Monday's ruling comes after a 2002 court ruling that attempted to force the government to abandon [...]

Australian Guantanamo Bay detainee David Hicks , arrested in Afghanistan following the September 11th attacks and facing imminent trial by military commission, is seeking dual citizenship in the UK with the hope that the British government will secure his release from Guantanamo Bay. Unlike Hicks' native Australia, Britain has negotiated the release of all its [...]

Mohamed ElBaradei received unanimous approval Monday to continue as head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for his third four-year term, after the US ended its opposition to his tenure. ElBaradei's reappointment had been postponed earlier this year in the face of US criticism over ElBaradei's handling of the agency's negotiations with Iran and [...]