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 [...]

In Tuesday's environmental law news, the US Senate, in a 51-47 vote, has defeated a motion that would have overturned mercury emission rules that the Environmental Protection Agency finalized in March. AP has more. In other environmental law news… The US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is seeking comments on a proposed rule that would [...]

An Iraqi taxi driver testifying Tuesday at a court-martial of seven British soldiers for the alleged murder of an Iraqi civilian said he was also beaten by the troops. Through translated testimony, Athar Finnijan Saddam told jurors that he was carrying passengers in southern Iraq in May 2003 when the soldiers stopped him, dragged him [...]

UN negotiators involved in reform talks ahead of the 2005 World Summit continued talks late into the morning Tuesday in hopes of having at least some proposals finalized ahead of the summit, which begins Wednesday. Hopes of producing a comprehensive reform proposal on a variety of issues first suggested by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan [...]

The Senate Judiciary Committee wasted no time in asking for the thoughts of Chief Justice nominee John Roberts on abortion and the 1973 high court decision in Roe v. Wade during Tuesday's round of confirmation hearings. In the morning session Roberts followed the precedent of other Supreme Court nominees in declining to prejudge cases that [...]

Former New Orleans mayor and current President and CEO of the National Urban League Marc Morial has called for a Hurricane Katrina victim's compensation fund, similar to the one created in the wake of the 9/11 attacks . Speaking at the University of Pennsylvania Monday, Morial also called for a "Victims Bill of Rights," asking [...]

A federal judge has ruled that correction officers in Fresno California violated the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations by not properly informing twelve Mexican defendants of their right to contact the Mexican Consulate after their arrests on drug charges. The jail officials gave the defendants hand-outs in Spanish and English that told them of their [...]

A blue-ribbon California civil justice commission comprised of lawyers, judges, and academic, business, labor and community leaders has called for interpreters to be made available in civil as well as criminal cases in California courts. The California Commission on Access to Justice issued a report Tuesday saying there is a "dire and unmet need for [...]

The European Court of Justice ruled Tuesday that the European Union can require member states to criminally prosecute companies that violate EU environmental laws. The decision was made in response to a 2001 lawsuit brought by the European Commission against the 25 EU governments for not writing the criminal prosecution of environmental violators into legislation [...]