Canadian Justice Minister Irwin Cotler Tuesday introduced what he termed "landmark legislation" to legalize same-sex marriage in Canadian federal law. Cotler described the Civil Marriage Act as protecting both minority rights and freedom of religion, so "that no religious officials will be forced to perform marriages that are contrary to their beliefs." Opposition Conservative politicians [...]

Haiti's interim election council has called for national elections on Nov. 13 to fill the gap created last year by the ouster of elected President Jean-Bertrand Aristide . Local elections are scheduled for Oct. 9. Aristide supporters have threatened an election boycott if so-called political attacks continue. The UN plans to to send a team [...]

Abdul Hussein al-Hindawi, chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq , said Tuesday that a final vote count from the January 30 election would be announced in "a few days." The IECI had previously estimated the vote count would take 7 to 10 days, but results are now expected sooner. The final count began [...]

For the fifth year in a row, identity theft topped the list of most reported frauds, the Federal Trade Commission reported Tuesday. The number of complaints about identity theft increased 15 percent from the previous year, and reprsesent about 40 percent of all complaints received by the FTC. The increased reports of identity theft seem [...]

Senate Democrats said Tuesday that they plan to take a tough stance on President Bush's proposed judicial appointments , and commented that some Democrats regret not having blocked even more appointments. During Bush's first term, Democrats blocked votes on 10 appointments to the courts and confirmed more than 200. Last November, Republicans threatened to change [...]

In an agreement with prosecutors, Sgt. Javal Davis, 27, pleaded guilty Tuesday as anticipated to dereliction of duty, battery and making a false official statement to Army investigators in connection with maltreatment of detainees at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. The guilty pleas were entered after Col. James Pohl, the military judge, rejected efforts [...]

White House spokesman Scott McClellan Tuesday denied reports that Secretary of Homeland Security nominee Michael Chertoff , a former Justice Department official, advised the CIA on the use of certain torture techniques on terror suspects. McClellan said Chertoff did not approve any tactics, and instead told intelligence officials that interrogation tactics should not come close [...]

Members of Sudan's National Assembly unanimously approved a peace deal with Darfur rebels Tuesday, designed to end more than two decades of conflict between Khartoum and the southern region of the country. The deal was reached earlier this month in Kenya between officials from the government and the People's Liberation Movement. The deal ultimately calls [...]

The full US Senate Tuesday began debate on the nomination of White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales for attorney general, with a vote expected to be held Thursday. Gonzales' nomination was narrowly approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee by a 10-8 vote last week. Watch a live webcast of Senate proceedings. Meanwhile Amnesty International today urged [...]

The trial of former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic was delayed again Tuesday after Milosevic contracted the flu, the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia reported. Presiding Judge Patrick Robinson is scheduled to decide the length of the latest delay later today after doctors report on Milosevic's condition. Milosevic's war crimes trial has been continually [...]