United States
Courts
Justices
rule for white firemen in bias lawsuit - 30 June
The Supreme Court yesterday restricted how far employers may go in
considering race in hiring and promotion decisions, a ruling that puts
workplaces across the nation on notice that efforts to combat
potential discrimination against one group can amount to actual
discrimination against another. - Washington
Post website
High
Court poised to rewrite spending rules - 29 June
A Supreme Court case concerning a quirky documentary
critical of Hillary Rodham Clinton may result in a major
overhaul of rules governing campaign spending by corporations, the
court signaled Monday. Rather than deciding the case, the only one the
justices left unresolved before leaving for their summer break, the
court asked for more briefs and a second argument, to be held on Sept
9, almost a month before the start of the next term. - New
York Times website
Cyberlaw
Cyber
bullying case sentence due - 1 July
Sentencing will take place this week in the first federal cyber bullying
case in the US which was brought to trial after a teenage girl took her
own life. Lori Drew, 50, pretended to be a boy on the MySpace website to
befriend Megan Meier, who hanged herself after the virtual friendship
ended. - BBC News
website
Entertainment
Michael
Jackson's mother awarded temporary custody of his children
- 30 June
Michael Jackson's mother was yesterday awarded temporary custody of
his three children as the family fired the first shots in the legal
battle over his estate. Lawyers representing the family went to court
to assert the right of Jackson's mother Katherine to take care of
Michael Joseph Jackson Jr, known as Prince Michael, 12, Paris Michael
Katherine Jackson, 11, and Prince Michael II, 7. Los Angeles Superior
Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff granted temporary guardianship to
Katherine who has been looking after the children at the family
compound since her son's death. Jackson’s parents also asked for
Katherine to be named as administrator of her late son's estate. The
court documents state that she intends to use her late son's assets
exclusively for his children "after payment of debts and expenses
of administration". Mr McMillan said the family had not heard
from Deborah Rowe, the mother of Jackson's two oldest children, about
custody. The youngest son was born to an unknown surrogate mother. - Times
Online website
Michael
Jackson fans can have refund or keep ticket, not both - 30
June
Michael Jackson fans who bought tickets for the 50 planned London
shows will be given a full refund, or the chance to keep the ticket as
a souvenir. Tickets have yet to be sent out, but AEG Live, the
promoters, have asked buyers to contact them to choose either a refund
or to get their ticket. The company says the tickets were designed by
Jackson himself. - Times
Online website
Environment
House
passes landmark climate change bill - 27 June
President Barack Obama scored a major victory on Friday when
the House of Representatives passed legislation to slash industrial
pollution that is blamed for global warming. Climate change legislation
still must get through the Senate. Senators were expected to try to
write their own version but prospects for this year were uncertain. - Reuters
website
Finance
Bernard
Madoff gets 150 years in prison - 30 June
A judge yesterday sentenced Bernard Madoff to the maximum term of 150
years in prison for the biggest swindle in the history of Wall Street.
Victims in the courtroom in Lower Manhattan broke into applause when
they learnt that the former Nasdaq chairman, whose firm once accounted
for 10 per cent of the trades on the New York Stock Exchange, would die
behind bars. "The message must be sent that Mr Madoff's crimes were
extraordinarily evil", Judge Denny Chin said, rejecting appeals for
leniency. - Times
Online website
Ruth
Madoff forfeits asset claims, left with $2.5 million - 27
June
Ruth Madoff, the wife of epic swindler Bernard Madoff who
reaped billions and a lavish family lifestyle, will be left with $2.5
million and have to look for a new home as she forfeits claim to some
$80 million in assets. - Reuters
website
Foreign Policy
US
warns Iraq of 'difficult days' - 30 June
US President Barack Obama says US troops have withdrawn from Iraq's
towns and cities on schedule, but he warned of "difficult
days" ahead. Mr Obama described Tuesday's handover to Iraqis as a
milestone, but said the country's leaders would face "hard
choices" on politics and security. - BBC
News website
Freedom of Religion
Courts
face new challenges in faith healing cases - 30 June
Though most states have child abuse laws allowing religious exemptions
for parents who shun medicine for their sick children, recent cases
have raised the thorny legal issues for parents following
less-recognized faiths. Legal and religious scholars say it's becoming
more difficult for courts to decide when to honor the religious
beliefs of parents and when to order conventional medical treatment
for extremely sick children. Attorney Gregory P Isaacs argues that
Tennessee's religious exemption law is untested and too vague.
"It really has a tremendous amount of problems," Isaacs
said. "What is an organized religion and what is an ordained
minister? What illnesses can you attempt to heal by faith? Those are
the two pitfalls in the statute. That's not what's really clear".
- Washington
Post website
Man
sees subtle victory in fight against Jehovah's Witnesses -
25 June
Legal judgments can sometimes wear disguises. What appears to be a
loss - as did, at first blush, the ruling on Monday dismissing
Lawrence Hughes' appeal of a lawsuit against the Canadian branch of
Jehovah's Witnesses - may, in fact, offer subtle victory. That, at
least, is Mr Hughes' impression, as he continues doggedly, nearly
seven years after the death of his daughter, Bethany, to hold the sect's
governing Watchtower Society and its lawyers responsible for her
death. - Vancouver
Sun website
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