Recent Updates
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Japan ex-defense official convicted in bribery
Legal World 11/06/2008A Japanese court sentenced a former senior defense official to 2 1/2 years in prison Wednesday for accepting bribes in exchange for his recommendation in government arms contracts, a court official said.Former Vice-Defense Minister Takemasa Moriya wa...
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Ecuador choses new Supreme Court by lottery
Legal World 10/29/2008Ecuador has picked a new temporary Supreme Court by lottery, but judges say they will boycott the tribunal.The old court was dissolved on Sunday under a new constitution that took effect last week. The temporary 21-member court chosen at random from ...
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Swiss court: 2 Kosovo men guilty of drug smuggling
Legal World 10/29/2008Two brothers from Kosovo were convicted Thursday of running a massive drug smuggling ring that prosecutors said supplied Western Europe with up to half of its heroin.Ragip and Kemal Shabani channeled 1.5 tons of heroin through Europe from the mid-199...
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Dutch court extends prison for 4 terror plotters
Legal World 10/02/2008An appeals court on Thursday increased the prison sentences of four Islamic radicals accused of plotting attacks on Dutch politicians, convicting them of the additional charge of membership in a terrorist organization.The Hague appeals court re-convi...
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French court to try Church of Scientology
Legal World 09/09/2008The Church of Scientology and seven of its top members are to stand trial in Paris on fraud charges after an investigation into allegations by a former member that the church swindled her out of more than $28,000.French judicial officials said Monday...
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Georgia seeks emergency decision from World Court
Legal World 09/08/2008Georgia accused Russia on Monday of a "campaign of harassment and persecution" in its two separatist regions and called on the International Court of Justice to impose emergency measures to halt killings and forced expulsions.But, in a blunt demonstr...
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Indian court convicts driver in famous BMW case
Legal World 09/02/2008A court on Tuesday convicted the son of a wealthy Indian arms dealer of manslaughter for running over and killing six people more than nine years ago in the so-called BMW case, an attorney said. The trial captivated the nation as a test of fairness o...
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Mexican Supreme Court upholds legal abortion
Legal World 08/29/2008Mexico's Supreme Court upheld the capital's abortion law Thursday, setting a precedent for the rest of the country that could inspire other Latin American cities.Mexico City is one of the few places in Latin America that allows abortion without limit...
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Thai protesters break into premier's compound
Legal World 08/27/2008A mob of anti-government protesters pushed their way into the compound housing the offices of Thailand's prime minister on Tuesday, one of a series of actions against state agencies in the capital.The demonstrators, from the right-wing People's Allia...
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Russian court turns down Khodorkovsky parole bid
Legal World 08/22/2008A Russian court rejected jailed oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky's request for parole on Friday, ordering him to serve out the remainder of his sentence in a ruling his lawyer called politically motivated.Khodorkovsky — the former head of Yukos oil co...
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Court says Guantanamo documents should be released
Legal World 08/21/2008A British court on Thursday gave Foreign Secretary David Miliband a week to reconsider his decision to withhold secret documents that could prove that a man held in Guantanamo Bay was tortured.The High Court made the ruling in the case of Binyam Moha...
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Court: Accused Nazi eligible for extradition
Legal World 08/20/2008An 86-year-old man accused of killing a Jewish teenager in Hungary during World War II can be extradited to Hungary to face charges, an Australian judge found Wednesday.Lawyers for former Hungarian soldier Charles Zentai said they will appeal the dec...