Rights group demands that British prime minister replace torture inquiry judge

Rights group: Remove UK torture inquiry judge

LONDON – The judge leading the British inquiry into charges that his country’s intelligence services colluded with the torture of suspected terrorists abroad has had his impartiality compromised and must be removed, a leading human rights group said Tuesday.
British Prime Minister David Cameron said earlier this month that he …. Read the original article  : here.

Smokers to be banned from executive jobs in Iran

TEHRAN – Smokers are to be banned from entering high-ranking executive jobs in the Iranian government, the news agency ILNA reported Monday.

According to new regulations approved by the cabinet, relevant applicants should neither smoke nor drink alcohol or take any kind of drugs, to maintain the mental and physical health of future executive officials.
While …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Smokers to be banned from executive jobs in Iran.

Ohio man pleads guilty to charge he exposed self to children operating roadside lemonade stand

Ohio man guilty of exposing self at lemonade stand

CINCINNATI – An Ohio man who police say exposed himself to children running a street-side lemonade stand to raise money for their church has pleaded guilty to public indecency.
Thirty-five-year-old Fayetteville resident Larry Cottrell pleaded guilty Monday in Hamilton County Municipal Court. Judge Fanon Rucker postponed sentencing to …. Original source  : Ohio man pleads guilty to charge he exposed self to children operating roadside lemonade stand.

Court date set in ACLU-Alaska’s lawsuit over homeless camp raids in Anchorage

Court date set for Alaska homeless camps debate

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A court date has been set for the debate over whether raids on homeless camps in Anchorage, Alaska, are legal.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Alaska has filed a lawsuit contending the raids are unconstitutional because they violate property rights of the homeless. A court …. Read the original article  : here.

Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas sued by investors claiming their condos being made into hotel rooms

Cosmopolitan resort sued by condominium investors

LAS VEGAS – Owners of a soon-to-open casino-hotel resort on the Las Vegas Strip are being sued by condominium buyers who allege their residential units aren’t being built after all.
A civil lawsuit filed Monday in Los Angeles alleges Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas owners Deutsche Bank and Nevada Property 1 fraudulently …. Original article  : Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas sued by investors claiming their condos being made into hotel rooms.

Attorneys: Accused Somali pirates were blindfolded, handcuffed without access to interpreter

Attorneys: Accused pirates blindfolded, handcuffed

RICHMOND, Va. – Defense attorneys argue three Somali men being prosecuted on U.S. piracy charges were held naked, blindfolded and handcuffed for days without an interpreter, while an interpreter threatened to toss another overboard.
Attorneys representing the defendants made the claims in court papers filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Norfolk, …. Source  : Attorneys: Accused Somali pirates were blindfolded, handcuffed without access to interpreter.

AP Source: White House adviser Jarrett unlikely to testify at Blagojevich trial

AP Source: Obama adviser unlikely Blago witness
CHICAGO – A person close to the corruption trial of ousted Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich says it’s highly unlikely the defense team will call White House adviser Valerie Jarrett to testify.
The person says attorneys doubt Jarrett could add much to the case. That person spoke to The …. Original source  : AP Source: White House adviser Jarrett unlikely to testify at Blagojevich trial.

Human rights panel seeks report on ‘infected’ blood transfusion

NEW DELHI – The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Monday sought a reply from the Rajasthan government within four weeks on a report that three thalassemia-afflicted children in the state contracted HIV due to infected blood transfusions.

According to a media report, the three children were infected with HIV while 17 others were suffering with hepatitis …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Human rights panel seeks report on ‘infected’ blood transfusion.

Desist from blocking highway, court tells Gorkha protesters

NEW DELHI – The Supreme Court Monday asked the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM) to desist from blocking the National Highway-31A, which links Siliguri in West Bengal to Sikkim’s capital Gangtok, during its proposed shutdown July 25.

The court has asked GJMM to “strictly” adhere to its earlier direction to refrain from blocking the NH-31A …. Original article  : Desist from blocking highway, court tells Gorkha protesters.

High court judge opposes misconduct probe against him

NEW DELHI – Justice Soumitra Sen of the Calcutta High Court Monday said that neither parliament nor any committee appointed by it has the jurisdiction to go into allegations of his misconduct, on which he has already been pronounced innocent.

He told the committee, set up by the Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari to go … Read more : High court judge opposes misconduct probe against him.