Liu Xiaobo’s prison conditions improved after Nobel, says wife

PARIS – Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo’s prison conditions improved significantly after he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, his wife said in an interview published Wednesday in the French online daily Mediapart.

“Things are much better for him now,” Liu Xia said. “They treat him better, they give him better food. Liu Xiaobo even has … Read : Liu Xiaobo’s prison conditions improved after Nobel, says wife.

Plea to make Urdu Pakistan’s official language dismissed

ISLAMABAD – A petition seeking to direct the government to make Urdu the official language of Pakistan has been dismissed by the Lahore High Court.

Lahore High Court Chief Justice Khawaja Muhammad Sharif Tuesday dismissed the writ petition after the petitioner and his counsel failed to appear before the court, the News International reported …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

US judge puts global halt on ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy

WASHINGTON – A US federal judge has ordered a worldwide halt to enforcement of the Defence Department’s controversial “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, putting an end to the ban on openly gay troops.

US District Judge Virginia Phillips’ permanent worldwide injunction Tuesday orders the military “immediately to suspend and discontinue any investigation, or discharge, separation, …. Read the original article  : US judge puts global halt on ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy.

Laws targeting immigrants get French lower house approval

PARIS – The lower house of the French parliament Tuesday approved a series of tough new measures targeting immigrants.

By a vote of 294 to 239, the National Assembly passed the bill proposed by Immigration Minister Eric Besson, who said in a recent interview that he wanted his ministry to be “a machine to produce … Read more »».

High Court reserves ruling on rebel Karnataka legislators

BANGALORE – A division bench of the Karnataka High Court Tuesday reserved its judgment on the disqualification of 11 ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators and posted for further hearing the joint writ petition of five disqualified independents to Monday.

The bench, headed by Chief Justice K.S. Khehar and Justice N. Kumar reserved the ruling … Original article on : High Court reserves ruling on rebel Karnataka legislators.

Court gives lifer to prime accused in former Punjab CM Beant Singh’s assasination case

CHANDIGARH – A Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today annulled the death penalty awarded to Jagtar Singh Hawara, prime accused in the assassination of Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh and sentenced him to … Read more >>.

Apex court cautions high courts on use of powers

NEW DELHI – The Supreme Court has said that though high courts enjoy vast powers for administration of criminal justice (under Section 482 of Code of Criminal Procedure) but the same was not unbridled and should be exercised cautiously and sparingly.

It needs little emphasis that although the jurisdiction of the high court under … Read more »»».

Jet Airways criticised for ‘encouraging’ animal abuse

NEW DELHI – Jet Airways has been flooded with e-mails and calls after the September issue of their inflight magazine, JetWings, printed an article on bull fighting. An animal rights organisation has written to the airline, prompting the latter to apologise.

The Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations said in a statement Tuesday: “We were … Read more »»».

Karnataka crisis: High Court reserves verdict for Monday

BANGALORE – The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday reserved its order on whether the 16 MLAs were disqualified incorrectly by the Speaker of the Assembly for next Monday as the court has been closed for a week for Dussehra vacation.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice J S … Read : Karnataka crisis: High Court reserves verdict for Monday.

Salman Khan tax case: Court moved over Rs.40 million ‘evasion’

MUMBAI – The Bombay High Court will soon hear a petition filed by the income tax (IT) department pertaining to a 10-year-old case involving alleged tax evasion of Rs.40 million by Bollywood actor Salman Khan.

The IT department has challenged an order of the income tax appellate tribunal which had earlier ruled in the actor’s … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Salman Khan tax case: Court moved over Rs.40 million ‘evasion’.