Obama healthcare mandate on trial
The hotly contested provision at the heart of US President Barack Obama's healthcare law is under cross-examination at the Supreme Court. The big question: can Congress force you to buy insurance?
Twitter coverage of Supreme Court gets shut down
A lawyer discovered how far the U.S. Supreme Court will go to close itself off from the public when it hears a case, no matter how many people on Twitter may be interested. Casey Mattox went to the court on Tuesday to see historic arguments over whether to strike down the Obama administration's healthcare law. His plan was to give live updates and the idea appeared to work as descriptions from the arguments showed up on the Twitter feed of the Alliance Defense Fund, a conservative legal group where Mattox is a senior counsel. But after finding out about the social networking, the court marshal's office asked Mattox to stop, citing a policy against electronic communication. Mattox "complied with the marshal's directions when asked to stop communicating." Except for the errant tweets, and reports from journalists who left the proceedings early, the only way to follow the healthcare case was to wait in the dark until after Tuesday morning's two hours of arguments.
EU, UN Security Council call for restoration of constitution in Mali
Acting head of the EU delegation in Mali, Bertrand Soret, on Tuesday met with the leader of last week's military coup urging a quick return to constitutional order in the country. President Amadou Toumani Toure was removed from office after Malian soldiers took control of the government, announcing the suspension of the constitution and a national curfew. Soret indicated that the EU expected the Malian military to find a solution to the current crisis, and that he has asked to have access to government ministers that have been detained by the military.
Supreme Court declines to rule on hormone therapy for transgender inmates
The US Supreme Court denied certiorari Monday in Fields v. Smith, allowing a lower court decision that transgender hormone therapy is a medically necessary procedure to stand. The US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit found the Inmate Sex-Change Prevention Act (Act 105), a 2005 Wisconsin law, was unconstitutional under the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments. Act 105 barred prison doctors from providing inmates with hormone treatment or sex reassignment surgery, even if the inmate was already transitioning before incarceration.
Turkish ex-military chief Basbug walks out of trial
A former chief of the Turkish armed forces, Gen Ilker Basbug, has walked out of his terrorism trial in protest at the use of taped phone calls. He said earlier that he would not defend himself against the allegations, which he labeled as farcical. Basbug is accused of leading a shadowy network of hard-line nationalists known as Ergenekon.
US house prices fall at slower pace
US house prices continued to fall in January, but at a slower pace than in the previous month, a closely-watched survey has suggested. The Case Shiller housing index, which is compiled by rating agency Standard & Poor's, was down 3.8% from a year ago. Sixteen of the 19 cities covered by the survey showed price falls.
Medvedev blasts Romney comments
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev tells US presidential hopeful Mitt Romney to "use his head", after he branded Russia the "number one foe" to the US. Romney made the comments while criticizing Obama for appearing to suggest a future deal with Russia on the issue of missile defense. Moscow has long opposed US plans for a missile defense system in Europe.
Strauss-Kahn's lust 'not a crime'
A lawyer for Dominique Strauss-Kahn predicts that a French pimping case against his client will collapse as he was charged with 'non-existent crimes”. DSK admits attending sex parties but denies he knew that prostitutes were there. He faces up to 20 years in prison if tried and convicted.
U.S. offshore tax-evasion probes said to slow as prosecutors change jobs
The U.S. Justice Department has lost almost 30 percent of its tax prosecutors in the past month, slowing a U.S. crackdown on offshore banks that enabled tax evasion. Twenty-five of the 95 prosecutors in the tax division left headquarters in Washington for six-month "details" with U.S. attorneys around the country, and another three took permanent assignments.
Slovenia referendum rejects law granting same-sex rights
Slovenians voted in a national referendum on Sunday against amendments to the country's family law that would have increased the rights granted to same-sex couples. The proposed Family Code passed the Slovenian Parliament last year under former prime minister Borut Pahor and would have given registered same-sex partnerships the same legal rights as marriages and allowed individuals to adopt their same-sex partners' biological children. The proposed law did not permit same-sex couples to adopt children from third parties.
Supreme Court to rule on drug sniffing dogs
The US Supreme Court granted certiorari Monday in Florida v. Harris to determine whether an alert by a well-trained narcotics detection dog certified to detect illegal contraband is sufficient to establish probable cause for the search of a vehicle. The Florida Supreme Court held, "the fact that a drug-detection dog has been trained and certified to detect narcotics, standing alone, is not sufficient to demonstrate the reliability of the dog." The court found that, in order to establish probable cause under the Fourth Amendment, the officer must have "a reasonable basis for believing the dog to be reliable based on the totality of the circumstances." The court concluded, "in this case the totality of the circumstances does not support a probable cause determination."
Ireland referendum on EU pact to be held on 31 May
The Republic of Ireland will hold a referendum on the European fiscal treaty on 31 May, Deputy Prime Minister Eamon Gilmore has said. He told the Irish parliament he was confident that a majority of the public would back the government in supporting the treaty. The pact introduces tough new deficit rules and spending restrictions for governments.
Neighbours to confront Mali coup leaders
Al Jazeera, Doha, Qatar
New compulsory fitness program for Saudi military
Asharq Al-Awsat, Pan-Arab daily, London, England
Syria tightens travel restrictions on military age men
Egyptian Gazette, English-language, Cairo, Egypt
Mofaz to Livni after primaries win: Your place is with Kadima
Haaretz, Liberal daily, Tel Aviv, Israel
Barghouti calls for new revolt against Israel
JPost, Conservative, Jerusalem, Israel
'Scepticism' at Syria peace move
BBC News, Centrist newscaster, London, England
Pope meets Raul Castro in Havana
CNN International, London, England
Jury to retire in Florida trial
Daily Express, Conservative tabloid, London, England
Lisa Head inquest: Bomb disposal expert blown up in Afghanistan because she was 'stubborn'
Daily Mail, Conservative daily, London, England
Big Fat Gypsy Weddings teen marries the boy who 'grabbed' her in a previous series
Daily Mail, Conservative daily, London, England
Price war Frees up SFR's boss
EuroNews, International news, Ecully Cedex, France
FRANCE 24 EXCLUSIVE: Toulouse gunman's father threatens to sue French state
France 24, Issy-les-Moulineaux, France
It is as though Obama's second term began in Seoul
Hurriyet Daily News, (Liberal, English-language), Istanbul, Turkey
Flight captain has mid-air 'breakdown'
Independent The, London, England
Google installs unwanted Russian app on Samsung devices
Moscow News The, Independent, Moscow, Russia
Bus driver arrested after fatal M5 crash
Telegraph The, Conservative daily, London, England
Kate Winslet walks red carpet for premiere of Titanic 3D
Telegraph The, Celebrity news, London, England
Soros loses France appeal
Bangkok Post, Independent, Bangkok, Thailand
11 vessels search for helicopter survivors
China Post, English-language daily, Taipei, Taiwan
KAIST, SNU Rank High in University Patent Filings
Chosun Ilbo, Conservative daily, Seoul, South Korea
Al Qaeda suspect met Sept 11 figure in Pak
Hindustan Times, New Delhi, India
Man dies as building collapses on him
India Times, Conservative daily, New Delhi, India
Choosing sides once again in Europe
Japan Times, Independent centrist, Tokyo, Japan
Studio pulls trailer after neighbourhood watch shooting
New Zealand Herald, Conservative daily, Auckland, New Zealand
Clinton to visit Saudi Arabia for talks on Syria crisis
People's Daily Online, English-language, Beijing, China
Exclusion zone around North Sea platform after gas leak
Straits Times, Pro-government, Singapore
A precarious life
Sydney Morning Herald, Centrist daily, Sydney, Australia
U.K. lawmakers: government should consider new laws if Google Twitter and Facebook over court orders
Taiwan News, English-language daily, Taipei, Taiwan
Sri Lanka C. bank: Will act to curb rupee volatility
The Economic Times, Business, Mumbai, India
Cuban leaders reject Pope's call for political reform
Canadian Broadcasting Centre, Toronto, Ontario
In Syrian peace plan, al-Assad seems in driver's seat
Globe and Mail The, Centrist daily, Toronto, Canada
Australian Stock Market Report - Midday 3/28/12
International Business Times, Business news organization, New York, U.S
Pope Strikes Moderate Tone in Cuba
IPS Latin America, International cooperative of journalists, Rome, Italy
Wall Street dips, but winners gain as quarter's end near
Reuters, Business News, New York, U.S
Australia open to U.S. spy flights from Indian Ocean island
Reuters, World News, New York, U.S
Ontario Budget: Parents dream of finding affordable child care dashed
Toronto Star, Toronto, Ontario
Mali suspended by regional bloc
BBC News, Centrist newscaster, London, England
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