Court Cases

Court Orders Starbucks to Pay $105 Million Tip to Baristas
In a court ruling this week, a judge ordered coffee giant Starbucks to pay $105 million back to California baristas whose tip jars were dipped into by shift supervisors.

Man Fired for Using Medical Pot Can’t Sue, Rules Top Court
A California man with a prescription for medical marijuana was fired for failing an employee drug test, so he sued his employer; now the California State Supreme Court says he has no case.

Alabama Couple Celebrate 80th Anniversary, Still in Love
When they married on October 2nd, 1927, he was 17, she was 14. Their families didn’t approve, so they had a friend drive them to the courthouse 50 miles away.

Anita Hill Stands by Her Words – Again – as Thomas Book is Released
The new book by Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas, "My Grandfather’s Son," was released this week, sparking debate anew about his 1991 confirmation hearings.

Mother Succeeds in Court Fight to Get Placenta Back
A Las Vegas mother who wanted to keep her baby’s placenta, planning to eat it, won a court fight to get it back from the hospital where her baby was born.

Racist, Homophobic Prospective Juror Can’t Be on Jury
A potential juror from Cape Cod found himself in trouble with the judge when he told the court he can’t serve jury duty because he’s a lying, homophobic racist.

"Bong Hits 4 Jesus" Loses Supreme Court Appeal
An appeal regarding a student’s right to display a "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" banner was ruled against in Supreme Court today.

Despite Family’s Wishes, Hospital Plans to End Baby’s Life Support
A Texas hospital is scheduled to end life support for a 17-month old baby on Tuesday, as his parents continue to battle the hospital’s decision in court.

Army Court Martial Begins for War Objector Ehren Watada
The case against the first military officer court martialed for refusing to ship out to Iraq began Monday in Fort Lewis, Washington.

Prosecutors: Mom Faked Son’s Retardation, Collected $111,000
Prosecutors told a federal court Tuesday that a Washington mother collected disability benefits for her son for nearly 20 years by lying and saying he was retarded.

Lawyer Punished for Exclaiming "Lord" in Court
A North Carolina lawyer was censured by a judge when he reacted to the judge’s comments by getting frustrated, raising his hands, and saying, "Lord!"

Common-Law Marriages in Colorado May Be Valid at Age 15
A state appeals court issued a ruling Thursday that common-law marriages could be legal for girls at age 12 and boys at age 14.

Supreme Court Hears Arguments About Assisted Suicide in Oregon
In a hotly debated case, the Supreme Court began hearing arguments Wednesday about whether or not the government can prevent doctors from helping terminally ill patients end their lives.

Defiantly Unrepentant Eric Rudolph Sentenced To Life In Prison
As a judge sentenced him to life in prison for bombing an abortion clinic seven years ago, Eric Rudolph defiantly tried to justify his actions as he faced his victims in court.

Supreme Court Rules Against America In Ten Commandments Displays
The Supreme Court said Monday that public displays of the Ten Commandments in two Kentucky courthouses promote a religious message and should be removed, even though most Americans support such displays.

Supreme Court Rules Against Rights Of Homeowners
In a shocking decision announced Thursday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that local governments can legally seize private property if they want to, just to make way for condominiums, office buildings, or resort hotels.

Supreme Court Outlaws Medical Use of Marijuana
The Supreme Court ruled Monday that state laws allowing for the medical use of marijuana will not protect sick people from federal prosecution.

Supreme Court Considering Constitutionality of Ten Commandments Displays
For the first time since 1980, the U.S. Supreme Court is considering whether displays of the Ten Commandments on government property constitute a conflict between church and state, an ongoing battle that has consumed lower courts for more than two decades.

Destiny’s Child Destined for Court
Two of Destiny’s Child’s original members filed a federal lawsuit claiming they were caused "irreparable harm" by lyrics in the song "Survivor."

Stevie Wonder Sued by Ex-Girlfriend, Angela McAfee
Stevie Wonder’s ex-girlfriend, Angela McAfee, filed a $30 million palimony suit on October 4th in Los Angeles County Superior Court.

Johnnie Cochran Rests His Case
After some speculation about his future in the courtroom, Johnnie Cochran appears ready to step away from his storied career as an attorney.

Napster: Mad Rush to Download Spurred by Courts
Napster, again in the news as a ruling looms in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, sends servers into overdrive as users download songs.

U.S. Supreme Court: Keeping the Faith
As U.S. Supreme Court Justices ponder the fate of the presidential candidates, a nation waits anxiously for closure from a trusted source.

Marijuana Case Taken to "High" Court
In what could eventually be a landmark ruling involving U.S. drug policy, the Supreme Court has agreed to address the issue of medical marijuana.

Florida Supreme Court Expands Its Role
In handing down perhaps the most important ruling during the 2000 election fiasco, Florida's highest court may have overstepped its bounds.

US States Take Agency to Court Over Emissions Standards
A group of states are attempting to force the Environmental Protection Agency to comply with a Supreme Court ruling

Pizza's Party Could Stop Poll
Next month's general election in Italy could be postponed as political party wins court ruling

French Mission to Aid Ailing Jungle Hostage
Humanitarian mission to head to Colombia in attempt to deliver medical aid to Ingrid Betancourt

Supreme Court Threatens Islamic Party's Government in Turkey
11-judge court to hear case calling for the closure of the ruling Justice and Development party for trying to impose Islamic law

The Ticking Timebomb: Un Tribunal Gears Up to Try Lebanon Pm's Killers
Hague court has caused panic among some Syrian officials, say analysts

Farc's Prize Hostage is 'ill and Losing Will to Live'
Hostage Ingrid Betancourt, held by Colombian rebels, is rumored to be ill in the jungles of remote Guaviare province

The Ticking Timebomb: Un Tribunal Gears Up to Try Lebanon Pm's Killers
Hague court has caused panic among some Syrian officials, say analysts

Supreme Court Rules Us Courts Are Independent of Hague
US courts are not bound by the international court of justice or by direct orders from the president, the supreme court ruled today when it refused to allow a fresh hearing for a Mexican on death row

US Courts Given Leave to Bypass International Legal Rulings
Supreme court rules state courts not obliged to follow International Court of Justice

Old Habits Die Hard
Although India has been supposedly "liberalized" for over 15 years now, the new reality does not seem to have percolated down to our politicians and our labour courts.

US Court Appears Unlikely to Challenge Individual Gun Ownership
But the supreme court appeared to be divided on whether to uphold a ban on handguns in Washington DC

Turkish Court to Consider Call to Ban Ruling Party
Turkey's constitutional court considers ban on ruling party for allegedly trying to turn country into Islamic state

Charles Taylor Told Fighters to Eat Their Enemies, Court Hears
Commander in Charles Taylor's militia tells trial at The Hague that he oversaw horrific crimes while serving under the former Liberian president

Museveni Refuses to Hand Over Rebel Leaders to War Crimes Court
The Ugandan president is headed for a confrontation with the international criminal court after saying he will not hand over the leaders of his country's rebel Lord's Resistance Army indicted for war crimes

Uganda Defies War Crimes Court Over Indictments
Uganda's president, Yoweri Museveni, is headed for a confrontation with the international criminal court over its first war crimes indictment after saying he will not send leaders of the rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) to the Hague for trial

Four Us Marines to Face Courts Martial Accused of Gang Rape
US military to court-martial four marines accused of the gang rape of Japanese woman

Conrad Black Fails in Bid to Delay Jail Term
An US appeals court has rejected a last-ditch application by Conrad Black for a delay in the start of his prison sentence. By Andrew Clark

Groin Turns Into No-go Zone for Luckless Italians
Superstitious Italian men fear ill luck as appeal court rules public genital-patting a criminal offense

Uncertain Future for a Controversial Database
The European court of human rights is set to decide the future of the world's largest DNA database

Whistle While You Work
From government to big business, if you have a dirty secret, Wikileaks is your nightmare. David Leigh and Jonathan Franklin on the site a US court this week tried to muzzle

Whistle While You Work
From government to big business, if you have a dirty secret, Wikileaks is your nightmare. David Leigh and Jonathan Franklin on the site a US court this week tried to muzzle

Jowell's Husband Criticised for Absence From Court Hearing
Italian judge criticizes David Mills for refusal to be questioned over alleged bribe from Silvio Berlusconi

US Prosecutes Greenpeace Under 1872 Law
Greenpeace will appear in court in Miami on Monday in what is believed to be the first criminal prosecution in the United States of a campaign group for the activities of its members.

Abortion Libel Claim By Cardinal's Former Aide
Catholic spokesman 'robbed of moral authority' and lost job after Daily Mail article, high court hears

Britain Powerless in Face of Saudi Threats, Court Told
British government made no attempt to resist 'unlawful' threats

A Cover-up Laid Bare: Court Hears How Sfo Inquiry Was Halted
Saudi threats meant 'no other choice' but to stop investigation in BAE

BAE: Secret Papers Reveal Threats From Saudi Prince
Spectre of 'another 7/7' led Tony Blair to block bribes inquiry, high court told

French Court Freezes Sale of Saddam's £17m Yacht
Move is latest effort to seize assets of the dictator and his regime in France, including two villas near Cannes

Irish Cardinal Attempts to Block Publication of Child Abuse Files
Two of Ireland's top Catholic clerics clash in court over secret church files

UK Tycoon to Face Harare Court on Currency and Porn Charges
Nicholas van Hoogstraten, the British property tycoon who is close to the Zimbabwean president, Robert Mugabe, is expected to appear before Harare magistrates today on charges of breaking foreign exchange laws and possessing pornographic pictures of himself having sex with a Zimbabwean woman

Canadian Farmer Forces Gm Giant Back to Court
Monsanto accused of pollution over stray plants· Campaigner believes case could trigger global claims

Battle to Save Nearly 100 Horses After 31 Animals Are Found Dead in Field
· Charities describe scene of unprecedented cruelty · Man to appear in court on criminal damage charge

Lethal Injections Challenged in Us Supreme Court
The use of a cocktail of drugs to execute prisoners came under examination by the US supreme court yesterday, in a case that could determine the future of the practice

A Deal Under Siege
Leader: Dinner ladies are rarely viewed in military terms. But when a union that has made 25,000 equal pay claims faces court for discriminating against its own members, friendly fire comes to mind

Two Guantánamo Britons to Appear Before Magistrates
Two of three British residents released from Guantánamo Bay will appear before magistrates today as protesters plan to gather outside the court to demand their immediate freedom

Fight for 'honour' at 92 Reveals a Nazi's Past
Court action over claims of fathering a baby leads to new Holocaust link

Diary
Hugh Muir: Lively events at Westminster Central Hall, courtesy of the Scarman Trust, and an eclectic guest list

Black Faces Lengthy Jail Term
The disgraced media mogul, Conrad Black, faces a lengthy stretch in an American jail after a court convicted him of looting millions of pounds from his Hollinger media empire through a fraudulent scheme to embezzle funds from shareholders.

'Blasphemy' Teacher Found Guilty
A British primary school teacher was jailed for 15 days tonight by a Sudanese court after being convicted of inciting religious hatred for allowing children in her class to name a teddy bear Muhammad

Berezovsky Jailed in Absentia
Russian tycoon Boris Berezovsky was yesterday sentenced in absentia to six years in prison for fraud by a court in Moscow. The London-based businessman, who called the prosecution a 'farce', was found guilty of embezzling nearly 215m roubles (£4.3m) from the Aeroflot airline

'Blasphemy' Teacher Appears in Court
British primary school teacher in Sudanese court after being charged with 'insulting religion and inciting hatred' for allowing her pupils to name a teddy bear Muhammad

Judge Jailed Entire Court for Phone Interruption
Doors locked after ringing mobile enrages magistrate· 46 sent to cells in moment of 'inexplicable madness'

Wife Asks Court to Declare Missing Tycoon Fossett Dead
Wife asks Chicago court to set in train the distribution of missing adventurer Steve Fossett's assets

Fossett's Wife Wants Him Declared Dead
The wife of Steve Fossett has petitioned a court in Chicago to declare him legally dead, almost three months after the millionaire adventurer went missing in a small plane over the Nevada desert

Court Politics
Leader: The supreme court of Pakistan yesterday threw out the final challenge to General Pervez Musharraf's re-election as president

Hey Big Spender: the £3m Spree That Landed a Saudi Prince in a London Court
It is a remarkable shopping list by any standards. And it has landed the Saudi ambassador to Britain with a possible £3m debt

US Author Mounts 'libel Tourism' Challenge
A ferocious attack on the 'chilling effect' of the English law of libel and its use by wealthy 'foreign tourists' will be mounted in a top US court today

Appeal Court Ruling Against Zuma Intensifies Anc Power Struggle
The bitter power struggle between President Thabo Mbeki and his former deputy, Jacob Zuma, for control of the ruling African National Congress intensified yesterday when a South African court opened the way for Mr Zuma to be charged with corruption over a multi-billion dollar weapons deal.

Closure of Crossings Traps Students in Gaza
Hundreds studying abroad unable to resume courses · Petition to Israeli supreme court seeks right to travel

US Supreme Court Calls a Halt to Executions
Judges to consider legality of lethal injection · Moratorium after inmate wins last-minute reprieve

FBI Used Mafia Capo to Find Bodies of Ku Klux Klan Victims
The FBI recruited a mafia enforcer to help solve the slaying of three civil rights workers by the Ku Klux Klan in Mississippi in the 1960s, according to evidence provided in Brooklyn state court by a mobster's moll.

'Killer Keller' Rebuked Over Death-row Plea
A Texas judge faced a widespread rebuke from lawyers yesterday for refusing to keep her courthouse open after 5pm to hear a last-minute death-row appeal.

How Top London Law Firms Help Vulture Funds Devour Their Prey
Indebted poor countries are being taken for millions of dollars in the courts.

Sarkozy's Wife in 'exile' As Divorce Rumours Grow
Couple are expected to announce the start of court proceedings in the next few days.

Palestinian Students Continue to Face Exclusion
The Israeli army is continuing to bar Palestinian students from Israeli universities, in spite of an order from the Israeli high court that it relax its restrictions.

Man Admits Kidnapping Two Children
A former manager of a pizza parlor in Missouri who held two boys captive in his home, one of them for four years, yesterday pleaded guilty to kidnapping and armed criminal action, in the first of a series of court appearances.

Lawsuits Are No Substitute for the Pioneering Spirit
Zoe Williams: Taking the NHS to court is not the solution to our shameful record on stillbirths. Women must focus on collective action.

Lethal Injection Review May Halt Us Executions
America, which has some 3,350 prisoners on death row, yesterday seemed to be moving towards an unofficial moratorium on executions after the supreme court granted a rare last-minute reprieve to a condemned man in Texas.

Teenager Released on Bail After Civil Rights Protest in Louisiana
A black teenager whose prosecution over the beating of a white classmate in a Louisiana school prompted a big civil rights protest walked free from court on bail last night after a prosecutor dropped an attempt to try him on adult charges.

Court Battles Loom in Fight to Save Site
Ancient Tara Hill is under threat from plans to build a motorway extension.

European Appeal Court Opens Windows to the World and Shakes the Superdominant
· Brussels sets benchmark for competition cases · Commissioner sounds warning to other big firms

He Was As God to Us, Woman Tells Court at Sect Leader's Rape Trial
The key witness in the trial of the American polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs has testified that she had been indoctrinated to believe she must obey church leaders to preserve her place in heaven.

Palestinians Celebrate Rare Victory Over Hated Barrier
Supreme court vindicates weekly protests and forces Israel to re-route security fences and roads.

Briton Freed From Thai Prison After Court Overturns Drug Conviction
· Father served six years for crime he did not commit · Death sentence had been commuted to life in jail

The Hills Are Alive
Palestinian lawyer Raja Shehadeh has fought Israeli settlers in the courts. Now he's taking the battle to the countryside, with his boots on. By Rory McCarthy.

Appeal Court Quashes Media Gag Over White House Meeting
An attempt to prevent the press from repeating British concerns about US military tactics in Iraq was quashed by the appeal court yesterday.

Portugal's Cross-dressing 'general' Dies After 20 Years As a Man
The protagonist of one of Portugal's most gripping courtroom dramas has died after almost 20 years in which she fooled everyone, including her live-in companion, that she was actually a male army general.

Thou Shalt Not Judge
Bible Belt judge Roy Moore's insistence on having a granite block carved with the Ten Commandments in his courthouse led to his dismissal. But his cause became a rallying point for the Christian right, and in 2006 he ran for the governorship of Alabama. In this extract from his new book, Stephen Bates catches up with him on the campaign trail.

British Girl Kidnapped in Nigeria is Released
Nigerian kidnappers have tonight released Margaret Hill, a three-year-old British girl they had seized in the city of Port Harcourt on Thursday.

British Girl, Three, Kidnapped in Nigeria
Foreign Office demands immediate release of toddler abducted at gunpoint in the Nigerian oil city of Port Harcourt.

Former Liberian Leader Charles Taylor Ends Boycott of War Crimes Trial
Charles Taylor appears at Liberian court in The Hague after demand for more senior lawyer is rejected.

Vanunu Jailed Again After Talks With Foreigners
Mordechai Vanunu, the man who revealed Israel's nuclear secrets to the world, was yesterday jailed again by a Jerusalem court for talking to foreigners in breach of his parole conditions.

Trouserless Judge Fails to Take Dry Cleaners to the Cleaners
After two days in court and a legal judgment running to 8,448 words, a judge in Washington has finally reached a verdict on whether a dry-cleaning company should pay $54m (£27m) in damages and compensation to a client who lost his trousers.

Court Sentences 'chemical Ali' to Hang
Saddam Hussein's cousin, known as 'Chemical Ali', was sentenced to hang today, along with two other men, for their roles in a genocidal military campaign against Iraq's Kurds in the 1980s.

Can We Have Our Chairs Back? Belgian Royal May See Different Court
Belgium's controversy-hit royal family is facing a new debacle over antique chairs.

Rulings Leave Guantánamo in Legal Limbo
The US government faced renewed calls today to abandon the separate legal system at Guantánamo Bay and to try detainees at existing military and civilian courts.

Guantánamo Tribunal Rulings Put Pressure on Separate System
George Bush's administration faced renewed demands yesterday to abandon the separate legal system operating at Guantánamo Bay and to try detainees at military and civilian courts.

Don't Listen to What the Rich World's Leaders Say - Look at What They Do
Take the thousands of Filipino children who die every year courtesy of the formula milk corporates, backed by US lobbying. By George Monbiot

The Political Trail of Charles Taylor
Mark Tran traces key events in the political life of the former Liberian president Charles Taylor, who faces war crimes charges at an international criminal court in The Hague.

Political Reform is Essential, Beckett Tells Chinese Cadres
The British foreign secretary, Margaret Beckett, yesterday called on China to relax its grip on the media, religion and the courts so that it could take a stronger leadership role in global affairs.

TV Makeover Fails to Paper Over Cracks
American family in court as home improvement causes rift with 'adopted' siblings.

Haditha Marine 'watched Superior Kill Surrendering Civilians'
US marine tells a court that he "pissed" on the head of a dead Iraqi civilian killed by his unit and watched a superior officer kill five Iraqis as they tried to surrender.

Chinese Colliery Boss Gets Life for Cover-up
A Chinese court has jailed a colliery owner for life in a groundbreaking move to improve safety standards in the world's deadliest coal industry.

Turkish Court Halts Gul Presidency
Turkey's constitutional court today annulled a parliamentary vote in support of the country's foreign minister, Abdullah Gul - accused by his opponents of hiding an Islamist agenda - as a presidential candidate.

Chinese Mine Owner Jailed for Delays That Killed Workers
A Chinese court has jailed a colliery owner for life in an unprecedented move to improve safety standards in the world's deadliest coal industry.

DC Madam Gleeful As Client List is About to Go on Air
The mighty and wealthy of Washington were braced for scandal yesterday after the woman known as the DC Madam said she hoped to expose dozens of clients of her exclusive escort service at her trial. Deborah Jeane Palfrey appeared in court on charges of running a prostitution ring that operated among the upper echelons of the US capital for 13 years.

German Court Allows Screening of Thalidomide Drama After Cuts
A television drama about the thalidomide scandal which led to thousands of women giving birth to disabled children, has sparked a bitter row between the film-makers and the creators of the drug, 50 years after the anti-morning sickness pill came on to the market.

Serb Paramilitaries Found Guilty in War Crimes Trial
Four convictions in first court case linked to massacre of 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys at Srebrenica.

Billionaire Offer to Clean Bhopal Derided As Front for Chemical Firm
One of India's richest men has been lobbying for the Indian government to drop a court case against an American multinational to pay for the clean up costs of the world's worst chemical accident, according to letters obtained by campaigners.

Court Threat As Ukraine Power Struggle Grows
Ukraine's leadership crisis deepened yesterday as President Viktor Yushchenko threatened government officials with prosecution if they did not hold early elections.

Anti-Musharraf Protesters Rally Outside Court to Defend Judge
Thousands of boisterous opposition supporters massed outside Pakistan's supreme court yesterday in the largest show of support yet for the beleaguered Chief Justice, Muhammad Iftikhar Chaudhry.

Astor Penury That Became £67m Fortune
Court findings contradict claims of destitution - Family dispute between mother, 104, and son, 82

David Hicks Becomes First Guantanamo Inmate to Go Before the Bush Administration's New Military Tribunals
David Hicks, an Australian detainee at Guantanamo Bay, is to appear before a war crimes court at the US detention centre today, the first inmate to go before the Bush administration's new military tribunals.

Kremlin Cracks Down on Opposition Ahead of Protests
Russia's next parliament is likely to be entirely without any genuine opposition after a court in Moscow today banned a leading liberal party from standing in elections.

Cartoons Did Not Incite Hatred, French Court Rules
A French court yesterday ruled in favour of a satirical weekly that printed cartoons of the prophet Muhammad, rejecting accusations by Islamic groups that the newspaper incited hatred against Muslims.

German Drill Sergeants on Trial for Abuse
A court case over the biggest scandal in the German army's post-war history opened yesterday when 18 training officials went on trial for abusing dozens of recruits.

Lord Black Rebuffs Journalists' Questions
Conrad Black adopted French to bat away questions as he left court on the second day of his trial. By Andrew Clark.

Speak to My Translator - Lord Black Rebuffs Journalists' Questions
The embattled media mogul Conrad Black, who once compared himself to 18th century Parisian nobility, adopted French to bat away questions as he left court on the second day of his trial for racketeering, fraud and tax evasion.

Zimbabwean Opposition Leader Morgan Tsvangirai Sent to Hospital.
The Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai was today sent to hospital for medical check-ups after arriving for a court hearing.

Battered Zimbabwe Protesters Sent From Court to Hospital
Activists to be charged with inciting violence - Outrage at attacks on Mugabe opponents

Briton Faces Us Trial Over Hotel Rape Claim
Second New York court appearance today - Charges relate to alleged incident seven years ago

Guantánamo Inmates Refused Day in Court
Federal court denial 'not unconstitutional' - Dissenting judge says law contradicts habeas corpus

Friendly Fire Video Will Not Be Screened in Court
Footage of an incident in which a British soldier died in Iraq will not be shown in open court at his inquest, the coroner investigating the death said today.

'Friendly Fire' Video Will Not Be Screened in Court
Footage of a "friendly fire" incident in which a British soldier died in Iraq will not be shown in open court at his inquest, the coroner investigating the death said today.

Delhi Bans Unlicensed Snack Hawkers
Delhi's roadside snacks have been banned by the country's supreme court - a victim of a city-wide clean up campaign that aims to beautify India's capital.

Judges' Food Stall Ruling Leaves Bad Taste on Streets of Delhi
Court wants food cooked at home and prepackaged - 300,000 jobs at risk as India cleans up image

US Allows 'friendly Fire' Tape in Court
Videotape appears to show catalogue of errors leading up to lethal strike on British troops.

Islanders Scent Court Win for Return Home
Indian Ocean islanders, evicted by the British more than 30 years ago to make room for the US air base on Diego Garcia, are hoping finally to win the right to go home through a court case starting today.

Congo Militia Chief to Face Trial
The international criminal court gave the go-ahead for its first trial yesterday by ruling that there is sufficient evidence to try a Congolese militia leader for war crimes.

Prankster Exacerbates Royal Woes
Another day, another diplomatic headache for Ségolène Royal. This time, though, the blunder lasted 11 minutes and came courtesy of a professional prankster.

Somali Islamists Held Uk Meeting to Raise Funds
Courts group targeted by US air strikes had meeting with Foreign Office officials.

Twelve Angry Celebs
A young woman who has been out drinking with footballers alleges rape - and the courtroom is packed with celebrities. Stuart Jeffries on a new frontier for reality TV.

Judge Berates Nadine Gordimer's Biographer
The biographer of the Nobel laureate Nadine Gordimer was eviscerated by a South African court today in a savage judgement dismissing a libel action against a local newspaper.

Remember Colin Stagg
Media antics in Ipswich risk not just contempt of court but contempt for suspects' future lives. By Mark Lawson

Eyesore or Eye-opener? The New Brooklyn
New York's biggest ever private project approved - Opponents go to court to halt 'out of kilter' scheme

Briton on Baby Snatch Charge Freed on Bail
A British woman accused of abducting a child from a young mother in Athens was released from custody on bail yesterday. Looking relieved as she left the courthouse, Marie Golby, 41, from Warwickshire, said she was elated that her ordeal was "nearly over".

Briton Denies Snatching Baby From 15-year-old Romanian Mother
A British woman who has been accused of snatching a 7-month-old girl from a Romanian Gypsy in Athens denied the charges yesterday as she appeared in court for the first time.

Judge Unity Dow on Botswana's Most Expensive Trial
Judge Unity Dow, the first woman to be appointed a high court judge in Botswana, talks to The Observer about her ruling to give a tribal group the right to live and hunt in a game reserve.

Prosecutors Move Closer to Darfur Trial
A proposed war crimes tribunal for Darfur moved a step closer to reality today, after the chief prosecutor for the international criminal court (ICC) said he was ready to present evidence to judges.

Kalahari Bushmen Win Land Battle
Bushmen forced out of the Kalahari desert by Botswana's government won a landmark legal victory today as the country's high court ruled they had been illegally removed and should be allowed to return.

Falconio Conviction Was 'miscarriage of Justice'
Evidence about girlfriend's identification of Murdoch in photo line-up flawed because she had previously seen his picture on news website story naming him as suspect, court told.

'Grenada 17' May Walk Free 23 Years After Caribbean Coup
One of the most controversial armed conflicts of the cold war era and one which caused a rift between Britain and the US is to be revisited this week in a British court.

LA Returns Water That Helped Make It a City
River diversion reversed after activists' court case - Barren California valley to be brought back to life

Court Orders Misbah to Return to Her Mother
The schoolgirl who sparked an international custody battle when she fled to Pakistan must return to her mother in Scotland, a Pakistani court ruled today.

Fandango Farrago
The court battle over A Whiter Shade of Pale royalties delivers painful lessons for musicians. By Duncan Campbell

Briton Likely to Be Freed Soon After Reprieve From Death Row
A British man who has spent 17 years on death row in Pakistan is expected to be allowed to come home soon, after a court's decision to hang him was overturned. A senior Pakistani official told the Guardian that Mirza Tahir Hussain was expected to be released after President Pervez Musharraf...

Skipping the Fandango in Court 56
Music: Who really wrote the song A Whiter Shade of Pale? Duncan Campbell reports.

Alleged Warlord Trained Children to Kill, Landmark Hearing Told
The international criminal court today began its first case, considering evidence against an alleged Congolese warlord accused of recruiting child soldiers and forcing them to kill and mutilate his enemies.

The Daughter Who is Taking on the Might of Bp
When her parents died in a blast at the oil giant's Texas refinery, Eva Rowe refused compensation, determined to force the company to face a court case. Mark Townsend and Paul Harris report.

Danish Court Dismisses Muhammad Cartoons Case
A Danish court has dismissed a libel case against Jyllands-Posten, the daily that first published the controversial Muhammad cartoons. By Gwladys Fouche.

California Court Case Puts Lethal Injection Under Threat
Evidence of poor staff training and conscious prisoners adds to concern over method of execution.

Court Orders Surrender of Misbah Passport
A court in Pakistan today ordered the father of Misbah Campbell, the 12-year-old also known as Misbah Iram Ahmed Rana, to surrender her passport.

Bleak in Basra, Court Martial Told
The commanding officer of British soldiers accused of war crimes in Iraq admitted there were bound to be times when the harsh conditions his men worked in got the better of them, a court martial heard yesterday.

Florida Prisoner Executed After Court Rejects Cruelty Claim
Clarence Hill had told pen-pal about first experience of being prepared for execution.

People
Laura Trevelyan | GM Trevelyan | Willie Nelson | Myra Hindley | Maxine Peake | Sir Tom Courtenay | Pete Postlethwaite | Kathy Burke | Brenda Blethyn | Nicholas Hytner | Ben Musgrave | Damon Albarn | Gorillaz | Jamie Hewlett...By Helen Carter

Cult Leader to Be Executed for Tokyo Gas Attacks
The mastermind behind the 1995 Tokyo subway gas attacks faces execution after Japan's supreme court rejected his last legal appeal today.

Mother Smoked Drug With Son As Homework Reward
A woman smoked marijuana daily with her 13-year-old son to reward him for completing his homework, a court was told.

People
Black Watch | Edinburgh Fringe festival | Gregory Burke | National Theatre of Scotland | John Tiffany | Doug Stanhope | Libertarian party | Murdo MacLeod | Margarett Perry | Clean Alternatives | Sally Gooda | Paul Stacey | Kangaroo Court Theatre | Lady Chatterley's Lover | Chanbara | Kill Bill | Yamato | Drummers of Japan...By Mark Brown

Trusty Shield of Fair Play
It has heard just one case in more than 200 years, but the court of chivalry should not be abolished. By David Mckie

McKenna wins court battle monkey business
Paul McKenna, the famous stage hypnotist has won his court battle over a newspaper claim that he bought his degree.

Court Removes Socialite Astor, 104, From Son's Care
The legendary socialite and philanthropist Brooke Astor, now 104, has been removed from her son's care by a New York court, following allegations that he was forcing her to spend her twilight years in squalor, lacking sufficient medical care and sleeping on a couch that smelt of urine in a chilly Park Avenue apartment.

In Istanbul, a Writer Awaits Her Day in Court
Bestselling novelist Elif Shafak is the latest writer to face trial for "insulting Turkishness". She tells Richard Lea about her work, the charges that have been brought against her, and how the Turkish language has become a battleground.

Here Comes the Judge, With a Gun
They have the flowing black robes to lend them dignity and gravitas. They have gavels to command attention from the wise guys in court. Now judges in New York have been given permission to carry guns while carrying out their duties.

Kremlin Attacks West's Support for 'dissidents'
Britain and the US courted the wrath of the Kremlin today, days before the G8 summit in St Petersburg, by sending senior diplomats to a controversial meeting in Moscow of civil society advocates and opponents of the Putin administration.

Court Censures Former French Prime Minister
Edith Cresson, the former French prime minister, broke EU rules when she appointed her dentist as an aide during her time as a European Commissioner, the union's top court ruled yesterday.

Indy Pays Damages Over Raf Court Martial
The Independent today agreed to pay libel damages over a Matthew Norman column that was a 'scathing attack' on the court martial of an RAF officer who refused to fight in Iraq. By Stephen Brook.

Exiled Islanders of Diego Garcia Face Appeal By Government
The islanders of Diego Garcia suffered a fresh setback yesterday when the Foreign Office said it is to appeal against a high court ruling that would have allowed them to return to their Indian Ocean homes.

Prime Minister Wins Right to Visit Shinto War Shrine
Japan's supreme court has ruled that the prime minister, Junichiro Koizumi, can continue to visit a war shrine in Tokyo after dismissing the claims of more than 270 plaintiffs that they had suffered psychological damage after his first visit, in 2001.

Court Ruling Allows Pm to Visit War Shrine
Opponents of visits by Japanese prime minister Junichiro Koizumi to a nationalist shrine in Tokyo were dealt a legal blow today when the country's supreme court rejected claims that the visits had caused them psychological distress. The court stopped short, however, of ruling on the visits' constitutionality.

ICC Alleges Ethnic Massacres in Darfur
The International Criminal Court has documented the massacre and rape of thousands of civilians in Darfur, according to its top prosecutor.

Investigators Submit Darfur Atrocities File
The chief prosecutor at the international criminal court says it has documented the massacre and rape of thousands of civilians in Darfur. Investigators found evidence of ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity in the war-torn Sudanese province, Luis Moreno Ocampo said in a report submitted on Wednesday to the UN security council.

Secret Flights Add Twist to Legal Fight Over Howard Hughes's Will
A 30-year-old legal fight over Howard Hughes's fortune is about to reopen in a Utah courtroom where a former pilot is expected to testify that he took the reclusive aviation billionaire on secret night flights to visit a prostitute with a diamond in her tooth.

Secular Turks and Islamists Fight for Supremacy in the Courts and Streets
As Ankara begins entry negotiations, attempts are being made to sabotage its chances.

Life Sentence for Margaret Hassan Accused
A Baghdad court today sentenced an Iraqi man to life in prison in connection with the 2004 abduction and killing of the Iraqi-British aid worker Margaret Hassan.

Airlines Alarmed As European Court Annuls Passenger Data Deal With Us
· Judgment raises risk of long delays for travellers · Companies could break either American or EU law

Judge Shot Dead in Turkish Court Over Ban on Headscarves
· Lawyer opens fire in anger at recent judgment · Tension between Islamists and secularists on the rise

10,000 Us Troops to Be Sent to Mexican Border
· Bush courts the right with immigration crackdown · Forces overstretched, say critics on both sides

Court Backs Exiled Islanders Against 'repugnant' Actions of Ministers
A group of islanders who were removed from their homes in the Indian Ocean decades ago to make way for a US airbase celebrated victory at the high court in London.

Chagos Families Win Right to Return
A group of British citizens evicted from the Chagos Islands forty years ago to make way for a military base won a new victory in the high court today in their legal bid to return home.

Cannibal Killer Gets Life Sentence
The German cannibal killer Armin Meiwes was sentenced to life in prison today, as a court overturned his earlier eight-year sentence for killing and eating the computer engineer Bernd-Jurgen Brandes in 2001.

Constitutional Court Orders Fresh Polls
Thailand's constitutional court yesterday sought to end a months-long political crisis when it ruled that a controversial April 2 general election had been conducted unconstitutionally.

Thai Court Orders New Poll
A court in Thailand declared the recent parliamentary elections unconstitutional today and ordered a new poll to end the country's political crisis.

'You'll Die With Whimper,' Moussaoui Told
· Judge in heated exchange as defendant abuses court · Life sentence in solitary with no hope of release

Madrid Bombs Suspect to Be Extradited
Two high court judges today ruled that a man suspected of involvement in the Madrid train bombings should be extradited to Spain from the UK.

Mother Killed Nine Babies, Court Told
A German woman went on trial yesterday accused of killing nine of her babies in a case that has gripped Germany and led to calls for a change in the law.

Mother Tells Court of Pain Over Daughter's Death
The mother of Lucie Blackman, a British bar hostess killed in Japan six years ago, broke down in a Tokyo court today as she spoke of the "unrelenting pain" she had suffered since her daughter's dismembered remains were found inside a cave in a fishing village in 2001. "I used to believe...

Court Rules Jailed Tycoon's Solitary Confinement Was Illegal
· Khodorkovsky did not breach prison regulations · Yukos founder 'unbroken' by knife attack in cell

Deny Zacarias Moussaoui the Martyrdom He Craves
Leader: It will do America no favours at all if the collective desire for revenge and the victims' day in court confer on Mr Moussaoui the martyr's status he craves but does not merit.

Taylor Pleads Not Guilty to War Crimes
The former Liberian president, Charles Taylor, appeared before a UN-backed war crimes court in Freetown, Sierra Leone today to face 11 charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Algerian Gets 10 Years for Helping Paris Bombers
A court yesterday sentenced an Algerian man to 10 years in jail for helping militants who bombed Paris underground stations in 1995.

Guantánamo's Day of Reckoning in Supreme Court
· Case pits presidential powers against law of war · Detainee argues tribunals are unconstitutional

Congress to See Play About Guantánamo
The plight of British residents in Guantánamo Bay, currently being considered by high court judges here, is to be heard on Capitol Hill - through the voices of actors.

American Gets Nine Years for Rapes in Okinawa
America's attempts to reduce its global military presence have come under the spotlight after a court in Japan sentenced a US employee of an American military base to nine years in prison for raping two women.

Exiled Motorist Freed After Public Protest
A Siberian court yesterday freed a motorist who had been sentenced to four years of internal exile after being caught in a car crash that killed a high-profile governor.

Paris Court Can Hear Barclays v Times
A Paris court today ruled that it had jurisdiction to hear the Barclay brothers' libel case against Times editor Robert Thomson. By Stephen Brook.

Mothers Sue Over Gender Test That Promised 99.9% Accuracy
Makers of the Baby Gender Mentor are accused of breaking their promise in a class action lawsuit filed in the US district court in Boston on behalf of 16 women.

Da Vinci Court Wrangle is Hilarious Fun
The court case over The Da Vinci Code has, for us old-time sceptics, been hilarious. The gullible and the credulous meet vast amounts of money! By Simon Hoggart

Shell Told to Pay Nigerians $1.5bn Pollution Damages
· Oil giant will appeal against court decision · Kidnap and sabotage cripple production

Doctors in Ethics Row As Execution Nears
Barring a last-minute intervention by the courts, California will execute the third death-row prisoner in as many months at one minute past midnight tonight.

Zarqawi's Third Death Sentence
Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, one of the leaders of the Iraqi insurgency, was sentenced to death yesterday - for the third time - by a court in Jordan for his part in plotting chemical attacks.

US Idea of Torture 'not Same As in Uk'
The notion of torture in the US "is not the same as ours and doesn't appear to coincide with that of most civilised countries", a high court judge said today.

Australian Drug Mules Jailed for Life
An Indonesian court sentenced two Australians to life imprisonment yesterday for attempting to smuggle heroin from Bali to Australia as part of a syndicate allegedly involving at least nine people.

Mbeki's Former Deputy on Trial for Rape
The former deputy president of South Africa, Jacob Zuma, arrived in court today at the start of his trial for the alleged rape of a ...

America's Masterplan is to Force Gm Food on the World
The reason the US took Europe to the WTO court was to prise open lucrative markets elsewhere. By John Vidal

Briton in Court Over Fatal Table Mountain Fire
A British man appeared in court in South Africa today accused of starting a fire on Table Mountain that killed a British tourist and threatened some of Cape Town's plushest suburbs.

Activists Take Campaign to Top Judge's Elegant Domain
Logan Darrow Clements, an LA businessman, was so outraged at a supreme court ruling that he decided to build Lost Liberty Hotel in small town of 8,500 people on the spot occupied by Justice Souter's house.

Conrad Black Drops Libel Suit Against Author
Former Daily Telegraph boss Conrad Black has dropped a libel suit against an author in Canada after reaching an out-of-court settlement. By Chris Tryhorn.

Guardian Wins French Libel Case
A Paris court has rejected a charge of defamation lodged against the Guardian by a senior official of Jean-Marie Le Pen's National Front party, it emerged yesterday.

EU Court Rules That Airlines Must Compensate Stranded Passengers
Court dismisses the challenge to European Union rules covering compensation for air travellers whose flights are overbooked, cancelled or delayed.

Black Pleads Not Guilty to New Charges
Former newspaper tycoon Conrad Black has pleaded not guilty to four new charges brought against him in a Chicago court. By Julia Day.

Children Among 103 Dead in Air Disaster
Scores of schoolchildren heading home for the Christmas holidays were among the 103 people killed yesterday when a passenger jet crashed as it attempted to land in the southern Nigerian city of Port Harcourt.

Three Cleared of Stormont Spying Charges
Three men accused of operating an IRA spy ring at Stormont have been cleared of all charges today. Their acquittal was announced during a surprise court hearing in Belfast this morning. The prosecution offered no evidence to be put forward and declared the case "no longer in the public...

Islanders Make New Attempt to Go Home
Indian Ocean islanders forced from their homes by the British government to make way for the US airbase on Diego Garcia yesterday made a fresh attempt at the high court to win the right to go home.

Islanders Bid to Overturn Expulsion Ruling
British citizens evicted from their tropical island to make way for a US military base appeared in the high court today, demanding that a royal decree banning them from returning home be overturned.

Uzbekistan Jails 25 Andijan Uprising Suspects
Courts in Uzbekistan have jailed 25 people for allegedly taking part in a bloody uprising in Andijan in May, it was announced today.

'Cheats' Charter' Sparks Fury of Italian Judges and Opposition
A "cheats' charter" that will allow white-collar criminals to walk free from Italian courts prompted a furious reaction from judges, prosecutors and opposition politicians yesterday.

Suicide Bombers Kill Nine in Attacks on Bangladeshi Courts
Nine people were killed and scores injured in Bangladesh yesterday by two suicide bombers, the boldest attacks in a wave of violence orchestrated by extremists demanding sharia-style laws in the country.

Black's Court Appearance Delayed
Conrad Black's arraignment on federal fraud charges has been postponed for a second time. By Julia Day.

Falconio Accused 'was 370 Miles From Scene'
An Australian man accused of murdering the backpacker Peter Falconio today told a court he had been almost 400 miles away from the scene of the backpacker's death.

Falconio Accused Admits Smuggling Drugs
An Australian man accused of murdering a missing British backpacker admitted in court today he was a drugs smuggler and carried guns "for protection" but denied killing Peter Falconio.

Sugar Powers a Revolution on Brazil's Roads
Bio-fuel movement is gaining momentum on petrol station forecourts.

Guantánamo Bay Prisoner Rights Faces Challenge
· Decision denies detainees access to federal courts · Democrat vows to stand by founding principles of US

Double Trouble for Twin Who Tried to Trick Judge
A teenager who got her twin sister to stand in for her in court ended up in jail rather than on probation once the judge realised he had been tricked.

Senate Vote to Cut Guantã¡namo Bay Prisoner Rights Faces Challenge
· Decision denies detainees access to federal courts · Democrat vows to stand by founding principles of US

Liberation Wins Cartoon Court Case
A French newspaper has won the right to show a cartoon of a naked Jesus wearing nothing but a condom. By Clare Chapman.

Hampton Court Homage to a Great Tudor Eurosceptic - or Just a Tv-friendly Venue?
The autumn sun shone so brightly on Hampton Court yesterday that the EU's 25 summiteering heads of government might have imagined they were almost anywhere in Europe - except Britain.

White House Crisis Grows As Miers Quits
George Bush's presidency has hit a new low after his supreme court nominee, Harriet Miers, was forced to withdraw in the face of overwhelming resistance from within Mr Bush's own party.

Live at Hampton Court: Schröder v Tudor
The outgoing German chancellor is the loose cannon who may blast Tony Blair's carefully stage-managed EU summit out of the water, writes Nicholas Watt.

Galloway Pledges to Take Fight to Clear Name Into Enemy Territory
· MP challenges accuser to debate in midwest base · Demand for perjury claim to be settled by court fight

World Briefing
Rarely have the challenges facing the European Union appeared so daunting; and as its leaders gather for a truncated summit tomorrow at Hampton Court palace, rarely has the union appeared so disunited.

Court Hears How Neighbours Are Not Always Good Friends
To millions of viewers around the world, the residents of Ramsay Street, Erinsborough, are the kind of wholesome folk they would love to have living next door. But off screen, the cast of the television soap Neighbours are engaged in bitter spats, drug addictions and personal dramas, a court has heard.

Court Hears of Falconio Movements on Day He Vanished
Three staff members of a Northern Territory roadhouse today told a court that Peter Falconio and his then girlfriend visited the cafe, 80 miles north of Alice Springs, on the afternoon of his alleged murder.

Transsexual Insists on Going to Women's Jail
'It's a matter of principle,' says woman after court treats her as still being a man.

Baby Who Died Was Fed on Diet of Raw Vegetables
The vegan parents of a baby who died after being fed a diet of liquidised raw vegetables and wheatgrass had four other children who resembled "starving Ethiopians from a Save the Children appeal", a Miami court heard.

DeLay Case Delayed
The court case against senior US congressman Tom DeLay was delayed today after his lawyer linked the judge to a website selling T-shirts bearing mugshots of his client.

Doctor Contradicts Lees Evidence
The doctor who examined Joanne Lees a day after she said a gunman in Australia had killed her boyfriend and abducted her contradicted part of her story in an Australian court today.

Courts: Falconio's Girlfriend Admits Her Story Changed
The girlfriend of the missing British backpacker Peter Falconio yesterday admitted to a jury in Darwin that her story had changed.

Debt-ridden Parents Tried to Kill Family
· French court hears how loans pressure led to plot · 1 child died but 4 survived injection by mother

Clarke Chastised Over Zimbabwe Deportation Policy
Charles Clarke's policy on deportation to Zimbabwe was severely criticised today in a court ruling which found that a failed asylum seeker had a "well-founded fear of persecution" if he was sent home. The asylum and immigration tribunal said the lack of interest of the home secretary in...

Court Postpones Trial of Mbeki's Former Deputy
The corruption trial of South Africa's former deputy president Jacob Zuma was postponed yesterday until November 12, while hundreds of supporters cheered him outside Durban magistrates' court.

Assisted Suicide Case Opens
The issue of doctor-assisted suicide yesterday became the first case to be heard by the US supreme court under the leadership of a new chief justice.

Parents Challenge Us 'intelligent Design' Teaching
· Theory is repackaging of creation dogma, court told · Test case could decide how evolution is taught

Court says heiress can keep $3.5bn fortune
Asia's richest woman, Nina Wang, has won a legal battle to keep her husband's $3.5bn (£1.93bn) estate after a six-year court case.

Princess in Court Over €122,000 Hotel Bill
One of the most luxurious hotels in Paris, the Royal Monceau, and one of its most glamorous former clients, Lichtenstein's Ira von Furstenberg, clashed in court yesterday over a €122,000 (£82,000) unpaid bill.

Brussels Wins Right to Force Eu Countries to Jail Polluters
Brussels was given greater powers over the EU's 25 members yesterday, when the European court of justice declared that the union's rules can be enforced through criminal sanctions.

German Election Confirmed for September 18
Germany's highest court today confirmed that the country's snap election will take place on September 18, clearing the way for a frantic last three weeks of campaigning.

Italy to Extradite Bombing Suspect
An Italian court today approved the extradition to Britain of London bombing suspect Hussein Osman. Mr Osman, known as Hamdi Issac in Italy, is wanted for questioning in connection with the failed attack on Shepherd's Bush underground station on July 21. Judge Domenicomassimo...

Father Despairs at 'parading of Diaries'
The father of Lucie Blackman, a British nightclub hostess murdered in Japan five years ago, last night spoke of his despair after her alleged killer described his daughter as a mentally unstable drug user and read from her personal diaries in court.

Jailing of Irish Villagers Sparks Anger As Farmers Defy Shell in Battle of the Bog
Support swells for opponents of gas pipeline imprisoned for contempt of court.

US Appeals Court Opens Way for Trial By Military Tribunal of Guantã¡namo Inmate
A federal appeals court yesterday ruled that a Guantánamo Bay prisoner could be tried by military tribunal, reversing a lower court decision to halt the controversial proceedings on the grounds they were unlawful.

All the President's Men
With O'Connor's retirement from the US supreme court, the Republican counter-revolution sees the chance of a lifetime. Sidney Blumenthal

Court Hears How Teenage Introvert Created Devastating Computer Virus in His Bedroom
A German teenager admitted yesterday that he created last year's devastating "Sasser" computer worm, which brought systems crashing to a halt and caused millions of pounds worth of damage.

Conservatives Seek Appointment of One of Their Own to Supreme Court
Conservative lobbyists in the US have warned they will oppose the nomination of George Bush's friend and confidant Alberto Gonzales to the supreme court.

Retirement Sparks Us Judiciary Fight
A monumental struggle for control of America's judiciary was set in motion yesterday when Sandra Day O'Connor, the first woman to serve on the US supreme court, announced her retirement.

Egyptian Trial Prompts Protests
Amid chaotic scenes in a Cairo court, the main opposition candidate in Egypt's forthcoming presidential election went on trial yesterday accused of forgery.

Supreme Court Rejects Journalists' Appeal
Two US journalists were last night facing the possibility of 18 months in jail for refusing to reveal the identity of a source within the Bush administration who leaked the identity of a CIA agent. By Julian Borger.

Le Monde Editor 'defamed Jews'
A French appeal court has found the editor-in-chief of Le Monde and the authors of an opinion piece in the paper guilty of "racial defamation" against Israel and the Jewish people.

Family Reunion That Ended With Detention in 'basra's Belmarsh'
Relatives of imprisoned Briton speak out as habeas corpus action reaches high court.

Milosevic Court Sees Video of Killings
The prosecution at the trial of Slobodan Milosevic yesterday produced what it claimed to be the first public evidence of a link between the former president of Serbia and the massacre of 8,000 Bosnian Muslims at Srebrenica in July 1995.

Hinduja Brothers Cleared of Arms Scandal Charges After 14 Years
Indian court says claims of £4.6m in kickbacks over Swedish deal were unfounded.

So, Lord Black, What's Going on Here?
Former Daily Telegraph owner Conrad Black has been forced to return 12 boxes of material to a court-appointed inspector after he was caught on video taking them from his Toronto offices.

Greenpeace Considers Appeal
Greenpeace was yesterday considering appealing against the decision of a Spanish court to give the captain of the Rainbow Warrior a suspended prison sentence for an anti-Iraq war protest at a US navy base.

Kurds
Leader: Turkey faces a tough new test with a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights that Abdullah Ocalan's original trial was unfair.

Teacher Cleared Over Sex With 14-year-old
Parents groups and children's rights campaigners demanded changes to Spain's sexual abuse laws yesterday after the country's highest court ruled that there was "nothing perverse or extravagant" about a teacher having sex with a 14-year-old schoolgirl.

Rape Accusation By Us Athlete Sparks Croatian Sex Crime Debate
The alleged rape of an American athlete in a small Croatian town has triggered a national debate on violence against women and trenchant criticism of how the courts belittle sexual crime.

Khodorkovsky Verdict Delayed
The verdict in Russia's most controversial post-Soviet trial of billionaire Mikhail Khodorkovsky has been delayed by three weeks, a move announced yesterday in a simple unsigned note pinned to the door of a Moscow courthouse.

Mexicans March for Mayor Who May Be Banned From Presidential Race
Hundreds of thousands of Mexicans marched in silence yesterday in support of their mayor, who may be prevented from running for president by a court case that many see as politically motivated.

Retrial for German Killer Cannibal
A German court today ordered the retrial of a cannibal who killed and cooked a willing victim, saying his eight-and-a-half jail sentence for manslaughter was too lenient.

Tokyo Court Rejects War Cash Claim
In a decision certain to inflame anti-Japanese opinion in China, a court in Tokyo yesterday rejected compensation claims by the victims of Japanese military atrocities committed in China in the 1930s and 40s.

Court Awards Hand of Girl Aged Two to 40-year-old
Two-year-old promised in marriage to man 38 years her senior after her uncle was accused of sleeping with another man's wife.

Argentinian Jailed for Throwing Prisoners From Plane
An Argentinian former naval officer who threw prisoners, drugged and naked, to their death from planes was convicted of crimes against humanity and jailed for a total of 640 years by a Spanish court yesterday.

Journalists Cleared By Zimbabwe Court
The two Sunday Telegraph journalists being held in Zimbabwe have been cleared of breaking the country's strict media laws. By Claire Cozens.

British Journalists Appear in Court in Zimbabwe
Two Sunday Telegraph journalists detained in Zimbabwe have pleaded not guilty to charges of breaking immigration and press laws. By Dominic Timms.

Turkish Pm Sues Over Animal Cartoon
The Turkish prime minister, Tayyip Erdogan, once hailed as a champion of free speech, is suing a newspaper for daring to portray him as a number of animals in a cartoon, the fourth time he has taken the media to court for poking fun at him.

Madrid Bombing Suspect in Court
A terrorist suspect alleged to have been involved in the Madrid bombings appeared before a London court yesterday as the Spanish authorities began extradition proceedings.

War 'brothel Women' Lose Claim
A court in Japan yesterday rejected compensation claims by two Chinese women who say they were repeatedly raped as teenagers in a Japanese military brothel in China more than 60 years ago.

Zimbabwe Bars 3 Million Voters
More than 3 million Zimbabwean expatriates have been barred from voting in the imminent parliamentary elections by a supreme court ruling that will deprive the opposition of a large chunk of its support.

Bomb in Corsica As Trial of 'gang Leader' Starts
Five people, including two babies, were injured by flying glass when a bomb exploded outside a government building in Corsica early yesterday, hours after the alleged leader of the island's separatist movement appeared in court in Paris.

Kosovan Prime Minister Resigns
The prime minister of Kosovo announced his resignation today, saying the UN war crimes court had indicted him for his alleged part in atrocities during the 1998-1999 conflict against Serb forces.

Nazi Death Camp Guard Loses Us Citizenship
A man who has lived in the US for 56 years was deemed by a federal court in Detroit to have been a Nazi death camp guard in Poland, and was yesterday stripped of his citizenship.

Central Asian Elections Criticised
The weekend general elections in the former Soviet central Asian states of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan were condemned yesterday as marred by pressure on the independent media and court orders barring some opposition candidates.

Judge Grants Delay in Us Right-to-die Case
A court decision over whether a Florida man can order doctors to allow his comatose wife to die has been delayed for a day, as the US supreme court prepared to rule on assisted suicide laws in Oregon in a seperate case.

Court to Decide Fate of Comatose Woman
The bitter legal battle over the life of a comatose woman which has become a cause celebre for the Christian right entered its final stages yesterday in competing Florida court verdicts.

MPs on Fraud Charges
Twenty South African MPs, past and present, appeared in court yesterday on fraud charges relating to allegations that they misused their travel funds for wining, dining and lavish holidays.

Senior Officer Denies Destroying 'incriminating' Photos
The commander of the British soldiers accused in the Iraqi prisoner abuse scandal denied at their court martial today that he had disposed of incriminating photographs.

Boy Among Prisoners Held By British, Court Martial Told
A 12-year-old boy was among a group of looters in Iraq who were rounded up and allegedly abused by British soldiers, a court martial in Germany was told yesterday.

Judge: Guantánamo Inmates Can Challenge Through Us Courts
Foreign terror suspects being held in Guantánamo Bay can challenge their confinement through the US courts, a federal judge ruled today.

Accused Soldier a 'war Hero', Court Told
One of the British soldiers facing allegations of abusing and sexually humiliating Iraqi detainees was described at a court martial today as a "war hero" who had saved soldiers' lives.

Shocking Images Revealed at Britain's 'abu Ghraib Trial'
Images of British soldiers that allegedly show the abuse of Iraqi prisoners were shown to a court martial in Germany yesterday as the long-awaited case of three members of the 1st Battalion the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers got underway.

CIA Taken to Court By Spies Left Out in Cold
Former agents say promise of new life in US went sour.

MoD Move to Suppress Evidence in Abuse Court Martial
Evidence from a series of courts martial over alleged abuse of Iraqi prisoners by British soldiers may be kept secret until after the forthcoming Iraqi elections for fear that it could compromise the safety of British troops.

40 Years On, Mississippi Burning Case Finally Reaches Trial
Forty years after three civil rights workers were killed on a dirt road in Mississippi on a night that came to symbolise the racial hate of the American south, an elderly leader of the Ku Klux Klan appeared in court yesterday to be formally charged with their murder.

Woman Joins Art Thief Son in Dock
The mother of Europe's most prolific art thief was in court in France yesterday, charged with throwing many of the invaluable paintings her son had stolen into the local canal.

Yanukovich Loses Attempt to Annul Ukrainian Vote
An attempt by the Ukrainian prime minister, Viktor Yanukovich, to annul the presidential election victory of Viktor Yushchenko was rejected yesterday by the supreme court and the central election committee.

Yushchenko Courts Moscow
Viktor Yushchenko, who has an unassailable lead in Ukraine's presidential election, said today that his first task would be to travel to Moscow to try and set straight his country's "deformed" ties with Russia.

Chemical Ali Will Be the First to Be Tried, Minister Announces
One of Saddam Hussein's most feared lieutenants, known as Chemical Ali for ordering gas attacks on Kurdish villages, will appear in court in Baghdad within days, an Iraqi minister said yesterday.

Wartime Chinese Sex Slaves Lose Compensation Fight
A Japanese court today rejected a legal bid for compensation and an official apology to be given to four elderly Chinese women who were forced to become sex slaves for Japanese soldiers during the second world war.

Italian Press Review
Two contrasting court verdicts involving Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian prime minister, and one of his closest associates have prompted diverging reactions from the Italian papers.

Court Orders Repeat Ukraine Poll
Ukraine's supreme court last night delivered what appeared to be a resounding victory for the country's opposition, by annulling the results of the disputed presidential election and ordering a rerun of the poll.

Ukraine Court Rules Poll Invalid
Ukraine's supreme court today ruled that the result of the second round runoff vote in the presidential elections was invalid, upholding an appeal from the opposition that the poll was rigged.

No Decision on Ukraine Election
Ukraine's supreme court tonight adjourned without reaching a decision on the opposition's appeal that the country's recent presidential election was rigged.

Appeals Court Revives Political Future of Alain Juppé
The political future of President Chirac's favoured successor, Alain Juppé, was revived yesterday when an appeals court reduced from 10 years to one year the ban on holding elected office, which was imposed last January for his role in a 1980s party financing scandal.

Signs of Compromise in Ukraine, But Supreme Court Holds the Key
The two sides in the 11-day crisis in Ukraine showed the first signs of compromise last night when they released a joint statement promising an end to opposition blockades of government buildings and to respect the decision of the supreme court which has yet to rule on the validity of the disputed presidential elections.

Ukraine Court Attempts to End Poll Crisis
Ukraine's supreme court today began a sitting that will attempt to resolve the election crisis threatening to split the country in two.

Amelie Follow-up Not French Enough for Funding, Court Rules
Paris court rules the latest hit film from team responsible for Amelie too American to compete in French film festivals or win French prizes.

Congress Threatens to Cut Aid in Fight Over Criminal Court
The US Congress has launched a fresh attack on the international criminal court at The Hague, threatening to cut off development aid to countries who refuse to guarantee immunity from prosecution for Americans at the tribunal.

Court Ruling Boosts Opposition Hopes
Ukraine's supreme court ruled today that the country's disputed presidential election results would not be published as official until it considers an appeal filed by the opposition, which has claimed the vote was rigged.

Legal Bid to End Ukraine Crisis
The Ukrainian opposition leader, Viktor Yushchenko, filed an appeal with Ukraine's supreme court today in a bid to have the disputed presidential election results declared invalid.

I Feel Like a Corpse in a River, Says Mark Thatcher
Sir Mark Thatcher must submit to questioning in South Africa over his alleged role in an attempted coup in Equatorial Guinea, a court ruled yesterday.

Mark Thatcher to Face Coup Questions
Sir Mark Thatcher must face questioning by investigators from Equatorial Guinea over charges he helped finance a foiled coup plot there, a South African court ruled today.

Dirty Talk Among Friends, It's Like So Degrading
Details of a pending court battle involving the cast and writing team behind Friends are laid bare as writers on the show reply to allegations that they are unhealthily obsessed with sex.

Death By Stoning Sentence Overturned
An Islamic appeal court in Nigeria today overturned a sentence of death by stoning handed down to a 29-year-old pregnant woman for having sex out of wedlock. Hajara Ibrahim was convicted of adultery in September this year with her capital sentence suspended until after she gave birth. She...

Jury Mulls Verdict in Trial Transfixing America
A murder case that has transfixed the US was delicately poised last night as the jury deliberated its verdict, the judge declared exasperation and cable TV channels kept a vigil outside the California court where the trial is being held. The trial of Scott Peterson has all the ingredients...

Women's Revenge Against Rapists
Women from the slums in Nagpur in central India have attacked alleged rapists who they say are walking free from court, often with the connivance of the authorities. At the weekend a mob, dominated by 50 women and led by a rape victim, burnt down the houses of three alleged rapists who...

The Road to the Courts
If it's close, the Armageddon election could be about to sink into a legal purgatory.

Thatcher Contests 'coup' Court Case
Sir Mark Thatcher's lawyers today attempted to overturn a subpoena ordering him to testify under oath to investigators from Equatorial Guinea over an alleged coup attempt that he has been charged with helping to finance. Sir Mark, the son of former British prime minister Lady Thatcher,...

Mark Thatcher Hearing to Be Televised
Sir Mark Thatcher's alleged involvement in an attempted coup in Equatorial Guinea will make legal history in South Africa today when television cameras and radio microphones are allowed into court. A full bench of the Cape high court ruled in favour of the request by the state broadcaster...

Court Backs Extradition of Writer
France's highest court yesterday upheld a lower court decision to extradite Cesare Battisti, a former Italian terrorist turned bestselling crime writer who is on the run after 15 years living openly in Paris. In a statement handed to journalists outside the court, Battisti, 49, denied...

Judges Arrive on Pitcairn As Abuse Trials Loom
On a short concrete jetty in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, a dozen judges and court officials took their first steps on Pitcairn Island yesterday, helped by the very people they have been sent to judge. It was a hot, calm day and people wore shorts and T-shirts while legal documents,...

Coup Plot Leader Gets Seven Years
Simon Mann, the leader of the failed coup attempt in Equatorial Guinea, was starting a seven-year jail sentence in Zimbabwe last night for trying to buy weapons from Zimbabwe's state arms manufacturer. A court in Harare ruled that the Old Etonian and former SAS officer should stay behind...

Simon Mann Jailed for Seven Years
A court in Zimbabwe today sentenced British mercenary Simon Mann to seven years in prison for attempting to buy arms to overthrow the government of Equatorial Guinea. The court also handed down 16-month sentences to the two pilots of a plane that landed in Zimbabwe in March carrying...

Mark Thatcher Faces Court Over 'coup Plot'
South Africa's justice ministry today approved a request from Equatorial Guinea to question Sir Mark Thatcher over an alleged plot to overthrow its government. The 51-year-old son of Lady Thatcher, the former British prime minister, is likely to face questioning in open court over...

Thatcher inquiry to question freed men
Two South Africans acquitted by a Zimbabwean court of charges related to the alleged coup plot in Equatorial Guinea are to be questioned today by the South African authorities.

Leaders Call for a Peaceful Intifada
Palestinians' triple strategy: polls, demonstrations and court cases.

Inside the Shrine, Wounded Return From Bloody Battle
As the day wore on, more and more injured young men wrapped in bandages were being carried across the sun-baked tiles of the courtyard in the Imam Ali shrine. In one alcove in the turquoise-tiled wall was a small makeshift hospital with two metal beds and a stack of drugs and bandages. On...

Court Backs Vanunu Travel Ban
The Israeli supreme court today upheld a travel ban on nuclear whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu, refusing to let him move abroad on the grounds that he may reveal further state secrets. Mr Vanunu, a former technician at the Dimona nuclear reactor, served an 18-year prison term for revealing...

Trial By Television
We may be about to get our own OJ moments as cameras go into court. The retrial of Sion Jenkins on charges of murdering his stepdaughter, ordered yesterday by the court of appeal, is just the kind of high-profile case the media would love to transmit on TV.

Prodi Hails Verdict on Budget Violations
Europe's highest court ruled yesterday that EU governments had acted illegally in ignoring a call to punish France and Germany for violating budget rules - a decision that fuelled demands to reform the way the eurozone works. The ruling by the European court of justice was welcomed by the...

Court Move By British Detainee
A British man seized in Africa before being locked up as a terrorist at Guantánamo Bay has begun a legal bid for freedom. Lawyers for Martin Mubanga have filed a petition in the US courts demanding that the Bush administration justifies the continued detention of the 31-year-old from...

European Court Rules on Budget Violators
Europe's highest court ruled yesterday that EU governments had acted illegally in ignoring a call to punish France and Germany for violating budget rules - a decision that fuelled demands to reform the way the eurozone works. The ruling by the European court of justice was welcomed by the...

West Bank Barrier Ruling: the Court
It is rare for the international court of justice (ICJ), situated in a leafy suburb of The Hague, to attract the sort of intense global attention it was getting yesterday over the ruling on Israel's West Bank barrier. Normally it has a low profile despite being the highest legal authority...

Palestinians Await Verdict on Barrier
International court to rule on legality of 'anti-terror' construction.

Pentagon Accused of Evading Guantánamo Ruling
The Pentagon said last night it would create military review panels to weigh the legality of detentions at Guantánamo, in a measure that critics said falls far short of a supreme court ruling that entitles prisoners to challenge their detentions in US courts.

Leaner Dictator Keeps Fit in Jail and Gives Little Away to Captors
The thinned-out face of Saddam Hussein broadcast from his first courtroom hearing may not have been entirely due to the stress of his impending trial. For in between the interrogations which appear to have yielded little for the coalition, Saddam has been working out in his jail twice a...

Court Drama or Circus - a Nation is Hooked
Mixed emotions greet ex-president's first appearance in dock.

Guantánamo Prisoners Will Be Able to Challenge Their Detention in Us Courts
Right to challenge detentions is upheld by 6-3. Prisoners held at Guantánamo Bay will be able to challenge their detention in the American courts after the US supreme court yesterday curbed the Bush administration's power to deny detainees the right to a lawyer.

British Soldiers Face Abuse Court Martial
· Indecent assault among first charges
· Guardian told of new ill treatment allegations

Caroline Abuser 'sane, But Violent Pervert'
Psychiatrist at Cornish schoolgirl murder trial says suspect would probably have killed again · French court told he had photo of teenager.

Falconio Suspect 'altered His Looks'
The chief suspect in the outback murder of the British backpacker Peter Falconio discussed ways of getting rid of bodies shortly after the incident, an Australian court heard yesterday. James Hepi, the former business partner of Bradley Murdoch, told the court in Darwin that Mr Murdoch...

Saudi Guilty of Assaulting Tv Presenter Wife
The husband of a Saudi television presenter has been sentenced to hundreds of lashes and six months in jail for a brutal assault on her, a Saudi court official disclosed yesterday.

Good Riddance is Not Enough
Abu Hamza is unlikeable, but British courts must refuse this extradition. The fate of Abu Hamza is not likely to arouse widespread public indignation.

Lees Admits to Secret Liaison
Girlfriend of missing backpacker Peter Falconio flies out amid media hostility after court grilling over lover.

Officer Faces Jail for Refusing to Fight
A US sergeant who left the battlefield in Iraq because of moral objections to the war was found guilty of desertion at a court martial yesterday. He could be sentenced to imprisonment for up to a year. Camilo Mejia had argued that he left his unit as a matter of conscience after six...

Weary Zimbabweans Seek Better Life
A year ago this week, Guardian reporter Andrew Meldrum was expelled from Zimbabwe after being seized by security agents and held captive for 11 hours, despite a court order declaring the action illegal. From the Ramokgwebana border post in northern Botswana, he reports on the country he called home for 20 years.

US Prosecutes Greenpeace Under 1872 Law
Greenpeace will appear in court in Miami on Monday in what is believed to be the first criminal prosecution in the United States of a campaign group for the activities of its members. The case has been attacked by the former vice-president Al Gore and many civil rights groups, who claim...

Marksist Tendencies
Luc Vandevelde has resigned as Chairman of Marks & Spencer, and one heavyweight shareholder says the retailer is better off without him. That sounds a bit discourteous - until you remember that M&S actually invented courtesy.

Bardot Weeps Over Racism Charges
The French actor Brigitte Bardot yesterday broke into tears after defending herself against racism accusations in a Paris courtroom

High Court to Hear Claims of Unlawful Killing By Soldiers
The high court, in a test case with widespread implications for British soldiers, will next week hear claims that they acted unlawfully by killing innocent Iraqis in a series of incidents in Basra.

Americas Georgia Sex Attacker's Jail Term Cut
The 10 year prison sentence of a black 18-year-old convicted of aggravated child molestation after sex with a 15-year-old white girl was thrown out yesterday by Georgia's supreme court. In a case which ignited racial tensions in the Deep South, the state's highest court ruled that Marcus...

Georgia Sex Attacker's Jail Term Cut
The 10 year prison sentence of a black 18-year-old convicted of aggravated child molestation after sex with a 15-year-old white girl was thrown out yesterday by Georgia's supreme court. In a case which ignited racial tensions in the Deep South, the state's highest court ruled that Marcus...

Jakarta Judge Lifts Blight on Prudential
Prudential Insurance's Indonesian unit yesterday announced it had won a court battle allowing it to reopen for business a week after being declared bankrupt despite being in rude financial health. A supervisory judge in Jakarta's commercial court also ordered the administrator Yuhelson to...

Hope of Freedom for Death-row Scot
Scot who has spent 18 years on death row in Ohio has been given hope of freedom by federal appeal court judges.

Vanunu Released After 18 Years
Israeli nuclear whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu was freed today after serving an 18-year prison term for revealing secrets that exposed Israel as one of the world's top atomic powers. Flashing victory signs, Mr Vanunu waved as he walked into the courtyard of the Shikma prison in...

Survivor Faces Dutroux in Belgian Court
Victim of Belgium's most notorious child rapist asks her tormentor: 'Why did you not liquidate me?'

Survivor Confronts Dutroux in Court
Victim of Belgium's most notorious child rapist asks her tormentor: 'Why did you not liquidate me?'

Guantánamo Cases Go to Supreme Court
The US supreme court will intervene for the first time today in the detention of more than 600 prisoners at the Guantánamo naval base, taking up a case that could impose the first ground rules on the Bush administration's conduct of the war on terror.

Oil Yukos Chief Challenges Investors
Simon Kukes, chief executive of Yukos, the Russian oil group, yesterday challenged the authorities and shareholders to come clean over the stalled merger with Sibneft. With the Russian courts effectively trying to force a demerger between Yukos and Sibneft, Mr Kukes sais he and his directors could...

Yukos Chief Challenges Investors
Simon Kukes, chief executive of Yukos, the Russian oil group, yesterday challenged the authorities and shareholders to come clean over the stalled merger with rival company Sibneft. With the Russian courts effectively trying to force a demerger between Yukos and Sibneft, Mr Kukes warned...

Secret No-fly List Challenged in Court
America's secret registry of airline passengers singled out for extra security screening is being legally challenged by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of seven harassed travellers.

Kosovans Fired on By British Peacekeepers Win Damages
Two cousins of a Kosovo Liberation Army soldier shot dead by British peacekeepers in 1999 won a landmark compensation claim yesterday. In the first successful high court damages claim by civilians injured by peacekeeping forces abroad, Mohamet Bici and Skender Bici won cases for...

Security Forces Lock Themselves Behind Barricades
Lieutenant Colonel Saad Jasim is reluctant to talk in the open courtyard. He orders his men to bolt the metal door to his small office before he will agree to speak.

Thais Jail British Drug Smuggler, 19, for Life
An unemployed British teenager was jailed yesterday for life for smuggling 3,400 ecstasy pills into Thailand. Michael Alan Connell, 19, from Bury, Greater Manchester, escaped the mandatory death sentence because he had cooperated with the authorities, court documents said. A life sentence...

Life for Killer of Anna Lindh
Court rules that school dropout knew what he was doing when he stabbed popular foreign minister.

French Rock Star Was an 'assassin Without Regrets'
Her voice taut with emotion, the mother of Marie Trintignant yesterday described the rock star Bertrand Cantat, on trial in a Vilnius courtroom for the actor's murder, as an "assassin" whose "regrets I cannot for one moment believe". Vladimiras Serguejevas, the public prosecutor in the...

Chief Judge Sidelined at War Crimes Court
The UN-backed war crimes court in Sierra Leone has barred its president, Geoffrey Robertson QC, from judging cases involving rebels because of the appearance of bias against them. The ruling at the weekend defied calls to dump the London-based human rights lawyer but it sidelined him from...

UN War Crimes Judge Defies Calls to Resign
Sierra Leone court to rule on 'biased' British barrister.

War Crimes Court Opens in Freetown
The UN-backed war crimes court in Sierra Leone opened its new courthouse yesterday, but was left guessing about whether its president will step down because of alleged bias against some defendants. UN and government officials joined Geoffrey Robertson QC at the ceremony in the capital,...

War Crimes Trial Begins in Serbia
The watershed war crimes trial of six men accused of the massacre of 192 Croatian prisoners of war today opened in a court in Serbia. The case is the first of its kind to be heard in the country since the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague allowed war crimes suspects to face trial in the...

Dutroux Boasts of Dungeon of Death
The convicted child rapist Marc Dutroux yesterday described to a court how he kidnapped and abused girls and held them in a dungeon he said was undetectable.

Peter Foster's Mail Injunction Refused
Tony Blair could be forced to resign if confidential material is published in a forthcoming biography of the Australian conman Peter Foster, it was suggested in a court case in Brisbane yesterday. Mr Foster's lawyers launched an injunction in the Queensland supreme court to force a...

Lord Black's Empire and His Head Are on the Block
The Delaware court verdict has put Lord Black's empire - and his head - on the block, says Frank Kane.

Payout Claim for Civilians Shot in Basra
Relatives of men killed by British troops seek compensation at high court as US-led coalition misses deadline for new constitution.

García Márquez's Fans Wait for Army to Do Right By the Colonel
Court to rule on saga of novelist's grandfather.

García Mã¡rquez's Fans Wait for Army to Do Right By the Colonel
Court to rule on saga of novelist's grandfather.

Middle East Conflict Hits The Hague
Court hears case against Israeli barrier.

Suicide Bomber Kills 8 on Bus
A suicide bomber murdered eight people on a rush hour bus in Jerusalem yesterday, underlining the bitter arguments around the opening of an international court of justice hearing on the legality of Israel's vast "anti-terror fence".

Hollinger Board Defamed Me, Black Tells Court
Conrad Black, the embattled Daily Telegraph tycoon, hit back at his critics yesterday, saying his company was being run by a group of directors trying to inflict "the maximum possible damage" on him. He also took a swipe at the "obsessive and constant malicious speculation" of the firm's...

Tycoon's 'threat to Sack' Hollinger Board
Conrad Black, the press tycoon behind the Daily Telegraph, threatened to remove the board of his company Hollinger International if it tried to get in the way of his plans to sell off the newspaper empire, a court was told yesterday. The Hollinger chairman, Gordon Paris, made th