Spineless in South Dakota

Staff / Truthdig Mar 10, 2006 The state's top newspaper refuses to run any editorial on abortion--despite the recent statewide abortion ban that may go to the Supreme Court. "Rather than change anyone's mind, we would create another controversy," says an editor. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

South Dakota Abortion Law to Challenge Roe

Staff / Truthdig Mar 7, 2006 In signing a bill intended to ban almost all abortions in the state, Gov Mike Rounds is directly challenging the Supreme Court's 1973 Roe v Wade ruling, hoping that a more conservative court will revisit the issue (The South Dakota bill is particularly draconian: It makes no exceptions for rape or incest) The NY Times reports that parental-notification laws do little to discourage abortions or pregnancies Watch a related report on PBS Online NewsHour or read the transcript . Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Bush: Torture Ban Not Valid at Gitmo

Staff / Truthdig Mar 3, 2006 Truly shocking: White House lawyers are arguing that the new law banning cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment of detainees does not apply to people held at Guantanamo. Of course, we should have seen this coming when Bush, upon signing the law, brushed off Congress and America by reserving the right to ignore the law under his powers as commander in chief. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Iraq Headed Squarely Toward Civil War

Staff / Truthdig Mar 1, 2006 A bomb in a vegetable market killed 36 people in Baghdad, prompting the government to announce a one-day ban on all vehicles in the city This comes on the heels of similarly deadly bombings Wednesday and the day before The Washington Post put the death toll of this recent spate of violence at over 1,300 What's worse, America's spy chief tells Congress that the violence could destabilize the entire region--which would completely upend one of Bush's main reasons for invasion in the first place. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Court Sides With Abortion Protesters

Staff / Truthdig Feb 28, 2006 The Supreme Court ruling had nothing to do with the underlying issue of abortion. Rather, the court ruled that federal extortion and racketeering laws cannot be used to ban demonstrations. (Alito, by the way, sat this one out.) Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Holland To Vote on Burqa Ban

Staff / Truthdig Jan 17, 2006 One of the most socially progressive European states debates whether or not to allow women to wear the garments in public Can a fatwa be far off? | storyAlso, The Guardian probes an Islamic debate over the place of nudity in, heaven forbid, marriage | story. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )