Obama administration keeps Bush view on Afghanistan detainees

The Obama administration told a federal court late Friday it will maintain the Bush administration’s position that battlefield detainees held without charges by the United States in Afghanistan are not entitled to constitutional rights to challenge their detention. “Having considered the matter, the government adheres to its previously articulated position,” said a Justice Department document filed in federal court in Washington. In a controversial 5-4 vote, the Supreme Court last year ruled that detainees held at the U.S

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Author jailed for insulting Thai king freed

An Australian author imprisoned last month for insulting the king and crown prince of Thailand was on his way home Saturday after receiving a pardon from the king. Harry Nicolaides, 41, was arrested last August over his 2005 book titled “Verisimilitude.” The book includes a paragraph about the king and crown prince that authorities deemed a violation of a law that makes it illegal to defame, insult or threaten the crown

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U.S. resumes diplomatic talks with Syria

The State Department’s top Middle East official will meet next week with the Syrian ambassador to the United States as part of what senior administration officials call a resumption of diplomatic dialogue with Damascus after nearly four years. Jeffrey Feltman, the acting assistant secretary for the Near East, requested a meeting with Ambassador Imad Moustapha, according to State Department spokesman Gordon Duguid.

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Parents of 18 wonder how octuplet mom will cope

Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar of Springdale, Arkansas, are the parents of 18 children, and their family is the focus of a TLC network reality series. Joy Behar, guest host Thursday night on “Larry King Live,” asked the Duggars how they are able to stay debt free with such a large family and what they thought of Nadya Suleman, the single mother who recently gave birth to octuplets after having fertility treatments

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