Two Saudi Women Win Election, Alito on Roe

POLITICS

Black woman may be appointed to Senate - CNN
Shortly after being elected New Jersey's governor, Democrat Jon Corzine speculated aloud that he might appoint a woman to fill out his unexpired Senate term. Then he singled out black state Sen. Nia Gill, calling her an "extraordinarily capable
woman."

IN THE COURTS

Roberts Seeks Middle Ground - Washington Post
It's the middle of the night in New Hampshire, and a teenager, afraid to tell her parents she is pregnant, appears at an emergency room. A doctor diagnoses a spike in blood pressure that won't kill the girl but could render her sterile unless she has an immediate abortion. The doctor calls a judge for permission to perform the procedure, as state law prescribes -- and voice mail answers.
"What's supposed to happen?" asked Justice Stephen G. Breyer, who posed the hypothetical situation during oral arguments at the Supreme Court yesterday.

Alito Helped Craft Reagan-Era Move To Restrict 'Roe' - Washington Post
As a Justice Department lawyer in the Reagan administration, Supreme Court nominee Samuel A. Alito Jr. helped devise a legal strategy to persuade the high court to restrict and eventually overturn Roe v. Wade , the historic decision legalizing abortion.
In a memo disclosed yesterday that he wrote in 1985 as an assistant to the solicitor general, Alito recommended that the administration submit a brief to the Supreme Court, asking it to uphold a Pennsylvania law that imposed a variety of abortion restrictions and "make clear that we disagree with Roe v. Wade ."

Alito's Appeals Court Record on Race, Gender - NPR
According to some legal analysts, fewer race and gender discrimination cases would be heard by federal courts if Judge Samuel Alito is confirmed to replace Justice Sandra Day O'Connor on the U.S. Supreme Court.

INTERNATIONAL

Women Create History in JCCI Poll - Guardian
Two women -- Lama Al-Sulaiman and Nashwa Taher -- created history yesterday by winning election to the board of directors of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
In highly surprising and exciting results to the extremely competitive elections, the Lejeddah group, which included Lama Al-Sulaiman and Nashwa Taher, swept the 12 seats in the elections. A total of 17 women ran in the historic elections, but no one expected any of them to win. It was the first time ever that women were elected to the JCCI board.

HIV-Infected Women March on AIDS Day - AP
Dozens of HIV-infected women stepped out of the shadows in eastern India to acknowledge they have the disease and say they should not be shunned. China, in its marking of World Aids Day, began an educational campaign targeting millions of migrant workers Thursday.

Muslim women take charge of their faith - International Herald Tribune
A new generation of young European Muslim women are claiming the same rights as their Western sisters while not renouncing Islamic principles.

Fighting words from first female Ombudsman - Asia News Network
The first female Filipino Ombudsman had fighting words as she prepared to take on the job.

Let's Fight Against Gender Violence - AllAfrica.com
As Zimbabwe observes "16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence," it is necessary to remind authorities of the need to have the Domestic Violence Bill passed into law without further delay.

Law 'Fails to Protect Women Properly' - AllAfrica.com
While South Africa is internationally recognised as having some of the most enlightened legislation protecting women, it also has one of the world's highest incidences of rape and gender violence.