[JURIST] Iran, Britain, France and Germany reached a preliminary agreement in Paris Sunday on Iran's use of nuclear technology. Details of the agreement were not revealed, but an Iranian negotiator says "fundamental principals had been agreed [upon]." While Iran denies the existence of a secret nuclear weapons program, Europe has called for full suspension of all uranium enrichment activities in the country. The agreement comes one week after the Iranian parliament voted to continue uranium enrichment. The draft has to be approved by the capitals of all four countries before it can be made public. BBC News has more.

[JURIST] A referendum in Macedonia designed to block a law that gave its Albanian minority greater rights has failed due to a low turnout. The law, already passed by the Macedonian parliament, redraws local boundaries in the former Yugoslav Republic, and gives the 25% Albanian minority more say over schools, health care policy and jobs. Proponents of the bill view its implementation as crucial to securing Macedonia's NATO and European Union membership. BBC has more. JURIST has more information on Macedonia here.

[JURIST] The Taliban-related group holding 3 UN workers hostage in Afghanistan has agreed to forego other demands relating to their release in exchange for the release of 26 prisoners, some believed to be held at Guantanamo Bay. A list was given to Afghan officials Sunday and the group has given the government until Tuesday to comply. The UN has declined to comment but a spokesperson for the captors has suggested that a deal could be brokered following Sunday's negotiations. Reuters has more.

[JURIST] The UN Security Council late Saturday issued a statement condemning Ivory Coast air force raids again rebel cities in which eight French peacekeepers attached to the UNOCI (United Nations Operation in the Ivory Coast) were killed, leading to French retaliation in which five Ivory Coast war planes were destroyed, virtually obliterating the government air force. The UN statement called for an end to all military operations and confirmed that French and UN peacekeepers were authorised to use all necessary means to carry out their mandate. Read the full text of the UN statement here. BBC News has more. Red Cross officials estimated Sunday that 150 people have been injured in local riots which broke out after word spread of the French retaliation. Mobs attacked a French military base and raided homes seeking French citizens, who have been cautioned not to go out in public. 250 additional French troops have been dispatched to Abidjan and European residents are being evacuated. Read a French Defense Ministry statement here. The United States has issued travel warnings for the region. ABC News has more.

[JURIST] Authorities in Ghana have arrested 7 people believed to be plotting the overthrow of President John Kufuor (official biography). The suspects are former and current members of the military and the plan allegedly included sabotaging the upcoming presidential election. President Kufuor is expected to win a second term in the December 7 vote. BBC has more.

[JURIST] Following up on a story first reported Saturday afternoon on JURIST, Iraq's interim government has declared a 60-day state of emergency covering the whole country except for the Kurdish north. Early reports coming out of Kuwait had suggested that the declaration would only apply to central provinces. An Iraqi spokesman said the declaration came in response to targeting of infrastructure by "criminals and terrorists" as part of an effort to disrupt January's elections. Interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi is expected to provide further details regarding the state of emergency on Monday. BBC News has more.

[JURIST] Sunday's New York Times highlights the way Chief Justice Rehnquist's illness has affected the state of the US Supreme Court. The Times also covers the first person to be sentenced for violating a new federal law designed to protect hospital patient's privacy, and a federal appeals court's decision concerning the Energy Department's plan to store radioactive sludge in tanks beneath Washington state and not in a central repository.

Today's Washington Post reports on the Iraqi interim government's decision to declare martial law.

Lastly, the Los Angeles Times highlights the type of justice detainees face at the US naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.