In an interview with the German Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper to be published Tuesday, Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel , whose country is scheduled to take over the six-month rotating EU presidency from the UK at the beginning of 2006, has suggested that EU countries make another attempt to ratify the troubled European Constitution in two [...]

Leading Monday's corporations and securities law brief, the New York Stock Exchange says it has censured and fined Merrill Lynch for what it called "supervisory and operational lapses." In a press release, the NYSE indicated it has fined the brokerage giant $10 million for, among other things, failure to deliver prospectuses and product descriptions to [...]

Leading Monday's states brief, the Rhode Island Supreme Court heard oral arguments today on whether a casino proposed by the Narragansett Indian tribe and the Las Vegas-based Harrah's Entertainment would be a constitutional expansion of gambling. Last year, the Supreme Court declared the proposal unconstitutional because it violated the requirement that all lotteries be state [...]

The Iraqi National Assembly has voted unanimously to allow a seven-day extension to allow Iraq's constitutional committee time to finish drafting the Iraqi constitution . From Baghdad, the Iraq the Model weblog carries updates on the parliamentary session as broadcast on Al-Iraqia TV. The extension is said to have been accomplished by legislative approval of [...]

Iraq's National Assembly has just convened its Monday evening session to consider Iraq's draft constitution . As reported earlier today on JURIST's Paper Chase, there have been conflicting reports over whether an agreement on the draft has actually been reached. Nasar al-Rubaie, a Shiite lawmaker, has said that there has been an agreement on all [...]

Senior Teheran Prosecutor Saeed Mortazavi said Monday it was a lie that jailed Iranian journalist Akbar Ganji , who supporters claim has not eaten for 67 days, was on hunger strike. The situation involving Ganji has provoked comments of concern from the White House, European Union and human rights groups. They have called on Iran [...]

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan Monday ordered an investigation into the operations of the multi-billion dollar procurement division of the United Nations. Annan said UN Controller Warren Sachs would oversee the division while an independent commission probes earlier charges and the charges stemming from the latest report provided by the panel investigating the Oil-for-Food scandal . [...]

JURIST is looking for talented, public-service oriented law students from law schools in the US and abroad to join our team of real-time legal news editors this fall. From Los Angeles to London, from Chicago to Cairo – if you're a law student looking for intensive research, writing and editing experience and your own byline [...]

Indonesia and Muslim Aceh rebels on Monday signed a historic peace accord to end decades of fighting that killed thousands of people. Along with cessation of all hostilities, the separatists have dropped their long-held demands for independence and agreed to put down their arms and demobilize their troops. The pact also gives amnesty to members [...]

Palestinian Minister of Prisoners' Affairs Sufian Abu Zaydeh said Monday that the Palestinian Authority is demanding that the Israeli government release some 650 prisoners arrested during the Israeli settlement process of the Gaza Strip . Palestinian officials have hailed the withdrawal as a truly meaningful step in peace between the two peoples, but have warned [...]