Draft resolution proposal to expand the UN Security Council, United Nations General Assembly, July 11, 2005 . Read the full text of the draft resolution here . Reported in JURIST's Paper Chase here.

US District Judge T.S. Ellis Monday denied a motion by US-based security firm Custer Battles to invoke the False Claims Act to dismiss a lawsuit brought by two former employees alleging that the Rhode Island security firm defrauded the US government of millions under its contract to guard Baghdad Airport . Ellis did, however, eliminate [...]

Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau has announced a criminal investigation of former UN Oil-for-Food chief Benon Sevan . According to a New York Sun report, Sevan is being investigated in connection with allegations of commercial bribery related to his role as executive director of the UN Oil-for-Food Program for Iraq from 1997-2003. Last week, the [...]

A former Yugoslav army general testifying Monday on behalf of former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic denied that the former leader and Bosnian Serb forces were responsible for the 1995 Srebrenica massacre, and suggested it did not even take place. Bozidar Delic, army commander during Bosnia's 1992-95 war, rejected reports that estimate nearly 8000 Muslims were [...]

Leading Monday's corporations and securities law news, Sprint has said it will buy its affiliate and litigant, US Unwired . In a press release, Sprint said it will purchase its Louisiana-based distributor for $1.3 billion and US Unwired will cease all pending legal action against Sprint. US Unwired had recently filed suit against Sprint in [...]

Leading Monday's states brief, the Illinois Supreme Court has denied the request of the Associated Press and two newspapers for access to transcripts of a pre-trial hearing involving a state murder charge arising out of the drowning deaths of three children. The crganizations argued unsuccessfully that a lower court judge had not met the standards [...]

US Justice Department antitrust regulators have asked for more information about a $3.4 billion stock bid by Adobe Systems Inc. to buy Macromedia Inc. . The DOJ wants to know more about the competitive landscape for multimedia content tools . Adobe makes popular document editing software such as Photoshop, Pagemaker, and Acrobat. Macromedia is perhaps [...]

US District Judge Denise Cote gave preliminary approval Monday to a civil settlement that would have convicted former WorldCom CEO Bernard Ebbers forfeit as much as $45 million in personal assests in order to avoid paying restitution. Ebbers still faces criminal sentencing for his conviction on Wednesday; a lengthy prison term is expected. AP has [...]

Fomer Russian prime minister Mikhail Kasyanov is being investigated by Russia's Prosecutor General for fraud and abuse of trust, according to Russian media reports Monday. Kasyanov is suspected of buying a $100 million country home and another real estate parcel at a fraction of their cost. He said he is "ready to provide every assistance [...]

Indonesia filed criminal charges Monday against Richard Ness, the American chief of Newmont Mining Corporation's Indonesian subsidiary, alleging environmental pollution. Indonesia previously filed a $133 million civil suit against Newmont, which has denied any wrongdoing . The charges stem from claims that residents near a Newmont facility became ill from waste dumped into the air [...]