Three Sikh boys have been expelled from a school outside Paris for breaking the new French law which bans religious items in the classroom. The boys were expelled after months of debate to determine whether turbans were acceptable under the new law. In most schools, Sikhs have reached agreements where they are allowed to wear [...]

Jordan's State Security Court on Monday acquitted four defendants charged with forming a "fighting cell" and planning attacks on Americans and Jews in Jordan. The acquittals were reportedly due to a lack of evidence. Each of the defendants were nonetheless sentenced to one year in prison for possessing illegal weapons; three of them were given [...]

A report by the Rand Institute for Civil Justice released Monday has found that victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks have received $38.1 billion in compensation, mostly from insurance companies. The largest portion of the compensation went to New York City businesses, which received $23.3 billion. Additionally, some lawsuits over the attacks are still [...]

The Swiss government announced Monday that a special prosecutor has been appointed to determine whether government officials in the Swiss Federal Prosecutor's Office leaked secret information that aided Russia's legal campaign against Yukos, its largest oil company. The Swiss government made the appointment in response to complaints from lawyers defending Yukos that claimed Swiss officials [...]

In Monday's corporations and securities law news, securities regulator National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) has announced that it has brought charges against H&R Block Inc. for fraudulently promoting Enron Corp. bonds to customers just weeks before the energy giant declared bankruptcy in 2001. The company received profits of over $500,000 by allegedly paying its [...]

The European Union filed a complaint Monday with the World Trade Organization against the US and Canada for failing to lift sanctions against the EU over the EU's ban on importing hormone-treated beef. In 1998, the WTO ruled that the EU's beef ban was illegal, and the US and Canada responded with $125 million in [...]

Chief Justice William Rehnquist remained at home Monday while the Supreme Court heard arguments in two cases. Rehnquist continues to work from home while he receives radiation and chemotherapy for thyroid cancer. Justice John Paul Stevens commented from the bench at this morning's court session that Rehnquist "is unable to be present but will participate [...]

Twelve female prisoners jailed in Nepal for having abortions prior to 2002 have been granted amnesty, Nepalese King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev said Monday through a Department of Prisons press release. Abortions were illegal in Nepal until 2002 and were punishable by up to three years in prison. Women's rights groups had been fighting [...]

New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer Monday announced the resolution of three cases that involved posting false bids to drive up the price of auctions on internet marketplace EBay. Over 120 people will receive restitution payments for their purchases of artwork, sports memorabilia, and cars in on-line auctions; together with fines, the sellers will pay [...]

Novell Inc. announced Monday that it has agreed to a settlement with Microsoft Corp. over antitrust issues. The dispute involved Novell's NetWare, an operating system with which Novell had hoped to compete with Microsoft's Windows. The two companies agreed that Microsoft will pay Novell $536 million in cash. Novell has plans for an additional antitrust [...]