Portugal constitutional court blocks referendum on abortion law News
Portugal constitutional court blocks referendum on abortion law

[JURIST] Portugal's constitutional court [official website] has blocked a national referendum designed to relax the country's abortion laws. Prime Minister Jose Socrates [official profile, in Portuguese] and the ruling Socialist party had intended to hold the referendum on November 27 to decide whether abortions during the first ten weeks of pregnancy should become legal. Currently, Portugal has one of Europe's strictest laws on the matter, only permitting abortion before the 12th week and under strict circumstances – such as incest or fetal impairment. In May, President Jorge Sampio [official profile, in Portuguese], who supports legalized abortion, rejected a referendum because voter turnout was expected to be too low. The court ruled Friday that allowing the vote before September 2006 would be unconstitutional because the same referendum was rejected in the current legislature. BBC News has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Egypt President Anwar Sadat visits Israel

On November 19, 1977, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat visited Israel, becoming the first leader of an Arab nation to officially visit. Two years later, President Sadat became the first Arab leader to recognize Israel by signing the Egyptian-Israeli Peace Treaty. Read President Sadat's address to the Israeli Knesset.

Jay Treaty signed

On November 19, 1794, US Chief Justice John Jay and British foreign secretary Lord Grenville signed a treaty in Philadelphia under which British forces pulled out of the disputed Northwest Territory. Review the Jay Treaty.