The UK House of Lords Tuesday defeated a government measure that would have redefined the centuries-old office of Lord Chancellor by no longer requiring the position to be held by someone who was both a lawyer and member of the British parliament's upper chamber. The government measure was presented as one to better ensure the [...]

A Florida judge Tuesday refused to stay a constitutional amendment approved by state voters last month that would require hospitals to release records relating to adverse medical incidents. Florida hospitals had asked for the amendment to be put on hold pending legislative clarification of precisely what records the amendment applied to and how those records [...]

Spanish authorities say they have arrested the "mastermind" of the Madrid train bombings of March 11 this year that killed almost 200 people. Rabei Osman Sayed Ahmed, an Egyptian national, was arrested by Italian police in Milan in June, but was formally extradited to Spain on Tuesday. Appearing briefly in Madrid's High Court before being [...]

The UN Security Council declared Tuesday that the recent incursion of Rwandan troops into territory of the Democratic Republic of Congo was a violation of international law, according to a statement read by Council President Abdallah Baali of Algeria. The statement went on to condemn any military action that might occur within the borders of [...]

Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, US House and Senate conference report version, approved by the House December 7, 2004. Read the full text of the legislation here . Reported in JURIST's Paper Chase here.

BBC News is reporting that the Ukrainian parliament has passed reform measures to eliminate fraud from the re-run of the presidential vote later this month, and to weaken the president's powers. 9:15 AM ET – More details are now available here. According to the BBC, the reforms include: Reforming the Central Election Commission, dismissing the [...]

Log of (and links to) records obtained by the American Civil Liberties Union from the US Defense Department and other government agencies pursuant to a Freedom of Information Act request for documents concerning the treatment and interrogation of detainees in United States custody, the deaths of detainees in United States custody, and the "rendition" of [...]

The Prosecutor v. Slobodan Milosevic, Decision on assigned counsel's motion for withdrawal, International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, December 7, 2004 . Excerpt: The Trial Chamber observes that assignment of counsel against the wishes of the accused is a developing area of the law both in national and international jurisdictions. In such a situation [...]

Kansas v. Colorado, United States Supreme Court, December 7, 2004, majority opinion by Justice Breyer . Read the full text of the ruling here . Reported in JURIST's Paper Chase here.

The US House of Representatives has passed the revised conference report version of an intelligence reform bill based on recommendations from the 9/11 Commission. 7:57 PM ET – S. 2845, variously called the National Intelligence Reform Act or (according to the conference report) the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, passed 336-75. AFP [...]