http://www.loc.gov/law/ The Global Legal Monitor is an online publication from the Law Library of Congress covering legal news and developments worldwide. It is updated frequently and draws on information from the Global Legal Information Network, official national legal publications, and reliable press sources. You can search previous news by searching the archive. en-us http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_914_text Piracy - On December 16, 2008, the United Nations Security Council adopted its fourth resolution since June on combating piracy off Somalia's coast. Unlike the others, however, the latest resolution "empowers states combating piracy to conduct operations on... Thu, 08 Jan 2009 12:00:00 EST http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_914_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_878_text War - On November 27, 2008, the Iraqi Parliament approved the Status-of-Forces Agreement (SOFA) with the United States. SOFA calls for the withdrawal of the American forces from Iraqi cities by July 30, 2009, and from the entire... Wed, 07 Jan 2009 12:00:00 EST http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_878_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_902_text Currency and Coins - January 1, 2009, marks the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the EU common currency, the euro, which was instituted six months after the establishment of the European Central Bank. The Bank introduced the banknotes and... Mon, 05 Jan 2009 12:00:00 EST http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_902_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_901_text Government Employees - The Government of Sri Lanka has taken steps to cut the cost of living for its citizens and strengthen the economy. They were announced in a special Cabinet meeting called by President Mahinda Rajapaksa on December... Mon, 05 Jan 2009 12:00:00 EST http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_901_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_900_text Domestic Violence - On November 25, 2008, the Peruvian Congress amended existing laws to provide greater protections for victims of domestic violence. Law No. 29282, enacted after the incorporation of observations submitted by President Alan Garcia Perez, amends the... Mon, 05 Jan 2009 12:00:00 EST http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_900_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_899_text Health - The Uruguayan Congress passed Law No.18360 on September 26, 2008, concerning the installation of external automatic defibrillators in public or private establishments where large numbers of people gather. The Law states that those establishments are to... Mon, 05 Jan 2009 12:00:00 EST http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_899_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_895_text International Law - On December 22, 2008, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and French President Nicolas Sarkozy signed several agreements in the area of defense during Sarkozy's visit to Rio de Janeiro. The agreements include the purchase... Mon, 05 Jan 2009 12:00:00 EST http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_895_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_898_text Terrorism - On December 23, 2008, the Australian government, under new Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, put before the country's Parliament new proposals to counter terrorism. According to a press release issued the same day, the proposals are a... Wed, 31 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_898_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_897_text Human Rights - On December 15, 2008, the Constitutional Court of Hungary ruled that a 2007 law, which would have recognized civil partnerships between same-sex couples and unmarried couples and given them related rights, "diminishes the importance of marriage,"... Wed, 31 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_897_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_896_text Human Rights - On November 17, 2008, the Supreme Court of Nepal issued a "landmark" ruling ordering the government to end discrimination based on sexual orientation, "to extend equal rights to gender minorities," and to formulate "a same-sex partnership... Tue, 30 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_896_text