Iraq aims to finish constitution on time under US pressure News
Iraq aims to finish constitution on time under US pressure

[JURIST] After US officials applied itense pressure over the weekend, Humam Hammoudi, the head of the Iraq's constitutional drafting committee [official website] agreed Monday to adhere to the original August 15 deadline to complete the draft after the committee announced Sunday [JURIST report] that it would submit a request to the National Assembly to extend its own internal draft due date by 30 days beyond August 1. US Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad met with President of Iraq Jalal Talabani [Wikipedia profile] late Sunday, urging the commission to stick to the deadline as a way to ensure political momentum, counter the insurgency and expedite troop withdrawal by coalition forces. Hammoudi said that if political leaders meet this week to resolve continuing differences over the role of Islam, federalism and national wealth distribution [JURIST report] among others, he was confident they would be able to "conclude the constitution" in time. AP has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Supreme Court ruled corporations due equal protection rights

On May 10, 1886, the US Supreme Court ruled in Santa Clara County v. Southern Pacific Railroad Company that corporations were "persons" within the terms of the Fourteenth Amendment, and therefore were due rights of equal protection under state law.

Nelson Mandela became first black president of South Africa

On May 10, 1994, Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as the first black President of South Africa. Before becoming President, Mandela was an anti-Apartheid leader in segregated South Africa. He served twenty-seven years in prison before his release in 1990, after which he was elected president of the country. Mandela was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.

Read a biography of Nelson Mandela from the Nobel Foundation.