[JURIST] A UN envoy announced Sunday that Syria will withdraw its 14,000 troops from Lebanon by the end of April, before Lebanese parliamentary elections in May. Syrian Foreign Minister Farouq al-Shara told the UN's Terje Roed-Larsen that "all Syrian troops, military assets and the intelligence apparatus will have been withdrawn fully and completely latest by April 30, 2005." Damascus has faced considerable international pressure - including considerable pressure from UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan [JURIST report] - to withdraw following the February 14th assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri. Damascus has denied any responsibility in al-Hariri's death. Reuters has more.

[JURIST] Iraq's transitional National Assembly [Wikipedia entry] took an important step forward Sunday, naming a Sunni Arab, Hajim al-Hassani, as parliament speaker [AP report]. The selection ends days of shouting, bickering, and accusations. Two deputies were also chosen--Kurdish politician Aref Tayfour, and Shia politician Hussein al-Shahrastani. With Assembly leaders now selected, the body can now name Iraq's new president [CNN report], expected to be Kurdish Alliance member Jalal Talabani. Once in office, the president and his two vice-presidents have two weeks to name an interim prime minister. After that, the legislative body will begin writing a constitution and setting up a permanent government.

[JURIST] The body of Terri Schiavo [JURIST news archive] was cremated Saturday amidst continued disputes between her husband Michael and her parents, Bob and Mary Schindler. Michael Schiavo wanted the body cremated and the ashes buried at the family plot in Pennsylvania; the Schindlers wanted her body buried in Florida so they could visit her grave. A court order issued Tuesday gave Michael Schiavo the power to make these decisions, and also required him to notify her parents of memorial services and where the ashes will be interred. The Schindlers also were denied a request to have independent experts observe the autopsy, which was completed Friday. Results are not expected to be available for several weeks. AP has more.

[JURIST] Updating a Saturday report on JURIST's Paper Chase, US military officials Sunday raised the casualty total [AP report] from Saturday's late-night attack on the infamous Abu Ghraib prison [JURIST news archive] to 56, including 44 Americans and 12 detainees. Al Qaeda has claimed responsibility [Reuters report]. At least 40 insurgents fired rocket-propelled grenades against the facility and exploded two car bombs in the course of the assault.

[JURIST] Former US Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell Saturday joined the Democratic party chorus opposing Republican threats to ban Senate filibusters [Reuters report] of judicial nominees. Delivering the Democrats' Saturday radio address, Mitchell chided Republicans for seeking to overturn a 200-year old Senate practice in the face of Senate approval of some 95% of Bush judicial appointees. The Senate has thusfar approved 204 of President Bush's candidates for the federal bench, but 10 others have been stalled by filibusters, which under current Senate rules can only be ended by 60 votes. Republicans want to eliminate this requirement for presidential appointees. Democrats point out that the Republicans previously prevented some 60 Clinton nominees from even getting a hearing [Christian Science Monitor report] before the Senate Judiciary Committee, which had the same effect as a filibuster. Both sides have taken the debate to the media [New York Times report] with a showdown expected this coming week [New York Times report]. Even though Republicans hold 55 seats in the Senate, it is unclear if they will get the 51 votes needed to change the rule. Some GOP moderates might not be on board [Washington Post report] with the rule change.