On January 26, 2010, the US Department of Transportation (DOT) announced a federal ban on texting while driving for all commercial truck and bus drivers. The regulation, promulgated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), added to several state laws outlawing texting while driving and an executive order issued by President Obama in October 2009 that prohibits the practice for federal employees and government contractors. Some studies indicate that the distraction which results from texting while driving is more dangerous than driving under the influence of intoxicants. Learn more about legal issues surrounding cell phones from the JURIST news archive.
On January 26, 2011, Tunisian Justice Minister Lazhar Karoui Chebbi announced that the country had issued an international arrest warrant for ousted president Zine Al Abidine Ben Ali. Ben Ali fled Tunisia following widespread protests to his rule that began in December 2010. Violent reprisals against the protestors only fueled the unrest, which eventually spread to other Arab countries in a movement popularly known as the Arab Spring. Similar uprisings eventually led to the fall of regimes in Egypt and Libya. Flag of Tunisia Learn more about Tunisia from the JURIST news archive, and read commentary on the Middle East protest movements from JURIST Guest Columnist Dr. Jonathan Schanzer in