11.   The franc rose against the mark after the French justice ministry closed a legal case against Prime Minister Alain Juppe.

12.   The justice ministry argued strongly for extradition all the way to the Israeli supreme court.

13.   Though traditionally weak, the justice ministry oversees prisons, legal education and propaganda and regulates the legal profession.

14.   Private TV channel D reported that Ankara Chief Prosecutor Nihat Ardiran lodged the request with the justice ministry to strip Mehmet Agar of the protection.

15.   Provincial magistrate Pheineas Chipokoteke said the backlog of weddings forced the justice ministry to appoint a magistrate as full-time marriage officer at the courts.

16.   A delegation from the justice ministry met with strikers inside Bayrampasa, where two deaths occurred among the fasting inmates, but no progress was reported.

17.   A delegation from the justice ministry met with strikers inside Bayrampasa, where the last two deaths occurred among the fasting inmates, but no progress was reported.

18.   A group representing the relatives sent a letter to the foreign and justice ministries protesting the government decision to deport the four before adequately confirming their identities.

19.   A Palestinian man died mysteriously in Israeli custody hours after being taken to a hospital, and the justice ministry said Thursday it would investigate the death.

20.   A senior U.S. diplomat in Jerusalem and officials in the Israeli foreign and justice ministries said they had not heard of Abu Marzuk dropping his opposition to extradition.