Burkina Faso high court announces Kabore as winner of presidential election News
Burkina Faso high court announces Kabore as winner of presidential election

Burkina Faso’s highest court on Tuesday announced results from last month’s elections, declaring Roch Marc Christian Kabore winner of the presidency. Kabore won with 53 percent of the vote [AP report], confirming provisional results released shortly after the November 29 election. He will be sworn in December 29. Kabore replaces a transitional government put in place after former president Blaise Compaore was forced to step down last year amid protests against his plan to issue a constitutional amendment that would extend his 27-year term.

Burkina Faso’s government has been the subject of intense upheaval for the past few years. In October the leader of an attempted military coup in September, General Gilbert Diendere, was charged with crimes against humanity [JURIST report]. The coup started when Diendere took the president and his cabinet hostage right before the originally scheduled elections. Diendere is associated with two other coups in the West-African nation, including one in 1987 that marked the start of Compaore’s 27-year rule.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Montgomery started racially-integrated bus service after boycott

On December 21, 1956, buses in Montgomery, Alabama, started racially integrated service following federal court rulings ending on-board segregation. Bus boycott leaders Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King and Rev. Ralph Abernathy were among the first riders under the new scheme. Learn about the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Stalin born

On December 21, 1879, Joseph Stalin was born in Gori, Georgia. In 1922, he became leader of the USSR until his death in 1953. During his time as Soviet dictator, Stalin industrialized his country, which he then led to become one of the world's two superpowers after WWII. Through his infamous purges, show trials and nationwide famines, Stalin also became responsible for millions of deaths.