Palestinians set January 9 election date News
Palestinians set January 9 election date

[JURIST] Palestinians will vote on January 9, 2005, to elect a successor to Palestinian Authority president Yasser Arafat, who died Thursday. Under the Palestinan Basic Law, elections must be held within 60 days of Arafat's death. Several candidates have announced their intention to run, including PLO leader and former Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas, current Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei, and the leader of Fatah faction Farouk Kaddoumi. Former Fatah activist Marwan Barghouthi, who is serving a life sentence in an Israeli jail, has vowed to run from his cell. Reuters has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Charlemagne crowned Holy Roman Emporer

On December 25, 800 A.D., Charlemagne was crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Leo III in Rome, Italy. During his lifetime, Charlemagne united most of Western Europe for the first time since the fall of the Western Roman Empire. He is credited with spreading the rule of law throughout his dominions as well as starting the French and German monarchies.

President Andrew Johnson pardoned Confederates

On December 25, 1868, President Andrew Johnson granted an unconditional pardon to all who had been involved in "insurrection or rebellion" during the US Civil War.