Top Taiwan court refuses to nullify election News
Top Taiwan court refuses to nullify election

[JURIST] Taiwan's High Court ended seven months of debate and controversy Thursday by refusing to nullify the country's March presidential election, rejecting opposition claims of fraud and complaints about a shooting that injured President Chen Shui-bian just one day before his narrow victory. The investigations associated with the challenge placed a substantial test before one of Asia's youngest democracies, as the election was the only the third time Taiwan has directly elected its leader. AP has the more. The Taipei Times has local coverage, including information on public security concerns in Taipei City following the court's ruling.

THIS DAY @ LAW

No lynchings reported in US for first time

On December 30, 1952, the Tuskegee Institute reported that 1952 was the first year of no lynchings of African Americans in the United States in the 71 years it had kept records. Learn more about lynching and listen to Billie Holiday's jazz recording of the 1938 protest song Strange Fruit.

USSR established

On December 30, 1922, representatives of Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and the Transcaucus approved the Treaty on the Creation of the USSR and the Declaration of the Creation of the USSR, creating the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). During World War II, the USSR would also annex Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Moldova. Learn more about the history of the USSR from the BBC.