Ukrainian parliament deadlocks on election reform package News
Ukrainian parliament deadlocks on election reform package

[JURIST] The Ukrainian Parliament Saturday failed to pass an electoral reform package aimed at preventing fraud in the country's upcoming re-run of the presidential election, now scheduled for December 26. The bills had prevously been agreed to in a political deal by opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko and a significant portion of the smaller parties, including the Communist Party of Ukraine, in exchange for Yushchenko's support for legislation that limited the power of the office of the president. When Yushchenko said that he would only consider constitutional reforms on the presidency following the December 26 election, the minor parties withdrew their support and the election reform legislation failed to pass. JURIST's Paper Chase has background on the election situation in Ukraine. Reuters has more.

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.