Syria ends military presence in Lebanon before elections News
Syria ends military presence in Lebanon before elections

[JURIST] Syria completed a withdrawal of its military forces from Lebanon Tuesday, ending a 29-year presence just weeks before thr country's's parliamentary elections. The February 14 assassination of former premier Rafik Hariri, suspected to be the work of Syrian backers of the Lebanese government, brought about massive civil unrest in Lebanon, and growing dissatisfaction with Syrian occupation. Additionally, pressure was placed upon Syria by the US and UN to withdraw its military forces. UN Resolution 1559 [official text, PDF], passed in late 2004, called for Syria to withdraw all of its forces. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan dispatched a team to verify the withdrawal. Syrians entered Lebanon in 1976, as peacekeepers in Lebanon's civil war. After the war ended in 1990, 40,000 Syrian troops remained, causing Lebanese politics to be heavily influenced by Syria. AP has more. The Daily Star has local coverage from Lebanon.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Justice Department brings anit-trust action against AT&T

On November 20, 1974, the Department of Justice filed its final anti-trust suit against AT&T. United States v. AT&T was ultimately settled out of court with an agreement that the corporation would break up its monopoly on phone service throughout the country.

Nuremberg war crimes trials began

On November 20, 1945, the war crimes trials of Nazi World War II leaders began in the German city of Nuremberg. Review the Nuremberg Tribunal's Charter and the verdicts and sentences handed down on major war figures.

Winston Churchill born

On November 20, 1874, Sir Winston Churchill was born in Woodstock, England. He would go on to lead the United Kingdom as Prime Minister through World War II. Toward the end of the war, Churchill worked with US President Franklin D. Roosevelt to craft the treaties and accords that have defined the world since WWII. A 2002 poll by the BBC declared Churchill the Greatest Briton of all time.

New Jersey ratifies Bill of Rights

New Jersey ratified the Bill of Rights, a set of 10 fundamental amendments to the US Constitution, on November 20, 1789, becoming the first state to do so. The state also ratified an amendment on federal representation which ultimately failed. Additionally, New Jersey rejected an amendment on congressional salaries, which would eventually become the 27th Amendment more than 200 years later. Read the articles ratified by New Jersey.