Russia balks at amended border treaty with Estonia News
Russia balks at amended border treaty with Estonia

[JURIST] The Russian Foreign Ministry [official website, in English] said Wednesday that Russia would be unable to submit an amended border treaty [JURIST report] with Estonia to the Russian parliament because amendments inserted by Estonia were an "unambiguously negative assessment in Russian society" [press release]. The changes made include indirect references to the Soviet-era occupation of the Baltic states, although Russia maintains that Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia all voluntarily joined the Soviet Union. The announcement comes after almost a decade of difficulties trying to establish a border treaty between the two nations. Russia also refused to sign a similar treaty with Latvia [MosNews report] last month after similar amendments were made by Latvia to that treaty. AP has more; MosNews has local coverage.

THIS DAY @ LAW

International Day Against Fascism and Anti-Semitism

November 9 is the International Day Against Fascism and Anti-Semitism [UNITED factsheet]. On November 9, 1924, American gay activist Henry Gerber and several associates formed the Society for Human Rights, the first gay rights organization in the United States. The Society received a charter from the State of Illinois in December but was disbanded in July 1925 after a police raid which led to Gerber's arrest and trial (albeit not conviction). Pay a virtual visit to Henry Gerber House, now a registered Chicago landmark.

Supreme Court strikes down Massachusetts anti-draft law

On November 9, 1970, the Supreme Court voted 6-3 in Massachusetts v. Laird not to hear the case of the state's anti-draft law. Massachusetts had passed a law, which allowed its citizens to decline to fight in any undeclared war, even if the person was drafted. The law was passed in opposition to the draft and the war in Vietnam. The First Circuit found the war constitutional and thus struck down the law.