BREAKING NEWS ~ FEMA chief resigns after Katrina demotion News
BREAKING NEWS ~ FEMA chief resigns after Katrina demotion

[JURIST] AP is reporting that FEMA Director Michael Brown [official profile] has resigned from the agency after being replaced last week [JURIST report] as the on-site head of federal Hurricane Katrina [JURIST news archive] relief and recovery efforts.

5:15 PM ET – President Bush has named R. David Paulison [official profile], head of FEMA's emergency preparedness force, Administrator of the US Fire Administration [official website] and a career firefighter from Miami, to succeed Brown. AP has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

India constitution ratified

On January 26, 1950, India ratified its constitution, formally making the new country a republic. On the same day, Rajendra Prasad was inaugurated as the republic's first president. The anniversary is celebrated today as Republic Day in India.

Tennessee became first state to ban alcohol sales

On January 26, 1838, Tennessee became the first US state to pass a law prohibiting the general sale of alcohol; fines paid by lawbreakers were put towards the support of public schools. Read more about the history of Prohibition.