European headscarf ruling stirs controversy in Turkey News
European headscarf ruling stirs controversy in Turkey

[JURIST] Last week's ruling by the European Court of Human Rights [JURIST report; opinion text] upholding Turkey's ban on headscarves [JURIST news archive] in public universities, has led to confrontation between the Islamic government and the law's secular proponents. Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer [official profile], who supports the ban, says the court's ruling was "binding" and should end the controversy. The country's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan [BBC profile] and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul [official website] have argued the opinion is not binding and promised to continue fighting the decision. The ban, which includes college campuses and state offices, has been enforced by the secular military since 1986. The European court upheld the ban because the Turkish Constitution [text] prevents the state from showing a preference for a particular religion or belief. AP 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.