Chile high court imposes deadline for Pinochet rights trials News
Chile high court imposes deadline for Pinochet rights trials

[JURIST] Chile's Supreme Court [official website] ruled Tuesday that judges investigating charges of murder, torture and kidnappings under former dictator Augusto Pinochet's rule should file charges within six months or close their investigations. 365 human rights cases stemming from Pinochet's regime have been working their way through Chile's court system for the past several years with judges reaching verdicts in only eight cases. The six-month deadline imposed by the high court is seen as a victory for the former military officers facing trial. Reuters has more. From Santiago, La Nacion has local coverage.

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.