Afghan parliamentary elections face delay, UN says News
Afghan parliamentary elections face delay, UN says

[JURIST] Parliamentary elections in Afghanistan [JURIST countries archive] will likely be delayed until this summer or fall, a UN spokesman said Thursday. The elections were originally slated to be held before the end of the Aghan month Saur on May 21, but a deadline to declare the elections at least 90 days ahead of time has already lapsed, as the government struggles to implement a reliable voting system. Last month, the Afghan foreign minister said a delay was possible [JURIST report]. Although the presidential election was delayed once last summer, it was held successfully in October, with voters overwhelmingly selecting President Hamid Karzai [BBC News profile]. Officials are trying to decide whether to use a voting system favoring independents or one that emphasizes emerging political parties. AP has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

No lynchings reported in US for first time

On December 30, 1952, the Tuskegee Institute reported that 1952 was the first year of no lynchings of African Americans in the United States in the 71 years it had kept records. Learn more about lynching and listen to Billie Holiday's jazz recording of the 1938 protest song Strange Fruit.

USSR established

On December 30, 1922, representatives of Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and the Transcaucus approved the Treaty on the Creation of the USSR and the Declaration of the Creation of the USSR, creating the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). During World War II, the USSR would also annex Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Moldova. Learn more about the history of the USSR from the BBC.