Yukos state prosecutor gets new five-year term News
Yukos state prosecutor gets new five-year term

[JURIST] Russian prosecutor general Vladimir Ustinov [MosNews profile] has won a new term in office. Ustinov has recently led the Russian government's legal charge against businessmen Vladimir Gusinsky [Wikipedia profile], Boris Berezovsky [Wikipedia profile] and former Yukos CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky [BBC profile; JURIST news archive]. Ustinov, whose term has coincided almost exactly as that of President Vladimir Putin [official website], overwhelmingly won re-approval by the Russian upper house. Ustinov says he will continue to pursue tough policies against crime and corruption, a statement taken to mean that there would be no let-up in government crackdowns – said by some to be politically-motivated – on business and militant leaders. Ustinove also made headlines when he suggested that Russian forces should take Chechen rebels' relatives hostage as a result of the Beslan tragedy in which 330 people died. He also is refusing to drop bribery charges against Yulia Tymoshenko [BBC profile], prime minister of the Ukraine, who on Wednesday canceled a planned state visit to Russia as a result [JURIST report]. Reuters 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.