Iraq assembly wants US soldier prosecuted for mistreating lawmaker at checkpoint News
Iraq assembly wants US soldier prosecuted for mistreating lawmaker at checkpoint

[JURIST] The Iraqi Interim National Assembly [Wikipedia backgrounder] Wednesday demanded prosecution of a US soldier and an apology from the American Embassy [official website] after representative Fattah al-Sheik tearfully described being handcuffed and humiliated at a US checkpoint. Al-Sheik, a Shi'ite, is linked to radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr [Wikipedia profile], who led several uprisings against the US military in 2004. The Iraqi National Assembly, meeting for only the third day of its session to develop an Iraqi constitution, adjourned for an hour in protest. A US military spokesman said that al-Sheik and a coalition translator had gotten into an 'altercation' at the checkpoint and US soldiers had stepped in and seperated the two men. He said that full investigation into the incident would be conducted and that the US military had nothing but the highest respect for the Transitional National Assembly and its elected members. JURIST's Paper Chase has continuing coverage of Iraq [JURIST news archive]. AP has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Indian National Congress founded

The Indian National Congress (INC) was founded on December 28, 1885 in Bombay (now Mumbai), India. In subsequent decades, the so-called Congress Party would advocate for Indian independence from the UK, which was eventually achieved in 1947. The first Prime Minister of independent India, Jawaharlal Nehru, was elected as a member of the INC. Learn more about the history and founding of the Indian National Congress.

Congress recognized Pledge of Allegiance

On December 28, 1945, Congress officially recognized the Pledge of Allegiance and encouraged its recitation in schools. The Pledge was supposedly written in 1892 by Francis Bellamy, a Baptist minister, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Columbus Day. The words “under God” were added by Congress in 1954. The revised version of the Pledge was the subject of litigation before the United States Supreme Court originally brought by Michael Newdow, a parent who unsuccessfully objected to his daughter's school district policy requiring daily recitation of the Pledge. The court ruled that Newdow had no standing.

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On December 28, 2007, the Kingdom of Nepal's interim parliament ended the country's monarchy and established the Republic of Nepal. Free elections were held on April 10 of the following year to elect a Constituent Assembly.

Learn more about the rise of democracy in Nepal.