Zimbabwe pushes on with controversial demolitions, makes UN deal with China News
Zimbabwe pushes on with controversial demolitions, makes UN deal with China

[JURIST] Despite UN opposition [JURIST report], Zimbabwe continued its controversial demolition program on Wednesday, bulldozing a squatter township as riot police kept residents and observers out of the ruins. Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe [Wikipedia profile] says the UN report [PDF text] condemning "Operation Drive Out Trash" (sometimes translated as "Operation Restore Order"), which has left nearly 700,000 homeless, was biased against his country [JURIST report]. Meanwhile, Mugabe Wednesday was in China, a key business partner for Zimbabwe. China is expected to use its veto power on the UN Security Council to prevent any censure of Zimbabwe for the urban renewal plan, which Mugabe says is aimed at reducing crime. Opponents say the country cannot afford the cost of restructuring after the demolitions. 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.

Nepal ends monarchy, establishes republic

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.