Nigerian Senate asks executive to abolish war crimes pact with US News
Nigerian Senate asks executive to abolish war crimes pact with US

[JURIST] The Nigerian Senate [official website, in French] has passed a resolution calling for the executive to abolish a pact made with the United States that said neither country will turn over suspected war criminals to the Hague's International Criminal Court (ICC) [official website], which Washington opposes. The two countries signed the agreement in June 2003 under Article 98 of the Rome Statute of the ICC [official PDF text]. Although Senate resolutions are not legally binding, the Nigerian Constitution [PDF text] gives the Senate the right to rule on international treaties and the passage of this resolution reveals the Senate's growing confidence in challenging executive powers. Reuters has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Laws of Burgos put into effect

The Spanish Crown put the Laws of Burgos into effect on December 27, 1512. These laws governed the relationship of Spanish settlers with the indigenous peoples of the Caribbean. The laws established the encomienda system of labor, promoted conversion to Catholicism, and safeguarded the indigenous peoples from physical abuse.  However, historians argue that the laws were ineffective at protecting the rights of the indigenous population. Learn more from the Library of Congress.

Prohibitionist Carrie Nation carried out her first public bar smashing

On December 27, 1900, militant Prohibitionist Carrie Nation carried out her first public smashing of a bar, at the Carey Hotel in Wichita, Kansas. Nation argued that destroying bars was an acceptable means of battling the liquor trade since the Kansas Constitution prohibited alcohol. Learn more about Carrie Nation.

World Bank created

On December 27, 1944, the World Bank was created during the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, USA. Learn more about the history of the World Bank.