BREAKING NEWS ~ Saddam trial adjourned until November 28 News
BREAKING NEWS ~ Saddam trial adjourned until November 28

[JURIST] CNN is reporting that Judge Rizgar Mohammed Amin, who is presiding [Reuters report] over the trial of Saddam Hussein [JURIST news archive] before the Iraqi High Criminal Court, formerly known as the Iraqi Special Tribunal [JURIST news archive], has ordered an adjournment of the proceeding until November 28. The order comes at the close of the first session of the trial, where a defiant Hussein initially refused to recognize the court [Reuters report], but then pleaded not guilty [BBC report] to charges of murder, torture, forced expulsions and illegal imprisonment, all stemming from the 1982 massacre in Dujail [JURIST report]. Hussein's lawyers indicated Tuesday that they would ask for a three-month delay [JURIST report] in proceedings so that they could fully prepare their case.

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.