Milosevic, prosecutors oppose ICTY plan to split up war crimes trial News
Milosevic, prosecutors oppose ICTY plan to split up war crimes trial

[JURIST] War crimes prosecutors and former Yugoslavian president Slobodan Milosevic [JURIST news archive] were in rare agreement Tuesday in their opposition to a proposal by judges [JURIST report] of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) [official website] to split Milosevic's war crimes trial. Last week, ICTY judges suggested separating the charges related to the 1998-1999 war in Kosovo from the indictments related to earlier wars in Croatia and Bosnia, in an effort to speed up the trial and allow Milosevic to rest while the judges deliberate on the first charges. Milosevic's trial has been delayed repeatedly [JURIST report] over the last four years because of the former president's failing health. Prosecutor Geoffrey Nice opposes the separation, fearing the second part of the trial may not continue and Milosevic will not be brought to justice on the Bosnia and Croatia charges. Nice also argued Milosevic's conduct formed a pattern and should be viewed as a whole. Milosevic called the separation of the trial "illogical and unlawful acrobatics." 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.