US ‘war on terror’ threatens torture ban, UN human rights chief says News
US ‘war on terror’ threatens torture ban, UN human rights chief says

[JURIST] UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour [official profile] on Wednesday said that the US-led war on terror has threatened the world ban on torture and weakened the US' international standing on human rights. Arbour said that "unassailable" principles against torture had been sacrificed in the war on terror, pointing to secret detention centers for prisoners and extraordinary rendition [JURIST news archive], both of which the US is alleged to have used. The US has consistently denied using torture against terror suspects, but a series of reports [JURIST report] over the past several weeks have linked the US to secret CIA-run prisons in eastern Europe. Arbour said US reassurances on the issue were not acceptable because its activities were carried out in complete secrecy. Her comments were made ahead of Human Rights Day [official website] on Saturday, when the World Health Organization will highlight human rights issues [UN News report] for people with mental disorders. US Ambassador to the UN John Bolton [official profile] called Arbour's comments "inappropriate" and made without any supporting evidence. Earlier Wednesday, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced a major shift in US policy [JURIST report] to ban cruel treatment of detainees by internationally-based personnel. Reuters 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.