Russia urges UK extradition of tycoon charged with plotting coup against Putin News
Russia urges UK extradition of tycoon charged with plotting coup against Putin

[JURIST] The Russian government Friday renewed its call for the United Kingdom to extradite Russian business billionaire Boris Berezovsky [MosNews profile], who has been charged with plotting a coup against Russian President Vladimir Putin [official website]. The request for extradition followed Berezovsky's latest call for the forceful overthrow of Putin. Berezovsky's comments have strained an already tenuous relationship between England and Russia, which had previously demanded the businessman’s extradition in March 2006 [JURIST report]. All requests have been denied.

The Russian Prosecutor General's investigation of Berezovsky on charges of plotting a coup against Putin in March 2006 was suspended [JURIST report] in January. Berezovsky, who fled to the UK in 2000, obtained political asylum in 2003 and is currently living in London. AFT 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.