Afghanistan justice system to get $360M boost from international donors News
Afghanistan justice system to get $360M boost from international donors

[JURIST] International participants promised more than $360 million in aid to help build up Afghanistan's ailing judicial system at a conference of UN members and Afghan leaders that concluded in Rome Tuesday. Despite the pledge, judiciary problems were overshadowed by concerns over civilian casualties caused by NATO troops in the region [ISAF official website] operating against Taliban guerrillas. NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer [official profile] stressed the difference between accidental civilian deaths and the purposeful terrorist actions of the Taliban and other extremists. According to the Afghan government, more than 45 civilians were killed over the weekend in a bombing led by UN forces in Afghanistan's Helmand province.

The pledged funds will be used to train judges and rebuild prisons and other facilities vital to Afghanistan's judicial infrastructure. Conference leaders did not release the amounts pledged by the participant nations, but Canada's CTV reported that Canada has committed to $30 million [CTV report]. 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.