Israel attorney general considering indictment of PM Olmert News
Israel attorney general considering indictment of PM Olmert

[JURIST] Israeli Attorney General Menachem Mazuz [official website, in Hebrew] said Wednesday that he is considering indicting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert [official profile] following police recommendations in connection with his alleged double billing [Haaretz report] of state and charitable donors for travel expenses in 2002-2006 while serving as a government official. Olmert allegedly accumulated over $100,000 in an account handled by the same agency to fund his own and his family’s travel. In the face of the Attorney General’s formal statement Olmert has the right to defend himself [Haaretz report] at a hearing. Pursuant to that, the Attorney General may or may not decide to indict Olmert. If Mazuz moves to indict, Olmert would be the first PM to be indicted in Israeli history [AP report].

The double billing case was one of the reasons [JURIST report] why Olmert officially resigned in September, but he is currently continuing to serve as caretaker PM until a new PM is elected on February 10, 2009. Olmert maintains his innocence on all charges, and refuses to step down by declaring himself incapacitated or taking an extended leave, despite critical pressure [BBC report] from his own Kadima [official website, in Hebrew] party.

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.