Nepal releases former PM, other detainees News
Nepal releases former PM, other detainees

[JURIST] Nepal Friday released former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and 17 others held since King Gyanendra [BBC News profile] dismissed the elected government and seized power on Feb. 1 [JURIST report]. Several other leaders still remain under house arrest, including Nepal's first elected prime minister, Girija Prasad Koirala, and opposition leader Madhav Kumar Nepal. The Nepalese government has come under increasing international pressure in the past month to restore civil liberties eliminated when Gyanendra imposed emergency rule. Gyanendra has said that he dismissed the government due to its inability to halt a Maoist rebellion since 1996. A government spokesperson said Thursday that rights would soon be restored [JURIST report]. AFP has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Pope Urban II sparks First Crusade

Pope Urban II threw his support behind what would become the First Crusade on November 27, 1095 during the Council of Clairmont. The Pope urged the council's participants to render aid to the Byzantine Empire, which was being attacked by the Seljuks. Pope Urban called for a wide coalition of rich and poor to combat the threat, which eventually resulted in the conquest of much of the Muslim-controlled Levant by the Crusaders and the establishment of the Crusader States. Read Pope Urban's address.  

Catholic Code of Canon Law revised

On November 27, 1983, the revised Code of Canon Law of the Roman Catholic Church went into effect. Learn more about the history of Canon Law from Professor Kenneth Pennington of the Catholic University of America's Columbus School of Law.

Alfred Nobel creates Nobel Prize in his will

On November 27, 1895, Alfred Nobel signed his will, creating the Nobel Prize. Learn more about the history of the Nobel Prize and the Nobel Commission.