UN rights chief calls for Israel probe of Palestinian deaths in Gaza airstrikes News
UN rights chief calls for Israel probe of Palestinian deaths in Gaza airstrikes

[JURIST] UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour [official profile] Monday called on Israel [press release] to conduct an impartial investigation into the deaths of Palestinians during recent Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip [BBC backgrounder], noting that as an occupying power Israel "bears a particular responsibility under international human rights and humanitarian law to protect the civilian population and civilian installations in Gaza." More than 120 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli air strikes and military incursions into the territory since last Wednesday. In her comments, Arbour expressed dismay over Israel's "disproportionate use of force" in Gaza, and also condemned the use of rockets by Palestinian militants to attack Israel. Reuters has more. The UN News Centre has additional coverage.

In January, Arbour criticized [JURIST report] an Israeli blockade of Gaza, saying that Israel's policy of collective punishment, disproportionate use of force and targeted killings, coupled with the Palestinian militant practice of indiscriminate firings of bombs and rockets, had helped precipitate problems in the area. Israeli troops began to withdraw from Gaza Monday after an incursion last week, but Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert [JURIST news archive] warned that strikes would continue [Ha'aretz report] against local Hamas targets. BBC News 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.