WARSAW, 21 July 2016 - Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), today underlined that the principles of rule of law, democracy and respect for human rights need to be upheld in Turkey, following the attempted coup.

“Any attempt to overthrow democratically elected leaders is unacceptable and is to be condemned. In responding to these unconstitutional events, however, all actions by the Turkish authorities must not exceed the legal framework of the Turkish Constitution and Turkey's international human right commitments,” said Director Link. “In investigating these events and holding responsible those who have attempted the coup, the authorities must ensure that human rights standards, due process, fair trial rights and respect for the independence of the judiciary are respected. Talk by authorities of a possible reintroduction of the death penalty and the summary firing of thousands of judges are clearly crossing the line of existing legal standards."

The ODIHR Director’s statement follows reports that thousands of judges and prosecutors across the country were detained, arrested or dismissed from their positions immediately after the failed coup attempt.

“These actions raise serious concerns regarding the Turkish authorities' respect for the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary. Also the newly announced three-month state of emergency cannot legitimize disproportional measures, such as, among many others, the recently announced work-travel ban on academics,” Director Link said.

At the OSCE summit in Istanbul in 1999, OSCE participating States agreed to promote the development of independent judicial systems. This principle is further stressed in other OSCE commitments that call upon participating States to respect judges’ freedom of expression and association, guaranteed tenure and appropriate conditions of service, and the discipline, suspension and removal of judges according to law.

“ODIHR is ready to offer any assistance to Turkey in this challenging moment. Putting those who attempted the violent coup on trial is crucial,” said Director Link. “ODIHR is available to monitor these trials, in line with its existing and proven methodology. A Turkish invitation to the OSCE to monitor these trials would demonstrate Turkey's compliance with international standards, even in times of a state of emergency.”

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Many women in rural Maharashtra feel monetary schemes are just political gambits aimed at ensnaring their loyalty, and that ‘empowerment’ can’t be wrapped in a few banknotes

Ninety-four percent of independent workers love the control that independence provides, but 67 percent say their top concern has to do with inconsistent income in their micro businesses.

This is according to a recent survey of more than 600 independent workers conducted by the folks behind Invoice2go, an invoice app that allows small businesses to create and send professional invoices from any device.

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The Bombay Canteen, as part of its their annual Independence Day Daawat, has collaborated with Nature:re [Nature Rebalance], an RPG Foundation initiative to transforming Mahalaxmi’s Captain Namdev Lotankar Park into an ecologically-driven urban oasis.

Frederica tries to account for why couples are increasingly living together without getting married.

The guys watched “Independence Day: Resurgence.” Christian enjoyed it. Steve? Not so much. They discuss what worked in the movie, as well as what didn’t, and wildly speculate about the theological implications of alien life. Plus, they wrap up with their Top 5 favorite alien characters of all time.

Fr. Apostolos Hill speaks on the difference between Independence and Freedom with a brief history lesson about Independence Day.

Alex Salmond, who has died at the age of 69, led the SNP into power and through the 2014 referendum.

THIS Hari Raya, The Gardens Mall is bringing the comfort of home and the memories of celebrations with loved ones to its mall decor. With many unable to travel back to their kampung to visit grandparents and other loved ones, the Mall decided to bring elements of grandma’s eclectic home to the mall for all to enjoy this year.

Step into the mall and be greeted by a burst of colour and patterns with traditional woven pandanus ware and hand-sewn patchwork fabric. Snap photos with friends and family at the various vignettes set-up along the Ground Floor. Much like atok’s garden, there is much greenery around
to coax nostalgia for the simple kampung life.

Not forgetting the underprivileged this season, over at the South Palm on the Ground Floor, The Gardens Mall is collecting your unwanted denim to donate to the single mothers of SURI. SURI is a social enterprise that employs single mothers from low-income communities to turn unwanted denim material into fashionable apparel and other household items. SURI also believes in protecting the environment through upcycling.

As part of the partnership during Hari Raya, The Gardens Mall has pledged RM10,000 to SURI for its efforts in helping these single mothers gain financial independence.

International observers will determine if the right to defense and impartial trial are respected

VILAWEB

18-12-2018

A group of judicial and human rights experts, as well as professors throughout Spain, have set up a platform called ‘International Trial Watch – Catalan Referendum case’ to supervise the trial against independence leaders, presented on Monday.

At the event, criminal law professor Iñaki Rivera stated that they are creating reports to determine if the “right to defense, the existence and duration of pre-trial incarceration, and impartial trial, balance between parties, and the taking of evidence” are respected, along with the competency of the Supreme Court in the trial.

How spray foam can fight climate change and help companies achieve their energy goals.

Lou Fiore discusses how utilizing a mesh network for wireless alarm transmission provides alarm dealers complete control with virtually no reliance on third-party public infrastructure.

For your Fourth of July listening, an hour of music, including marches by Sousa, Jewell and Gould, and classical works by Copland, Saint-Saens and Holst.

[Culture] :
 Calligraphy by the late Korean independence fighter Ahn Jung-geun will soon be on display for the South Korean public. According to the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History, a special exhibition on Ahn’s writings will open Thursday in cooperation with the Ahn Junggeun Memorial Association ...

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Bulwark, the world’s largest flame-resistant (FR) apparel brand, was recently sold to Redwood Capital Investments, LLC, marking a new era for the company as it transitions into a stand-alone workwear organization.

From June 20 to July 8, 2024, this limited-time event offers customers up to $90 off on their high-quality human hair wigs.

Pivotal: Confronting hunger and poverty in Nigeria (Africa Independence Television)

Nigeria’s current economic crisis continues to attract media attention. On 26 June 2024 Africa Independence Television (AIT) hosted a panel discussion on the television program “Pivotal” focused on confronting hunger and poverty. The panel, moderated by Nabila Usman, included Kwaw Andam, Country Program Leader, IFPRI-Nigeria, Andrew Mamudu, Country Director, Action Aid, and Abdullahi Mohammad, Associate, […]

The post Pivotal: Confronting hunger and poverty in Nigeria (Africa Independence Television) appeared first on IFPRI.

[Nile Post] Uganda's tourism and cultural appeal dazzled thousands in China over the past two days as the Uganda Embassy in Beijing and the Consulate General in Guangzhou jointly hosted the "Explore Uganda" Independence celebrations.

John Knox, who until recently covered Scottish politics for the BBC, files this report.

Count Binface, the country's most successful comedy politician, holds forth.

We all know that air pollution is bad for the environment and our health. A new study out of the University of Michigan now shows that it is contributing to a loss of independence among older adults. The study also shows that the economic impact of that loss comes in at an estimate of over $11 billion. WEMU's David Fair spoke with the lead author of the study, Dr. Sara Adar, about the findings.

Date: October 9, 2024

This Doodle celebrates Uganda’s Independence Day! On this day in 1961, the Ugandan Constitutional Conference came to a close and marked the birth of the nation as a sovereign state.

The conference started in September and took place in London. After a month of negotiations between the budding Ugandan government and Great Britain, a formal transition of power was agreed upon and carried out on October 9th.

On Independence Day, many partake in celebrations across the country. The main event occurs in the capital city Kampala, where people attend observances like flag-raising ceremonies, lively rallies, traditional music concerts, and more. An annual grand parade is held at the Kololo Ceremonial Grounds, where the national anthem Oh Uganda, Land of Beauty is played for all to sing along. Ugandans enjoy delicacies like matoke (steamed and mashed green bananas), luwombo (slow-cooked meat with peanut sauce), chapati (egg omelet wrapped in chapati), and more. Meanwhile, the black, yellow, and red national flag waves high in the sky all day long — just like in today’s artwork.

Happy Independence Day, Uganda!

Location: Uganda

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Date: October 18, 2024

Today’s Doodle celebrates Azerbaijan’s Restoration of Independence Day, one of two Independence Days the nation celebrates. On this day in 1991, the Supreme Council adopted the Constitutional Act of State Independence of Azerbaijan, ending over 70 years of Soviet rule.

Azerbaijan’s first Independence Day takes place on May 28, commemorating the day in 1918 when the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan was established. This made the nation the first democratic republic in the Middle East. This independence was interrupted when the Soviets  invaded in 1920, leading to the second Independence Day on October 18th, Restoration of Independence Day.

After work, people attend parades or gather with friends and family to enjoy a delicious meal like plov, which has many regional variations that contain rice, dried fruit, nuts, and meat. It is also common for people to display the nation’s flag, like the one waving in today’s Doodle.

Happy Restoration of Independence Day, Azerbaijan!

Location: Azerbaijan

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Date: November 9, 2024

Today’s Doodle celebrates Cambodia’s Independence Day. On this day in 1953, Cambodia declared independence from France, ending nearly a century of foreign rule. 

While festivities take place across the country, the largest are held in Phnom Penh. Government officials kick off the holiday with a formal ceremony at the Independence Monument, broadcast nationwide. The flag of Cambodia is raised and a ceremonial flame is lit before the next observance kicks off: parades! Colorful floats, marching bands, and military personnel proceed by as crowds wave Cambodia’s blue, red, and white flag, which depicts the main building of the Angkor Wat temple complex.

Families and friends often gather around tables to share lavish feasts and traditional dishes. As festivities wind down, fireworks light up the night sky.

Happy Independence Day, Cambodia!

Location: Cambodia

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Health not independence is focus for Sturgeon successor Expert comment NCapeling 15 February 2023

Nicola Sturgeon’s star may have been fading, but Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer will be relieved at the exit of one of the UK’s most influential politicians.

Nicola Sturgeon has left at the right time, maybe even a bit late. Although one of the most influential politicians the UK has seen in recent times, she was also one of the most divisive.

Her ability to fan Scotland’s sense of difference from England brought new hope to the independence movement, but this cause – by which she measured herself above all others – has been losing ground and for now, looks to be in abeyance.

Neat and disciplined, Sturgeon could not have presented a greater contrast to Boris Johnson in the first months of the pandemic. That was one of her finest moments.

She used the powers of the devolved government to make different lockdown decisions for Scotland – never all that different from those in England but often announced just a few hours earlier.

Although analysts surmise that these made little difference to the death rate – although poverty and other health support factors make comparisons hard – she used the platform, with the cameras on her, to ram home the point that Scotland could set its own rules.

Rallying young voters to independence

Her second greatest moment was in the aftermath of Brexit. Scots voted overwhelmingly to stay in the European Union (EU) and so, she argued, they should have the right to leave the UK to join that other union. Younger voters in particular responded, rallying to the independence cause.

But two recent setbacks showed her star was fading. She lost the Supreme Court battle to hold a second independence referendum in November, when she was told Scotland simply did not have the powers to hold one on its own if Westminster said no – and the UK government did just that. It was hard to see how her campaign for independence could move forwards.

And her planned reforms to the gender recognition process in Scotland have been blocked by the UK government – but unease about her reforms within Scotland meant this rebuff did not win her the support at home she hoped for. She was also accused of playing politics by pressing ahead with unpopular reforms simply because of their potential to discomfit the UK government.

Health, education, and public services need attention

Other challenges were also building up and, even if less eye-catching, her successor is likely to focus on health and education above the birth of a new nation. Sturgeon’s critics have long argued that under Scottish National Party rule, health, education, and other public services have declined.

In elections, these factors can be eclipsed by passions about independence but it is rare in political life for a leader to be insulated from public anger on this front. This is almost certainly where her successor will want to focus first.

Tens of thousands of Poles including nationalist opposition chiefs walked through Warsaw on Monday in an annual Independence Day event held by the far right, some shooting red flares and carrying anti-EU, anti-Ukraine and white supremacist banners.

The Delaware Heritage Commission began its long career by commemorating the 200th anniversary of the American Revolution. With the Commission currently making plans to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Revolution in 2026, we are proud to present “Liberty and Independence”. Originally published by the Commission in 1976 for the Bicentennial, we are proud to […]

The Results are in for the July 2, 2021, Statewide Checkpoint Activation FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: Cynthia Cavett, Cynthia.Cavett@delaware.gov DOVER, Del. (July 6, 2021) — Delaware law enforcement officers statewide arrested six individuals for Driving Under the Influence (DUI) of alcohol, drugs, or a combination of alcohol and drugs at sobriety checkpoints on July […]

Pedro Calado, vice-president of Madeira’s regional government, tells Sebastian Shehadi about the island's capacity for more upmarket tourism and its ongoing struggle to gain financial independence from Portugal. 

In Lahore on Sunday, Chaudhry Shafay Hussain, the leader of Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), asserted that his party has no intentions of merging with any other political group. Hussain clarified, “While seat adjustments may occur in specific constituencies with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, the PML-Q is committed to maintaining its independent identity.” PML-Q’s commitment to ... Read more

The post PML-Q Affirms Independence and Tractor Symbol for Upcoming Elections appeared first on Pakistan Tribune.

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HARI SREENIVASAN: The desire of the Kurds along Iraq’s northern border to govern themselves is receiving more resistance from Iraq’s central government. Iraqi army forces are demanding Kurdish troops withdraw from oil fields and military bases around Kirkuk, a city in the Kurdistan region that voted for independence last month. Kirkuk also has 10% of Iraq’s known oil reserves. Washington Post’s Loveday Morris is in Baghdad covering this standoff joins me now via Skype. First of all the significance of this. Why is it so important?

LOVEDAY MORRIS: There’s been a longtime conflict between Baghdad and Kurdistan over these disputed territories. Most significant of which is Kirkuk because of the oil reserves. But the referendum last month has really sharpened these disputes because you have Baghdad opposing independence and so it feels like they have to restate its territorial claims these areas. So that’s why we’re seeing a lot of tension right now.

HARI SREENIVASAN: And just to give people a little bit of a brief timeline – Iraqi forces control this area for a while and then in June ISIS took over the area and now it’s kind of back in Kurdish hands?

LOVEDAY MORRIS: Right. So in June 2014 Iraq lost control of a lot of the areas and we have this huge collapse in the face of an ISIS offensive. Over 100,000 soldiers fled and Kurdish forces moved in some of these areas – some of them maybe took from ISIS and others just moved into into the vacuum. And so Iraqi forces have been in these areas since June 2014. And that’s their main demand that they return to the areas.

HARI SREENIVASAN: What’s the likelihood that this standoff right now turns violent? Into some sort of a civil war?

LOVEDAY MORRIS:: I think at this point both sides don’t want violence. Al-Abadi, the prime minister, is really trying to defuse the situation by saying there’s going to be no military attack. But at the same time there is this buildup of forces so that I think they are trying to, in a way, intimidate the Kurds to withdraw from some areas but they don’t want to see a fight per say. But in this really tense situation there can be a small spark and things can turn violent quite easily.

HARI SREENIVASAN: Thank you.

The post Iraqi, Kurdish forces in standoff, weeks after Kurdish vote for independence appeared first on PBS NewsHour.

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On this day in 1776, the Liberty Bell rang out from the tower of the Pennsylvania State House.

Decades after the Red Fort trial, it is hoped that India’s leaders find the wisdom to commit themselves again to what unites us citizens as a people

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In the upcoming Lok Sabha session, the Government will re-enact the Aircraft Act of 1934, introduce the Coffee Promotion Bill, and revamp the Indian Boilers Act of 1923 to modernise regulations and support the ‘Make in India’ initiative

Hear the words that were catalyst to the Revolution, read by Bill Barker, Colonial Williamsburg's Thomas Jefferson.

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