An interesting anti-LEED movement seems to be gaining momentum among states that are opposed to the USGBC LEED rating system.

[Politics] :
The Supreme Court has upheld a suspended prison term for former Rep. Youn Mee-hyang, who was convicted of embezzling donations to an advocacy group for South Korean victims of sexual slavery during World War II. On Thursday the top court upheld the 18-month sentence, suspended for three years, after ...

[more...]

Egan Food Technologies, a confectionery and baking process equipment manufacturer and service provider, will unveil at Pack Expo a new slab-bar forming line that is manufactured and serviced from the company’s headquarters in Grand Rapids, Mich. 

John Slater, University of Kent at Canterbury, gave a talk entitled "Who will rid me of this troublesome beast".

Green Island Ferry by Sally Caldwell Fisher is a(n) Limited Edition. The Edition is Limited to pcs

Island in Bloom by Sally Caldwell Fisher is a(n) Limited Edition. The Edition is Limited to pcs

Island Welcome by Sally Caldwell Fisher is a(n) Limited Edition. The Edition is Limited to pcs

Island Welcome Deluxe by Sally Caldwell Fisher is a(n) Limited Edition. The Edition is Limited to pcs

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BISHKEK, 15 July 2016 – The OSCE Centre in Bishkek and the Regional Office for Central Asia of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR ROCA) completed a training course in Bishkek today for 35 advisors and experts of the Kyrgyz parliament on promoting human rights in the legislative process.

The two-day training course aimed at enhancing the knowledge of parliamentarians on human rights principles.

National and international experts shared their know-how with participants on the international human rights standards, and the United Nations Human Rights Treaty System and its mechanisms. They also discussed the role of parliamentarians in promoting and protecting human rights, the principles of equality and non-discrimination as well as the relations between the state and other actors.

“Today’s training course is an important step towards ensuring that new laws will be drafted in compliance with these principles for the continuous democratic development of Kyrgyzstan,” said Daniele Rumolo, Senior Human Dimension Officer at the OSCE Centre in Bishkek. “Following the successful organization of parliamentary elections in October 2015, it is necessary that Kyrgyz authorities continue to meet their obligations and implement the relevant OSCE commitments on human rights.”

Ryszard Komenda, OHCHR ROCA Regional Representative, said: “It is critical that advisors and experts working closely with members of the parliament are fully versed in and committed to international and national human rights standards in order to propose and adopt legislation that is in full compliance with them. This training course represents one way in which OHCHR supports Kyrgyzstan to protect and promote human rights.”

The training course is part of the OSCE Centre’s project on strengthening democratic governance in Kyrgyzstan.

The final report by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on Serbia’s 24 April 2016 early parliamentary elections recommends a comprehensive review of legislation to further improve election process.  

The report, while finding the elections were efficiently administered and held in a competitive environment, spells out key areas that would benefit from such a review, including unclear rules on candidate registration, inadequate regulation of campaign finance, deficiencies and loopholes in dispute resolution mechanisms, an absence of sanctions for some violations and the lack of provisions on election observation.

The report, published on 29 July 2016, notes that, while fundamental freedoms were respected and candidates were able to campaign freely, biased media coverage, undue advantage of incumbency and a blurring of the distinction between state and party activities hindered a level playing field for contestants. To this end, the report recommends specific campaign regulations, including the introduction of ceilings on campaign expenditures and preventing the misuse of administrative resources and the abuse of office.  

In noting the absence of an effective mechanism for monitoring media conduct during the campaign, the report recommends clarifying the competences of the media regulatory body in investigating and sanctioning breaches of legislation in a timely manner.

A review of the election appeals system to guarantee an effective and timely remedy for all complaints, and particularly in cases related to electionday irregularities and election results, is also among the report’s recommendations.

Additional recommendations relate to providing unrestricted access of citizen and international observers to the entire electoral process, including voting, counting and tabulation, and enhancing the transparency of the tabulation of results.

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VIENNA / WARSAW, 29 July2016 – To combat human trafficking,  a comprehensive, co-ordinated and victim-centred approach that includes creating opportunities for regular and safe migration, as well as protecting the human rights of migrants, is urgently needed by all state actors, civil society and multilateral organizations, said senior OSCE officials today ahead of World Anti-Trafficking Day on 30 July.

Multiple and complex security challenges such as armed conflict, the spread of violent extremism and radicalization leading to terrorism and climate change, have recently pushed millions of people into mass, mixed migration flows throughout the OSCE region, putting an increasing number of  them at risk of being trafficked.

OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier emphasized that “effective and early identification of potential victims and the fight against the impunity of perpetrators need to be at the core of any resilient security governance strategy. This is particularly important within the context of mixed migration flows, which expose already vulnerable individuals to trafficking syndicates.”   

“Human trafficking is a grave violation of the human rights of its victims – human beings who are exploited, most often for profit,” said Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). “A victim-centred approach, placing the protection of all human rights at the heart of efforts to prevent and end trafficking, is essential if we are to ensure that anti-trafficking measures do not further threaten the safety, dignity and rights of those we are responsible to help and protect.”

OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings Madina Jarbussynova stressed that crisis situations are placing strenuous challenges on already vulnerable groups within and around the OSCE region. “As we join the efforts of the United Nations on this World Day against Trafficking in Persons to raise awareness and promote the protection of rights and dignity of all, any protective measures should first and foremost be conducted in the best interest of potential victims, especially amongst irregular migrants, asylum seekers, internally displaced persons and unaccompanied minors.” Focusing on the complex nexus between trafficking and conflict situations, Ambassador Jarbussynova will on Monday start a week-long official visit to Ukraine to raise awareness of human trafficking threats.  

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ASHGABAT, 21 April 2016 – A commentary prepared by the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat covering Turkmenistan’s Education Law of 2013 as well as regulations on state educational institutions, state pre-school institutions and on state specialized educational institutions, was presented at a roundtable meeting in Ashgabat today.

During the discussion, an international expert who was engaged in drafting the commentary highlighted the main provisions of the relevant legislative acts and reflected on their compliance with international human rights standards.

“Education is playing a significant role in ensuring sustainable security and it is the responsibility of governments to guarantee equal access to education for their citizens,” said Ivo Petrov, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat.

“The analysis of the national legislation on education demonstrated that the Government of Turkmenistan has been undertaking a significant and systematic attempt to legislate the right to high quality and relevant education for all their citizens across the lifespan. We firmly believe that this analysis will provide an efficient input in the efforts of the country’s authorities to further strengthen the educational system.”

The roundtable discussion brought together members of the Mejlis (parliament), officials from the Ministry of Education, the Supreme Court and the National Institute for Democracy and Human Rights under the President of Turkmenistan, as well as instructors from the Institute of International Relations under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the International University of Humanities and Development and the Magtymguly Turkmen State University.

The commentary and the event were organized as part of the Centre’s extra-budgetary project to facilitate the exchange of legal expertise in strengthening national legislation on education in compliance with international standards. The project is funded by the British Embassy in Turkmenistan.

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The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) issued a final report on 8 July 2016 on the postponed early parliamentary elections in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, which were scheduled for 5 June 2016. The final report assesses whether the electoral process and activities conducted before the postponement of elections were in line with OSCE commitments, other international obligations and standards for democratic elections, and with national legislation.  

While recognizing that 2015 amendments to the Electoral Code attempted to address most of the prior OSCE/ODIHR recommendations, the report notes that late changes negatively affected electoral stakeholders’ understanding of new provisions and impacted their ability to fulfil their functions. In addition, a number of previous recommendations remain to be addressed and legal inconsistencies eliminated. The report recommends conducting a complete review of the Code after consultations between all political stakeholders and relevant civil society organizations.  

As one of the priority recommendations, the report recommends the State Election Commission and the Ministry of Internal Affairs continue the process of updating the voter register through a co-ordinated effort ahead of the next elections. In order to increase the citizens’ confidence in the accuracy of voter registration, it also recommends that the process is transparent and ensures political parties and civil society access for verification.  

Noting that some measures to prevent intimidation and pressure on citizens were taken by authorities, it however mentions that a climate of intimidation persisted, attributed to a fear of retribution existing in state companies and institutions. The report recommends that authorities actively encourage citizens to report any cases of pressure and intimidation and thoroughly investigate such instances. 

While a number of aspects for the media coverage of election campaigns have been detailed in the Electoral Code, a need for continued substantial reform was highlighted. The report suggests amending the legal framework to further clarify the requirements for balanced reporting during the pre-campaign period.

Additional recommendations in the report include deciding on election-related cases within timely deadlines and harmonizing the Electoral Code with the Constitution, which provides for public hearings. It also recommends periodic review of district boundaries by an independent body to ensure the equality of the vote.

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The final report by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on Serbia’s 24 April 2016 early parliamentary elections recommends a comprehensive review of legislation to further improve election process.  

The report, while finding the elections were efficiently administered and held in a competitive environment, spells out key areas that would benefit from such a review, including unclear rules on candidate registration, inadequate regulation of campaign finance, deficiencies and loopholes in dispute resolution mechanisms, an absence of sanctions for some violations and the lack of provisions on election observation.

The report, published on 29 July 2016, notes that, while fundamental freedoms were respected and candidates were able to campaign freely, biased media coverage, undue advantage of incumbency and a blurring of the distinction between state and party activities hindered a level playing field for contestants. To this end, the report recommends specific campaign regulations, including the introduction of ceilings on campaign expenditures and preventing the misuse of administrative resources and the abuse of office.  

In noting the absence of an effective mechanism for monitoring media conduct during the campaign, the report recommends clarifying the competences of the media regulatory body in investigating and sanctioning breaches of legislation in a timely manner.

A review of the election appeals system to guarantee an effective and timely remedy for all complaints, and particularly in cases related to electionday irregularities and election results, is also among the report’s recommendations.

Additional recommendations relate to providing unrestricted access of citizen and international observers to the entire electoral process, including voting, counting and tabulation, and enhancing the transparency of the tabulation of results.

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Reforming political party legislation in Ukraine was the focus of an expert workshop in Kyiv on 6 and 7 July 2016, jointly organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), the Ukrainian civil society organizations Agency for Legislative Initiatives (ALI) and the Civil Network "OPORA". The event was hosted by the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.

More than 80 experts, including representatives of the Ukrainian parliament, government, academia and civil society organizations, discussed trends and challenges in political party regulation, highlighting good practices and lessons learned over the past two decades, and contextualizing the reforms and challenges of the Ukrainian legislative framework in broader regional and international experience.

"Political parties are facing significant challenges in their ability to represent citizens and promote political participation across OSCE participating States," said Marcin Walecki, Head of ODIHR Democratization Department. "Transparency in party procedures and financing sources, their level of inclusiveness towards under-represented groups, and their ability to use new media to promote communication and accountability are all indispensable elements to ensure political pluralism and a vigorous democracy."

Sergii Leshchenko, Member of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, said: "Political parties in Ukraine suffer from low levels of trust, affecting the legitimacy of the entire institutional framework. Following last year’s workshop, this meeting represents an opportunity to continue the discussion with international and local experts on the political party legislation implemented in Ukraine and opportunities for reform."

The Workshop also addressed the issue of inclusiveness in political parties, looking into the promotion of women and persons with disabilities in policies and party structures.

In a video message from Judith E. Heumann, Special Advisor for International Disability Rights in the United States’ State Department, said: "Participating States should support political participation of persons with disabilities in political parties across the OSCE region."

Following the workshop, 20 Ukrainian journalists, media and civil society representatives will participate in a one-day training event on Money in Politics, offering a general overview of the issue of political party and campaign financing, and focusing on the findings of the workshop and detailed aspects of the political party legislation adopted in Ukraine.

The workshop and the subsequent training workshop were organized within the framework of ODIHR’s project on "Strengthening dialogue among civil society and with key government stakeholders in Ukraine".

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Not the cheapest, but may be of interest to some.

Whittakers Peanut Slab Bar 50g (Pack of 50) also available for the same price.

Tesla is recalling Cybertrucks again.

Slack – When you leave channel before submit your text, the # icon will change to pencil icon.

Los palestinos denuncian que los presos sufren duras condiciones mientras los israelíes dicen que “hacen lo que quieren y suben fotos en Facebook”.

Exige que se comprometa en el Congreso a dejar el puesto de vicepresidenta de la Comisión si es acusada por su gestión en la DANA , y esto es sólo una petición previa para no tumbar su candidatura Leer

Hoy le exigen a uno hablar inglés hasta para servir en un chiringuito de playa, pero no para presidir el país

Cuando hablamos por primera vez de la faloteca, allá por octubre del 2008, comentamos sorprendidos que el responsable del museo aseguraba poseer cuatro documentos de donación de la especie Homo Sapiens. Pues bien, a través de su página web hemos sabido que el pasado 8 de abril el museo ha recibido oficialmente un pene humano (con sus testículos y todo). Con esta adquisición, la faloteca ya tiene representadas en sus estantes 46 especies de mamíferos islandeses. El nombre del donante no ha trascendido.

The 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) has unveiled its main competition lineup, with 15 features vying for the Golden Peacock award carrying an INR4 million ($47,000) prize purse, notably featuring nine films directed by women. Among the world premieres are Manijeh Hekmat and Faeze Azizkhani’s Iranian drama “Fear & Trembling,” exploring an older […]

After the House passed the Social Security Fairness Act in a vote of 327 to 75, the legislation is now facing its next hurdle: passage in the Senate.

The post Legislation to eliminate WEP and GPO clears the House first appeared on Federal News Network.

COP 29, Day 3: Small islands reaffirm commitments, and Climate Action Commissioner EU's leadership

Owners of the affected trucks will require replacement hardware.

The latest design in Bernews’ weekly Wallpaper Wednesday series features scenic views of the west end, with a blue sky, white beach, and lush green trees. The design is available in two sizes; a Facebook profile cover image and also in a vertical format, ideally sized for use as a mobile phone wallpaper, WhatsApp status […]

Colorado legislators questioned Gov. Jared Polis about what he has described as his "belt-tightening" budget proposal.

So Cal rockers Rival Sons have announced that they will be releasing their 2021 performance from Catalina Island

The 2021 Around the Island Powerboat & Jet Ski Race is set to take place this Sunday [Aug 8] starting at Ferry Reach. Race Schedule: 10am - Junior Boat Race 12pm - Jet Ski Race 2pm - Power Boats A Class 2:06pm – Power Boats B Class 2:10pm – Power Boats C Class 2:11pm – Power Boats D Class 2:16pm – […]

An ‘Around the Island Powerboat Race Viewing Cruise’ will be held on Sunday [Aug 8] onboard the Spirit of Bermuda from 10.00am to 4.00pm. An online promo said, “Albouy’s Point to Gibbet Island. Onboard the Spirit of Bermuda. 10 am – 4 pm, depart from Albouys Point. $100 per person. Unlimited bar & snacks. For more […]

The 2021 Around the Island Powerboat & Jet Ski Race took place on Sunday  [Aug 8] starting and finishing at Ferry Reach in the east end. Juniors: Race # 1 1 Trystan Hocking 2 Santiago Rose 3 Tyler James Juniors: Race #2 1 Isobel Rowe 2 Jonah Moniz 3 Shawn Bremar Juniors: Race #3 1 […]

[Updated with more photos] The 2021 Around The Island Powerboat Race was held yesterday [Aug 8] starting and finishing at Ferry Reach in the east end, and as always, people enjoyed the race from various vantage points across the island. The day included six Juniors races, a jet ski race and various classes of power boat […]

The 2021 Around The Island Powerboat and Jet Ski Race took place this weekend, and you can view all our coverage of the popular event here, and take a look at some virtual 3D popup versions of images from the race below, offering a different view of the fast boats and the island’s always beautiful waters. Related […]

On Sunday [Aug 7] the Bermuda Powerboat Association [BPBA] will be hosting the Round The Island Powerboat Race. A spokesperson said, “The day commences with junior races at Ferry Reach at 10:30am. Next there will be a jet ski race commencing at 12:30. We have 5 jet skis registered so far but hope this number will […]

The Government has issued a marine advisory in advance of the annual Round-the-Island Powerboat Race on Sunday. A Government spokesperson said, “The annual Round-the-Island Powerboat Race will take place on Sunday, 7 August, between 12 – 3:30 p.m. n the interest of marine safety, the following sea channels will be closed to regular maritime traffic during the […]

The 2022 Around the Island Powerboat Race took place today [Aug 7] with boats speeding around the entire island at top speeds, with  Andrew Cottingham and Henry Talbot in S22 crossing the line first in the powerboat class,  Cleveland ‘Chicken’ Maybury crossing the line first in the jet ski class, while there were a number of winners in the […]

The 3D pop up graphics below aim to give you a three dimensional look at the 2022 Around the Island Powerboat Race event held on Sunday [Aug 7]. You can view all our coverage of the Around the Island Powerboat Race event here, view past 3D photo galleries here, and view ‘virtual art’ themed videos here […]

David Selley & Keith Bridges claimed the 2023 RUBiS Around the Island Power Boat Race title, while Cleveland Maybury won the Jet Ski Title. 2023 RUBiS Around the Island Power Boat Race Results 1st – S8: David Selley & Keith Bridges – 33:44:00 2nd – S22: Andrew Cottingham & Henry Talbot – 33:44:30 3rd – […]

[Updated] Bermuda is gearing up for the high-speed thrill of the annual Rubis Around the Island Power Boat Race, which is set to take place this Sunday, August 11, 2024. The event will start at Ferry Reach in the East End, with categories including a junior race at 10:00 AM and an offshore race at 2:00 PM. In […]

The Rotary Clubs of Bermuda recently held a cleanup at the Riddles Bay Mangrove Reserve, while also inspiring the island’s Brownies to “become stewards of the environment.” A spokesperson said, “This year, the Rotary Clubs of Bermuda have been cited for their interest and continued concern about the environment. Rotarians held a most successful cleanup […]

The Government of Bermuda “extends its congratulations to the Autonomous Region of the Azores, which passed groundbreaking legislation to protect 30% of their waters and designating the largest marine protected area [MPA] network in the North Atlantic.” A Government spokesperson said, “This historic decision safeguards 287,000 square kilometers of Azorean waters, half of which is […]

Piráti mají za sebou zásadní sjezd, na kterém si zvolili jako předsedu bývalého primátora Prahy Zdeňka Hřiba. Nahradí tak ve vedení strany jejího dlouholetého předsedu Ivana Bartoše, který byl na sjezdu za potlesku všech přítomných slavnostně digitalizován.

Vyhlášení Českých slavíků proběhne 29. listopadu ve Foru Karlín. Vy můžete hlasovat do 17. listopadu do půlnoci. Během slavnostního večera vystoupí interpreti jako Michal David, kapela Mirai, Marie Rotterová a po více než deseti letech se na pódiu slavíků vrátí Tomáš Klus. Zároveň bude uvedena do síně slávy Marta Kubišová. Po Jiřím Suchém a václavu Neckářovi to v ní bude první ženou.

V dnešní době navštíví nejproslulejší náměstí New Yorku přes 130 milionů turistů ročně. Stojí tu obří obchod s cukrovinkami M&M's i konkurenční Hershey's. Před třiceti lety se ale na Times Square odvážili jen ti nejotrlejší. Každoročně zde docházelo ke zhruba 2500 zločinů a místo turistů tu vládly prostitutky.

Solomon Ball stole a pass and took it all the way for a transition dunk to extend the Connecticut Huskies' lead over the Le Moyne Dolphins.

Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun said in an X post on Tuesday that the company had produced 100,000 Xiaomi SU7 electric vehicles in 230 days. Luna Lin/AFP via Getty Images Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun posted a photo of himself sleeping on the factory floor. Lei was celebrating an EV production milestone — 100,000 units…

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has kept quiet on Elon Musk’s recent comments criticising Italian judges for again blocking Meloni’s migrant transfer policy with Albania, while President Sergio Mattarella responded to the billionaire, calling for respecting Italy’s sovereignty. Commenting on…