107 Issue | Worldwide Events e-Newspaper | 20 - 26 Jan, 2013

Inauguration Day U.S. - J a n 2 0

The inauguration of the president of the United States takes place during the commencement of a new term of a president of the United States, which is every four years on January 20. Prior to the Twentieth Amendment, the date was March 4, the day of the year on which the Constitution of the United States first took effect in 1789; the last inauguration to take place on the older date was Franklin D. Roosevelt's first one on March 4, 1933. The day a presidential inauguration occurs is known as "Inauguration Day".

The only inauguration element mandated by the United States Constitution is that the president make an oath or affirmation before that person can "enter on the Execution" of the office of the presidency. However, over the years, various traditions have arisen that have expanded the inauguration from a simple oath-taking ceremony to a day-long event, including parades, speeches, and balls.

From the presidency of Andrew Jackson through that of Jimmy Carter, the primary Inauguration Day ceremony took place on the Capitol's East Portico. Since the 1981 inauguration of Ronald Reagan, the ceremony has been held at the Capitol's West Front. The inaugurations of William Howard Taft in 1909 and Reagan in 1985 were moved indoors at the Capitol due to cold weather. The War of 1812 and World War II caused two inaugurations to be held at other locations in Washington, D.C. Since Chief Justice Oliver Ellsworth swore in President John Adams, no chief justice has missed an Inauguration Day. When Inauguration Day has fallen on a Sunday, the chief justice has administered the oath to the president either on inauguration day itself or on the Sunday privately and the following Monday publicly. The next scheduled public presidential inauguration ceremony, swearing-in Barack Obama to begin his second four-year term in office, will take place on Monday, January 21, 2013. The President will make a private oath of office on Sunday, January 20.

HUNGARY H unga r y is r e a dy t o s t a y e nga ge d in A f gha nis t a n a ft e r 2 0 1 4

Hungary will begin to ascend in 2013, PM Orbán

Day of the Martyrs Azerbaijan - J a n 2 0

January 20 in Azerbaijan commemorates Black January in 1990, when Soviet troops entered the city of Baku and killed more than 180 civilians. It is celebrated as the rebirth of the Republic of Azerbaijan. It is also a remembrance of the victims of the Nagorno-Karabakh War in 1988. This day in Azerbaijan is also known as Qara Yanvar (Day of National Mourning), Day of Shehids, or Remembrance Day.

History Black January was a retaliation of the Soviet Army in the city of

Baku against demands of independence from Armenians. A seven day pogrom—a riot against a particular race, religion or nationality—started in Baku, Azerbaijan on January 13, 1990. Up to 66 Armenians were killed by beating or knife wound in focused individual attacks. Most of them were part of the Azerbaijani Popular Front that demanded independence from the Soviet Union. Their houses were set on fire, and the local Soviet authorities did nothing to stop the attacking forces.

Late at night, on January 19, over 26,000 Soviet troops entered Baku with the objective of crushing the Popular Front. They attacked protesters and shot at the crowds for three days. In the end, 93 Azerbaijanis and 29 Russian soldiers were killed. On January 22, the population of Baku came to the streets to bury the dead, and for 40 days they did not work in a protest of mourning.

Citizens also remember the events of the Nagorno-Karabakh War, an armed conflict that took place from February 1988 to May 1994 in Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan, between Armenians and Azerbaijanis. The parliament of Nagorno-Karabakh wanted to unite with Azerbaijan, and the majority of Armenians was in favor of independence.

Inter-ethnic fighting ensued for years as both sides tried to eliminate each other from Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding mountains. Even today, the situation isn’t completely settled since the cease fire in 1994. Inflammatory accusations from both sides seem to still be triggering small conflicts in the zone.

Traditions, customs and activities

On Martyrs Day in the Azerbaijan Republic the entire government, from the president and prime minister to members of the cabinet and leaders of the parliament, are joined by church officials to gather at the Azerbaijani Genocide Memorial in Baku. In a solemn procession they place flower wreaths at the memorial to commemorate those who died in 1990 during Black January.

All over the world in Azerbaijani embassies and private communities, the events of Black January and the NagornoKarabakh War are recognized. Azerbaijanis regard this day as a day to rekindle their patriotism and celebrate their national history and identity as the country struggles to gain peace and economic stability.

National Heroes Day - Jan 20 Guinea Bissau, Cape Verde Islands

Amílcar Lopes da Costa Cabral (12 September 1924 – 20 January 1973) was a Guinea-Bissauan and Cape Verdean agricultural engineer, writer, and a nationalist thinker and politician. Also known by his nom de guerre Abel Djassi, Cabral led the nationalist movement of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde Islands and the ensuing war of independence in Guinea-Bissau. He was assassinated on 20 January 1973, about 8 months before Guinea-Bissau's unilateral declaration of independence. While he was influenced by Marxism, he was not a Marxist.

years Early He was born on September 12, 1924 in Bafatá, Guinea-Bissau, son of

Cape Verdean father, Juvenal Lopes da Costa Cabral and Bissau-Guinean mother Iva Pinhel Évora. Cabral was educated at Liceu (Secondary School) Gil Eanes in the town of Mindelo, Cape Verde, and later at the Instituto Superior de Agronomia, in Lisbon (the capital of Portugal, which was then the colonial power ruling overGuinea-Bissau and Cape Verde).

While an Agronomy student in Lisbon, he founded student movements dedicated to opposing the ruling dictatorship of Portugal and promoting the cause of liberation of the Portuguese colonies in Africa.

He returned to Africa in the 1950s, and was instrumental in promoting the independence causes of the then Portuguese colonies. He was the founder (in 1956) of the PAIGC or Partido Africano da Independência da Guiné e Cabo Verde (Portuguese for African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde) and one of the founders of Movimento Popular Libertação de Angola (MPLA) (later in the same year), together with Agostinho Neto, whom he met in Portugal, and other Angolan nationalists.

War for independence From 1963 to his assassination in 1973, Cabral led the PAIGC's

guerrilla movement (in Portuguese Guinea) against the Portuguese regime, which evolved into one of the most successful wars of independence in African history. The goal of the conflict was to attain independence for both Portuguese Guinea and Cape Verde. Over the course of the conflict, as the movement captured territory from the Portuguese, Cabral became the de facto leader of a large portion of what became Guinea-Bissau.

In preparation for the liberation war, Cabral set up training camps in neighboring Ghana with the permission of Kwame Nkrumah.

Cabral trained his lieutenants through various techniques, including mock conversations to provide them with effective communication skills that would aid their efforts to mobilize Guinean tribal chiefs to support the PAIGC. Amílcar Cabral soon realized that the war effort could be sustained only if his troops could be fed and taught to live off the land alongside the larger populace. Being an agronomist, he taught his troops to teach local crop growers better farming techniques, so that they could increase productivity and be able to feed their own family and tribe, as well as the soldiers enlisted in the PAIGC's military wing. When not fighting, PAIGC soldiers would till and plow the fields alongside the local population.

Cabral and the PAIGC also set up a trade-and-barter bazaar system that moved around the country and made staple goods available to the countryside at prices lower than that of colonial store owners. During the war, Cabral also set up a roving hospital and triage station to give medical care to wounded PAIGC's soldiers and quality-of-life care to the larger populace, relying on medical supplies garnered from the USSR and Sweden. The bazaars and triage stations were at first stationary until they came under frequent attack from Portuguese regime forces.

In 1972, Cabral began to form a People's Assembly in preparation for the birth of an independent African nation, but disgruntled former PAIGC rival Inocêncio Kani, with the help of Portuguese agents operating within the PAIGC, shot and killed him before he could complete his project. The Portuguese regime's plan, which eventually went awry, was to enjoin the help of this former rival to arrest Amílcar Cabral and place him under the custody of Portuguese authorities. The assassination took place on 20 January 1973 inConakry, Guinea. His half-brother, Luís Cabral, became the leader of the GuineaBissau branch of the party and would eventually become President of Guinea-Bissau.

More than a guerrilla leader, Cabral was highly regarded internationally as one of the most prominent African thinkers of the 20th century and for his intellectual contributions aimed at formulating a coherent cultural, philosophical and historical theoretical framework to justify and explain independence movements. This is reflected in his various writings and public interventions.

Photo: Tamás Kovács, MTI (Online 18 Jan) If there is such a request, Hungary stands ready to continue its presence in Afghanistan after 2014, the end of the mandate of NATO’s current mission, President of Hungary János Áder said after his discussions with NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen in the NATO Headquarters, Brussels on Thursday, January 17. The NATO Secretary General called Hungary “a dependable ally”.

János Áder is the first President of Hungary to have visited the NATO Headquarters in Brussels since Hungary joined the Alliance in 1999.

Speaking at a press conference following the meeting, the Head of State summed up the discussions in three words: security, trust and partnership.

János Áder stated that “it’s close to fifteen years now that Hungary joined NATO, and it was the first time that that Hungary voluntarily joined a military alliance, actually after reiterating this decision through a referendum.”

“I think close to fifteen years ago Hungarians made a right decision.

And this decision – back then and also now – serves the security of Hungary”, the President of Hungary said. He added that over the last years the Hungarian military leaders and soldiers have earned the trust of NATO’s military commanders and leaders. This is what he personally

experienced last month on his visit to Afghanistan as the first Hungarian Head of State since the change of regime.

“When I met Gen. (John) Allen, the Commander of ISAF, he uttered a very important sentence (…) – he said: “Wherever and when I see the Hungarian national flag, the red, white and green, whenever I see a soldier wearing that flag on their uniform I stand confident that everything is going to be in order, that I can count on those soldiers, that these soldiers will carry out their duties in a punctual way, precisely as is expected of them”, János Áder recalled his experiences gained in Afghanistan.

Speaking about partnership, János Áder noted that both he and the NATO Secretary General consider it important to further the integration of the Balkan countries, and it is equally important to “strengthen the transatlantic link and to carry it forward. This is one of the most important objectives for the next some years”, the Head of State stressed.

The President of Hungary said that this summer Anders Fogh Rasmussen would visit Hungary, where he would travel to see the Pápa Air Base as well.

After the meeting, Anders Fogh Rasmussen himself referred to the Pápa Air Base as a significant project through which Hungary has an im-

portant share in NATO’s tasks. At Pápa, Hungary houses three C–17 long-range military transport aircraft, which contributes to NATO’s strategic airlift capabilities.

The NATO Secretary General thanked the President of Hungary for the participation of Hungarian soldiers in missions abroad, and called Hungary “a dependable ally”.

“By training the Afghan forces [the Hungarian soldiers] are helping to shape a better future for the Afghan people,” the NATO Secretary General said. He stressed that “Afghan soldiers and police are taking the lead for the security of almost 90 per cent of the population. By mid-2013 they will be in the lead for the security of 100 per cent of Afghans nation-wide and by the end of 2014 they will be fully in charge of their own security across the country”.

The Secretary General stated that Hungary’s contribution to the KFOR mission in Kosovo – where some 200 Hungarian soldiers are serving – reflects the importance Hungary attaches to maintaining security and stability in the region of the Western Balkans, “a region which we all want to see anchored in Euro-Atlantic structures”.

The Secretary General pointed out that Hungary’s contributions to NATO’s missions “are even more valuable because they are made despite times of economic austerity”.

Italian company produces 3 D N AT O r a d a r (Online 18 Jan) An Italian company, Selex ES produces the 3D NATO radar which is to be installed in Medina. The engineers of the company discussed the details of the implementation in Hungary.

Between January 15 and 17, the experts held discussions in Medina, Juta and in the Ministry of Defence on the current state of the building works of the radar tower, the main

deadlines, the lightning protection system and other technical issues.

The engineers surveyed the pattern elements and equipment stored in Juta, and discussed their transportation. At the end of their visit they fixed the main terms and conditions as well as the aspects needed to meet the deadlines. During the site surveys and the discussions, the engineers made sure that the works

are going in order according to the plan.

The radar equipment is scheduled to be installed in the 28-meter tall tower this August. The concrete structure of the tower was finished on January 14. The 3D radar station in Medina will be the third element of Hungary’s air surveillance system, the other two 3D radar stations operate in Bánkút and Békéscsaba.

(Online 18 Jan) Péter Szijjártó, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs and External Economic Relations, praised the fruitful relations that have been built with Arab countries since the change of Government in 2010.

The State Secretary told participants at a board meeting of the Arab-Hungarian section of the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry that tightening relations with the Arab region has been truly beneficiary for the Hungarian economy. He underlined that Hungary can offer products and services that are in demand in Arab countries.

He recalled that the eurozone crisis hit the Hungarian economy badly, since the great majority of Hungarian exports targeted EU Member States.

Nothing will be the same after the crisis, and so methods used before cannot be successful now, he said, adding that the Government faced a harsh situation when taking over

power in 2010 and needed to overcome serious disadvantages for the previous Government had not taken steps towards building a system of allies.

Péter Szijjártó pointed out that opening up to the East is part of a foreign policy and economic strategy, which includes building relations with China and the Far East as well as with countries from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and the Caucasus Republics, since the Hungarian supply structure and demand in these latter overlap. Hungary’s further important partners are the Western Balkans and the Arab world.

The State Secretary noted that the main fields of cooperation with the Arab region are infrastructure, agriculture and R&D. Several Arab countries have recently elaborated national development projects and the Hungarian construction industry

may participate in their realisation.

He also underlined the importance of helping small and medium-sized enterprises get access to foreign markets, which is an important source of economic growth.

He mentioned that the regular meeting of joint economic committees is also an important instrument for building relations. Exports can also be further boosted by high-level state visits, he added.

Chairman of the Hungarian Chamber of Industry and Commerce László Parragh has expressed his appreciation regarding the expanding Arab-Hungarian economic relations.

At the board meeting, the Arab-Hungarian section discussed this year’s programme schedule, which includes business visits by delegations from Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi-Arabia, as well as a Hungarian visit to Iraq.

Minister Balog and Swedish Minister for integration present the Wallenberg awards

Tributes

Errol Barrow Day Barbados - J a n 2 1

Commemoration Birthday of G.F. Croes Aruba - J a n 2 5

Gilberto François "Betico" Croes (January 25, 1938 - November 26, 1986) was anAruban political activist who was a proponent of Aruba's separation from the rest of theNetherlands Antilles. This eventually occurred, but Croes lapsed into a coma after an accident on 31 December 1985 (the night of status aparte) and was never conscious to see his accomplishment. He is called the father of the Aruban nation.

The accident he suffered was questioned by many for years since a car was seen leaving the area after the accident. This conspiracy theory was never proven.

He was the leader of the political party People's Electoral Movement (Movimiento Electoral di Pueblo) and in 1976 was the person responsible for the Seal, Flag and Hymn of the island of Aruba. The hymn was co-written by renowned Padu Del Caribe (Padu Lampe), and Rufo Wever, who also composed the anthem. He was also responsible for the referendum held March 1977, for Aruba's independence, which obtained 83% of the votes in favor of independence.

Betico Croes also was responsible for formally setting Aruba’s Independence Date for 1991, at the Round Table Conference in February 1981, But at the Round Table Conference in March 1983 the date for Aruba’s Independence was changed from 1991, and set in two stages/steps: the first stage/step: Aruba’s Independence from the Netherlands Antilles was set for 1986, and for ten years later, the second stage/step: Aruba’s Independence from the Netherlands, for 1996! At Betico’s arrival in Aruba, after the RTC, he was received with total approval and joy by the people. He is also responsible for the fact that in August 1985: Aruba’s Constitution and its Independence first from the Netherlands Antilles, and then from the Netherlands, as agreed in March 1983, in Aruba’s Decolonization and Independence Agreement, is unanimously approved by all political parties in Aruba.

In the 1980s he also said that Aruba should target tourism in order to diversify the economy since it depended mainly on the refinery.

He also was responsible for major projects for the people of Aruba like F.C.C.A., Arubus, Sasaki Plan (he envisioned the area destined for hotels) and many more.

Aruba's official Holiday to remember him has been marked on January 25, his birth date.

Caya G. F. Betico Croes is named after him and is the main shopping street of Oranjestad, Aruba.

Has 2 sons, Glenbert and Junior Croes and 2 daughters Lalo Saladin-Croes and Guisette Croes.

St. Tatiana Day Russia - J a n 2 5

Tatiana Day (Russian: Татьянин день, Tatyanin den' ) is a Russian religious holiday observed on January 25 according to the Gregorian calendar, January 12 according to the Julian. It is named after Saint Tatiana, a Christian martyr in 3rd century Rome during thereign of Emperor Alexander Severus.

In 1755 on the name day of Ivan Shuvalov's mother Tatiana Rodionovna, his mistress Empress Elizabeth of Russia endorsed his petition to establish a university in Moscow. The church of Saint Tatiana was later built in the university campus, the Russian Orthodox Church declared Saint Tatiana the patron saint of students, and Tatiana Day has become celebrated as Russian Students Day.

Burns Night Scotland - J a n 2 5

A Burns supper is a celebration of the life and poetry of the poet Robert Burns, author of many Scots poems. The suppers are normally held on or near the poet's birthday, 25 January, sometimes also known as Robert Burns Day or Burns Night, although they may in principle be held at any time of the year.

Burns' suppers are most common in Scotland and Northern Ireland but occur wherever there are Burns Clubs, Scottish Societies, expatriate Scots, or aficionados of Burns' poetry. There is a particularly strong tradition of them in southern New Zealand's main city Dunedin, of which Burns' nephew Thomas Burns was a founding father.

The first suppers were held in Ayrshire at the end of the 18th century by Robert Burns' friends on the anniversary of his death, 21 July, In Memoriam and they have been a regular occurrence ever since. The first Burns club, known as The Mother Club, was founded in Greenock in 1801 by merchants born in Ayrshire, some of whom had known Burns. They held the first Burns supper on what they thought was his birthday on 29 January 1802, but in 1803 discovered from the Ayr parish records that the correct date was 25 January 1759, and since then suppers have been held on 25 January, Burns' birthday.

Burns suppers may be formal or informal. Both typically include haggis (a traditional Scottish dish celebrated by Burns in Address to a Haggis), Scotch whisky and the recitation of Burns' poetry. Formal dinners are hosted by organisations such as Burns clubs, the Freemasons or St Andrews Societies and occasionally end with dancing when ladies are present.

Australia Day Australia - J a n 2 6

Australia Day (previously known as Anniversary Day, Foundation Day, and ANA Day) is the official national day of Australia. Celebrated annually on 26 January, the date commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove in 1788 and the proclamation at that time of British sovereignty over the eastern seaboard of Australia (then known asNew Holland).

Although it was not known as Australia Day until over a century later, records of celebrations on 26 January date back to 1808, with the first official celebration of the formation of New South Wales held in 1818. It is an official public holiday in every state and territory of Australia and is marked by the presentation of the Australian of the YearAwards on Australia Day Eve, announcement of the Honours List for the Order of Australiaand addresses from the Governor-General and Prime Minister. With community festivals, concerts and citizenship ceremonies the day is celebrated in large and small communities and cities around the nation. Australia Day has become the biggest annual civic event in Australia.

Photo: Csaba Pelsőczy (Online 18 Jan) Minister of Human Resources Zoltán Balog and Swedish Minister for Integration Erik Ullenhag presented this year's Wallenberg Awards at Budapest's Holocaust Memorial Centre on Thursday.

This year's Wallenberg Award winners include the local government of Baks in southern Hungary, documentary filmmaker Kriszta Bódis, and Gábor Gordon, President of the March of the Living Foundation.

At the ceremony, Minister Balog called for a joint effort to fight dictatorial behaviour and stated that democracy was not defined by the number of parties in Parliament, but by the behaviour of democrats in that country. He said, "Politicians

should learn democracy from the award winners".

Balog talked about the importance of commemorating people who had helped the victims of dictatorships so that those atrocities should never occur again.

The Swedish minister also called for remembrance and for "paying tribute to all victims". Swedish Minister Ullenhag said his Government was committed to fighting xenophobia and any other form of intolerance, adding that the Swedish Government has allocated 50 million Swedish crowns to improving the situation of the country's Roma minority.

The ministers also held a bilateral

meeting at the Holocaust Memorial Center, where Minister Balog informed his colleague about the Hungarian Government’s achievements in the field of Roma integration, and gave a general picture of the current issues regarding the economy and higher education. He emphasised that the most important point in the Government’s integration strategy is strengthening coexistence within society. Minister Ullenhag acknowledged Hungary's achievements, stating that Sweden seeks cooperation with Hungary on every issue in which both nations can work sideby-side.

Hungary supports France’s operation in Mali (Online 17 Jan) Upon the request of the President of Mali, and in agreement with the UN Security Council Resolution 2085, on January 11, 2013 France launched a military operation to stop the advancement of the Islamist militants who control the northern part of Mali.

The objective of the operation is to restore the rule of law and re-establish a fully sovereign democratic government with authority throughout Malian territory as well as to prevent Mali from becoming a base for terrorism in the region. The operation was unanimously endorsed by the UN Security Council on January 14.

Hungary has expressed its full support and solidarity with the military operation launched by France,

which was a proportionate response to the challenge posed by the radical jihadist groups in northern Mali since they threaten the stability and security of the entire Sahel region. We consider France’s efforts as part of the global fight against terrorism, and as being in agreement with the norms of international law and with the principles of the UN Basic Charter.

In addition to supporting the French military operation, Hungary encourages the launching of a military mission by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) as soon as possible, in order to enhance the African role in settling the crisis in Mali.

Hungary welcomes the efforts made

by the European Union to advance the management of the crisis and to promote an effective solution. As part of these efforts, preparations have begun to send an EU Training Mission to Mali (EUTM Mali). The goal of this EU mission will be – through training and mentoring – to facilitate the reorganisation of the Malian national defense force and to improve their capabilities. The task of EUTM Mali is to contribute to restoring the territorial integrity and the social stability of the country without itself becoming involved in combat operations.

The Hungarian Government is considering how it could contribute to the mission, which may include sending military experts.

State Secretary Hölvényi welcomes the delegation of the European Jewish Parliament (Online 17 Jan) György Hölvényi, State Secretary for Church and Minority Affairs of the Ministry of Human Resources, welcomed the delegation of the European Jewish Parliament. The visit was part of a comprehensive Central and Eastern European tour.

The purpose of the visit was to en-

able the delegation to get to know the country’s Jewish communities, domestic religious and community life, and the social and political processes that influence the everyday lives of Hungarian Jews.

During the negotiations, the topic of commemorating to the 70th anniversary of the Hungarian Holocaust

also emerged. Preparations for the commemorative ceremony are booing conducted by the Hungarian Holocaust 2014 Memorial Commission. After the discussion, György Hölvényi participated in the founding conference of the Memorial Commission.

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to visit India in October (Online 16 Jan) India will host Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on a state visit in October, the Hungarian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

Deputy State Secretary for Global Affairs, Szabolcs Takács, held talks in New Delhi with senior foreign affairs officials, who told him that the Prime Minister would be welcomed in India in October, the Ministry's statement said.

The two sides surveyed HungarianIndian relations and the bilateral agreements to be signed in the near

future, with economic cooperation in the focus. The value of trade between the two countries exceeded 840 billion dollars in 2012, with a positive balance of 135 million euros for Hungary. Hungarian export largely consists of mobile phones, electric machines, and data processing equipment. Indian direct investments in Hungary have come close to 1.3 billion dollars. The total value of Indian investment in Hungary amounts to almost 1.3 billion dollars, and ensure employment for about

6200 workers. Altogether 8-9 thousand Hungarians are in working relation with Indian firms.

Deputy State Secretary Takács also met with officials responsible for water management, outlining Hungary's ideas on water management and international water policies.

Hungary will host an international conference on water management and sanitation in October 2013 and expects India to play an active role in it.

(Online 16 Jan) Between January 16 and 18, Minister of Defence Csaba Hende is paying a three-day visit to the Baltic states at the invitation of the defence ministers of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, accompanied by Lt.-Gen. Dr. Zoltán Orosz, the Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff.

During his visit, he will meet his partners as well as the members of the defence committees of the Lithuanian and Latvian parliaments and the Estonian chief of defence. Press re-

lease.

The primary goal of the visit and the meetings is to survey the future task system of the Hungarian Defence Forces with regard to the Baltic Air Policing mission. At the NATO Summit in Chicago in May 2012, Hungary announced that – thanks to the modification of the Gripen lease agreement – by contributing Gripens as well as aircrews and ground crews, between 2015 and 2018 it can participate in the air policing mission in

The centenary celebration: 1839 to 1888:

Sesquicentenary:

The 150th anniversary of British settlement in Australia in 1938 was widely celebrated. Preparations began in 1936 with the formation of a Celebrations Council. In that year, New South Wales was the only state to abandon the traditional long weekend, and the annual Anniversary Day public holiday was held on the actual anniversary day – Wednesday 26 January. The Commonwealth and state governments agreed to unify the celebrations on 26 January as 'Australia Day' in 1946, although the public holiday was instead taken on the Monday closest to the actual anniversary.

Bicentennial year:

In 1988, the celebration of 200 years since the arrival of the First Fleet was organised on a large scale, with many significant events taking place in all major cities. Over 2.5 million people attended the event in Sydney. These included street parties, concerts, including performances on the steps and forecourt of the Sydney Opera House and at many other public venues, art and literary competitions, historic re-enactments, and the opening of thePowerhouse Museum at its new location. A re-enactment of the arrival of the First Fleet took place in Sydney Harbour, with ships that had sailed from Portsmouth a year earlier taking part.

Contemporary celebrations

Since 1988 participation in Australia Day has increased and in 1994 all States and Territories began to celebrate a unified public holiday on the actual day for the first time. Research conducted in 2007 reported that 27.6% of Australians polled attended an organised Australia Day event and a further 25.6% celebrated with family and friends making Australia Day the largest annual public event in the nation. This reflected the results of an earlier research project where 66% of respondents anticipated that they would actively celebrate Australia Day 2005.Outdoor concerts, community barbecues, sports competitions, festivals and fireworks are some of the many events presented in communities across Australia. These official events are presented by the National Australia Day Council, an official council or committee in each state and territory, and local committees.

In Sydney the harbour is a focus and races are held, such as a ferry race and the tall ships race. Featuring the People’s March and the Voyages Concert, Melbourne’s events focus strongly on the celebration of multi-culturalism.

Major celebrations are not confined to the East coast capitals. Despite a drop in attendance in 2010, but still with audiences estimated at 400,000, the Perth Skyworks is the largest single event presented each Australia Day. Citizenship ceremonies are also commonly held with Australia Day now the largest occasion for the acquisition of Australian citizenship. On 26 January 2011, more than 300 Citizenship Ceremonies took place and 13,000 people from 143 countries took Australian Citizenship. In recent years many citizenship ceremonies have included an affirmation by existing citizens. Research conducted in 2007 reported that 78.6% of respondents thought that citizenship ceremonies were an important feature of the day.

The official Australia Day Ambassador Program supports celebrations in communities across the nation by facilitating the participation of high-achieving Australians in local community celebrations. In 2011, 385 Ambassadors participated in 384 local community celebrations. The Order of Australia awards are also a feature of the day. The Australia Day Achievement Medallion is awarded to citizens by local governments based on excellence in both government and non-government organisations. The Governor-General and Prime Minister both address to the nation. On the eve of Australia Day each year, the Prime Minister announces the winner of the Australian of the Year award, presented to an Australian citizen who has shown a "significant contribution to the Australian community and nation", and is an "inspirational role model for the Australian community". Subcategories of the award include Young and Senior Australian of the Year, and an award for Australia's Local Hero.

Various music festivals are held on Australia Day, such as the Big Day Out, the Triple JHottest 100, and the Australia Day Live Concert which is televised nationally. For many years an international cricket match has been held on Australia Day at the Adelaide Oval. These matches have included both Test matches and One Day Internationals.Research in 2009 indicated that Australians reflect on history and future fairly equally on Australia Day, with 43% of those polled agreeing history is the most important thing to think about on Australia Day and 41% saying they look towards ‘our future’. Thirteen percent thought it was important to ‘think about the present at this time’ and 3% were unsure. Despite the date reflecting the arrival of the First Fleet, contemporary celebrations are not particularly historical in their theme. There are no large-scale re-enactments and the national leader’s participation is focused largely on events such as the Australian of the Year Awards announcement and Citizenship Ceremonies.

Possibly reflecting a shift in Australians’ understanding of the place of Indigenous Australians in their national identity, Newspollresearch in November 2009 reported that ninety percent of Australians polled believed ‘it was important to recognise Australia’s indigenous people and culture’ as part of Australia Day celebrations. A similar proportion (89%) agreed that ‘it is important to recognise the cultural diversity of the nation’. Despite the strong attendance at Australia Day events and a positive disposition towards the recognition of Indigenous Australians, the date of the celebrations remains a source of challenge and national discussion.

the decline, as reflected by a recent Transparency International report which showed Hungary improving its position in European comparison, Deputy Prime Minister Navracsics said, adding that discussions with international businesspeople have also reflected that positive developments are under way.

Commenting on the view that party financing and public procurements are the two main areas where the threat of corruption is most relevant, he said the Fidesz group had decided that parties would need to reach an agreement about party financing in order to introduce new regulations, adding that the regulation of public procurements is in the authority of the Ministry of National Development.

Government comes to agreement with students on state-funded places

Photo: Csaba Pelsőczy (Online 17 Jan) There will be statefunded places available at the 16 faculties as opposed to previous plans, Minister of Human Resources Zoltán Balog announced following a two and a half hour consultation with representatives of the National Union of Students (HÖOK).

Minister Balog stated at the press conference on Thursday that they had complied with the students' request and the number of state-funded places at these faculties will be determined by the points threshold, which will probably be higher than average in order to ensure that only the best

applicants gain entry.

The Minister pointed out that with regard to the future the Government insists that there are some faculties which do not require state-funded places, adding that faculties must also be reviewed in the medium term to determine which ones should be supported by state scholarships. On Monday, an interim agreement will be signed by the parties, which will include the launch of a roundtable on higher education, and during the week a meeting will be held with the Hungarian Rectors' Conference (MRK) on financing issues.

Minister Balog emphasised that quality and competitiveness in higher education remains a priority as these are the two points in which the interests of individuals and the state meet.

He also highlighted that at the cabinet meeting on Wednesday, the Government had decided on the earmarking of 10 billion forints for the highest rated and research universities.

President of HÖOK Dávid Nagy stated that the acceptance of their proposal by the Government is an important milestone, adding that they will continue working on the details.

istry of Public Administration and Justice was initiated by Slomó Köves.

Róbert Répássy informed Slomó Köves of the provisions of the new Penal Code that will enter into force on 1 July and the changes in the rules relating to incitement to hatred against identifiable groups and violent crimes committed against the members of identifiable groups. The Minister of State also informed the attendees of the legislative amendment passed on 17 December in conjunction with the bill on the new Civil

Code and the enforceability of claims on grounds of collective defamation.

At the meeting, the parties also discussed the constitutional aspects of the issue.

The Minister of State for Justice pledged to ensure that experts from the Ministry look into the relevant issues related to the protection of the dignity of communities under constitutional, civil and criminal law and, if necessary, to propose legislative measures to the Minister of Public Administration and Justice.

The history of the Nation is the history of belonging of the people living in it (Online 15 Jan) The history of a community, a nation is the history of belonging of the people living in it, so it is important that every generation should know what our predecessors had undergone – the Minister of Defence said in Csepel during a commemoration held to mark the 70th anniversary of the Don catastrophe on January 14.

According to Minister Csaba Hende, the Hungarians are famous for being able to rise from completely hopeless situations and to restart their lives.

The Minister is of the opinion that this was what the youth of today’s grandparents and great-grandparents did when they restarted their lives after World War I, Trianon and then after World War II and the suppression of the 1956 Revolution.

Invited by the local government of Csepel and Mayor Szilárd Németh

(Fidesz-KDNP), the politician participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at the World War II memorial in the 21st district of the capital. Afterwards he gave an exceptional history lesson to schoolchildren in a local community center.

Among other things, the Minister told the students that the soldiers who had lost their lives while carrying out orders faithfully in the line of duty, arms in hand, died as heroes, regardless of whether the war they were sent to was later considered a successful or an unsuccessful, right or wrong, just or unjust one. He said that those who had fallen in the Don bend – be they Hungarian soldiers or forced laborers – had all died as heroes.

He also told the students that it had been impossible to commemorate the victims in the Kádár regime, and that the benefits for war invalids, orphans

and widows had been taken away with a stroke of the pen in 1949 for the alleged reason that these soldiers went to fight a war against the Soviet Union and they were all Fascists. He added that this had not occurred in any of the Socialist countries except Hungary.

Even today, we do not have any exact figures about the losses suffered by the River Don. Some sources estimate the losses of the 2nd Hungarian army at around 93,500 while others at 120,000 or 148,000. The exact number of the fallen and the prisoners of war cannot be established. The Don catastrophe is the biggest defeat in Hungary’s military history. Since the Crusades, this had been the farthest distance where Hungarian troops were fighting away from their homeland.

Task force for child-friendly justice administration to continue its efforts (Online 15 Jan) The task force set up

by Minister of Public Administration and Justice Tibor Navracsics, Minister of the Interior Sándor Pintér and Minister for Human Resources Zoltán Balog in December 2011 will continue its efforts in the interest of creating child-friendly justice administration.

It is the duty of the task force to engage in consultations with the civil organisations concerned in the interest of the implementation of child-friendly justice administration and to prepare the necessary legislative amendments in the wake of these consultations.

One of the most significant achievements of Hungary’s EU Presidency was that EU-level legislation was adopted on the sexual abuse of children, under which Member States are

required to treat sexual offences committed against children, including Internet child pornography, in a similar manner.

The Ministry of Public Administration and Justice dedicated 2012 to the Year of Child-Friendly Justice Administration. As part of this, a number of legislative amendments concerning judicial proceedings were made for the better protection of children.

Thanks to the amendment of the Criminal Code, children now enjoy increased protection and the new Penal Code will treat perpetrators committing offences against children with greater severity. Additionally, public administration proceedings, too, will be more child-centred; the processing time of child protection procedures has been halved and the authorities

are required to provide information suited to the child’s level of maturity.

The main purpose of the programme is to help child victims to overcome the trauma they suffered with a friendlier justice administration system which does not compel them to have to relive their harsh experiences in the course of the proceedings. As one of the most important elements of this system, child-friendly hearing rooms are being created throughout the country. These child-friendly hearing rooms at police stations make it possible for experts to hear children under special circumstances suited to the child’s age and level of development with the minimum trauma possible. The target is to have such hearing rooms at all county seats by 2014.

Hungary was right to stick to its own opinion in negotiations with IMF (Online 15 Jan) The Hungarian Government has been right to stick to its own opinion on certain issues regarding an agreement on a financial safety net with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), chief negotiator Mihály Varga said on Sunday.

He told Kossuth Radio's news programme that Hungary has been able to function without an IMF deal for the past months. The country's budget deficit falling below 3% of GDP, as well as diminishing public debt, interest rates and risk premiums are all re-

sults acknowledged by the European Union as pointing towards balance in the Hungarian economy, he stated, adding that the EU is likely to withdraw the excessive deficit procedure against Hungary this year.

The IMF has recently "conceded" in a study that some of the measures it recommended to the euro zone were not efficient enough. Minister Varga said it was welcomed that the IMF acknowledges it is not infallible and they are open to debate as well as to hearing out the opinion of national govern-

ments.

He pointed out that Hungary's 2008 agreement with the IMF had been more ore less sealed within three weeks and the government at the time accepted the IMF's position without question.

The country’s chief negotiator said that in the coming months the Hungarian economy may be nearing a turning point that will finally help induce growth.

Information on offshore accounts acquired for tax purposes

State Secretary Bába opened exhibition dedicated to Croatia (Online 15 Jan) A photo exhibition entitled „Images of Croatia” was opened January 15, in the building of the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the occasion of the twentyfirst anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between Hungary and Croatia. The exhibition will also be displayed at other venues in the country.

Administrative State Secretary Iván

Bába pointed out in his opening speech that Croatia was about to complete its long accession process as a result of which it would join the European Union as of July 1 this year. He stated that the photo exhibition was particularly timely since the ’Year of Central Europe’ initiative has been launched on the occasion of Hungary taking over the Presidency of the Central European Initia-

tive and, later this year, of the Visegrád Cooperation.

Gordan Grlic Radman, Ambassador of Croatia in Hungary, recalled that one of the first European states to recognize the independent Croatia was Hungary and that the country provided valuable support for Croatia at accession talks, especially during the period of Hungarian EU Presidency.

Ferenc Kumin is on an official visit to the west coast of the United States

János Lázár (photo: Gergely Botár) (Online 16 Jan) The Government is setting up a workgroup to negotiate with the authorities in Switzerland in order to recover unpaid taxes, Minister of State heading the Prime Minister's Office János Lázár said on Wednesday at a press conference held together with Government Spokesperson András Giró-Szász.

According to an analysis prepared by the Ministry of National Economy, the amount of Hungarian income stored in offshore accounts is around HUF 1 trillion, but may even reach HUF 2 trillion (EUR 6.7bn).

Last year, approximately HUF 67 billion was transferred back to Hungary, which with a 10% tax resulted in HUF

6.7 billion in revenues. The tax amnesty ended on January 1, 2013 and the Government is working on ways to whiten Hungarian capital, the Government Spokesperson stated.

He pointed out that there are similar on-going debates regarding taxing incomes in foreign banks in Austria, Germany and the United Kingdom.

Austria, for example, has set a target of recovering 12-15 billion euros, in light of which a 3-3.5 billion euro amount might also be realistic in the case of Hungary. The Hungarian Government plans to levy such deposits with a comprehensive 35% income tax, the Spokesperson highlighted.

The Prime Minister’s Office and the

Ministries of Foreign Affairs and National Economy have been appointed the task of recovering HUF 1,000 billion (EUR 3.4 bn). First, the Swiss Government will be contacted, in addition to which other European countries such as Austria or Cyprus could also be approached in order to acquire all necessary information related to Hungarian deposits, Minister of State Lázár told journalists in the break of a cabinet session. Talking about deposits related to criminal activities, he stated that Switzerland has always been cooperative, showing their dedication to transparency.

Manufacturing industry orders increased significantly despite slight decline in production

Photo: Csaba Pelsőczy (Online 17 Jan) The Deputy State Secretary has already held negotiations with the local leaders of Hungarian secular and religious communities.

Ferenc Kumin met with the community of United Hungarian House, and then spoke with leader of the House Miklós Pereházy, who is also a member of the Diaspora Council.

The Deputy State Secretary welcomed the fact that United Hungarian House and its predecessor have been a home for Hungarians living in Los Angeles since the 1920s.

He also had a fruitful discussion with the chairman of the Bais Naftoli Jew-

ish religious community, which includes numerous Hungarians, and the leader of the San Fernando Valley Reformed Church.

He emphasized that although the community of Hungarians living on the West Coast is very colourful, he experienced that all of them show great interest towards events in Hungary and the measures introduced by the Hungarian Government.

Ferenc Kumin held negotiations with John D. Heubusch, the Director of the Ronald Reagan Foundation. The Foundation and the museum, where the Deputy State Secretary paid tribute to the deceased President, is

committed to Ronald Reagan’s legacy, the preservation and facilitation of freedom. They held a long discussion about the Hungarian political situation and Ferenc Kumin talked about the measures that contribute to the reducing the burden on the Hungarian people.

He meets today with Michael Salberg, the international leader of the Anti-Defamation League, and will also open the three-day Hungarian Carnival series of concerts organized by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra in the Walt Disney Concert Hall.

(Online 16 Jan) As a positive development, the overall number of new orders at manufacturing industry enterprises increased impressively, by 45.7 percent. However, seasonally and workday-adjusted industrial production declined by 0.1 percent in November 2012 compared to the previous month. In comparison to November 2011 both unadjusted and workday-adjusted statistics signal that industrial output decreased by 6.9 percent which figure was also due to a high basis reading. Decrease, however, was even larger in Italy (7.6 percent) and Spain (7.2 percent), and among our regional peers the Czech Republic registered a similar volume decline of 6.2 percent.

Output increased in three manufacturing industry sub sectors: among significant sub sectors the manufacturing of transport equipment ex-

Duarte Day - Jan 26 Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic (previously known as the Spanish colony of Santo Domingo) has had a tumultuous history over the years, sharing an island with the people of Haiti. After the Haitians took control of the colony in 1822, various pro-independence groups rose to fight against the Haitians.

One of the most notable was Juan Pablo Duarte, who is celebrated as one of the primary founders of the Dominican Republic. Duarte’s birthday and his work towards independence is honored every year on the closest Monday to the actual date of his January 26 birthday. In 2010, celebrations will fall on Monday, January 25.

History Juan Pablo Duarte was born in Santo Domingo on Janu-

ary 26, 1813, three and a half years after the Spanish Reconquista of the colony from the French Haitians. Duarte studied at the University of Santo Domingo at first, but he wanted to learn more. He went on to study in New York, London, Paris, and Barcelona before eventually returning to Santo Domingo in 1833.

Upon his return, Duarte noted the condition of the colony and its people who increasingly grew frustrated with Haitian rule. The Haitians had again seized the colony in February of 1822 after the people of Santo Domingo briefly flirted with independence. Haiti imposed harsh trading and farming regulations on Dominicans and began forcefully drafting young Dominicans into the Haitian army. The university system collapsed. Taxation and mandatory tributes undermined stability in the region.

From this grew La Trinitaria, a secret society founded by Duarte on July 16, 1838, designed to undermine Haitian rule and promote complete independence. There were many members of La Trinitaria, but of them Ramón Matías Mella and Francisco del Rosario Sánchez stood out in fight for independence, later dubbed as founding fathers of the Dominican Republic along with Duarte.

The revolution against Jean-Pierre Boyer and the Haitian occupation began in 1843, but the first attempt to overthrow Boyer was unsuccessful. Duarte and his companions were at first jailed, but then forced to leave the country. It is speculated that during his exile, Duarte wrote what he saw to be the ideal constitution for a free Dominican Republic.

Loyalists to La Trinitaria again attempted to oust Boyer despite Duarte’s exile, and finally succeeded on February 27, 1844, declaring full independence. Duarte was sent word of the victory and invited to return. Elections were set up, and Duarte was nominated as a candidate for President by the Liberal party on June 12. Duarte was opposed

by Pedro Santana, a military man who had originally helped La Trinitaria with the expulsion of the Haitians. However, Santana strongly supported Spanish rule of the island, something that went against the very ideals of La Trinitaria.

Duarte lost the election, and Santana banished Duarte and his loyalists. While La Trinitaria remained active from afar, Santana’s support eroded, leading to revolution and guerrilla warfare during the War of Restoration in the 1860s.

Duarte briefly returned during this war for independence, and on March 3, 1865, the Queen of Spain formally withdrew control of the region, leaving it to the people. Duarte died in Caracas, Venezuela in 1876, and his remains were transferred to Santo Domingo in 1884 where a proper burial with state honors was held.

Traditions, customs and activities

The tomb of Juan Pablo Duarte rests at the Altar de la Patria in Santo Domingo where people offer flowers and wreathes to remember him. A statue of Duarte in Duarte Park is used as a focal point for celebrations. Parades of military members and children are typical, replete with The Hymn to Juan Pablo Duarte played by a band.

The 2010 celebration of Juan Pablo Duarte and Dominican Heritage Month is overshadowed by the massive earthquake that flattened Haiti on January 12, 2010. On January 18, leaders of all the major political parties met at the General Consulate of the Dominican Republic in New York, agreeing to both solidify aid to Haiti and press forward with the celebration of Duarte and Dominican culture.

“Now more than ever, neighboring Haiti is in urgent need of solidarity from all Dominicans and political parties, and we have a responsibility to become catalysts for a broad movement of support to alleviate the sufferings of the survivors,” said Carlos Felix of the Dominican Liberation Party.

The 2010 festivities are still scheduled to be held as planned in the Dominican Republic.

Republic Day India- Jan 26

In India, Republic Day honors the date on which the Constitution of India came into force replacing the Government of India Act 1935 as the governing document of India on 26 January 1950.

The date of 26 January was chosen to honour the declaration of independence of 1930. It is one of the three national holidays in India. While the main parade takes place in the national capital, New Delhi, at the Rajpath before the President of India (currently Pranab Mukherjee), the anniversary is also celebrated with varying degrees of formality in state capitals and other centres.

History India achieved independence from British rule on 15 Au-

panded by 9.7 percent, however, output regarding food, beverages and tobacco products and that of computers, electronic and optical products was down by 1.2 percent and 26.1 percent, respectively, in November 2012 in comparison to the corresponding period of the previous year. On the other hand it is favourable that among sectors of median weight manufacturing output of chemicals and chemical products was 4.9 percent higher compared to the level of one year ago.

The output volume of manufacturing industry declined by 6.4 percent; output of mining, a relatively less significant sector, was down by 13.8 percent and that of energy industry was 9.4 percent lower in November 2012 compared to the level observed one year ago.

Analyzing sales it can be observed

cessing, with HUF 2.6 billion in funding available for increasing the number of pigs.

"The primary goal is for Hungarian raw materials to be processed within the country.

The supply of raw materials was in decline for many many years and their competitiveness decreased, and so there is now a need for improvement, which is made possible by the tenders of the Ignác Darányi Plan", Endre Kardeván stated.

At Monday's professional conference, enterprises received information on opportunities for financing, market prospects and projected changes in agriculture strategy.

According to Baki Agrocentrum Ltd. Managing Director Rudolf Balogh, the competitiveness of Hungarian agriculture is is determined by the fact that while every-

thing is fine with regard to crop production and animal husbandry, there are problems with processing and marked distribution. In his opinion, the cornerstones of agriculture strategy must be set down for the long term, for decades to come.

Baki Agrocentrum produces 400 thousand chickens each year, but as a result of high seed prices the cost of production is higher than the market sale price, and this is why funding is needed so that the level of animal husbandry doesn't drop further. The first half of this year will centre on survival: production must go ahead in a cost-effective and professional manner, and processing traders must show restraint, the Managing Director noted.

Government to motivate capital investments (Online 15 Jan) In order to stimulate growth, the Government aims to motivate capital investments, Minister of State for Taxation and Financial Affairs Gyula Pleschinger said at an economic conference held in Vienna on Tuesday.

At a panel discussion of the Euromoney conference the Minister of State at the Ministry for National Economy also explained, responding to a question, that disinvestment in Hungary prompted no major concerns in the banking sector so far, as demand was low. Recently, however,

the Government has turned its attention to growth, and thus this issue has to be also addressed, because it is the banking sector which could finance economic expansion, he added.

In addition, he mentioned that according to capital adequacy ratios the Hungarian banking sector has been robust, therefore foreign direct investment is rather expected to increase in productive economic sectors.

“The measures of the Government have laid the proper fundamentals to achieve this goal and we do hope to

see changes this year,” he said.

Among these measures Gyula Pleschinger mentioned the flat rate personal income tax, lower corporate tax rate, establishing special entrepreneurial zones, the Job Protection Action Plan and other measures aimed at boosting labour supply. With regard to the future, he underlined among the measures the utilization of EU resources for economic development and the export grants of EXIM Bank.

Holocaust 2014 Memorial Committee holds founding session

Photo: Csaba Pelsőczy (Online 17 Jan) The Hungarian Holocaust 2014 Memorial Committee held its founding session today. The Government set up the body, which is responsible for preparing the commemorative events marking the 70th anniversary of the deportation of Hungarian Jews in 2014.

Permanent delegates to the Committee include Minister of Human Resources Zoltán Balog, former Prime Minister Péter Boross, President of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences József Pálinkás, as well as the President of the Federation of Jewish Communities Péter Feldmájer and the Ambassadors of the United States, Israel, Germany and Austria.

The chair of the Committee, Minister of State heading the Prime Minister's Office János Lázár, said in his address that the Government decided to set up the body because it regards it as particularly important to face the past, something which could not take place under the Communist regime, and to offer apologies as the Hungarian state was also guilty of the Holocaust.

He added that the

Government decided to set up the Committee at the initiative of Jewish organisations and would like its memorial events to be determined by civil organisations.

The Committee considers addressing youth its main objective, the Minister of State explained. Minister Zoltán Balog also highlighted that education on the Holocaust has a special role in the national curriculum, and Jewish organisations contributed greatly to the elaboration of the teaching material. Deputy Prime Minister Tibor Navracsics also stressed the importance of the education of future generations.

The importance of teaching Holocaust history was reinforced by Head of the March of the Living Foundation Gábor Gordon and Director of the Holocaust Memorial Centre Szabolcs Szita.

János Lázár added that the Cabinet also seeks to inspire the world of science to reveal the past. Furthermore, the Committee intends to support settling the situation of some historic synagogues throughout the country.

gust 1947 following the Indian independence movement noted for largely peaceful nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience led by the Indian National Congress. The independence came through the Indian Independence Act 1947 (10 & 11 Geo 6 c. 30), an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that partitioned British India into the two new independent Dominions of the British Commonwealth (later Commonwealth of Nations): India and Pakistan.

India obtained its independence on 15 August 1947 as a constitutional monarchy with George VI as head of state and the Earl Mountbatten as governor-general. The country, though, did not yet have a permanent constitution; instead its laws were based on the modified colonial Government of India Act 1935. On 28 August 1947, the Drafting Committee was appointed to draft a permanent constitution, with Dr. B. R. Ambedkar as chairman. While India's Independence Day celebrates its freedom from British Rule, the Republic Day celebrates the coming into force of its constitution.

A draft constitution was prepared by the committee and submitted to the Assembly on 4 November 1947. The Assembly met, in sessions open to public, for 166 days, spread over a period of 2 years, 11 months and 18 days before adopting the Constitution. After many deliberations and some modifications, the 308 members of the Assembly signed two hand-written copies of the document (one each in Hindi and English) on 24 January 1950. Two days later, it came into effect throughout the nation.

Celebrations

The main celebration is held in the capital New Delhi. Celebrations are also held in state capitals, where the Governor of the state unfurls the national flag. If the Governor of the state is unwell, or is unavailable for some reason, the Chief MinisterǑe National Flag of India.

that industrial exports in November 2012 registered a decline of 4.9 percent, which has been the consequence mainly of the 12.1 percent increase of transport equipment exports and the 26.8 percent decrease of the manufacturing of computers, electronic and optical products. Domestic sales were down by 12 percent in November in comparison to the level seen one year ago.

It is a positive signal going forward that the overall number of orders at the observed manufacturing industry sectors, due to an exceptionally large one-off order, increased outstandingly, by 45.7 percent, in November 2012 compared to the level of one year ago. The total number of orders, however, increased by 48.6 percent in the observed month.

N e w e x por t oppor t unit ie s f or H unga r ia n a gr ic ult ur a l pr oduc t s (Online 16 Jan) "Food exports have fallen over the past decades, but pork, poultry and fish have the required animal health certificates and we have now succeeded in regaining our market positions", said the Ministry of Rural Development's State Secretary for Food Chain Supervision and Agricultural Administration Endre Kardeván at the conference on the agricultural economy organised by Baki Agrocentrum Ltd. in Zalaegerszeg on Monday.

In addition to Vietnam, Saudi Arabia and Russia, the Chinese market is now also open to Hungarian exports", said Endre Kardeván. In his speech, the Sate Secretary stressed that in its agriculture strategy, the Government gives priority to the production of raw materials and to food pro-

The first fifty years: 1788 to 1838:

Prior to 1888, 26 January was very much a New South Wales affair, as each of the colonies had their own commemorations for their founding. In Tasmania, Regatta Day occurred in December, South Australia had Proclamation Day 28 December, and Western Australia had their own Foundation Day (now Western Australia Day) on 1 June.

In 1888, all colonial capitals except Adelaide celebrated 'Anniversary Day'. In 1910, South Australia adopted Australia Day, followed by Victoria in 1931. By 1935, all states of Australia were celebrating 26 January as Australia Day (although it was still known as Anniversary Day in New South Wales).

talks with the European Commission, Hungary is determined to introduce regulations that will be acceptable to all, he added.

Commenting on rulings by the European Court of Human Rights that stated Hungary had been wrong to fine people for wearing the red star, the Deputy Prime Minister pointed out that the Government is guided by a Constitutional Court decision from several years ago which stated that it was in line with the constitution to sanction the wearing of the red star.

He stated that he would personally never comment on a Constitutional Court decision, when asked about Speaker László Kövér's recent statement regarding the ruling on transitional provision.

Corruption in Hungary has been on

the Baltic countries which do not have tactical aircraft capability.

The topics of the discussions will also include the engagement in international operations such as the roles in Afghanistan and the Balkans, as well as the current state of the Strategic Airlift Capability (SAC) program (the Pápa-based C17 fleet) in which Lithuania and Estonia are also participating.

Arrival of the First Fleet:

Although there was no official recognition of the colony's anniversary, with the New South Wales Almanacks of 1806 and 1808 placing no special significance on 26 January, by 1808 the date was being used by the colony's immigrants, especially the emancipated convicts, to "celebrate their love of the land they lived in" with "drinking and merriment". The 1808 celebrations followed this pattern, beginning at sundown on 25 January, and lasted into the night, the chief toast of the occasion being Major George Johnston.

Johnston had the honour of being the first officer ashore from the First Fleet, having been carried from the landing boat on the back of convict James Ruse. Despite suffering the ill-effects of a fall from his gig on the way home to Annandale, Johnston led the officers of Sydney Harbour, 26 January theNew South Wales Corps in arresting Governor William Bligh on the following day, 26 January 1808, in what became known as the 1988 "Rum Rebellion".

In 1817 The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser reported on one of these unofficial gatherings at the home of Isaac Nichols: On Monday the 27th ult. a dinner party met at the house of Mr. Isaac Nichols, for the purpose of celebrating the Anniversary of the Institution of this Colony under Governor Philip, which took place on 26 Jan. 1788, but this year happening upon a Sunday, the commemoration dinner was reserved for the day following. The party assembled were select, and about 40 in number. At 5 in the afternoon dinner was on the table, and a more agreeable entertainment could not have been anticipated. After dinner a number of loyal toasts were drank, and a number of festive songs given; and about 10 the company parted, well gratified with the pleasures that the meeting had afforded.

—The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser 1818 was the 30th anniversary of the founding of the colony, and Governor Lachlan Macquarie chose to acknowledge the day with the first official celebration. The Governor declared that the day would be a holiday for all government workers, granting each an extra allowance of "one pound of fresh meat", and ordered a 30 gun salute at Dawes Point – one for each year that the colony had existed.This began a tradition that was retained by the Governors that were to follow.

Foundation Day, as it was known at the time, continued to be officially celebrated in New South Wales, and in doing so became connected with sporting events. One of these became a tradition that is still continued today: in 1837 the first running of what would become the Australia Day regatta was held on Sydney Harbour. Five races were held for different classes of boats, from first class sailing vessels to watermen's skiffs, and people viewed the festivities from both onshore and from the decks of boats on the harbour, including the steamboat Australian and the Francis Freeling – the second of whom ran aground during the festivities and had to be refloated the next day. Happy with the success of the regatta, the organisers resolved to make in an annual event. However, some of the celebrations had gained an air of elitism, with the "United Australians" dinner being limited to those born in Australia. In describing the dinner, the Sydney Herald justified the decision, saying: The parties who associated themselves under the title of "United Australians" have been censured for adopting a principle of exclusiveness. It is not fair so to censure them. If they invited emigrants to join them they would give offence to another class of persons – while if they invited all they would be subject to the presence of persons with whom they might not wish to associate. That was a good reason. The "Australians" had a perfect right to dine together if they wished it, and no one has a right to complain.

—The Sydney Herald The following year, 1838, was the 50th anniversary of the founding of the colony, and as part of the celebrations Australia's first public holiday was declared. The regatta was held for a second time, and people crowded the foreshores to view the events, or joined the five steamers (the Maitland, the Experiment, the Australia, the Rapid, and the miniature steamer Firefly) to view the proceedings from the water. At midday 50 guns were fired from Dawes' Battery as the Royal Standard was raised, and in the evening rockets and other fireworks lit the sky. The dinner was a smaller affair than the previous year, with only 40 in attendance compared to the 160 from 1837, and the anniversary as a whole was described as a "day for everyone".

(Online 18 Jan) Hungary maintains good relations with the European Union and there are continuous coordination talks despite some disputes over regulations affecting the retirement of judges, Deputy Prime Minister Tibor Navracsics told Hungarian News Agency MTI in an interview.

After Hungary's Constitutional Court had annulled the law on reducing the retirement age for judges from 70 to 62 in July, a proposal submitted in September has been also revoked in order to take into consideration a November ruling by the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg which stated that Hungary's law on the early retirement of judges was discriminatory, Deputy Prime Minister Navracsics said.

With the help of regular coordination

Defence Minister Csaba Hende visits the Baltic States

History

On 13 May 1787 a fleet of 11 ships, which came to be known as the First Fleet, was sent by the British Admiralty from England to Australia. Under the command of Captain Arthur Phillip, the fleet sought to establish a penal colony at Botany Bay on the coast of New South Wales, which had been explored and claimed by Lieutenant James Cook in 1770. The settlement was seen as necessary because of the loss of the Thirteen colonies in North America.

The Fleet arrived between 18 and 20 January 1788, but it was immediately apparent that Botany Bay was unsuitable.

On 21 January, Phillip and a few officers travelled to Port Jackson, 12 kilometres to the north, to see if it would be a better location for a settlement. They stayed there until 23 January; Phillip named the The Founding of Australia, site of their landingSydney Cove, after the Home Secretary, 1788 Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney. They also had some contact with the local aborigines.

They returned to Botany Bay on the evening of 23 January, when Phillip gave orders to move the fleet to Sydney Cove the next morning, 24 January. That day, there was a huge gale blowing, making it impossible to leave Botany Bay, so they decided to wait till the next day, 25 January. However, during 24 January, they spotted the ships Astrolabe and Boussole, flying the French flag, at the entrance to Botany Bay; they were having as much trouble getting into the bay as the First Fleet was having getting out.

On 25 January the gale was still blowing; the fleet tried to leave Botany Bay, but only the HMS Supply made it out, carrying Arthur Phillip, Philip Gidley King, some marines and about 40 convicts; they anchored in Sydney Cove in the afternoon.

On 26 January, early in the morning, Phillip along with a few dozen marines, officers and oarsmen, rowed ashore and took possession of the land in the name of King George III. The remainder of the ship's company and the convicts watched from on board the Supply.

Meanwhile, back at Botany Bay, Captain John Hunter of the HMS Sirius made contact with the French ships, and he and the commander, Captain de Clonard, exchanged greetings. Clonard advised Hunter that the fleet commander was Jean-François de Galaup, comte de La Pérouse. The Sirius successfully cleared Botany Bay, but the other ships were in great difficulty. The Charlotte was blown dangerously close to rocks; the Friendship and the Prince of Wales became entangled, both ship losing booms or sails; the Charlotteand the Friendship actually collided; and the Lady Penrhyn nearly ran aground. Despite these difficulties, all the remaining ships finally managed to clear Botany Bay and sail to Sydney Cove on 26 January. The last ship anchored there at about 3 pm.

Note that the formal establishment of the Colony of New South Wales did not occur on 26 January, as is commonly assumed. That did not occur until 7 February 1788, when the formal proclamation of the colony and of Arthur Phillip's governorship were read out. The vesting of all land in the reigning monarch George III also dates from 7 February 1788.

Positive developments are under way: Deputy Prime Minister Navracsics

(Online 16 Jan) Minister of State for Justice Róbert Répássy had talks today with Slomó Köves, Executive Rabbi of the Unified Hungarian Jewish Congregation and his colleagues, attorney-at-law Dr István László Fekete and the representatives of the Action and Protection Foundation, Managing Director Kálmán Szalai and President of the Board Dániel Bodnár, with respect to issues of law application related to the offence of incitement to hatred against identifiable groups. The meeting held at the Min-

This celebrates the founding of the Lao People's Army in 1949 by Kaysone Phomvihane in the former revolutionary stronghold of Huaphan province.

Día de la Altagracia, or Altagracia Day, is a day commemorating "Our Lady of Altagracia", patronal image (there is debate on this) and protector of the people of theDominican Republic. It is a feast day and annual public holiday on January 21. "Our Lady of Altagracia" is a portrait of the Virgin Mary painted in the 16th century. The portrait is kept in The Basilica of Our Lady of Altagracia in the city of Salvaleón in Higuey.

The festival was originally held on August 15, but was moved to January 21 to celebrate victory over the French in 1690.

Prime Minister noted that the governing party was guided by common sense when deciding on the pre-registration of voters. He said elections cannot be held while there is still debate on voting regulations. He added, however, that the original plans might have been necessary as voting may be inconvenient for Hungarians working abroad.

In response to questions concerning the new Governor of the National Bank of Hungary, the Prime Minister emphasized that no decision has been made regarding this matter, adding that as with all decisions, he will consider what will make the country’s life easier, safer and more predictable.

Répássy and Köves consulted on issues related to incitement to hatred against communities

Army Day Laos - J a n 2 0

Feast of our Lady of Altagracia Dominican Republic - J a n 2 1

When summarising the most important measures of the past two years, the Prime Minister noted the reduction of utility charges, increasing penand minimum wages, sions increasing employment, the job protection action plan and assuming the debts of local governments as the Government’s most significant results up to now.

This year’s economic agenda will deal with, among others, the implementation of the job protection action plan, the further reductions of utility charges, more intensive job creation, the continued increasing of pensions and a new action plan in favour of the employed.

Regarding election procedures, the

Successful tightening of relations with Arab countries

...one of the most lucid and brilliant leaders in Africa, Comrade Amílcar Cabral, who instilled in us tremendous confidence in the future and the success of his struggle for liberation. ” — Fidel Castro, 1966 Tricontinental Conference in Havana, Cuba Cabral is considered a "revolutionary theoretician as significant as Frantz Fanon and Che Guevara", whose influence reverberated far beyond the African continent. Amílcar Cabral International Airport, Cape Verde's principal international airport at Sal, is named in his honor. There is also a football competition, the Amílcar Cabral Cup, in zone 2, named as a tribute to him. In addition, the only privately owned university in Guinea-Bissau is named after him— Amílcar Cabral University—and is in Bissau. Jorge Peixinho composed an elegyto Cabral in 1973.

Errol Barrow Day is a Barbadian public holiday celebrated on 21 January, to commemorate the former Prime Minister of Barbados, who helped lead his country to independence from the United Kingdom. The date is the second public holiday of the calendar year and is the date of birth for the former leader.

Errol Barrow died suddenly in 1987, and in 1989 his birthday was declared as the first public holiday to honour him. On that date, his portrait was placed on the new Barbadian $50 dollar note and the middle section of the Airport-West Coast Highway was officially named after him. Subsequently, he was further declared as one of Barbados' original National Heroes in 1998.

(Online 18 Jan) In public Kossuth Rádió's morning show “180 minutes”, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán envisaged growth for Hungary in 2013. In the interview, topics including the new Governor of the National Bank of Hungary or voters’ pre-registration were touched upon.

Apart from some important issues, such as the Land Act and harmonising the Fundamental Law with the Act on electoral procedures, the Government does not intend to debate any transformative bills in 2013, as the major changes needed for the country's survival and competitiveness have already been passed by Parliament, he said, adding that “this year will be about reaping the benefits.”

Photo: Csaba Pelsőczy

Péter Feldmájer expressed his gratitude to the Government for setting up the Commission, adding that this sign of solidarity means a lot to the roughly 8000 Holocaust survivors living in Hungary, and Head of the Jewish Heritage of Hungary Public Endowment György Szabó called the steps that the Hungarian Government had taken towards the Jewish community significant.

International Jewish organisations also welcomed the establishment of the Commission, a sentiment conveyed by Director of the Federation of Hungarian Jewish Communities Gusztáv Zoltai.

Israeli Ambassador Ilan Mor underlined his commitment to assisting the work of the Commission. American Ambassador Eleni Tsakopoulos Kounalakis congratulated the Government and promised to participate actively in the Commission’s work, while her Austrian counterpart Michael Zimmermann emphasized the importance of international cooperation in dealing with the Holocaust.