Worldwide Events; Zarb-e-Jamhoor Newspaper; 119 issue; 14 - 20 Apr, 2013

National Fast and Prayer Day Liberia - Apr 14

Queen Margrethes Birthday Greenland, Denmark - A p r 1 6

Liberia observes one day a year of solemn celebration through their National Day of Fast and Prayer which happens every second Friday of April. This day calls out to every Liberians to participate in a national prayer for the divine purification and healing of the nation.

Margrethe II (Margrethe Alexandrine Þórhildur Ingrid, sometimes anglicised as Margaret II) (born 16 April 1940) is the queen regnant of Denmark. In 1972 she became the first female monarch of Denmark since Margrete I, ruler of the Scandinavian countries in 1388-1412 during the Kalmar Union.

holy days are being celebrated and honored in Liberia with immense pride and practice. The people of Liberia have high regards into recognizing the Creator and ask for spiritual guidance and safety.

One incident in the history of Liberia which sparked the proclamation of this day of prayer and fasting was the political crisis that happened between Liberia and the British colonial parents of Sierra Leone during the 1800s. Because of the past national crises and surprising tragedies that came by the country, the Liberians realized the importance of dedicating of even just once a day each year to ask for the grace of the Lord and spare them many more years of strength and survival.

Making the first step for the declaration of this holiday, Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf along with the parliament of its republic, enacted a bill proposing the second Friday of April to be a National Day of Fast and Prayer.

The holiday will also be a national holiday for National Safety and Welfare.

Princess Margrethe was born at Amalienborg Palace, to Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Ingrid. She was baptised on 14 May 1940. Since King Christian X was also the King of Iceland at the time, as a tribute to the people of Iceland, the Princess was given an Icelandicname, Þórhildur (spelled with the Icelandic thorn character, simplified as "th"). This middle name is sometimes anglicized as "Thorhildur."

Margrethe has two younger sisters: Princess Benedikte (born 1944), who lives in Germany, and Queen AnneMarie of Greece (born 1946), who lives in London.

The princess's godparents were King Christian X of Denmark, Prince Knud of Denmark, Prince Axel of Denmark, King Gustaf V of Sweden, Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden, Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden, The Duke of Connaught.

In mid-1960, together with the Princesses of Sweden and Norway, she traveled to the United States, which included a visit to Los Angeles, California, and to the Paramount Studios, where they were met by several celebrities, including Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis and Elvis Presley.

History Many Christian celebrations which are considered as

Celebrations

During this day of fast and prayer, the people, regardless of religious preference and perspective gather all together as one unified nation and spend a solemn time in the churches and their places of worship.

The country during this day, observes their traditional Sackcloth and Ashes ritual to fast, pray and meditate. This is usually observed during the evening which starts specifically at 8 o’clock and ends noon of the following day.

Public offices and business establishments also remain closed the whole day and are encouraged to cease from their every day habits and routine to give time to the Lord and recognize the love and guidance of the Creator.

Day of the Americas Honduras, Haiti - Apr 14

Day of the Americas or Pan American Day is celebrated in the country of Honduras every 14th of April.

It is actually observed by every American nations as a symbol of the unity and strong bond of the American continent.

History Pan American Day originated during the 1800s which

was proclaimed by Simon Bolivar in the Congress of Panama. This was established because of the Monroe doctrine that aimed to create a spirit of unity between the countries in the American continent at the same time not forgetting about their European origin. There were several actions and proposals that were escalated for the confederation of the Inter-American connection. It was only on 1889 that the American customs union was formally proposed and happened during the first International Conference of American States in Washington DC. Finally on April 14, 1890, the International Bureau of American Republics was established which later on was called the Pan American Union and sooner became known as the Organization of American States or OAS. On May 7, 1930, the official date of the celebration of the Pan American Day was proposed at a resolution adopted by the Governing Board of the Pan American Union. And on 1931, April 14 as the official celebration day of the Pan American Day was officially passed under the administration of President Herbert Hoover.

Celebrations During this special holiday, the people of Honduras ac-

tively participate in the commemoration rites. Most offices display flag of the different nations that are part of the Pan American Union. In most schools and universities, the Day of the Americas is always a big celebration every year. Some activities include a parade or a presentation by the orchestra and some even hold pageants or play that reenacts this particular day in the history. Travel companies and the tourism department also organize exhibits and public displays that feature the many different articles and artifacts including replicas of the publication of the Organization of American States.

Orange Days is a drama series that aired in Japan on TBS in 2004.

Orange Day Japan - Apr 14

History Yuuki Kai (Tsumabuki) is a

senior at a university studying social welfare psychology and trying to find a job. One day, he encounters a girl, Hagio Sae (Shibasaki), playing the violin, and becomes intrigued. He eventually discovers that she has lost her hearing, and can now only communicate using Japanese Sign Language. Before they reveal what they think about each other, Sae and Kai must overcome a lot of barriers. They both become stronger along the way, finding their goals.

Income Tax Day U.S. - A p r 1 5

In the United States, Tax Day is a slang term for the day on which individual income tax returns are due to the federal government. The term may also refer to the same day for states, even where the tax return due date is a different day. Since 1955, Tax Day is usually on April 15.

When April 15 falls on a weekend, Emancipation Day, or any other holiday, tax returns are instead due on the following business day. In 2011, Tax Day is April 18.

History

Federal income tax was introduced with the Revenue Act of 1861 to help fund the Civil War. That Act stipulated that income tax "shall be due and payable on or before the thirtieth day of June". There is an unsubstantiated claim that the first income tax was paid only by the very wealthy, and they tended to spend their summers vacationing.

The Commissioner of Internal Revenue is said to have argued, "The collection of taxes would be much easier if an earlier assessment was made, before they leave town." The case of Pollock v. Farmers' Loan & Trust Co. challenged the constitutionality of the Wilson-Gorman Tariff Act of 1894 which taxed incomes over $4,000 at the rate of two percent. The case was decided by the United States Supreme Court in 1895. The Supreme Court decided that the Act's unapportioned income taxes on interest, dividends, and rents were effectively direct taxes. The Act was therefore unconstitutional because it violated the Constitution's rule that direct taxes be apportioned. In 1913, eighteen years later, the Sixteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified. This Amendment gave the United States Congress the legal authority to tax all incomes without regard to the apportionment requirement. The filing deadline for individuals was March 1 in 1913 and was changed to March 15 in 1918 and again to April 15 in 1955.

Today, the filing deadline for U.S. federal income tax returns for individuals remains April 15 or, in the event that the 15th falls on a Saturday, Sunday or holiday, the first succeeding day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or holiday. Tax Day occasionally falls on Patriots' Day, a civic holiday in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and state of Maine, or the preceding weekend. When this occurs the tax deadline is extended by a day for the residents of Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire,New York, Vermont, and the District of Columbia. This is because the IRS processing center for these areas is located in Andover, Massachusetts, and the unionized IRS employees get the day off. In 2007, Tax Day was on Tuesday, April 17, 2007 because April 15 fell on a Sunday and Monday, April 16 was Emancipation Day, a legal holiday in the District of Columbia. A storm and flooding affected the Northeast that year and certain states were granted additional time to file. In some cases, the deadline was extended to as late as June 25.

Kim Il-sun's Birthday North Korea - A p r 1 5

Kim Il-sung (15 April 1912 – 8 July 1994) was a Korean communist politician who ruled North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, from its establishment in 1948 until his death in 1994. He held the posts of Prime Minister from 1948 to 1972 and President from 1972 to his death. He was also the leader of the Workers' Party of Korea from 1949 to 1994 (titled as chairman from 1949 to 1966 and as general secretary after 1966).

His tenure as leader of North Korea has often been described as autocratic, and he established an all-pervasive cult of personality. From the mid-1960s, he promoted his self-developed Juchevariant of communist national organization. In the Library of Congress Country Study on North Korea in 2009, he was described as "one of the most intriguing figures of the twentieth century". He outlived Joseph Stalin by four decades, Mao Zedong by two, and remained in power during the terms of office of six South Korean presidents, 7 Soviet leaders, ten U.S. presidents, and twentyone Japanese prime ministers.

Following his death in 1994, he was succeeded by his son Kim Jong-il, who in turn was succeeded by his son Kim Jong-un.

North Korea officially refers to Kim Il-sung as the "Great Leader" (Suryong in Korean 수령) and he is designated in the North Korean constitution as the country's "Eternal President". His birthday is a public holiday in North Korea.

Death

By the early 1990s, North Korea was isolated from the outside world, except for limited trade and contacts with China, Russia, Vietnam and Cuba. Its economy was crippled by huge expenditures on armaments, and the agricultural sector was unable to feed its population. At the same time, the state-run North Korean media continued to praise Kim. On 8 July 1994, at age 82, Kim Il-sung collapsed from a sudden heart attack.

After the heart attack, Kim Jong-il ordered the team of doctors who were constantly at his father's side to leave, and for the country's best doctors to be flown in from Pyongyang. After several hours, the doctors from Pyongyang arrived, and despite their efforts to save him, Kim Il-sung died. After the traditional Confucian Mourning period, his death was declared thirty hours later.

Kim Il-sung's death resulted in nationwide mourning and a ten-day mourning period was declared by Kim Jong-il. His funeral in Pyongyang was attended by hundreds of thousands of people from all over North Korea, many of whom were mourning dramatically. Kim Il-sung's body was placed in a public mausoleum at the Kumsusan Memorial Palace, where his preserved and embalmed body lies under a glass coffin for viewing purposes. His head rests on a Korean-style pillow and he is covered by the flag of the Workers Party of Korea. Newsreel video of the funeral at Pyongyang was broadcast on several networks, and can now be found on various websites.

De Diego's Birthday Puerto Rico - A p r 1 6

Early life

from Asturias, Spain and Elisa Martínez Muñiz a Criollo from Puerto Rico, was born in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico and received his primary education in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. He then moved to Spain where he graduated from the "Polytechnic College of Logroño".

While in Spain, de Diego collaborated with the newspaper El Progreso (Progress) which was founded by José Julián Acosta and which attacked the political situation in Puerto Rico. This led to various arrests and eventually he returned to the island.

Poetry In 1886, de Diego had an unhappy love affair, with Carmen

Echavarría, which led him to write one of his acclaimed poems "A Laura" (To Laura). This poem became very popular among the romantics of that time. He became known as the "Father" of the "Modern Puerto Rican Poetry Movement". Among his most noted poetry books are : • Pomarrosas • Jovillos • Cantos de Rebeldía • Cantos del Pitirre

of the Spanish-speaking islands in the Caribbean Confederation De Diego returned to Spain and studied law in Barcelona. He received his law degree and continued his studies

until he graduated with a doctorate in law in 1892. He then returned to Puerto Rico to advocate for its autonomy from Spain. De Diego set up his law practice inArecibo and was the founder of the newspaper La República (The Republic). Together with Román Baldorioty de Castro, Diego founded the "Autonomist Party" in 1887. Luis Muñoz Rivera and Rosendo Matienzo Cintrón, who were members of the party, formed a committee which ultimately convinced the Spanish representative in the island Práxedes Mateo Sagasta to support the idea of autonomy for Puerto Rico. De Diego did not accompany Muñoz Rivera and Matienzo Cintrón, because he believed that Spain should be a Federal Republic and Mateo Sagasta's party followed the ideals of the monarchy. De Diego envisioned the establishment of a Confederation of the Spanish-speaking islands in the Caribbean which would include Dominican Republic and Cuba, known as the Antillean Confederation. In 1897, Spain acknowledged Puerto Rico's autonomy, after Mateo Sagasta's victory in Spain. De Diego celebrated Muñoz Rivera's accomplishment and was named Sub-Secretary of Justice and Government. Puerto Rico's autonomy, however was short-lived.

Politician

After the United States invasion of Puerto Rico during the Spanish-American War, the Treaty of Paris (1898) committed Spain to ceding Puerto Rico to the United States as a war bounty.

On June 5, 1900, President William McKinley named de Diego, together with Rosendo Matienzo Cintrón, José Celso Barbosa, Manuel Camuñas, and Andrés Crosas to an Executive Cabinet under U.S.-appointed Governor Charles H. Allen. The Executive Cabinet also included six American members. De Diego resigned from the position in order to pursue the island's right to govern itself. In 1904, he co-founded the "Unionist Party" along with Luis Muñoz Rivera, Eduardo Georgetti, Rosendo Matienzo Cintrón and Antonio R. Barceló.

De Diego was then elected to the House of Delegates, the only locally elected body of government allowed by the U.S., and which De Diego presided from 1904 to 1917. The House of Delegates was subject to the U.S. President's veto power and voted for the island's right to independence and self-government and against the imposition of U.S. citizenship to Puerto Ricans, among other resolutions passed. None of these requests were honored by newly developing US hemispheric expansionism. In 1914, Barceló, Muñoz Rivera and de Diego were members of an executive council that attempted to form an alliance between the Union and Republican Parties. In 1917, after Luis Muñoz Rivera died, Barceló became the leading force behind the liberal ideas of the island. Barceló and De Diego were against the creation of theJones-Shafroth Act which would impose United States citizenship upon the citizens of Puerto Rico because the act represented an impediment to Puerto Rican independence as a final status solution and because the judicial and executive branches would still be controlled by the United States. The Jones-Shafroth Act, however was approved by the United States and signed into law by President Woodrow Wilsonon March 2, 1917. The Union Party under Barceló's leadership then resolved to adopt a different stance and to seek more autonomy which he believed would finally lead to independence. This move prompted de Diego's, who was a strong independence advocate, to have great differences with the majority of his party members,. De Diego became known as the "Father of the Puerto Rican Independence Movement".

Later years

He founded the "Colegio de Agricultura y Artes Mecánicas de Mayagüez" now known as "University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez". De Diego travelled throughout the Caribbean and Spain seeking the support from what he called "Los hermanos de la misma raza" (Brothers of the same race) for Puerto Rico's independence. After giving a speech in Barcelona in to such a request, he became known as the "Caballero de la Raza" (The gentlemen of the race).

José de Diego's right leg developed gangrene and was amputated in 1916. He died in New York City on July 16, 1918 of endocarditis. His remains were returned to Puerto Rico and are buried in the "Cementerio Antiguo de San Juan" (Santa Maria Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery), in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Legacy

José de Diego's memory has been honored in Puerto Rico, by having his birth date as an official holiday as well as the naming schools, avenues, and a highway after him. The plaza in his hometown of Aguadilla, the Plaza José de Diego is named in his honor, plus there are schools in Chicago, Illinois, Brooklyn, New York, and Miami, Florida named after him.

Emancipation Day (DC) U.S. - A p r 1 6

Emancipation Day is celebrated in many former British colonies in the Caribbean and areas of the United States on various dates in observance of the emancipation of slaves of African origin. It is also observed in other areas in regard to the abolition of serfdom or other forms of servitude.

Washington, D.C. The District of Columbia celebrates

April 16 as Emancipation Day. On that day in 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Compensated Emancipation Act for the release of certain persons held to service or labor in the District of Columbia. The Act freed about 3,100 enslaved persons in the District of Columbia nine months before President Lincoln issued his famous Emancipation Proclamation. The District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act represents the only example of compensation by the federal government to former owners of emancipated slaves.

On January 4, 2005, Mayor Anthony A. Williams signed legislation making Emancipation Day an official public holiday in the District. Although Emancipation Day occurs on April 16, by law when April 16 is a Saturday, Emancipation Day is observed on the preceding Friday. Each year, a series of activities will be held during the public holiday including the traditional Emancipation Day parade celebrating the freedom of enslaved persons in the District of Columbia.

The Emancipation Day celebration was held yearly from 1866 to 1901, and was resumed as a tradition and historic celebration in 2002 as a direct result of years of research, lobbying and leadership by Ms. Loretta Carter-Hanes.

In 2007, the observance of this holiday in Washington, D.C. had the effect of nationally extending the 2006 income tax filing deadline from April 16 to April 17. Under a federal statute enacted decades ago, holidays observed in the District of Columbia have an impact nationwide, not just in D.C. The 2007 date change was not discovered until after many forms went to print. In 2011, the tax deadline was extended to Monday, April 18, since the observed date for the holiday was Friday, April 15. In 2012, because Emancipation Day fell on Monday, April 16, and the normal tax deadline of April 15 fell on a Sunday, the tax deadline was Tuesday, April 17.

FAO Day Iraq - A p r 1 7

Food and Agriculture Organization Day (FAO) is celebrated in Iraq to mark the organization’s goal of assuring food security, disseminating effective farming methods and providing machineries and technologies for better farming and livestock-raising techniques. This holiday is celebrated every 17th of April yearly.

History

Iraq is one of the countries in the United Nations which maintain membership with Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO). FAO operates as one of the United Nations’ agencies that is tasked to create agendas, policies, and actions to prevent and, eventually, end world hunger. The organization also seeks to modernize the field of agriculture, forestry, livestock raising/animal farming, including fisheries across all member countries, both the developing and developed ones.

FAO-Iraq is active in cross-country agricultural expedition on improving the country’s food security and responding to its citizen nutrition demands especially in poverty-stricken areas by implementing policies that drives food production in the household level.

Celebrations

Iraq’s Ministry of Agriculture usually holds agenda during the celebration with topics covering important issues surrounding food security in Iraq and important bills and laws passed concerning food manufacture in the country and the impact of environmental crisis that regularly strikes the region such as drought. The working class usually takes their day off during the holiday.

It is also during this time when FAO-Iraq awards personalities, usually farmers, in the important role they play in supporting food security all throughout Iraq.

Landing of the 33 Patriots Uruguay - A p r 1 9

Uruguay’s Landing of the 33 Patriots is an annual celebration on April 19 which commemorates the lives of Thirty-Three Orientals whose lives and bravery paved the way for the country’s independence on August 25, 1825.

Uruguay is located in the Southeastern part of South America. The majority of the country’s line of descent is European particularly Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese.

History

The control of Uruguay was jostled between Portuguese and the Spanish Empires. Both empires landed and took control on some portions of the country with Spain controlling parts of Soriano (Río Negro) in the early half of the 17th century (1669–71) and Montevideo in the 18th century and Portugal at Colonia del Sacramento in the latter half of 1700s.

Later, in the early 19th century, the region has become a battle ground between the military forces of Britain, Spain, and Portugal in their effort to exert influence and control in the region encompassing Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay.

José Gervasio Artigas became the country’s hero during a revolt he initiated against the government of Spain in the Battle of Las Piedras on May 18, 1811. Uruguay’s growing political stability towards republicanism made Portugal quite uneasy as it will mean losing stronghold on the areas where the latter exerts full influence. It launched an attack against the forces of Artigas, the Liga Federal (Federal League), in August 1816. Because of modern military machineries employed by Portugal in the Battle of Tacuarembó against Artigas’ forces, the latter was immediately defeated.

Five years later, Brazil occupied Uruguay and considered it as its province (Província Cisplatina). Resistance continued until Juan Antonio Lavalleja of Thirty-Three Orientals declared independence from foreign rule on August 25, 1825. The thirty-three self-exile forces led by Juan Antonio Llavaleja fought side-by-side with Artigas’ forces to liberate the country from the Brazil’s control.

The declaration of Uruguay’s independence was backed up by the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata (presentday Argentina).

A year-and-a-half war happened between Brazil and Argentina (500-day Argentina-Brazil War). It only ended when the Treaty of Montevideo was signed in 1828 allowing Uruguay to establish itself as an independent state. The Treaty of Montevideo was drafted by the United Kingdom. Two years later, Uruguay established and signed its first constitution (July 18, 1830). Even so, civil wars continued from 1839–1852 (Guerra Grande).

Celebrations The celebration of the Landing of the 33 Patriots coincides with the celebration of the country’s National Independ-

ence Day on August 25 so it’s not surprising that the kind of celebration is the same as the latter. Laying of wreath and speeches remembering and honoring those who led the revolt against the Brazilians are held on the holiday.

Uruguayan working class consider this day as a rest day.

W O R L D W I D E E V E N T S / Z A R B - E JAMHOOR NEWSPAPER CONGRATULATES REPUBLIC OF ZIMBABWE ON INDEPENDENCE DAY 2013

Syria officially the Syrian Arab Republic is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest. The name Syria formerly comprised the entire region of the Levant, while the modern state encompasses the site of several ancient kingdoms and empires, including the Eblan civilization of the third millennium BC. In the Islamic era, its capital city, Damascus, was the seat of theUmayyad Empire and a provincial capital of the Mamluk Empire. Damascus is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The population is 74% Sunni Muslim, with a 13%Shia and Alawite population, 10% non-Muslim Christian and 3% Druze minorities. Since the 1960s, Alawite military officers have tended to dominate the country's politics. Some 90% of the population is Muslim, which includes Arabs, Kurds, Circassians, and others, while some 10% are Christians, which includes Arabs, Assyrians/Syriacs, and Armenians. Ethnic minorities include Kurdish, Assyrians/Syriacs, Armenian, Turkmen, and Circassian people. Modern Syria was created as a French mandate and attained independence in April 1946, as a parliamentary republic. The post-independence period was rocky, and a large number of military coups and coup attempts shook the country in the period 1949-1970. Syria has been under Emergency Law since 1962, effectively suspending most constitutional protections for citizens, and its system of government is considered non-democratic. Since 1971 the power has been concentrated first to Hafez al-Assad and then to his son Bashar al-Assad.

Etymology Heiress presumptive The name Syria is derived from the ancient Margrethe was not born to be Monarch. At the time of her birth, only males could ascend the throne of Denmark,

owing to the changes in succession laws enacted in the 1850s when theGlücksburg branch was chosen to succeed.

As she had no brothers, it was assumed that her uncle Prince Knud would one day assume the throne.

The process of changing the constitution started in 1947, not long after her father ascended the throne as Frederick IX and it became clear that Queen Ingrid would have no more children. The popularity of Frederik and his daughters and the more prominent role of women in Danish life started the complicated process of altering the constitution.

That proposal had to be passed by two Parliaments in succession and then by a referendum, which was held on 27 March 1953. The new Act of Succession permitted female succession to the throne of Denmark, according to malepreference primogeniture, where a female can ascend to the throne only if she does not have a brother. Princess Margrethe therefore became the Heiress Presumptive.

On her eighteenth birthday, 16 April 1958, the Heiress Presumptive was given a seat in theCouncil of State, and the Princess subsequently chaired the meetings of the Council in the absence of the King.

Education and marriage studied prehistoric archaeology at Girton

She College, Cambridge during 1960–61, political science at Aarhus University between 1961– 1962, at the Sorbonne in 1963, and at the London School of Economics in 1965, and is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London.

On 10 June 1967, Princess Margrethe of Denmark married a French diplomat, Count Henri de Laborde de Monpezat, at the Naval Church of Copenhagen. Laborde de Monpezat received the style and title of "His Royal Highness Prince Henrik of Denmark" because of his new position as the spouse of the Heiress Presumptive to the Danish throne.

Queen Margrethe is fluent in her native Queen Margrethe II and her consort, Prince Henrik, tongue, Danish; the native tongue of her hus- in 2010. band, French; as well as English, Swedish and German.

Reign King Frederik IX died in 1972. On the occasion of her accession to the throne on 14 January 1972, Queen Margrethe

II became the first female Danish Sovereign under the new Act of Succession.

Queen Margrethe II's official motto is: God's help, the love of The People, Denmark's strength. She is an accomplished artist and costume designer. She suffers from arthritis and has had both her knees replaced as a result.

In 2008 the Queen announced that her male-line descendants would bear the additional title of Count of Monpezat.

She is the 1,188th Dame of the Order of the Golden Fleece in Spain and the 961st Lady of the Order of the Garter.

role Constitutional After an election where the incumbent Prime

Minister does not have a majority behind him, a “Dronningerunde” (Queen's meeting) between the chairmen of each of the Danish political parties attends a meeting with the monarch.

Each party has the choice of selecting a Royal Investigator to lead these negotiations or alternatively, give the incumbent Prime Minister the mandate to continue his government as is.

In theory each party could choose its own leader as Royal Investigator, the globalistic party Det Radikale Venstre did so in 2006, but often only one Royal Investigator is chosen plus the Prime Minister, before each election.

The leader who, at that meeting succeeds in securing a majority of the seats in the Folketing, is by royal decree charged with the task Queen Margrethe II in Vágur, Faroe Islands, 21 June of forming a new government. (It has never happened in more modern history that any 2005 party has held a majority on its own.)

Once the government has been formed, it is formally appointed by the Queen. Officially, it is the Queen who is the head of government, and she therefore presides over the Council of State, where the acts of legislation which have been passed by the parliament are signed into law. In practice, however, nearly all of the Queen's formal powers are exercised by the Council of State, and she is required by convention to act on its advice.

The Queen's main tasks are to represent the Kingdom abroad and to be a unifying figurehead at home. The queen performs the latter task by accepting invitations to open exhibitions, attending anniversaries, inaugurating bridges, etc. As an unelected public official, the Queen takes no part in party politics and does not express any political opinions. Although she has the right to vote, she opts not to do so to avoid even the appearance of partisanship.

In addition to her roles in her own country, the queen is also the Colonel-in-Chief of the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshires), an infantry regiment of the British Army, following a tradition in her family.

The Queen is an accomplished painter, and has held many art shows over the years. It is said that were she not the queen, she could make a living as a professional artist. Her illustrations—under the pseudonym Ingahild Grathmer—were used for the Danish edition ofThe Lord of the Rings published in 1977 and the re-issue in 2002. She is also an accomplished translator and is said to have participated in the Danish translation of The Lord of the Rings. She also designs some of her own clothes. Margrethe is a chain smoker, and she is famous for her tobacco habit.

However, on 23 November 2006 the Danish Queen Margrethe II and her husband Prince Henrik newspaper B.T. reported an announcement of Denmark welcome President George W. Bush and from the Royal Court stating that the queen would never again be seen smoking in public. his wife Laura Bush at Fredensborg Palace, July 5, Still, the queen does continue to smoke but 2005. in the future she will do so only privately. The announcement is probably due to the fact that the Danish parliament recently has decided on strict rules concerning smoking.

A statement in a 2005 authorized biography about the Queen (entitled Margrethe) focused on Islam: "We are being challenged by Islam these years. Globally as well as locally. There is something impressive about people for whom religion imbues their existence, from dusk to dawn, from cradle to grave. There are also Christians who feel this way. There is something endearing about people who give themselves up completely to their faith. But there is likewise something frightening about such a totality, which also is a feature of Islam. A counterbalance has to be found, and one has to, at times, run the risk of having unflattering labels placed on you. For there are some things for which one should display no tolerance. And when we are tolerant, we must know whether it is because of convenience or conviction."

Honours and decorations Danish decorations:

Order of the Elephant Grand Commander of the Order of the Dannebrog One hundred anniversary Commemorative Medal of King Frederik IX's birth One hundred anniversary Commemorative Medal of King Christian X's birth Queen Ingrid's Commemorative Medal Commemorative Medal for the 50-year anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Ingrid's arrival in Denmark Home Guard fortjensttegn Home Guard 25-year mark Civil Defense League glory sign Danish Reserve Officers Association Medal

Foreign decorations:

Grand Cross of the Order of the Liberator San Martin (Argentina) Grand Cross of the Order of Leopold (Belgium) Order of the Southern Cross with chain (Brazil) Order of Stara Planina with scarf (Bulgaria) Grand Cross of the Order of Merit (Chile) Grand Cross with Chain of the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana (Estonia) Order of Al Kamal (United Arab Emirates) Chain of the Order of the Nile (Egypt) Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the White Rose of Finland Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour (France) Grand Cross of the Order of the Redeemer (Greece) Order of Saints Olga and Sophia (Greece) Grand Cross with Chain of the Order of the Falcon (Iceland) Grand Cross with Chain of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic Order of the Precious Crown, First Class (Japan)) Order of the Chrysanthemum with chain (Japan) Order of al-Hussain ibn-Ali (Jordan) Order of the Yugoslav Grand Star Grand Cross with Chain of the Order of the Three Stars (Latvia) Grand Cross of the Order of Vytautas the Great (Lithuania) Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau (Luxembourg) Grand Cross with Chain of the Order of Ouissam Alaouite (Morocco) Grand Cross of the Order of the Netherlands Lion (Netherlands) Order of Pratap Bhasker first class (Nepal) Grand Cross with Chain of the Order of St. Olav (Norway) Order of the White Eagle (Poland) Grand Cordon of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland Grand Cross with chain of the Order of Prince Henry (Portugal) Grand Cross with chain of the Order of Saint James of the Sword (Portugal) Grand Cross with chain of the Order of the Star of Romania Collar of the Order of Abdulaziz al Saud (Saudi Arabia) Golden Order of Freedom of the Republic of Slovenia Order of the Golden Fleece (Spain) Grand Cross with chain of the Order of Charles III (Spain) Knight of the Order of the Garter (United Kingdom) Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (United Kingdom) Chain of the Order of the Seraphim (Sweden) Grand Cross with chain of the Order of Good Hope (South Africa) Order of Maha Chakrkri first pm. with chain (Thailand) Order of Rajamitrabhorn (Thailand) Grand Cross Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany Grand Cross of the Order of Merit (Austria)

Ancestry

Patrilineal descent:

Margrethe's patriline is the line from which she is descended father to son. Patrilineal descent is the principle behind membership in royal houses, as it can be traced back through the generations - which means that if Margrethe II were to choose an historically accurate house name it would be Oldenburg.

Egilmar I of Lerigau, dates unknown 1.

Egilmar II of Lerigau, d. 1142 2.

Christian I of Oldenburg, d. 1167 3.

Moritz of Oldenburg, d. 1209 4.

Christian II of Oldenburg, d. 1233 5.

John I, Count of Oldenburg, d. 1275 6.

Christian III, Count of Oldenburg, d. 1285 7.

John II, Count of Oldenburg, d. 1314 8.

Conrad I, Count of Oldenburg, 1300–1347 9.

Christian V, Count of Oldenburg, 1340–1423 10.

Dietrich, Count of Oldenburg, 1398–1440 11.

Christian I of Denmark, 1426–1481 12.

Frederick I of Denmark, 1471–1533 13.

Christian III of Denmark, 1503–1559 14.

John II, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg, 1545–1622 15.

Alexander, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg, 1573–1627 16.

August Philipp, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck, 1612–1675 17.

Frederick Louis, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck, 1653–1728 18.

Peter August, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck, 1696–1775 19.

Prince Karl Anton August of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck, 1727–1759 20.

Friedrich Karl Ludwig, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck, 1757–1816 21.

Friedrich Wilhelm, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, 1785–1831 22.

Christian IX of Denmark, 1818–1906 23.

Frederick VIII of Denmark, 1843–1912 24.

Christian X of Denmark, 1870–1947 25.

Frederick IX of Denmark, 1899–1972 26.

Margrethe II of Denmark, b. 1940 27.

Independence Day Zimbabwe- A p r 1 8

José de Diego y Martínez (April 16, 1866 – July 16, 1918), known as "The Father of the Puerto Rican Independence Movement", was a statesman, journalist, poet, lawyer, and advocate for Puerto Rico's independence from Spain and from the United States.

Early years De Diego, son of Felipe de Diego Parajón a Spanish army officer

Independence Day Syria - A p r 1 7

Zimbabwe officially the Republic of Zimbabwe is a landlocked country of southern Africa. It shares a 125-mile (200-kilometre) border on the south with the Republic of South Africa and is bounded on the southwest and west by Botswana, on the north by Zambia, and on the northeast and east by Mozambique. The capital is Harare(formerly called Salisbury). Zimbabwe achieved majority rule and internationally recognized independence in April 1980 following a long period of colonial rule and a 15-year period of white-dominated minority rule, instituted after the minority regime’s so-called Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) in 1965.

Zimbabwe has three official languages: English, Shona, and Ndebele. Zimbabwe began as theBritish self-governing colony of Southern Rhodesia, created from land held by the British South Africa Company. President Robert Mugabe is the head of State and Commander in Chief of the armed forces. Morgan Tsvangirai is the Prime Minister. Mugabe has been in power since the country's internationally recognised independence in 1980.

History

Pre-colonial era (1000–1887):

Proto-Shona speaking societies first emerged in the middle Limpopo valley in the 9th century before moving on to the Zimbabwean highlands. The Zimbabwean plateau eventually became the center of subsequent Shona states, beginning in ca. the 10th century. Around the early 10th century, trade developed with Arab merchants on the Indian Ocean coast, helping to develop the Kingdom of Mapungubwe in the 11th century. This was the precursor to the more impressive Shona civilisations that would dominate the region during the 13th to 15th centuries, evidenced by ruins at Great Zimbabwe, near Masvingo, and other smaller sites. The main archaeological site is a unique dry stone architecture.

The Kingdom of Mapungubwe was the first in a series of sophisticated trade states developed in Zimbabwe by the time of the first European explorers from Portugal. They traded in gold, ivory and copper for cloth and glass.

From about 1300 until 1600, Mapungubwe was eclipsed by the Kingdom of Zimbabwe. This Shona state further refined and expanded upon Mapungubwe's stone architecture, which survives to this day at the ruins of the kingdom's capital of Great Zimbabwe. From c. 1450–1760, Zimbabwe gave way to the Kingdom of Mutapa. This Shona state ruled much of the area that is Philippus Araps, Roman Emknown as Zimbabwe today, and parts of central Mozambique. It is known by peror many names including the Mutapa Empire, also known asMwene Mutapa or Monomotapa as well as "Munhumutapa," and was renowned for its gold trade routes with Arabs and the Portuguese.

Portuguese settlers destroyed the trade and began a series of wars which left the empire in near collapse in the early 17th century.

As a direct response to the Portuguese presence in the interior, a new Shona state emerged called the Rozvi Empire.

Relying on centuries of military, political and religious development, the Rozvi (which means "destroyers") removed the Portuguese from the Zimbabwe plateau by force of arms. The Rozvi continued the stone building traditions of the Zimbabwe and Mapungubwe kingdoms while adding guns to its arsenal and developing a professional army to protect its trade routes and conquests.

Around 1821, the Zulu general Mzilikazi (meaning The Great Road) of the Khumalo clan successfully rebelled from King Shaka and set up his own tribe, the Ndebele. The tribe fought its way northwards into the Transvaal leaving a trail of destruction in its wake and beginning an era of widespread killings and devastation known as the Mfecane.

When the Boer settlers (descendants of Dutch and other Europeans) arrived in the Transvaal in 1836 during the Great Trek they attacked the Ndebele and drove the tribe even further northward. In 1837–38, the Rozvi Empire along with other Shona states were conquered by the Ndebele and forced to pay tribute and concentrate in the northeast of present-day Zimbabwe.

After losing the Transvaal in 1840, Mzilikazi and his tribe settled the southwest of present-day Zimbabwe in what became known asMatabeleland and established Bulawayo as their capital. Mzilikazi then organised his followers into a military system with regimental kraals, similar to those of Shaka, which became strong enough to repel the Boer attacks of 1847–1851 and persuade the government of the South African Republic to sign a peace treaty with him in 1852. Mzilikazi died in 1868 and after a brief, violent power struggle was succeeded by his son, Lobengula.

Colonial era (1888–1965):

In the 1880s, the British arrived with colonialist Cecil Rhodes's British South Africa Company.In 1888, Rhodes obtained a concession for mining rights from King Lobengula of the Ndebelepeoples. He presented this concession to persuade the government of the United Kingdom to grant a royal charter to his British South Africa Company (BSAC) over Matabeleland, and its subject states such as Mashonaland.

Rhodes used this document in 1890 to justify sending the Pioneer Column, a group of white settlers protected by well-armed British South Africa Police (BSAP) through Matabeleland and into Shona territory to establish Fort Salisbury (now Harare). In 1893 and 1894, with the help of their new maxim guns, the BSAP would go on to defeat the Ndebele in the First Matabele War, a war which also resulted in the death of King Lobengula. Rhodes sought permission to negotiate similar concessions covering all territory between the Limpopo River and Lake Tanganyika, then known as "Zambesia".

In accordance with the terms of aforementioned concessions and treaties, Rhodes promoted the colonisation of the region's land, with British control over labour as well as precious metals and other mineral resources. In 1895 the BSAC adopted the name "Rhodesia" for the territory of Zambesia, in honour of Rhodes. In 1898 "Southern Rhodesia" became the official denotation for the region south of the Zambezi, which later became Zimbabwe. The region to the north was administered separately by the BSAC and later named Northern Rhodesia (nowZambia).

Shortly after the disastrous Jameson Raid on the South African Republic, the Ndebele were led by their spiritual leader Mlimo against the white colonials and thus began the Second Matabele War (1896–97). The Shona also staged unsuccessful revolts (known as Chimurenga) against encroachment upon their lands, by clients of BSAC and Cecil Rhodes in 1896 and 1897. Following the failed insurrections of 1896–97 the Ndebele and Shona groups became subject to Rhodes's administration thus precipitating European settlement en masse which led to land distribution dispropor- Opening of the railway to Umtali in 1899 tionately favouring Europeans, displacing the Shona, Ndebele, and other indigenous peoples.

Southern Rhodesia became a self-governing British colony in October 1923, subsequent to a 1922 referendum.

Rhodesians served on behalf of the United Kingdom during World War II, mainly in theEast African Campaign against Axis forces in Italian East Africa. Proportional to (European-descended) population, Southern Rhodesia contributed more to both the First and Second World Wars than any other part of the Empire, including Britain itself.

In 1953, in the face of African opposition, Britain consolidated the two colonies of Rhodesia withNyasaland in the illfated Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland which was dominated by Southern Rhodesia. Growing African nationalism and general dissent, particularly in Nyasaland, persuaded Britain to dissolve the Union in 1963, forming three colonies. As colonial rule was ending throughout the continent and as African-majority governments assumed control in neighbouring Northern Rhodesia (Zambia) and in Nyasaland (Malawi), the white-minority Rhodesian government led by Ian Smith's Rhodesian Front (RF) dropped the designation "Southern" in 1964 and issued a Unilateral Declaration of Independence (commonly abbreviated to "UDI") from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965, effectively repudiating the recently-adopted British policy of "no independence before majority rule". It was the first declaration of independence by a British colony since the American declaration of 1776, which was indeed claimed by the Rhodesian government to provide a precedent.

Independence and civil war (1965–1979):

After UDI, the British government requested United Nations economic sanctions against Rhodesia as negotiations with the Smith administration in 1966 and 1968 ended in stalemate. The United Kingdom deemed the Rhodesian declaration an act of rebellion, but did not re-establish control by force. A civil war ensued, with Joshua Nkomo's Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU) and Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) using assistance from the governments of Zambia and Mozambique (the latter following its independence from Portugal in 1975).

Smith's declaration of a republic in 1970 was recognised only by South Africa, then governed by its apartheid administration. Over the years, the fighting against Ian Smith's government intensified. As a result, the Smith government opened negotiations with the leaders of ZAPU and ZANU. In March 1978, with his regime near the brink of collapse, Smith signed an accord with three African leaders, led by Bishop Abel Muzorewa, who offered safeguards for white civilians. As a result of the Internal Settlement, elections were held in April 1979. The United African National Council (UANC) party won a majority in this election. On 1 June 1979, the leader of UANC, Abel Muzorewa, became the country's prime minister and the country's name was changed toZimbabwe Rhodesia. The internal settlement left control of the country's police, security forces, civil service and judiciary in white hands. It assured whites of about one-third of the seats in parliament. On 12 June, the United States Senate voted to end economic sanctions against Zimbabwe Rhodesia.

Following the fifth Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), held in Lusaka, Zambia from 1 to 7 August in 1979, the British government invited Muzorewa and the leaders of thePatriotic Front to participate in a constitutional conference at Lancaster House. The purpose of the conference was to discuss and reach an agreement on the terms of an independence constitution and that elections should be supervised under British authority to enable Rhodesia to proceed to legal independence and the parties to settle their differences by political means.

Lord Carrington, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of the United Kingdom, chaired the conference. The conference took place from 10 September to 15 December in 1979 with 47 plenary sessions. On 1 December 1979, delegations from the British and Rhodesian governments and the Patriotic Front signed the Lancaster House Agreement, ending the civil war.

Post-Independence (1980–1999):

Britain's Lord Soames was appointed governor to oversee the disarming of revolutionary fighters, the holding of elections and the granting of independence to an uneasy coalition government with Joshua Nkomo, head of ZAPU. In the elections of February 1980, Robert Mugabe and his ZANU won a landslide victory.

There was opposition to a Shona win in Matabeleland. In November 1980 Enos Nkala made remarks at a rally in Bulawayo, in which he warned ZAPU that ZANU would deliver a few blows against them. This started the first Entumbane uprising, in which ZIPRA and ZANLA fought for two days.

In February 1981 there was a second uprising, which spread to Glenville and also to Connemara in the Midlands.

ZIPRA troops in other parts of Matabeleland headed for Bulawayo to join the battle, and ex-Rhodesian units had to come in to stop the fighting. Over 300 people were killed.

These uprisings led to what has become known as Gukurahundi (Shona: "the early rain which washes away the chaff before the spring rains") or the Matabeleland Massacres, which ran from 1982 until 1985. Mugabe used his North Korean trained Fifth Brigade to crush any resistance in Matabeleland. It has been estimated that at least 20,000 Matabele were murdered and tens of thousands of others were tortured in camps such as the Valagwe camp, where 2-3000 people could be detained for torture and interrogation at any one time. The violence ended after ZANU and ZAPU reached a unity agreement in 1988 that merged the two parties, creating ZANU-PF. Elections in March 1990 resulted in another victory for Mugabe and his party, which won 117 of the 120 election seats. Election observers estimated voter turnout at only 54% and found the campaign neither free nor fair.

During the 1990s students, trade unionists and workers often demonstrated to express their discontent with the government. Students protested in 1990 against proposals for an increase in government control of universities and again in 1991 and 1992 when they clashed with police. Trade unionists and workers also criticised the government during this time. In 1992 police prevented trade unionists from holding anti-government demonstrations. In 1994 widespread industrial unrest weakened the economy. In 1996 civil servants, nurses, and junior doctorswent on strike over salary issues. The general health of the civilian population also began to significantly flounder. By 1997 an estimated 25% of the population of Zimbabwe had been infected by HIV.

Economic difficulties and hyperinflation (1999–2008):

Land issues, which the liberation movement had promised to solve, re-emerged as the main issue for the ruling party around 1997. Despite majority rule and the existence of a "willing-buyer-willing-seller" land reform programme since the 1980s, whites made up less than 1% of the population but held about 70% of the most arable land. Mugabe began to redistribute land to blacks in 2000 with a compulsory land redistribution.

Eventually a wide range of sanctions were imposed by the US government and European Union against the person of Mugabe, individuals, private companies, parastatals, and the government of Zimbabwe.

The legality and constitutionality of the process has regularly been challenged in the Zimbabwean High and Supreme Courts. The confiscation of the farmland was affected by continuous droughts and lack of inputs and finance led to a sharp decline in agricultural exports, which was traditionally the country's leading export producing sector. Mining and tourism have surpassed agriculture. As a result, Zimbabwe experienced a severe hard-currency shortage that led to hyperinflation and chronic shortages in imported fuel and consumer goods. In 2002, Zimbabwe was suspended from the Commonwealth of Nations on charges of human rights abuses during the land redistribution and of election tampering. In 2003, the Zimbabwe government terminated its Commonwealth membership.

Following elections in 2005, the government initiated "Operation Murambatsvina", an effort to crack down on illegal markets and homes that had seen slums emerge in towns and cities. This action has been widely condemned by opposition and international figures, who charge that it has left a substantial section of urban poor homeless. The Zimbabwe government has described the operation as an attempt to provide decent housing to the population although they have yet to deliver any new housing for the forcibly removed people.

Zimbabwe's current economic and food crisis, described by some observers as the country's worst humanitarian crisis since independence, has been attributed in varying degrees to the government's price controls and land confiscations, the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and a drought affecting the entire region.

Life expectancy at birth for males in Zimbabwe has dramatically declined since 1990 from 60 to 42 years, among the lowest in the world. The amount of time a Zimbabwean Bishop Abel Muzorewa signs the Lancaster citizen is expected to live healthily from birth is 39 years. House Agreement seated next to British Concurrently, the infant mortality rate has climbed from 53 Foreign Minister Lord Carrington. to 81 deaths per 1,000 live births in the same period. As of 2009, 1.2 million Zimbabweans live with HIV. On 29 March 2008, Zimbabwe held a presidential election along with a parliamentary election. The three major candidates were Robert Mugabe of the Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF), Morgan Tsvangirai of the Movement for Democratic Change – Tsvangirai (MDC-T), and Simba Makoni, an independent. The results of this election were withheld for two weeks, following which it was generally acknowledged that the MDC had achieved a majority of one seat in lower house of parliament. Mugabe retained control because after the "recount" which was done behind close doors without independent monitors Tsvangirai no longer had the margin required by Zimbabwean law[citation needed]. Hence, the doctored election results that would otherwise put Mugabe out of power, failed the opposition[weasel words].

In late 2008, problems in Zimbabwe reached crisis proportions in the areas of living standards, public health (with a major cholera outbreak in December) and various public considerations. Mining of diamonds at Marange in Chiadzwa became the subject of international attention as the World Diamond Council called for a clampdown on smuggling and illegal miners were reported killed by the military.

2008–present:

In September 2008, a power-sharing agreement was reached between Mugabe and Tsvangirai, in which Mugabe remained president and Tsvangirai became prime minister. Due to ministerial differences between their respective political parties, the agreement was not fully implemented until 13 February 2009, two days after the swearing in of Tsvangirai as Prime Minister of Zimbabwe.

In November 2010, the IMF described the Zimbabwean economy as "completing its second year of buoyant economic growth after a decade of economic decline", mentioning "strengthening policies" and "favorable shocks" as main reasons for the economic growth.

In December 2010 President Mugabe threatened to further expropriate privately-owned companies unless "western sanctions" were lifted. He said: "Why should we continue having companies and organisations that are supported

by Britain and America without hitting back? Time has come for us to [take] revenge. We can read the riot act and say this is 51 percent we are taking and if the sanctions persist we are taking over 100 percent."

Journalist Nicholas D. Kristof reported that life continues to be considerably worse for the majority of the nation than under the Rhodesian Front government, this despite improvements since the beginning of the power-sharing government. However more recent studies, such as a 2011 survey by Freedom House, suggest that living conditions have improved on a wide front since the power-sharing agreement. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs states in its 2012–2013 planning document that the "humanitarian situation has improved in Zimbabwe since 2009, but conditions remain precarious for many people".

Greek name for Syrians, which the Greeks applied without distinction to the Assyrians A number of modern scholars argued that the Greek word related to the cognate Ἀσσυρία, Assyria, ultimately derived from the Akkadian Assur. Others believed that it was derived from Siryon, the name that the Sidonians gave to Mount Hermon. However, the discovery of the Çineköy inscription in 2000 seems to support the theory that the term Syria does indeed derive from Assyria. The area designated by the word has changed over time. Classically, Syria lies at the eastern end of the Mediterranean, between Egypt and Arabia to the south and Cilicia to the north, stretching inland to include Mesopotamia, and having an uncertain border to the northeast that Pliny the Elder describes as including, from west to east, Commagene, Sophene, and Adiabene. By Pliny's time, however, this larger Syria had been divided into a Burj Islam, a well known beach just north of Latakia. number of provinces under the Roman Empire (but politically independent from each other): Judaea, later renamed Palaestina in AD 135 (the region corresponding to modern day Israel and Jordan) in the extreme southwest, Phoenicia corresponding to Lebanon, with Damascena to the inland side of Phoenicia, Coele-Syria (or "Hollow Syria") south of the Eleutheris river, and Mesopotamia.

History Since approximately 10 000 BC Syria was one of centers of Neolithic cul-

ture (PPNA) where agriculture and cattle breeding appeared for the first time in the world. The following Neolithic period (PPNB) is represented by rectangular houses of Mureybet culture. At the time of the pre-pottery Neolithic people used vessels made of stone, gyps and burnt lime (Vaiselles blanches). Finds of obsidian tools from Anatolia are evidences of early trade relations. Cities of Hamoukar and Emar played an important role during the late Neolithic and Bronze Age. Archaeologists have demonstrated that civilization in Syria was one of the most ancient on earth. Around the excavated city of Ebla in northern Syria, an Italian mission led by Prof. Paolo Matthiae discovered in 1975, a great Semitic empire spread from the Red Sea north to Turkey and east to Mesopotamia from 2500 to 2400 BC Ebla appears to have been founded around 3000 BC and gradually built its empire through trade with the cities of Sumer and Akkad, as well as with peoples to the northwest. Gifts from Pharaoh found during excavations confirm Ebla's contact with Egypt. Scholars believe the language of Ebla to be among the oldest known written Semitic languages. The Eblan civilization was likely conquered by Sargon of Akkad around 2260 BC; the city was restored as the nation of the Amorites a few centuries later and flourished through the early second millennium BC until conquered by the Hittites. During the second millennium Female figurine, Syria, 5000 BC. BC, Syria was occupied successively by Canaanites, Phoenicians, and Arameans as part of the general disruptions associated with the Sea Peo- Ancient Orient Museum. ples; the Phoenicians settled along the coastline of these areas as well as in the west (Now Lebanon and the current Syrian coast), in the area already known for its cedars. Egyptians, Sumerians, Assyrians, Babylonians, and Hittites variously occupied the strategic ground of Syria during this period, as it was a marchland between their various empires.

Eventually the Persians took control of Syria as part of their general control of Southwest Asia; this control transferred to the Greeks after Alexander the Great's conquests and thence to the Romans and the Byzantines. In 83 BC Syria fell under the rule of Tigranes the Great; the King of Armenia. The Armenians maintained a rule of 13 years over Syria which was finally turned into a Roman Province in 64 BC.

Eblan civilization:

Around the excavated city of Ebla near Idlib city in northern Syria, discovered in 1975, a great Semitic empire spread from the Red Sea north to Turkey and east to Mesopotamia from 2500 to 2400 BC. Ebla appears to have been founded around 3000 BC, and gradually built its empire through trade with the cities of Sumer and Akkad, as well as with peoples to the northwest. Gifts from Pharaohs, found during excavations, confirm Ebla's contact with Egypt. Scholars believe the language of Ebla to be among the oldest known written Semitic languages, designated as Paleo-Canaanite.

However, more recent classifications of the Eblaite language has shown that it was an East Semitic language, closely related to the Akkadian language. The Eblan civilization was likely conquered by Sargon of Akkad around 2260 BC; the city was restored, as the nation of the Amorites, a few centuries later, and flourished through the early second millennium BC until conquered by the Hittites.

Antiquity and early Christian era:

During the second millennium BC, Syria was occupied successively by Canaanites, Phoenicians, and Arameans as part of the general disruptions and exchanges associated with the Sea Peoples. The Phoenicians settled along the coast of Northern Canaan (Lebanon), which was already known for its towering cedars. Egyptians, Sumerians,Assyrians, Babylonians and Hittites variously occupied the strategic ground of Syria during this period; the land between their various empires being marsh. Eventually, the Persians took Syria as part of their hegemony of Southwest Asia; this dominion was transferred to the Ancient Macedonians after Alexander the Great's conquests and the Seleucid Empire. The capital of this Empire (founded in 312 BC) was situated at Antioch, modern day Antakya just inside the Turkish border. But the Seleucid Empire was essentially just one long slow period of decline, and Pompey the Great captured Antioch in 64 BC, turning Syria into a Roman province. Thus control of this region passed to the Romans and then the Byzantines. In the Roman Empire period, the city of Antioch was the third largest city in the empire after Rome and Alexandria. With an estimated population of 500,000 at its peak, Antioch was one of the major centers of trade and industry in the ancient world. The population of Syria during the heyday of the empire was probably not exceeded again until the 19th century. Syria's large and prosperous population made Syria one of the most important of the Roman provinces, particularly during the 2nd and 3rd centuries (AD). The Roman Emperor Alexander Severus, who was emperor from 222 to 235, was Syrian. His cousin Elagabalus, who was emperor from 218 to 222, was also Syrian and his family held hereditary rights to the high priesthood of the sun god El-Gabal at Emesa (modern Homs) in Syria. Another Roman emperor who was a Syrian was Marcus Julius Philippus, emperor from 244 to 249. Syria is significant in the history of Christianity; Saul of Tarsus was converted on the Road to Damascus, thereafter being known as the Apostle Paul, and emerged as a significant figure in the first organized Christian Church at Antioch in ancient Syria, from which he left on many of his missionary journeys. (Acts 9:1-43 )

Islamic era:

By AD 640, Syria was conquered by the Rashidun army led by Khaled ibn al-Walid, resulting in the area's becoming part of the Islamic empire. In the mid-7th century, the Umayyad dynasty, then rulers of the empire, placed the capital of the empire in Damascus. Syria was divided into four districts: Damascus, Homs, Palestine and Jordan. The Islamic empire stretched from Spain and Morocco to India and parts of Central Asia; thus Syria prospered economically, being the capital of the empire. Early Ummayad rulers such as Abd al-Malik and al-Walid constructed several splendid palaces and mosques throughout Syria, particularly in Damascus, Aleppo and Homs. There was great toleration of Christians in this era and several held governmental posts. The country's power dramatically declined during later Ummayad rule; mainly due to the totalitarianism and corruption spread among the empire's leaderships, conflict between its general staff, and the successive revolutions by the oppressed and miserable groups. As one Ummayad chieftain responded to a question about the reasons of the decline of their empire: "Rather visiting what needed to be visited, we were more interested in the pleasure and enjoyment of life; we oppressed our people until they gave up and sought relief from us, we trusted our ministers who favoured their own interests and kept secrets from us, and we unhurriedly rewarded our soldiers that we lost their obedience to our enemies." Ummayad dynasty was then overthrown by the Abbasid dynasty in 750, who moved the capital of empire to Baghdad. Arabic — made official under Ummayad rule — became the dominant language, replacing Greek and Aramaic in the Abbasid era. In 887, the Egypt-based Tulunids annexed Syria from the Abbasids, and were later replaced by the Hamdanids originating in Aleppo founded by Sayf al-Daula. Sections of the coastline of Syria were briefly held by Frankish overlords during the Crusades of the 12th century, and were known as the Crusader state of the Principality of Antioch. The area was also threatened by Shi'a extremists known as Assassins (Hashshashin). In 1260, the Mongols arrived, led by Hulegu with an army 100,000 strong, destroying cities and irrigation works. Aleppo fell in January 1260, andDamascus in March, but then Hulegu needed to break off his attack to return to China to deal with a succession dispute. The command of the remaining Mongol troops was placed under Kitbugha, a Christian Mongol.

A few months later, the Mamluks arrived with an army from Egypt, and defeated the Mongols in the Battle of Ayn Jalut, in Galilee. The Mamluk leader, Baybars, made his capitals in Cairoand Damascus, linked by a mail service that traveled by both horses and carrier pigeons. When Baybars died, his successor was overthrown, and power was taken by a Turk named Qalawun. In the meantime, an emir named Sunqur al-Ashqar had tried to declare himself ruler of Damascus, but he was defeated by Qalawun on 21 June 1280, and fled to northern Syria. Al-Ashqar, who had married a Mongol woman, appealed for help from the Mongols, and in 1281, they arrived with an army of 50,000 Philippus Araps, Roman EmMongols, and 30,000 Armenian, Georgian, and Turkish auxiliaries, along with peror Al-Ashqar's rebel force. The Mongols of the Ilkhanate took the city, but Qalawun arrived with a Mamluk force, persuaded Al-Ashqar to switch sides and join him, and they fought against the Mongols on 29 October 1281, in the Second Battle of Homs, a close battle which resulted in the death of the majority of the combatants, but was finally won by the Mamluks. In 1400, Timur Lenk, or Tamerlane, invaded Syria, sacked Aleppo and captured Damascus after defeating the Mamluk army. The city's inhabitants were massacred, except for the artisans, who were deported to Samarkand. It was during the conquests of Timur that the indigenous Christian population of Syria began to suffer under greater persecutions. By the end of the 15th century, the discovery of a sea route from Europe to the Far East ended the need for an overland trade route through Syria. Shattered by the Mongols, Syria was easily absorbed into the Ottoman Empire from the 16th through 20th centuries, and found itself largely apart from, and ignored by, world affairs.

Ottoman era:

Two allied diplomats (Frenchman François Georges-Picot and Briton Mark Sykes) secretly agreed, long before the end of the war, how to split the Ottoman Empire into several zones of influence. With the end of World War I and the defeat of the Ottoman Empire as an ally of Germany, plans by the Entente powers to dissolve this Ottoman territory could then begin.

The Sykes-Picot Agreement of 1916 set the fate of modern Southwest Asia for the coming century; providing France with the northern zone (Syria, with later the upcoming Lebanon), and the United Kingdom with the southern one (Iraq and later, after renegotiations in 1917, Palestine (then still including Jordan) - 'to secure daily transportation of troops from Haifa to Baghdad' - agreement n° 7).

The two territories were separated by only a straight border line from Jordan to Iran. But early discoveries of oil in the region of Mosul just before the end of the war led to yet another negotiation with France in 1918 to cede this region to 'Zone B', or the British zone of influence. The borders between the 'Zone A' and 'Zone B' have not changed from 1918 to this date. Since 1920, the two sides have been recognized internationally under mandate of the League of Nations by the two dominant countries: France and the United Kingdom.

French Mandate:

In 1920, an independent Arab Kingdom of Syria was established under Faisal I of the Hashemite family, who later became the King of Iraq. However, his rule over Syria ended after only a few months, following the clash between his Syrian Arab forces and regular French forces at the Battle of Maysalun. French troops occupied Syria later that year after the San Remo conference proposed that the League of Nations put Syria under a French mandate.

In 1925 Sultan Pasha al-Atrash led a revolt which broke out in the Druze Mountain and spread to engulf the whole of Syria and parts of Lebanon. This is considered one of the most important revolutions against the French mandate, as it encompassed the whole of Syria and witnessed fierce battles between rebel and French forces. On August 23, 1925, Sultan Pasha al-Atrash officially declared revolution against France, and soon fighting erupted in Damascus, Homs and Hama. Al-Atrash won several battles against the French at the beginning of revolution, notably the Battle of AlKabir on July 21, 1925, the Battle of Al-Mazra'a on August 2, 1925, and the battles of Salkhad, Almsifarh and Suwayda.

After rebel victories against the French, France sent thousands of troops to Syria and Lebanon from Morocco and Senegal, equipped with modern weapons; the rebels were lightly armed. This dramatically altered the results and allowed the French to regain many cities, although resistance lasted until the spring of 1927. The French sentenced Sultan al-Atrash to death, but he had escaped with the rebels to Transjordan and was eventually pardoned. He returned to Syria in 1937 after the signing of the Syrian French Treaty. He was met with a huge public reception.

Syria and France negotiated a treaty of independence in September 1936, and Hashim al-Atassi, who was Prime Minister under King Faisal's brief reign, was the first president to be elected under a new constitution, effectively the first incarnation of the modern republic of Syria. However, the treaty never came into force because the French Legislature refused to ratify it. With the fall of France in 1940 during World War II, Syria came under the control of the Vichy Government until the British and Free French occupied the country in July 1941. Syria proclaimed its independence again in 1941, but it was not until 1 January 1944 that it was recognised as an independent republic. Continuing pressure from Syrian nationalist groups and British pressure forced the French to evacuate their troops in April 1946, leaving the country in the hands of a republican government that had been formed during the mandate.

Instability and foreign relations: independence to 1967:

Although rapid economic development followed the declaration of independence, Syrian politics from independence through the late 1960s were marked by upheaval. Between 1946 and 1956, Syria had 20 different cabinets and drafted four separate constitutions. In 1948, Syria was involved in the Arab-Israeli War, aligning with the other local Arab nations who were attempting to prevent the establishment of Israel. The Syrian army was pressed out of most of the Palestine area, but fortified their strongholds on the Golan Heights and managed to keep their old borders and some additional territory (this was converted into "supposed" demilitarized zones under UN supervision ; the status of these territories have proved a stumbling-block for Syrian-Israeli negotiations). It was during this period that many Syrian Jews, who faced growing discrimination, emigrated from the country, as part of Jewish exodus from Arab countries.

The humiliating defeat suffered by the army was one of several trigger factors for Col. Husni al-Za'im'sseizure of power in 1949, in what has been described as the first military overthrow of the Arab world since the start of the Second World War. This was soon followed by another overthrow, by Col. Sami al-Hinnawi, who was then himself quickly deposed by Col. Adib Shishakli, all within the same year.

After exercising influence behind the scenes for some time, dominating the ravaged parliamentary scene, Shishakli launched a second overthrow in 1951, entrenching his rule and eventually abolishing multipartyism altogether. Only when president Shishakli was himself overthrown in a 1954 overthrow, was the parliamentary system restored, but it was fundamentally undermined by continued political maneuvering supported by competing factions in the military.

By this time, civilian politics had been largely gutted of meaning, and power was increasingly concentrated in the military and security establishment, which had now proven itself to be the only force capable of seizing and - perhaps - keeping power. Parliamentary institutions remained weak and ineffectual, dominated by competing parties representing the landowning elites and various Sunni urban notables, while economy and politics were mismanaged, and little done to better the role of Syria's peasant majority. This, as well as the influence of Nasserism and other anti-colonial ideologies, created fertile ground for various Arab nationalist, Syrian nationalist and socialist movements, who represented disaffected elements of society, notably including the religious minorities, and demanded radical reform.

During the Suez Crisis of 1956, after the invasion of the Sinai Peninsula by Israeli troops, and the intervention of British and French troops,martial law was declared in Syria. The November 1956 attacks on Iraqi pipelines were in retaliation for Iraq's acceptance into the Baghdad Pact. In early 1957 Iraq advised Egypt and Syria against a conceivable takeover of Jordan.

In November 1956 Syria signed a pact with the Soviet Union, providing a foothold for Communist influence within the government in exchange for planes, tanks, and other military equipment being sent to Syria. With this increase in the strength of Syrian military technology worried Turkey, as it seemed feasible that Syria might attempt to retake Iskenderun, a matter of dispute between Syria and Turkey. On the other hand, Syria and the U.S.S.R. accused Turkey of massing its troops at the Syrian border. During this standoff, Communists gained more control over the Syrian government and military.

Only heated debates in the United Nations (of which Syria was an original member) lessened the threat of war.

Syria's political instability during the years after the 1954 overthow, the parallelism of Syrian and Egyptian policies, and the appeal of Egyptian President Gamal Abdal Nasser's leadership in the wake of the Suez crisis created support in Syria for union with Egypt. On 1 February 1958, Syrian President Shukri al-Quwatli and Nasser announced the merging of the two countries, creating the United Arab Republic, and all Syrian political parties, as well as the Communists therein, ceased overt activities.

The union was not a success, however. Following a military overthrow led by Abd al-Karim al-Nahlawi on 28 September 1961, Syria seceded, reestablishing itself as the Syrian Arab Republic. Instability characterized the next 18 months, with various overthrows culminating with 8 March 1963 coup, resulting in installation by leftist Syrian Army officers of the National Council of the Revolu- President Adib Shishakli tionary Command (NCRC), a group of military and civilian officials who assumed control of all executive and legislative authority. The takeover was engineered by members of the Arab Socialist Resurrection Party (Ba'ath Party), which had been active in Syria and other Arab countries since the late 1940s. The new cabinet was dominated by Ba'ath members.

The Baath takeover in Syria followed a Baath overthrow in Iraq the previous month. The new Syrian Government explored the possibility of federation with Egypt and with Baath-controlled Iraq. An agreement was concluded in Cairo on 17 April 1963, for a referendum on unity to be held in September 1963. However, serious disagreements among the parties soon developed, and the tripartite federation failed to materialize. Thereafter, the Baath government in Syria and Iraq began to work for bilateral unity. These plans foundered in November 1963, when the Baath government in Iraq was overthrown.

In May 1964, President Amin Hafiz of the NCRC promulgated a provisional constitution providing for a National Council of the Revolution (NCR), an appointed legislature composed of representatives of mass organizations—labour, peasant, and professional unions—a presidential council, in which executive power was vested, and a cabinet. On 23 February 1966, a group of army officers carried out a successful, intra-party overthrow, imprisoned President Hafiz, dissolved the cabinet and the NCR, abrogated the provisional constitution, and designated a regionalist, civilian Baath government on 1 March. The leaders of the overthrow described it as a "rectification" of Baath Party principles.

Six Day War and aftermath:

We shall never call for nor accept peace. We shall only accept war. We have resolved to drench this land with your blood. To oust you aggressors, to throw you into the sea.

—Hafez al-Assad, then Syrian Defence Minister, 24 May 1966 When Nasser closed the Gulf of Aqaba to Eilat-bound ships, the Baath government supported the Egyptian leader and amassed troops in the strategic Golan Heights. Syria sponsored Palestinian raids into Israel and Syrian artillery repeatedly bombed Israeli civilian communities from positions on the Golan Heights Concerning the raids on Israel's territory, Syria claimed that it could not be held responsible for the activities of El-Fatah and El-Asefa, nor for the rise of Palestinian organizations.

Conflicts also arose over different interpretations of the legal status of the Demilitarized Zone. Israel maintained that it had sovereign rights over the zone, allowing the civilian use of farmland. Syria and the UN maintained that no party had sovereign rights over the zone. Israel was accused by Syria of cultivating lands in the Demilitarized Zone, using armored tractors backed by Israel forces. Syria claimed that the situation was the result of an Israeli aim to increase tension so as to justify large-scale aggression, and to expand its occupation of the Demilitarized Zone by liquidating the rights of Arab cultivators.

Conflict over the cultivation of disputed lands sparked into April 7 prewar aerial clashes between Israel and Syria.

The Israeli defense minister Moshe Dayan said in a 1976 interview that Israel provoked more than 80% of the clashes with Syria.

After Israel launched a preemptive strike on Egypt to begin the June 1967 war, Syria joined the battle against Israel as well. In the final days of the war, after having captured the Sinai Peninsula and Gaza Strip from Egypt, as well as the West Bank and eastern Jerusalem from Jordan, Israel turned its attention to Syria, capturing the entire Golan Heights in under 48 hours.

Conflict developed between an extremist military wing and a more moderate civilian wing of the Baath Party. The 1970 retreat of Syrian forces sent to aid the PLO during the "Black September" hostilities with Jordan reflected this political disagreement within the ruling Baath leadership. By 13 November 1970, Minister of Defense Hafez al-Assad was solidly established as the strongman of the government, when he effected a bloodless military overthrow ("The Corrective Movement").

Baath Party rule under Hafez al-Assad, 1970–2000:

Upon assuming power, Hafez al-Assad moved quickly to create an organizational infrastructure for his government and to consolidate control. The Provisional Regional Command of Assad's Arab Baath Socialist Party nominated a 173-member legislature, the People's Council, in which the Baath Party took 87 seats. The remaining seats were divided among "popular organizations" and other minor parties. In March 1971, the party held its regional congress and elected a new 21-member Regional Command headed by Assad.

In the same month, a national referendum was held to confirm Assad as President for a 7-year term. In March 1972, to broaden the base of his government, Assad formed the National Progressive Front, a coalition of parties led by the Baath Party, and elections were held to establish local councils in each of Syria's 14 governorates. In March 1973, a new Syrian constitution went into effect followed shortly thereafter by parliamentary elections for the People's Council, the first such elections since 1962. The 1973 Constitution defines Syria officially as a secular socialist state with Islam recognised as majority religion.

On 6 October 1973, Syria and Egypt began the Yom Kippur War by staging a surprise attack againstIsraeli forces returning the Syrian Golan Heights and the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula. After early successes, the Israeli military reversed the initial Syrian gains, pushing the Syrian army out of the Golan and invaded into Syrian territory beyond the 1967 border. As a result, Israel continued to occupy the Golan Heights as part of the Israeli-occupied territories.

In early 1976, the Lebanese civil war was going poorly for the Maronite Christians. Following a request from the Maronite dominated Lebanese government with the approval of the Arab league, Syria sent 40,000 troops into the country ostensibly to prevent them from being overrun, but abruptly switched sides soon thereafter and became embroiled in the Lebanese Civil War, beginning the 30 year Syrian military presence. Many crimes in Lebanon, including the assassinations of Rafik Hariri, Kamal Jumblat and Bachir Gemayel were attributed to the Syrian forces and intelligence services but these were never proven. Over the following 15 years of civil war, Syria fought for control over Lebanon, and attempted to undermine Israel in southern Lebanon, through extensive use of proxy militias.

Many saw the Syrian Army'spresence in Lebanon as an occupation, especially following the end of the civil war in 1990, after the Syrian-sponsored Taif Agreement. Syria then remained in Lebanon until 2005, exerting a heavy-handed influence over Lebanese politics that was deeply resented by many. Following the assassination of the popular former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, blamed on Syria, pressure was put to bear on Syria to withdraw their forces from Lebanon. On April 26, 2005 the bulk of the Syrian forces withdrew from Lebanon but some of its intelligence operatives remained, drawing further international rebuke.

About one million Syrian workers came into Lebanon after the war ended to find jobs in the reconstruction of the country. Syrian workers were preferred over Palestinian and Lebanese workers be- Hafez al-Assad, former president of cause they could be paid lower wages, but some have argued that Syria the Syrian government's encouragement of citizens entering its small and militarily dominated neighbor in search of work, was in fact an attempt at Syrian colonization of Lebanon.

Now, the economies of Syria and Lebanon are completely interdependent. In 1994, under pressure from Damascus, the Lebanese government controversially granted citizenship to over 200,000 Syrian residents in the country. (For more on these issues, see Demographics of Lebanon) The authoritarian government was not without its critics, though open dissent was repressed. A serious challenge arose in the late 1970s, however, from fundamentalist Sunni Muslims, who reject the basic values of the secular Baath program and object to rule by the Alawis, whom they consider heretical. From 1976 until its suppression in 1982, the arch-conservative Muslim Brotherhood led an armed insurgency against the government. In response to an attempted uprising by the brotherhood in February 1982, the government crushed the fundamentalist opposition centered in the city of Hama, leveling parts of the city with artillery fire and leaving between 10,000 and 25,000 people either dead or wounded, mostly civilians (see Hama massacre). The Syrian government's actions at Hama have been described as possibly being "the single deadliest act by any Arab government against its own people in the modern Middle East".

Since then, public manifestations of anti-government activity have been limited.

In 1982 Assad responded to an insurrection in the city of Hama by sending a paramilitary force to indiscriminately kill between 10,000 and 20,000 civilians including children, women, and the elderly.

Syria's 1990 participation in the U.S.-led multinational coalition aligned against Saddam Hussein marked a dramatic watershed in Syria's relations both with other Arab states and with the Western world. Syria participated in the multilateral Southwest Asia Peace Conference inMadrid in October 1991, and during the 1990s engaged in direct, face-toface negotiations with Israel. These negotiations failed, and there have been no further direct Syrian-Israeli talks since President Hafiz al-Assad's meeting with then President Bill Clinton in Geneva in March 2000.

Victory at Gir-n Cuba - A p r 1 9

On April 16th, 1961, Fifty years ago in Cuba, it was instituted this date like the Militiaman's Day. One day before, April 15, airplanes B-26, deceivingly colored with badges of the Cuban Air force, bombarded two military bases and a civil airport. At the burial of victims this cowardly attacks, the Commandant Cuban Armed forces Fidel Castro Ruz, proclaimed the socialist character of the Cuban Revolution, in front of a lot of workers and peasants that enarbolaban its rifles on high.

At the 01:30 hours of April 17th, began the mercenary landing of the denominated Brigade 2506, similar to the units of assault amphibian of United States, composed of about a thousand 500 strongly armed troops with tanks and campaign artillery, and thirty airplanes.

The Cuban troops were formed by combatants of the Rebellious Army and the Police National Revolutionary, but the vast majority of them were voluntary militiamen, with scarce if any military experience.

At the 17:30 hours of April 19, the invasion was completely defeated, although at a high cost: 176 deads, 300 wounded and 50 impared.

As expressed by General of Cuban Army Raúl Castro, President of the Councils of State and Ministries": Socialism didn't come to our world in silk diapers, but in the rude cotton of the uniforms of workers militias, peasants and student; and combatants of the Rebellious Army and the Police National Revolutionary.

There was not blessed water in their first baptism fire amid the combat against the enemies of the Nation, but patriots' blood, once again spilled in this Island by their brave children, in their lingering fight for the freedom, in their long road for the independence."

The lapsed time has not oxidized those rifles risen by the humble people of Cuba. This is a long history of generational changeover which maintains alive its patriotic traditions and sustains the total certainty that any aggression intent against Cuban homeland, it will be victoriously rejected.

Contributed by: Roberto Pérez Betancourt

Day of The Indian Brazil - A p r 1 9

Indian Day (also known as Native Day; in Portuguese known as Dia do Índio), was created by the President Getulio Vargas by a decree law in 1943, and recalls the day (April 19) in 1940, in which several indigenous leaderships of the Americas decided to attend the First Inter-American Indian Congress, held in Mexico.

Nowadays most part of the cities does not celebrate the date, however it is very common for schoolchildren across Brazil to dress up like Natives and visit Museums to learn more about the first Brazilians. Indian Day (also known as Native Day; in Portuguese known as Dia do Índio), was created by the President Getulio Vargas by a decree law in 1943, and recalls the day (April 19) in 1940, in which several indigenous leaderships of the Americas decided to attend the First Inter-American Indian Congress, held in Mexico.

Nowadays most part of the cities does not celebrate the date, however it is very common for schoolchildren across Brazil to dress up like Natives and visit Museums to learn more about the first Brazilians. It is common to see celebrations in states with relatively huge indigenous population, such as Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Pará, Goiás, Rondônia and Amazonas.

Festivities

The National Indian Festival is held yearly in Bertioga, São Paulo to celebrate the Indian Day. It is considered the largest indigenous cultural event in the world, which takes place in April 19.

The festival is seen as an opportunity to learn about Brazilian indigenous peoples, since traveling to most tribal areas and reservations in Brazil is restricted and must be authorized by FUNAI, the National Indian Foundation. It is also seen as an opportunity for Native Brazilians to perform celebrations, such as indigenous rituals, body art, music, dance, food, crafts and sports.

It is common to see celebrations in states with relatively huge indigenous population, such as Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Pará, Goiás, Rondônia and Amazonas.

W O R L D W I D E EVENTS/ZARB-EJAMHOOR NEWSPAPER CONGRATULATES SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC ON INDEPENDENCE DAY 2013

HUNGARY Nabucco Committee is committed to Nabucco Hungarian Defence Forces are working on de- H unga r ia n e c onom ic polic y s t im uvelopments for use in Military, Civil life la te s f or e ign inv e s t m e nt : PM Or bá n West, planned for Azerbaijani gas

Photo: Photo: Csaba Pelsőczy (Online 12 Apr) The Committee Nabucco held its fourth meeting on 12 April 2013 in Budapest, where the permanent members of the Committee reasserted in a declaration their commitment to the impleof the mentation

central position within the region and its multilevel energy cooperation existing with countries in the region, Hungary is in the position to become a major participant of the natural gas market in Central-Eastern Europe.

In accordance with Hun-

the diversified energy supply objectives of Europe. By expressing their intention, they affirmed that the political and legal framework plays a key role in the implementation of the project that provides genuine benefits for producers,

Photo: Photo: Csaba Pelsőczy Nabucco West project planned for the transmission of natural gas from the Caspian Sea to Europe.

In addition to the representatives of the countries signing the Nabucco intergovernmental treaty (Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Turkey and Austria), the United States of America, the European Commission, the Nabucco International Consortium and its owners participated in the meeting with observer status: MOL (FGSZ Zrt.) of Hungary, OMV of Austria, Bulgarian Energy Holding, Transgaz of Romania and Botas of Turkey, members of the Shah Deniz consortium, i.e.

BP of Great Britain, Socar of Azerbaijan, TOTAL of France, Statoil of Norway as well as the EIB and EBRD. At the press conference, Pál Kovács, the Minister of State for Climate and Energy Affairs emphasised that, owing to its

gary's diversification objectives defined in the National Energy Strategy, the country is in the position to open the way for natural gas from the Caspian Sea to the heart of Europe on the basis of its infrastructure development projects implemented in recent years, the organised natural gas market launched this year and its substantial storage capacities.

He emphasised that “Nabucco West is a flagship enterprise in connecting the regional energy markets and in the supply of energy to the region.”

Reinhard Mitschek, CEO of the Nabucco consortium, expressed his satisfaction at the press conference of the committee meeting. He said that it was important that members of the committee had expressed their firm commitment to continuous strategic and tactical cooperation in the Nabucco West project, which is adapted to

(Online 10 Apr) “The affiliated institutions of the Hungarian Defence Forces are working not only on defence industry developments but also on several ones whose use can make the life of the civil population significantly easier” – said Minister of Defence Csaba Hende at a session of the parliamentary ad hoc committee on innovation and development held on Tuesday, April 9.

In his presentation, after describing the state of Hungary’s defence industry, the Minister talked about two groups of current developments, namely the range of defence industry products for military use only and the socalled dual-use products.

By way of example, in the field of defence industry innovation he referred to the development of machine guns, assault rifles and EOD vehicles, as well as to a project on the modernization of target drones.

Talking about these topics, Csaba Hende also mentioned a project in

which the MoD Technology Agency is cooperating with a Swedish company to produce a material that would result in a kind of special “stealth technology” for fighter aircraft, for example the Gripens in Hungary. Effective at high temperatures, the radarabsorbent material (RAM) is being developed with the use of nanotechnology.

Besides the products of defence industry innovation, work is also in progress on several dual-use developments which may be used in civil life in addition to their application for military purposes. By way of example, Csaba Hende pointed to a drone which has been developed in the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) program. Speaking about this, the Minister said that “from a tactical point of view, it has enormous significance under the circumstances of asymmetric warfare”.

This UAV is “a wholly Hungarian development, being the result of Hungarian engineering

investors and suppliers.

Beyond reasserted official affirmation of political support at the meeting of the committee, further measures were drawn up that serve the early implementation of the pipeline project based on the intergovernmental treaty. In the period until June 2013, leading up to the planned decision making of the Shah Deniz consortium, the members states of the Nabucco West project will clarify any authorisation, taxation and other issues. The next round of coordination will take place in Bucharest in the end of May 2013.

The planned Nabucco West natural gas pipeline — connected to the Trans-anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) in Turkey — would deliver Azerbaijani gas through Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary to the Central European Gas Hub in Baumgarten, Photo: Gergely Botár (Online 11 Apr) The fend minorities, adding Austria.

Government clearly dis- that he does not believe tances itself from and that anybody can quesshall act against all acts tion the Government's and initiatives that are standpoint on this issue anti-Semitic or offend and that several internaminorities on the basis tional Jewish organisacooperation. of their religion or origin, tions had expressed Németh mentioned se- the Government their acknowledgment of curity policy as another Spokesman affirmed on the Government's acarea for bilateral cooper- Thursday at a press tions. ation, and said that Alge- conference held on an- On Monday, Prime Minria greatly appreciated other topic in Parlia- ster Viktor Orbán asked Hungary's contribution to ment.

Minister of Interior Sánefforts aimed at creating András Giró-Szász dor Pintér to make sure stability in neighbouring made the statement in that on April 21 no Mali. reaction to the fact that events of a political naThe Parliamentary State according to a report by ture that would offend Secretary also referred news portal Népszabad- the human dignity of the to an upcoming Africa ság online on Tuesday, March of the Living parforum to be held in Bu- extreme right-wing politi- ticipants could be organdapest this year, adding cian Lóránt Hegedűs jr. ised. The march is held that representatives of was organising an "anti- annually in memory of Algeria’s anti-terrorist bolshevist and anti- the Holocaust. forces will attend the Zionist people's rally" on The "Nationalist Bikers" event, with the fight May 4, to coincide with association had organagainst terrorism high on the general meeting of ised a rally to coincide the agenda. the World Jewish Con- with the March, a move gress, at which Prime which several parties Minister Viktor Orbán and organisations had condemned. will also be present.

The Government In reply to a question empha- from Hungarian news to Slovakia, which sug- Spokesman gests that the infrastruc- sised that until now, the agency MTI, on Tueshad day evening the press ture of the Central Government European region should stressed on every occa- office of the National Pobe developed in order to sion that it clearly dis- lice Headquarters confacilitate business as tances itself from all firmed that the rally had well as tourist relations manifestations that of- been banned. However, among the countries of the region. Governments can do a lot to promote this – said Gergely Prőhle – and this also shows how interconnected foreign trade and foreign relations.

Govt will take action against all acts and initiatives that are anti-Semitic or offend minorities

Parliamentary State Secretary Z s o l t N é m e t h ’s v i s i t t o A l g e r i a (Online 12 Apr) Among Arab Nations, Algeria is a crucial partner for Hungary, Parliamentary State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Zsolt Németh said on 11April 2013.

Mr. Németh spoke on the sidelines of a twoday official visit to Algiers, marking the 50th anniversary of Hungarian-Algerian diplomatic ties. Security policy cooperation and education are key components in bilateral relations, he said.

The Parliamentary State Secretary told MTI by

phone that he had met Algeria’s Foreign Minister Murad Medelci and State Secretary in charge of Maghreb and African Issues Abdelkader Messahel, and had held a lecture to young diplomats at the Algerian Institute for Diplomacy and International Relations.

Algeria is Hungary’s second largest trading partner in Africa, Németh noted, adding that bilateral trade turnover has been growing rapidly. He also said that agriculture and water management offered further areas for

Regional cooperation should be promoted, says Gergely Prőhle (Online 11 Apr) Deputy State Secretary Gergely Prőhle made a speech on behalf of the Hungarian Presidency of the Central European Initiative (CEI) at an event organised by the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry on April 10.

Gergely Prőhle declared that it was the task of governments to establish conditions that were conducive to the successful performance of

economic operators. He added that this is why Hungary initiated the revitalisation of the business dimension of CEI. The Hungarian Deputy State Secretary said that economic figures confirm the significance of the Central European region: one-third of Hungarian exports go to CEI countries. It is noteworthy that the value of Hungarian exports to Poland is 2 billion euros less than the value of exports

talent and Hungarian manufacturing”, Minister Hende added, noting that in his opinion, because similar pieces of equipment are priced 30-40 per cent higher than this product of Hungary, there is a good chance to find significant markets for these items of equipment.

Talking about the potential civil uses of drones, the Minister mentioned the search for missing people and the execution of border security tasks.

In connection with the current issue of arsenic removal from drinking water, the Minister of Defence referred to the containerized water purification, water storage and water dispenser device of the Hungarian Defence Forces.

Thanks to their unique filtering technology, these devices produce water with significantly lower arsenic content than the limit value set by the European Union.

Close to 50 such devices are already operating nationwide in Hungary.

British poets in conversation with Attila József" launched by the institute in January 2013, invited British poets to respond to a selection of Attila József's poems, which were beautifully translated into English by George Szirtes, Edwin Morgan, John Bátki and Peter Zollman.

Many British poets have sent poems in response to the invitation, amongst others Derek Adams, Polly Clark, Antony Dunn, Jacqueline Gabbitas, George Gömöri,

Photo: Gergely Botár companies became more succesful on the field of energy in the West Balkan. He added that the presence and succeses of Hungarian Electricity Ltd. in the region is one of the most important factor of Opening towards the East pol-

Photo: Gergely Botár as the strenghtening of Hungarian cattle and milk export.

Péter Szijjártó declared that it is important for Hungary to keep and strengthen its investor position in the Western Balkan region as part of the Opening towards the East policy adding that it is important to further tighten the economic relations with Albania.

Regarding energy cooperation Péter Szijjártó said that the Hungarian

icy, so the Hungarian government will initiate consultations so that the Hungarian Electricity Ltd. could take part in connecting the AlbanianKosovar as well as the Albanian-Macedonian electricity systems.

The State Secretary pointed out that the Hungarian companies and Hungary would like to increase its cattle and milk export to Albania adding that the Hungarian government will start negoti-

billion in the past three years, 18 new German plants have opened and a further 22 companies have extended their capacities.

Hungary is building upon

Photo: Photo: Károly Árvai Kecskemét (Central Hungary). Within the framework of the greenfield investment, a new plant and a development centre will be constructed on a total of 22 thousand square meters.

Reinforcing that Hungary regards Germany as a special economic partner, the Prime Minister stated in his welcome speech that Hungary should maintain strong ties with the German economy. He said that the fact that a company that performs as extraordinarily as Knorr-Bremse is investing in Hungary means that the necessary conditions for growth are available within the country and that our economic policy is on the right track.

present, the company employs 1,800 people in Hungary, including more than 800 in Kecskemét.

The company won HUF 1,4 billion (~ EUR 4,7 million) in European Union funding within the framework of the New Széchenyi Plan for the investment, which is worth a total of HUF 5 billion (~ EUR 17 million). The new plant will make possible the application of higher quality technologies, whereas the development centre will strengthen the R&D potential of the whole region.

Regarding German-Hungarian economic relations, the Prime Minister pointed out that German investments in Hungary have mounted to EUR 5

workfare and production as well as escaping indebtedness, Viktor Orbán said, adding that Hungary now seems to have been able to stand on its own feet.

Knorr-Bremse Fékrendszerek Ltd.’s CEO István Lepsényi noted that more than a third of their suppliers are Hungarian and highlighted that the Government had declared the region of Kecskemét a high priority automotive production centre. The presence of the Prime Minister at the ceremony demonstrates that the work of the company is appreciated and the company also has confidence in the country, he concluded.

the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union (TASZ) wrote on Wednesday that once the Police had accepted an application to hold such an event, it had no legal opportunity to later ban the bikers' rally. The "Nationalist Bikers" association said it would go to court to have the banning of the rally repealed.

In relation to the above, the Government Spokesman said that in his speech in Parliament, the Prime Minister had made clear the ethical and moral reasons for his ordering the ban.

The Government Spokesman also added that everyone has the right to seek legal redress.

Mr. Giró-Szász said that it is obvious that in the future, when they are informed of such events, the Hungarian police force must carefully consider whether the event conforms to regulations or not, and so whether it should be permitted or not.

Photo: Csaba Pelsőczy (Online 12 Apr) Deputy State Secretary for International Communications Ferenc Kumin held a lecture for a group of Danish political science students from Aarhus University, who are on a visit to Hungary within the framework of a study

trip.

The university students were mainly interested in the constitutional amendment, the media law and political procedures, asking several questions on these topic.

This is the fourth time that the Deputy State

Secretary for International Communications has hosted a group of international university students and informed them on the current political, social and economic situation in Hungary.

The Government is providing all possible support for wine marketing

" La nd f or t he Fa r m e r s ! " pr ogr a m m e la unc he d

Wayne Holloway-Smith, Ágnes Lehóczky, Tim Liardet, John McAuliffe, John Mole, Clare Pollard, Sam Riviere, Carol Rumens, Fiona Sampson, George Szirtes and Tom Warner. The Hungarian Cultural Centre will bring the poems together in an online anthology as the product of the poetic "conversation" between the British poets and Attila József, which will be launched on 11 April 2013.

Photo: Gergely Botár (Online 12 Apr) Minister of State heading the Prime Minister’s Office János Lázár declared that the Government would provide all possible help so that Hungarian wines could become world famous.

At a professional conference on wine legislation and marketing in Bu-

Photo: Gergely Botár

(Online 10 Apr) At its Wednesday session, the Government decided on the launching of its programme entitled "Land for the Farmers!", within the framework of which 200 thousand hectares of state-owned land may be leased to farmers, the Minister for Rural Development announced in Budapest during the Government Spokesperson's press briefing on Wednesday.

Sándor Fazkeas indicated that state-owned territories with rental agreements that expire before 31 March 2017 would be included in the programme.

The objective of the tender programme is the reinforcement of small and medium-sized estates. Accordingly, the Government wishes to modify the current 5050% ratio of small and large estates such that the ratio of large estates ations in Albania about is reduced to 20% and the Hungarian participation in ten water cleaning projects.

The Albanian Minister declared that the Orbán government contributed (Online 10 Apr) Minister to the facilitation of Al- of State for Economic banian issues especially Regulation Kristóf Szaton the field of NATO and máry earlier today held talks with Deputy Foreign Minister of Mexico Juan Manuel GómezRobledo. The objective of their meeting was to promote SMEs to acquire a larger share in bilateral trade.

Kristóf Szatmáry, also Hungarian Co-President of the Joint Committee for Mexican-Hungarian Economic Cooperation, said at the meeting that the Government places special emphasis on improving economic relations with Latin-American countries, and therefore also considers Mexico to be an important partner.

One of the key objectives of the Government’s Foreign the European Commu- Economic Strategy is to nity adding that the Hun- assist Hungarian entergarian investors are prises in gaining market welcomed in Albania.

In the frame of the negotiations a cooperation agreement were signed between the Hungarian Investment and Trade Agency and the Albanian Investment Agency as well as between the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Albania.

State Secretary Szijjártó held negotiations with Albanian minister Mima

(Online 10 Apr) Péter Szijjártó State Secretary for Foreign Affairs and External Economic Relations negotiated with Florjon Mima, Minister of Economy, Trade and Energy in Budapest about energy and water industry cooperation as well

The company, which employs around 20,000 people worldwide, announced its investment project in March 2012, thanks to which 111 new jobs will be created. At

Deputy State Secretary Kumin holds lecture for int’l students in the Parliament building

Event in London to mark National Poetry Day (Online 11 Apr) The birthday of poet Attila József (11 April) is dedicated to the celebration of poetry in Hungary. On this special occasion the Hungarian Cultural Centre is hosting a special Gala Reading Night as the culmination of its "Inspired by Hungarian Poproject.

The etry" evening will feature readings from the anthology by some of the conpoets tributing themselves.

The project "Inspired by Poetry: Hungarian

(Online 11 Apr) Prime Minister Viktor Orbán participated at the foundation stone laying ceremony of leading German brake system manufacturer Knorr-Bremse in

the number of small and medium-sized farms increases to 80%.

Leasehold agreements will be put up for tender during the first half of the year, the Minister stated, adding that applications will be judged by the end of the year. He reminded those present that before 2010, the 600 thousand hectares of state-owned land was rented to 600 leaseholders, 42 thousand hectares of the 65 thousand hectares of stateowned land included in the programme had already been made available, of which leasehold contracts have already been concluded with some 1600 leaseholders in relation to 36 thousand hectares. As a result, the number of leaseholders has already tripled, Sándor Fazekas noted.

In reply to a question from the press, Mr. Fazekas also stated that the reviewing of previ-

ous leasehold agreements is in process; illegal contracts have been and will be terminated.

Also in reply to a question from the press, he said that 92 percent of the contracts already signed with relation to the use of state-owned land were for areas under 50 hectares, with only 2 percent concerning areas of farmland in excess of 100 hectares.

These latter territories are usually comprised of grassland and meadows.

Sándor Fazekas reminded those present that those who win tenders to lease stateowned land receive an opportunity to work and make a living. He also noted that the Government and the Ministry of Rural Development was committed to supporting family-run farms and small and medium-sized farms.

Business relations with Mexico flourish share on international markets and to further enhance the export performance of the Hungarian economy.

On the list of Hungary’s trade partners regarding exports and imports in 2012, Mexico ranked as the 28th and the 30th, respectively. As far as bilateral trade turnover is concerned, in the past couple of years Mexico was Hungary’s number one trade partner in Latin-America, as almost half of Hungarian exports for the LatinAmerican region head to Mexico. The goal of the Government is to increase the share of SMEs in trade between the two countries, and as a result of the latest discussions the Mexican partner has confirmed its support of such efforts.

At the consultations, the main cornerstones of

the development strategy of bilateral economic relations were also outlined, among them cooperation within the fields of science and technology, agriculture, the food industry, the car industry, medical apparatus and appliances as well as on energy. As part of the efforts aimed at developing bilateral trade relations, the next session of the MexicanHungarian Economic Cooperation Joint Committee will be held in autumn of this year, when a business and investment forum will also accompany the event. The business forum will provide an opportunity for domestic SMEs to bolster their exports, fortify their business relations and establish partnerships with Mexican enterprises.

Minister Martonyi meets the new CEI secretary-general

Viktor Orbán holds discussions with Secretary General of World Council of Churches

dapest on Friday, the Minister of State said that the country has all the necessary conditions, including both soil and climate, and wine culture, to produce high quality wines, but these must also become better known abroad and we must change the situation whereby "Hungarian

wines are only world famous in Hungary".

The Minister of State stressed that Hungary has a wine-friendly Government and an administration that respects rural Hungary and the representatives of the agriculture sector, including wine-makers, both in mind and spirit.

On 16 April we remember the Hungarian victims of the Holocaust (Online 12 Apr) In 2000, the National Assembly designated 16 April as the Day of Remembrance for Hungarian Victims of the Holocaust.

The first such memorial event was held in 2001.

This year official Remembrance Day events will take place in Budapest at the Holocaust Memorial Center and the Danube Promenade Holocaust Memorial, and also in the cities of Hódmezővásárhely and Pécs. There will also be a memorial concert in the afternoon at Budapest’s House of Terror Museum.

There will be a day-long remembrance programme at the Holocaust Memorial Center (Budapest, Páva utca 39) between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., when access to the permanent collection and the temporary exhibition Memorial Pictures will be free of charge.

Relatives of victims who wish their lives to be commemorated by having their names added to the Wall of Victims should bring personal information and contemporary documentation relating to their loved ones to the registration desk. A memorial programme will start at 5 p.m., during which the 2013 Wiesenthal Awards ceremony will take place, and young people will show how they preserve the memory of our ancestors who enriched culture, but whose lives ended in tragedy. Since 2008, on this day the Holocaust Foundation of Hungary has presented Simon Wiesenthal Awards to those individuals whose selfless volunteer work has helped to preserve the memory of Hungarian victims of the Holocaust. During the memorial programme extracts will be read from prize-winning essays entered by high school students in the competition entitled Losses to Hungarian Culture. The essay competition was organised by the Memorial Center in 2012, with the aim of acquainting young people with the work of eminently talented and creative Hungarians who fell victim to the Holocaust. Throughout the day those who come to commemorate victims may light candles, lay

stones of remembrance and pay tribute at the Wall of Victims.

Also at the Holocaust Memorial Center, Monika Balatoni (Minister of State for Public diplomacy and Relations at the Ministry of Public Administration and Justice) will open the temporary photographic exhibition “Memorial Pictures – Unforgettable 20th-Century Life Stories.” This has been organised for Holocaust Memorial Day to emblematically commemorate those outstanding figures of Hungarian culture whose fate was sealed by the tragedy of the Holocaust, but whose work still moves us and lives among us.

The exhibition organisers selected iconic figures from a number of fields of Hungarian culture who fell victim to the Holocaust. Whilst never forgetting other victims of the Holocaust, the focus here is on the fates of representatives from the theatre, literature, science, the circus, architecture and sport in Hungary. When choosing who to include, consideration was given to the fact that currently an exhibition at the Bajor Gizi Actors’ Museum is commemorating the activities and artists of the Hungarian Jewish Educational Association (OMIKE), which was in existence between1910 and1944. The Jewish Museum is also commemorating Hungarian artists who died in the Holocaust in a temporary exhibition. The three exhibitions combine to portray a broad cross-section of this tragic period. Due to his personal involvement and also the anniversary of his birth, it would be almost impossible for the temporary exhibition to overlook the unprecedented oeuvre of the Hungarian-born Robert Capa. Some original photographs from the Hungarian National Museum’s collection of Capa’s work – unique in Europe – will feature in the exhibition. The exhibition will be on show at the Memorial Center until 22 June 2013 – The Night of the Museums.

At 7 p.m. the closing event of the Day of Remembrance will be the lighting of candles, the

placing of stones and a silent tribute to the victims at the Shoes on the Danube memorial on the Pest embankment.

In Hódmezővásárhely there will be a commemoration event from 10 a.m. in the ground floor assembly hall of the Bethlen Gábor Calvinist Secondary School. Representing the Government, Minister of Defence Csaba Hende will give an address, pupils at the school will perform a piece prepared for the occasion, and there will be an art exhibition of work by pupils and teachers on the theme of the Holocaust.

Also in H ó d m e z ő v á s á r h e l y, there will be a conference in the conference room of the Emlékpont (Point of Remembrance in time) building, entitled “Rescue during the Holocaust”.

In Pécs the city's mayor – Zsolt Páva – will give a speech at the remembrance event starting at 3 p.m. in the main hall of the Nagy Lajos Cistercian Secondary School and Hall of Residence.

Following this there will be a walk to places of remembrance, where wreaths will be laid, and then at 5 p.m. the opening event for a Holocaust exhibition in the district of the Zsolnay Porcelain Manufactory.

In relation to the Day of Remembrance for Hungarian Victims of the Holocaust, the Ministry of Public Administration and Justice has announced a competition for secondary school students. The aim of the competition is presentation of the scientific and cultural losses suffered during the Holocaust, through depiction of the careers of outstanding talents in Hungarian intellectual life: individuals whose creativity resulted in legacies of excellence in professional and aesthetic terms, but who are only famous locally. The deadline for applications is 30 November 2013, with the results to be announced on 16 April 2014 – the Day of Remembrance for Hungarian Victims of the Holocaust and the 70th anniversary of the beginning of ghettoisation of Jews in Hungary.

The M43 motorway may reach the border by September 2014

Photo: Véssey Endre

Photo: Gergely Botár (Online 10 Apr) Prime Minister Viktor Orbán received Secretary General of World Council of Churches Olav Fyske Tveit, Chairman of the Ecumenical Council of Churches in Hungary József Steinbach and Secretary General of the Ecumenical Council of Churches in Hungary Vilmos Fischl in his office

on Wednesday.

Minister of Human Resources Zoltán Balog was also present at the meeting.

The participants discussed the value-based responsibility of European Christianity, international Christian solidarity and threatened Christian communities.

The Secretary General

reported on the cooperation between the World Council of Churches and nation states. The participants praised the ongoing dialogue between religions. The Prime Minister emphasized that the Hungarian Government is committed to the protection of human dignity.

The majority of German companies would again choose Hungary for their investments (Online 10 Apr) Perceptions of Hungary’s economic situation among German chief executive officers as well as the commitment of German enterprises to the country have improved: 73 percent of investors would once again pick Hungary as their investment destination. Enterprises are satisfied with the regulatory reform of the labour market, which in regional comparison places Hungary among the best locations for foreign investment.

In the Investment Climate Survey of the German-Hungarian Chamber of Commerce for this year, the perceptions of German investors have significantly improved with regard to several indicators. CEOs regarded the flexibility of labour regulations as above average, which is definitely a result of the new Labour Code that entered into effect last summer. Infrastructure conditions, employee

qualifications and productivity as well as their locality and the availability of local suppliers were also given high scores.

German enterprises spoke in high terms of the Government’s measures aimed at cutting red tape and related dialogue, and of efforts to engage company representatives in consultations.

German enterprises are satisfied with public administration; in this field Hungary has performed better in comparison to its regional competitors.

In the opinion of the Government, the year 2012 was fruitful with regard to German-Hungarian relations. Trade volume with Germany posted an above-par increase over last year; Hungarian exports to the country exceeded EUR 20bn for the first time ever and this figure is higher than Hungary’s total exports to non-EU countries. According to data from the National Bank of Hun-

gary, in 2012 the amount of working capital invested in Hungary also broke the EUR 20bn mark.

Hungary has until now and will in future consider Germany as a special economic partner. The Hungarian Government pays special attention to dialogue with Germanowned enterprises, and together with its German partners intends to continue its efforts to improve business confidence. After the era of profound changes, there now comes a period of stability and predictability, which is expected to strengthen bilateral partnership. As his first visit abroad, the Minister for National Economy travels to Germany. During his two-day stay in Berlin, Mihály Varga will first meet with representatives of the most significant economic organisations and German enterprises with investments in Hungary.

(Online 09 Apr) Giovanni Carraciolo di Vietri, the recently appointed SecretaryGeneral of the Central European Initiative (CEI), made a courtesy call on Hungarian Foreign Minister János Martonyi in Budapest on Tuesday.

This year, Hungary is at the helm of the rotating CEI Presidency. The two politicians reviewed the current tasks of the Hungarian CEI Presidency and the issues that are crucial for the revitalisation of the 18member organisation.

The new SecretaryGeneral expressed his

thanks for the especially "rich and creative presidential programme and calendar of events".

János Martonyi declared that while compiling the programme, which includes 35 events altogether, Hungary had taken a costefficient and pragmatic approach. The Hungarian Foreign Minister said that after Hungary had also taken over the rotating Presidency of the Visegrad Four Group in July of this year, the Hungarian Presidency would organise a series of joint CEI-V4 programmes. The transfer of experience gained in

V4 cooperation would have a beneficial impact on Central Europe as a whole, János Martonyi said.

The CEI is the largest inter-governmental forum for regional cooperation in Europe, with observer status in the General Assembly of the United Nations. It was founded in Budapest in 1989 with the aim of bolstering good neighbourly relations and cooperation in the region. Today, the CEI has 18 members, with Montenegro having been admitted in 2006.

The European left wing uses Hungary as campaign tool: Tibor Navracsics (Online 08 Apr) Europe's left wing is using Hungary to criticize the right, more than a year before elections to the European Parliament and five months before Germans go to the polls, Public Administration and Justice Minister Tibor Navracsics said on public radio on Sunday.

Tibor Navracsics told Kossuth Radio that attacks against Hungary inchildren's programming by two German public television broadcasters were especially offensive. These programs demonstrate a lack of understanding, he said, adding that Germany should, for several reasons, better understand the problems of Eastern Europe

than do other countries in Western Europe.

The Minister blamed the "high emotions" directed against Hungary on the upcoming German elections and suggested that as long as Hungary is in the spotlight in the German press, attention is directed away from the country's own problems.

Not a week has gone by in the past two years during which left-leaning dailies have not lamented the alleged end of democracy and freedom of the press in Hungary, but these same papers were silent when the police attacked demonstrators who protested against the previous government, he said.

Minister Navracsics said that determining the limits between open debate of public issues, the freedom of speech and the violation of the private sphere is a serious ethical problem in democracies, a problem that other countries deal with too, citing recent scandals at the News of the World and the BBC. While the UK's top decision-makers recently tried to regulate the public and the private sector, and define the relationship between the rights of the press and personal rights behind closed doors, Hungary's media law came into being only after public parliamentary debate and an international discussion.

Photo: MTI, Kelemen Zoltán Gergely (Online 11 Apr) Minister of State heading the Prime Minister’s Office János Lázár declared that according to plans, the M43 motorway stretch between Makó and Hungary's border with Romania would be finished by September, 2014.

János Lázár stated that the Government of Hun-

gary pays special attention to the future of the Great Hungarian Plain, emphasizing that the new stretch of motorway will contribute to the improvement of the region’s transport security and the living standards of local people.

János Lázár pointed out that it is the Government’s goal that Hun-

gary’s infrastructure should become the strongest among the Central European region’s former socialist countries, adding that the Government had invested a great amount of money in infrastructure during both the former and the current EU period.

Viktor Orbán categorically rejects all attempts to undermine human dignity (Online 08 Apr) Today in Parliament, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán ordered Minister of Interior Sándor Pintér to ensure that on the day of the March of the Living, it will be impossible to organise events of a political nature that may violate the marchers’ human dignity.

The March of the Living Foundation is commemorating the victims of the Holocaust in Hungary on 21 April. The aim of the event at which tens of thousands of people are expected to participate, is also to support the establishment of Hungary that is free of racism and extremism. Coinciding with this event, a nationalist biker’s association is organising a march under the slogan “Give gas”, which the Government regards as highly distasteful.

The Prime Minister stated that the safety, undisturbed remembrance and human dignity of the participants of

the March of the Living would be assured with all available means.

The Prime Minister declared his decision in reaction to a speech by socialist MP Pál Steiner and went on to say that he agreed that all attempts to disregard and even purposefully violate the dignity, history and pride of certain ethnic groups while insulting human dignity are not just performed in poor taste, but are deeply hurtful and contrary to the spirit of the Constitution. “I categorically reject all such behaviour”, he remonstrated.

He emphasized that the March of the Living is about the victory of life, and especially for a community before whose suffering the citizens of Hungary and all good-minded Hungarian people bow their heads at the appropriate time. In the spirit of these sentiments, Viktor Orbán ordered Minister of Interior Sándor Pintér

to ensure that it would be impossible to organise events of a political nature that may violate the marchers' human dignity on the day of the March of the Living. In his reply, Pál Steiner thanked the Prime Minister for his direct answer and determined action.

The Ministry of Interior issued a statement saying that the Budapest police force will ban the demonstration of motorcyclists using all legislative means since the time and route of the event as well as its provocative slogan offend every good-minded person.

Similarly, Fidesz Parliamentary Group Leader Antal Rogán stated already on Sunday that those who time a demonstration to coincide with the March of the Living are obviously motivated by provocative purposes. As a politician and a participant of the March of the Living, he deeply condemns this discreditable behaviour.