King Hussein's Birthday JORDAN - Nov 14 Hussein bin Talal (14 November 1935 – 7 February 1999) was the third King of Jordan from the abdication of his father, King Talal, in 1952, until his death. Hussein's rule extended through the Cold War and four decades of Arab-Israeli conflict. He recognized Israel in 1994, becoming the second Arab head of state to do so. Hussein's family claims to descent from the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his clan.
Day for Tolerance Worldwide - Nov 16
The International Day for Tolerance is an annual observance declared by UNESCO in 1995 to generate public awareness of the dangers of intolerance. It is observed on 16 November. The entire text of the Declaration of Principles on Tolerance is included below.
Declaration of Principles on Tolerance Preamble:
Bearing in mind that the United Nations Charter states: 'We, the people of the United Nations determined to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, ... to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, ... and for these ends to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbours', Recalling that the Preamble to the Constitution of UNESCO, adopted on 16 November 1945, states that 'peace, if it is not to fail, must be founded on the intellectual and moral solidarity of mankind', Recalling also that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms that 'Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion' (Article 18), 'of opinion and expression' (Article 19), and that education 'should promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups' (Article 26), Noting relevant international instruments including: • the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, • the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, • the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, • the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, • the Convention on the Rights of the Child, • the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol and regional instru ments, • the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, • the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, • the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance Based on Religion or Belief, • the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Mi norities, • the Declaration on Measures to Eliminate International Terrorism, • the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action of the World Conference on Human Rights, • the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action adopted by the World Summit for Social De velopment, • the UNESCO Declaration on Race and Racial Prejudice, • the UNESCO Convention and Recommendation against Discrimination in Education, (see article 4 below) Bearing in mind the objectives of the Third Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination, the World Decade for Human Rights Education, and the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People, Taking into consideration the recommendations of regional conferences organized in the framework of the United Nations Year for Tolerance in accordance with UNESCO General Conference 27 C/Resolution 5.14, as well as the conclusions and recommendations of other conferences and meetings organized by Member States within the programme of the United Nations Year for Tolerance, Alarmed by the current rise in acts of intolerance, violence, terrorism, xenophobia, aggressive nationalism, racism, anti-Semitism, exclusion, marginalization and discrimination directed against national, ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities, refugees, migrant workers, immigrants and vulnerable groups within societies, as well as acts of violence and intimidation committed against individuals exercising their freedom of opinion and expression – all of which threaten the consolidation of peace and democracy, both nationally and internationally, and are obstacles to development, Emphasizing the responsibilities of Member States to develop and encourage respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, without distinction as to race, gender, language, national origin, religion or disability, and to combat intolerance, Adopt and solemnly proclaim this Declaration of Principles on Tolerance Resolving to take all positive measures necessary to promote tolerance in our societies, because tolerance is not only a cherished principle, but also a necessity for peace and for the economic and social advancement of all peoples, We declare the following:
Early life and accession was born in Amman on
Hussein 14 November 1935 to Talal bin Abdullah and Princess Zein alSharaf bint Jamil. After completing his elementary education in Amman, he was educated at Victoria College in Alexandria. He proceeded to Harrow School in England, where he befriended his cousin Faisal II of Iraq. He pursued further study at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. On 20 July 1951, Prince Hussein traveled to Jerusalem to perform Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque with his grandfather, King Abdullah I, where an assassin opened fire on Abdullah and his grandson. Abdullah was killed, but the 15-year-old Hussein survived the assassination attempt, and according to the Jordanian government, pursued the gunman. The Jordanian government claims that the gunman turned his weapon on the young prince, who was saved when the bullet was deflected by a medal on his uniform which had been given to him by his grandfather. Hussein was appointed Crown Prince of Jordan on 9 September 1951. Abdullah's eldest son,King Talal, became King of Jordan, but within a year was forced to abdicate owing to his mental state (European and Arab doctors diagnosed schizophrenia). King Talal's son, Crown Prince Hussein, was proclaimed King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on 11 August 1952, succeeding at the age of 16; because this was under the legal age, he was enthroned a year later, on 2 May 1953.
Article 1 - The Meaning of Tolerance:
Death
Just before his death, Hussein made a change to his will, disinheriting the heir-apparent of several decades, his brother Hassan, in favor of his eldest son Abdullah. He abruptly returned to the U.S. clinic on 25 January 1999 for further treatment undergoing a failed bone marrow transplant after which he returned to Jordan. On 7 February 1999 King Hussein died of complications related to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. He was, at the time of his death, one of the longest-serving leaders in international politics. He had been the King of Jordan for over 46 years and during which he was an important actor in various Middle East conflicts. Just prior to his death, during an interview with CNN's Christiane Amanpour Hussein expressed his opinion that a peaceful resolution would eventually be reached in the Arab-Israeli conflict. King Hussein's funeral was held on February 8, 1999 in the presence of all five of his sons, foreign dignitaries and statesmen, and an estimated 800,000 Jordanians. The UN General Assembly held an Emergency Special Session in "Tribute to the Memory of His Majesty the King of Jordan" on the same day.
Prince of Wales' Birthday British Virgin Islands - Nov 14
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (Charles Philip Arthur George;[fn 1] born 14 November 1948) is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip of the United Kingdom. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay. He is the longest-serving heir apparent in British history. Until 22 April 2011, Prince Edward, Prince of Wales had been the longest serving heir apparent, for a period of 59 years and 74 days. However, Prince Edward became heir apparent on his birth, four years into his mother Queen Victoria's reign, whereas Prince Charles was three years old at his mother's accession and has thus been heir apparent for all of Queen Elizabeth II's reign. Charles was educated at Cheam and Gordonstoun Schools, which his father, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, had attended as a child, as well as the Timbertop campus of Geelong Grammar School, Victoria, Australia, situated near Mansfield in the rugged Victorian Alps. After earning a bachelor of arts degree from Trinity College, Cambridge, Charles served a tour of duty with the Royal Navy in 1971–76. He married Lady Diana Spencer before an enormous worldwide television audience in 1981. They had two sons, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge in 1982 andPrince Harry of Wales in 1984. The couple separated in 1992 following tabloid allegations concerning their relationship. They divorced in 1996 after Diana publicly accused Charles of having an affair with Camilla Parker Bowles, and Charles admitted adultery on television. Dianadied in a car crash in Paris on 31 August 1997. In 2005, after a lengthy continued association, the Prince married Camilla, who uses the title Duchess of Cornwall. The prince is well known for his charity work and sponsors The Prince's Trust, The Prince's Regeneration Trust, and the Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment, among other charities. He has been outspoken concerning architecture and the conservation of old buildings and has produced a book on the subject called A Vision of Britain (1989). He has also promoted herbal and other alternative medical treatment.
Early life
Charles was born at Buckingham Palace on 14 November 1948 at 9.14 pm (GMT), the first child of then Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh, and Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and first grandchild of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. Baptised in the palace's Music Room on 15 December 1948, using water from the River Jordan, by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Geoffrey Fisher, the Prince's godparents were: the King (his maternal grandfather); the King of Norway (his cousin, for whom the Earl of Athlone stood proxy); Queen Mary (his maternal great-grandmother); the Princess Margaret (his maternal aunt); Prince George of Greece (his paternal granduncle, for whom the Duke of Edinburgh stood proxy); the Dowager Marchioness of Milford Haven (his paternal great-grandmother); the Lady Brabourne (his cousin); and the Hon David Bowes-Lyon (his maternal great-uncle). By letters patent of Charles' great-grandfather, King George V, the titles of a British princeor princess, and the style Royal Highness, were only to be conferred on male-line children and grandchildren of the sovereign, as well as the children of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales. However, on 22 October 1948, George VI issued new letters patent granting these honours to any children of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip; otherwise, Charles would have merely taken his father's title, and been titled by courtesy as Earl of Merioneth. In this way the children of the heiress presumptive had a royal and princely status. When Charles was aged three his mother's accession as Queen Elizabeth II, immediately made him the heir apparent to the then seven countries over which she now reigned. He was ipso factoelevated to the rank of Duke of Cornwall (by a charter of King Edward III that gave said title to the sovereign's eldest son), and, in the Scottish peerage, Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick, Baron of Renfrew, Lord of the Isles, and Prince and Great Steward of Scotland. Though he moved to first in line to the throne in the United Kingdom order of precedence he is third, after his parents, and is typically fourth or fifth in other realms' precedence orders, following his mother, the relevant vice-regal representative(s), and his father. Charles attended his mother's coronation at Westminster Abbey on 2 June 1953, seated alongside his grandmother and aunt. As is customary for royal offspring, a governess, Catherine Peebles, was appointed and undertook his education between the ages of 5 and 8. Buckingham Palace announced in 1955 that Charles would attend school rather than have a private tutor, making him the first heir apparent ever to be educated in that manner.
Titles, styles, honours and arms Titles and styles:
Charles has held a number of titles throughout his life, as the grandson of the monarch, the son of the monarch and, later, honoured in his own right with princely and noble titles. When in conversation with the Prince of Wales, the practice is to initially address him as Your Royal Highness and thereafter asSir. There has been speculation as to what regnal name the Prince will choose upon his succession to the throne. If he keeps his current first name, he will be known as Charles III. However, it was reported in 2005 that Charles has suggested he may choose to reign as George VII in honour of his maternal grandfather, and to avoid association with the Stuart kings Charles I (who was beheaded) and Charles II (who was known for his playboy lifestyle), as well as to be sensitive to the memory of Bonnie Prince Charlie, who was called "Charles III" by his supporters. Charles' office immediately denied this report.
Honours and honorary military appointments:
Charles' first honorary appointment was as Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Regiment of Wales in 1969; since that time, the Prince has also been installed as Colonel-in-Chief, Colonel, Honorary Air Commodore, Air Commodore-inChief, Deputy Colonel-in-Chief, Royal Honorary Colonel, Royal Colonel, and Honorary Commodore of at least 36 military formations throughout the Commonwealth. He is also the commander of the Royal Gurkha Rifles, which is the only foreign regiment in the British army. Charles has also been the recipient of a number of honours and awards from various countries. He has been inducted into eight orders and received five decorations from amongst the Commonwealth realms, and has been the recipient of 17 different appointments and decorations by foreign states, as well as nine honorary degrees from universities in the United Kingdom and New Zealand.
Proclamation of the Republic BRAZIL - Nov 15 The Proclamation of the Republic was an episode in the history of Brazil, occurred on November 15, 1889, which established the Republican regime in Brazil, overthrowing the constitutional monarchy of the Empire of Brazil and ending the reign of Emperor Dom Pedro II. The proclamation of the Republic took place in Rio de Janeiro, then capital of the Empire of Brazil, when a group of military officers of the Brazilian Army, led by Marshal Deodoro da Fonseca, staged a coup d'état without the use of violence, deposing the Emperor of Brazil, Dom Pedro II, and the President of the Council of Ministers of the Empire, the Viscount of Ouro Preto. A provisional government was established that same day, November 15, with Marshal Deodoro da Fonseca as President of the Republic and head of the interim Government.
1.1 Tolerance is respect, acceptance and appreciation of the rich diversity of our world's cultures, our forms of expression and ways of being human. It is fostered by knowledge, openness, communication, and freedom of thought, conscience and belief. Tolerance is harmony in difference. It is not only a moral duty, it is also a political and legal requirement. Tolerance, the virtue that makes peace possible, contributes to the replacement of the culture of war by a culture of peace. 1.2 Tolerance is not concession, condescension or indulgence. Tolerance is, above all, an active attitude prompted by recognition of the universal human rights and fundamental freedoms of others. In no circumstance can it be used to justify infringements of these fundamental values. Tolerance is to be exercised by individuals, groups and States. 1.3 Tolerance is the responsibility that upholds human rights, pluralism (including cultural pluralism), democracy and the rule of law. It involves the rejection of dogmatism and absolutism and affirms the standards set out in international human rights instruments. 1.4 Consistent with respect for human rights, the practice of tolerance does not mean toleration of social injustice or the abandonment or weakening of one's convictions. It means that one is free to adhere to one's own convictions and accepts that others adhere to theirs. It means accepting the fact that human beings, naturally diverse in their appearance, situation, speech, behaviour and values, have the right to live in peace and to be as they are. It also means that one’s views are not to be imposed on others.
Article 2 – State level:
2.1 Tolerance at the State level requires just and impartial legislation, law enforcement and judicial and administrative process. It also requires that economic and social opportunities be made available to each person without any discrimination. Exclusion and marginalization can lead to frustration, hostility and fanaticism. 2.2 In order to achieve a more tolerant society, States should ratify existing international human rights conventions, and draft new legislation where necessary to ensure equality of treatment and of opportunity for all groups and individuals in society. 2.3 It is essential for international harmony that individuals, communities and nations accept and respect the multicultural character of the human family. Without tolerance there can be no peace, and without peace there can be no development or democracy. 2.4 Intolerance may take the form of marginalization of vulnerable groups and their exclusion from social and political participation, as well as violence and discrimination against them. As confirmed in the Declaration on Race and Racial Prejudice, 'All individuals and groups have the right to be different' (Article 1.2).
Article 3 – Social dimensions:
3.1 In the modern world, tolerance is more essential than ever before. It is an age marked by the globalization of the economy and by rapidly increasing mobility, communication, integration and interdependence, large-scale migrations and displacement of populations, urbanization and changing social patterns. Since every part of the world is characterized by diversity, escalating intolerance and strife potentially menaces every region. It is not confined to any country, but is a global threat. 3.2 Tolerance is necessary between individuals and at the family and community levels. Tolerance promotion and the shaping of attitudes of openness, mutual listening and solidarity should take place in schools and universities and through non-formal education, at home and in the workplace. The communication media are in a position to play a constructive role in facilitating free and open dialogue and discussion, disseminating the values of tolerance, and highlighting the dangers of indifference towards the rise in intolerant groups and ideologies. 3.3 As affirmed by the UNESCO Declaration on Race and Racial Prejudice, measures must be taken to ensure equality in dignity and rights for individuals and groups wherever necessary. In this respect, particular attention should be paid to vulnerable groups which are socially or economically disadvantaged so as to afford them the protection of the laws and social measures in force, in particular with regard to housing, employment and health, to respect the authenticity of their culture and values, and to facilitate their social and occupational advancement and integration, especially through education. 3.4 Appropriate scientific studies and networking should be undertaken to co-ordinate the international community's response to this global challenge, including analysis by the social sciences of root causes and effective countermeasures, as well as research and monitoring in support of policy-making and standard-setting action by Member States.
Article 4 – Education:
4.1 Education is the most effective means of preventing intolerance. The first step in tolerance education is to teach people what their shared rights and freedoms are, so that they may be respected, and to promote the will to protect those of others. 4.2 Education for tolerance should be considered an urgent imperative; that is why it is necessary to promote systematic and rational tolerance teaching methods that will address the cultural, social, economic, political and religious sources of intolerance – major roots of violence and exclusion. Education policies and programmes should contribute to development of understanding, solidarity and tolerance among individuals as well as among ethnic, social, cultural, religious and linguistic groups and nations. 4.3 Education for tolerance should aim at countering influences that lead to fear and exclusion of others, and should help young people to develop capacities for independent judgement, critical thinking and ethical reasoning. 4.4 We pledge to support and implement programmes of social science research and education for tolerance, human rights and non-violence. This means devoting special attention to improving teacher training, curricula, the content of textbooks and lessons, and other educational materials including new educational technologies, with a view to educating caring and responsible citizens open to other cultures, able to appreciate the value of freedom, respectful of human dignity and differences, and able to prevent conflicts or resolve them by non-violent means.
Article 5 – Commitment to action:
We commit ourselves to promoting tolerance and non-violence through programmes and institutions in the fields of education, science, culture and communication.
Article 6 – International Day for Tolerance:
In order to generate public awareness, emphasize the dangers of intolerance and react with renewed commitment and action in support of tolerance promotion and education, we solemnly proclaim 16 November the annual International Day for Tolerance. This day will start in 1996 on the 16th of November every year.
Mickey Mouse's Birthday USA - Nov 18
Mickey Mouse is a cartoon character created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks at The Walt Disney Studio. Mickey is an anthropomorphic black mouse and typically wears red shorts, large yellow shoes, and white gloves. He is one of the most recognizable cartoon characters in the world and is the mascot of The Walt Disney Company. Mickey debuted in November 1928 in the animated cartoon Steamboat Willie after initially appearing in test screenings earlier that year. He went on to appear in over 130 films including The Band Concert (1935), Brave Little Tailor (1938), and Fantasia (1940). Mickey appeared primarily in short films, but also in a few feature-length films. Nine of Mickey's cartoons were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film, one of which, Lend a Paw, won the award in 1942. In 1978, Mickey became the first cartoon character to have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Beginning 1930, Mickey has also been featured extensively as a comic strip character. His self-titled newspaper strip, drawn primarily by Floyd Gottfredson, ran for 45 years. Mickey has also appeared in comic books and in television series such as The Mickey Mouse Club(1955– 1996) and others. He also appears in other media such as video games as well as merchandising, and is a meetable character at the Disney parks. Mickey typically appears alongside his girlfriend Minnie Mouse, his pet dog Pluto, his friends Horace Horsecollar, Donald Duck, and Goofy, and his nemesis Pete among others. Originally characterized as a mischievous anti hero, Mickey's increasing popularity led to his being rebranded as an everyman, usually seen as an ever cheerful, yet shy role model. In 2009, Disney announced that they will begin to rebrand the character again by putting less emphasis on his pleasant, cheerful side and reintroducing the more mischievous and adventurous sides of his personality, starting with the video game Epic Mickey.
Shichi-Go-San is a traditional rite of passage and festival day in Japan for three- and seven-year-old girls and threeand five-year-old boys, held annually on November 15. As Shichi-Go-San is not a national holiday, it is generally observed on the nearest weekend.
History Shichi-Go-San is said to have originated in the Heian Pe-
riod amongst court nobles who would celebrate the passage of their children into middle childhood. The ages three, five and seven are consistent with East Asian numerology, which claims that odd numbers are lucky. The practice was set to the fifteenth of the month during the Kamakura Period. Over time, this tradition passed to the samurai class who added a number of rituals. Children—who up until the age of three were required by custom to have shaven heads— were allowed to grow out their hair. Boys of age five could wear hakama for the first time, while girls of age seven replaced the simple cords they used to tie their kimono with the traditional obi. By the Meiji Period, the practice was adopted amongst commoners as well, and included the modern ritual of visiting a shrine to drive out evil spirits and wish for a long healthy life.
Current practice
The tradition has changed little since the Meiji Period. While the ritual regarding hair has been discarded, boys who are aged three or five and girls who are aged three or seven are still dressed in kimono—many for the first time— for visits to shrines. Three-year-old girls usually wear hifu (a type of padded vest) with their kimono. Western-style formal wear is also worn by some children. A more modern practice is photography, and this day is well known as a day to take pictures of children. In some cases, families observe the rite based on the traditional way of counting one's age, or kazoedoshi, where you are one-year-old at birth and then add a year on each succeeding lunar new year.
Chitose Ame Chitose Ame literally "thousand year candy", is given to children on Shichi-Go-San. Chitose Ame is long, thin, red
and white candy, which symbolizes healthy growth and longevity. It is given in a bag with a crane and a turtle on it, which represent long life in Japan. Chitose Ame is wrapped in a thin, clear, and edible rice paper film that resembles plastic.
America Recycles Day USA - Nov 15
America Recycles Day (ARD) is the only nationally recognized day dedicated to encouraging Americans to recycle and buy recycled products. ARD is celebrated November 15. The World Recycling Day celebrated in most countries, though falls on July 8. Hundreds of events are held across the U.S. to raise awareness about the importance of recycling and to encourage Americans to sign personal pledges to recycle and buy recycled products. Started by the recycling sector organization National Recycling Coalition in 1997, America Recycles Day has been a program of Keep America Beautiful since 2009. It is sponsored by private and public entities, including global aluminum company Novelis, stationery firm Staples, waste firm Waste Management Recycle America, the American Beverage Association and the EPA. Although America may not enjoy much of a reputation for environmentalism on the global stage, in some US cities recycling levels are much higher than, for example, in the UK.
Vertieres' Day HAITI - Nov 18
The Battle of Vertières (in Haitian Creole Batay Vètyè), the last major battle of the Second War of Haitian Independence, the final part of the Haitian Revolution under François Capois. It was fought between Haitian rebels and French expeditionary forces on 18 November 1803 at Vertières. Vertières is situated in Nord, Haiti, its geographical coordinates are 19° 44' 0" North, 72° 13' 28". By the end of October 1803, Haitian rebels had already took over all the territory from France. The only places left to France were Mole St. Nicolas, held by Noailles, and Cap-Français, where, with 5000 troops, Rochambeau was at bay. With 16,000 men in four columns.
Defeat of the French Army by the Haitian Rebels After the deportation of Toussaint Louverture in 1802, one
of Toussaint's principal lieutenants, Jean Jacques Dessalines, continued the fight for liberty because he remembered the declaration of Toussaint Louverture: “In overthrowing me, you have done no more than cut down the trunk of the tree of the black liberty in St-Domingue it will spring back form the roots, for they are numerous and deep.” Dessalines defeated the French army numerous times but the only place left was Vertières. During the night of 17–18 November 1803, the Haitians positioned their few guns to blast Fort Bréda, located on the habitation where Toussaint Louverture had worked as a coachman under François Capois. As the French trumpets sounded the alarm, Clervaux, a Haitian rebel, fired the first shot. Capoix, mounted on a great horse, led his demibrigade forward despite storms of bullets from the forts on his left. The approach to Charrier ran up a long ravine under the guns of Vertières. French fire killed a number of soldiers in the Haitian column, but the soldiers closed ranks and clambered past their dead, singing. Capoix’s horse got shot, faltered and fell, tossing Capoix off his saddle. Capoix picked himself up, drew his sword; brandished it over his head and ran onward shouting: "Forward! Forward!" Rochambeau was watching from the rampart of Vertières. As Capoix charged forth, the French drums rolled a sudden cease-fire. Suddenly, the battle stood still. A French staff officer mounted his horse and rode toward the intrepid Capoix-la-Mort (Capoix-the Death). With a great voice he shouted: "General Rochambeau sends compliments to the general who has just covered himself with such glory!" Then he saluted the Haitian warriors, returned to his position, and the fight resumed. General Dessalines sent his reserves under Gabart, the youngest of the general and Jean-Philippe Daut, Rochambeau’s guard of grenadiers formed for a final charge. But Gabart, Capoix, and Clervaux, the last fighting with a French musket in hand and one epaulette shot away, repulsed the desperate counterattack. A sudden downpour with thunder and lightning submerged the battlefield. Under cover of the storm, Rochambeau pulled back from Vertières, knowing he was defeated and that Saint-Domingue was lost to France. Another leader of the fight at Vértieres was Louis Michel Pierrot, the husband of the mambo Cécile Fatiman who had led the vodou ceremonies at Bois Caïman on 14 August 1791 together with Boukman.
of the Battle Results By the next morning, the general Rochambeau sent Duveyrier, to negotiate with Dessalines. At the end of the day,
the terms of submission were settled. Rochambeau got ten days to embark the leftovers of his army and leave SaintDomingue. The wounded French soldiers were left behind under key until well enough for return to France. This battle occurred less than two months before Dessalines' proclamation of the independent Republic of Haiti on 1 January 1804 and delivered the final blow to the French attempt to stop the Haitian Revolution and re-institute slavery, as had been the case in its other Caribbean possessions. The Battle of Vertières marked the first time in the history of mankind that a slave army led a successful revolution for their freedom. November 18 has been widely celebrated since then as a Day of Army and Victory in Haiti.
Mickey Mouse was created as a replacement for Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, an earlier cartoon character created by the Disney studio for Charles Mintz of Universal Studios. In the spring of 1928, with the series going strong, Disney asked Mintz for an increase in the budget. But Mintz instead demanded that Walt take a 20 percent budget cut, and as leverage, he reminded Disney that Universal owned the character, and revealed that he had already signed most of Disney's current employees to his new contract. Mintz owned Oswald and thought he had Disney over a barrel. Angrily, Disney refused the deal and returned to produce the final Oswald cartoons he contractually owed Mintz. Disney was dismayed at the betrayal by his staff, but determined to restart from scratch. The new Disney Studio initially consisted of animator Ub Iwerks and a loyal apprentice artist, Les Clark, who together with Wilfred Jackson were among the few who remained loyal to Walt. One lesson Disney learned from the experience was to thereafter always make sure that he owned all rights to the characters produced by his company. In the spring of 1928, Disney asked Ub Iwerks to start drawing up new character ideas. Iwerks tried sketches of various animals, such as dogs and cats, but none of these appealed to Disney. A female cow and male horse were also rejected. They would later turn up as Clarabelle Cow and Horace Horsecollar. (A male frog, also rejected, would later show up in Iwerks' ownFlip the Frog series.) Walt Disney got the inspiration for Mickey Mouse from his old pet mouse he used to have on his farm. In 1925, Hugh Harman drew some sketches of mice around a photograph of Walt Disney. These inspired Ub Iwerks to create a new mouse character for Disney. "Mortimer Mouse" had been Disney's original name for the character before his wife, Lillian, convinced him to change it, and ultimately Mickey Mouse came to be. Actor Mickey Rooney has claimed that, during his Mickey McGuire days, he met cartoonist Walt Disney at the Warner Brothers studio, and that Disney was inspired to name Mickey Mouse after him.
Design Ub Iwerks designed Mickey's body out of circles in order to make the character simple to animate. Disney employees
John Hench and Marc Davis believed that this design was part of Mickey's success – it made him more dynamic and appealing to audiences. Mickey's circular design is most noticeable in his ears, which in traditional animation, always appear circular no matter which way Mickey faces. This made Mickey easily recognizable to audiences and made his ears an unofficial personal trademark. Even today, the symbol is often used by the Disney company to represent Mickey. This later created a dilemma for toy creators who had to recreate a three dimensional Mickey. In animation in the 1940s Mickey's ears were animated in perspective. Animator Fred Moore would later redesign Mickey's body away from its circular design to a pear-shape design. Colleague Ward Kimball praised Moore for being the first animator to break from Mickey's "rubber hose, round circle" design. Although Moore himself was nervous at first about changing Mickey, Walt Disney liked the new design and told Moore "that's the way I want Mickey to be drawn from now on." Each of Mickey's hands have only three fingers and a thumb. Disney said that this was both an artistic and financial decision, explaining "Artistically five digits are too many for a mouse. His hand would look like a bunch of bananas. Financially, not having an extra finger in each of 45,000 drawings that make up a six and one half minute short has saved the Studio millions." In the film The Opry House (1929), Mickey was given his white gloves which were a simple way of contrasting his naturally black hands against his black body. Mickey's eyes, as drawn in Plane Crazy and The Gallopin' Gaucho, were large and white and defined by black outlines. In Steamboat Willie the black outlines were removed, although the upper edges still contrasted with his head. Mickey's eyes were later re-imagined as only consisting of the small black dots which were his pupils, while what was the upper edges of his eyes became a hairline. This is evident only when Mickey blinks. Fred Moore later redesigned the eyes to be small white eyes with pupils and gave his face a caucasian skin tone instead of plain white. This new Mickey first appeared in 1938 on the cover of a party program, and in animation the following year with the release of The Pointer. Mickey is sometimes given eyebrows as seen in The Simple Things (1953) and in the comic strip, although he does not have eyebrows in his most recent appearances. Besides Mickey's gloves and shoes, he typically wears only a pair of shorts with two large buttons in the front. Although the animated Mickey was seen only in black and white for over seven years, print images confirmed that the shorts were red. When Mickey is not wearing his red shorts, he is often still wearing red clothing. This includes a red bandmaster coat (The Band Concert, The Mickey Mouse Club), red overalls (Clock Cleaners, Boat Builders), a red cloak (Fantasia, Fun and Fancy Free), a red coat (Squatter's Rights, Mickey's Christmas Carol), and a red shirt (Mickey Down Under, The Simple Things).
TECHNOLOGY NRGreen Power and GE launch clean electricity project World’s first application of new technology slated for Northern Alberta
be applied across the globe.” The ORegenTM system recovers waste heat from gas turbine exhaust and converts it into electric energy. The benefits of deploying the systems are substantial, imCalgary, Alberta – November 1, proving over2011 – NRplant all Green Power efficiency by and GE today up to 50 perannounced cent or more plans for a new and producrecovered ening electric ergy project that power with produce will no additional power without fuel by recovadditional emisheat ering sions using the from all types first global apof gas turbine plication of GE’s exhaust (or innovative OReany other low system. gen to medium The technology grade waste will be installed heat source). Alliance at The system Pipeline’s Windis ideal for fall Compressor remote locanear Station betions Whitecourt, Alcause, unlike berta, to gener- Murray Birch, President and CEO, NRGreen Power many cogenate electricity and Elyse Allan, GE Canada CEO eration techthrough the use nologies, it of waste heat. does not reThe ORegenTM system is the lat- burn, Estlin, and Alameda, quire water utilization or the use of est in Organic Rankin Cycle tech- Saskatchewan. While its White- on-site manned operational supernology and its introduction at the court Recovered Energy Project vision. Global Clean Energy Congress in (“WREP”) marks the company’s The project will be funded in part by Calgary, AB, marks its official debut fifth waste heat recovery installa- Alberta’s Climate Change and in the market. tion, it is the first to employ GE’s Emissions Management (CCEMC) “This technology recovers heat en- ORegen system. Construction of Corporation. The CCEMC is an Alergy that would otherwise be lost to the WREP will commence in May berta based not-for-profit, indethe atmosphere and transforms it 2012. NRGreen is jointly owned by pendent, corporation with a into electric energy, without produc- Veresen Inc. (50%) and Enbridge mandate to reduce greenhouse gas ing any new emissions. It makes for Income Fund Holdings Inc. (50%). emissions and adapt to climate a very clean form of electricity gen- “This is a significant milestone for change by supporting the discoveration,” said Murray Birch, Presi- GE, as it is not only the first NR- ery, development and deployment dent and CEO of NRGreen, an Green project to utilize ORegenTM, of clean technologies. NRGreen’s affiliate of Alliance Pipeline. “When but also the first ever commercial project with ORegenTM technology constructed, the Whitecourt facility application for GE,” said Paolo meets this mandate. Supplementwill reliably generate and deliver up Ruggeri, Head of Solutions at GE ing NRGreen’s substantial investto 14 megawatts of electricity per Oil & Gas. “The ORegenTM is part ment, the CCEMC will contribute $7 hour – enough power for 14,000 of a growing family of products that million to the Whitecourt Recovered Canadian homes. Partnering with have been qualified under GE eco- Energy Project. The Climate GE has provided us with one of the magination and will help reduce the Change and Emissions Managemost efficient waste heat recovery emissions footprint of power gener- ment Fund is financed by payments units we’ve seen to date.” ation facilities such as these. The from companies complying with the NRGreen Power Limited Partner- system is a best in class waste heat Alberta Government’s annual ship (“NRGreen”) works to develop recovery technology and this proj- greenhouse gas emissions requireclean energy by converting waste ect demonstrates that it is ready to ments. heat generated at compressor stations along the Alliance Pipeline system to produce emission free electric power. The company currently has four waste heat recovery units operational at Kerrobert, Lore-
HUNGARY NEWS Minister for Foreign Affairs János Martonyi in the FAC/Development meeting (ONLINE) Minister for Foreign Affairs János Martonyi will attend the EU Foreign Affairs Council Meeting of Development Ministers to be held in Brussels on 14 November. The main issues on the agenda are future of the EU’s development policy, budget support, the EU common position for the Fourth High level Forum on Aid Effectiveness and the Horn of Africa. On the 13th October, the European Commission published a Communication on the increase of the impact of EU’s international development policy titled “Agenda for Change”. Hungary supports the priority areas of the future EU development policy outlined in this Communication. Providing focused development assistance to sustainable agriculture and energy is necessary for pro-poor long term sustainable development. In this
context water, the priority of the Hungarian EU Presidency should be higher on the development agenda. The European Commission also published a Communication on the “Future Approach to the EU Budget Support to Third Countries”. The Communication is timely and important, and Hungary generally agrees with its findings. Budget Support is a good mechanism in case the eligibility criteria and accountability in the recipient countries are enhanced, to strengthen their ownership and alignment. However, it is important to apply the principle of conditionality through the entire program cycle. Development ministers will also adopt the council conclusions and have a debate on EU common position for the Fourth High level Forum on Aid Effectiveness (Busan, 29 No-
vember – 1 December). Hungary agrees with the conclusions and consider them as a solid basis to express the EU’s and its member states’ strong commitment to the implementation of the focused and deepened aid and development effectiveness principles. Development ministers will explore the possibilities of the implementation of the Horn of Africa Strategy, in the presence of Commissioners Andris Piebalgs and Kristalina Georgieva. Hungary remains concerned by the critical humanitarian situation in the Horn of Africa, and supports the approach of Strategy striving to use the EU’s instruments in a coherent way, focusing more clearly on the underlying challenges of the region.
REC to become an International Organization (ONLINE) The Regional Environmental Centre for Central and Eastern Europe (REC) is to form into an international organisation. The international agreement on the issue was signed in the name of the Government by Minister of Rural Development Sándor Fazekas. As a result of the agreement, new opportunities will be available to the organisation, and it will be able to perform its duties and responsibilities more efficiently.
The Regional Environmental Centre for Central and Eastern Europe is es-
sentially involved in supporting and financing environmental projects within the region, developing and reinforcing the "green" non-governmental sector, training experts, and furthering the development and implementation of international environmental law. The creation of the organisation was initiated in 1999 by the President of the United States at the time, the European Commission and Hungary.
The A im is t o St r e ngt he n R e la t ions (ONLINE) During his official visit to Vittoria, Sicily between November 14, MoD Parliamentary State Secretary Dr. István Simicskó attended a memorial service and Holy Mass celebrated in commemoration of the Hungarian troops who died in World War I. On Wednesday, November 2 a memorial service was held in the cemeof Vittoria, Sicily to tery commemorate the soldiers who died in the former POW camp set up in the area of the town. The event was attended by MoD Parliamentary State Secretary Dr. István Simicskó, Col. Vilmos Kovács, the commandant of the MoD Military History Institute and Museum (MoD MHIM) and István Szabó, the mayor of Mátészalka. The Hungarian settlement in SzabolcsSzatmár-Bereg County is the twin town of Vittoria. The memorial service held in the cemetery was followed by a Holy Mass for the salvation of the dead, celebrated by Paolo Urso, the bishop of Ragusa. After the November 2 events, Dr. István Simicskó told us that the aim
of his official visit to Sicily was to strengthen their commitment to the Hungarian–Italian relations. The State Secretary noted that a POW camp was built from huts near Vittoria during the First World War between 1916 and 1918, accommodating hundreds of captive troops serving with the army of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. Among them, 118 dead Hungarian soldiers were laid to final rest in the town’s cemetery, whose beautiful Hungarian chapel was visited by then President of the Republic Árpád Göncz in 1999. Dr. István Simicskó added that there is an Italian–Hungarian war museum operating in the town, with many tools in its collection that introduce the everyday life of the POW camp. Thanks to the MoD MHIM, the visitors to the hut museum can learn about Hungarian history too. The State Secretary stressed that in 2012 it will be 85 years since the chapel was consecrated. The Hungarians and the Italians are both preparing to commemorate this anniversary deservedly. Speaking about his talks with the mu-
nicipal leaders, the MoD Parliamentary State Secretary told us that he proposed that a joint commission should be set up to include representatives of Vittoria and the MoD MHIM, who would be tasked to explore the possibilities of further cooperation, thereby strengthening the relations between the two countries, in particular the military-to-military ones based on military history. István Simicskó thanked the leaders and residents of the town for their attitude towards the cause of the former Hungarian POWs and Hungary. At the meeting it was suggested that they would do well to discuss the arrangements for the ceremony to be held on the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of World War I. During the negotiations Col. Vilmos Kovács discussed the possibilities of popularizing the museum through further exhibitions and publications. On Friday, November 4 the Hungarian delegation led by the State Secretary attended the ceremonies marking the National Unity and Armed Forces Day in the town.
Ta m á s Fe lle gi’s t a lk s in C hina (ONLINE) Minister Tamás Fellegi, Government Commissioner for the Coordination of Hungarian-Chinese Bilateral Relations conducts highlevel negotiations with Chinese government and bank executives, businesspersons and investors in China between 9-17 November 2011. The minister and his delegation will have discussions in Beijing, among others, with the representatives of the central bank of China, the China Development Bank and the China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC). The parties will overview the
achievements and further opportunities in realising the political decisions on bonds purchase and the framework agreements signed during the Chinese and the Hungarian prime ministers’ June meeting in Budapest. During the one-week official visit, Tamás Fellegi and his delegation will consult province leaders on several occasions, primarily on the opportunities of financing and launching infrastructure, water management and other joint projects. The minister’s official programme will also include visits to Hong Kong, Shanghai, Ningbo,
Sanmen and Shenzhen, where he will deliver a speech at the China High Tech Fair conference, one of the most important professional events of China’s advanced industries. The delegation will include Gyula Pleischinger, Minister of State for Tax and Financial Regulation at the Ministry of National Economy; Zoltán Urbán, Deputy CEO of the Hungarian Development Bank; and Ferenc Szarvas, General Manager of the Hungarian Railways.
National Roma Strategy to go before Government by end of November (ONLINE) Hungary's National Social Inclusion and Roma Strategy is expected to be submitted to the government at the end of this month, the justice ministry's state secretary for social inclusion told a press conference after an international conference held in Budapest on the strategy on Wednesday. A public consultation on the draft strategy was concluded on Wednesday, and proposals will be incorporated into the final version, said Zoltan Balog. Consultations will follow on the strategy's legal aspects, Balog said, adding that the financial aspects would be dealt with afterwards. Balog called it important that programs under the strategy are launched simultaneously in all areas. Programmes to be launched early next year for example for the elimina-
tion or rehabilitation of Roma shantytowns must go in hand with school programmes, Balog said. He noted the plan to train 2,000 Roma women to do social work, which local communities could welcome as a programme aimed at training representatives, acting on their behalf at authorities, health-care services, schools or labour offices, "to deal with their own". Balog underlined the importance of
cooperation in training and culture with the National Roma Self Government, which controls the use of funds allocated for Roma programmes. The Public Administration and Justice Ministry organised Wednesday's conference to present the strategy to a broader audience and invite representatives of civil groups and governments in the region to give their feedback, the ministry said on its website. The event was attended by 100 officials from Hungary, Macedonia, Slovakia and Romania. Balog on Tuesday told a conference in Brussels that hundreds of organisations had put forward proposals on the national strategy. He added that the Hungarian government would submit the strategy to Brussels before the December deadline.
Str ic te r Monitor ing of For e ign Wine s (ONLINE) Minister for Rural Development Sándor Fazekas ordered the stricter monitoring of imported wines on November 9, 2011. The stringent checks are justified by the large quantities of foreign wine entering the country. The Central Agriculture Office (MgSzH) will check if wines correspond to food quality regulations at their first place of
storage in Hungary: retail and wholesale outlets, distribution centres, cold stores and production facilities. The authorities will perform the checks, which are non-discriminative and based on risk assessment, not just at places of production, but also in storerooms, depots, cold stores and during transport. The monitoring performed at the first place of storage in Hun-
gary will also include the examination of documentation; invoices for the various items will be examined, as well as cellar records, transport documents and the results of laboratory tests. The experts will also take samples of the wines, which will be examined under laboratory conditions. Checks will continue until the order is revoked.
The United States may declare Hungary free of Swine Fever by next summer (ONLINE) The United States of America may acknowledge that Hungary is free of Swine Fever by summer 2012, which in turn may boost Hungarian agricultural exports to across the Atlantic – Minister for Rural Development Sándor Fazekas told the Hungarian news agency MTI in Washington, following talks with leaders of the American Department of Agriculture on Wednesday. "Hungary is free of swine flu, but is still categorised among a group of countries from which exports of certain products to the United States is prohibited as a result" – said Sándor Fazekas, who together with State Secretary Zoltán Illés held discussions with among others Max Holtzman, Acting Deputy Under Secretary of the Department of Agriculture. "Our prospects are good, Mr Holtzman also indicated, that he hopes a concrete decision will be made on the issue by summer 201" – said the Minister. According to Sándor Fazekas, the restrictions include meat products of which Hungary exports large quantities to such demanding, high quality markets as for example Sweden. Inclusion on the list of countries with swine fever prevents the export of salamis, smoked hams, frozen pork, live animals and semen, and for this reason, Mangal-
ica pigs and pork products may also not be shipped to the United States. "Our primary goal is to increase exports to the Unites States, which in turn will help us develop animal husbandry further in Hungary. We have competitive products in this area. However, administrative barriers can often prevent exports altogether" – stated the Minister of Rural Development, who also reminded those present that for the moment only the high quality products of the Pápai Hús and Pick Szeged corporations are available on the American market. The Minister pointed out that in the United States Hungary is not listed correctly in the "free from" category with regard to certain diseases of poultry, which prevents, among others, the export of goose liver. Sándor Fazekas also told the press, than parallel to the government delegation, István Kiss, CEO of the Tokaj Kereskedőház Corporation, had held talks in Washington regarding opportunities for the export of Hungarian wines. "Our goal is to export a whole group of premium products to the United States, in addition to the salamis and sausages; this is no easy task, but similar results have been achieved by many others." – said Sándor Fazekas. The Minister pointed out that the export capacit yof Hungarian agriculture would be
enough to supply 2-3 million people, so the goal is not for Hungarian agricultural products to appear on the shelves in all fifty States. "We need to import higher price category, quality products here, which are worth distributing in cities with the highest purchasing power" – said the Minister. According to Sándor Fazekas's report, his counterparts at the meetings accepted the fact that Hungary had declared itself GMO-free in its new Constitution. They asked for information on the several hectares of GMO-contaminated land discovered by authorities earlier this year, and on the relative regulations. "I am confident that we will not encounter similar problems next year, because the regulations are now well known, farmers have had enough time to conform to them, and everyone is now more cautious with regard to GMOs" – said the Minister for Rural Development. The leaders of the Hungarian Ministry of Rural Development's talks in Washington also touched on various elements of the American administrative system for agricultural support that could also be implemented in Hungary, the calculability of agricultural production, risk insurance, and the handling of agricultural market price fluctuations, as well as the European Union's Common Agricultural Policy.
The Radar Serves the Cause of the Whole Nation” (ONLINE) Defence Minister Dr. Csaba Hende signed an agreement of cooperation with Attila Vén, the mayor of Medina concerning the infrastructural support to the radar project to be implemented at the village. Under the terms of the agreement, until 2014 the Ministry of Defence will pay a total of HUF 100 million as a non-refundable governmental subsidy to Medina in order to finance the infrastructural development related to the construction project. Within 30 days from the agreement coming into force, the village is to receive the first installment worth HUF 25 million. In the afternoon of October 21, Defence Minister Dr. Csaba Hende signed an agreement of cooperation with Attila Vén, the mayor of Medina concerning the infrastructural support to the radar project to be implemented at the village. “The interest of national defence is an important one in the life of a state and a nation”, Dr. Csaba Hende said in his welcome speech. “The ancient Romans held that this
interest overrides everything else. Here in Hungary, many tend to forget this old truth since the 1989 change of regime, as attested by the checkered history of this 3D radar station”, the Minister added. “By today’s signature, its story has taken an irrevocable turn in the direction of completion”. Dr. Csaba Hende went on praising the open attitude of acceptance adopted by the locals of Medina. “Here in Medina people have understood what the Hungarian Defence Forces want and why they want those things. The people here have understood that this radar station is going to serve the cause of the whole nation. We met here open ears, minds and hearts”, the Minister said. The local people have
already known what the radar is and what its operation in the fields of the village would mean, they know that it has no harmful effects”, Dr. Csaba Hende recalled. “They have made a responsible decision. By saying yes to the project they helped the whole nation to solve an old problem and pay off an old debt, to solve a problem whose only solution is this state-of-the-art 3D radar which completes the air surveillance system protecting Hungary’s airspace together with the gap-filling radar companies.” The Minister added that the kind of defence provided by this system is the safest one currently available. “The whole nation and the Hungarian Defence Forces have counted on Medina. This settlement will be, and is already known all around Hungary as the village that has enabled the national cause of the radar. Thank you on behalf of the Hungarian Defence Forces!”, Csaba Hende said, and went on expressing thanks to all who contributed to reaching the agreement.
The Wallenberg Commemorative Committee has held its inaugural session (ONLINE) Raoul Wallenberg, honorary citizen of Budapest, rescuer of ten thousands of Hungarian citizens would be one hundred years old in 2012. At its session on 2 November 2011 the Government has taken a decision according to which, on the occasion of the centennial, Hungary shall duly commemorate the rescuer Swedish diplomat in the context of the Raoul Wallenberg Year. On this occasion we shall recall this tragic period of the past in Hungary and at our foreign representations, and we shall also commemorate the deeds of other rescuers besides Wallenberg. Following the decision taken by the Government, the Wallenberg Commemorative Committee, which shall coordinate the programmes of the Wallenberg Year in Hungary and abroad, has held its inaugural session on 9 November 2011. The Commemorative Committee is led by Zsolt Németh, Secretary of State for Parliamentary Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and by Swedish Ambassador Karin Olofsdotter. At its inaugural session the Commemorative Committee has decided about the main events of the Wallenberg Year. The official opening ceremony of the Commemorative Year will take place on 17
January 2012 in the Hungarian National Museum. The Museum will host the travelling photo exhibition of the Kingdom of Sweden presenting Wallenberg’s life. The planned programmes involve conferences dealing with moral, human rights and foreign affairs issues, while several initiatives will target the younger generations. An exhibition on Wallenberg and the activity of the rescuers who surrounded him in Hungary will also be part of the Centennial. The Members of the Commemorative Committee are: Balog Zoltán, Secretary of State for Social Inclusion, Ministry of Public Administration and Justice; András Balogh, Vice-President, Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP); Szabolcs Bihari, President, Association of Hungarians in Sweden; János Fónagy, Secretary of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Ministry of National Development; Ágnes Gavallérné Kancsal, Director, the Raoul Wallenberg Secondary and Vocational School; Gábor Gordon, President, March of the Living Hungary Foundation; István Gyarmati, President, Centre for Democracy Public Foundation; Rita Izsák, President, Tom Lantos Institute; Tibor Kertész, Member of the Board, Electrolux; Katrina Lantos Swett, President, Tom Lantos
Foundation for Human Rights and Justice; Ilan Mor, Ambassador of the State of Israel; Mihály Nagy, Ministry of National Resources (NEFMI); Ferenc Orosz, Chairman, Raoul Wallenberg Association; András Schiffer, faction leader, Politics Can be Different (LMP); Mária Schmidt, Director General, House of Terror Museum; György Szabó, representative of the Hungarian Jewish Heritage Public Foundation(MAZSÖK); László Szászfalvi, Secretary of State for Church, Minority and Non-governmental Relations, Ministry of Public Administration and Justice (KIM); Szabolcs Szita, Director, Holocaust Memorial Center; János Takács, President, Swedish Chamber of Commerce; László Tőkés, VicePresident of the European Parliament; Miklósné Váli, Raoul Wallenberg’s former colleague, rescued by him; Louise von Dardel, member of the Wallenberg family, honorary member of the International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation; Josef Weiss, honorary consul general in Jerusalem; Carl Michael L. Wernstedt, member of the Wallenberg family; and Anna Miklós, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as the Secretary of the Commemorative Committee.
Increasing public property: Obtaining state ownership in vehicle manufacturing (ONLINE) The Hungarian State Holding Company (Magyar Nemzeti Vagyonkezelő Zrt., MNV) will make an offer for the purchase of Rába Holding Nyrt.'s shares. The Government, which took up office last year, has closed the period of mass privatisation and has committed to manage the national property in a responsible way to increase it. In accordance with long-term strategic objectives and economy boosting concepts, it wishes to strengthen government participation in vehicle manufacturing. The purpose of the transaction is to help the Hungarian State, current owning 16.15% of Rába Holding Nyrt.'s shares through its foundations and various organisations, obtain effective influence in the company. By obtaining the shares, the elbowroom of the government will increase in this strategic sector with a leading role in the economy. During the previous years property management was characterised by unclear scopes of responsibility and
the consequently spreading abuses, with the public property run through for short-term budgetary considerations. The long-term concept of the national property management is built on safeguarding and increasing state property. From the very outset, its purpose is to create long-term values, primarily in strategic industries and at companies. For this reason the intention to purchase shares is based on firm public policy considerations, but it is also justifiable by business motives. In Hungary vehicle manufacturing plays a key role in economic growth, increasing employment and strengthening small- and mediumsized businesses acting as suppliers to this sector. The government's decisive influence will guarantee the enforcement of national economy and geopolitical considerations in the operation of Rába through the implementation of a future-oriented long-term company development strategy.
Qaboos bin Said Al Said (born 18 November 1940) is the Sultan of Oman and its Dependencies. He rose to power after overthrowing his father, Said bin Taimur, in a palace coup in 1970. He is the 14th-generation descendant of the founder of the Al Bu Sa'idi dynasty.
Early life
Sultan Qaboos Bin Sa‘id was born in Salalah in Dhofar on 18 November 1940. He is the only son of Sultan Said bin Taimur and princess Mazoon al-Mashani. He received his primary and secondary education at Salalah and Pune [Maharashtra, India] and was sent to a private educational establishment in England at age sixteen. At 20 he entered the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. After graduating from Sandhurst, he joined the British Army and was posted to the 1st Battalion The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), serving in Germany for one year. He also held a staff appointment with the British Army. After his military service, Sultan Qaboos studied local government subjects in England and, after a world tour, returned home to Salalah where he studied Islam and the history of his country. Sultan Qaboos ibn Sa‘id is a Muslim of the Ibadi school of jurisprudence, which has traditionally ruled Oman. A religious liberal, he has financed the construction or maintenance of a number of mosques, notably the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, as well as the holy places of other religions. In 1976 Qaboos ibn Sa‘id married his cousin, Kamila, née Sayyidah Nawwal bint Tariq (born 1951), daughter of HH Sayyid Tariq ibn Taymur. However, the marriage soon ended in divorce and he has never remarried or had any children. Qaboos bin Sa‘id is an avid fan and promoter of classical music. His 120-member orchestra has a high reputation in the Middle East. The orchestra consists entirely of young Omanis who, since 1986, audition as children and grow up as members of the symphonic ensemble. They play locally and travel abroad with the sultan. Argentine composer Lalo Schifrin was commissioned to compose a work entitledSymphonic Impressions of Oman and the Sultan is particularly enthusiastic about the pipe organ. The Sultan's birthday, 18 November, is celebrated as Oman's national holiday. The first day of his reign, 23 July, is celebrated as Renaissance Day.
to power Rise For six years prior to Said bin-Taymur's overthrow, Qaboos
experienced virtual house-arrest in the Royal Palace of Salalah. In July 1970, soldiers supporting Qaboos clashed with forces loyal to Said bin-Taymur and deposed him. Qaboos maintains that his father abdicated the throne. The British government helped to consolidate Qaboos' power. Qaboos acceded to the throne on 23 July 1970 after deposing his father in a palace coup with the aim of ending the country's isolation and using its oil revenue for modernization and development, moving to Muscat. There he declared that the country would no longer be known as Muscat and Oman, but would change its name to "the Sultanate of Oman" in order to better reflect its political unity. The first pressing problem that Qaboos bin Said faced as Sultan was an armed communist insurgency from South Yemen, the Dhofar Rebellion (1965–1975). The Sultanate eventually defeated the incursion with help from Iran, Jordanian troops sent from his friend King Hussein of Jordan, British Special Forces, and the Royal Air Force.
Reign as Sultan
The political system which Qaboos established is that of an absolute monarchy. Unlike the situation in neighbouring Saudi Arabia, Qaboos' decisions are not subject to modification by other members of Oman's royal family. Government decisions are said to be made through a process of decision-making by "consensus" with provincial, local and tribal representatives, though critics allege that Qaboos exercises de facto control of this process. Qaboos also regularly engages in tours of his realm, in which any citizen with a grievance or request is allowed to appeal to the Sultan in person. More recently, Qaboos has allowed parliamentary elections (in which women have voted and stood as candidates) and pledged greater openness and participation in government. The parliament enjoys legislative and oversight powers. In 1979 Oman was the only Arab state to recognize Egyptian President Anwar Sadat's peace agreement with Israel. Qaboos' supporters point to his relative success in governing the country. By Gulf standards, Oman boasts good public order, middling prosperity, and a relatively permissive society. Since he acceded to the throne, Oman has broadened international relations, allowed newspapers, established high schools, built highways, opened hotels and shopping malls and spends a substantial portion of its dwindling oil revenues on health care and education. In September 1995, he was involved in a car accident in Salalah just out side his palace, which claimed the life of one of his most prominent and influential ministers and his right hand man, Qais Bin Abdul Munaim Al Zawawi. In October 1998, Qaboos bin Said was presented with the International Peace Award by the National Council on USArab Relations. He also forges and maintains good relations with other Arab states and partners in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
Succession Unlike the heads of other Gulf Arab states, Qaboos bin Sa‘id has not publicly named an heir. Article 6 of the constitution
actually provides that the Ruling Family Council chooses the successor after the throne becomes vacant, and that the Sultan's preference, to be expressed in an official letter (which Qaboos says has already been sealed and delivered to the defence minister), is only resorted to in the event of lack of familial consensus. Qaboos bin Sa‘id has no children and has three sisters; there are other male members of the Omani Royal Family including several paternal uncles and their families. Using primogeniture the successor to Qaboos would appear to be the children of his late uncle, His Royal Highness Sayyid Tariq bin Taimur Al Said, the former, first and only Prime Minister in Oman's history.
Military ranks
Qaboos holds the following ranks: Field Marshal, Royal Army of Oman • Admiral of the Fleet, Royal Navy of Oman • Marshal of the Royal Air Force of Oman • Supreme Commander, Royal Oman Police • Honorary General, British Army •
ForeignKnight honours Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (18 March 1982)
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (8/7/1976) Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (28 February 1979) Royal Victorian Chain (27 November 2010) KStJ (8/10/1976)) GCStJ (19 March 1984) Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum Grand Collar of the Order of Pahlavi (3 March 1974) Grand Collar of the Order of the Nile (1976) The Badr Chain Collar of the Order of Etihad Collar of the Order of Hussein ibn Ali Collar of the Order of the Independence Order of King Abdu'l Aziz (23 December 2006) Order of Mubarak the Great (28 December 2009) Grand Collar of the Order of Merit (22 April 1974) Grand Collar of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, Special Grade Collar of the Order of Merit, Special Class Collar of the Order of Omayyad Order of Independence with Collar Order of Isabella the Catholic with Collar (18 December 1985) Legion of Honour (31 May 1989) Royal Family Order of the Crown of Brunei (DKMB) (15 December 1984) Grand Star of the Decoration of Honour for Merit (31 March 2001) Order of King Abdu'l Aziz Decoration, 1st Class Order of Al Khalifa, 1st Class Order of the State Crown of Malaysia (DMN) Nishan-e-Pakistan, 1st Class Order of the Star, 1st Class or Adipurna Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding (2004) (Award yet to be presented) Darjah Utama Temasek, 1st Class (12/3/2009)
Discovery Day PUERTO RICO- N o v 1 9
The history of Puerto Rico began with the settlement of the archipelago of Puerto Rico by the Ortoiroid people between 3000 and 2000 BC. Other tribes, such as the Saladoid and Arawak Indians, populated the island between 430 BC and 1000 AD. At the time of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1493, the dominant indigenous culture was that of the Taínos. The Taíno culture died out during the latter half of the 16th century because of exploitation by Spanish settlers, the war they waged on the Taíno, and diseases introduced by the invaders. Located in the northeastern Caribbean, Puerto Rico formed a key part of the Spanish Empire from the early years of the exploration, conquest and colonization of the New World. The island was a major military post during many wars between Spain and other European powers for control of the region in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. The smallest of the Greater Antilles, Puerto Rico was a stepping-stone in the passage from Europe to Cuba, Mexico, Central America, and the northern territories of South America. Throughout most of the 19th century until the conclusion of the Spanish–American War, Puerto Rico and Cuba were the last two Spanish colonies in the New World; they served as Spain's final outposts in a strategy to regain control of the American continents. In 1898, during the Spanish–American war, Puerto Rico was invaded and subsequently became a possession of the United States. The first half of the 20th century was marked by the struggle to obtain greater democratic rights from the United States. The Foraker Act of 1900, which established a civil government, and the Jones Act of 1917, which made Puerto Ricans U.S. citizens, paved the way for the drafting of Puerto Rico's Constitution and the establishment of democratic elections in 1952. However, the political status of Puerto Rico, a Commonwealth controlled by the United States, remains an anomaly more than 500 years after the first Europeans settled the island.
Pre-colonial Puerto Rico
Origin
Shichi - Go - San JAPAN - Nov 15
Birthday of HM Sultan Qaboos OMAN- N o v 1 9
Rába Holding Nyrt. has been one of the most significant Hungarian companies of this sector for over a century. Its undisturbed operation and development is of outstanding significance for job creation and boosting external market relations. The company has significant existing capacities, extensive domestic and international relations, a network of suppliers and a competitive knowledge-base to support it. Among others, the company can contribute to the regaining of Hungary's traditional vehicle manufacturing market positions, gradually lost during the past decades. MNV Zrt.'s purchase offer can be approved by the Hungarian Financial Supervisory Authority within maximum 10 business days following the announcement made on 7 November 2011. Based on the purchase offer approved by the Supervision, nearly 30 days will be available for the shareholders of Rába Holding Nyrt. for selling their shares to the Hungarian State.
The settlement of Puerto Rico began with the establishment of the Ortoiroid culture from the Orinoco region in South America. Some scholars suggest that their settlement dates back 4000 years. An archeological dig at the island of Vieques in 1990 found the remains of what is believed to be an Ortoiroid man (named Puerto Ferro man) which was dated to around 2000 BC. The Ortoiroid were displaced by the Saladoid, a culture from the same region that arrived on the island between 430 and 250 BC. Between the seventh and 11th centuries Arawaks are thought to have settled the island. During this time the Taíno culture developed, and by approximately 1000 AD it had become dominant. Taíno culture has been traced to the village of Saladero at the basin of the Orinoco River in Venezuela; the Taínos migrated to Puerto Rico by crossing the Lesser Antilles. At the time of Columbus' arrival, an estimated 30 to 60 thousand Taíno Amerindians, led by cacique (chief) Agüeybaná, inhabited the island. They called it Boriken, "the great land of the valiant and noble Lord". The natives lived in small villages led by a cacique and subsisted on hunting, fishing and gathering of indigenous cassava root and fruit. When the Spaniards arrived in 1493, conflicts with raiding Caribs, who were moving up the Antilles chain, were taking place. The Taíno domination of the island was nearing its end and the Spanish arrival would mark the beginning of their extinction. Their culture, however, remains strongly embedded in that of contemporary Puerto Rico. Musical instruments such as maracas and güiro, the hammock, and words such as Mayagüez, Arecibo, iguana, and huracán (hurricane) are examples of the legacy left by the Taíno.
Spanish Rule (1493–1898) Beginning of colonization:
On September 25, 1493, Christopher Columbus set sail on his second voyage with 17 ships and 1,200–1,500 men from Cádiz. On November 19, 1493 he landed on the island, naming it San Juan Bautista in honor of Saint John the Baptist. The first settlement, Caparra, was founded on August 8, 1508 by Juan Ponce de León, a lieutenant under Columbus, who later became the first governor of the island. The following year, the settlement was abandoned in favor of a nearby islet on the coast, named Puerto Rico (Rich Port), which had a suitable harbor. In 1511, a second settlement, San Germán was established in the southwestern part of the island. During the 1520s, the island took the name of Puerto Rico while the port became San Juan. Colonization took the form of encomienda settlements, where settlers enslaved Taínos, providing them with military protection in return for labor. On December 27, 1512, under pressure from the Roman Catholic Church, Ferdinand II of Aragon issued the Burgos' Laws, which modified theencomiendas into a system called repartimientos, aimed at ending the exploitation. The laws prohibited the use of any form of punishment toward the indigenous people, regulated their work hours, pay, hygiene, and care, and ordered them to be catechized. In 1511, the Taínos revolted against the Spanish; cacique Urayoán, as planned by Agüeybaná II, ordered his warriors to drown the Spanish soldier Diego Salcedo to determine whether the Spaniards were immortal. After drowning Salcedo, they kept watch over his body for three days to confirm his death. The revolt was easily crushed by Ponce de León and within a few decades much of the native population had been decimated by disease, violence, and a high occurrence of suicide. The Roman Catholic Church, realizing the opportunity to expand its influence, also participated in colonizing the island. On August 8, 1511,Pope Julius II established three dioceses in the New World, one in Puerto Rico and two on the island of Hispaniola under the archbishop of Seville. The Canon of Salamanca, Alonso Manso, was appointed bishop of the Puerto Rican diocese. On September 26, 1512, before his arrival on the island, the first school of advanced studies was established by the bishop. Taking possession in 1513, he became the first bishop to arrive in the Americas. Puerto Rico would also become the first ecclesiastical headquarters in the New World during the reign of Pope Leo X and the general headquarters of the Spanish Inquisition in the New World. As part of the colonization process, African slaves were brought to the island in 1513. Following the decline of the Taíno population, more slaves were brought to Puerto Rico; however, the number of slaves on the island paled in comparison to those in neighboring islands.Also, early in the colonization of Puerto Rico, attempts were made to wrest control of Puerto Rico from Spain. The Caribs, a raiding tribe of the Caribbean, attacked Spanish settlements along the banks of the Daguao and Macao rivers in 1514 and again in 1521 but each time they were easily repelled by the superior Spanish firepower. However, these would not be the last attempts at control of Puerto Rico. The European powers quickly realized the potential of the newly discovered lands and attempted to gain control of them.
European threats:
Sparked by the possibility of immense wealth, many European powers made attempts to wrest control of the Americas from Spain in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. Success in invasion varied, and ultimately all Spanish opponents failed to maintain permanent control of the island. In 1528, the French, recognizing the strategic value of Puerto Rico, sacked and burned the southwestern town of San Germán. They also destroyed many of the island's first settlements, including Guánica, Sotomayor, Daguao and Loíza before the local militia forced them to retreat. The only settlement that remained was the capital, San Juan. French corsairs would again sack San Germán in 1538 and 1554. Spain, determined to defend its possession, began the fortification of the inlet of San Juan in the early 16th century. In 1532, construction of the first fortifications began with La Fortaleza (the Fortress) near the entrance to San Juan bay. Seven years later the construction of massive defenses around San Juan began, including Fort San Felipe del Morro astride the entrance to San Juan bay. Later, Fort San Cristóbal and Fort San Jerónimo—built with a financial subsidy from the Mexican mines—garrisoned troops and defended against land attacks. In 1587, engineers Juan de Tejada and Juan Bautista Antonelli redesigned Fort San Felipe del Morro; these changes endure. Politically, Puerto Rico was reorganized in 1580 into a captaincy general to provide for more autonomy and quick administrative responses to military threats. On November 22, 1595, English privateer Sir Francis Drake—with 27 vessels and 2,500 troops—sailed into San Juan Bay intending to loot the city. Even though San Juan was set ablaze, they were unable to defeat the forces entrenched in the forts. Knowing Drake had failed to overcome the city's defenses by sea, on June 15, 1598, the Royal Navy, led by George Clifford, 3rd Earl of Cumberland, landed troops from 21 ships to the east in Santurce. Clifford and his men met Spanish resistance while attempting to cross the San Antonio bridge (from an area known today as Condado) into the islet of San Juan. Nonetheless, the British conquered the island and held it for several months. They were forced to abandon the island owing to an outbreak of dysentery among the troops. The following year Spain sent soldiers, cannons, and a new governor, Alonso de Mercado, to rebuild the city of San Juan. In 1607, Puerto Rico served as a port for provisions for the English ships, the Godspeed, Susan Constant and the Discovery who were on their way to establish the Jamestown, Virginia, the first English settlement in the New World. The 17th and 18th centuries saw more attacks on the island. On September 25, 1625, the Dutch, under the leadership of Boudewijn Hendrick (Balduino Enrico), attacked San Juan, besieging Fort San Felipe del Morro and La Fortaleza. Residents fled the city but the Spanish, led by Governor Juan de Haro, were able to repel the Dutch troops from Fort San Felipe del Morro. In their retreat the Dutch set the city ablaze. The fortification of San Juan continued; in 1634, Philip IV of Spain fortified Fort San Cristóbal, along with six fortresses linked by a line of sandstone walls surrounding the city. In 1702, the English assaulted the town of Arecibo, located on the north coast, west of San Juan, with no success. In 1797, the French and Spanish declared war on the United Kingdom. The British attempted again to conquer the island, attacking San Juan with an invasion force of 7,000 troops and an armada consisting of 64 warships under the command of General Ralph Abercromby. Captain General Don Ramón de Castro and his army successfully resisted the attack. Amidst the constant attacks, the first threads of Puerto Rican society emerged. A 1765 census conducted by Lt. General Alejandro O'Reilly showed a total population of 44,883, of which 5,037 (11.2%) were slaves, a low percentage compared to the other Spanish colonies in the Caribbean. In 1786 the first comprehensive history of Puerto Rico— Historia Geográfica, Civil y Política de Puerto Rico by Fray Iñigo Abbad y Lasierra—was published in Madrid, documenting the history of Puerto Rico from the time of Columbus' landing in 1493 until 1783. The book also presents a first hand account of Puerto Rican identity, including music, clothing, personality and nationality. In 1779, Puerto Ricans fought in the American Revolutionary War under the command of Bernardo de Gálvez, who was named Field Marshalof the Spanish colonial army in North America. Puerto Ricans participated the capture of Pensacola, the capital of the British colony of West Florida and the cities of Baton Rouge, St. Louis and Mobile. The Puerto Rican troops, commanded by Brigadier General Ramón de Castro, helped defeat the British and Indian army of 2,500 soldiers and British warships in Pensacola.
Early 19th century:
The 19th century brought many changes to Puerto Rico, both political and social. In 1809, the Spanish government, in opposition to Napoleon, was convened in Cádiz in southern Spain. While still swearing allegiance to the king, the Supreme Central Junta invited voting representatives from the colonies. Ramón Power y Giralt was nominated as the local delegate to the Cádiz Cortes. The Ley Power ("the Power Act") soon followed, which designated five ports for free commerce—Fajardo, Mayagüez, Aguadilla, Cabo Rojo and Ponce—and established economic reforms with the goal of developing a more efficient economy. In 1812, the Cádiz Constitution was adopted, dividing Spain and its territories into provinces, each with a local corporation or council to promote its prosperity and defend its interests; this granted Puerto Ricans conditional citizenship. On August 10, 1815, the Royal Decree of Grace was issued, allowing foreigners to enter Puerto Rico (including French refugees from Hispaniola), and opening the port to trade with nations other than Spain. This was the beginning of agriculture-based economic growth, with sugar, tobacco and coffee being the main products. The Decree also gave free land to anyone who swore their loyalty to the Spanish Crown and their allegiance to the Roman Catholic Church. Thousands of families from all regions of Spain (particularly Asturias, Catalonia, Majorca and Galicia), Germany, Corsica, Ireland, France, Portugal, the Canary Islandsand other locations, escaping from harsh economic times in Europe and lured by the offer of free land, soon immigrated to Puerto Rico. However, these small gains in autonomy and rights were short lived. After the fall of Napoleon, absolute power returned to Spain, which revoked the Cádiz Constitution and reinstated Puerto Rico to its former condition as a colony, subject to the unrestricted power of the Spanish monarch. The integration of immigrants into Puerto Rican culture and other events changed Puerto Rican society. On June 25, 1835, Queen María Cristina abolished the slave trade to Spanish colonies. In 1851, Governor Juan de la Pezuela Cevallos founded the Royal Academy of Belles Letters. The academy licensed primary school teachers, formulated school methods, and held literary contests that promoted the intellectual and literary progress of the island. In 1858, Samuel Morse introduced wired communication to Latin America when he established a telegraph system in Puerto Rico. Morse's oldest daughter Susan Walker Morse (1821-1885), would often visit her uncle Charles Pickering Walker who owned the Hacienda Concordia in the town of Guayama. Morse, who often spent his winters at the Hacienda with his daughter and son-in-law, who lived and owned the Habienda Henriqueta, set a two-mile telegraph line connecting his son-in-law's hacienda to their house in Arroyo. The line was inaugurated on March 1, 1859 in a ceremony flanked by the Spanish and American flags. The first lines transmitted by Morse that day in Puerto Rico were: "Puerto Rico, beautiful jewel! When you are linked with the other jewels of the Antilles in the necklace of the world's telegraph, yours will not shine less brilliantly in the crown of your Queen!"
Struggle for sovereignty:
The last half of the 19th century was marked by the Puerto Rican struggle for sovereignty. A census conducted in 1860 revealed a population of 583,308. Of these, 300,406 (51.5%) were white and 282,775 (48.5%) were persons of color, the latter including people of primarily African heritage, mulattos and mestizos. The majority of the population in Puerto Rico was illiterate (83.7%) and lived in poverty, and the agricultural industry—at the time, the main source of income—was hampered by lack of road infrastructure, adequate tools and equipment, and natural disasters, including hurricanes and droughts. The economy also suffered from increasing tariffs and taxes imposed by the Spanish Crown. Furthermore, Spain had begun to exile or jail any person who called for liberal reforms. On September 23, 1868, hundreds of men and women in the town of Lares—stricken by poverty and politically estranged from Spain—revolted against Spanish rule, seeking Puerto Rican independence. The Grito de Lares("Lares Cry" or "Lares Uprising") was planned by a group led by Dr. Ramón Emeterio Betances, at the time exiled to the Dominican Republic, and Segundo Ruiz Belvis. Dr. Betances had founded the Comité Revolucionario de Puerto Rico (Revolutionary Committee of Puerto Rico) in January 1868. The most important figures in the uprising were Manuel Rojas, Mathias Brugman, Mariana Bracetti, Francisco Ramirez Medina and Lola Rodríguez de Tió. The uprising, although significant, was quickly controlled by Spanish authorities. Following the Grito de Lares revolt, political and social reforms occurred toward the end of the 19th century. On June 4, 1870, due to the efforts of Román Baldorioty de Castro, Luis Padial and Julio Vizcarrondo, the Moret Lawwas approved, giving freedom to slaves born after September 17, 1868 or over 60 years old; on March 22, 1873, the Spanish National Assembly officially abolished, with a few special clauses, slavery in Puerto Rico. In 1870, the first political organizations on the island were formed as two factions emerged. The Traditionalists, known as thePartido Liberal Conservador (Liberal Conservative Party) were led by José R. Fernández, Pablo Ubarri and Francisco Paula Acuña and advocated assimilation into the political party system of Spain. The Autonomists, known as the Partido Liberal Reformista (Liberal Reformist Party) were led by Román Baldorioty de Castro, José Julián Acosta, Nicolás Aguayo and Pedro Gerónimo Goico and advocated decentralization away from Spanish control. Both parties would later change their names to Partido Incondicional Español (Unconditional Spanish Party) and Partido Federal Reformista (Reformist Federal Party), respectively. In March 1887, the Partido Federal Reformista was reformed and named the Partido Autonomista Puertorriqueño (Puerto Rican Autonomist Party); it tried to create a political and legal identity for Puerto Rico while emulating Spain in all political matters. It was led by Román Baldorioty de Castro, José Celso Barbosa, Rosendo Matienzo Cintrón and Luis Muñoz Rivera. Leaders of "El Grito de Lares", who were in exile in New York City, joined the Puerto Rican Revolutionary Committee, founded on December 8, 1895, and continued their quest for Puerto Rican independence. In 1897, Antonio Mattei Lluberas and the local leaders of the independence movement of the town of Yauco, organized another uprising, which became known as the "Intentona de Yauco". This was the first time that the current Puerto Rican was unfurled in Puerto Rican soil. The local conservative political factions, which believed that such an attempt would be a threat to their struggle for autonomy, opposed such an action. Rumors of the planned event spread to the local Spanish authorities who acted swiftly and put an end to what would be the last major uprising in the island to Spanish colonial rule. The struggle for autonomy came close to achieving its goal on November 25, 1897, when the Carta Autonómica (Charter of Autonomy), which conceded political and administrative autonomy to the island, was approved in Spain. In the past 400-plus years, after centuries of colonial rule, Práxedes Mateo Sagasta, the Prime Minister of Spain granted the island an autonomous government on November 25, 1897 in the empire's legislative body in Cádiz, Spain, and trade was opened up with the United States and European colonies. The charter maintained a governor appointed by Spain, who held the power to veto any legislative decision he disagreed with, and a partially elected parliamentary structure. That same year, the Partido Autonomista Ortodoxo (Orthodox Autonomist Party), led by José Celso Barbosa and Manuel Fernández Juncos, was founded. On February 9, 1898, the new government officially began. Local legislature set its own budget and taxes. They accepted or rejected commercial treaties concluded by Spain. In February 1898, Governor General Manuel Macías inaugurated the new government of Puerto Rico under the Autonomous Charter which gave town councils complete autonomy in local matters. Subsequently, the governor had no authority to intervene in civil and political matters unless authorized to do so by the Cabinet. General elections were held in March and on July 17, 1898 Puerto Rico's autonomous government began to function, but not for long.
Invasion of 1898:
The last half of the 19th century was marked by the Puerto Rican struggle for sovereignty. A census conducted in 1860 revealed a population of 583,308. Of these, 300,406 (51.5%) were white and 282,775 (48.5%) were persons of color, the latter including people of primarily African heritage, mulattos and mestizos. The majority of the population in Puerto Rico was illiterate (83.7%) and lived in poverty, and the agricultural industry—at the time, the main source of income—was hampered by lack of road infrastructure, adequate tools and equipment, and natural disasters, including hurricanes and droughts. The economy also suffered from increasing tariffs and taxes imposed by the Spanish Crown. Furthermore, Spain had begun to exile or jail any person who called for liberal reforms. In 1890, Captain Alfred Thayler Mahan, a member of the Navy War Board and leading U.S. strategic thinker, wrote a book titled The Influence of Sea Power upon History in which he argued for the creation of a large and powerful navy modeled after the British Royal Navy. Part of his strategy called for the acquisition of colonies in the Caribbean Sea which would serve as coaling and naval stations and which would serve as strategical points of defense upon the construction of a canal in the Isthmus. This idea was not new, since William H. Seward, the former Secretary of State under the administrations of various presidents, among them Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses Grant, had stressed that a canal be built either in Honduras, Nicaragua or Panama and that the United States annex the Dominican Republic and purchase Puerto Rico and Cuba. The idea of annexing the Dominican Republic failed to receive the approval of the U.S. Senate and Spain did not accept the 160 million dollars which the U.S. offered for Puerto Rico and Cuba. Captain Mahan made the following statement to the to the War Department: "Having therefore no foreign establishments either colonial or military, the ships of war of the United States, in war will be like land birds, unable to fly far from their own shores. To provide resting places for them where they can coal and repair, would be one of the first duties of a government proposing to itself the development of the power of the nation at sea" Since 1894, the Naval War College had been formulating plans for war with Spain. By 1896, the Office of Naval Intelligence had prepared a plan which included military operations in Puerto Rican waters. Not only was Puerto Rico considered valuable as a naval station, Puerto Rico and Cuba were also abundant in a valuable commercial commodity which the United States lacked, that commodity was sugar. On March 10, 1898, Dr. Julio J. Henna and Robert H. Todd, leaders of the Puerto Rican section of the Cuban Revolutionary Party, began to correspond with United States President William McKinley and the United States Senate in hopes that they would consider including Puerto Rico in the intervention planned for Cuba. Henna and Todd also provided the US government with information about the Spanish military presence on the island. On April 24, Spanish Minister of Defense Segismundo Bermejo sent instructions to Spanish Admiral Cervera to proceed with his fleet from Cape Verde to the Caribbean, Cuba and Puerto Rico. In May, Lt. Henry H. Whitney of the United States Fourth Artillery was sent to Puerto Rico on a reconnaissance mission. He provided maps and information on the Spanish military forces to the US government that would be useful for an invasion. Following the sinking of the battleship USS Maine on February 15, 1898, in Havana harbor, Cuba, the United States forwarded an ultimatum to Spain to withdraw from Cuba. In response, Spain broke off diplomatic relations with the United States, and on April 23, 1898, Spain declared war. On April 25, the U.S. Congress declared that a state of war between the United States and Spain had existed since April 20. One of the United States' principal objectives in the Spanish-American War was to take control of Spanish possessions in the Atlantic — Puerto Rico and Cuba — and their possessions in the Pacific — the Philippines and Guam. On May 10, Spanish forces at Fort San Cristóbal under the command ofCapt. Ángel Rivero Méndez in San Juan exchanged fire with the USS Yale under the command of Capt. William C. Wise. Two days later on May 12, a squadron of 12 US ships commanded by Rear Admiral William T. Sampson bombarded San Juan, causing panic among the residents. On June 25, the USS Yosemite blocked San Juan harbor. On July 18, General Nelson A. Miles, commander of US forces, received orders to sail for Puerto Rico and to land his troops. On July 21, a convoy with nine transports and 3,300 soldiers, escorted by USS Massachusetts, sailed for Puerto Rico from Guantánamo. General Nelson Miles landed unopposed at Guánica, located in the southern coast of the island, on July 25, 1898 with the first contingent of American troops. Opposition was met in the southern and central regions of the island but by the end of August the island was under United States control. On August 12, peace protocols were signed in Washington, D.C. and Spanish Commissions met in San Juan on September 9 to discuss the details of the withdrawal of Spanish troops and the cession of the island to the United States. On October 1, an initial meeting was held in Paris to draft the Peace Treaty and on December 10, 1898, the Treaty of Paris was signed (ratified by the US Senate February 6, 1899).Spain renounced all claim to Cuba, ceded Guam and Puerto Rico and its dependent islets to the United States, and transferred sovereignty over the Philippines to the United States for $20,000,000 ($530 million as of 2011). General John R. Brooke became the first United States military governor of the island.
Why Hungary will remain a democracy among the democracies of Europe? Tibor Navracsics (ONLINE) Tibor Navracsics' essay has been published on the Conservative Home website. Is a country democratic if its most senior judges are appointed for life by a President on purely political grounds? Is freedom impaired if only two political parties ever hold power? Is democracy compromised if a country’s electoral system is designed to deliver a majority for a single party and the demands of proportionality are deemed secondary? Should we trust national politicians who speak of localism and yet preside over huge cities without elected mayors? Is a country on the road to dictatorship if the President can bypass legislative procedure and enact laws via popular referenda? All of the above examples are drawn from exemplary democracies that have set the standard for others in the world. We are familiar with their traditions - and we instinctively recognise which countries they belong to. With the consent of the Senate, the US President appoints justices to the Supreme Court on political grounds; while in Congress only Democrats and Republicans hold sway. UK parliamentary elections are decided by first-past-thepost to the benefit of larger parties and the disadvantage of smaller ones. The recent AV referendum confirms that Britons are happy with the system, despite its lack of proportionality. And good luck to them! My intention is not to criticise. An outside observer might also wonder at the UK’s seemingly patchy commitment to local representation, with only
a handful of cities with directly elected mayors. In France, the President can bypass Parliament by issuing decrees which become law if supported in a referendum. On top of that, in exceptional circumstances the executive can overrule the legislature. Are these deficiencies that herald an erosion of democratic values in beacon democracies around the world? In which case, shouldn’t we all be more concerned about it? So far as I know, no commentator in Hungary or anywhere else has gone on record to express his or her fear about the politicisation of the US judicial system. Nor have any politicians tabled motions about the deficiencies of the US or UK electoral systems. Of course not! It is obvious to everyone that these countries are democracies. Their institutional arrangements are linked to their traditions. Their balances and divisions of power have evolved over time. We do not fear for other countries because we recognise that there is no such thing as a uniform democracy. Rightly, there is a variety of different approaches. Each democratic country has crafted arrangements in response its own unique circumstances. But what about Hungary? Recent experience suggests that we are the exception to the rule. In September, the Hungarian Parliament began debating new Cardinal Laws on local government, elections and the justice system as required by our Constitution. Opposition voices on the Left have wasted little time in denouncing the proposals as authoritarian and illiberal. They will no doubt continue to do so
throughout the autumn. They will do this in Hungary and abroad. They will tell acquaintances in America, Britain and France that Hungary’s justice system is being reduced to a handmaiden of government; that our reformed electoral system will bring party politics to an end; and that the act on Local Government will extinguish freedom at the local level. It is important that, as a democratically elected government, we respond to these accusations. We will do so robustly because they are simply untrue. And yet, despite the facts, our critics’ allegations have been taken up with alacrity by commentators around the world. Hungary is a democracy among the democracies of Europe. Versions of our own approaches and institutional arrangements can be found in other European countries, while others are uniquely Hungarian. But over and above these differences in approach, our commitment to democracy remains unshakeable. We fully realise that it is our own responsibility to explain our actions to audiences both in Hungary and abroad – and we will do that. But at the same time we would ask that, during the debates in Parliament this autumn, our international partners should remember that those who over-generalise often conceal a lack of knowledge. While such commentators appear to fear for democracy, in reality they are simply unable or unwilling to contribute anything constructive.