Feed aggregator

Spain sends sympathies to Nigeria over tomato 'emergency'

COPENHAGEN, 25 May 2016 – The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Special Representative on the South Caucasus, Kristian Vigenin (MP, Bulgaria), and the Chair of the OSCE PA’s Committee on Democracy, Human Rights, and Humanitarian Questions, Isabel Santos (MP, Portugal), today welcomed the release by the Supreme Court of Azerbaijan of investigative journalist Khadija Ismayilova.

“It is great news that Khadija Ismayilova has been freed from prison and will return safely to her family. I welcome this positive development, which ultimately serves the best interests of Azerbaijan, its people and the OSCE,” said Vigenin, who will be in Baku later this week and will hold meetings on a range of issues, including human rights.

“I take note of this positive step taken by Azerbaijan toward upholding its OSCE human dimension commitments and I look forward to constructively engage with Azerbaijan’s authorities on human rights, the rule of law, and other democracy-related issues,” said Santos.

Ismayilova’s reporting focused on alleged high-level corruption in Azerbaijan. The Baku Court on Grave Crimes sentenced her to seven and a half years in prison in September 2015 after finding her guilty of tax evasion, illegal business activities, criminal libel and abuse of power. Ismayilova had been held since her arrest in December 2014. The Supreme Court reduced her sentence to a suspended term of three and a half years and upheld her convictions for illegal entrepreneurship and tax evasion.

Today’s development follows a vote last week by the Azerbaijani parliament to approve a proposal to grant amnesty to thousands of prisoners.

Santos noted that at the OSCE PA’s 2015 Annual Session, the Assembly “condemn[ed] the continued persecution and imprisonment on politically motivated charges of journalists and human rights defenders in several OSCE participating States and express[ed] its concern at the continued misuse of tax and administrative legislation to justify these acts.”

Related Stories

• Statement by OSCE PA Human Rights Committee Chair Isabel Santos on Nadiya Savchenko’s release
• Migration crisis requires a Europe-wide response, OSCE parliamentarians’ visit to Calais confirms
• OSCE parliamentarians travelling to Calais to examine conditions for refugees and migrants, provide policy recommendations

COPENHAGEN, 25 May 2016 – Following the release of Ukrainian pilot and member of parliament Nadiya Savchenko after nearly two years in a Russian prison, reportedly in exchange for two alleged Russian servicemen Aleksandr Aleksandrov and Yevgeny Yerofeyev, Isabel Santos (MP, Portugal), Chair of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions, issued the following statement:

“It was with great relief that I heard of today’s Ukrainian-Russian prisoner exchange and particularly the news that Nadiya Savchenko is now free and back in Ukraine. With Savchenko’s health deteriorating, her imprisonment was not just a political or judicial matter, but had taken on a humanitarian urgency. It is with these concerns in mind that I had explored all possible avenues within my mandate to safeguard Savchenko’s health and wellbeing. I welcome her release, as called for repeatedly by the international community, including the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, and wish her a rapid recovery.”

Santos added that the move can also be seen as a constructive step towards long-overdue implementation of the Minsk Agreements, including the commitment to release all detained persons related to the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

“This positive development should be welcomed by anyone who wants to see peace and stability return to Ukraine. It is a rare sign of rapprochement between Moscow and Kyiv, and I urge all sides to capitalize on this moment of goodwill to bring a real and lasting resolution to the crisis in and around Ukraine,” Santos said.

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, in its Helsinki Declaration last year, “Call[ed] for the immediate release of Nadiya Savchenko, a Member of Parliament in Ukraine, from detention in the Russian Federation, on humanitarian grounds.” She had been imprisoned in Russia since June 2014.

Related Stories

• OSCE PA Special Representative on the South Caucasus and Human Rights Committee Chair welcome release of Azerbaijan’s Ismayilova
• Migration crisis requires a Europe-wide response, OSCE parliamentarians’ visit to Calais confirms
• OSCE parliamentarians travelling to Calais to examine conditions for refugees and migrants, provide policy recommendations

Június 6-án jelenik meg Esterházy Péter legújabb könyve a Magvető Kiadónál. Az író októberben vallott betegségéről, gyógyulásáért Facebook-oldal is indult, a Magyar Íróválogatott pedig a pályáról üzent neki. Új kötetének a Hasnyálmirigynapló címet adta, a könyvből megjelent részletek tanúsága szerint pedig valóban egy naplószerű olvasmánnyal van dolgunk, melynek központi témája a betegség.

The United Nations Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT) has suspended its visit to Ukraine after being denied access to places in several parts of the country where it suspects people are being deprived of their liberty by the Security Service of Ukraine, the SBU.

Un jeune caporal-chef est décédé lors d’un entraînement alors qu’il manoeuvrait un véhicule blindé jeudi. La gendarmerie enquête pour déterminer les causes de l’accident. Ce jeudi, un militaire âgé d’une trentaine d’années est décédé à Longeville-lès-Saint-Avold, en Moselle, alors qu’il manoeuvrait un véhicule blindé dans le cadre d’un entraînement. Lire la suite lexpress.fr

The head of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has welcomed Azerbaijan’s Supreme Court decision to free an award-winning investigative journalist Khadija Ismayilova.

Après la libération de Montreuil-sur-Mer le 4 septembre 2014, la tragédie du carrefour de Beaurainville le 9 mai 2015, le 28 mai 2016 sera journée du souvenir en Hesdinois. Cette année 2016 est placée sous le signe de la liberté, de la paix et de la réconciliation. Lire la suite sur lejournaldemontreuil.fr

En marge des assemblées générales annuelles que tient la Banque africaine de développement (BAD) à Lusaka en Zambie, un accord de principe a été trouvé entre l'institution et l'African Risk Capacity (ARC), la mutuelle d'assurance fondée par 26 États africains en 2012 avec l'objectif de couvrir, à échéance 2020, 30 pays et 160 millions d'Africains contre les risques de sécheresse, d'inondation ou de cyclone.

Cet article Catastrophes naturelles : la BAD signe avec l’assurance panafricaine de gestion des risques ARC est apparu en premier sur JeuneAfrique.com.

Ahogy Kijev hazahozta Nagyija Szavcsenkót Oroszországból, úgy állítja vissza Ukrajna szuverenitását a Krím félsziget és a Donyec-medence fölött - fejezte ki meggyőződését Petro Porosenko elnök szerdán azon a sajtótájékoztatón, amelyet hivatalában az orosz fogságból kiszabadult ukrán pilótanővel közösen tartott.

Plus d’un millier de personnes, parties civiles après les attentats de novembre dernier, sont invitées durant trois jours à l’Ecole militaire de Paris, pour faire le point sur l’enquête avec les magistrats chargés de l’instruction. Parmi elles, des familles de victimes, et des rescapés nordistes.   « Nathalie est avec moi, elle ne me quitte pas ». ...

2015 Global Thinker Marjan Minnesma and Gasland director Josh Fox debate the best—and perhaps only—way to spurn action on climate change: Terrify people.

L’énarque de 46 ans succède à Anne Paugam à la tête de l’institution chargée de mettre en œuvre la politique d’aide au développement de la France.

http://tvnewsroom.consilium.europa.eu/uploads/council-images/thumbs/uploads/council-images/remote/http_7e18a1c646f5450b9d6d-a75424f262e53e74f9539145894f4378.r8.cf3.rackcdn.com/24_05_2016_-_japan-g7-diplomacy_thumb_169_1464193779_1464193780_129_97shar_c1.jpg

On 26-27 May, President Tusk attends the G7 summit in Ise-Shima (Japan). Global growth remains an urgent priority for the G7 and leaders are expected to commit to further strengthening their policy response. They are also expected to discuss the most pressing foreign policy challenges, including the situation in Syria and Ukraine and cross-cutting themes like counter-terrorism. The G7 is also expected to discuss the global migration and refugee crisis and commit to increased assistance.

Download this video here.

Andy Murray s’est qualifié pour le troisième tour des Internationaux de France en battant le Français Mathias Bourgue en cinq sets (6-2, 2-6, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3). Tennis: Djokovic devrait affronter Nadal Tennis : Murray remporte le Masters 1000 de Rome Djokovic remporte le Masters 1000 de Madrid

The receptions could not have been more different. In Kiev: crowds of well-wishers, multiple TV livestreaming, press conferences. In Moscow: out of public eye and under close surveillance.

At the second United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-2) taking place in Nairobi this week, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) was among a group of agencies launching a new tool and report that recommends ways to protect threatened coral reefs.

Lies told by 'American Sniper' Chris Kyle continue to mount.

http://tvnewsroom.consilium.europa.eu/uploads/council-images/thumbs/uploads/council-images/remote/http_7e18a1c646f5450b9d6d-a75424f262e53e74f9539145894f4378.r8.cf3.rackcdn.com/consilium_16210_39350_24889_14.36_thumb_169_1463668492_1463668491_129_97shar_c1.jpg

EU Finance ministers meet in Brussels on 25 May 2016 to agree on a draft directive addressing tax avoidance practices used by large companies. It is discussing plans for a definitive VAT system and a report on VAT fraud, as well as banking union and macroeconomic imbalances and structural reforms in the member states.

Download this video here.

Le ministère de l'Intérieur a dévoilé aujourd'hui une partie du dispositif qu'il alignera pour l'Euro
Plus d'infos »