All posts tagged: provisional

UNESCO Grants ‘Provisional Enhanced Protection’ to Ukrainian Sites

UNESCO Grants ‘Provisional Enhanced Protection’ to Ukrainian Sites

Published by skeptic

UNESCO, the cultural arm of the United Nations, has granted “provisional enhanced protection” to two Ukrainian heritage sites, the Odessa Literary Museum and the National Historical and Memorial Reserve Babyn Yar, as the Russia’s war on Ukraine approaches its three-year anniversary. One of the cultural properties, National Historical Memorial Reserve Babyn Yar in Kyviv, honors the more than 33,000 Jews, as well as Roma and Soviet prisoners, killed by the Nazis in a two-day massacre in 1941. In March of 2022, a Russian projectile hit close to the site, killing five people. A monument to Holocaust victims was not directly struck, but a nearby building the center planned to use for a new museum was damaged. Related Articles “Cultural property under the enhanced protection of UNESCO benefits from the highest level of immunity from attack and use for military purposes. Non-compliance with these clauses would constitute a ‘serious violation’ of the 1999 Second Protocol to the Hague Convention, opening the possibility of prosecution,” UNESCO said in a statement. In February of this year, UNESCO reported that 341 …

Togo Ruling Party Wins Sweeping Majority in Legislative Poll, Final Provisional Results Show

Togo Ruling Party Wins Sweeping Majority in Legislative Poll, Final Provisional Results Show

Published by skeptic

LOME (Reuters) – Togo’s ruling party has won 108 out of 113 seats in parliament, according to the final provisional results of last month’s legislative election announced on Friday. The sweeping majority secured by President Faure Gnassingbe’s UNIR party follows the approval of controversial constitutional reforms by the outgoing parliament that could extend his 19-year rule. The new charter adopted in March also introduced a parliamentary system of government, meaning the president will be elected by parliament instead of by universal suffrage. Opposition parties were hoping to gain seats in the April 29 vote to enable them to challenge the UNIR party after they boycotted the last legislative poll and left it effectively in control of parliament. The election had been delayed twice because of a backlash from some opposition parties who called the constitutional changes a manoeuvre to allow Gnassingbe to rule for life. Constitutional amendments unanimously approved in a second parliamentary vote earlier in April shortened presidential terms to four years from five with a two-term limit. Photos You Should See – April …

Somalia’s Puntland Region Voices Opposition to Revisions to Provisional Constitution

Somalia’s Puntland Region Voices Opposition to Revisions to Provisional Constitution

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Somalia’s semi-autonomous region of Puntland is criticizing changes made by the federal parliament to the country’s provisional constitution and announced it is withdrawing recognition for federal government institutions. In a statement by the region’s council of ministers issued Sunday from the capital, Garowe — Puntland alleges the constitution, that had been enacted in 2012, was amended without the input of all Somalis, including those in the region. The changes were approved Saturday during a joint session of the bicameral federal parliament in Mogadishu and followed weeks of debate. Regional officials said as a result, “Puntland will have the power of a full, independent government until there is a federal system of government agreed upon, a constitution agreed by Somalis, and approved through a referendum in which Puntland is part of.” Essentially, Puntland is refusing to recognize the authority of the Somali federal government until the dispute — over the changes to the constitution — is resolved. Puntland is the oldest federal member state with 48 lawmakers in the country’s two houses of parliament, as well …

Provisional results confirm large win for Senegal’s Faye in presidential vote

Provisional results confirm large win for Senegal’s Faye in presidential vote

Published by Sam

Anti-establishment figure Bassirou Diomaye Faye has comfortably won the Senegalese presidential election with 54.28 percent of votes in the first round, official provisional results showed Wednesday. Issued on: 28/03/2024 – 02:02 3 min He placed well ahead of the governing coalition’s candidate, former prime minister Amadou Ba, who garnered 35.79 percent. The victory for Faye, who was only freed from prison 10 days before the election, still has to be validated by Senegal’s top constitutional body, which could happen in a few days. Faye, 44, who has said he wants a “break” with the current political system, is set to become the youngest president in history. It would be the first time since independence from France in 1960 that an opponent has won in the first round. Aliou Mamadou Dia, who came third out of 19 candidates officially on the list, won just 2.8 percent of the vote, according to figures read out at the Dakar court by the president of the national vote counting commission, Amady Diouf. While his victory in Sunday’s vote was already …

Council, Parliament strike provisional deal on EU fiscal-rules framework – POLITICO

Council, Parliament strike provisional deal on EU fiscal-rules framework – POLITICO

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The last-minute agreement saves the European Commission’s proposed reform of the framework, which aims to slash debt ratios and deficits while maintaining investment in “strategic areas such as digital, green, social or defense,” the Council said. Under the terms of the agreement member countries will still be required to submit national medium-term fiscal structural plans to the Commission. Those whose government debt exceeds the limit of 60 percent of gross domestic product, or where the government deficit exceeds 3 percent of GDP, will receive a “reference trajectory” — formerly known as a “technical trajectory” — from the Commission charting out a path to achieve “prudent” debt levels within four years.  Governments will be allowed to request an extension of the four-year adjustment period to a maximum of seven years, if they carry out certain reforms and investments, according to the statement.  The provisional agreement must now be approved by the committee of member countries’ permanent representatives in the Council and the Parliament’s economic affairs committee before going through a formal vote in both the Council …

James Morrison’s wife’s provisional cause of death confirmed by coroner

James Morrison’s wife’s provisional cause of death confirmed by coroner

Published by Sam

Sign up to Roisin O’Connor’s free weekly newsletter Now Hear This for the inside track on all things music Get our Now Hear This email for free Musician James Morrison discovered his wife at their home in Whitminster, Gloucestershire, an inquest into her death has heard. Gillian Catchpole, 45, was found unresponsive at the property she shared with Morrison and their two young daughters, on the morning of Friday 5 January. Morrison received a call from a friend who was concerned after being unable to get hold of her, The Telegraph reports. The singer then found his wife, mother to their two children Ada Rose, five, and Elsie, 15. Following the arrival of emergency services, she was pronounced dead at the scene at 9.37am. Police officers had reportedly been asked to conduct a welfare check on the mother-of-two a few days prior. Coroner Roland Wooderson was told by police that there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding her death, during the hearing on Tuesday 9 January. Pathologist Dr Terry Jones gave the provisional cause of Catchpole’s …

Niger military tribunal grants son of deposed president provisional release | Military News

Niger military tribunal grants son of deposed president provisional release | Military News

Published by Sam

Salem Bazoum had been in detention at the presidential residence with his parents since the coup in Niger in July 2023. Salem Bazoum, the son of Niger President Mohamed Bazoum who was toppled in a coup last year, was provisionally released on Monday, according to a statement by the Niamey military tribunal. The 22-year-old had been in detention at the presidential residence with his parents since the coup in July. The tribunal did not provide details on the fate of Salem’s parents. The coup, one of eight in West and Central Africa since 2020, was widely condemned, led to sanctions from the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS), and prompted widespread calls for Bazoum’s release and a return to democratic rule. Niger has been ruled by military leaders since the overthrow of elected president Bazoum, which prompted international condemnation. Military ruler General Abdourahamane Tchiani has said his regime wants up to three years for a transition back to a civilian government. A source close to the removed president told the AFP news agency that …

EU’s provisional deal on gig worker rights fails to get enough backing from Member States

EU’s provisional deal on gig worker rights fails to get enough backing from Member States

Published by skeptic

Not so fast on that Christmas present for precarious gig workers in the EU: A political deal announced mid month, which aims to bolster platform workers rights across the European Union by establishing a legal presumption of employment, does not have the necessary qualified majority backing among Member States, it emerged today. In an brief update to the European Council’s online press release, where it had trumpeted the earlier political deal on the file, the institution writes: “[O]n 22 December 2023 the Spanish presidency concluded that the necessary majority on the provisional agreement among member states’ representatives (Coreper) could not be reached. The Belgian presidency will resume negotiations with the European Parliament in order to reach an agreement on the final shape of the directive.” The development was picked up earlier by Bloomberg and Euractiv — which reported that the deal failed to secure a qualified majority in a Coreper held Friday. “No formal vote was even held on the text, as it became clear there would be no majority,” said Euractive, citing information it …

China unveils provisional rules for generative AI, including a licensing regime

China unveils provisional rules for generative AI, including a licensing regime

Published by skeptic

As the use cases of generative AI see explosive adaption, China has taken a leading role in defining how the rapidly changing technology should be used, including a licensing regime for service providers. On Thursday, China’s top cyberspace regulator unveiled a set of provisional rules to govern generative AI services, including API providers, that serve China-based users. The question then is if China’s quick response to rein in generative AI and its stringent rules will stifle innovation. The policymakers are well aware of the concern, stressing in the document that the rules aim to “balance development and security.” First and foremost, the rules require generative AI providers to adhere to core socialist values, which prohibit everything from pornography and terrorism to racism and content that threatens China’s national security. Algorithms that can influence public opinions, the rules say, must be registered with the relevant authority. Generative AI service providers should also obtain an administrative license in accordance with the law, although the document doesn’t specify who is required to do that. When it comes to …