text:
1.1Founding
1.2Early years
1.3Historic speeches at the Council of Europe
2Aims and achievement
3Institutions
3.1Headquarters and buildings
4Member states, observers, partners
4.1Eligibility
4.2Member states and observers
4.3Withdrawal, suspension, and expulsion
4.3.1Suspension and exclusion of Russia
5Co-operation
5.1Non-member states
5.2European Union
5.3Schools of Political Studies
5.4United Nations
5.5Non-governmental organisations
5.6Others
6Characteristics
6.1Privileges and immunities
6.2Symbol and anthem
7Criticism and controversies
7.1"Caviar diplomacy" scandal
9.1Footnotes
9.2References
International organisation founded in 1949
Not to be confused with European Council or Council of the European Union.
Treaty of London
Regional intergovernmental organisation
Palace of Europe, Strasbourg, France
Europe[b]
5 Council observers
3 Assembly observers
Official languages
English, French[1]
Marija Pejčinović Burić
Bjørn Berge
President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
Tiny Kox
Chair of the Committee of Ministers
Þórdís Kolbrún R. Gylfadóttir
President of the Congress
Leendert Verbeek
coe.int
The Council of Europe (CoE; French: Conseil de l'Europe, CdE) is an international organisation founded in the wake of World War II to uphold human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Europe.[2] Founded in 1949, it has 46 member states, with a population of approximately 675 million; it operates with an annual budget of approximately 500 million euros.[3]
The organisation is distinct from the European Union (EU), although it is sometimes confused with it, partly because the EU has adopted the original European flag, created for the Council of Europe in 1955,[4] as well as the European anthem.[5] No country has ever joined the EU without first belonging to the Council of Europe.[6] The Council of Europe is an official United Nations Observer.[7]
Being an international organization, the Council of Europe cannot make laws, but it does have the ability to push for the enforcement of select international agreements reached by member states on various topics. The best-known body of the Council of Europe is the European Court of Human Rights, which functions on the basis of the European Convention on Human Rights.
The council's two statutory bodies are the Committee of Ministers, comprising the foreign ministers of each member state, and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), which is composed of members of the national parliaments of each member state. The Commissioner for Human Rights is an institution within the Council of Europe, mandated to promote awareness of and respect for human rights within the member states. The Secretary General presides over the secretariat of the organisation. Other major CoE bodies include the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines (EDQM) and the European Audiovisual Observatory.
The headquarters of the Council of Europe, as well as its Court of Human Rights, are situated in Strasbourg, France. English and French are its two official languages. The Committee of Ministers, the PACE, and the Congress of the Council of Europe also use German and Italian for some of their work.
Plaque commemorating the first session of the Council of Europe Assembly at Strasbourg University
Founding[edit]
In a speech in 1929, French Foreign Minister Aristide Briand floated the idea of an organisation which would gather European nations together in a "federal union" to resolve common problems.[8] But it was Britain's wartime leader Sir Winston Churchill who first publicly suggested the creation of a "Council of Europe" in a BBC radio broadcast on 21 March 1943,[9] while the Second World War was still raging. In his own words,[10] he tried to "peer through the mists of the future to the end of the war", and think about how to re-build and maintain peace on a shattered continent. Given that Europe had been at the origin of two world wars, the creation of such a body would be, he suggested, "a stupendous business". He returned to the idea during a well-known speech at the University of Zurich on 19 September 1946,[11][12] throwing the full weight of his considerable post-war prestige behind it. But there were many other statesmen and politicians across the continent, many of them members of the European Movement, who were quietly working towards the creation of the council. Some regarded it as a guarantee that the horrors of war could never again be visited on the continent, others came to see it as a "club of democracies", built around a set of common values that could stand as a bulwark against totalitarian states belonging to the Eastern Bloc. Others again saw it as a nascent "United States of Europe", the resonant phrase that Churchill had reached for at Zurich in 1946.
Session of the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly in the former House of Europe in Strasbourg in 1967. Willy Brandt, German Minister for Foreign Affairs, is speaking.
The future structure of the Council of Europe was discussed at the Congress of Europe which brought together several hundred leading politicians, government representatives and members of civil society in The Hague, Netherlands, in 1948. There were two competing schools of thought: some favoured a classical international organisation with representatives of governments, while others preferred a political forum with parliamentarians. Both approaches were finally combined through the creation of a Committee of Ministers (in which governments were represented) and a Consultative Assembly (in which parliaments were represented), the two main bodies mentioned in the Statute of the Council of Europe. This dual intergovernmental and inter-parliamentary structure was later copied for the European Communities, NATO and OSCE.
The Council of Europe was signed into existence on 5 May 1949 by the Treaty of London, the organisation's founding Statute which set out the three basic values that should guide its work: democracy, human rights and the rule of law. It was signed in London on that day by ten states: Belgium, Denmark, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom, though Turkey and Greece joined three months later. On 10 August 1949, 100 members of the council's Consultative Assembly, parliamentarians drawn from the twelve member nations, met in Strasbourg for its first plenary session, held over 18 sittings and lasting nearly a month. They debated how to reconcile and reconstruct a continent still reeling from war, yet already facing a new East–West divide, launched the concept of a trans-national court to protect the basic human rights of every citizen, and took the first steps in a process that would eventually lead to the creation of the European Union.
In August 1949, Paul-Henri Spaak resigned as Belgium's foreign minister in order to be elected as the first president of the assembly. Behind the scenes, he too had been quietly working towards the creation of the council, and played a key role in steering its early work. However, in December 1951, after nearly three years in the role, Spaak resigned in disappointment after the Assembly rejected proposals for a "European political authority".[13] Convinced that the Council of Europe was never going to be in a position to achieve his long-term goal of a unified Europe,[14] he soon tried again in a new and more promising format, based this time on economic integration, becoming one of the founders of the European Union.[15]
Early years[edit]
There was huge enthusiasm for the Council of Europe in its early years, as its pioneers set about drafting what was to become the European Convention on Human Rights, a charter of individual rights which – it was hoped – no member government could ever again violate. They drew, in part, on the tenets of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, signed only a few months earlier in Paris. But crucially, where the Universal Declaration was essentially aspirational, the European Convention from the beginning featured an enforcement mechanism - an international Court - which was to adjudicate on alleged violations of its articles and hold governments to account, a dramatic leap forward for international justice. Today, this is the European Court of Human Rights, whose rulings are binding on 47 European nations, the most far-reaching system of international justice anywhere in the world.
One of the council's first acts was to welcome West Germany into its fold on 2 May 1951,[16] setting a pattern of post-war reconciliation that was to become a hallmark of the council, and beginning a long process of "enlargement" which was to see the organisation grow from its original ten founding member states to the 47 nations that make up the Council of Europe today.[17] Iceland had already joined in 1950, followed in 1956 by Austria, Cyprus in 1961, Switzerland in 1963 and Malta in 1965.
Historic speeches at the Council of Europe[edit]
Winston Churchill's inaugural speech of the Council of Europe in The Hague
In 2018, an archive of all speeches made to the PACE by heads of state or government since the Council of Europe's creation in 1949 appeared online, the fruit of a two-year project entitled "Voices of Europe".[18] At the time of its launch,[19] the archive comprised 263 speeches delivered over a 70-year period by some 216 presidents, prime ministers, monarchs and religious leaders from 45 countries – though it continues to expand, as new speeches are added every few months.
Some very early speeches by individuals considered to be "founding figures" of the European institutions, even if they were not heads of state or government at the time, are also included (such as Sir Winston Churchill or Robert Schuman). Addresses by eight monarchs appear in the list (such as King Juan Carlos I of Spain, King Albert II of Belgium and Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg) as well as the speeches given by religious figures (such as Pope John Paul II, and Pope Francis) and several leaders from countries in the Middle East and North Africa (such as Shimon Peres, Yasser Arafat, Hosni Mubarak, Léopold Sédar Senghor or King Hussein of Jordan).
The full text of the speeches is given in both English and French, regardless of the original language used. The archive is searchable by country, by name, and chronologically.[20]
Aims and achievement[edit]
Article 1(a) of the Statute states that "The aim of the Council of Europe is to achieve a greater unity between its members for the purpose of safeguarding and realising the ideals and principles which are their common heritage and facilitating their economic and social progress."[21] Membership is open to all European states who seek harmony, cooperation, good governance and human rights, accepting the principle of the rule of law and are able and willing to guarantee democracy, fundamental human rights and freedoms.
Whereas the member states of the European Union transfer part of their national legislative and executive powers to the European Commission and the European Parliament, Council of Europe member states maintain their sovereignty but commit themselves through conventions/treaties (international law) and co-operate on the basis of common values and common political decisions. Those conventions and decisions are developed by the member states working together at the Council of Europe. Both organisations function as concentric circles around the common foundations for European co-operation and harmony, with the Council of Europe being the geographically wider circle. The European Union could be seen as the smaller circle with a much higher level of integration through the transfer of powers from the national to the EU level. "The Council of Europe and the European Union: different roles, shared values."[22] Council of Europe conventions/treaties are also open for signature to non-member states, thus facilitating equal co-operation with countries outside Europe.
The Council of Europe's most famous achievement is the European Convention on Human Rights, which was adopted in 1950 following a report by the PACE, and followed on from the United Nations 'Universal Declaration of Human Rights' (UDHR).[23] The Convention created the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. The Court supervises compliance with the European Convention on Human Rights and thus functions as the highest European court. It is to this court that Europeans can bring cases if they believe that a member country has violated their fundamental rights and freedoms.
The various activities and achievements of the Council of Europe can be found in detail on its official website. The Council of Europe works in the following areas:
Protection of the rule of law and fostering legal co-operation through some 200 conventions and other treaties,[24] including such leading instruments as the Convention on Cybercrime, the Convention on the Prevention of Terrorism, Conventions against Corruption and Organised Crime,[25][26][27] the Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, and the Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine.[24]
CODEXTER, designed to co-ordinate counter-terrorism measures
The European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ)
Protection of human rights, notably through:
the European Convention on Human Rights
the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture
the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance
the Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings[28]
the Convention for the protection of individuals with regard to automatic processing of personal data
the Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse[24]
The Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence.[29]
social rights under the European Social Charter
European Charter of Local Self-Government guaranteeing the political, administrative and financial independence of local authorities.
linguistic rights under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages
minority rights under the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities
Media freedom under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights and the European Convention on Transfrontier Television
Protection of democracy through parliamentary scrutiny and election monitoring by its Parliamentary Assembly as well as assistance in democratic reforms, in particular by the Venice Commission.
Promotion of cultural co-operation and diversity under the Council of Europe's Cultural Convention of 1954 and several conventions on the protection of cultural heritage as well as through its Centre for Modern Languages in Graz, Austria, and its North-South Centre in Lisbon, Portugal.
Promotion of the right to education under Article 2 of the first Protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights and several conventions on the recognition of university studies and diplomas (see also Bologna Process and Lisbon Recognition Convention).
Promotion of fair sport through the Anti-Doping Convention[30]
Promotion of European youth exchanges and co-operation through European Youth Centres in Strasbourg and Budapest, Hungary.
Promotion of the quality of medicines throughout Europe by the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines and its European Pharmacopoeia.
Support for intercultural integration through the Intercultural Cities (ICC) program. This program offers information and advice for local authorities on the integration of minorities and the prevention of discrimination.[31]
Institutions[edit]
Politics of the Council of Europe
President: Þórdís Kolbrún R. Gylfadóttir
President: Tiny Kox
European Congress
President: Leendert Verbeek
President: Robert Spano
Dunja Mijatović
European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice
European Commission against Racism and Intolerance
Convention on Human Rights
Convention on Cybercrime
Convention on the Prevention of Terrorism
Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings
Oviedo Convention
Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse
Istanbul Convention
Georgia (country)
Europe portal
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The institutions of the Council of Europe are:
The Secretary General, who is elected for a term of five years by the PACE and heads the Secretariat of the Council of Europe. Thorbjørn Jagland, the former Prime Minister of Norway, was elected Secretary General of the Council of Europe on 29 September 2009.[32] In June 2014, he became the first Secretary General to be re-elected, commencing his second term in office on 1 October 2014.[33]
The Committee of Ministers, comprising the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of all 47 member states who are represented by their Permanent Representatives and Ambassadors accredited to the Council of Europe. Committee of Ministers' presidencies are held in alphabetical order for six months following the English alphabet: Turkey 11/2010-05/2011, Ukraine 05/2011-11/2011, the United Kingdom 11/2011-05/2012, Albania 05/2012-11/2012, Andorra 11/2012-05/2013, Armenia 05/2013-11/2013, Austria 11/2013-05/2014, and so on.[34]
Council's Parliamentary Assembly hemicycle
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), which comprises national parliamentarians from all member states.[35] Adopting resolutions and recommendations to governments, the Assembly holds a dialogue with its governmental counterpart, the Committee of Ministers, and is often regarded as the "motor" of the organisation. The national parliamentary delegations to the Assembly must reflect the political spectrum of their national parliament, i.e. comprise government and opposition parties. The Assembly appoints members as rapporteurs with the mandate to prepare parliamentary reports on specific subjects. The British MP Sir David Maxwell-Fyfe was rapporteur for the drafting of the European Convention on Human Rights. Dick Marty's reports on secret CIA detentions and rendition flights in Europe became quite famous in 2006 and 2007. Other Assembly reports were instrumental in, for example, the abolition of the death penalty in Europe, highlighting the political and human rights situation in Chechnya, identifying who was responsible for disappeared persons in Belarus, chronicling threats to freedom of expression in the media and many other subjects.
The Congress of the Council of Europe (Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe), which was created in 1994 and comprises political representatives from local and regional authorities in all member states. The most influential instruments of the Council of Europe in this field are the European Charter of Local Self-Government of 1985 and the European Outline Convention on Transfrontier Co-operation between Territorial Communities or Authorities of 1980.[36][37]
The European Court of Human Rights, created under the European Convention on Human Rights of 1950, is composed of a judge from each member state elected for a single, non-renewable term of nine years by the PACE and is headed by the elected president of the court. The current president of the court is Guido Raimondi from Italy. Under the recent Protocol No. 14 to the European Convention on Human Rights, the Court's case-processing was reformed and streamlined. Ratification of Protocol No. 14 was delayed by Russia for a number of years, but won support to be passed in January 2010.[38]
The Commissioner for Human Rights is elected by the PACE for a non-renewable term of six years since the creation of this position in 1999. Since April 2018, this position has been held by Dunja Mijatović from Bosnia and Herzegovina.[39]
The Conference of INGOs.[40] NGOs can participate in the INGOs Conference of the Council of Europe. Since the [Resolution (2003)8] adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 19 November 2003, they are given a "participatory status".[41]
The Joint Council on Youth of the Council of Europe.[42] The European Steering Committee (CDEJ) on Youth and the Advisory Council on Youth (CCJ) of the Council of Europe form together the Joint Council on Youth (CMJ). The CDEJ brings together representatives of ministries or bodies responsible for youth matters from the 50 States Parties to the European Cultural Convention. The CDEJ fosters co-operation between governments in the youth sector and provides a framework for comparing national youth policies, exchanging best practices and drafting standard-setting texts. The Advisory Council on Youth comprises 30 representatives of non-governmental youth organisations and networks. It provides opinions and input from youth NGOs on all youth sector activities and ensures that young people are involved in the council's other activities.
Information Offices of the Council of Europe in many member states.
European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines.
The CoE system also includes a number of semi-autonomous structures known as "Partial Agreements", some of which are also open to non-member states:
The Council of Europe Development Bank in Paris
The European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines with its European Pharmacopoeia
The European Audiovisual Observatory
The European Support Fund Eurimages for the co-production and distribution of films
The Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes, which awards the certification "Cultural Route of the Council of Europe" to transnational networks promoting European heritage and intercultural dialogue (Luxembourg)
The Pompidou Group – Cooperation Group to Combat Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in Drugs
The European Commission for Democracy through Law, better known as the Venice Commission
The Group of States Against Corruption (GRECO)
The European and Mediterranean Major Hazards Agreement (EUR-OPA) which is a platform for co-operation between European and Southern Mediterranean countries in the field of major natural and technological disasters.
The Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport, which is open to accession by states and sport associations.[43]
The North-South Centre of the Council of Europe in Lisbon (Portugal)
The Centre for Modern Languages is in Graz (Austria)
Headquarters and buildings[edit]
See also: European Institutions in Strasbourg
Aerial shot of the Palais de l'Europe in Strasbourg
Council of Europe's Agora building
The seat of the Council of Europe is in Strasbourg, France. First meetings were held in Strasbourg's University Palace in 1949, but the Council of Europe soon moved into its own buildings. The Council of Europe's eight main buildings are situated in the Quartier européen, an area in the northeast of Strasbourg spread over the three districts of Le Wacken, La Robertsau and Quartier de l'Orangerie, where are also located the four buildings of the seat of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, the Arte headquarters and the seat of the International Institute of Human Rights.
Building in the area started in 1949 with the predecessor of the Palais de l'Europe, the House of Europe (demolished in 1977), and came to a provisional end in 2007 with the opening of the New General Office Building, later named "Agora", in 2008.[44] The Palais de l'Europe (Palace of Europe) and the Art Nouveau Villa Schutzenberger (seat of the European Audiovisual Observatory) are in the Orangerie district, and the European Court of Human Rights, the EDQM and the Agora Building are in the Robertsau district. The Agora building has been voted "best international business center real estate project of 2007" on 13 March 2008, at the MIPIM 2008.[45] The European Youth Centre is located in the Wacken district.
Besides its headquarters in Strasbourg, the Council of Europe is also present in other cities and countries. The Council of Europe Development Bank has its seat in Paris, the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe is established in Lisbon, Portugal, and the Centre for Modern Languages is in Graz, Austria. There are European Youth Centres in Budapest, Hungary, and in Strasbourg. The European Wergeland Centre, a new Resource Centre on education for intercultural dialogue, human rights and democratic citizenship, operated in cooperation with the Norwegian Government, opened in Oslo, Norway, in February 2009.[46]
The Council of Europe has external offices all over the European continent and beyond. There are four 'Programme Offices', namely in Ankara, Podgorica, Skopje, Venice. There are also 'Council of Europe Offices' in Baku, Belgrade, Chisinau, Kyiv, Paris, Pristina, Sarajevo, Tbilisi, Tirana, and Yerevan. Bucharest has a Council of Europe Office on Cybercrime. There are also Council of Europe Offices in non-European capital cities like Rabat and Tunis.[47]
Additionally, there are 4 "Council of Europe Liaison Offices", this includes:
Council of Europe Liaison Office in Brussels: The office is in charge of liaison with the European Union
Council of Europe Office in Geneva: Permanent Delegation of the Council of Europe to the United Nations Office and other international organisations in Geneva
Council of Europe Office in Vienna: The office is in charge of liaison with the OSCE, United Nations Office, and other international organisations in Vienna
Council of Europe Office in Warsaw: The office is in charge of liaison with other international organisations and institutions in Warsaw, in particular the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR)[48]
Member states, observers, partners[edit]
Main article: Member states of the Council of Europe
Eligibility[edit]
There are two main criteria for membership: geographic (Article 4 of the Council of Europe Statute specifies that membership is open to any "European" State) and political (Article 3 of the Statute states applying for membership must accept democratic values—"Every member of the Council of Europe must accept the principles of the rule of law and the enjoyment by all persons within its jurisdiction of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and collaborate sincerely and effectively in the realisation of the aim of the Council as specified in Chapter I").[49][50]
Since "Europe" is not defined in international law, the definition of "Europe" has been a question that has recurred during the CoE's history. Turkey was admitted in 1950, although it is a transcontinental state that lies mostly in Asia, with a smaller portion in Europe.[50] In 1994, the PACE adopted Recommendation 1247, which said that admission to the CoE should be "in principle open only to states whose national territory lies wholly or partly in Europe"; later, however, the Assembly extended eligibility to apply and be admitted to Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia.[50]
Member states and observers[edit]
The Council of Europe was founded on 5 May 1949 by Belgium, Denmark, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom.[51] Greece and Turkey joined 3 months later.[52][53][54][55] Iceland[56][57] West Germany and Saarland Protectorate joined the Council of Europe as associate members in 1950. West Germany became a full member in 1951, and the Saar withdrew its application after it joined West Germany following the 1955 Saar Statute referendum.[58][59] Joining later were Austria (1956), Cyprus (1961), Switzerland (1963), Malta (1965), and Portugal (1976).[50] Spain joined in 1977, two years after the death of its dictator Francisco Franco and the Spanish transition to democracy.[60] Next to join were Liechtenstein (1978), San Marino (1988) and Finland (1989).[50] After the fall of Communism with the Revolutions of 1989 and the collapse of the Soviet Union, the post-Soviet states in Europe that began democratization joined: Hungary (1990), Poland (1991), Bulgaria (1992), Estonia (1993), Lithuania (1993), Slovenia (1993), the Czech Republic (1993), Slovakia (1993), Romania (1993), Latvia (1995), Moldova (1995), Albania (1995), Ukraine (1995), the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (1995) (later renamed North Macedonia), Russia (1996, expelled 2022), Croatia (1996), Georgia (1999), Armenia (2001), Azerbaijan (2001), Bosnia and Herzegovina (2002) and Serbia and Montenegro (later Serbia) (2003).[50] Also joining were the small Western European nations of Andorra (1994) and Monaco (2004).[50] The Council now has 46 member states, with Montenegro (2007) being the latest to join.[61]
Although most Council members are predominantly Christian in heritage, there are three Muslim-majority member states: Turkey, Albania, and Azerbaijan.[50]
The CoE has granted some countries a status that allows them to participate in CoE activities without being full members. There are three types of nonmember status: associate member, special guest and observer.[50] Associate member status is no longer used.[50] "Special guest" status was used as a transitional status for post-Soviet countries that wished to join the council after the fall of the Berlin Wall, and is no longer commonly used.[50] "Observer" status is for non-European nations who accept democracy, rule of law, and human rights, and wish to participate in Council initiatives.[50] The United States became an observer state in 1995.[62] Currently, Canada, the Holy See, Japan, Mexico, and the United States are observer states, while Israel is an observer to the PACE.[61]
Withdrawal, suspension, and expulsion[edit]
Further information: Withdrawal from the Council of Europe
The Statute of the Council of Europe provides for the voluntary suspension, involuntary suspension, and exclusion of members.[63] Article 8 of the Statute provides that any member who has "seriously violated" Article 3 may be suspended from its rights of representation, and that the Committee of Ministers may request that such a member withdraw from the Council under Article 7. (The Statute does not define the "serious violation" phrase.[63] Under Article 8 of the Statute, if a member state fails to withdraw upon request, the Committee may terminate its membership, in consultation with the PACE.[63]
The Council suspended Greece in 1967, after a military coup d'état, and the Greek junta withdrew from the CoE.[63] Greece was readmitted to the council in 1974.[64]
Suspension and exclusion of Russia[edit]
Main article: Russia in the Council of Europe
Russia became a member of the Council of Europe in 1996. In 2014, after Russia invaded and annexed Crimea from Ukraine and supported separatists in eastern Ukraine, precipitating a bloody conflict, the Council stripped Russia of its voting rights in the PACE.[65] In response, Russia began to boycott the Assembly in 2016, and beginning in 2017 refused to pay its annual membership dues of 32.6 million euros (US$37.1 million) to the Council[65][66] placing the institution under financial strain.[67]
Russia claimed that its suspension by the council was unfair, and demanded the restoration of voting rights.[68] Russia had threatened to withdraw from the Council unless its voting rights were restored in time for the election of a new secretary general.[65] European Council secretary-general Thorbjørn Jagland organized a special committee to find a compromise with Russia in early 2018, a move that was criticized as giving in to alleged Russian pressure by Council members and academic observers, especially if voting sanctions were lifted.[67][68][69] In June 2019, the Council voted (on a 118–62 vote, with 10 abstentions) to restore Russia's voting rights in the council.[65][70] Opponents of lifting the suspension included Ukraine and other post-Soviet countries, such as Poland and the Baltic states, who argued that readmission amounted to normalizing Russia's malign activity.[65] Supporters of restoring Russia's council rights included France and Germany,[71] which argued that a Russian withdrawal from the council would be harmful because it would deprive Russian citizens of their ability to initiate cases in the European Court of Human Rights.[65]
On 3 March 2022, after Russia launched a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine, the council suspended Russia for violations of the council's statute and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The suspension blocked Russia from participation in the council's ministerial council, the PACE, and the Council of the Baltic Sea States, but still left Russia obligated to follow the ECHR.[71][72][73] On 15 March 2022, hours before the vote to expel the country, Russia initiated a voluntary withdrawal procedure from the council, delivering its formal desire to withdraw on 31 December 2022, and announced its intent to denounce the ECHR. However, on the same day, the council's Committee of Ministers decided Russia's membership in the council would be immediately terminated, and determined that Russia had been excluded from the Council instead under its exclusion mechanism rather than the withdrawal mechanism.[74] After being excluded from the Council of Europe, Russia's former president and prime minister Dmitry Medvedev endorsed restoring the death penalty in Russia.[75][76]
Co-operation[edit]
Non-member states[edit]
The Council of Europe works mainly through international treaties, usually called conventions in its system. By drafting conventions or international treaties, common legal standards are set for its member states. However, several conventions have also been opened for signature to non-member states. Important examples are the Convention on Cybercrime (signed for example, by Canada, Japan, South Africa and the United States), the Lisbon Recognition Convention on the recognition of study periods and degrees (signed for example, by Australia, Belarus, Canada, the Holy See, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, New Zealand and the United States), the Anti-doping Convention (signed, for example, by Australia, Belarus, Canada and Tunisia) and the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (signed for example, by Burkina Faso, Morocco, Tunisia and Senegal as well as the European Community). Non-member states also participate in several partial agreements, such as the Venice Commission, the Group of States Against Corruption (GRECO), the European Pharmacopoeia Commission and the North-South Centre.
Invitations to sign and ratify relevant conventions of the Council of Europe on a case-by-case basis are sent to three groups of non-member entities:[77]
Non-European states: Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mauritius, Morocco, New Zealand, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Senegal, South Africa, Syria, Tajikistan, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Uruguay, Venezuela and the observers Canada, Israel, Japan, Mexico, United States.
European states: Kosovo, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Russia and the observer Vatican City.
the European Community and later the European Union after its legal personality was established by the ratification of the EU's Lisbon Treaty.
European Union[edit]
Main article: Council of Europe–European Union relations
A clickable Euler diagram[file] showing the relationships between various multinational European organisations and agreements.
The Council of Europe is not to be confused with the Council of the European Union (the "Council of Ministers") or the European Council. These belong to the European Union, which is separate from the Council of Europe, although they have shared the same European flag and anthem since the 1980s since they both work for European integration. Nor is the Council of Europe to be confused with the European Union itself.
The Council of Europe is an entirely separate body[78] from the European Union. It is not controlled by it.
Cooperation between the European Union and the Council of Europe has recently been reinforced, notably on culture and education as well as on the international enforcement of justice and Human Rights.[79]
The European Union is expected to accede to the European Convention on Human Rights (the convention). There are also concerns about consistency in case law – the European Court of Justice (the EU's court in Luxembourg) is treating the convention as part of the legal system of all EU member states in order to prevent conflict between its judgements and those of the European Court of Human Rights (the court in Strasbourg interpreting the convention). Protocol No. 14 of the convention is designed to allow the EU to accede to it and the EU Treaty of Lisbon contains a protocol binding the EU to join. The EU would thus be subject to its human rights law and external monitoring as its member states currently are.[80][81]
Schools of Political Studies[edit]
The Council of Europe Schools of political studies were established to train future generations of political, economic, social and cultural leaders in countries in transition. With the participation of national and international experts, they run annual series of seminars and conferences on topics such as European integration, democracy, human rights, the rule of law and globalisation. The first School of Political Studies was created in Moscow in 1992. Since then, 20 other schools have been set up along the same lines and now form an Association;[82] a genuine network now covering the whole of Eastern and South-Eastern Europe and the Caucasus, as well as some countries in the Southern Mediterranean region. The Council of Europe Schools of political studies is part of the Education Department which is part of the Directorate of Democratic Participation within the Directorate General of Democracy ("DGII") of the Council of Europe.[83]
United Nations[edit]
The beginning of co-operation between the CoE and the UN started with the agreement signed by the Secretariats of these institutions on 15 December 1951. On 17 October 1989, the General Assembly of the United Nations approved a resolution on granting observer status to the Council of Europe which was proposed by several member states of the CoE.[84] Currently, the Council of Europe holds observer status with the United Nations and is regularly represented in the UN General Assembly. It has organised the regional UN conferences against racism and on women and co-operates with the United Nations at many levels, in particular in the areas of human rights, minorities, migration and counter-terrorism. In November 2016, the UN General Assembly adopted by consensus Resolution (A/Res/71/17) on Cooperation between the United Nations and the Council of Europe whereby it acknowledged the contribution of Council of Europe to the protection and strengthening of human rights and fundamental freedoms, democracy and the rule of law, welcomed the ongoing co-operation in a variety of fields.
Non-governmental organisations[edit]
Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) can participate in the INGOs Conference of the Council of Europe and become observers to inter-governmental committees of experts. The Council of Europe drafted the European Convention on the Recognition of the Legal Personality of International Non-Governmental Organisations in 1986, which sets the legal basis for the existence and work of NGOs in Europe. Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights protects the right to freedom of association, which is also a fundamental norm for NGOs. The rules for consultative status for INGOs appended to the resolution (93)38 "On relation between the Council of Europe and non-governmental organisations", adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 18 October 1993 at the 500th meeting of the Ministers' Deputies. On 19 November 2003, the Committee of Ministers changed the consultative status into a participatory status, "considering that it is indispensable that the rules governing the relations between the Council of Europe and NGOs evolve to reflect the active participation of international non-governmental organisations (INGOs) in the Organisation's policy and work programme".[85]
Others[edit]
On 30 May 2018, the Council of Europe signed a memorandum of understanding with the European football confederation UEFA.[86]
The Council of Europe also signed an agreement with FIFA in which the two agreed to strengthen future cooperation in areas of common interests. The deal which included cooperation between member states in the sport of football and safety and security at football matches was finalized in October 2018.[87]
Characteristics[edit]
Privileges and immunities[edit]
The General Agreement on Privileges and Immunities of the Council of Europe grants the organisation certain privileges and immunities.[88]
The working conditions of staff are governed by the council's staff regulations, which are public.[89] Salaries and emoluments paid by the Council of Europe to its officials are tax-exempt on the basis of Article 18 of the General Agreement on Privileges and Immunities of the Council of Europe.[88]
Symbol and anthem[edit]
Main articles: Symbols of Europe and Flag of Europe
The Council of Europe created, and has since 1955 used as its official symbol, the European Flag with 12 golden stars arranged in a circle on a blue background.
Its musical anthem since 1972, the "European anthem", is based on the "Ode to Joy" theme from Ludwig van Beethoven's ninth symphony.
On 5 May 1964, the 15th anniversary of its founding, the Council of Europe established 5 May as Europe Day.[90]
The wide private and public use of the European Flag is encouraged to symbolise a European dimension. To avoid confusion with the European Union which subsequently adopted the same flag in the 1980s, as well as other European institutions, the Council of Europe often uses a modified version with a lower-case "e" surrounding the stars which are referred to as the "Council of Europe Logo".[90][91]
Criticism and controversies[edit]
The Council of Europe has been accused of not having any meaningful purpose, being superfluous in its aims to other pan-European bodies, including the European Union and OSCE.[92][93] In 2013 The Economist agreed, saying that the "Council of Europe's credibility is on the line".[94] Both Human Rights Watch and the European Stability Initiative have called on the Council of Europe to undertake concrete actions to show that it is willing and able to return to its "original mission to protect and ensure human rights".[95]
In October 2022, a new and different Pan-European meeting of 44 states was held, as the "inaugural summit of the European Political Community", a new forum largely organized by French President Emmanuel Macron. The Council of Europe, sidelined, reportedly was "perplexed" with this development, with a spokesperson stating "In the field of human rights, democracy and the rule of law, such a pan-European community already exists: it is the Council of Europe."[96] A feature of the new forum is that Russia and Belarus are deliberately excluded,[96] but that does not immediately explain the need for a different entity, Russia is no longer a member of the Council of Europe and Belarus only participates partially, as a non-member.
"Caviar diplomacy" scandal[edit]
See also: Azerbaijani laundromat
After Azerbaijan joined the CoE in 2001, both the Council and its Parliamentary Assembly were criticized for having a weak response to election rigging and human rights violations in Azerbaijan.[97] The Human Rights Watch criticized the Council of Europe in 2014 for allowing Azerbaijan to assume the six-month rotating chairmanship of the council's Committee of Ministers, writing that the Azeri government's repression of human rights defenders, dissidents, and journalists "shows sheer contempt for its commitments to the Council of Europe".[98] An internal inquiry was set up in 2017 amid allegations of bribery by Azerbajian government officials and criticism of "caviar diplomacy at the Council.[99][100] A 219-page report was issued in 2018 after a ten-month investigation.[97] It concluded that several members of the Parliamentary Assembly broke CoE ethical rules and were "strongly suspected" of corruption; it strongly criticized former Parliamentary Assembly president Pedro Agramunt and suggested that he had engaged in "corruptive activities" before his resignation under pressure in 2017.[97] The inquiry also named Italian member Luca Volontè as a suspect in "activities of a corruptive nature".[97] Volontè was investigated by Italian police and accused by Italian prosecutors in 2017 of receiving over 2.39 million euros in bribes in exchange for working for Azerbaijan in the parliamentary assembly, and that in 2013 he played a key role in orchestrating the defeat of a highly critical report on the abuse of political prisoners in Azerbaijan.[99][100][101] In 2021, Volontè was convicted of accepting bribes from Azerbaijani officials to water down critiques of the nation's human rights record, and he was sentenced by a court in Milan to four years in prison.[102]
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Footnotes[edit]
^ a b c Transcontinental country straddling both Europe and Asia.
^ Depending on varying geographic definitions, some member states or portions thereof may be considered transcontinental or Eurasian (Armenia, Azerbaijan,[a] Cyprus, Georgia[a] and Turkey[a]), or belonging to the Americas (Dutch Caribbean, French Guiana, and Greenland), Oceania (French Polynesia), and Africa (Canary Islands, Ceuta, Mayotte, Melilla, and Réunion)
^ "Did you know?". Retrieved 1 November 2022. English and French are the official languages of the Council of Europe.
^ "BBC News - Profile: The Council of Europe". news.bbc.co.uk.
^ Council of Europe, Budget, Retrieved: 21 April 2016
^ "The European flag - The Council of Europe in brief - publi.coe.int". The Council of Europe in brief. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
^ "The European anthem - The Council of Europe in brief - publi.coe.int". The Council of Europe in brief. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
^ "Do not get confused - The Council of Europe in brief - publi.coe.int". The Council of Europe in brief. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
^ "Intergovernmental Organizations". www.un.org.
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^ "National Address". International Churchill Society. 21 March 1943.
^ "Post-War Councils on World Problems: A FOUR YEAR PLAN FOR ENGLAND by WINSTON CHURCHILL, Prime Minister of Great Britain, broadcast from London over BBC, March 21, 1943".
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^ "All speeches by heads of state and government to PACE since 1949 online". Assembly.coe.int. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
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^ "Details of Treaty No.135: Anti-Doping Convention". Treaty Office. Council of Europe.
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^ "In brief". Congress
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^ "History". Congress
^ "Full list (Chart of signatures and ratifications of Treaty 194)". Treaty Office. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
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^ "About us". Coe.int. 14 February 2011. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
^ "Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport". Council of Europe.
^ "Inauguration of the Agora Building" (PDF) (Press release) (in French). Council of Europe. 30 January 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 May 2008.
^ "2008 List of MIPIM winners".
^ "European Wergeland Centre". Archived from the original on 18 April 2009.
^ "List of external offices". Office of the Directorate General of Programmes. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
^ "Statute of the Council of Europe, London, 5.V.1949". Council of Europe.
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^ "Statute of the Council of Europe is signed in London". Council of Europe. Retrieved 23 June 2019. On 5 May 1949, at St James's Palace, London, the Foreign Ministers of Belgium, Denmark, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom signed the Treaty establishing the Council of Europe.
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^ "Turkey – Member state". Council of Europe. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
^ "Turkey". Council of Europe. Retrieved 23 June 2019. and Greece
^ "Greece – Member state". Council of Europe. Retrieved 23 June 2019. Greece and Turkey became the 11th and 12th member State of the Council of Europe on 9 August 1949.
^ "Iceland joins". Council of Europe. Retrieved 23 June 2019. .
^ "Iceland – Member state". Council of Europe. Retrieved 23 June 2019. Iceland became the 13th member State of the Council of Europe on 7 March 1950.
^ "13 July 1950: Federal Republic of Germany joins the Council of Europe". Council of Europe.
^ Lansing Warren (3 May 1951), "Council of Europe Raises Bonn To the Status of a Full Member", The New York Times.
^ Carlos Lopez (2010), "Franco's Spain and the Council of Europe", Archived 11 March 2021 at the Wayback Machine, Centre virtuel de la connaissance sur l'Europe.
^ a b 46 "Member States", Council of Europe.
^ "United States // Observer", Council of Europe.
^ a b c d Kanstantsin Dzehtsiarou & Donal K. Coffey, Suspension and expulsion of members of the Council of Europe: difficult decisions in troubled times, International & Comparative Law Quarterly, Vol. 68, Issue 2 (2019).
^ Vasilopoulou, Sofia. (2018) The party politics of Euroscepticism in times of crisis: The case of Greece. Politics, 38. DOI: 10.1177/0263395718770599.
^ a b c d e f Steven Erlanger, Council of Europe Restores Russia's Voting Rights, New York Times (June 25, 2019).
^ Russia cancels payment to Council of Europe after claiming its delegates are being persecuted over Crimea, The Independent. 30 June 2017
^ a b "Russia withholds payments to the Council of Europe". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
^ a b Buckley, Neil (26 November 2017). "Russia tests Council of Europe in push to regain vote". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 10 December 2022.
^ "A Classic Dilemma: Russia's Threat to Withdraw from the Council of Europe". Heinrich Böll Stiftung European Union. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
^ Weise, Zia (17 May 2019). "Council of Europe restores Russia's voting rights". POLITICO. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
^ a b Steven Erlanger, The Council of Europe suspends Russia for its attack on Ukraine., New York Times (March 3, 2022).
^ Pooja Mehta, Russia withdraws from Council of Europe, JURIST (March 12, 2022).
^ "Council of Europe suspends Russia's rights of representation". COE. 25 February 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
^ "The Russian Federation is excluded from the Council of Europe" (Press release). Council of Europe. 16 March 2022.
^ "Russia Quits Europe's Rule of Law Body, Sparking Questions Over Death Penalty". The Moscow Times. 10 March 2022. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
^ Nilsen, Thomas. "Dmitry Medvedev vows to reintroduce death penalty". The Independent Barents Observer. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
^ "CoE Conventions". Conventions.coe.int. 31 December 1998. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
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^ "The Council of Europe and the European Union sign an agreement to foster mutual cooperation". Council of Europe. 23 May 2007. Retrieved 5 August 2008.
^ Juncker, Jean-Claude (2006). "Council of Europe – European Union: "A sole ambition for the European continent"" (PDF). Council of Europe. Archived (PDF) from the original on 10 October 2022. Retrieved 5 August 2008.
^ "Draft treaty modifying the treaty on the European Union and the treaty establishing the European community" (PDF). Open Europe. 24 July 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 August 2007. Retrieved 5 August 2008.
^ "Home". Schoolsofpoliticalstudies.eu. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
^ "Schools of Political Studies". Coe.int. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
^ "The Council of Europe's Relations with the United Nations". www.coe.int. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
^ "COUNCIL OF EUROPE COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS Resolution Res(2003)8 Participatory status for international non-governmental organisations with the Council of Europe (Adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 19 November 2003 at the 861st meeting of the Ministers' Deputies)". wcd.coe.int. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
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^ a b General Agreement on Privileges and Immunities of the Council of Europe, Council of Europe
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^ "Azerbaijan and the Council of Europe". The Economist. 23 March 2013. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 26 October 2022. {{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
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Guerrieri, Sandro (2014). "From the Hague Congress to the Council of Europe: Hopes, achievements and disappointments in the parliamentary way to European integration (1948–51)". Parliaments, Estates and Representation. 34 (2): 216–227. doi:10.1080/02606755.2014.952133. S2CID 142610321.
Kopf, Susanne. Debating the European Union Transnationally: Wikipedians' Construction of the EU on a Wikipedia Talk Page (2001–2015). (PhD dissertation Lancaster University, 2018)online.
Moravcsik, Andrew. The Choice for Europe: Social Purpose and State Power from Messina to Maastricht (Cornell UP, 1998). ISBN 9780801435096. OCLC 925023272.
Stone, Dan. Goodbye to All That?: The Story of Europe Since 1945 (Oxford UP, 2014).
Urwin, Derek W. (2014). The Community of Europe. doi:10.4324/9781315843650. ISBN 9781315843650.
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text:
Q: how to move to another activity without clicking anything in android studio how to make an empty activity stay onscreen for just 5 seconds and then automatically proceed to the next activity. I just want the first activity to show a loading icon and after few seconds it should automatically proceed to the next activity.

A: Let's say you want to move from the current activity(splash) to MainActivity after 3 seconds represented as 3000 in ms. U run this piece of code inside your onCreate method
Kotlin
Handler().postDelayed({
        startActivity(Intent(this, MainActivity::class.java))
        finish()
    }, 3000)

Java
 new Handler().postDelayed(() -> {
        startActivity(new Intent(this, MainActivity.class));
        finish();
    }, 3000);

A: Use a hadler defining the source and target activity, you can define the time to open the target Activity for 5 seconds define 5000 milliseconds
private int FIVE_SECONDS = 5000;

...
...

new Handler().postDelayed(() -> {
        startActivity(new Intent(<Source Activity>.this, <Target Activity>.class));
        finish();//Use this if you want to finish the currrent Activity
    }, FIVE_SECONDS);

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


A group of students from Bournemouth & Poole College are taking on Europe's largest mountain plateau as part of a T-Levels pilot scheme.
Twelve first and second year Uniformed Public Services (UPS) students are set to travel across the Hardangervidda plateau and glacier in Norway from Friday, March 29 to Sunday, April 7.
The expedition aims to fulfil part of a 45-day work placement that some of the students must undertake during their year-long study programme, which is trialling T-Levels ahead of the new qualification's introduction to schools and colleges across the UK in 2020.
During the challenge, the students will be supported by two serving Royal Marines and two members of staff from Bournemouth & Poole College. Steve Perry, a former Royal Marine who is the Learning Manager of Sport, Uniformed Public Services and Access at the College, and Alan Card, a Uniformed Public Services lecturer, will also accompany the students on the trip.
The students will be travelling across the mountain plateau, which covers an area of approximately 10,000 sq metres, on skis in winter conditions using the original route followed by the Special Operations Executive during the Second World War. In preparation for the challenge, the students took part in a residential trip to the Scottish Highlands, where they undertook mountain walks and honed their skiing skills at a snowdome. The group will spend the first two days of the trip in Norway training with cross country skiing equipment before they begin the expedition.
Alan went on to say that the Uniformed Public Services team firmly believe in the value of outdoor activities to help the students to develop their leadership and teamwork skills, as well as helping them to lead a normal, active lifestyle.
For more information, go to thecollege.co.uk/ups or call 01202 205205.


Haris Vlavianos was born in Rome in 1957. He studied Economics and Philosophy at the University of Bristol and Political science and History at the University of Oxford, but language, heritage, and his present home make him a Greek author.
Readers with an interest in the field cannot fail to notice Vlavianos's interest in the poetry of classic contemporary Greek writers such as Konstantinos Cavafis, George Seferis, and Nikos Karousos. Parallels between his verse and the work of American language poets he has translated like Wallace Stevens and John Ashbery are just as evident. Vlavianos is always able to maintain a balance between abstraction and sensuality, between rational reflection and creating a suggestive atmosphere. A frequent theme of Vlavianos's poetry is history (both as a concept and as a sequence of events). Vlavianos's poems usually deal with the twists and turns in his family's fortunes, which he consciously treats as archetypical examples of emotional dependency, loss, or betrayal. Eroticism and love, on the other hand, appear in his work both in their ambivalence and as the elemental root of happiness. Poetry itself and its endangered status are also a source of inspiration for Vlavianos. Some of his poems refer directly to current philosophical discourse. Haris Vlavianos expresses himself in a rare elegance of language, combining a basic commitment to formal transparency with a few selectively used syntactical and lexical violations. The sound of this language, despite the structural variety in Vlavianos's verse, gives the reader the impression of reading a stylistically unified body of work. Perhaps this special tone best attests to Vlavianos's qualitative enrichment of European poetry. To date, Vlavianos has written twelve books of poetry, »O aggelos tis istorias« (1999; tr: The angel of history) and »Meta to telos tis omorphias« (2003; tr: After the end of beauty), both nominated for the Greek National Prize. He has also published essays and numerous translations, most notably of American and European poets, like T.S. Eliot, Ezra Pound, e. e. cummings, Anne Carson, Fernando Pessoa, Zbigniew Herbert and William Blake). Despite the title of his collection of essays, »Poion aphora he poiese? Skepseis gia mia techne peritte« (2007; tr: Does poetry matter? Thoughts on a useless art), he has remained true to poetry with »Diakopes stin pragmatikotita« (2010; tr: Vacation in reality) and »Sonneta tis symforas« (2012; tr. Sonnets of despair). He has recently published an autobiographical novel entitled »To aima nero« (2014; tr: Blood into water) to great public acclaim.
Haris Vlavianos lives in Athens, where he teaches History and History of Ideas at the American College of Greece and Creative Writing at Patakis. He is the publisher of the acclaimed literary journal »Poiitiki« (Poetics).


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Q: What name should I be using for heroku postgres DB? In the UI, I note that there are effectively two names of the db. Which one should I be using when trying to make a connection?
This main one:

And then this one under the credentials section:

A: You should navigate to Settings in your Heroku account and use the value defined in the DATABASE_URL env var.


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#bentgate: Apple iPhone 6 Plus owners complain that their handsets are 'bending'
By Andy Weir Senior News Editor Neowin @gcaweir · Sep 23, 2014 12:16 EDT · Hot! with 197 comments
First, there was 'Antennagate', as iPhone 4 users found a noticeable drop in signal strength when touching the lower-left corner of their handset, leading Apple to tell its customers that they were holding the device the wrong way. Then came 'Scuffgate', as iPhone 5 users complained that it was all too easy to scratch that device's aluminium bodywork.
Now, with the launch of Apple's latest handsets, comes 'Bentgate'. A handful of users - so far, at least - have complained that their iPhone 6 Plus handsets are 'bending', without significant force being exerted upon them.
Several of these reports have come from users on the MacRumors forums. One user, 'hanzoh', said that his handset had been in his front trouser pocket for much of the day, which involved sitting while on a long drive and at a wedding, where he also danced. By the end of the day, when he placed his 6 Plus on his coffee table, he noticed that the device had bent slightly towards the top.
Another user, 'DevinPitcher' reported the same problem, again noting that it had been in his friend's front pocket while driving, and that it had warped by the time he removed it from his pocket later.
Similar reports are starting to emerge elsewhere too. Macbidouille.com reported on one user whose iPhone 6 - not a 6 Plus - suffered the same fate after being in the pocket of his jeans. He contacted Apple to report the issue, and claims that he was told that it would cost €297 EUR (roughly $380 USD) to repair the damage.
So how significant is this problem? Well, let's keep things in perspective - the number of users that have so far complained about this issue publicly is very small indeed, especially against the backdrop of the millions of devices sold in the last few days. That may change, of course, as users spend more time with their new handsets.
It's worth remembering that aluminium, used in the chassis of the iPhone 6, is certainly strong, but it is also malleable, which makes it susceptible to deformation under compression. And since the iPhone 6 Plus has such a large surface area, but remains relatively thin, it naturally follows that the device has less structural rigidity than a smaller, thicker handset. That said, even the iPhone 5 and 5s had their share of complaints about those devices 'bending', so this isn't an entirely new development.
#Bentgate? Wäre mit dem LG G Flex nicht passiert ;-) http://t.co/okCKnB38JF pic.twitter.com/aFa3f0Wq22
— LG Electronics (@LGBlog) September 22, 2014
Nonetheless, Apple's rivals have already begun having a bit of fun at its expense. A tweet from LG Deutschland, for example - showing the company's curved G Flex handset - includes the #bentgate hashtag, and the slightly smug message: "It wouldn't have happened with the LG G Flex."
Image credits: 1-3) MacRumors forums; 4) Macbidouille.com
Bentgate
Samsung gives up on Windows laptops and Chromebooks in Europe
Jolla phone launches in India, available exclusively via Snapdeal for Rs.16,499
Apple releases new betas for iOS 13.3.1, macOS 10.15.3, watchOS 6.1.2, and tvOS 13.3.1
Apple is apparently working on a Pro Mode for MacBooks to make them faster
Apple's 2020 iPhones might come with both sub-6 and mmWave 5G
TechBargains: Samsung 860 EVO 1TB only $119, 15% off iPad 10.2-inch, $250 off 13" MacBook Pro
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Q: How would winning a Stanley Cup compare to the gold medal?
were two weeks. At the same time, it means so much for a lot of people and the whole country. You want both. It's hard to choose.
Q: How crazy was it after you won the gold medal?
Q: What was it like when you brought it home to Stockholm?
30,000 or 40,000 people waiting for us.
Q: Where is the gold medal?
A: In a glass box.
Q: Describe what you're like on game day.
A: Very serious. I'm focused the whole day.
Q: Do you play better angry?
Q: Even during the game you're angry?
A: Yeah. My game is built on being very aggressive. When I'm a little bit angry I play better.
Q: So during a game, when you're in goal, do you actually hate the other team?
during the game. I try to build up an opponent that's not gonna beat us, I'm gonna beat them. So I want to be a bit … angry (chuckles).
Q: How do you cope with the pressure as a goalie?
A: I didn't see him play much, but the things I remember are his quick feet. He was so fast from side to side.
small pads, and he's very quick.
Q: What's so great about New York City?
A: The support. They're really into the sport, and they know a lot about hockey. It's fun to play here.
Q: What do you feel inside when they chant your name?
very excited to play and you want to perform even better, you want to play your best and win, because you know they will really appreciate it.
Q: One thing you wish you could change about yourself?
A: Loosen up a little bit on game day (laughs).
Q: What makes Jagr so good?
A: He's so strong with the puck. When you watch him play, the guys can't really reach the puck because he's so strong and uses his body so well to cover it.
And he makes the players around him very good.
Q: Your girlfriend (Therese) cooks for you.
A: She's probably the most caring person I know.
Q: Any thoughts of marriage?
A: Not yet. In Sweden, we're not that fast as you guys over here.
A: I competed in skiing when I was young. I grew up in a ski village and my dad was a ski instructor. Me and my brother competed in downhill.
Q: The best place to shop in New York?
A: I like to be down in SoHo and walk around there.
A: Stanley Cup would be nice. Stay healthy for the rest of my life (chuckles). Endless amount of money (smiles).
Q: Favorite athlete outside hockey?
A: Tiger Woods. Just the way he's so professional in everything he does.
A: My first idol was a Swedish goalie, Peter Lindmark. When I got older I started to watch more and more NHL and it was Patrick Roy and Dominic Hasek.
Q: What are your memories about the '94 Olympics?
A: Forsberg's penalty shot and Tommy Salo's save.
Q: Did you always want to be a goalie?
A: I had my twin brother back in Sweden. Someone had to be in the net when we played on the street and usually it was me.
A: Keep both feet on the ground.
A: Sea bass at Tao.
A: The best food … Nobu. But I like the atmosphere at Tao. Some nights it's more easygoing. Some nights it's more like a nightclub and restaurant.
Q: What would you say to Ranger fans?


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Holland & Hausberger is an innovative South African chemical process engineering company that is developing and rolling out small, medium, and large scale, distributed energy solutions internationally. These focus on sustainable, environmentally responsible combined primary energy and power solutions on an affordable and scalable basis.
In order to sustain ongoing economic growth, throughout the world, but in particular in developing nations, it is necessary to provide the dual primary energy inputs of electricity and transportation fuels. This supports the environmental and social initiatives to move populations away from such inefficient and dirty energy sources as charcoal to electrification.
Innovative chemical process engineering company
Due to their flexible scale of operation, our technologies are able to competitively use, as feedstock, such waste materials as natural gas flares, run-of-mill coal fines, biomass, as well as more conventional carbon sources such as coal bed methane or natural gas. This assists in, simultaneously, addressing the environmental concerns associated with such wastes, as well as converting them to valuable products.
H&H offers solutions that address the need to construct a foundation of fuel and energy provision on an economically affordable scale, without the parallel requirement of excessive infrastructure development, for the distribution of the product power and fuel. The company works from its unique perspective of understanding and meeting the requirements of governments and populations of developing nations in this critical sector. This approach has garnered the interest of multiple countries ranging from Sub-Saharan Africa to Russia, with similar interest in small scale biomass applications throughout Europe.
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As a lover of all things art, TAE enjoys sharing inspiring things from all over the world, from artists of all ages. For today's post, I want to feature a 14-year-old phenom named Zev, who uses the moniker Fiddle Oak. He's a budding young photographer that combines portraits with macro shots, creating surreal images we can only find in the depths of our imaginations.
Zev started taking photography seriously at age eight (Wow, right?) and started playing around with Photoshop around the same time. His sister Nellie is just as talented, and she helps Zev with concepts and setting things up in addition to her own photography. Maybe we'll feature her next time. Meanwhile, take a look at some of the TAE favs from Zev's extensive portfolio.
I'll be on the lookout for this kid – his skills are just so great, and it would be fascinating to watch his style get even better as days pass.
If you want to look at his entire Flickr portfolio, click here.


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Japanese restaurant says 'Konnichiwa' to Black Mountain
Special to Black Mountain News
Residents of Black Mountain can now find a taste of modern Japanese street food, thanks to a new restaurant.
Konnichiwa, owned by Justin Caraway, is one of the latest entries on Black Mountain's list of eateries. Although the restaurant has been open to the public for several weeks, Caraway, joined by Head Chef Keith Carter, will soon be hosting a grand opening for the public.
The duo has crafted a unique dining experience unlike any other in the area. Wall decals displaying Tokyo skylines and bustling Japanese streets trim the main room of the restaurant while the interior emulates the modern, yet minimalist, aesthetic customary to Japanese culture.
The menu, as described by Caraway and Carter, consists predominantly of Japanese street food, accompanied by traditional options and a build-it-yourself "creation station" in which the patron may build their own meal by selecting from meat, rice, vegetable and flavor categories.
A sushi bar, operated by Carter, will soon be added to the restaurant.
"Everything we offer on the menu will be prepared in-house and from scratch, Carraway said. "We simply want to honor the sophisticated cuisine in a setting accurately depicting Japanese culture.
The inspiration for Konnichiwa, which derives its name from a traditional Japanese greeting, came from Caraway and Carter's shared appreciation for the country's cuisine and values. As a previous apprentice for a sushi chef, Carter grew to admire the emphasis his mentor placed on the preparation of food.
"In Japanese culture, there is much care put into the craft of cooking, and they practice perfection yet minimalism" Carter said.
Caraway grew up watching anime films and his curiosity and fondness for the Asian region grew to be a passion, which ultimately manifested in his first business venture —Konnichiwa.
Although still relatively new to the local food scene, Caraway and Carter are already excited for the future of the restaurant, which features an atmosphere to match its authentic cuisine. The eatery will offer a delivery service through Chow Now, a user-friendly app which will allow customers to order directly from their phone. Equally convenient, the duo hopes to expand Konnichiwa into a catering service, offering a portable sushi bar and sake pairing flights.
The owner plans to announce the grand opening in the coming weeks.


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Corporate Law+ | More Evidence of the End For Wet Ink? Victoria Becomes First State to Make Pandemic Reforms Permanent
Annika Drego
In April, the Victorian government introduced the Justice Legislation Amendment (System Enhancements and Other Matters) Act 2021 (Vic) ('Vic Amending Act'), which permanently adopts a number of temporary reforms implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Act amends Victorian legislation, including the Electronic Transactions (Victoria) Act 2000 and the Oaths and Affirmations Act 2018 (Vic), to allow for electronic signing and remote witnessing of legal documents.
In addition, Victorian courts and the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal now have the power to determine any civil matter or proceeding entirely on the basis of written submissions, without the need for an oral hearing.
Victoria is the first Australian state to enact permanent legislation to accommodate electronic signatures and witnessing. This is a welcome reform in the post-COVID world, and it reflects a growing trend towards electronic and cloud-based documents. The days of printing and signing in 'wet ink', and physical co-location of the signatory with the witness, may well be numbered in Australia. However it is noteworthy that the Victorian reforms do not cover documents signed by two officers of a company in reliance on the statutory presumptions under section 129(5) of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth).
What are the changes?
1. Electronic signing of documents
The Vic Amending Act permits most legal documents to be signed electronically. An electronic signature can include e-signatures or electronically selecting a check-box. For an electronic signature to be valid, all recipients of the document must consent to an electronic signature being used.
Where multiple signatures are required to execute a document, there is no requirement for all signatures to appear on the same copy of the document. Statutory declarations can be electronically signed by both the signatory and the witness.
The amended Electronic Transactions (Victoria) Act also enables deeds to be created, signed, sealed and delivered using electronic means. Mortgages can also be produced in electronic form.
2. Execution of documents under the Corporations Act
The Vic Amending Act does not extend to company documents that are executed under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth). Notworthy amongst these are documents signed by two officers under section 127, which are subject to the presumption that the document has been validly signed under section 129(5). These documents are subject to the Treasury Laws Amendment (2021 Measures No. 1) Act 2021 (Cth), which temporarily permits documents to be signed using electronic signatures and executed separately. These measures are due to expire on 1 April 2022, but the Australian government has indicated it will enact permanent changes later this year.
You can read more about these changes here.
3. Witnessing by audio-visual link
The Vic Amending Act also permits the remote witnessing of documents using an audio-visual link. For most types of documents, this means that a witness does not need to be physically present to witness a signature. These documents include contracts, agreements, declarations, deeds and wills. There is also no requirement that the remote witness be physically located within Victoria. Examples of how documents can be witnessed include popular video conferencing platforms such as Zoom, Skype and Microsoft Teams.
For remote witnessing to be valid, the following requirements must be satisfied:
(a) the witness observed the signatory signing the document;
(b) the witness is reasonably satisfied that they signed the same document as the signatory;
(c) the signatory and the witness signed the document on the same day; and
(d) the witness included a statement indicating that the above legal requirements have been met.
4. Remote hearings "in the interests of justice"
Interestingly, the Vic Amending Act also enables Victorian courts to determine civil matters entirely on the basis of written submissions, without the need for an oral hearing. The court must be satisfied that it is "in the interests of justice" to forgo a hearing.
In determining the interests of justice question, the court must consider the following:
(a) the nature of the matter;
(b) whether the right to a fair hearing is obstructed by conducting the hearing on the basis of written submissions alone;
(c) whether the parties have had the opportunity to obtain legal advice; and
(d) whether the parties consent to the court determining the matter remotely (though a court can still decide to determine a matter on written submissions if the parties do not consent).
The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal also has the power to conduct proceedings without hearing oral submissions unless a party makes a reasonable objection.
What about the other states?
Victoria has led the way in Australia by making permanent changes to its legislation to accept electronic signatures and remote witnessing.
It is yet to be seen whether Australia's other states and territories will make their temporary pandemic relief measures permanent. New South Wales, Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland have temporarily amended their Electronic Transactions legislation to permit electronic signatures and remote witnessing. Western Australia's temporary relief lapses on 31 December 2021, and New South Wales' relief is due to end the following day. South Australia and Queensland's temporary relief is due to expire at the end of September 2021.
The Victorian Act etches in stone a number of forward-thinking reforms that provide greater flexibility in an increasingly digital world. If you require corporate legal advice with respect to digital corporate law reforms in Australia please contact us below.


We want getting help to be as simple as possible. You may be concerned about a relative or friend who needs help. Or you may have agreed to help set up counseling.
We have prepared two flyers to explain how to get started. If you already set up an appointment, click Print & Complete These Forms and have your friend or relative follow the instructions for each form.
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Manfish (February 1, 1956)
Released on February 1, 1956: Three men search for and find the pirate treasure of Jean Lafitte off the coast of Jamaica, and then the greed of one man leads to murder.
Produced by W. Lee Wilder
Directed by W. Lee Wilder
Written by Edgar Allan Poe with screenplay by Myles Wilder and Joel Murcott
The Actors: John Bromfield (Captain Frank Brannigan), Lon Chaney Jr. (First Mate Swede), Victor Jory (Professor Walter Fenton), Barbara Nichols (saloon singer Mimi), Tessa Prendergast (Alita, island girl), Eric Coverly (Police Chief Chavez), Vincent Chang (Domingo), Theodore Purcell (Big Boy), Vere Johns (Bianco), Jack Lewis (Scotland Yard Inspector Frank Warren), Arnold Shanks (Aleppo), Clyde Hoyte (Calypso)
Free Download of the classic movie Manfish
Manfish-1956.mp4 (598mb - 720x526)
Manfish-1956-720p.mp4 (1.6gb - 986x720)
Pirate Treasure and Island Girls
This story appears to be about a couple of easy going Jamaican men and a couple of Island girls, and the hidden treasure of legendary pirate Jean Lafitte . . . But in a surprising twist, it turns into an Edgar Allan Poe thriller. John Bromfield is Captain Brannigan, a hard drinking, card playing owner of the Manfish, a small boat that catches turtles off the coast of Jamaica. Lon Chaney Jr. is Swede, his first mate, and together they discover a chest of gold with the help of a British criminal known as the Professor, played by Victor Jory. Barbara Nichols, famous pin-up girl and cheesecake magazine model in the 1940's is a saloon singer who has a thing going with Brannigan. Jamaican born Tessa Prendergast is the Island girl who loves whichever man has the best chance to make her wealthy. Tessa came from a wealthy Kingston, Jamaica family and also used her exotic beauty to make men wild. After her wild-oats years she became a clothing designer and created the wardrobe for Ursula Andress in the James Bond movie "Dr. No" and her design for the scandalous bikini that Ursula Andress wore not only made Ursula Andress an instant movie star, but changed bathing suit design . . . . OK . . . . Now we have a cool pirate treasure hunt with interesting actors, but just as we are getting into the pace of the island adventure everything changes, as the plot takes a wild left turn. The professor, after promising to kill Brannigan in one of the first scenes of the movie, keeps his promise and murders Brannigan . . . . And then, my friends, the story gets very, very interesting. Edgar Allan Poe fans that remember "The Tell-Tale Heart" will enjoy, as we all will, that story plot moved onto a Jamaican fishing boat docked at Port Royal, and for my money, this part of the story is what it's all about. The screenwriter brought the theme to life on a 1956 fishing boat that had as much thrill . . . . Dare I say a bit more thrill, because it played out in a more modern setting? . . . I won't say it, in respect for Edgar Allen Poe . . . . But I might think it . . . . . Yo, Ho, Ho and a bottle of rum . . . . Pop a big bowl of white kernel popcorn with plenty of warm melted butter drizzled over it and see what you think.
John Bromfield, Tessa Prendergast and Victor Jory
Jack Lewis and Eric Coverly
John Bromfield and Barbara Nichols
John Bromfield and Victor Jory
John Bromfield
Lon Chaney Jr.
Lon Chaney Jr. and Arnold Shanks
Lon Chaney Jr. grabs John Bromfield
Tessa Prendergast
Tessa Prendergast and Lon Chaney Jr.
Tessa Prendergast and Victor Jory
Victor Jory
Victor Jory and Lon Chaney Jr.
Vincent Chang and Victor Jory


JJ Bucklin of TheProBasketballTalk.com, joined Noontime Sports on Monday October 25, 2010, to discuss a few final NBA burning questions before the season tips off on Tuesday. Bucklin, gave great insight on the Boston Celtics, as well as discussed LeBron James and the Miami Heat, as well as why he believes the Los Angles Lakers are most likely NBA Finals bound.
Read Bucklin's blog on the website and follow him on Twitter!


Yard waste includes grass clippings, weeds, and other non-woody plant materials. During the growing season, the City collects yard waste on Mondays; collection must be scheduled in advance by calling (440) 775-7218. Yard waste must be placed in paper "lawn and leaf" bags or plastic yard waste bags that are clearly marked "biodegradable" by the manufacturer. Do not use grocery store bags or other b ags not designed for this purpose. Paper 'lawn and leaf' bags and biodegradable plastic bags can be incorporated directly into the compost. This increases efficiency and helps the City produce higher quality compost. Maximum weight is 30 lbs. per bag. Residents must purchase yard waste tags for $1.00 each from the City Finance/Utility Office located at 69 South Main Street.
This requirement does not apply to brush or fall curbside leaf collection. At other times, leaves shall be treated as yard waste.
Curbside brush collection service is provided one month in the spring and one month in the fall. The Spring Brush Collection is scheduled to begin Monday, April 15 and run through Pride Day weekend, May 19. Guidelines for brush collection include brush being cut to lengths no longer than six feet (6′) and should be neatly stacked (same direction) at the curb. Limbs larger than six inches (6") in diameter should not be placed out for city collection. Brush must be free of wire, metal, stone, nails, rope, or other foreign materials. Japanese Knotweed (looks like bamboo), stumps, brush with root balls, limbs larger than six inches in diameter, unstacked brush, grape vines, rose bushes, and non-woody yard waste will not be collected by the City. Brush resulting from tree removal or major trimming projects is the responsibility of the property owner. The City reserves the right not to collect excessive amounts of brush. All brush must be placed out on the curb no later than Sunday, May 19, 2019. Call Public Works with questions (440) 775-7218.
The Fall curbside leaf collection start date will be posted later this year. The City will make passes through town until a majority of the leaves are collected or until snow falls. Leaves are to be raked to the curb lawn only and not into the street. Leaves in the street clog storm drains and contribute excess nutrient loading to Plum Creek. The City will not collect leaves in the spring. Residents may use the yard waste collection for residual leaves.
Curbside brush collection service is provided one month in the spring and one month in the fall. The Fall Brush Collection dates will be posted later this year. Guidelines for brush collection include brush being cut to lengths no longer than six feet (6′) and should be neatly stacked (same direction) at the curb. Limbs larger than six inches (6") in diameter should not be placed out for city collection. Brush must be free of wire, metal, stone, nails, rope, or other foreign materials. Japanese Knotweed (looks like bamboo), stumps, brush with root balls, limbs larger than six inches in diameter, unstacked brush, grape vines, rose bushes, and non-woody yard waste will not be collected by the City. Brush resulting from tree removal or major trimming projects is the responsibility of the property owner. The City reserves the right not to collect excessive amounts of brush. Call Public Works at (440) 775-7218 with questions.