Rustavi 2 ( Georgian : რუსთავი 2 , romanized : rustavi 2 , "Rustavi ori") is a Georgian free-to-air television channel based in Tbilisi , that was founded in 1994 in the town of Rustavi (hence its name).
108-560: It is an associate member of the European Broadcasting Union . Its news service has bureaus and regional reporters in major Georgian cities ( Kutaisi , Batumi , Gori , Poti , Zugdidi ), as well as the permanent correspondents in Washington D.C. , Brussels and Moscow . The independence of the channel was questioned recently, with many suggesting that it was biased in favor of the former ruling party UNM . It
216-700: A United Nations member state since 1991. Politically, the Marshall Islands is a parliamentary republic with an executive presidency in free association with the United States, with the U.S. providing defense, subsidies, and access to U.S.-based agencies such as the Federal Communications Commission and the United States Postal Service . With few natural resources, the islands' wealth
324-518: A piloting technique of interpreting disruptions in ocean swells to determine the location of low coral atolls below the horizon. They noticed that swells refracted around the undersea slope of atolls. When refracted swells from different directions met, they created noticeable disruption patterns, which Marshallese pilots could read to determine the direction of an island. When interviewed by anthropologists, some Marshallese sailors noted that they piloted their canoes by both sight and feeling changes in
432-462: A Europe-wide television game show. In its original conception, it was broadcast from 1965 to 1999 under the auspices of the EBU. The original series' run ended in 1982, but was revived in 1988 with a different composition of nations and was hosted by smaller broadcasters. Eurovision Young Musicians is a competition for European musicians that are between the ages of 12 and 21 years old. It is organised by
540-402: A Kremlin-sponsored initiative to take Ukrainian children from the war-torn country to Russia , a war crime under international law. As of June 2024 , the list of EBU members comprises the following 77 broadcasting companies from 56 countries. Any group or organisation from an International Telecommunication Union (ITU) member country, which provides a radio or television service outside of
648-476: A comprehensive program in all radio stations (with nineteen regional, two world-range and five pan-Hellenic range radio stations) and three TV channels ERT1 , ERT2 and ERT3 . The Belarusian Television and Radio Company ( BTRC ) has been accused of repressing its own employees, having fired more than 100 people since a wave of anti-Lukashenko protests in 2020 following alleged election fraud. Many of them have also been jailed. Many voices have been raised against
756-399: A country with International Telecommunication Union (ITU) membership, which does not qualify for either the EBU's Active or Associate memberships, but still provide a broadcasting activity for the EBU, are granted a unique Approved Participants membership, which lasts approximately five years. An application for this status may be submitted to the EBU at any given time, providing an annual fee
864-465: A form of population planning due to frequent famines . He also noted that Marshallese iroij held considerable authority and rights to all property, though he had a more favorable view of the condition of Marshallese commoners than of that of Polynesian commoners. The Marshalls' two island groups, the Ratak and Ralik chains, were each ruled by a paramount chief, or iroijlaplap, who held authority over
972-755: A founder of the new organisation. On 13 February 1950 the European Broadcasting Union had its first meeting with 23 members from the ITU defined European Broadcasting Area at the Imperial Hotel in Torquay , England, United Kingdom. The first president was Ian Jacob of the BBC who remained at the helm for 10 years while its operation was largely dominated by the BBC due to its financial, technical and staff input. The most important difference between
1080-511: A further 20 countries. It was established in 1950, and has its administrative headquarters in Geneva. The EBU owns and operates the Eurovision and Euroradio telecommunications networks on which major television and radio broadcasts are distributed live to its members. It also operates the daily Eurovision news exchange in which members share breaking news footage. In 2017, the EBU launched
1188-550: A holding which is currently owned by the Georgian Industrial Group (GIG) and GeoMedia Group. GIG, which owns a 45% share of both stations, is a large company with diversified business interests ranging from coal mining and energy to travel. Davit Bezhuashvili, is a founding member of the group. The GeoMedia group is a relatively obscure company registered in the Marshall Islands . On 2 March 2017,
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#17327727316271296-465: A mission church and school at Ebon . By 1875, the missionaries had established churches on five atolls and had baptized more than 200 islanders, and one traveler noted that most women on Ebon wore western clothes and many men wore trousers by the mid-1870s. In 1859, Adolph Capelle and another merchant arrived at Ebon and set up a trading post for the German company Hoffschlaeger & Stapenhorst. When
1404-670: A monopoly in the German Pacific colonies. The British government protested the regulations benefiting the Jaluit Company as a violation of the Anglo-German Declarations' free-trade provision. On March 31, 1906, the German government assumed direct control and reorganized the Marshall Islands and Nauru as part of the protectorate of German New Guinea . The Imperial Japanese Navy invaded Enewetak on September 29, 1914, and Jaluit on September 30 at
1512-511: A new cryptocurrency to be used as legal tender. The majority of the citizens of the Republic of Marshall Islands are of Marshallese descent, though there are small numbers of immigrants from the United States, China, Philippines , and other Pacific islands. The two official languages are Marshallese , which is one of the Oceanic languages , and English . Almost the entire population of
1620-619: A protection treaty in German and Marshallese at the German consulate. While the Marshallese text made no distinction of rank among the five chiefs, the German text recognized Kabua as the King of the Marshall Islands, despite an ongoing dispute between Kabua and Loeak over the paramount chieftainship . A company of German marines hoisted the flag of the German Empire over Jaluit, and performed similar ceremonies at seven other atolls in
1728-481: A reform platform, won the 1999 parliamentary election, taking control of the presidency and cabinet. The islands signed a Compact of Free Association with the United States in 1986. Trusteeship was ended under United Nations Security Council Resolution 683 of December 22, 1990. Until 1999 the islanders received US$ 180 million for continued American use of Kwajalein atoll, US$ 250 million in compensation for nuclear testing , and US$ 600 million in other payments under
1836-529: A relatively dry season from December to April and a wet season from May to November. Many Pacific typhoons begin as tropical storms in the Marshall Islands region and grow stronger as they move west toward the Mariana Islands and the Philippines . Population has outstripped the supply of fresh water, usually from rainfall. The northern atolls get 50 inches (1,300 mm) of rainfall annually;
1944-522: A statement saying that it was aware of the reports, but that it had not received any formal confirmation. On 1 March, a further statement from the EBU announced that it had suspended its Russian members from its governance structures. On 26 May, the EBU made effective the suspension of its Russian members indefinitely. In 2023, an extensive investigation by the EBU Investigative Journalism Network uncovered evidence of
2052-552: A total of 29 atolls and five individual islands situated in about 180,000 square miles (470,000 km ) of the Pacific. The largest atoll with a land area of 6 square miles (16 km ) is Kwajalein. It surrounds a 655-square-mile (1,700 km ) lagoon. Twenty-four of the atolls and islands are inhabited. The remaining atolls are uninhabited due to poor living conditions, lack of rain, or nuclear contamination. The uninhabited atolls are: The average altitude above sea level for
2160-642: A vote. Since the late 1980s, Marshallese have migrated to the US, with over 4,000 in Arkansas and over 7,000 in Hawaii in the 2010 US Census. Following independence, the Marshall Islands continued to play a prominent role in the testing and launches of missiles and rockets for both military and commercial space purposes. All five of the SpaceX Falcon 1 rocket flights were carried out on Omelek Island within
2268-586: Is Austria . Eurovision Young Dancers was a biennial dance showcase broadcast on television throughout Europe. The inaugural competition was held in Reggio Emilia , Italy on 16 June 1985. It uses a format similar to the Eurovision Song Contest. Every participating country has the opportunity to send a dance act to compete for the title of Eurovision Young Dancer. The competition is for solo dancers, and all contestants must be between
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#17327727316272376-421: Is a weekly analytical and educational summarizing program, which focuses on politics, economics and social problems; the project also covers topical cultural issues. P.S. often reports on various international events related to Georgia . The program is anchored by Giorgi Gabunia . Rustavi 2 was originally owned by Erosi Kitsmarishvili , David Dvali , Jarji Akimidze and Nika Tabatadze . In July 2004, 90% of
2484-491: Is an annual international song competition between EBU members, that was first held in Lugano , Switzerland , on 24 May 1956. Seven countries participated – each submitting two songs, for a total of 14. This was the only contest in which more than one song per country was performed: since 1957, all contests have allowed one entry per country. The 1956 contest was won by the host nation, Switzerland . The winner of
2592-537: Is an annual international song competition that was first held in Copenhagen , Denmark , on 15 November 2003. Sixteen countries participated in the inaugural edition , with each submitting one song. The inaugural contest was won by Croatia . The winner of the most recent contest , which took place in Madrid , Spain , is Georgia . The Eurovision Dance Contest (not to be confused with Eurovision Young Dancers )
2700-472: Is banned and all by-catch must be released. However, some have questioned the ability of the Marshall Islands to enforce this zone. The Marshall Islands also lays claim to Wake Island based on oral legends. While Wake Island has been administered by the United States since 1899, the Marshallese government refers to it by the name Ānen Kio (new orthography) or Enen-kio (old orthography). The United States does not recognize this claim. The climate has
2808-533: Is based on a service economy , as well as fishing and agriculture; aid from the United States represents a large percentage of the islands' gross domestic product , and although most financial aid from the Compact of Free Association was set to expire in 2023, it was extended for another 20 years that same year. The country uses the United States dollar as its currency. In 2018, it also announced plans for
2916-492: Is paid. The following eight EBU broadcast members had status as Approved Participants in November 2024. The following members previously had status as Approved Participants. The EBU in co-operation with the respective host broadcaster organises competitions and events in which its members can participate if they wish to do so. These include: The Eurovision Song Contest ( French : Concours Eurovision de la chanson )
3024-591: The Allies viewed it as a compromised organisation that they could not trust. In the spring of 1946, representatives of the Soviet radio committee proposed forming a new organisation; however, at the same time preparations were being made for an inter-governmental "European Broadcasting Conference" in Copenhagen in 1948 to draw up a new plan for frequency use in the European Broadcasting Area. It
3132-540: The Congress of Micronesia in 1965, a plan for increased self-governance of Pacific islands. In May 1979, the United States gave the Marshall Islands independence by recognizing its constitution and president, Amata Kabua . Full sovereignty or self-government was achieved in a Compact of Free Association with the United States. Marshall Islands has been a member of the Pacific Community (PC) since 1983 and
3240-579: The EBU Technical Review , and the EBU tech- i magazine). The EBU also encourages active collaboration between its Members on the basis that they can freely share their knowledge and experience, thus achieving considerably more than individual Members could achieve by themselves. Much of this collaboration is achieved through Project Groups which study specific technical issues of common interest: for example, EBU Members have long been preparing for
3348-628: The European debt crisis . In response, the EBU set up a makeshift studio the same day near the former ERT offices in Athens in order to continue providing EBU members with the news-gathering and broadcast relay services which had formerly been provided by ERT. The EBU put out a statement expressing its "profound dismay" at the shutdown, urging the Greek Prime Minister "to use all his powers to immediately reverse this decision" and offered
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3456-592: The Eurovision Debates between candidates for president of the European Commission for the 2014 , 2019 and 2024 parliamentary elections. The Director-General is Noel Curran since 2017. EBU members are public service media (PSM) broadcasters established by law but are non-partisan, independent and run for the benefit of society as a whole. EBU members come from as far north as Iceland and as far south as Egypt , from Ireland in
3564-650: The Eurovision Song Contest 2022 , citing the Russian government's use of both outlets to spread disinformation surrounding the Russo-Ukrainian war . Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine , several other public broadcasters joined UA:PBC in calling for Russia's exclusion from the 2022 Contest; Finland 's Yle and Estonia 's ERR stated that they would not send a representative if Russia
3672-691: The Eurovision Young Dancers between 1987 and 1989 ; and Kazakhstan, who participated in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest between 2018 and 2022 – all of which were individually invited. The list of Associate Members of EBU comprised the following 32 broadcasting companies from 21 countries as of December 2023 . The list of past associate members of EBU comprises the following 94 broadcasting companies from 55 countries and 1 autonomous territory. Any groups or organisations from
3780-627: The Federated States of Micronesia , and south of the disputed U.S. territory of Wake Island , to which it also lays claim. The atolls and islands form two groups: the Ratak (sunrise) and the Ralik (sunset) . The two island chains lie approximately parallel to one another, running northwest to southeast, comprising about 750,000 square miles (1,900,000 km ) of ocean but only about 70 square miles (180 km ) of land mass. Each includes 15 to 18 islands and atolls. The country consists of
3888-784: The Gilbert Islands and Marshall Islands. On June 25, 1788, the British ships had peaceful interactions and traded with islanders at Mili Atoll ; their meeting may have been the first contact between Europeans and Marshallese since the Mendaña expedition of 1568. Subsequent navigational charts and maps named the islands for John Marshall. From the 1820s through the 1850s, the Marshall Islanders became increasingly hostile to western vessels, possibly because of violent punishments that sea captains exacted for theft as well as
3996-684: The Republic of the Marshall Islands ( Marshallese : Aolepān Aorōkin Ṃajeḷ ), is an island country west of the International Date Line and north of the equator in the Micronesia region of the Northwestern Pacific Ocean . The territory consists of 29 coral atolls and five main islands as well as 1,220 other very small ones, divided across two island chains : Ratak in the east and Ralik in
4104-677: The Supreme Court of Georgia declared that the owners of the company were Kibar Khalvashi (60% shares) and Panorama Ltd. (40% shares). On March 3, the company submitted an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights , which, in its turn, on 4 March 2017 suspended the Supreme Court decision until 8 March and requested additional documentation. On July 18, 2019, the European Court of Human Rights found no violation by
4212-667: The United Kingdom as Through the Night —and special theme days, such as the annual Christmas music relays from around Europe. The EBU is a member of the International Music Council . Most EBU broadcasters have group deals to carry major sporting events including the FIFA World Cup and the inaugural European Championships . Another annually recurring event which is broadcast across Europe through
4320-613: The United National Movement (or, in the case of the February 2012 poll, the government, which was at the time controlled by the UNM). The results of the polls which asked this question is summarized below. According to Rustavi 2 statement on Self-regulation, an interested person who believes that "Rustavi 2" has violated any ethical standards established by the "Code of Conduct of Broadcasters" and his rights, can appeal to
4428-560: The abduction of Marshallese people for sale into slavery on Pacific plantations. One of the earliest violent encounters occurred in February 1824, when the inhabitants of Mili Atoll massacred marooned sailors from the American whaler Globe . Similar encounters occurred as late as 1851 and 1852, when three separate Marshallese attacks on ships occurred at Ebon , Jaluit , and Namdrik Atolls . In 1857, American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions sent two families to establish
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4536-436: The first edition in the summer of 2018, hosted by the cities of Berlin , Germany (already chosen as the host for the 2018 European Athletics Championships ) and Glasgow , United Kingdom (already chosen as the host for the 2018 European Aquatics Championships , and which concurrently also hosted the events of the other sports). Marshall Islands The Marshall Islands ( Marshallese : Ṃajeḷ ), officially
4644-593: The most recent contest , which took place in Malmö , Sweden , is Switzerland . Let the Peoples Sing is a biennial choir competition, the participants of which are chosen from radio recordings entered by EBU radio members. The final, encompassing three categories and around ten choirs, is offered as a live broadcast to all EBU members. The overall winner is awarded the Silver Rose Bowl . The first winner
4752-403: The "advice, assistance and expertise necessary for ERT to be preserved". Starting on 4 May 2014, the new state broadcaster New Hellenic Radio, Internet and Television (NERIT) began nationwide transmissions, taking over ERT's vacant active membership slot in the EBU. On 11 June 2015, two years after ERT's closure, NERIT was renamed as Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT), which reopened with
4860-497: The 1st century CE at the village of Laura on Majuro and on Kwajalein Atoll . The Austronesian settlers introduced Southeast Asian crops , including coconuts , giant swamp taro , and breadfruit , as well as domesticated chickens throughout the Marshall Islands. They possibly seeded the islands by leaving coconuts at seasonal fishing camps before permanently settling years later. The southern islands receive heavier rainfall than
4968-747: The Americas and the Philippines kept to a sea lane at 13°N and provisioned at Guam, avoiding the Marshalls, which Spanish sailors saw as unprofitable islands amid hazardous waters. The British sea captains John Marshall and Thomas Gilbert visited the islands in 1788. Their vessels had been part of the First Fleet taking convicts from England to Botany Bay in New South Wales , and were en route to Guangzhou when they passed through
5076-819: The British and German governments conducted a series of secret negotiations to divide the Western Pacific into spheres of influence . The German sphere included the Marshall Islands. On November 26, 1878, the German warship SMS Ariadne anchored at Jaluit to begin treaty negotiations with the chiefs to grant the German Empire " most favored nation " status in the Ralik Chain. During the second day of negotiations, Captain Bartholomäus von Werner [ de ] ordered his men to give military demonstrations which he later said were intended to "show
5184-669: The Council of Europe . Members benefit from: The EBU's highest-profile production is the Eurovision Song Contest . The EBU also organises the Eurovision Dance Contest , the Junior Eurovision Song Contest , the Eurovision Young Dancers competition, and other competitions which are modeled along similar lines. Radio collaborations include Euroclassic Notturno —an overnight classical music stream, produced by BBC Radio 3 and broadcast in
5292-535: The EBU Technical Department have long played an important role in the development of many systems used in radio and television broadcasting, such as: The EBU has also actively encouraged the development and implementation of: On 11 June 2013, the Greek government shut down the state broadcaster Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT) on short notice, citing government spending concerns related to
5400-416: The EBU and is a member of EMCY . The first competition was held in Manchester , United Kingdom on 11 May 1982. The televised competition is held every other year, with some countries holding national finals. Since its inaugural edition in 1982, it has become one of the most important music competitions on an international level. The winner of the most recent contest , which took place in Bodø , Norway ,
5508-443: The EBU and its predecessors was that EBU membership was for broadcasters and not governments. Early delegates said EBU meetings were cordial and professional and very different from the abrupt tone of its predecessors. West Germany was admitted in 1951 and a working relationship forged with the USSR's Organisation for International Radio and TV (OIRT) which existed in parallel with the EBU until its merger on 1 January 1993. In 1967,
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#17327727316275616-418: The EBU is the Vienna New Year's Concert . Eurovision Media Services is the business arm of the EBU and provides media services for many media organisations and sports federations around the world. The theme music played before and after every EBU broadcast is Marc-Antoine Charpentier 's Prelude to Te Deum . It is played before and after the Eurovision Song Contest and other important events. The EBU
5724-489: The EBU, Channel One Russia , VGTRK , and Radio Dom Ostankino are all controlled by the Russian government. On 21 February 2022, the Russian government recognized the independence of the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics , disputed territories that are internationally recognized as part of Ukraine . Ukraine's public broadcaster Suspilne called on the EBU to terminate the membership of Channel One Russia and VGTRK, and to consider preventing Russia from participating in
5832-491: The EBU, which took place in 2010, 2011 and 2012 in Geneva , Switzerland . Children aged between 7–14 representing eight countries within the EBU membership area performed a variety of circus acts at the Geneva Christmas Circus ( French : Cirque de Noël Genève ). The main show was also accompanied by the Magic Circus Show Orchestra. The inaugural Eurovision Choir , featuring non-professional choirs selected by EBU members, took place on 22 July 2017 in Riga , Latvia , hosted by
5940-454: The European Broadcasting Area, is permitted to submit applications to the EBU for Associate Membership. It is also noted by the EBU that any country that is granted Associate Member status does not gain access into Eurovision events – notable exceptions being Australia, who have participated in the Eurovision Song Contest since 2015 and the Junior Eurovision Song Contest between 2015 and 2019 ; Canada, who participated in
6048-450: The Eurovision Social Newswire, an eyewitness and video verification service. Led by Head of Social Newsgathering, Derek Bowler, the service provides members of the EBU with verified and cleared-for-use newsworthy eyewitness media emerging on social media. The EBU, in co-operation with its members, produces programmes and organises events in which its members can participate, such as the Eurovision Song Contest , its best known production, or
6156-414: The Georgian courts in the Rustavi 2 case which lifted the suspension mechanism, thus returning the company to its owner, Kibar Khalvashi. From February 2012 - August 2014, the National Democratic Institute conducted polls which included a question about which media organizations represented the interest of which political factions. A plurality of respondents in each case believed that Rustavi 2 represented
6264-443: The IBO rented the IBU technical centre in Brussels and employed its staff. The BBC then proposed a new solution based on the IBO changing its constitution so there will be only one member per International Telecommunication Union (ITU) country, thus ensuring a Western majority over the USSR and its satellite states. In August 1949 a meeting took place in Stresa , Italy but it resulted in disagreement between delegates on how to resolve
6372-425: The Japanese period, with the South Seas Trading Company ( 南洋貿易会社 , Nan'yō Bōeki Kaisha ) taking over the Jaluit Company's operations and building upon the German colonial infrastructure. Other parts of the South Seas Mandate experienced heavy Japanese settlement, shifting the population to majority Japanese in the Northern Mariana Islands and Palau, but Japanese settlers remained a minority under 1,000 people in
6480-433: The Kwajalein Atoll. The fourth launch of the Falcon 1 was successful, marking the first time in history a privately developed, fully liquid-fueled launch vehicle achieved orbit. SpaceX founder Elon Musk was present in Kwajalein for select launches. The Marshall Islands sit atop ancient submerged volcanoes rising from the ocean floor, about halfway between Hawaii and Australia , north of Nauru and Kiribati , east of
6588-533: The Latvian broadcaster Latvijas Televīzija (LTV). Nine countries took part in the first edition. Carmen Manet from Slovenia was the first winner and the winner of the most recent contest , which took place in Gothenburg , Sweden , was Vocal Line from Denmark. The European Sports Championships is a multi-sport event involving some of the leading sports in Europe. The European Governing Bodies for athletics, aquatics, cycling, rowing, golf, gymnastics and triathlon, coordinated their individual championships as part of
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#17327727316276696-515: The Marshall Islands throughout the Japanese period, because the islands were distant from Japan and had the most limited economic potential in Micronesia. On March 27, 1933, Japan declared its intentions to withdraw from the League of Nations , officially withdrawing in 1935 but continuing to control the territory of the South Seas Mandate. Japanese military planners initially discounted the Marshalls as too distant and indefensible for extensive fortification, but as Japan developed long-range bombers,
6804-399: The Marshallese lived in thatched-roof huts, but their villages did not include the large ornate meeting houses found in other parts of Micronesia. They did not have furniture, except for woven mats, which they used for both floor coverings and clothing. The Marshallese had pierced ears and tattoos . He learned that Marshallese families practiced infanticide after the birth of a third child as
6912-407: The Marshalls, though several pro-American iroij refused to recognize the German protectorate until threatened with German naval force in mid-1886. Nauru was incorporated into the German Protectorate of the Marshall Islands in 1888, following the Anglo-German Declarations of April 1886. The German commercial interests formed the joint-stock Jaluit Company , which was responsible for financing
7020-413: The Marshalls. European maps and charts named the group for British captain John Marshall , who explored the region in 1788. American Protestant missionaries and Western business interests began arriving in the 1850s. German copra traders dominated the economy in the 1870s and 1880s, and the German Empire annexed the Marshalls as a protectorate in 1885. The Empire of Japan occupied the islands in
7128-488: The Pacific Islands . From 1946 to 1958, it served as the Pacific Proving Grounds for the United States and was the site of 67 nuclear tests on various atolls. Operation Crossroads atomic bomb testing began in 1946 on Bikini Atoll after some of the residents were forcibly evacuated. The world's first hydrogen bomb , codenamed " Mike ", was tested at the Enewetak atoll in the Marshall Islands on November 1 (local date) in 1952, which produced significant fallout in
7236-412: The Ryukyu Islands , the four Japanese-held atolls were cut off from supplies and subject to American bombardment. The garrisons began running out of provisions in late 1944, leading to high casualties from starvation and disease. In 1947, the United States entered into an agreement with the UN Security Council to administer much of Micronesia , including the Marshall Islands, as the Trust Territory of
7344-587: The United States engaged in the copra trade in the Marshall Islands. By 1885, the German firms Hernsheim & Co . and Deutsche Handels- und Plantagen-Gesellschaft Der Südsee Inseln zu Hamburg controlled two-thirds of the trade. Contact between the Marshallese and westerners led to sometimes lethal outbreaks of western diseases, including influenza , measles , syphilis , and typhoid fever . Increased access to alcohol led to social problems in some Marshallese communities, and on several atolls conflicts erupted between rival iroij with access to firearms. In 1875,
7452-606: The ages of 16 and 21, and not professionally engaged. The winner of the most recent contest , which took place in Prague , Czech Republic , is Poland . Euroclassic Notturno is a six-hour sequence of classical music recordings, assembled by BBC Radio from material supplied by EBU members and streamed back to those broadcasters by satellite for use in their overnight classical-music schedules. The recordings used are taken not from commercial CDs, but from earlier (usually live) radio broadcasts. The Junior Eurovision Song Contest ( French : Concours Eurovision de la Chanson Junior )
7560-543: The alternative International Broadcasting Organisation (IBO) was founded with 26 members and without British participation. The following day the IBU met in General Assembly and an attempt was made to dissolve it but failed; though 18 of its 28 members left to join the IBO. For a period of time in the late 1940s both the IBU and IBO vied for the role of organising frequencies but Britain decided to be in involved in neither. The BBC attempted but failed to find suitable working arrangements with them. However, for practical purposes,
7668-479: The autumn of 1914 at the beginning of World War I . After the war, the Marshalls and other former German Pacific colonies north of the equator became the Japanese South Seas Mandate . The United States occupied the islands during World War II and administered them as part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands after the war. Between 1946 and 1958, the United States conducted 67 nuclear tests at Bikini Atoll and Enewetak Atoll . The U.S. government formed
7776-622: The beginning of World War I . An occupation force was stationed on Jaluit on October 3. At the Paris Peace Conference in 1919, Germany's Pacific colonies north of the equator became the Japanese South Seas Mandate under the system of League of Nations mandates . Germany ceded the Marshall Islands to Japan with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles on June 28, 1919. The Japanese navy administered
7884-475: The broadcast of interviews apparently obtained under duress". BTRC was given two weeks to respond before the suspension came into effect, but did not do so publicly. The suspension of the broadcaster was made effective on 1 July 2021. Although initial reports mentioned that it would expire after three years, in April 2024 the EBU confirmed that the suspension had been made indefinite. The three Russian members of
7992-543: The broadcaster with a complaint and demand a response. European Broadcasting Union The European Broadcasting Union ( EBU ; French: Union européenne de radio-télévision , UER ) is an alliance of public service media organisations whose countries are within the European Broadcasting Area or who are members of the Council of Europe . As of 2024 , it is made up of 123 member organisations from 56 countries, and 31 associate members from
8100-748: The channel. The news program Courier has aired since the foundation of Rustavi 2 and has become one of the most successful news programs in Georgia . The daytime news was anchored by Ana Kinkladze, Keti Kvachantiradze and Natia Goksadze. Diana Jojua and Zaal Udumashvili anchored the evening news at 18:00 and 21:00, including sports with Dimitri Oboladze. David Kikalishvili presents "P.S." every Sunday at 21:00. From 2006 new television season Rustavi 2 airs Business Courier. The program offers in-depth reporting and critical analysis of major business issues today with an emphasis on current events, business development, market outlooks, and emerging opportunities. P.S.
8208-422: The colony's administration. In addition to controlling two-thirds of the Marshallese copra trade, the company had the authority to collect commercial license fees and an annual poll tax . The company also had the right to be consulted on all new laws and ordinances and nominated all colonial administrative staff. The company's licensing fees and legal advantages pushed out American and British competition, creating
8316-463: The compact. Despite the constitution, the government was largely controlled by Iroij. It was not until 1999, following political corruption allegations, that the aristocratic government was overthrown, with Imata Kabua replaced by the commoner Kessai Note . The Runit Dome was built on Runit Island to deposit U.S.-produced radioactive soil and debris, including lethal amounts of plutonium . There are ongoing concerns about deterioration of
8424-571: The company's shares were bought by the Batumi -based businessman Kibar Khalvashi , who was forced by then president Mikheil Saakashvili to sell the company, in January 2006, to David Bezhuashvili, member of the Parliament of Georgia and brother of Georgia 's Foreign Minister Gela Bezhuashvili . In mid-2006 Rustavi 2, the television company Mze TV and radio station Pirveli Stereo merged into
8532-457: The entire country is 7 feet (2.1 m). In October 2011, the government declared that an area covering nearly 2,000,000 square kilometers (772,000 sq mi) of ocean shall be reserved as a shark sanctuary . This is the world's largest shark sanctuary, extending the worldwide ocean area in which sharks are protected from 2,700,000 to 4,600,000 square kilometers (1,042,000 to 1,776,000 sq mi). In protected waters, all shark fishing
8640-439: The entire world. Austronesian settlers reached the Marshall Islands as early as the 2nd millennium BC and introduced Southeast Asian crops, including coconuts , giant swamp taro , and breadfruit , as well as domesticated chickens, which made the islands permanently habitable. Several Spanish expeditions visited the islands in the mid-16th century, but Spanish galleons usually sailed a Pacific route farther north and avoided
8748-503: The evolving political status of the Marshall Islands, the United States recognized the constitution of the Marshall Islands and the establishment of the Government of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. The constitution incorporates both American and British constitutional concepts. There have been a number of local and national elections since the Republic of the Marshall Islands was founded. The United Democratic Party, running on
8856-790: The expedition of Álvaro de Saavedra Cerón landed on an uninhabited island, possibly in Ailinginae Atoll , where they resupplied and stayed for six days. Natives from a neighboring island briefly met the Spanish. This expedition named the islands 'Los Pintados' or "the Painted Ones" for the natives who wore tattoos. Later Spanish explorers of the Marshalls included Ruy López de Villalobos , Miguel López de Legazpi , Alonso de Arellano , and Álvaro de Mendaña de Neira , though coordinates and geographic descriptions in 16th century Spanish logs are sometimes imprecise, leaving uncertainty about
8964-412: The firm went bankrupt in 1863, Capelle partnered with Portuguese ex-whaler Anton Jose DeBrum to establish a copra trading firm: Capelle & Co. In 1873, the company moved its headquarters to Jaluit , the home of Kabua , a powerful iroij and disputed successor for the paramount chieftainship of the southern Ralik Chain . In the 1870s, various other companies from Germany, Hawaii, New Zealand, and
9072-523: The first American air raids on Japanese territory. The United States invaded the Marshall Islands on January 31, 1944, during the Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign . The Americans simultaneously invaded Majuro and Kwajalein. By autumn 1944, the Americans controlled all of the Marshall Islands, except for Jaluit, Maloelap, Mili, and Wotje. As the American campaign advanced through Micronesia and into
9180-635: The first concert in the International Concert Season of the European Broadcasting Union was broadcast from the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London. The objective of the EBU's technical activities is simply to assist EBU Members (see below) in this period of unprecedented technological changes. This includes the provision of technical information to Members via conferences and workshops, as well as in written form (such as
9288-489: The individual island iroij. On August 21, 1526, Spanish explorer Alonso de Salazar was the first European to sight the Marshall Islands. While commanding the Santa Maria de la Victoria , he sighted an atoll with a green lagoon, which may have been Taongi . The crew could not land, because of strong currents and water too deep for the ship's anchor, so the ship sailed for Guam two days later. On January 2, 1528,
9396-662: The islanders, who have not seen anything like it before, the power of the Europeans." On November 29, Werner signed a treaty with Kabua and several other Ralik Chain iroij which secured a German fuelling station at Jaluit and free use of the atoll's harbor. On August 29, 1885, German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck authorized the annexation of the Marshall Islands as a protectorate following repeated petitions by German business interests. The German gunboat Nautilus docked at Jaluit on October 13 to take control. On October 15, iroij Kabua, Loeak, Nelu, Lagajime, and Launa signed
9504-650: The islands became useful as a forward base to attack Australia, British colonies, and the United States. In 1939 and 1940, the navy built military airfields on Kwajalein , Maloelap , and Wotje Atolls as well as seaplane facilities at Jaluit. After the outbreak of the Pacific War , the United States Pacific Fleet carried out the Marshalls–Gilberts raids , which struck Jaluit, Kwajalein, Maloelap, and Wotje on February 1, 1942. They were
9612-459: The islands from late 1914 through 1921. The civilian South Seas Government ( 南洋廳 , Nan'yō-chō ) set up its headquarters in Palau in April 1922 and administered the Marshalls until World War II. Japanese surveys determined that the Marshalls' value was primarily strategic, because they could enable future southward expansion . The Marshalls also continued to be a major producer of copra during
9720-853: The islands practices some religion: three-quarters of the country follows either the United Church of Christ – Congregational in the Marshall Islands (UCCCMI) or the Assemblies of God . Linguistic and anthropological studies have suggested that the first Austronesian settlers of the Marshall Islands arrived from the Solomon Islands . Radiocarbon dating suggests that Bikini Atoll may have been inhabited as early as 1200 BCE, though samples may not have been collected from secure stratigraphic contexts and older driftwood samples may have affected results. Archaeological digs on other atolls have found evidence of human habitation dating around
9828-454: The motion of the boat. Sailors also invented stick charts to map the swell patterns, but unlike western navigational charts, the Marshallese stick charts were tools for teaching students and for consultation before embarking on a voyage; navigators did not take charts with them when they set sail. When Russian explorer Otto von Kotzebue visited the Marshalls in 1817, the islanders still showed few signs of western influence. He observed that
9936-434: The north, so communities in the wet south subsisted on prevalent taro and breadfruit, while northerners were more likely to subsist on pandanus and coconuts. Southern atolls probably supported larger, more dense populations. The Marshallese sailed between islands on walaps made from breadfruit-tree wood and coconut-fiber rope. They navigated by using the stars for orientation and initial course setting, but also developed
10044-472: The participation of Belarus and the BTRC in the otherwise unpolitical Eurovision Song Contest in 2021, the argument being that the EBU would make a political statement if it did endorse Belarus by essentially and silently saying that democracy is unimportant and so are basic human rights such as freedom of speech. On 28 May 2021, the EBU suspended the BTRC's membership as they had been "particularly alarmed by
10152-712: The problems. One proposal was for the European Broadcasting Area to be replaced by one that would exclude Eastern Europe , the Levant and North Africa . After Stresa, a consensus emerged among the Western Europeans to form a new organisation and the BBC proposed it be based in London . Meetings in Paris on 31 October and 1 November 1949 sealed the fate of the IBU and IBO, but it was decided not to allow West Germany to be
10260-534: The region. Over the years just one of over 60 islands was cleaned by the U.S. government, and the inhabitants are still waiting for the 2 billion dollars in compensation assessed by the Nuclear Claims Tribunal. Many of the islanders and their descendants still live in exile, as the islands remain contaminated with high levels of radiation. A significant radar installation was constructed on Kwajalein atoll. On May 1, 1979, in recognition of
10368-406: The revision of the 1961 Stockholm Plan. The EBU places great emphasis on the use of open standards. Widespread use of open standards (such as MPEG-2 , DAB , DVB , etc.) ensures interoperability between products from different vendors, as well as facilitating the exchange of programme material between EBU Members and promoting "horizontal markets" for the benefit of all consumers. EBU Members and
10476-501: The security police raid on the R2 office resulted in public anger and subsequent mass street demonstrations against the government's pressure on independent media forced Eduard Shevardnadze to fire his entire cabinet. On 15 March 2003, to coincide with the launch of its sister channel Imedi TV , Rustavi 2 introduced a new logo which consists of a zig-zagged abstract 2-numeral that is coloured bronze and are made up of gradient effects. Rustavi 2
10584-415: The specific islands they sighted and visited. On July 6, 1565, the Spanish ship San Jeronimo nearly wrecked at Ujelang Atoll after the ship's pilot Lope Martín led a mutiny. While the mutineers were resupplying at Ujelang, several crew members took back control of the ship and marooned Martín and twenty-six other mutineers in the Marshalls. By the late 16th century, Spanish galleons sailing between
10692-403: The waste site and a potential radioactive spill . In February 2018, the Marshall Islands became the first country in the world to recognize its cryptocurrency as its own legal tender for digital currency . In January 2020, David Kabua , son of founding president Amata Kabua , was elected as the new President of the Marshall Islands . His predecessor Hilda Heine lost the position after
10800-550: The west and Azerbaijan in the east, and almost every nation from geographical Europe in between. Associate members from the United States include ABC , CBS , NBC , CPB , NPR , APM and the only individual station, Chicago -based classical music radio WFMT . Membership is for media organisations whose countries are within the European Broadcasting Area , as defined by the International Telecommunication Union , or who are members of
10908-452: The west. 97.87% of its territory is water, the largest proportion of water to land of any sovereign state. The country shares maritime boundaries with Wake Island to the north, Kiribati to the southeast, Nauru to the south, and the Federated States of Micronesia to the west. The capital and largest city is Majuro , home to approximately half of the country's population. The Marshall Islands are one of only four atoll based nations in
11016-402: Was Glasgow Phoenix Choir, conducted by their Chorus Master Peter Mooney , from Scotland in the 1961 competition that was held in London . The most recent winner is Copenhagen Girls Choir from Denmark, conducted by Anne-Terese Sales, in the 2024 competition that was held in London. Jeux sans frontières (English: Games Without Borders , lit. 'Games Without Frontiers') was
11124-637: Was a successor to the International Broadcasting Union (IBU) that was founded in 1925 and had its administrative headquarters in Geneva and technical office in Brussels. It fostered programming exchanges between members and mediated technical disputes between members that were mostly concerned with frequency and interference issues. It was in effect taken over by Nazi Germany during the Second World War, and thereafter
11232-486: Was allowed to participate. After initially stating that both Russia and Ukraine would be allowed to compete, the EBU announced on 25 February 2022 that it would ban Russia from participating in the Contest. The three Russian broadcasters announced, via a statement released by Russian state media, that they would withdraw from the EBU on 26 February, citing increased politicization of the organization. The EBU released
11340-458: Was an international dancing competition that was held for the first time in London , United Kingdom , on 1 September 2007. The inaugural contest was won by Finland . The competition was repeated in 2008 when it was held in Glasgow , United Kingdom , but has not been held since. The winner of the most recent contest is Poland . The Magic Circus Show was an entertainment show organised by
11448-563: Was considered necessary to have an organisation that could implement the " Copenhagen Wavelength Plan " but there was disagreement among broadcasters and particularly a fear expressed by the BBC that a new association might be dominated by the USSR and its proposal to give each of its constituent states one vote. France proposed that it would have four votes with the inclusion of its North African colonies . The United Kingdom felt it would have little influence with just one vote. On 27 June 1946,
11556-563: Was formed in 1994 and had been in a strong opposition to Eduard Shevardnadze ’s government since then. The channel shut down due to allegedly losing its license a year later. The Georgian authorities made several attempts to shut R2 down. Giorgi Sanaia , Georgia’s most popular TV journalist, who worked for R2, was murdered in July 2001. It has been considered by many as a political murder related to his programme "Night Courier" and investigations of allegations of official corruption. In October 2001,
11664-496: Was the main media source used as a tribune by the opposition leaders during the Rose Revolution in November 2003. On 25 December 2009, to celebrate its 15th anniversary, Rustavi 2 adopted a new logo during its Christmas special. On December 14, 2012, Nika Gvaramia was appointed as the general director of the channel. On July 18, 2019, he was replaced by Paata Salia, who is the lawyer of Kibar Khalvashi , current owner of
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