2015 Event The Vatican indicates its intention to enter a treaty with Palestine, officially recognizing it as an independent state 2014 Event In the face of signs that Russian troops and equipment are aiding rebels in eastern Ukraine, the E.U. proposes further sanctions against Russia; President Vladimir Putin denies the charges while calling for independent statehood of the region 2012 Event The film 'The Artist', wins four awards at the Spirit Awards which honors independent films 2011 Event The 8th largest search engine in the world, Russia's Yandex, marks its first venture outside the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) by expanding into Turkey 2011 Event In a speech outside of Potala Palace, Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping declares he will crush attempts for an Independent Tibet 2011 Event Nabil al-Araby, Foreign Minister of Egypt, calls for the U.S. to support and independent Palestine 2011 Event Joe Lieberman, an independent U.S. Senator from Connecticut announces he will not seek re-election in 2012 2009 Death Hugh Leonard, writer, winner, Jacob's Award, for 'Wuthering Heights', wrote Sunday Independent column 'The Curmudgeon', dies at age 82 1997 Death Ruth Picardie, journalist, editor, The Guardian, The Independent newspapers, author of Before I Say Goodbye, memoir of living with breast cancer, dies in Lambeth, London, of breast cancer, at age 33 1996 Death Veronica Guerin, born in Ireland, nicknamed 'Ronnie', journalist, crime reporter, used pseudonyms, street names, exposing underworld figures in the Sunday Independent newspaper, helped found Criminal Assets Bureau, received death threats, murdered, by drug dealers, dies at 36 1995 Event 1st broadcast of "Woman of Independent Means" on NBC-TV 1993 Event Independent President candidate Ross Perot publicly returns to politics 1991 Event Soviet Union formally dissolves 11 of 12 republics sign treaty forming Commonwealth of Independent States 1991 Event Estonia declares it's independence from U.S.S.R. itself independent 1991 Event Latvia and Estonia vote to become independent of the U.S.S.R. 1990 Birthday Princess Eugenie of York, born in Portland Hospital, London, the sixth and the second female in the succession line to the thrones of sixteen independent Commonwealth states 1990 Event Namibia becomes independent of South Africa, Sam Nujoma becomes president 1990 Event "Independent on Sunday" begins publishing in London 1990 Event FCC implements "SYNDEX" giving independent stations more rights over cable TV outlets for exclusive syndicated programs 1989 Event 1st independent blue-collar labor union in Communist Hungary forms 1986 Event 1st edition British newspaper "Independent" begins publishing 1986 Event Aruba becomes independent from neighbor island Curaeao 1984 Event Brunei becomes independent of U.K. 1981 Event According to South Africa, Ciskei gains independence Not recognized as an independent country outside South Africa 1980 Event National Black Independent Party forms 1980 Event Polish government legalizes independent labor union Solidarity 1979 Event Rhodesia becomes independent nation of Zimbabwe 1979 Event St. Vincent and Grenadines becomes independent of U.K. (National Day) 1979 Event Major Haddad declares South-Lebanon independent 1974 Event Guinee-Bissau becomes independent of Portugal 1972 Birthday Charlie Haas, born in Houston, Texas, Charles Doyle 'Charlie' Haas II, professional wrestler, wrestles for World Wrestling Entertainment, previously teamed with brother, Russ, on independent circuit, winning JAPW Tag Team Championship 1972 Event East-Pakistan becomes independent state of Bangladesh 1970 Event Independent People's Republic of South Yemen becomes People Democratic Republic of Yemen 1970 Event Rhodesia becomes independent republic 1964 Death Jawaharial Nehru, Independent India's 1st PM, dies at 74 1964 Birthday Ruth Picardie, born in Reading, England, journalist, editor, The Guardian, The Independent newspapers, author of Before I Say Goodbye, memoir of living with breast cancer 1963 Event Zanzibar becomes independent from UK 1963 Event Zanzibar becomes independent within British Commonwealth 1962 Event Ben Bella wins 1st elections in independent Algeria 1962 Event Jamaica becomes independent after 300 years of British rule 1962 Event Rwanda and Burundi become independent 1962 Event Jamaica signs agreement to become independent 1961 Event Tanganyika becomes independent within British Commonwealth 1960 Event Federation of Mali (& Senegal) becomes independent of France 1959 Birthday Veronica Guerin,, nicknamed 'Ronnie', journalist, crime reporter, used pseudonyms, street names, exposing underworld figures in the Sunday Independent newspaper, helped found Criminal Assets Bureau 1958 Event French Guinee becomes independent republic Guinea 1957 Birthday Hamid Karzai, born in Karz, Afghanistan, Pashtun of the Popalzai tribe, Sunni Muslim, politician, Independent Party, 12th President of Afghanistan 1956 Event Sudan becomes independent 1955 Event Austrian state treaty signed making Austria independent again 1954 Birthday Alex Cox, born in Bebington, Mereyside, England, screenwriter, film director, independent film producer, actor, author, directed film 'Repo Man', wrote book '10,000 Ways to Die' 1954 Birthday Aleksander Kwasniewski, born in Bialogard, Poland, served as President of Poland 1995 - 2005, post-communist socialist politician, independent party, Chairman European Council on Tolerance and Reconciliation 2008 1950 Event Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia become Independent states in France Union 1950 Event Independent republic of South Molukkas declared 1950 Event Suriname becomes independent part in Realm of Netherlands 1949 Event Bhutan, land of Dragon, becomes an independent monarchy 1944 Birthday John Suchet, British TV journalist, Independent TV News 1942 Event U.S. bombers staged 1st independent raid on Europe attack Rouen, France 1939 Event British parliament plans to make Palestine independent by 1949 1938 Birthday Leonid Kuchma, born in Chaikyne, Ukraine, statesman, politician, President of independent Ukraine 1994 - 2005 1934 Event U.S. declares the Philippines to become independent in 1945 1932 Event Independent City Owned Rapid Transit Railroad (IND) opens in New York City 1932 Event Japan declares Manchuria Independent 1928 Birthday Gordon Downey, British Comptroller General/Reader Rep, Independent 1927 Event Saudi Arabia becomes independent of Great Britain (Treaty of Jedda) 1926 Birthday Hugh Leonard, born in Dublin, Ireland, writer, winner, Jacob's Award, for 'Wuthering Heights', wrote Sunday Independent column 'The Curmudgeon' 1923 Event Nepal changes from British protectorate to independent nation 1922 Event Ecuador becomes independent 1920 Event Lithuania and U.S.S.R. sign peace treaty, Lithuania becomes independent rep 1918 Event Iceland becomes independent state under Danish crown 1918 Event Tatars declares Azerbaijan, in Russian Caucasus, independent 1917 Event Soviet regiment (Stalin/Lenin) declares Finland Independent 1894 Event Greenback (Independent) Party organizes in Indianapolis 1893 Event British Independent Labor Party forms (Keir Hardie as its leader) 1888 Birthday Maulana Azad, 1st minister of education in independent India 1871 Event Congress changes Indian tribes status from independent to dependent 1859 Event South Carolina declared an "independent commonwealth" 1856 Birthday Peter Henry Emerson, 1st to promote photography as an independent art 1839 Event Treaty of London constitutes Belgium an independent kingdom and Luxembourg a Grand Duchy 1832 Event Greece becomes independent republic 1822 Event Mexico officially recognized as an independent nation by US 1813 Event Chilpancingo congress declares Mexico independent of Spain 1813 Birthday Henry Ward Beecher, Litchfield, Connecticut, clergyman/orator, Independent 1803 Event Dessalines and Christophe declare St. Domingue (Haiti) independent 1784 Event Eastern Tennessee settlers declare their area an independent state and name it Franklin; a year later the Continental Congress rejects it 1777 Event New York adopts new constitution as an independent state 1777 Event New York adopts new constitution as an independent state 1776 Event Continental Congress resolves "these United Colonies are and of right ought to be Free and Independent States" 1775 Event Congress issues "Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking up Arms," listing grievances but denying intent to be independent 1707 Event Hungary declares itself independent under Ferenc Rakoczi II 1558 Event Geneva becomes independent from Berne canton, Switzerland 1032 Death Rudolf III, last independent king of Bourgundy, dies
