Independence Day

Hundreds of Greek Americans and guests gathered along Manhattan's Fifth Avenue in New York to partake in the annual Greek Independence Day Parade, which commemorates the anniversary of the Greek War of Independence against Ottoman rule.

This year's procession also paid tribute to the 50th anniversary of Turkey's invasion and occupation of Cyprus.

The annual parade of the Armed Forces for Greece's March 25th Independence Day concluded on Monday after passing the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in front of Parliament at Syntagma Square, where President Katerina Sakellaropoulou and political and military officials were gathered.

The parade also drew a crowd of thousands of onlookers waving Greek flags and cheering the troops on.

Tensions surged in Bosnia and Herzegovina as US F-16 aircraft flew over the nation, displaying solidarity mere hours before the disputed "holiday" in Republika Srpska, a region predominantly inhabited by ethnic Serbs, branded unconstitutional by Sarajevo.

The Republic of North Macedonia celebrates its Independence Day today.

The Foreign Ministry celebrated Ivory Coast's Independence Day with a statement uploaded to social media on Monday.

"Best wishes to the people and government of Ivory Coast celebrating their Independence Day," read the statement.

The United States Embassy in Athens and its consular section, the US Consulate General in Thessaloniki, and all US government offices in Greece will be closed on Tuesday, in observance of Independence Day, a federal US holiday commemorating the Declaration of Independence in 1776.

A shooting that left at least six people dead at an Independence Day parade in a Chicago suburb rattled Monday's celebrations across the U.S. and further rocked a country already awash in turmoil over high court rulings on abortion and guns as well as hearings on the Jan. 6 insurrection.

Turkey will mark National Sovereignty and Children's Day on April 23, marking the 100th anniversary of the foundation of parliament.

Flag-bearers in primary school parades on national holidays will no longer be selected by lot but on the basis of academic performance, according to new rules put forward by Greek Education Minister Niki Kerameus.

Pakistan announced to confer its top civilian awards on three Turkish citizens, two parliamentarians and a top official in the Health Ministry, marking country's 73rd Independence Day, on Aug. 14.