INTERNATIONAL

  “One day peace will come to Syria and when it does the Graffiti Boys should be remembered and their names should go up on another wall in Dar’a – a wall where their names can be carved with pride.”     “Ashaab yureed isqat annidham.” This phrase is ringing in the ears of tyrants and despots around the Arab world and …

  When the United Nations set out to draft a politically-sensitive Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), ever since negotiations began in 2006, member states agreed to take the final decision by “consensus”. That meant a decision approved by all 193 countries, perhaps with “reservations” by some, if they had any lingering doubts about the text of the treaty. Given the 75-plus …

GENEVA: The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Myanmar human rights said Thursday he had received reports of “state involvement” in some of the recent violence between Buddhists and Muslims in the former army-ruled nation. At least 40 people have been killed and mosques burned in several towns in central Myanmar since fresh sectarian strife erupted on March 20, prompting the …

  NSW Parliamentary Friends of Israel, under the auspices of the NSW Jewish Board Of Deputies, hosted a delegation of New South Wales Parliamentarians, on a study mission to Israel from 6 January 2013 to 10 January 2013. The Nationals Whip in the NSW Legislative Council Rick Colless moved a motion in parliament following what he described as “a successful trip” to …

  Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, was appointed last week as the secretary-general's Special Envoy to the Great Lakes region of Africa. Credit: UN Photo/Ky Chung UNITED NATIONS, Mar 20 2013 (IPS) – A potential ad from the United Nations to be placed in a weekly London newsmagazine could possibly read: Vacancy …

  U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice speaks to journalists following the Mar. 7 adoption of a Security Council resolution condemning the Feb.12 nuclear test by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and imposing new sanctions on that country. Credit: UN Photo/Mark Garten UNITED NATIONS/WASHINGTON, Mar 8 2013 (IPS) – North Korea, which has survived three rounds of diplomatic and economic sanctions …