[Ben Emmerson, t]he lawyer leading a UN drone inquiry has praised [last night’s national security] speech by US President Barack Obama as a “significant step towards increased transparency”.
World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) in partnership with UNESCO and a wide coalition of partners from corporations to civil society is launching the world campaign “Do One Thing for Diversity and Inclusion”, aimed at engaging people around the world to Do One Thing to support Cultural Diversity and Inclusion.
Sunday Smack
It’s Pentecostal weekend, which also means a long weekend in a few countries: no work tomorrow in Hungary too, yay!
This was a busy week in global issues and happenings, although nowhere as much as in US politics. I tried to collect only the most interesting articles and posts and cut the ones you read everywhere. I hope you’ll like these!
On world affairs:
Could UN Peacekeepers Be Involved in a Syria Ceasefire?
After recent diplomatic developments and the planned summit on Syria, will UN peacekeepers be the right solution in this crisis?
General Assembly ‘strongly’ condemns Syrian human rights abuses
As I posted about this earlier, unfortunately I am not sure the GA can condemn anything ‘strongly’ enough to have an actual effect on the issue. I wish I wasn’t right, though.
Jordan to host “world’s largest refugee camp”
And this one underlines the previous article big time: here we are with possibly the worst refugee situation in history that requires immediate action!
Shias are more dangerous than naked women: Salafist MPs
Meanwhile in Egypt, MPs are worried that Iranian tourism will be a bad influence on their country. Worse than naked women.
Why Austerity Always Fails: Lessons from Thailand
Does it always fail? Foreign Policy Blog’s author suggests “[i]f European political leaders don’t want to suffer a similar fate [to that of Thailand], they would do well to reverse course”.
On the legal side:
ICC opens preliminary examination of 2010 Israeli flotilla raid
Seems like this case is about to go somewhere after all.
Interesting pieces of news of the week:
In Mideast version of ‘American Idol’, region’s troubles, Syria war often commandeer the stage
Even though I hardly ever watch these shows, I always said that people need these kinds of examples. Young people need to see that if you have a dream, if you have talent, if you work hard, you can get there. Whether you are a singer, or anything else, you just have to believe it. Plus music can make all the difference. And the Middle East certainly needs everything with that kind of power.
The geopolitics of Google’s autocomplete
Google autocomplete as a world politics issue? Interesting.
Musical event of the week:
No matter what changes each year, it is always good old Eurovision. It’s like comfort food, no matter what happens in politics, it always gives you the same experience! And I just love that about it! Don’t you?
Congrats to Denmark, and of course congrats to Hungary’s ByeAlex who earned the not-so-bad-at-all 10th place in the finale!
Season finale(s) of the week:
First of all, I’ll admit, I haven’t watched it yet! I am a few episodes behind, so I am trying to avoid spoilers, which I tell you, is really hard since everybody seems to be talking about Scandal these days! (But then, the better for me if I finish later, the less I’ll have to wait for the new season! Ha! :))
Anyway, I just wanted to say, in case no-one ever told you this (which is impossible) - if you don’t watch Scandal already, you should! :) I just love smart TV shows like this, the ones that really make your brain work while entertaining. And although I am not in a position to confirm yet, I hear the second season ends with the best cliffhanger ever!
OK, after Scandal, this might be unexpected. I only watched this season of American Idol because Mariah was judging, but the contestants were really good too! I am happy for Candice’s win, I predicted this Top 2, even the Top 3 from the beginning of the live shows. Can’t wait to hear more of their originals!
As for the judges, is Nicki’s leave confirmed yet? I thought I had read something. If it’s true, at this point, it’s Keith and Mariah, and only Keith is confirmed. And if it is really the choice between a world tour and Idol for Mariah, I am voting world tour!!! :)
Happy Pentecost to those who celebrate it! And happy Sunday to the rest of you!
I forgot to post this yesterday…
The first one in this great series was really inspiring and worth every minute to follow!
Can’t wait for the next on June 20! The next topic will be Youth and Unemployment.
Yet another (the fifth) non-binding resolution from the UN General Assembly on Syria, still none from the Security Council.
Adopted by a vote of 107 in favour to 12 against, with 59 abstentions, the Assembly text expressed the body’s outrage at the “rapidly increasing death toll” in Syria, which the UN estimates to be in the tens of thousands. The resolution also strongly condemns the Syrian Government’s increased use of heavy weapons, and also condemns ongoing “widespread and systematic gross violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms.”
I’ve been meaning to ask already: who else is excited about this?
The first live discussion with Mr. Annan will be held tomorrow (May 15) at 11.00 CET. It can be followed here:
http://dialogueslive.kofiannanfoundation.org/
The theme of tomorrow’s discussion is “Young People and Leadership”.
Sunday Smack
Once again, Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms who are celebrating this weekend!
I hope you had a great week and an even greater weekend!
Here’s what I have in store for you today:
On world affairs:
UN chemical weapons chief: time is running out to get to the scene of the crime in Syria
Amidst controversial claims whether chemical weapons usage occured and by which side in Syria, here is a deeper look at the personnel of the UN inspection team.
I left out this issue altogether last week, because all the articles I read then were kind of blury, with more questions than answers. I can’t say I have read any really informative articles since then, but this is a good one.
3 Signs That Syria Has Exploded Beyond Its Borders
“Syria is not Libya, it will not implode, it will explode beyond its borders.” Based on this quote from Kofi Annan, Mark Leon Goldberg paints the current picture of the Syrian crisis.
UN Applauds US-Russia Syria plan; skeptics see delaying tactic
And one more on this same topic. For me, I must be one of those “skeptics” in the title, I don’t consider any of these talks a major (or even minor) development in the Syrian crisis, I wish they would finally do more.
On the legal side:
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev Probably Won’t Get the Death Penalty
Here’s why the author thinks he won’t with examples of similar cases.
Boston Bombings: Local Police and Counterterrorism Intelligence
Should local police be warned about alleged terrorism threats? Should Boston Police have been warned about Tsarnaev on FBI’s list? What would have been different if they were? And here you can see furher development of this story in form of answers to the original post and an FBI statement. That’s what I love about this site, I have to add. Stories develop, sometimes in a matter of hours.
American Immigration Reform May Finally Help ‘Stateless’ People
Statelessness may not be a category in American immigration law, but it most definitely is in international law. The article provides insight to how this interesting question is dealt with in the US.
Rios Montt convicted of genocide and war crimes; 80 year sentence
I haven’t featured this Guatemalan trial before, although IntLawGrrls posted great reports of it all along (a previous post is linked in the above one). This is not the end of the case, just the first verdict that is going to be appealed, but interesting still.
Disturbing statistics of the week:
Where newborns die on their first day
UN Dispatch featured this story as Map of the Day on Tuesday. It’s from Save the Children’s annual State of the World’s Mothers report. What is the most disturbing is that there are more Western, developed countries on the first half of the list than you would imagine. It’s really worth to take a look.
Inspiration of the week:
I have to admit, I love all these commencement addresses. When I need instant inspiration I either turn to TED videos or these. Here’s one of my all time favorites from J.K. Rowling, on the off chance you haven’t seen it before, but it doesn’t hurt rewatching from time to time too.
In Hungary, high school grads are over the first week of final exams now, so high school graduations are over, and commencements are only held towards the end of June. But this is for all those guys around the world, whether you already had your Commencement or still ahead of it. Good luck and don’t forget: the best is yet to come! :)
I have to add, it was hard to choose just one favorite, so if you liked this, and want to watch more, my other favorites include Aaron Sorkin’s, Neil Gaiman’s and one of Sheryl Sandberg’s, to name just a few.
Music of the week:
And hopefully weeks to come, that is, the whole summer. Can’t wait for the new album out this summer, this song was so worth the wait! Please don’t stop streaming it, buying it, requesting it, we want this to be Mariah’s 19th #1! :)
Have a great Sunday, people!
While we are celebrating Europe Day today, Euroscepticism reaches unprecedented hights all across Europe.
Happy Europe Day!
“Europe will not be made all at once, or according to a single plan. It will be built through concrete achievements which first create a de facto solidarity.” /Robert Schuman/
Sixty-three years ago, on 9 May 1950, the then French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman made the first move towards the creation of what we now know as the European Union.
In honor of Europe Day, tonight the Empire State Building in New York will light up in EU colors once again.
![yovisto:
On May 8, 1828, Swiss businessman and social activist Henry Dunant was born. He is best known for the creation of the International Committee of the Red Cross in 1863. Also the 1864 Geneva Convention was based on Dunant’s ideas. In 1901 he received the first Nobel Peace Prize together with Frédéric Passy.
[Read More]
Today is World Red Cross Day!](http://25.media.tumblr.com/27fffd23ad9c3baeaed9317ec81ea70e/tumblr_mmhg0lmOXU1rckraeo1_500.jpg)
On May 8, 1828, Swiss businessman and social activist Henry Dunant was born. He is best known for the creation of the International Committee of the Red Cross in 1863. Also the 1864 Geneva Convention was based on Dunant’s ideas. In 1901 he received the first Nobel Peace Prize together with Frédéric Passy.
Today is World Red Cross Day!
My long time favorite: “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” and 19 others…
Every day, millions of people around the world are being threatened not only by international war and internal conflicts but also by chronic and persistent poverty, natural disasters, organised crime, human trafficking, health pandemics, and sudden economic and financial downturns.
World leaders have stressed “the right of all people to live in freedom and dignity, free from poverty and despair” — rights that form the foundation for human safety on all continents and acknowledge the interlinkages between security, development and human rights and consider these to be the building blocks of human and national security.
In this context, a High-Level event on Human Security is taking place today, May 8, in New York City which aims to chart a future course for human security; an approach that integrates peace, security, development, and human rights.
Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives during the Second World War, 8-9 May
May 8 marks the anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe in 1945.
By resolution 59/26 of 22 November 2004, the UN General Assembly declared 8–9 May as a time of remembrance and reconciliation and, while recognizing that Member States may have individual days of victory, liberation and commemoration, invited all Member States, organizations of the United Nations System, non-governmental organizations and individuals to observe annually either one or both of these days in an appropriate manner to pay tribute to all victims of the Second World War.
