July 7, 2016 Reading Time: 2 minutes
India to upgrade railway and telecommunication networks in Sri Lanka. Image credit - Hackman / Depositphotos
Reading Time: 2 min read
Transitional justice structures to be completed by 2017
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mangala Samaraweera, has stated that the framework for two key transitional justice processes will be completed by early next year.
Minister Samaraweera stated that the basic mechanism for the truth and reconciliation commission will be ready by September 2016, while the structure for the special accountability court will be ready by February 2017.
Victims and witnesses to give evidence from overseas
The Cabinet has approved requests to amend the Assistance and Protection of Victims of Crime and Witnesses Act. This will enable victims and witnesses to provide evidence without being physically present in courts.
The amended Act will allow victims and witnesses to give evidence from relevant diplomatic missions outside of Sri Lanka through video conferencing.
India to upgrade railway and telecommunication networks
On a visit to India, the Development Strategies and International Trade Minister, Malik Samarawickrama, has discussed the development of Sri Lanka’s telecommunications and railway systems.
India has extended its line of credit to Sri Lanka, totalling USD 1 billion, in support of various infrastructure projects, some of which were directed to the telecommunication and railway sectors.
Report issued on UK’s role in Iraq war
The Chilcot report, a public inquiry into the UK government’s decisions on Iraq between 2001 and 2009, has determined that prior to the Iraq invasion, ex-Prime Minister Tony Blair relied on flawed intelligence. The report concluded that legal authorisation of the war was unsatisfactory.
The 12-volume report also criticised Mr. Blair for overstating the threat posed by Saddam Hussein, sending ill-prepared troops into battle and for a lack of structured plans in the post-invasion period.
US places North Korean leader on sanctions list
The US Treasury Department has, for the first time, placed North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and several senior officials on a blacklist, accusing them of grave human rights abuses.
Under these sanctions, the US-based property of the named individuals will be frozen, and US citizens will be barred from doing business with them. A State Department spokesman recognised, however, that the sanctions were unlikely to deter the North Korean leader.
Russia and the US to increase cooperation in Syria
Following a telephone conversation initiated by President Vladimir Putin, the Russian President and US President Barack Obama have agreed to increase coordination in their military efforts in Syria.
President Obama urged Russia to pressure President Bashar al-Assad of Syria to abstain from attacking civilians and to work towards a political transition. In turn, Moscow urged the US to help detach the ‘moderate’ opposition groups from more ‘extremist’ groups. The two leaders also discussed conflicts in Ukraine and Nagorno-Karabakh.
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