Top stories from DAWNS Digest
UN Arms Trade Treaty Talks Resume Today
The first round of talks fizzled in July, mostly because the US wanted to delay the talks until after the elections. Now, ten days of talks will start again to find a treaty on the conventional arms trade.“Whether the treaty’s prospects have improved remains to be seen, not only in the United States, which accounts for about 30 percent of the $60 billion to $70 billion annual trade in conventional arms, but also among other major weapons exporters like Russia and China. They have expressed ambivalence about language in the treaty that could be interpreted as banning weapons trade with human rights violators, arguing that such a distinction is subjective.” (NYT http://nyti.ms/117kWrP)
UN Peacekeeping Mission in Mali Could Begin in July
A quote from a key UN official suggest that there may be UN peacekeeping mission in Mali rather soon. The peacekeeping operation could be in place in Mali this July, with approval from the Malian government and the Security Council, a senior United Nations official today said, wrapping up his week-long visit to Mali. “‘July could see the transfer of AFISMA to a UN stabilisation mission,’ Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Edmond Mulet, told journalists in the Malian capital city of Bamako, referring to the African-led International Support Mission in Mali by its French acronym – AFISMA.” (UN News Service http://bit.ly/Yl6czg)
Humanity-Affirming Study of the Day: World Poverty is Falling Fast
The brighter news is a result of international aid and national investments in health, education and other areas. “The report, by Oxford University’s poverty and human development initiative, predicts that countries among the most impoverished in the world could see acute poverty eradicated within 20 years if they continue at present rates. It identifies “star performer” nations such as Rwanda, Nepal and Bangladesh as places where deprivation could disappear within the lifetime of present generations. Close on their heels with reductions in poverty levels were Ghana, Tanzania, Cambodia and Bolivia.” (Guardian http://bit.ly/117o331)
HIV Game Changer? Rapid treatment after HIV infection may be enough to “functionally cure” about a tenth of those diagnosed early. (BBC http://bbc.in/Z7ZT4n)
Photo credit: Control Arms Treaty campaign stunt under Brooklyn bridge – Oxfam International