O’Brien has joined forces with George Soros and Serge Pun to secure one of two new telecommunications licences for the country formally known as Burma.
Burmese democracy campaigner Aung San Suu Kyi has been presented with the US Congress’ highest civilian honour – which she was awarded while under house arrest in 2008.
The General Secretary of the National League for Democracy in Burma will arrive in Ireland on 18 June. Today, she will speak in Geneva at the UN’s International Labour Organisation.
Japan is to take steps to forgive about 300 billion yen (€2.8 billion) of Burma’s debt and resume development aid in a bid to support democratic and economic reforms in the country.
The electoral win will change little but marks a new era in the 24-year politicla career of the democracy activist who had spent much of the past two decades under house arrest.
Some 651 political activists, bloggers, a former prime minister and heads of ethnic minority groups were released yesterday under a presidential pardon allowing them to take part in “nation-building.”
The leader of the opposition in Burma, who was under house arrest for 15 of the last 21 years, has ended her boycott of elections in military dictatorship.
President Barack Obama said the historic trip by the Secretary of State will take place next month after the US said it saw “flickers of progress” in the country which has been isolated for decades.
Burma’s opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi tested the limits of her freedom by taking her first political trip into the countryside since being released from house arrest.
FRANCE HAS BECOME the 14th country to legalise same-sex marriage after President Francois Hollande signed the measure into law today following months of bitter political debate.
In Ireland last month, 79 per cent of delegates at the Constitutional Convention voted in favour of same-sex marriage but the Government will hold off on a referendum until next year despite the overwhelming support.
It comes two years after the legalisation of Civil Partnership.
Is another year too long for a referendum on gay marriage? Or, are you opposed to the idea entirely?
So today, we want to know what do you think. Would you welcome the legalisation of same-sex marriage in Ireland today, similar to France?