News Intro for Saturday 14-04-2012

Syria remained today the hottest topic on the diplomatic and humanitarian scenes: On the diplomatic level the U.N. Security Council on Saturday unanimously authorized the deployment of up to 30 unarmed observers to Syria to monitor the country's fragile ceasefire.  

On the ground activists reported the first shelling on Saturday in Homs by forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad since the U.N.-Arab League-brokered ceasefire took effect on Thursday.  

Before the approval of the UNSC resolution the Syrian opposition unleashed its negative comments and feedback; Syrian National Council member Samir Nashar who is currently living in Turkey wondered how effective 30 observers would be across Syria.  

Nashar added “We are not reassured yet; we will be pleased when the Syrian citizens would be able to organize demonstrations without being shot dead and when they will be able to express their views freely”.  

On the local scene President Michel Sleiman took a decision and left on an official visit to Australia after he was called on several times to sign the 8900 Billion decree related to governmental spending. The president rejected all these calls as he believed that the governmental spending should be discussed during a general parliamentary session.    

On the other hand new developments surrounded PAC employees and its administration; The Minister of Labor Salim Jreissati told “Sawt al Mada” radio station that the employees will receive their fill salaries, adding that all their rights are preserved.