WTO Roadmap to Reducing Barriers to Trade Launched
WTO members achieved a breakthrough in a meeting of the Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) by agreeing on a list of recommendations...
LATAM Nations Writes To ICJ
The presidents of Peru, Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Paraguay and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau signed a letter and sent it to the International...
Israel Reopens Golan Crossing With Syria
Syria's main crossing points with Jordan and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights have both been reopened for the first time in several years.
A Syrian businessman...
Emergency Declared in Libya Capital
Libya's UN-backed government has announced a state of emergency in the Libya's capital, Tripoli, and its outskirts after several days of fierce fighting between...
WHO Framework Convention On Tobacco Control
The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) is the first international treaty negotiated under the auspices of WHO. It was adopted by...
Four Countries to Graduate From ‘Least-Developed’ Status
Four countries could soon “graduate” from the ranks of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable nations, a United Nations expert committee announced recently.
Bhutan, Kiribati,...
Davos Declaration and Concept of Baukultur
In January 2018, European Ministers of Culture met in Davos, Switzerland, to adopt a Declaration promoting the concept of a high-quality Baukultur in Europe....
Trade Facilitation Agreement Marks First Anniversary
The Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) marked its first anniversary since its entry into force on 22 February 2017 with WTO members making significant strides...
38 Militants Hanged in Iraq
Iraq has hanged 38 Sunni Muslim militants after they were sentenced to death on terrorism charges.
The mass executions were carried out at a prison...
Global Monitoring System for Dementia Launched
The United Nations health agency WHO launched the first global monitoring system for dementia.
This initiative is expected to affect 152 million people worldwide by...
Muscat Declaration on Tourism and Culture
The Muscat Declaration on Tourism and Culture: Fostering Sustainable Development was signed by representatives of UNESCO, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), delegations, private sector,...
‘Doha Development Agenda Global Trust Fund’ in News
The Doha Development Agenda Global Trust Fund (DDAGTF) was established in 2002, in order to receive extra budgetary contributions from WTO Members to finance...
‘Enhanced Integrated Framework’ of WTO: Latest Developments
The United Kingdom government announced at the WTO’s Ministerial Conference on 11 December a commitment of £16 million (around US$ 21.3 million) to 51...
‘Standards and Trade Development Facility’ of WTO
France has contributing EUR 50,000 (approximately CHF 58,000) to the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) in 2017 to help developing countries comply with...
Buenos Aires Declaration on Women and Trade
For the first time in the history of the World Trade Organization, WTO members and observers have endorsed a collective initiative to increase the...
‘Global Trade Helpdesk’ Launched: Highlights
The International Trade Centre (ITC), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the WTO unveiled an innovative tool to help businesses,...
WTO Launches ‘Cotton Portal’
The World Trade Organization (WTO) and the International Trade Centre (ITC) launched an on-line platform for market intelligence for cotton products, which will enable...
‘G7 Plus WTO Accessions Group’ Launched
Selected WTO members and acceding governments launched the g7+ WTO Accessions Group, a new platform designed to help post-conflict and fragile economies through WTO...
Saudi Prince Freed in $1 billion Settlement
Senior Saudi Arabian prince Miteb bin Abdullah, has been freed after agreeing to pay over $1 billion to settle corruption allegations against him.
Miteb, 65,...
Kenya President Sworn
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta was sworn in for a second term.
Kenyatta won a repeat presidential election on Oct. 26 that was boycotted by Odinga,...
Japan Emperor to Abdicate in 2019
Emperor Akihito will step down on April 30, 2019 - the first abdication by a Japanese monarch in about two centuries.
A 10-member Imperial Household...
Venezuela Launched Cryptocurrency ‘Petro’
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has launched the digital currency to circumvent U.S.-led financial sanctions.
He launched the cryptocurrency “petro” backed by oil reserves to shore...
Dengue Vaccine ‘Sanofi’ Sale Stopped in Philippines
The Philippines has ordered French drugmaker Sanofi to stop the sale, distribution and marketing of its Dengvaxia dengue vaccine in the country.
The World Health...
USA Recognize ‘Jerusalem’ as Israel’s Capital
US President Donald Trump has recognized the Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. He directed the US state department to start making arrangements to move...
2021-30 Declared ‘Decade of Ocean Science’ by UN
The United Nations designated the years 2021 to 2030 as the ‘Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development’ to boost international coordination and cooperation...
WHO Warning Over Substandard or Falsified Medicines
World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that substandard or fake medicines that fail to prevent and cure disease – and could even cause death...
‘Youth for the South’ Initiative Launched
A new UN partnership that will empower young leaders in the Global South to become agents of change was launched during the Global South-South...
UK Donates for Participation of LDCs in WTO
The United Kingdom Government has contributing GBP 100,000 (approximately CHF 132,000) to help least-developed countries (LDCs) participate in the eleventh WTO Ministerial Conference (MC11),...
Global Task Force On Cholera Control
A taskforce of United Nations and international partner agencies is gearing up to launch an ambitious new strategy to combat cholera – aiming to...
50 Nations Sign UN Nuclear Ban Treaty
The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, or the Nuclear Weapon Ban Treaty, is the first legally binding international agreement to comprehensively prohibit...
Saudi Arabia Allow Woman To Drive
Saudi Arabia’s historic decision to allow women to drive won plaudits internationally and inside the conservative kingdom.
King Salman’s decree, which takes effect next June,...
International Association of Lighthouse Authorities
The Union Cabinet of India has given its approval for International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) to change its status...
Disrespect of National Anthem Made Crime
Insulting the Chinese national anthem would now be a criminal offence. The national anthem is rooted in Chinese revolution. Recognizing China's anthem is to recognize the...
Qatar Restores Diplomatic Relations with Iran
Qatar has restored the full diplomatic relations with Iran send its ambassador back to Iran.
Iran welcomed Qatar’s decision, has sent food to Qatar and...
Qatar Approves ‘Domestic Employment Law’
Qatar has introduced a new "Domestic Employment Law" that will provide legal protection for domestic workers, giving them more rights and control over their...
Prime Minister Re-elected in Papua New Guinea
Incumbent Peter O'Neill has been re-elected as prime minister of Papua New Guinea.
O'Neill was sworn to a second five-year term after his People's National...
UN ‘Resolution 2371’ in News
Resolution 2371 (2017), adopted unanimously by the United Nations Security Council on August 5, 2017, strengthens UN sanctions on North Korea in response to...
Chile Legalize Abortion
Chile's Constitutional Court has legalised abortion, ending the country's absolute ban on the procedure.
Court ruling accepted the making abortion legal in cases of rape, threat...
Latest Rape Law Reforms in Lebanon, Tunisia, Jordan
United Nations human rights body has welcomed the repeal of laws in Lebanon, Tunisia and Jordan that allow rapists to avoid criminal prosecution by marrying...
Global Convention on Mercury Comes Into Effect
A ground-breaking global convention on mercury has comes into effect, protecting millions of children and infants from possible neurological and health damage.
The Minamata Convention...
Iran’s President and Supreme Leader
Iran’s re-elected president Hassan Rouhani has been sworn in for his second term. Hassan Rouhani is the seventh and current President of Iran, a...
Ethiopia Lifts State of Emergency
Ethiopia’s government has lifted a state of emergency imposed in October after hundreds of people were killed in anti-government protests.
Lawmakers in the East African...
Italy Parliament Approves Naval Mission
The Italian parliament has approved a naval mission aimed at boosting the Libyan coastguard in its fight against human traffickers.
It would provide technical support...
Kenya’s Presidential Election
General elections were held in Kenya on 8 August 2017 to elect the President, members of Parliament and devolved governments.
Incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta was...
Qatar Files Complaint Against Trade Boycott
Qatar has filed a formal complaint with the World Trade Organisation's Dispute Settlement Body against countries that have imposed a blockade on it.
Complaint is...
‘Yazidi Genocide’ in News
The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, calling itself Islamic State) is recognized by the UN as the perpetrator of a genocide...
Presidential Election in Rwanda
Presidential elections were held in Rwanda on 4 August 2017. The incumbent President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, was re-elected to a third seven-year term...
United Nations Imposes Ban on N.Korea Exports
The United Nations Security Council imposed new sanctions on North Korea over its two recent intercontinental ballistic missile tests in July.
The U.S.-drafted resolution bans...
South China Sea Code: Main Features
Foreign ministers of Southeast Asia and China adopted a negotiating framework for a code of conduct in the South China Sea.
The framework seeks to...
Qatar Allows Visa-free Entry for Citizens of 80 Countries
Qatar’s Ministry of Interior (MoI), Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) and Qatar Airways announced that Qatar will allow visa-free entry for citizens of 80 countries,...
Syria’s Raqqa Battle: Know About it
The Battle of Raqqa is the fifth and final phase of the Raqqa campaign launched by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) against the Islamic...
Crisis in Myanmar’s Rakhine Region
Myanmar government has rejected the rumours that the Government was establishing paramilitary forces in Rakhine State.
Because extremists are stepping up terrorist activities in the...
‘Every Newborn Action Plan’ Launched in Iraq
With the support of UNICEF, the Ministry of Health of Iraq launched the Every Newborn Action Plan (ENAP), which was developed jointly with UN Children's...
Manus Island Processing Centre in News
The United Nations refugee agency UNHCR expressed a grave concern over the deteriorating conditions for refugees and asylum seekers at Australia's offshore immigration processing...
UN Resolution to Prevent Terrorists from Acquiring Weapons
The United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution aimed at preventing terrorists from acquiring weapons, particularly small arms and light weapons.
Unanimously adopting resolution...
Greater ‘Kasai Region’ of Congo in News
Militia attacks and army reprisals have uprooted 1.4 million people in a previously stable region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
According to the...
Landmark Reforms to WTO Trade Policy Approved
The WTO General Council approved landmark reforms to the Trade Policy Review Mechanism (TPRM) in July 2017 to improve the process of reviewing members’ trade...
Ireland Gives EUR 350,000 to Promote World Trade
The government of Ireland has contributed EUR 350,000 (CHF 367,000) in 2017 to WTO trade-related programmes to help developing countries and in particular least-developed...
500th Amendment to ‘WTO Goods Schedule’
The update of Argentina’s WTO Goods Schedule, which was formally initiated on 26 July, marks the 500th notification under special procedures to modify these...
Hambantota Port Deal in News
The Magampura Mahinda Rajapaksa Port (also known as the Port of Hambantota) is a maritime port in Hambantota, Sri Lanka. The first phase of...
Pakistan Supreme Court Disqualifies Prime Minister
Pakistan's Supreme Court five-Judge Bench has disqualified Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from office. This ruling comes after months of hearings in a case instigated by the...
Iran-Iraq Sign Agreement to Boost Military Cooperation
Iran and Iraq have signed an agreement to boost military cooperation and to battle against “terrorism and extremism”.
The memorandum of understanding on defense and cooperation...
New Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative Launched
The World Bank has launched a public-private loan programme to support women entrepreneurs in developing countries.
Initial funding of $325 million for the project includes...
Mauritius Signs Multilateral Tax Convention
Recently, Mauritius has signed the Multilateral Convention to Implement Tax Treaty Related Measures to prevent Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (MLI).
Mauritius has also reaffirmed...
New Sanctions Imposed on Iran by USA
USA imposed new sanctions against entities and individuals with ties to Iran. USA has designated 18 entities and individuals under this latest round of sanctions for their...
Switzerland Ratifies AEOI With 41 Countries
The Swiss Federal Council has introduced automatic exchange of financial account information (AEOI) with 41 more states and territories.
The list of the countries is...
Serbia’s New President
Aleksandar Vucic was sworn in as Serbia’s president. Serbia is a parliamentary republic, with the government divided into legislative, executive and judiciary branches.
The President is...
China and South-China Sea Reclamation Issue
China has imposed strict controls on the scale of sea reclamation. China’s State Oceanic Administration (SOA) set eight indexes on sea development, including the rate...
People’s Displacement in Kasai Region of Congo
Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has alerted the humanitarian community about the violence and continued displacement of civilians in the...
United Nations Political Mission in Iraq Extended
The UN Security Council has extended the mandate of the United Nations political mission in Iraq until 31 July 2018.
It has also called the...
Saudi Arabia Introduces Physical Education for Girls
According to Education Ministry of Saudi Arabia, Saudi public schools will begin offering physical education for girls in the coming academic year. Minister of...
USA-Qatar Agreement on Combating Terrorism Funding
United States and Qatar have signed an agreement to combat "terrorism financing". Qatar has become the first country to sign a such type agreement with...
Japan Donates to WTO Global Trust Fund
The government of Japan is contributing JPY 27.5 million (just over CHF 230,000) to help developing countries and least-developed countries enhance their trade negotiating...
Japan’s Population is Decreasing Fast
According to latest Japan government data, the number of births fell below 1 million last year in Japan. It is the fastest pace of decreasing population...
Battulga Wins Mongolian Presidential Election
Khaltmaa Battulga has won Mongolia's presidential election. Battulga of the Democratic Party (DP) is a 54-year-old former martial arts star.
Battulga won with 50.6 percent...
EU-Japan Signs Economic Partnership Agreement
Japan and European Union have signed an Economic Partnership Agreement that would affect about 30 percent of the world’s gross domestic product. The negotiations...
Treaty on Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons Adopted
United Nations conference adopted the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. It is the first multilateral legally-binding instrument for nuclear disarmament to have...
Standards and Trade Development Facility in News
The STDF is a global partnership established by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Organization for Animal Health...
Beijing Declaration on Education Adopted
Beijing Declaration on Education was adopted in the 5th Meeting of BRICS Ministers of Education in Beijing, China in July 2017.
BRICS Ministers of Education during...
Martial Law in Southern Philippines: SC Approves it
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte declared martial law across the southern third of the country in May 2017 after deadly clashes between security forces and...
UN Security Council Adopts Resolution on Landmines
The United Nations Security Council adopted its first-ever resolution on mine action.
UNSC noted that the serious and lasting threat posed by landmines, explosive remnants of...
Iraq Declares End of Islamic State Caliphate
With the capture of iconic Nuri mosque in Mosul, Iraq has declared the end of terrorist organization Islamic State group's "caliphate". It is from...
Croatia-Slovenia Border Dispute in News
Border disputes between Slovenia and Croatia have existed since the two countries' independence following the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1991. The most notable border...
Information Technology Agreement in News
The Information Technology Agreement (ITA) was concluded by 29 participants at the Singapore Ministerial Conference in December 1996. Since then, the number of participants...
European Commission Imposed Fine on Google
Google has been fined 2.42 billion euros by the European Commission.
According to EU ruling, Google had abused its power by promoting its own shopping...
Pakistan-Afghanistan Setup Crisis Management Mechanism
Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed for the establishment of a bilateral “crisis management mechanism” to avoid any breakdown in mutual communications and contacts in...
Egypt Gives Red Sea Islands to Saudi Arabia
Egypt’s parliament approved the transfer of two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia under a border agreement. In return, Saudi Arabia will provide billions of...
European Union Extends Sanctions on Russia
The European Union has extended sanctions against Russia for a year over its annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula in 2014.
Crimea declared independence from Ukraine...
Africa’s Largest Refugee Crisis in News
The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) says the situation has made South Sudan, Africa's largest refugee crisis and the world's third largest after Syria...
Denmark Ratifies ‘Forced Labour Convention’
Denmark has deposited the instrument of ratification of the Protocol of 2014 to the Forced Labour Convention, 1930 , thereby becoming the 17th country...
Indonesia Ratifies Maritime Labour Convention
Indonesia has deposited the instrument of ratification of the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006, as amended (MLC, 2006) with the International Labour Office.
Indonesia, an important...
Thailand Ratifies Employment Discrimination Convention
Thailand, member State of the ILO since 1919, ratified one of the eight fundamental ILO Conventions, namely the Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) 1958, (No.111)...
Belgium Ratifies Three Significant ILO Conventions
The Government of Belgium deposited with the International Labour Office the instruments of ratification of :
1. The Invalidity, Old-Age and Survivors’ Benefits Convention, 1967...
Iceland Ratifies Protocol on Forced Labour Convention
Iceland has ratified the instrument of the Protocol of 2014 to the Forced Labour Convention, 1930, thereby becoming the fifteenth country to ratify this...
Sweden Joins Global Movement Against Forced Labour
Sweden has ratified the Protocol of 2014 to the Forced Labour Convention, 1930 , thereby reinforcing the global movement for combating forced labour in...
‘Haqqani Network’ in News
The Afghan intelligence service, the National Directorate of Security (NDS), said that early findings showed the Haqqani network with the assistance of Pakistan's ISI...
Bhutan and Maldives Eliminates Measles: WHO
Bhutan and Maldives have eliminated measles, a highly infectious disease that is a major childhood killer globally.
The two countries have become the first in...
World Bank $500M Grant to Afghanistan
The World Bank approved financing of about $500 million for Afghanistan to boost the economy and support Afghan refugees.
The six grants, including donor money,...
Budhi-Gandaki Hydroelectric Project in News
Nepal has signed an agreement with a Chinese company Gezhouba Group Corporation (CGGC) to build the long-mooted 1,200-megawatt Budhi-Gandaki hydroelectric project. Estimates of the...
Asian Infrastructure Bank Gets New Members
The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has approved the membership of Argentina, Madagascar and Tonga.
The AIIB’s board of Governors adopted resolutions approving the three...