Arak Reactor Not Yet Decommissioned
Iran has not yet decommissioned the Arak heavy water reactor, one of its obligations under the nuclear deal with world powers to win a...
Sri Lanka Government Proposes New Constitution
Sri Lanka's new government presented its plan for a new constitution aimed at devolving power.
The move comes as reformist President Maithripala Sirisena's administration takes...
UN Starts Fund For Zika Virus Response
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced the establishment of the UN Zika Response Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF) to finance critical unfunded priorities in the...
Afghanistan Signs Deal with Hekmatyar
Afghanistan signed a draft peace agreement with notorious warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar.
Under the terms of the deal Hekmatyar should accept the constitution and abandon violence.
It...
S Korean President Impeached
Following six weeks of street protests, South Korean President Park Geun-hye was impeached by the nation’s National Assembly.
The impeachment vote required at least 28...
China Population to Peak by 2030
China's population is expected to peak at 1.45 billion in 2030, then drop to 1.4 billion by 2050 and 1.1 billion by the end...
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...
‘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...
‘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...
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...
Saudi Arabia Opens Embassy in Iraq
Saudi Arabia reopened its embassy in Baghdad (Iraq), after 25 years. The Saudi consulate in the capital of the Iraqi Kurdistan region Erbil will...
Iran Denounces Latest Sanctions
Iran has condemned the USA for imposing new sanctions in connection with the country's missile defense program.
The sanctions were imposed by the US Treasury...
Zambian President Wins Election
Zambian President Edgar Lungu narrowly won re-election in a vote.
Lungu, who narrowly beat Hichilema in a vote last year to replace late president Michael...
World Bank Approves $1 bln Aid to Bangladesh
The World Bank has pledged to provide One billion US Dollar aid to Bangladesh over the next three years to fight child malnutrition.
Despite...
Trade Facilitation Agreement: Mozambique Ratifies
Mozambique has ratified the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), making it the 105th WTO member to do so. Only five more ratifications from members are...
UN Statement on Myanmar Violence Blocked
China, backed by Russia, blocked a short U.N. Security Council statement on Myanmar.
The U.N. human rights office accused the military of mass killings and...
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...
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...
Gates Foundation Initiative in Middle East
Current Affairs: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation launched an initiative to help frame and stimulate regional and global...
Committee Setup on Panama Financial System
The government of Panama has established a committee of independent experts to make recommendations on cleaning up the country’s financial system.
Decision was taken after...
EU Extends Sanctions on Russia
The European Union extended part of its sanctions against Russia over Moscow's annexation of Crimea and its role in the crisis in Ukraine.
The EU's...
China USA Conducts Kunming Drills
Troops from China and the U.S. are staging joint drills to better manage disaster relief missions.
Since 2005, the U.S.-China Disaster Management Exchange has been...
Right to Information Comes into Force in Sri Lanka
Right to Information (RTI) Act has come into force in Srilanka from 3rd february 2017.
Main Provisions:
1) Only citizens of Sri Lanka can seek and obtain...
Philippines Declares Martial Law in Southern Province
Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has declared martial law for 60 days in the southern province of Mindanao.
The decision was taken after fighting raged between...
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...
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...
Egypt Approves Anti-Terrorism Law
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi approved a new anti-terrorism law.
The new law, which came weeks after President Sisi vowed harsher laws following the assassination...
Egypt’s Parliament Meets After 3 Years
Egypt's new parliament held its opening session on 10 Jan 2016 more than three years after a court dissolved the old Islamist-dominated chamber.
The body...
UN Accord on Illegal Fishing Comes into Force
The world’s first-ever international agreement specifically targeting illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing entered into force in June 2016.
United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)...
UNSC Adopts Resolution on CTBT
United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution urging all States who haven’t done so to sign the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty.
With 14 votes in favour...
Iran Buys 80 Boeing Planes
Iran Air finalised a contract to buy 80 planes from Boeing, as it seeks to renew its ageing fleet despite sanctions.
The contract — Iran’s...
WTO Young Professionals Programme in News
Director-General Roberto Azevêdo welcomed the first cohort of young professionals at an inauguration ceremony of the WTO Young Professionals Programme.
The WTO Young Professionals Programme...
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...
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...
‘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...
Iran Violated UN Ban
Current Affairs: A UN team of sanctions monitors said that Iran violated a U.N. Security Council resolution in October by test firing a missile...
Pakistan Lifts Ban on YouTube
Pakistan has removed a three-year ban on YouTube after the Google-owned video-sharing website launched a local version that allows the government to demand removal...
Bangkok Governor Suspended
Thailand Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha suspended Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra after a graft probe was launched against him.
The order asked government agencies concerned...
Japan Withholds UNESCO Funding
Japan has withheld its 2016 funding for the UN heritage body UNESCO in a row over how the 1937 Nanjing Massacre is remembered.
UNESCO last...
Ghana Gets New President
Ghana's gets new President Nana Akufo-Addo.
Akufo-Addo, 72, defeated incumbent John Dramani Mahama in peaceful elections a month ago.
Akufo-Addo served as foreign minister and attorney...
Chinese Army Participated in Pak Republic Day Parade
For the first time Chinese troops have participated in Pakistan’s Republic Day Parade.
Pakistan Day commemorates March 23, 1940, when a resolution was passed to...
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...
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...
$5.4 Billion UN budget Adopted for Two Years
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon applauded Member States for adopting a budget of $5.4 billion for the United Nations to carry out its vital work during...
Lions Rescued in Biggest Airlift Operation
In the largest airlift of the lions in history, 33 rescued lions were rescued from circuses in Colombia and Peru have been flown to...
UN Signs Agreement to Track Agricultural Data
The United Nations agricultural agency signed a $15 million agreement with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to boosting the capacity of...
France Donates EUR 50,000 for Poorer Nations
The government of France has donated EUR 50,000 (nearly CHF 54,000) in 2016 to help the WTO’s poorest members implement food safety, animal health...
USA Bans Entry from Muslim Nations
U.S. President Donald Trump has banned people from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the nation for 90 days and suspended admission of refugees for...
UN Meet on Treaty to Combat Illegal Fishing
For the first time, the countries that endorsed the UN Treaty to combat illegal fishing are meeting in in Oslo (Norway) to discuss how to...
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...
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...
Maldives Vice President Impeached
The Maldives vice president Ahmed Adeeb is impeached over his alleged role in a blast on the President Abdulla Yameen's speedboat.
Yameen and First Lady were...
Yemen Reverses Decision on UNHRC Official
Yemen's government has reversed a decision to expel a U.N. human rights envoy after the original announcement caused an unnecessary "fuss".
The foreign ministry had...
New Fund Launched to Address Education Crisis
Global and national organisations launched a new fund to better coordinate support for, and drive investment in, education for children and youth affected by...
UN Partners With Twitter To Achieve SDGs
The United Nations Global Pulse initiative announced a partnership with Twitter that will provide the UN with access to the platform’s data tools to...
Ghana Opposition Leader Wins Presidential Poll
The candidate of the largest opposition New Patriotic Party Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has won Ghana’s closely contested presidential elections.
Akufo-Addo garnered 5,716,026 votes, or...
Saudi Arabia Gives USD 4 Million to Poor Nations
Saudi Arabia has given USD 4 million to help lift poor countries out of poverty through trade. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is actively supporting...
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,...
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...
‘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...
World Summit on the Information Society
Current Affairs: With the curtain closed on the two-day review by the United Nations General Assembly of the outcomes of the World Summit on...
Julian Assange Arbitrarily Detained
The founder of the WikiLeaks website, which published confidential diplomatic information, has been arbitrarily detained by Sweden and the United Kingdom since his arrest...
Russia Launches Military Drills
Russia launched month longed large-scale snap military drills, putting its troops on full combat readiness in districts bordering Ukraine and the Baltic States.
The drills...
China-USA Row Over Anti-Dumping Duties
On 3 December 2013, China requested consultations with the United States regarding the use of certain methodologies in anti-dumping investigations involving Chinese products.
China claims...
Search Operation for Plane MH370 Suspended
The deep-sea search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 ended without any trace being found of the plane that vanished in 2014 with 239...
East Timor Presidential Elections
East Timor's former parliament chief Francisco "Lu-Olo" Guterres has won the country's presidential election.
Guterres secured 57 per cent of the vote. His closest rival,...
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...
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 Observer Force in Golan Extended
The Security Council extended the mandate of the UN Observer Force (UNDOF) for six months, until 30 June 2016, underscoring the need for the...
China Introduces VAT System
China replaced all business tax with a value-added tax (VAT) after extending the policy to cover four new sectors of construction, real estate, finance...
North Korea Conducts 5th Nuclear Test
North Korea conducted a nuclear test, its fifth and the "most powerful" test so far.
North Korea conducted the nuclear test to mark the country's...
China Tops in Patent Applications
According to UN Agency World Intellectual Property Organization, China tops in patent applications in 2016, filing a record 1 million that nearly all focused...
Switzerland Votes to Relax its Citizenship Rules
People in Switzerland have voted to relax the country’s strict citizenship rules, making it easier for third-generation immigrants to become Swiss.
Initial projections suggest that...
Nauru Joins International Solar Alliance
The world’s smallest nation Nauru — has become the sixth country to ratify the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Framework pact initiated by the Indian...
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...
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...
Bangladesh Lifts Ban on Facebook
Bangladesh lifted a ban on Facebook after it was imposed for security reasons few days ago.
The government banned Facebook, WhatsApp and Viber blocked last...
South Korea Japan Ties Improve
The latest North Korea's nuclear test set off alarm bells in Japan and South Korea. South Korea Japan ties imporved as both nations had...
China Unveils Doctrine To Counter USA ‘Pivot’
China has invited Asian countries to join it in framing a security governance model with “Asian features” to counter the U.S. ‘rebalance’ to the...
FARC Rebels Ratify Peace Agreement
The FARC rebels have ratified the peace pact with the Colombian government to end 52 years of civil war.
The accord establishes a timetable for...
Qatar Abolishes Kafala System
Age old 'Kafala System' in Qatar has ended now. Labour Minister of Qatar Issa bin Saad al-Jafali al-Nuaimi announced that the “kafala” rules would...
Haiti Loses $2.7 Billion in Hurricane Matthew
The United Nations office dedicated to disaster risk reduction called for urgent support to improve disaster risk management in Haiti, following a damage assessment...
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...
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,...
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,...
UNSC Resolution on Islamic State Funding
Current Affairs: The UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution to cut off funds for the Islamic State the extremist group, in a firmer...
North Korea Executes Army Chief
North Korea executed its army chief of staff, General Ri Yong-gil, on corruption charges. General Ri Young-gil served as the chief of the general...
China Starts Cargo Train Service to Russia
China launched cargo train service from Guangzhou city to Russia for Vorsino, Kaluzhskaya Oblast in Russia to boost trade.
It is the latest freight train...
Philippines Ratifies Trade Facilitation Agreement
The Philippines has ratified the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), becoming the 95th member of the WTO to do so. The Philippines’ instrument of acceptance...
Gambia Declares Emergency
Gambia's President Yahya Jammeh has declared a state of emergency just two days before he is supposed to cede power after losing elections.
The long-time...
Conflict in Yemen Enters Third Year
As the escalation of the conflict in Yemen enters its third year, the top United Nations humanitarian official has called on the parties to...
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...
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...
UNSC Renews Anti-terror Sanctions
Current Affairs: UN Security Council renewed sanctions regime against terrorist groups in Afghanistan.
In an unanimously adopted resolution, the council expressed its strong concern about...
White House Transition Council Setup
US President Barack Obama has signed an executive order establishing a team to aid smooth transition process for the new administration as he demits...
China Reforms to Protect Human Rights
China announced reforms in laws protecting human rights as well as outlined measures to improve the conditions of prisons and detention centres.
These reforms are...
S.Korea Japan Agree on Intelligence Sharing
Japan and South Korea signed an agreement to share intelligence on North Korea's military activities, including its nuclear program.
The pact will help "restrain" North...
Pakistani Senate Passes Hindu Marriage Bill
Pakistani Hindu community will have a personal law for the first time as the Senate has passed 'The Hindu Marriage Bill 2017'.
Main Provisions:
In accordance...
Taiwan Court Legalize Same-sex Marriage
Taiwan’s Constitutional Court ruled in favour of same-sex marriage. Taiwan’s highest court had just struck down Taiwan’s anti–gay marriage laws as unconstitutional, paving the...
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...