Italian PM Giorgia Meloni for Reviving Ties with China
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni vowed to relaunch cooperation with China, signing a three-year action plan during her first official visit to Beijing since taking office.
Meloni, who has led a right-wing government since 2022, made the announcement during a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, as Rome seeks to improve trade ties with Beijing after it exited President Xi Jinping's flagship Belt and Road infrastructure investment scheme last year (2023).
Wickremesinghe Announces Candidacy for SL Presidency
Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who steered the cash-strapped island nation to a semblance of stability from bankruptcy in 2022, declared his candidacy to contest the presidential election on September 21.
The island nation's election commission announced that presidential polls would be held on September 21, ending the months-long speculation over the key contest.
Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei Formally Endorses Pezeshkian as President
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei gave his official endorsement of Masoud Pezeshkian as the Islamic Republic's ninth President, following snap elections won by the reformist camp's candidate.
The endorsement ceremony was held in the capital Tehran in the presence of senior Iranian officials and foreign diplomats.
Jul 28, 2024
Jaishankar Holds Bilateral Meetings with Counterparts from ASEAN Countries
Minister for External Affairs S. Jaishankar met his counterparts from the Philippines, Enrique A Manalo, and Norway's Espen Barth Eide on the margins of the ASEAN meet and discussed strengthening bilateral collaboration and priorities in the Indo-Pacific region.
Jaishankar also held bilateral meetings with Timor Leste's Foreign Minister Bendito Freitas and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Cambodia Sok Chenda Sophea.
Jaishankar and all other leaders were in the Laos' capital Vientiane and participated in the Foreign Ministers' Meetings under the ASEAN framework in the format of ASEAN -India, East Asia Summit (EAS) and ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF).
Jul 27, 2024
India Assumes Chair of Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre (ADPC)
India took over the Chair of the Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre (ADPC) for the year 2024-25, succeeding China. This transition was formalised in Bangkok, Thailand. The appointment underscores India's growing global and regional leadership in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
ADPC is an autonomous international organisation focused on disaster risk reduction and climate resilience in Asia and the Pacific. It was founded by India and eight neighboring countries: Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.
Jul 26, 2024
The 2024 UN General Assembly Plenary Meeting on the Responsibility to Protect
The UN General Assembly held a plenary meeting on the "Responsibility to Protect (R2P) and the prevention of genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity" as part of the formal agenda of its 78th session. The debate constituted the seventh time that the General Assembly formally considered R2P. During the meeting, 53 UN member states and the European Union (EU) spoke on behalf of 103 countries and one observer mission.
While the discussion broadly reflected widespread support for R2P, the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations, representing 17 states and one observer mission, as well as some of the Group's members – Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Equatorial Guinea, Iran, Nicaragua, Russia, Syria and Venezuela – challenged the application of the norm. The Group expressed their "categorical rejection of the commission of crimes against humanity, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and genocide, while emphasising the central role of States as guarantors of the safety, security and wellbeing of their respective populations."
World Bank Group Ramps up Fight against Global Hunger
The World Bank Group unveiled a comprehensive package of initiatives to address urgent poverty and hunger, and enable vulnerable people to increase earnings, enhance resilience against climate shocks, and promote empowerment for women and girls.
An ambitious plan to scale up social protection programs, working alongside partners to support at least 500 million people in developing countries by 2030—aiming for half of those to be women and girls. To reach this goal, we are utilizing innovative cash transfer systems that ensure those in need receive resources directly, while combatting corruption and waste.
The Bank Group will be the lead knowledge partner for the G20 Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, established by Brazil. This will generate hunger solutions and coordinate knowledge exchange alongside Brazil for the benefit of all countries.
Israeli Parliament Approves Bill to Label UNRWA as a Terror Organization
The Israeli Knesset approved a bill to designate the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) as a terrorist organisation.
The vote against the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) is the latest step in a Israeli push against the agency, which Israeli leaders have accused of collaborating with the Islamist movement Hamas in Gaza.
UNRWA provides education, health and aid to millions of Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. It has long had tense relations with Israel but relations have deteriorated sharply since the start of the war in Gaza and Israel has called repeatedly for UNRWA to be disbanded.
Ronald L. Rowe Jr. Named Acting Chief of US Secret Service
Ronald L. Rowe Jr. was appointed as the acting chief of the US Secret Service following the resignation of Kimberly Cheatle. Cheatle stepped down after the Secret Service faced criticism for a significant security lapse during an attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas announced that Ronald L. Rowe Jr., previously the Deputy Director of the Secret Service, will serve as the acting director following Cheatle's resignation.
Jul 25, 2024
Moscow's 'Square of Europe' Renamed to 'Square of Eurasia'
Authorities in Moscow renamed the capital city's 'Square of Europe' as the 'Square of Eurasia' amid Russia's worsening relations with the West over the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The Square of Europe, located in front of the bustling Kievsky Railway Station, was unveiled in 2002 as part of a joint Russian-Belgian project symbolizing European unity.
Mayor Sergei Sobyanin's decision to rename the square came after the flags of 48 European countries were removed from the public space in March 2023, 13 months after President Vladimir Putin ordered troops into neighbouring Ukraine.
World Leaders Summit 2024 at the House of Lords in the UK Parliament
The World Leaders Summit 2024 set the stage for global dialogue, uniting influential figures worldwide at a historic venue–the House of Lords in the UK Parliament. This prestigious gathering was not just another event; it symbolised hope and collaboration in addressing urgent international issues. As delegates converged in London and shared insights and strategies, the summit became a melting pot of ideas aimed at shaping a collective future. With pressing matters on the agenda, this year's summit promises to leave an indelible mark on how nations interact and address global challenges together.
The World Leaders Summit 2024 sparked vital conversations on pressing global issues. Economic growth emerged as a focal point for discussion, with leaders exploring ways to promote sustainable and inclusive growth.
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