Asia Bahrain The Central Bank of Bahrain has joined Afaq Gulf RTGS, the Arab Gulf system for automated financial rapid transfer, a choice to develop cross-border payment systems and adopt the latest technologies in retail payments
Asia Pakistan The worst desert locust attack in 30 years, a potentially devastating threat for crops, has been successfully tackled through collaboration with local and international partners - FAO’s representative in Pakistan praised the effort
Asia Brunei The first memorandum of understanding to strengthen cultural relations between Brunei and Cambodia has been signed virtually; it will also promote cultural exchanges between the two nations, based on the principle of mutual benefit
Asia Japan National civil servants will be able to have up to 10 days of paid leave per year to receive fertility treatment from next January, in a bid to support population growth against a declining birth rate
Asia Vietnam Tan Son Nhat International Airport, serving the city of Ho Chi Minh, has recently ranked by Skytrax as a top 10 best airports worldwide serving up to 40 million passengers a year before the pandemic
Asia Israel Settlers' housing plans have been reduced by 39% : of the anticipated plans for 3.623 units, 1.400 have been removed from the agenda - the decision comes shortly before the meeting with US representatives
Asia Nepal The Supreme Court ordered the government not to implement its decision to scrap the land commission, summoning the government and petitioners today to discuss the matter further
Asia Bhutan A new UNDP-supported project will seek to integrate biodiversity conservation into tourism development, a long-term strategy to mitigate threats to biodiversity while generating funding for sustainable conservation
Asia East Timor Last Thursday the National Electoral Commission held a conference to discuss the evolution of democracy in the country
Asia China The herd of 14 wild elephants that has become world-famous for its wandering is returning home to its habitat after a year and a half, in which they have been wondering in an area of 500 square kilometers across Yunnan
Asia Sri Lanka An online system has been made available to the public for obtaining copies of birth, marriage and death certificates, a system designed to reduce the difficulty of requests during the pandemic crisis
Asia Iraq Dozens of farmers staged a demonstration in Wasit yesterday to demand the payment of their financial dues that have been delayed this year, announcing an escalation of protests if they fail to do so
Asia Yemen The Deputy Minister of Water and Environment discussed with the FAO representative the agency's projects in the field of water and environment, particularly the one in the Sana'a basin regarding rainwater harvesting