World’s biggest jeweler will only sell lab-grown diamonds
This week, the world’s biggest jeweler Pandora announced it will cease to sell all mined diamonds, and switch exclusively to selling lab-made diamonds, as the BBC reports.
Peace
Pakistan sees record drop in terrorism deaths in 2020
The South Asian nation has seen a reduction in terrorist attacks on home soil by 86% since 2013, and between 2019 and 2020 alone there was a 45% fall.
Democratic Republic of Congo completes its first peaceful transfer of power
Felix Tshisekedi has been sworn in as the president of the DRC, in the vast central African country’s first transfer of power through an election in 59 years of independence.
United Nations lifts sanctions on ‘Africa’s North Korea’, Eritrea
The United Nations on Wednesday lifted sanctions on Eritrea, bolstering the precarious peace in one of the world’s most volatile and strategic corners.
UN allows Palestinians to act more like full member in 2019
The 193-member U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday allowed the Palestinians to act more like a full U.N. member state during meetings in 2019, when they will chair the group of 77 developing nations.
North and South Korea begin removing landmines along fortified DMZ
In a statement, the ministry said the two sides agreed to remove all landmines in the so-called Joint Security Area (JSA) in Panmunjom within the next 20 days.
Ethiopia and Eritrea to sign peace agreement after two decades of hostility
On Tuesday, the leaders of Ethiopia and Eritrea reopened two land border crossing points for the first time in 20 years, clearing the way for trade between the two nations.
Iraq’s civilian death toll drops by nearly 80 percent
Iraq saw an 80% drop in civilian deaths in the first 5 months of 2018 compared to the same period last year, according to reports by the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) and the Iraq Body Count database.
Myanmar and UN announce deal for safe return of Rohingya
United Nations says staff will visit Rakhine state in first step towards repatriation of 700,000 refugees camped in Bangladesh
Rhode Island becomes latest state to pass new gun laws after Parkland
The governor has signed a bill to ban bump stocks and another to implement a red flag law.