Asia China Unilateral zero-tariff treatment is now applied to all African countries except Eswatini, which maintains ties with Taiwan; duty-free policy for 33African countries was introduced in 2024, now covers 53 countries and will be in place until 30 April 2028
Europe Switzerland Basel-Mulhouse EuroAirport was closed again morning Sunday 19th due to a bomb threat, after a series of false bomb threats were made at it last October; the terminal was evacuated and flight operations were temporarily suspended
Europe Lithuania The purchase of Leopard 2 main battle tanks from Germany has been decided at government level and the Lithuanian State Defence Council authorising the start of negotiations for an order
Asia Yemen Turbulence in Red Sea caused tanker prices to soar 182%, changing the dynamics of global shipping, according to Bloomberg; tanker industry revenues are soaring to unprecedented levels with rates on some routes rising by the most in a single day since 2022
Europe Liechtenstein The municipal council of Vaduz discussed whether the Rhine dam between Obere Rüttigass and Lettstrasse should continue to be open to slow traffic with a maximum speed of 50km/h after expansion to accommodate car traffic
Africa Egypt EC Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi announced that EU is Egypt's main trading partner and accounts for 27% of total trade on the occasion of 10th meeting of Association Council between EU and Egypt, marking the 20th anniversary of the Association Agreement
Asia Japan A Japanese court has sentenced to death Shinji Aoba, the man behind the 2019 attack on Kyoto Animation, one of Japan's most important animation studios; Aoba, now 45, set fire to the studio's headquarters, causing 36 deaths and several injuries
Africa Malawi Malaria Initiative by the US Presidency has proposed $23 million in funding to support Malawi's Malaria Operational Plan for the 2024 fiscal year
Europe Norway The Norwegian government detailed plans to ban fur farms by 2025, offering financial compensation to farmers who called it a 'historic betrayal'
Asia Kazakhstan The number of measles cases in Europe skyrocketed in 2023, to the point that WHO called for an urgent vaccination effort to stop the spread: Kazakhstan and Russia had the worst of it, with around 10.000 cases each from January to October last year
Africa Mauritius The three-day career counselling workshop organised by the Mauritius Polytechnic started at the Ebène Campus, intending to pair up students with industry partners who will explain the profile of jobs in their respective industry and skills required
Oceania Solomon Islands The Central Bank of Solomon Islands announced last month a new security technology on the revisions of its $50 and $100 notes
Europe Czech Republic Almost one fifth of the country's employed population is now made up of foreigners, with over 800.000 people contributing to the Czech labour force; of these, almost 409.800 are from EU countries and 285.545 from Ukraine
Oceania Palau Article published this week by Bloomberg Green denounces a proposal to reduce the Palau National Marine Sanctuary and allow industrial fishing within its boundaries