America Brazil The federal import tax on international purchases of up to US$ 50 made through e-commerce platforms like Temu, Shein, and AliExpress has been erased; experts say it is a strategic move in view of October's upcoming general elections
America Costa Rica Costa Rica and the United Arab Emirates have achieved a groundbreaking pact with the Comprehensive Economic Partnership on Trade and Investment, granting Costa Rican exporters preferential access to a market of 10 million consumers
America Chile Chile, in partnership with Google, has achieved a digital breakthrough with the agreement of installing the Humboldt submarine cable, spanning 14.000 km to become the world's first transoceanic fiber optic link
Africa Democratic Republic of the Congo The Democratic Republic of Congo's ruling party, the Union for Democracy and Social Progress, headed by President Felix Tshisekedi, won a majority of seats in the December parliamentary elections and can therefore form a government
Africa Namibia The country criticised Germany's decision to intervene in favor of Israel before the ICJ; President Hage Geingob called for reconsideration of German involvement, citing the historical context of its 2021 recognition of the genocide in Namibia (1904-1908)
America Colombia After 24 hours of heavy rain landslides in Colombia's Chocó region have claimed at least 37 lives, devastating the Quibdó-Medellín road and triggering a massive response from national authorities
America Ecuador A state of emergency was declared in response to a prison crisis marked by the escape of narco leader "Fito", unleashing severe riots in six prisons; President Noboa has rejected negotiation with the "narcoterrorists" and has deployed military support
America Jamaica Professional services were commissioned to conduct an assessment of the Jamaica brand to develop a national brand strategy, while the Prime Minister called on all Jamaicans to do their part to protect the Jamaica brand
Oceania Micronesia 'Nothing Micro About Micronesia', a local show, follows the story of two Micronesian boys who grew up on opposite shores of the Pacific Ocean, one in Hawaii, the other in Chuuk
America Brazil Western donors to the Amazon Fund have warned Brazil against using it to pave a major road in the rainforest; the German government, the fund's second-biggest donor, stated that supporting such a project is against the fund's rules
Asia North Korea Russian tourists on a ski trip would be the first international travelers to visit North Korea since its borders closed in 2020, reported Russian state-run Tass news agency, underscoring deepening cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow
Asia Kuwait The Health Minister issued two decisions to add chemicals to the list of controlled drugs and psychotropic substances, as part of ongoing efforts to combat drug abuse and regulate their use and trafficking in accordance with international standards
Asia Thailand The Thai National Identity Committee has announced that Thailand will officially recognise the iconic 'wai' gesture, a traditional Buddhist greeting of joining palms in a prayer-like gesture, as a fundamental part of its national identity
Africa Gambia Mai Fatty, leader of the Gambia Moral Congress, has urged Gambia and Senegal to foster closer collaboration to lead the fight against insecurity in the subregion following a rise in violence, conflict, drug trafficking, piracy, extremism and other threats