Asia China 10 United States-based companies have been added to China's export control list, government procurement barred from 50 US companies two weeks after the Pentagon blacklisted some of China’s best-known companies for alleged ties to the Chinese military
Asia Turkmenistan The World Trade Organisation reported that the country intends to finalise its Memorandum on Foreign Trade Regime by mid-2024; the submission of this document is one of the conditions for WTO accession
Europe Italy There are 10.000 more prisoners than the official capacity, which leads the democratic country to face a very serious overcrowding, a high number of suicides, a lack of basic services and repeated situations of poor protection of rights
America Bolivia Bolivia's Constitutional Court has barred former president Evo Morales from seeking re-election in 2025, overturning a 2019 ruling that allowed him a fourth term
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
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
Africa Lesotho Minister of Natural Resources led opening ceremony of €40 million water supply project for Lekokoaneng community, reminding that water is the most important thing for human life as a person can spend 60 days drinking water without eating and still survive
Asia Thailand Asset managers will soon be able to create funds to invest in forestry and tree planting projects, after regulators are seeking to diversify capital markets and provide funding to sectors that support the goal of carbon neutrality
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
Asia United Arab Emirates UAE residents stuck in daily traffic are estimated to lose the equivalent of one day a month, according to motorists who spoke to Khaleej Times
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 Niger The immediate release of the deposed President of Niger, Mohamed Bazoum, was called for by the US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, who emphasised that it was important for 'Niger to get back on the road to democracy'
Africa Nigeria The young Nigerian team, the 'Broomzillas', managed to qualify for the Winter Youth Olympics being held these days in Gangwon, South Korea, becoming the first African curling team to reach the Winter Youth Olympics
Africa Somalia Acted is currently providing emergency food assistance to 1425 vulnerable families affected by the devastating rains and flash floods starting in October 2023 which led to the overflowing of the Juba River in the district of Baardheere