countries

EU finance ministers have agreed to impose a €3 duty on every small parcel imported into the 27-nation bloc starting 1 July next year, a measure aimed at stemming a flood of ultra-cheap e-commerce shipments from platforms such as Shein and Temu. The flat levy follows the bloc’s move last month to scrap a duty exemption for direct-to-consumer packages valued at less than €150. An EU spokesperson said the €3 charge will be temporary and will remain in place until member states settle on a permanent approach to taxing the…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s government has rejected allegations that weapons entering the country are being routed onward to armed actors in the region, insisting there is no evidence that Somali territory is used to funnel arms to Yemen’s Houthi movement. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Ali Mohamed Omar, known as Ali Balcad, told Al Jazeera Net in an interview published Wednesday that Mogadishu is intensifying efforts to disrupt illicit arms flows across the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea corridor and to prevent…

MOGADISHU — Somalia’s passport has climbed to 100th place on the 2025 Henley Passport Index, giving Somali travelers visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 33 destinations, according to data released by Henley & Partners in October 2025. While labeled “2025,” the latest Henley ranking reflects travel-access conditions measured during 2024, a methodological detail that underscores how passport power often lags behind diplomatic change by a year. Even so, the new standing marks one of Somalia’s strongest positions in more…

Africa’s Historic Football Surge: Nine Nations Gear Up for 2026 FIFA World Cup The thrill of African football is poised to reach unprecedented heights as the continent prepares for a historic representation at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. With nine African nations already securing their spots and one more potentially joining through a challenging intercontinental playoff, this upcoming tournament promises to showcase the rich talent and fervent passion that defines African soccer. Championing the Continent Among the nine…

Leaders from member nations of the Commonwealth are currently convening for a camaraderie-filled banquet in the picturesque setting of Samoa, nestled in the South Pacific. Significant topics such as climate change and reparations for Britain's historical involvement in the transatlantic slave trade are shaping the discussions at this pivotal summit. This gathering, known as the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, has drawn delegates and officials from 56 nations linked to Britain’s former empire. Among the attendees…

Baking temps are on the docket for certain nations in the Horn of Africa, courtesy of alarming weather forecasts from the Climate Prediction and Applications Center (ICPAC), the brain of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), a regional crew, as disclosed on a Wednesday. As of June 19, 2024, folks in Kakuma, located in the parched northwest corner of Kenya's Turkana county, scrape out groundwater from the dry riverbed. (Xinhua/Wang Guansen) NAIROBI, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- The mercury's set to rise, amping up…

At the 2024 Paralympic Games, a remarkable accomplishment unfolded as ten African nations stood proudly on the podium, collectively clinching a total of 23 gold medals across eight countries. This achievement highlights the growing prowess of athletes from the continent in various sporting disciplines. On this grand stage, Morocco distinguished itself as the standout performer, amassing an impressive haul of 15 medals. Yet, it was Algeria that stole the spotlight with a remarkable six golds, marking its dominance in the…

The financial aid for returning refugees is now at 10,000 kronor per adult, 5,000 kronor per child, and 40,000 kronor per family. This increase hopes to jazz up an underutilized program, which saw just one taker last year, per the Swedish government.Ludvig Aspling from the Sweden Democrats mentioned that the assistance, around since 1984, hasn't hit the radar too much, owing to its low-key presence. "If more folks know about it, and with the extra dough, we expect more to go back," he noted. Aspling is optimistic this might…

The 2021 edition of the Global Peace Index, an index from the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), a Sydney-based think tank, sees five African countries ranked among the ten least peaceful nations in the world. South Africa has been on fire since the imprisonment of its former president Jacob Zuma. It is likely to be included next year in the list of least…

The Community Summit with Portuguese-speaking countries, of which France is an observer, will end on Saturday in the Angolan capital. In the corridors, one of the thorny issues is the death penalty, which has not yet been abolished by Equatorial Guinea. With our special correspondent in Luanda, Carina BrancoAngola today takes…