USA – Mask mandates no longer in effect on airplanes.

The CDC’s mask mandate for travelers is no longer in effect on airplanes and other public transport methods following a federal judge’s ruling yesterday.

US District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle said the mandate was unlawful because it exceeded the authority of the CDC and because its implementation violated administrative law.

“The agencies are reviewing the decision and assessing potential next steps,” a Biden administration official said last night, adding the CDC still recommends that people continue to wear masks in indoor public transportation settings.

After the mandate was struck down, several US airlines announced that masks are now optional on their aircraft — including Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Alaska Airlines and JetBlue.

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Kyiv’s allies pledge more weapons to help win war

Ukraine’s allies have pledged to send more weapons to help it defend against a renewed Russian offensive.

The US and others vowed to send artillery, anti-tank and air defence aid to Kyiv during a 90-minute video call on Tuesday.

Ukraine says it needs the weapons to help defend itself as Russia launched a new campaign in the country’s east.

Clashes there have marked what Ukraine leader Volodymyr Zelensky said was the start of the “battle for the Donbas”.

The eastern Donbas – which comprises the Luhansk and Donetsk regions – is where Russia is concentrating its efforts.

According to Ukraine, Russian forces have been attacking Ukrainian positions along the entire 300-mile (480km) front line since Monday.

It was amid these renewed attacks that Western leaders met to discuss further military assistance for Ukraine.

Following the meeting, the US defence department said additional military aircraft and aircraft parts had been sent to Ukraine to increase their fleet size and repair others in Ukraine’s arsenal that were damaged.

The US defense department added that the US had not provided aircraft to Kyiv itself, and did not provide details on which countries have provided the aircraft.

President Zelensky has been appealing to the US for Soviet-made air defense systems and fighter jets as an alternative to a no-fly zone over Ukraine.

Last month, the US refused a proposal by Poland to provide it with MiG-29 fighter jets, which it would then transfer to Ukraine.

President Joe Biden, speaking to reporters after the meeting between Western allies, added that the US is planning to provide a further military aid package to Ukraine of a similar size to the $800m (£615m) aid package he announced last week, according to US media.

He said Washington would also be sending Ukraine more artillery – heavy guns deployed in land warfare.

Other countries also pledged to help Ukraine with further military assistance during the meeting.

“They [Ukraine] need support with more artillery, that is what we will be giving them,” said the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson in parliament after the meeting.

In Berlin, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Germany was providing finance to enable Ukraine to buy anti-tank weapons and ammunition from German arms manufacturers.

Meanwhile, the Czech Republic said it would repair Ukrainian tanks and armoured vehicles when they are damaged in combat.

Further economic sanctions against Russia was another topic on the agenda.

The arms pledges follow persistent calls from President Zelensky for allies to increase their weapons supplies to Kyiv.

“We need heavy artillery, armed vehicles, air defense systems and combat aircraft — anything to repel Russian forces and stop their war crimes,” Mr. Zelensky said on Twitter last week. “Nobody will stop Russia except Ukraine with heavy weapons”.

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Don’t blame us for global food challenges, negative trends in agric markets – Russian Embassy in Ghana

The Russian government has absolved itself of any blame for the current challenges, bringing the global food value chain to its knees.

According to the Russian Embassy in Ghana, the current hardship is a result of high demand and rising prices of food, raw materials, and transportation services as part of post-Covid-19 recovery.

It argued that the current situation in the agricultural space is not a result of happenings within the last two months, but due to a steady trend of happenings on the global stage in the last two years.

Vice President Dr Bawumia while addressing Ghanaians on the state of the economy at the National TESCON Training and Orientation Conference on April 7, noted that aside from the Covid-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war is adversely affecting the Ghanaian economy.

He noted that the prices of food supplies have shot up because the two countries that are exporters of commodities such as wheat, and grains, have withheld supply due to the crisis.

“The increase in commodity prices has been exacerbated by the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Russia and Ukraine together account for 30% of global wheat exports; the longer the conflict ensues, the greater will be the disruption to global food supplies. The conflict is also likely to slow down global growth.

“According to the AfDB, the price of wheat has shot up by 62% since the war began, the price of fertilizer is up by 300%, and the price of maize is up by 36%. Here in Ghana, some 60% of our total imports of iron ore and steel are from Ukraine; Russia accounts for some 30% of Ghana’s imported grains, 50% of flour, and 39% of fertilizer.

“So we are directly affected by the Russian-Ukraine war. Unfortunately, we do not know when it would be over,” he said.

But in a statement on Twitter on Monday, the Russian Embassy in Ghana disagreed saying it cannot be blamed for the current price hikes.

“The current situation in the food markets is not a result of two months of this year, but a steady trend of at least two years. Food prices started rising in mid-2020 and reached an all-time high in February 2022.

“This is a real market shock caused by high demand and rising prices on food, raw materials, and transportation services, including freight, in the post-Covid recovery period,” the Embassy tweeted.

Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 following the former Soviet Union leader’s disagreement with NATO’s eastward expansion.

Recent reports have indicated that about 10,000 people have lost their lives following the Russia-Ukraine war.

Several sanctions have been imposed on Russia by developed countries.

Most countries say the Russia-Ukraine war is directly affecting their economies and agricultural value chain.

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China’s deal in Pacific stokes Australian fears

Australia, New Zealand and the US have raised concerns on security in the Pacific, after China signed a security pact with the Solomon Islands.

The deal was signed this week, fuelling fears China may seek to build a naval base in the Pacific nation.

The Solomon Islands had rebuffed last ditch efforts by Australia – its biggest aid donor – to stop the deal.

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare said the pact would not “undermine peace and harmony” in the region.

The Solomon Islands leader added that the pact was not aimed at traditional allies but “rather at our own internal security situation”.

He did not disclose the pact’s terms, but insisted it was made “with our eyes wide open, guided by our national interests”.

A leaked draft of the agreement, which was verified by the Australian government, said Chinese warships would be permitted dock on the islands and that Beijing could send security forces “to assist in maintaining social order”.

The islands have been rife with social unrest in recent years and in November the Australian government sent personnel from its defence forces to help quell deadly riots in the capital Honiara, sparked after protesters stormed parliament in a bid to topple Mr Sogavare.

A spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry confirmed on Tuesday that the final agreement had retained the provisions on “maintaining social order”.

Australia’s Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Pacific Minister Zed Seselja called the freshly signed deal “deeply disappointing”, saying they were “concerned about the lack of transparency with which this agreement has been developed”.

“Our consistently stated view, including from the perspective of Australia’s national interests, remains that the Pacific family is best placed to meet the security needs of the region,” they said in a joint statement.

Australia’s Labor opposition called it the “worst failure of Australian foreign policy in the Pacific” in 80 years.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison – who is currently campaigning for re-election, in part on a platform of national security – denied that the pact was proof that his government had bungled its diplomacy with the Solomon Islands.

He added that he could not have gone around “telling leaders in Pacific islands what they should and shouldn’t do”.

But Mr Morrison said his country would not have a “submissive relationship” with China, which he said had made “all sorts of promises” to Pacific nations.

“We’ve always stood up to China because it’s in our interests,” Mr Morrison told reporters on Wednesday.

New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta, similarly said the country was “saddened” that the Solomon Islands had made the pact.

The Solomon Islands had earlier last month confirmed it was drafting a security deal with China.

This particularly concerned Australia, which is just 2000km (1,400 miles) south of the Solomon Islands. It has seen years of escalating tensions with China

The news comes days before US National Security Council official Kurt Campbell is due to arrive in the Solomon Islands for high-level talks.

The US has said it will re-open its embassy in the Solomon Islands, which has been closed since 1993.

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Angola shows potential at Madrid Fair

 Luanda -Angola's potential in agriculture, industry and trade will be on show, between 18 and 22 of this month, in Madrid, at the international business and foreign trade fair in Spain, known as IMEX.

For that purpose Angola took a delegation to the event made up of businesspeople from different sectors, such as industry, trade, agriculture, tourism, construction, oil and gas, technology, amongst other areas, to fill the country's stand.

According to a statement from the Angolan embassy to Spain, the delegation's programme includes visits, participation in round tables and conferences.

The diplomatic mission said that Angola is one of the special guests, with national companies taking advantage of the fair to announce innovations and business opportunities in the country, as well as ensuring the internationalisation of companies, new markets with technological innovation and diversification.

The fair will also serve as an opportunity for Angola to publicise the reforms underway and to improve the business environment, especially in the context of the priorities set by the government to boost and diversify the economy, for the country to be, effectively, "a great destination for foreign direct investment.

Angola is a partner of Spain, whose strategic bilateral relations were reinforced and strengthened, in 2021, with the signing of agreements at the highest level and reciprocal visits by the heads of the two governments.

Angola's presence is being coordinated by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, with the support of the Angolan Private Investment and Export Promotion Agency (AIPEX) and the Embassy in Spain, in addition to other entities.

IMEX is organised by the International Business Journal Moeda Única, with the main aim of improving the competitiveness of companies, with an efficient and innovative offer of products and services needed to promote the internationalisation of companies.

During the event, the current challenges of the export sector will be reviewed, highlighting the importance of incorporating the Sustainable Development Goals in the fabric of companies, to make a sustainable internationalisation route, as well as addressing contents on the current situation of Ibero-America for trade and business investment, concepts of the financial, logistics, tourism, digitalisation and digital transformation sectors, European funds and business partnership for internationalisation.

Angolan President expresses solidarity with South Africa flood victims

 Luanda - The President of the Republic of Angola, João Lourenço, on Sunday expressed solidarity with his South African counterpart, Cyril Ramaphosa, for the human and material losses caused by the floods in South Africa, particularly in the province of KwaZulu-Natal.

In a message sent to President Cyril Ramaphosa, the Angolan Head of State said it was with "deep regret and consternation" that he was following the "dramatic situation" in the province of KwaZulu-Natal.

The Angolan leader noted in his message that the "intense rains and resulting floods" had already caused "around four hundred deaths, with dozens of people still missing, under the rubble.

In the message, the Angolan Head of State said that this situation, together with the extent of the destruction of public and private property, was a painful loss for all the people of South Africa and for the country's authorities.

President João Lourenço also expressed the solidarity of the people and the Angolan government and sent his "heartfelt condolences" to the bereaved families.

Heavy rains and floods hit the east coast of South Africa on Wednesday (13), claiming so far, the lives of more than 400 people, besides damaging roads and destroying houses, particularly in the province of KwaZulu-Natal.