Dr. Sidie Tunis, Speaker of the Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), has directed the immediate suspension of staff recruitment.

The U.S. Senate voted overwhelmingly to approve the accession of Sweden and Finland to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) on Wednesday, with the resolution gaining the support of 95 senators.

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen on Thursday night called China’s military exercises off the coast of the self-governing island “irresponsible not only for Taiwan but also for the international community.”

Taiwan’s Defence Ministry has confirmed that China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) fired several Tongfeng-class guided missiles into waters north-east and south-west of the island on Thursday afternoon.

The UN has expressed regrets over the expulsion of Mr. Mathias Gillman, the spokesman of the UN Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), from the country.

On her trip to Asia, the Speaker of the United States (U.S.) House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, expressed concerns about the growing tensions on the Korean peninsula.

The Black Sea Grain Initiative Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) has expressed hope that the success in shipping black grain from Ukraine will open the door for more shipments from the country.

The Biden administration has imposed fresh economic sanctions on pro-Kremlin oligarchs and on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s purported girlfriend.