Nigeria and Brazil signed a landmark Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) on Monday, enabling direct flights between the two nations. The signing took place during Nigerian President Bola Tinubu’s state visit to Brasília. Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, and Brazil’s Minister of Transport, Silvio Costa Filho, signed the Bilateral Air Service Agreement. President Bola Tinubu and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva witnessed the signing of agreements and other MoUs at the Palácio do Planalto in Brasília, following a bilateral meeting between the two countries. According to the statement by the media aide, BASA establishes…

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a notice on Monday affirming its intention to enforce the 25% tariff increase declared by President Donald Trump on August 6, targeting India over its ongoing imports of Russian oil. The DHS, through Customs and Border Protection, released the notice confirming the imposition of new tariffs under Executive Order 14329, authorized by Trump. The move targets Indian imports as part of a wider U.S. effort to pressure nations that continue commercial relations with Russia. “The duties set out in the Annex to this document are effective with respect to products of India…

European postal service operators are halting most parcel deliveries to the United States due to growing uncertainty and increased expenses associated with upcoming U.S. customs rules for low-value imports, according to a report by Xinhua. On Friday, DHL Group—Germany’s biggest postal and logistics provider declared a temporary suspension of commercial shipments and select private parcels to the United States via postal services. The move follows an executive order issued by U.S. President Donald Trump last month, aiming to eliminate the long-standing ‘de minimis’ rule, which had permitted duty-free entry for low-value goods priced up to $800. Starting August 29, all…

Indonesia on Monday urged the European Union to lift its countervailing duties on Indonesian biodiesel imports following a panel ruling on the DS618 trade dispute at the World Trade Organization (WTO). “We urge the EU to immediately revoke the countervailing duties that are not in line with WTO rules,” Indonesian Trade Minister Budi Santoso said in a statement. On Friday, a WTO panel upheld Jakarta’s claims, concluding that the EU’s countervailing duties on Indonesian biodiesel imports did not align with several principles of the organization’s trade rules. In August 2019, the European Union imposed anti-subsidy duties ranging from 8 to…

The Ugandan government is set to import improved cattle breeds from Kenya through the National Agriculture Research Organisation (NARO) to boost national dairy output. A nine-member panel comprising experts from the National Animal Genetic Resources Centre and Data Bank (NAGRC&DB), HEIFER International, and SNV, including farmers, breeders, geneticists, and economists, will oversee the process. Dr. Halid Kirunda, head of research at the Mbarara Zonal Agriculture Research and Development Institute, stated that a fresh dairy breeding strategy is underway to steer the initiative. He noted that NARO is setting up a composite breeding center aimed at crossbreeding East African shorthorn Zebu,…

China introduced new regulations on Friday governing the mining and processing of rare earth elements, extending oversight to cover imported minerals as well. The regulations issued by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) cover both domestically sourced rare earths and those imported for processing. Under the new rules, companies are required to adhere to strict quotas for different minerals and must obtain official approval to engage in rare earth activities. Non-compliance will result in legal consequences and a reduction in the allocated quotas. The latest action comes as China, the world’s leading producer and refiner of rare earths,…

Indonesia’s Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Bahlil Lahadalia, on Friday stated that the industrial gas supply, which had previously been reported as reduced, has now stabilized. He noted that the improvement was due to measures such as cutting back gas exports and redirecting the supply to meet domestic demand. “So, we are not doing some of the export. Also, there is a new supply of gas,” Bahlil added. Bahlil said that the recent drop in gas supply was caused by a pipeline fire at a Pertamina EP facility in Subang, West Java. Earlier, state-owned gas distributor PT Perusahaan Gas…

China has halted Argentine poultry imports just five months after lifting a previous two-year ban, according to a report from Reuters. The suspension notice, published on a customs website, did not provide a reason for the decision or specify how long the ban would remain. The move came shortly after Argentina’s animal health authority, SENASA, confirmed a new case of highly pathogenic avian influenza at a commercial farm in Buenos Aires province on Tuesday. As a precaution, Argentina temporarily suspended poultry exports in line with international health regulations. The following day, China’s customs agency declared it would reject any poultry…

The United States declared new sanctions against businesses it accused of aiding Iran’s unauthorized oil trade. On Thursday, the Trump administration introduced a fresh set of Iran-related sanctions, targeting 13 companies based in Hong Kong, China, the United Arab Emirates, and the Marshall Islands, along with eight vessels, according to a statement from the U.S. Treasury Department as reported by Firstpost. The sanctions targeted Greek national Antonios Margaritis, along with his network of companies and vessels, for allegedly helping transport Iranian crude oil in violation of current U.S. restrictions. Entities added to the blacklist include Ares Shipping Limited and Hong…

The United States will cap tariffs on European pharmaceutical products, automobiles and semiconductors at a maximum of 15%, according to a joint statement issued by Washington and Brussels on Thursday. Under the newly disclosed terms of the U.S.-EU trade agreement, Thursday, tariffs on European pharmaceuticals and semiconductors will be capped at 15%, aligning with most other sectors covered in the deal. However, in order to lower the steep 27.5% tariff on European car exports to 15%, the EU must first pass legislation that eliminates tariffs on U.S. goods to zero. The trade agreement was initially declared during a meeting between…