Angola

European Council President António Costa will host an informal meeting of EU leaders on February 12 at Alden Biesen Castle, Belgium, to discuss Europe's competitiveness. The meeting will follow discussions on the European Commission's proposal for a pan-European industrial revival.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a conversation with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. The Geneva talks on Donald Trump's peace plan were discussed.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that Donald Trump expressed readiness for a jointly developed peace plan for Ukraine. The talks in Geneva have concluded, but a breakthrough is not expected this week, adds the German leader.

EU leaders at an informal meeting in Angola discussed peace talks on Ukraine, agreeing that the 28 points proposed by the US and Russia need to be revised due to the unacceptability of some proposals. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk emphasized that no agreement should weaken the security of Poland and Europe, nor should it benefit the aggressor.

EU leaders will be briefed this morning on peace talks to end the war in Ukraine after a weekend of rapid negotiations in Geneva. Officials have become more optimistic about peace, although details were scarce.

In Nigeria, armed men attacked a church in Eruku, killing two people and abducting the pastor and several parishioners. President Bola Tinubu canceled trips and ordered increased security, as well as intensified searches for abducted schoolgirls.

UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced new steps to tighten asylum rules. Changes include increasing the residency period for refugees to 20 years to obtain permanent status and reviewing the application of articles of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Africa is experiencing its largest cholera outbreak in 25 years, with nearly 300,000 cases and over 7,000 deaths recorded. The crisis is linked to the degradation of water systems, conflicts, and lack of access to clean water.

Botswana's President Boko confirmed the government's intention to acquire a controlling stake in the diamond company De Beers. The government has already initiated concrete steps to buy out shares from the British company Anglo American Plc.

Turkey's largest refineries are buying more non-Russian oil due to the latest Western sanctions against Russia. SOCAR Turkey Aegean Refinery (STAR) has purchased four cargoes of crude oil from non-Russian sources, while Tupras is increasing its purchases of non-Russian grades.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Angolan President João Lourenço, discussing the deepening of bilateral relations. Zelenskyy invited Angola to participate in this year's "Grain from Ukraine" summit.

US President Donald Trump has maintained a basic tariff rate of 10% for countries with a positive trade balance. For 40 countries with a trade deficit with the US, a minimum tariff of 15% has been set, and for Canada, the tariff has increased to 35%.

On July 21, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy appointed new ambassadors to a number of countries and international organizations. Among the appointments are ambassadors to Kenya, Kuwait, Spain, Oman, Canada, Mexico, Cyprus, Malaysia, Belgium, Japan, Angola, Estonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, UAE, Algeria, and South Africa.

Over 14 million children remained unvaccinated in 2024, according to a UN report. This led to an increase in measles and whooping cough incidence in Europe and a measles outbreak in the US.

The Russian Federation is actively increasing its propaganda presence in Africa, using RT and TASS to broadcast in over 40 countries in six languages. The HUR warns of the launch of training programs for journalists and the creation of new information centers under the control of the FSB.

From July 1, Ukrainians abroad can submit documents for notarial acts online through the "e-Consul" system. This innovation simplifies the process, allowing citizens to upload necessary data and certificates without a physical visit to diplomatic missions until the last step.

Rwanda and DR Congo signed a peace agreement in Washington, mediated by the US, which provides for the withdrawal of Rwandan troops from eastern Congo and the launch of economic integration. The US, in turn, received preferential rights to extract minerals in the Congo.

The Trump administration is considering expanding the list of countries whose citizens will be banned from entering the United States. The reasons are problems with document security and migration cooperation.

Dozens of the largest Russian companies, including Gazprom, have lost foreign assets due to sanctions and the termination of partnerships. This negatively affects the Russian budget due to a reduction in foreign exchange earnings.

Brussels lawmakers are looking for ways to increase financial pressure on Russia. Most members of the European Parliament are in favor of including Russia in the list of countries with weak control over money laundering.

The Russian Federation is actively buying up Soviet-made parts all over the world in order to prevent them from reaching Ukraine.

Oil prices rise after falling as investors weigh OPEC+ output increase and signals on tariffs from the White House. The US and Iran are holding talks on the nuclear program.

Asian cybercrime syndicates are expanding their operations to Africa and South America, according to a UN report. This is happening because operations are being moved to avoid crackdowns in Southeast Asia.

Peace talks between the DRC government and the M23 rebels, who are supported by Rwanda, are planned in Angola. The conflict has been going on since January 2025, thousands of people have died, and hundreds of thousands have left their homes.

India's imports of Russian oil have fallen to their lowest level since January 2023 due to US sanctions. The country is compensating for the losses by purchasing from Iraq, Saudi Arabia and other suppliers.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine condemned the actions of M23 rebels who seized the city of Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Ukraine is ready to provide humanitarian assistance and supports the peaceful settlement of the conflict within the framework of the Luanda process.

President Zelenskyy held talks with Angolan President João Lorenzo. The parties discussed the development of bilateral relations and agreed on a possible visit of the Angolan leader to Ukraine.

The trilateral meeting on the settlement of the conflict in Central Africa was canceled due to the refusal of the Rwandan delegation. Rwanda insisted on a direct dialogue between the DR Congo and the M23 rebel group.

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha will visit Oman, Angola, Egypt and South Africa on October 23-28. The purpose of the visits is to promote the Peace Formula, develop political dialogue and economic cooperation.

Five countries in Southern Africa have declared a state of emergency due to a historically severe drought. 21 million children in the region are malnourished, and 335 million euros are needed to provide assistance.