Mayor: Barcelona will raise tourist tax for cruise passengers
Madrid — Barcelona will raise the tourist tax for cruise passengers visiting the city for less than 12 hours, the mayor said in an interview published on Sunday. Jaume Collboni said the current tourist tax for stopover cruise passengers was…
African aviation conference ends with pledges to improve travel
Moki Edwin Kindzeka — Participants in Africa-Indian Ocean Aviation Week this week in Libreville, Gabon, say they’ve produced a plan to make continentwide improvements to aviation development and safety. Some 350 representatives from 180 countries attended AFI Aviation Week, which…
China vows to boost economic growth by balancing reform, national security
TAIPEI, TAIWAN — China’s ruling Communist Party concluded a highly anticipated party conclave Thursday, promising to boost economic growth through comprehensive reform while reiterating the importance of maintaining national security. The Central Committee, in a communique at the end of…
China’s Third Plenum does nothing to revive economy, observers say
Taipei, Taiwan — China’s ruling party has concluded the Third Plenum of its 20th Central Committee with a communique described as vague and cliché by China watchers, who said it lacks specific measures to address China’s economic difficulties. Shi He-ling,…
US appeals court blocks remainder of Biden’s student debt plan
WASHINGTON — A federal appeals court blocked the implementation of the Biden administration’s student debt relief plan, which would have lowered monthly payments for millions of borrowers. In a ruling Thursday, the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals granted a motion…
Recent outages highlight need for stronger African internet
Nairobi, Kenya — Experts say Africa needs to invest in robust infrastructure if the continent is to have reliable internet after recent outages due to underwater cable failures highlighted the continent’s reliance on single-path connectivity. Disruptions in March and May…
Why are Bangladesh students protesting government job quotas?
Violence in Bangladesh has killed more than 12 people and injured hundreds after students took to the streets to demand reforms to a quota system that governs distribution of government jobs. Here are details of the protests and their history:…
China singles out Danish, Dutch, Spanish firms in anti-dumping probe into EU pork
China on Thursday named Danish Crown A/S, as well as Dutch and Spanish pork firms, as targets in an anti-dumping probe into European Union pork imports, as Beijing steps up pressure against the bloc’s curbs on its electric vehicle exports….
Nigeria to resume crude oil refining in August, industry authorities say
Abuja, Nigeria — Nigeria plans to resume local refining of crude oil in early August, national petroleum authorities announced Monday. The resumption would end years of idleness at Nigeria’s state-owned refineries, and analysts say that if successfully implemented, it would…
IMF should work with Kenya to account for public funds, says rights group
Nairobi, Kenya — Advocacy group Human Rights Watch called Tuesday for greater accountability of public funds in Kenya, framing it partially as a human rights issue. Kenyans have taken to the streets for four consecutive weeks to protest the high…