WAO ART #87

Ethiopia has granted Safaricom, Kenya's telecom giant, a licence to operate mobile money services in the country, making it the first foreign firm to receive such a permit. Safaricom launched its operations in Ethiopia last year after the country opened its market to international bidders.

Hari Budha Magar, a British Army veteran of Afghanistan, has completed the first phase of his attempt to climb Mount Everest. He is aiming to be the first double above-the-knee amputee to scale the world's highest peak. The 43-year-old climbed to camp two before returning to base camp.

PEPE Coin, a meme cryptocurrency, has seen a 2,100% increase in value since its launch in mid-April. However, investors should exercise caution before investing in such coins as they often rely solely on social media buzz to drive their value, and their price is likely to be far more volatile.

Australia is providing around $1.9 billion over five years to the Pacific region, including Solomon Islands, to support priorities such as labour mobility, maritime security, disaster response, and climate resilience. Development assistance to Solomon Islands is estimated at AU$171.3 million this year.

The UK has confirmed it is supplying Ukraine with long-range Storm Shadow missiles to aid in its fight against Russian forces. The missiles have a range of over 250km, giving Ukrainian pilots the ability to stay further from the frontlines. The decision follows repeated pleas from Ukraine for more weapons.

House Republicans have released a report claiming that members of the Biden family received $10m in payments from foreign entities. The report, which does not substantiate the claims or implicate President Biden, contains bank records linked to Romania and China. The White House dismissed the report.

Ecuador has become the fourth Latin American country to sign a trade agreement with China, joining Chile, Peru and Costa Rica. The agreement will immediately free 50% of Ecuador's exportable supply from tariffs for entry into China, which will reach 99.6% over the course of 10 years.