Djibouti

Romania's economy grew at record rates in 2017 due to an increase in consumption since fiscal relaxation.

But some analysts warn that while fast growth looks like good news, the government is neglecting investment and the country is bound to face difficulties in the future.

Greek coast guard officers have impounded a cargo vessel that had been en route to Libya with tons of arms and explosives after intercepting it off the Cretan port of Iraklio, officials said on Wednesday. 

Greek authorities have seized a Tanzanian-flagged ship heading for Libya and carrying materials used to make explosives, the coastguard said on Wednesday.

The vessel was detected sailing near the Greek island of Crete on Saturday. Authorities found 29 containers carrying materials including ammonium nitrate, non-electric detonators and 11 empty liquefied petroleum gas tanks.

China is planning to build its second foreign naval base in Pakistan following the ribbon cutting ceremony for its first overseas base in Djibouti last July.

Sources close to the People's Liberation Army have confirmed to the South China Morning Post that a Chinese naval port is being built at a strategic location on Pakistan's southern coast.

Six Balkan countries - Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia, Romania and Bulgaria - have been ranked among the top 50 countries in the world in the Doing Business Report of the World Bank for 2018, released on Tuesday.

Macedonia is the highest performing Balkan economy, ranked in 11th place among 190 economies worldwide in terms of quality of its business regulations.

Turkish construction giant Yapı Merkezi hopes a $3 billion modern railway-line project it is building in Ethiopia and Tanzania will showcase its skills and make it a "trusted development partner" in Africa. 

China has officially opened its first overseas naval base in Djibouti, state media said on Aug. 1, a major step for the country's expansion of its military presence abroad.

Chinese military personnel, officials and guests attended a flag-raising ceremony and military parade to mark the occasion, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

China officially opened its first military base abroad today in Djibouti, in the Horn of Africa. The agency quoted Chinese state media as saying opening the base coincided with celebrating the 90th anniversary of the Chinese People's Liberation Army.

Turkish Cypriot authorities on released July 27 the captain and crew of a boat hired by far-right activists to prevent would-be migrants from reaching Europe, local media reported.

Kıbrıs Postası reported earlier on July 27 that the captain, his second-in-command, the vessel's owner and seven crew members had been detained over accusations of "using and publishing false documents."

Turkish Cypriot authorities have blocked a vessel hired by far-right activists to prevent would-be migrants from reaching Europe and detained its captain, the group and local media reported on July 26.

The captain and his second-in-command were taken into custody while the ship was stopped at the Turkish Cypriot port of Famagusta, Kıbrıs Postasi daily said.