Liberia

The birth of a male pygmy hippopotamus at Athens' Attica Zoological Park on feb. 19 was viewed as an important development for the survival of its species. The hippo belongs to one of the rarest and most endangered species. It is estimated that only 2,000 - 2,500 live in the wild and more specifically in the Ivory Coast, Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

A gasoline tanker overturned late Tuesday in Totota, Lower Bong county, and exploded soon after, killing and injuring many who came to the scene, Reuters reports.
According to eyewitnesses, people climbed onto the overturned tanker to drain the fuel.
Dozens of people are still in hospital with serious burns, and the death toll could rise, Liberia's medical services said.

The UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly on Tuesday to demand a humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza in a strong demonstration of global support for ending the Israel-Hamas war. The vote also showed the growing isolation of the United States and Israel.

A total of 153 countries called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza in a vote at the UN General Assembly.

The resolution demanding an end to hostilities by Israel and the Islamist movement "Hamas" is non-binding. It follows a Security Council vote under a procedure set in motion by the UN secretary-general, in which such a ceasefire text was blocked by the United States.

Greece has secured its position as a member of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council for the 2024-2025 biennium in category A, following the IMO Assembly in London. Category A designates the 10 states with the most substantial interest in offering international shipping services.

Ship traffic in Turkey's Bosphorus Strait was suspended on Wednesday morning after a ship suffered an engine failure, the Tribeca shipping agency said.

According to a report shared by the agency, Liberia-flagged crude oil tanker Guanyin had an engine failure at the strait's northern entrance and two tugs were dispatched for assistance. [Reuters]

Over the past 75 years, the United Nations sent more than 2 million peacekeepers to help countries move away from conflict, with successes from Liberia to Cambodia and major failures in former Yugoslavia and Rwanda.

Türkiye has won its first ever Amputee Football World Cup after defeating Angola 4-1 in a final match in Istanbul.

After the first half ended 1-1, with Ömer Güleryüz scoring Türkiye's goal, Rahmi Özcan netted from the penalty spot and then scored the third, taking full control over the match.

Serkan Dereli added the finishing touch, while Angola's goal came from Heno Adao.

The process of transfusing the oil from the Greek-owned tanker "Ice Energy" to the Iranian-flagged tanker "Lana" began on Thursday, following the relevant decision taken by the Supreme Court of Greece.

From "Ice Energy" 56,000 tons of crude oil are expected to be recovered and transferred to "Lana", which after the process is expected to sail to its destination.

The Sanctions Buster

Illustration: BIRN

Slobodan Tesic is reputedly one of the biggest arms traders in the Balkans. He is also one of the most controversial in the region, having been the subject of UN sanctions over violations of embargoes on weapons exports to Liberia for the best part of a decade.