The Council of the European Union on Monday (24 June) adopted a 14th package of economic and individual restrictive measures against Russia, "dealing a further blow to the Putin regime and those who perpetuate its illegal, unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine". These measures are designed to target high-value sectors of the Russian economy, such as energy, finance and trade, and make it increasingly difficult to evade EU sanctions.

Tadjik President Emomamli Rahmon has run Tajikistan with an iron hand since taking power in 1992. There are now reports that he is preparing to hand power to his son. So, news of dissent in the Central Asian Republic is rare. News of a coup and the arrests of many prominent former officials have therefore triggered a lot of speculation. Saidjafar Usmonzoda, a prominent member of the Tajik parliament, was detained on June 14 for allegedly “plotting to overthrow the government.” Prosecutor-General Yusuf Rahmon accused Usmonzoda of collaborating with the foreign-based opposition group National Pact of Tajikistan and of speaking with its leader, the self-exiled Sharofiddin Gadoev. Parliament quickly stripped Usmonzoda of his immunity 

A Chinese capsule from the Chang'e 6 mission has returned to Earth with rocks from the far side of the Moon. The capsule landed this morning in northern China, in the Inner Mongolia region.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday (23 June) that the current phase of ''intense" fighting against Hamas in Gaza was almost over. Netanyahu says the ground offensive in the southern town of Rafah is ending. 

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly on Saturday (22 June) revoked the licences of 16 tourism companies and referred their managers to the public prosecutor over illegal pilgrimages to Mecca, accusing them of being responsible for the deaths of Egyptian pilgrims in the city.

Tunisian President Kais Saied on Friday (21 June) sacked his religious affairs minister, Ibrahim Chaibi, after 49 Tunisians citizens died during the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. The minister was allegedly negligent in his supervision of the pilgrims.

Proposed European Union tariffs on Chinese goods are not a "punishment", German Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action Robert Habeck assured Chinese officials in Beijing on Saturday (22 June). The visit is the first by a senior European official since Brussels proposed significant tariffs on imports of Chinese-made electric vehicles (EVs) in response to what the EU sees as excessive subsidies. Ahead of Habeck's arrival, China warned that rising tensions over EVs could spark a trade war. "It is important to understand that these are not punitive tariffs," Habeck told the opening session of a dialogue on climate and transformation. He stressed that unlike the US, Brazil and Turkey, which have used punitive tariffs, the EU is taking a different approach.

On Thursday (20 June), EU Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra visited Azerbaijan as part of the preparations for COP29, which will be hosted by Baku in November 2024. He held several high-level bilateral meetings with government officials in Baku: Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Mukhtar Babayev, Minister of Energy Parviz Shahbazov and Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeyhun Bayramov. Commissioner Hoekstra also met with representatives of civil society.

Somalia's government is trying to delay the withdrawal of African peacekeepers, warning of a potential security vacuum, according to documents seen by Reuters. Neighbouring countries are concerned that resurgent al-Shabab militants could seize power. The African Union Transitional Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) is due to withdraw by 31 December, to be replaced by a smaller new force. But in a letter last month to the acting chair of the African Union Peace and Security Council, the Somali government asked for the withdrawal of half of the 4,000 troops due to leave by the end of June to be delayed until September. The letter had not been previously reported. A joint assessment by the Somali government and the AU in March, seen by Reuters, recommended adjusting the overall withdrawal timetable based on the readiness and capabilities of Somali forces. The assessment, which was mandated by the UN Security Council, warned that 'a hasty withdrawal of ATMIS personnel will contribute to a security vacuum'. Mursal Khalif, an independent member of parliament, expressed deep concern about the country's direction. The European Union and the United States, the main funders of the AU force in Somalia, have sought to reduce the peacekeeping operation because of concerns about long-term funding and sustainability, according to four diplomatic sources and a senior Ugandan official. Negotiations over a new force have been complex, with the AU initially pushing for a more robust mandate than Somalia wanted, three diplomatic sources said. A heated political dispute could lead Ethiopia to withdraw some of its most experienced troops.