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1.14849
-0.274%
Gold
4526.71
0.276%
Oil
98.880
1.360%
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159.635
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GBP/USD
1.32309
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GBP/JPY
211.216
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Real-time News
Kremlin: We are pleased that these petroleum products have arrived in Cuba. Russia feels obligated to help Cuba.Kremlin: (Regarding the arrival of the Russian oil tanker in Cuba) This issue has been raised in talks with the United States. Under the severe blockade, our Cuban friends urgently need oil and petroleum products. We will continue our commitment to supplying oil to Cuba.March 30 – The 14th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO) was held in Yaoundé, Cameroon, from March 26 to 30. Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao led a Chinese delegation to the conference, and Ambassador Li Yongzhe, Chinas Permanent Representative to the WTO, also participated. After intensive consultations, the conference achieved several practical results. First, a joint ministerial statement on the Agreement on Investment Facilitation for Development was issued, marking a significant step towards the implementation of the worlds first multilateral investment agreement. Second, a provisional implementation arrangement for the E-Commerce Agreement was reached, which will effectively promote more inclusive and sustainable development of digital trade. Third, ministerial decisions were reached on issues such as fisheries subsidies, small economies, and special and differential treatment of inspection, quarantine, and technical regulations. The conference also formed the "Yaoundé Outcome Package" of documents nearing consensus, including the WTO reform work plan and the e-commerce work plan. All parties agreed to conduct follow-up consultations in Geneva as soon as possible to strive for an early consensus.On March 30th, Kpler senior oil analyst Muyu Xu stated that any potential disruption to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait could force crude oil shipments to detour around the Cape of Good Hope, doubling transit time and driving up costs. "Ship owners might opt to divert westward, via the Suez Canal and then around the Cape of Good Hope, to transport Saudi crude to Asia, but this voyage would take close to 50 days, more than double the time required to transit through the Red Sea, and would substantially weaken the markets immediate supply capacity." The diversion will significantly increase costs due to higher freight rates and fuel consumption, while also forcing additional adjustments to the global tanker fleet, as Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs) cannot transit the Suez Canal.On March 30, UNESCO issued a statement expressing grave concern over the impact of the situation in the Middle East on higher education institutions. The statement condemned attacks against universities and other educational institutions and strongly opposed threats or deliberate attacks on educational institutions as a means of retaliation. UNESCO emphasized that educational institutions must always be spaces dedicated to knowledge dissemination and international cooperation. The statement also noted the efforts made to ensure the safety and continued operation of higher education and called on all parties to exercise maximum restraint and fully comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law, including UN Security Council Resolution 2601.
