Africa

Heavy rains caused the Bichida River to break its banks as waters rose very quickly; the surrounding fields, saturated with water, turned into a huge lake and the Mbinda-Mayoko road, a stretch of 25 km, became difficult

Joseph Bendounga, president of the Democratic Movement for the Renaissance and Evolution of Central Africa, died at the Friendship Hospital in Bangui; known for his anti-power positions, he had opposed the amendment of the Constitution last year

Sokodé, 350 km north of the capital, will host the 2nd edition of the International Horse Festival from 8 to 10 January 2025 to celebrate the rich equestrian tradition of the Tchaoudjo prefecture with almost 500 riders from Togo and neighbouring countries

National Credit Guarantee Company will be established in May 2025 to improve access to credit for businesses and individuals; the initiative, part of President Tinubu’s reform agenda, aims to bolster financial inclusion by adding risk-sharing instruments

NamPost and Telecom Namibia will become independent government-owned companies by February, as the complete transfer of all properties of the Namibia Post and Telecom Holdings Limited to other stakeholders will be finalised by this month of January 2025

The revolution in automotive fuel sector which is beginning to adopt CNG instead of petrol and diesel is being slowed down by lack of filling stations; given Tanzania's large reserves of gas under the sea, CNG can cost less than half of petrol equivalent

Four employees were selected for punctuality, attendance, efficiency and personal involvement and awarded certificates of recognition to its best employees of the year 2024 in a ceremony organized by the Ministry of Energy

After recording an increase in defaults by the owners of social housing, a commission will be set up to visit homes and ascertain that the occupants of the homes are the true owners; the government is also considering to start with evictions

15 rapes were recorded during the festive period from 25 December to 1 January, the Police Information and Communications Officer commented the number as 'shocking', confirming rape cases have been on the rise in Eswatini comparing 2024 to 2023

'Musoolutaa', the first resource app for women to find information on health, safety, job opportunities, access to the women's enterprise fund, was launched by the Ministry for Gender, Children and Social Welfare

Malual Bol Kiir, a South Sudanese Peace and Human rights activist, has made public his wishes for a 2025 of hope, renewal, and collective resolve calling for a responsible, active role of the people to set a lasting foundation for peace and prosperity