Asia South Korea A traditional rainmaking ritual called giuje was performed by the Gangneung Danoje Preservation Committee as severe drought is gripping the coastal city of Gangneung; water at Obong Reservoir stood at 18,3% and is projected to last other 22 days
Africa Mali The junta began seizing gold stocks from the Loulo-Gounkoto mine operated by the Canadian company Barrick Gold, in the face of promises of fairer distribution of the proceeds of the lucrative mining industry with more pressure on foreign companies
Asia Laos A coffee processing station in Mokvat, built with support from Korea International Cooperation Agency and Wonders International, processes 900kg-1 ton of cherries/hour and boosts the coffee value chain by enabling farmers to produce higher-value products
Africa Sierra Leone After a second case of mpox was confirmed, the Minister of Health announced the decision to declare a state of health emergency
Asia Vietnam Sa Đéc’s Flower Festival in Đồng Tháp province celebrates its heritage with displays of flowers, ornamental plants, and local goods; open until January 21, the festival strengthens its identity as the “City of Flowers"
America Trinidad and Tobago As the dry season officially started on 14 January, Water and Sewerage Authority has reminded the public to be conservative in using water, saying it is crucial for citizens to adopt sustainable practices to ensure a reliable supply of pipe-borne water
Asia Kazakhstan Although families continue to cherish marriage traditions, a recent survey from Kazakh Institute for Public Development show that expensive marriages and outdated practices, such as the abduction of brides, have decreased significantly
Oceania Marshall Islands Families, friends and supporters recently gathered to witness the latest successful graduation of the Waan Aelon vocational training programme in Majel
Europe Liechtenstein The new grid usage tariff model, effective from 1 January 2025, is already attracting criticism, with grid usage tariffs being described as 'a punishment' for owners of photovoltaic systems
Asia Myanmar Civil war has fueled a surge in cross-border drug trade to Thailand, with rebel groups and militias running drug labs; meth pill seizures rose by 172% and crystal meth by 39% in 2024, yet low meth prices suggest significant volumes evade law enforcement
Asia Malaysia Kedah state will mandate the inclusion of Jawi script on all billboards, effective immediately, to preserve the traditional Malay-Arabic script, reflecting the state’s cultural heritage; businesses must incorporate Jawi alongside existing scripts
Africa Lesotho Major Bokang Melato, Defence Force Youth Development Programme coordinator, urged the government to invest in the armed forces to ensure the nation's progress
Africa Liberia The Minister of Finance and Development Planning described the World Bank as 'Liberia's largest multilateral partner', emphasising its key role in post-conflict recovery and ongoing development efforts
Africa Kenya The Kenya-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement CEPA, newly signed, is the first agreement of its kind signed by the UAE with a mainland African country and marks a historic milestone in the economic relations between the two nations