Africa eSwatini 11 000 jobs have been added in 2023-25; though it may appear as a positive development for Eswatini’s economy, economists fear that Eswatini’s labour market is expanding in low-productivity jobs rather than sectors building long-term economic security
Africa Somalia Qatar Charity signed a strategic partnership agreement with the Ministry of Health in Galmudug State, Somalia, to establish and equip four new health centres in the region
Europe Slovakia President Peter Pellegrini conferred State honours on 18 personalities from social, cultural and sporting life, nine of them posthumously
Africa South Africa In a court-ordered rescue operation, at least 78 bodies have been pulled from an illegal gold mine where police cut off food and water for months, in what trade unions called a horrific crackdown; 246 survivors have been arrested once at the surface
America Costa Rica Costa Rica could introduce 12-hour work shifts for 4 days, followed by 3 days off, under the plan currently under review by the Legislative Assembly
Africa Togo Togo's Agricultural Transformation Agency launched a recruitment campaign for 55 new agents, including managers, technicians, engineers and drivers; ATA has supported over 6.000 farmers in its first two years, implementing pilot programmes in 60 cantons
Asia Syria Spain raised the flag of its embassy in Damascus, marking the return of its diplomatic presence more than a decade after the suspension of operations; many Western states are re-establishing contacts with the country after Assad's fall
America Argentina Argentina is advancing in production for the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine VCN20 locally through a Pfizer-Sinergium Biotech partnership, which aims to boost public health, economic growth, and its regional leadership in vaccine manufacturing and export
Asia Nepal Three pairs of bar-headed geese, one of the few bird species capable of flying over the altitude of 9.000 meters, were spotted in Jagadishpur Bird Sanctuary in Kapilvastu, showing Nepal’s role in bird conservation and is ecotourism potential
America Saint Vincent and the Grenadines A major breakage to a 12-inch main pipeline of Central Water and Sewage Authority in the Hermitage Mountain last left 12 communities without pipe-borne water; the CWSA said the breakage is as a result of a fallen tree, which dislodged the pipeline
Africa Senegal The Higher Education Autonomous Union has announced that it will file a strike notice demanding that authorities fulfil their commitments to pay half of the deceased teachers' survivor's pension to widows and widowers
Oceania Nauru The country will charter a flight to Honiara for the Miss Pacific pageant, scheduled for 1-8 February 2025, with eight contestants including Miss Nauru, Charlei Andrianna Deiye
America Bolivia Supporters of former president Evo Morales have organized security rings to prevent his arrest in Bolivia, following an order from prosecutors investigating allegations of human trafficking; Morales has accused President Luis Arce of political persecution
Europe Ukraine President Zelensky and UK Prime Minister Starmer signed a landmark agreement on a 100-year partnership to deepen security ties and strengthen partnership for future generations; meeting in Kiev, they went across defence and non-military areas