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
Asia Kyrgyzstan The Kyrgyz Parliament's Committee on Budget, Economic and Fiscal Policy adopted at first reading amendments that will allow the National Bank of Kyrgyzstan to launch a pilot project on the prototype of the national digital currency 'digital som'
Europe Portugal LusoSpace, a pioneering national company, will launch its first satellite, PoSat 2, via SpaceX, to join the ATON constellation, focused on mapping oceans with crucial data on maritime traffic, illegal activities, spills, and drifting icebergs
Europe Iceland Fermented shark, an Icelandic delicacy, may become increasingly difficult to find due to a number of factors, including declining interest in the industry and rising costs
Europe Luxembourg A new bill approved by the government is intended to eliminate the current mandatory three-day reflection period before a pregnancy can be terminated
Africa Mauritania Mauritania signed a $27 million agreement with the US to improve resilience of the energy sector and climate adaptation, providing debt-free grants to develop projects
Asia Kuwait The country is considering the introduction of Value Added Tax as other Gulf Cooperation Council countries, such as Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, have increased VAT rates to 15% and 10% respectively
Europe Malta The free ferry service between Valletta, Sliema and Cottonera attracted over 440.000 Tallinja cardholders last year, along with another 1,2 million passengers who bought tickets for the service
Africa Madagascar 2024 was a particularly difficult year for the fire brigade in the capital: the number of building fires increased from 303 in 2023 to 352 in 2024
Europe Netherlands The number of bankruptcies increased in 2024 compared to the previous year: according to Statistics Netherlands, almost 4.300 companies were declared bankrupt last year, an increase of 30% compared to 2023
America Jamaica The Amity Hall Agro Park coconut growers group received essential material, such as seedlings, fertiliser and spraying trays, delivered by the Agro-Investment Corporation, in collaboration with the Coconut Industry Board
Asia Maldives The Maldives Immigration, referring to the Henley Passport Index, announced that the Maldivian passport was again ranked as the strongest in South Asia
Africa Angola Angolan writer Atanagildo Paulo, with his work 'A Morte da Dor' (The Death of Pain), will represent Africa in Latin America's biggest literary competition the World Book Review Award, in the category of best book of chronicles and short stories 2024
Africa Niger A woman of Austrian nationality has been kidnapped in Agadez, information confirmed by the Austrian Foreign Ministry; it is not yet known who are the perpetrators of the kidnapping, as it hasn't been claimed by any local group