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
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
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
Asia Sri Lanka The first Hindi certificate course in Sri Lanka through open and distance learning was recently launched, a collaborative initiative between the Sri Lanka Open University and the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre
America Saint Lucia The Taiwan Embassy is accepting applications for the 2025 MOFA and the 2025 Taiwan International Cooperation and Development Fund Scholarships that allow Saint Lucian students to pursue Undergraduate, Master’s, or Doctoral Degrees in Taiwan universities
Asia Oman Royal directives have been issued for names of national and main roads in Oman; His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik also addresses nation on his Accession Day 11 January, the day he assumed power in the Sultanate in 2020
Oceania Samoa Ferry services between the islands resumed after halts due to bad weather that brought strong winds and high waves; many travellers between Upolu and Savaii were stranded for up to two days
Asia Armenia Figures by EU source show a 400% increase in Armenia-EU air transport passenger flow since 2018; in the first 6 days of 2025, arrivals have registered a 19,4% increase on same days of 2024
Asia North Korea Ukraine released the first testimony of North Korean soldiers captured while fighting for Russia in the Kursk region: two wounded North Korean soldiers were captured and taken to Kiev for treatment and later interrogation
Africa Nigeria The nation's prolonged insecurity poses a serious threat to achieving the sustainable development goals of zero hunger in the country by 2030: USD 4,9 billion per year would be needed to do so
Africa Republic of the Congo An avenue and six streets in Moungali, in the 4th arrondissement of Brazzaville, now bear the names of seven of the Red Devils, champions of Africa 1972, when, by beating Mali, the country won its first African soccer championship title
Africa Democratic Republic of the Congo DRC banned the satellite news network al-Jazeera because it made and broadcasted an interview with the leader of a rebel group that recently took over territory in the east of the country
Europe Romania 2024 was the hottest year in the history of Romania weather records, with an average annual temperature of 12,99 degrees Celsius, a thermal deviation of 2,71 degrees Celsius compared to the 1991-2020 average
Africa Rwanda Rwanda's Minister of Infrastructure, Jimmy Gasore, announced the government's plan to phase out non-electric motorbikes in Kigali, as part of its efforts to promote environmental sustainability