Africa Tanzania A comprehensive voluntary repatriation program has been finalized to bring back Tanzanian citizens living in South Africa, following growing impatience towards African immigrants; in co-operation with local authorities, returnees will undergo verification
Asia Laos Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Laos, welcomed 1,7 million tourists in the first ten months of 2024, nearly doubling its target of 900.000; as peak season nears, officials expect figures to grow more and highlight the site's cultural appeal
Africa Kenya The construction of the Rironi-Mau Summit Highway is set to begin with funding from the Chinese government; a controversial news that follows the cancellation of the bid awarded to a French consortium by former President Kenyatta
Africa Algeria Kamel Daoud won Prix Goncourt 2024, the most prestigious French literary award, becoming the first Algerian to win the prize; his novel 'Houris' is a gripping evocation of Algeria's 'black decade' (1992-2002)
Africa Namibia Coca-Cola Beverages Africa invested $50 million in a new bottling line in Namibia, which will produce 27.000 bottles per hour, increasing production capacity by 30%
Asia Indonesia A female Sumatran elephant, a subspecies of the Asian elephant considered to be at serious risk of extinction, was born in the Buluh China Nature Park in north-west Sumatra; the WWF estimates that there are now only between 2.400 and 2.800 individuals
Asia Brunei His Majesty the Sultan attended the 2024 Sarawak Regatta in Kuching, Malaysia; the traditional Waterfront Festival assigned the title of 'King of the River' to decorated wooden boats manned by 30 rowers
Asia Afghanistan USAID announced a contract to sell 600 kg of Afghan saffron to Paris Exposition 2024, worth over $1million; Afghanistan’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce said that saffron cultivation has expanded to 26 provinces following ban on opium poppy cultivation
Asia Armenia Targeted grants for judicial reform and education will be provided in 2025 in the frame of EU's support program for Armenia, entitled 'Resilience and Development', with a budget of €270 million over four years
Oceania Australia Skyscanner's Travel Trends 2025 report shows that the most popular place Australians want to travel next year is Siem Reap in Cambodia, home to the famous Angkor Wat temple, with a +529% interest; up to now, Japan was the most desired country to visit
Oceania New Zealand The Royal New Zealand Air Force has welcomed its 4th C-130J-30 Super Hercules transport aircraft in Whenuapai, continuation of a NZ$1,5 billion (US$899,9 million) programme to replace the service's C-130H fleet, which has been operational since the 1960s
Africa Zimbabwe President Mnangagwa joined the voice of other countries urging the British government to apologise for the century of colonial rule (1890-1980), during which indigenous peoples were dispossessed of their land and subjected to gross abuses
America Chile A new national survey shows Chileans overwhelmingly favor stricter immigration policies, with 96% of respondents supporting tighter controls, attributing immigration to economic strain and cultural challenges
Africa Nigeria The country is facing one of its worst food crises with more than 30 million people expected to be food insecure next year, an increase of one third compared to this year