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 Central African Republic 25.000 tonnes of Russian free wheat arrived in Cameroon to be milled into wheat flour; the flour that will then be sent to the Central African Republic
Africa Burundi The diplomatic dispute between Burundi and Rwanda took on a new front as Burundi closed its borders with its neighbour 'until changed'; Burundi has accused Rwanda of financing rebel attacks
Asia Philippines A huge crowd of faithful Catholics, mostly barefoot, marched on Tuesday 9 January in an annual procession in Manila praying for peace in the Middle East, where tens of thousands of Filipinos work
Africa Zambia Churches in Zambia have been mandated to limit worship sessions to a maximum of two hours, in a directive that also prohibits the sale of perishable, ready-to-eat food inside churches, to contain cholera
Oceania Vanuatu Cruise ship Celebrity Edge docked in two ports in Vanuatu earlier this week, an entry welcomed by the Department of Tourism
Asia Georgia The National Library of the Parliament of Georgia has a new director, Konstantine Gamsakhurdia, son of the first president of Georgia, Zviad Gamsakhurdia
Africa eSwatini According to the African Development Bank, in its Eswatini Economic Outlook, economic optimism prevails in the country, while the debt burden is shrinking and the debt-to-GDP ratio is expected to reach 38% in 2024
Africa Botswana Global diamond giant De Beers will go ahead with a planned investment of $1 billion to prolong the life of its flagship mine, Jwaneng in Botswana, even though demand for diamonds has registered a decline in the past year
Africa Comoros Voters are called to the polls today to elect a new President and President Assoumani is expected to win a fourth term; a former military officer, Assoumani is accused of gagging dissent and some opposition leaders have called for a boycott of the vote
Europe Estonia The first service dog of the Estonian Defence Forces, a 12-year-old German Shepherd named Bruno, retired after almost a decade of work
Africa Sudan A lack of drinking water due to fuel shortages that forced the closure of several water plants is affecting a number of states, including Khartoum, Darfur and North Kordofan, amidst conflict that killed 12.000 people and displaced some 7,3 million
Asia Yemen Yemen's al Masirah TV broadcast drone footage of a large demonstration called in the capital Sanaa by the ruling Houthis to protest against air and missile attacks by the US, UK and other allies
Europe France According to founders and strategists working in the quantum sector in France, the EU should support more funding initiatives targeting deep tech and quantum technologies