insert_link South Africa Israel hits back at ‘distorted’ genocide case Israel said Friday it was not seeking to destroy the Palestinian people, as it hit back at what it called a "profoundly distorted" and "malevolent" genocide case against it at the UN's top court. South Africa has launched an emergency case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) arguing that Israel stands in breach of the UN Genocide Convention, signed in 1948 in the wake of the Holocaust. Pretoria wants […] todayJanuary 12, 2024 6
insert_link World Four things to know as Taiwan goes to the polls Taiwan votes for a new president, and parliament, on Saturday in an election that will be closely watched around the world. The winner will lead the democracy of 23 million people as it manages bellicose threats from China, which claims the island as its own. Here are some key facts about self-ruled Taiwan, which has its own currency, flag, military and government but is not recognised as an independent state […] todayJanuary 12, 2024 4
insert_link World China’s Xi says wants closer EU ties in meeting with Belgium PM China is willing to strengthen relations with Europe, President Xi Jinping said on Friday, at a meeting with Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo in Beijing. De Croo arrived in China on Thursday, attending the inauguration of the new Belgian embassy in Beijing and meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the same day. "China is willing to work with the European Union to promote steady progress in China-EU […] todayJanuary 12, 2024 11
insert_link World US, UK strikes pound Yemen rebels, adding to fears of wider war US and British forces struck rebel-held Yemen early on Friday after weeks of disruptive attacks on Red Sea shipping by the Iran-backed Huthis who say they act in solidarity with Gaza. The pre-dawn air strikes add to escalating fears of wider conflict in the region, where violence involving Tehran-aligned groups in Yemen as well as Lebanon, Iraq and Syria has surged since the Israel-Hamas was began in early October. Iran […] todayJanuary 12, 2024 4
insert_link Africa Cape Verde becomes third African country to eliminate malaria Cape Verde has become the third African nation to be declared malaria free, even as the disease continues to kill hundreds of thousands of people on the continent, the World Health Organization said Friday. The Atlantic archipelago of about 500,000 inhabitants follows Mauritius in 1973 and Algeria in 2019. Worldwide some 43 countries have been certified as malaria-free by the WHO, which requires showing that the domestic chain of transmission […] todayJanuary 12, 2024 17
insert_link Namibia Ondangwa Town Council cleans up to mitigate flood risks Employees of the Ondangwa Town Council have started cleaning water channels and culverts in order to mitigate floods risks during the rainy season. Town council spokesperson Petrina Shitalangaho-Mutikisha told Nampa the exercise started in December and is ongoing. Areas in need of cleaning are identified through random inspections and reports from residents. “The water channels were created to channel the flow of water collected either from houses or from […] todayJanuary 12, 2024 4
insert_link Business / Economics IMF on G7 and the US debt ceiling https://youtu.be/WOlz3Uh8HCo The IMF warned of negative consequences to the global economy if US leadership is unable to resolve its political impasse over negotiations to extend the debt ceiling, spokesperson Julie Kozack told reporters Thursday in Washington, DC. “We encourage all of the interested parties to come together, reach consensus to urgently resolve the matter. And of course, the reason that we're calling for this is because we are concerned about […] todayJanuary 12, 2024 13
insert_link Africa IMF working with several African countries https://youtu.be/c7ZwwF1-f84 The IMF is working with authorities in several African countries to provide help stabilizing their economies and financial situations spokesperson Julie Kozack told reporters Thursday (March 23) in Washington, DC. Ghana is seeking funding from the Fund with The West African country, struggling with its worst economic crisis in a generation. Ghana secured a staff-level agreement with the IMF in December for a $3 billion loan, but approval is contingent […] todayJanuary 12, 2024 28
insert_link Business / Economics IMF forecasts a ‘soft landing’ https://youtu.be/jlI1BZ81K-w The IMF sees the global economy headed for a ‘soft landing’ scenario but warns that leaders should be preparing for future shocks and challenges, spokesperson Julie Kozack told reporters Thursday in Washington, DC. (Jan. 11) “So we've had a relatively resilient global economy so far. We expect that resilience to continue into 2024. At the same time, inflation is coming down. Labor markets continue to be, uh, resilient. Of […] todayJanuary 12, 2024 15
