Kyiv (Ukraine) (AFP) – France’s new foreign minister Stephane Sejourne says his country’s support to Ukraine “will not waver”, choosing Kyiv for his first official visit abroad as the war with Russia drags on towards its second anniversary. The visit comes as Ukraine’s Western allies struggle to secure funding, with some worrying that Kyiv could be forgotten amid new conflicts, including the war between Israel and Hamas.
Praia (Cape Verde) (AFP) – The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared Cape Verde “malaria-free”, making it the third African nation to have achieved the status. “Keeping Cabo Verde malaria free will require ongoing training and continued investment in systems that protect the country against communicable diseases and continued vigilance,” says WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
In a dimly lit tavern in Athens, two singers accompanied by a bouzouki player perform traditional Greek songs while enthusiastic customers take turns to throw carnations or smash piles of crockery at their feet. It is the night of the Epiphany, a major religious holiday in Greece. Breaking plates, the decades-old tradition of late-night folk revelry, “is a way for customers to let off steam”, says the tavern’s 56-year-old owner Vassilis Miggas.
WHO Technical Lead on Covid-19, Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, says that globally there are still around 10,000 deaths from Covid-19 reported each month. She stresses that this numer reflects data from 50 countries and that the actual number is probably higher, due to other countries not reporting deaths.
Kinshasa (AFP) – The Congo River has burst its banks, causing widespread flooding in DR Congo’s capital Kinshasa, with dark, foul-smelling water pouring into homes across working-class neighbourhoods and affecting local businesses in the central African megacity. Kinshasa is crisscrossed with small rivers and waterways, which often double as open sewers. Many have now overflown.
Sanaa (AFP) – Huthi military spokesman Yahya Saree responds to air strikes by US and British forces on Huthi rebels. The attack, early on January 12, came after weeks of disruptive attacks on Red Sea shipping by the Iran-backed Huthis, who say they act in solidarity with Gaza.
Dhaka (AFP) – Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is sworn in for a fifth term after a landslide victory in an election boycotted by the opposition.
Deir el-Balah (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) – Mourners gather in Deir el-Balah for the funerals of medics who the Palestinian Red Crescent says were killed in an Israeli strike on an ambulance in central Gaza on Wednesday. The Israeli military has denied carrying out the attack. Over 23,350 people have been killed, mostly civilians, in more than three months of war between Hamas and Israel.
Mexico City (AFP) – Bullfighting will return to the Mexican capital on January 28 after the country’s Supreme Court overturned a 2022 ban, announces the director of the Plaza Mexico bullring. Those who support a bullfighting ban say the law does not recognize animal suffering. So far, only five of Mexico’s 32 states have banned the practice.
Sydney (AFP) – Hundreds of Elvis impersonators swaggered through Sydney’s Central Station on Thursday, boarding the “Blue Suede Express” on an annual pilgrimage.
