Ties between the two Koreas have been in a deep freeze as Pyongyang accelerates its weapons development programmes and Seoul ramps up military cooperation with Washington and Tokyo, with key inter-Korean economic cooperation projects suspended for years. At a plenary meeting of the Supreme People's Assembly on Wednesday, officials voted to scrap the law on inter-Korean economic cooperation "with unanimous approbation", the Korean Central News Agency reported. The parliament also unanimously approved a plan to abolish a special law on the operation of the Mount Kumgang tourism project, once a prominent symbol of inter-Korean cooperation. The resort was built by South Korea's Hyundai Asan on one of the North's most scenic mountains, and once drew hundreds of thousands of visitors from the South. But its tours ended abruptly in 2008 after a North Korean soldier shot dead a tourist from the South who strayed off an approved path, and Seoul suspended travel.

MDP, the leading Issuing and payment processing firm in the Middle East and Africa MDP, has appointed Frank Molla as the Managing Director of MDP Africa. In this role, Molla will lead MDP’s efforts to deepen growth and explore new and localized opportunities for scale and partnerships on the continent. Frank Molla joins MDP as an accomplished executive with two decades of experience in the payments industry, which has seen him work in diverse markets across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Prior to joining MDP, Molla was Managing Director and Head of sub-Saharan Africa at BPC Banking Technologies and coordinated the company’s digital and technology expansion in the region. At the Barclays Bank of Kenya, now Absa, where he began his career, Molla held several senior commercial manager roles.

TheSmallBigIdea has unveiled its refreshed brand identity with a new logo and credo ‘What’s Next!’. The identity is a visual representation of the agency’s commitment to contributing to the sector with new-age, unconventional and out-of-the-box strategies. Talking about the new brand identity, Harikrishnan Pillai, CEO and co-founder, TheSmallBigIdea, said, “We are committed to directing our gaze towards the future while drawing inspiration from the past decade. The brand ethos guiding our journey ahead is, ‘What’s Next!’. We are ready to push our boundaries, deliver exceptional results, and create remarkable experiences,” Manish Solanki, COO and co-founder, TheSmallBigIdea, added.

Two trails of ancient human footprints left by humans trekking across a Moroccan beach 90,000 years ago were discovered intact by archaeologists, who say they represent some of the oldest human prints ever uncovered. Researchers discovered 85 human footprints stamped into the sand while studying boulders near the northern tip of North Africa in 2022, according to a study published in Scientific Reports this January. They are also the oldest footprints attributed to humans to ever be found in the region, scientists wrote in the paper. “We took measurements on-site to determine the length and depth of the prints,” Sedrati said. That’s why the footprints are so well preserved here.”6 The tracks are the oldest footprints attributed to humans ever found in North Africa and the Southern Mediterranean.

Conflict between one of eastern Congo’s most active rebel groups and the government armed forces is intensifying in the country’s Masisi territory, which has prompted residents of the region’s largest city of Goma to flee the area. Locals say the deadly unrest has worsened in recent weeks, leaving dozens of injured and overwhelming health centers. Masisi and also Rutshuru, two territories in North Kivu province, have been gripped by conflict since late 2021 as the M23 takes on government troops. This and several other armed groups have intensified attacks on civilians and tried to seize more territory as the United Nations and regional peacekeepers have started to withdraw at the government’s request. DRC President Felix Tshisekedi, who was reelected in December, has struggled to end the violence despite promises to do so.

Leave Jemaa el Fna — the huge, chaotic, carnivalesque marketplace seen on every postcard — to the cobra charmers, hustlers and package-tour throngs. In the early 20th century, Thami el Glaoui, the onetime ruler of Marrakesh — known as the bacha in local Arabic — was a legend. The Islamic decorative arts find dazzling expression inside the Medersa Ben Youssef, a centuries-old religious school adorned with some of the finest craftsmanship in Morocco. Follow the buttery scent of leather to a passage called Derb el Hammam in Souk Smata, the leatherworking area of the medina. Sunlight filters through the overhead slats of the stalls, illuminating belts, bags, jackets, ottomans and slippers known as babouches — a favorite Morocco souvenir (prepare to haggle).

Back then, international leaders kept their distance after a transfer of power between Tshisekedi and his predecessor, former President Joseph Kabila, that was tainted by a dubious election now widely accepted to have been fraudulently awarded to Tshisekedi. The large margin of Tshisekedi’s victory this time around explains some of the shift in international sentiment between 2019 and 2024. On Dec. 31, Congo’s electoral commission declared him the winner of the nonetheless disputed first-round ballot with more than 70 percent of the vote. Tshisekedi—who, in fairness, was always considered the odds-on favorite to win a second term—defeated more than 20 candidates, several of whom later signed a declaration rejecting what they described as a “sham” election and calling for a rerun. Congo’s Constitutional Court instead upheld the result of the election, rejecting a plea by one of the opposition candidates to annul the vote and thus paving the way for Tshisekedi’s inauguration for a second term.

The South African company setting up 120 EV charging stations across the country has entered into a R1 billion deal with a Chinese energy storage systems manufacturer for superchargers. It encompasses building and importing the first-of-its-kind integrated supercharging systems for its 120 renewable charging stations currently being rolled out across South Africa. This technology means that customers at Zero Carbon Charge’s off-grid, solar-powered charging stations can charge any electric vehicle at a maximum charging rate. Zero Carbon Charge is on track to have its network of 120 solar-powered charging facilities operational by September 2025. SA: Off-grid EV charging station set to launch this year

Long-Duration Energy Storage (LDES) applications not only enhance the effectiveness of solar energy systems but can de-risk the transition to a carbon-free, net-zero grid. The Long-Duration Energy Storage Council says that the targets for solar energy are clear – 75,000GW of generating capacity to be installed by 2050. Souder said the world needs to keep the development of renewable energy sources and storage solutions on track. China’s energy storage growthShe cited China as an example of exponential growth in the sector, with the country’s overall capacity in energy storage reaching 31.39GW by the end of last year. Souder pointed out that it is not only China making strides with renewable energy technology, but countries all over the world.

Located in Wadi Otba Municipality in South Libya, Taqrouteen School has been around since 1970. With just four run-down and overcrowded classrooms, the learning environment was inadequate. This pitch quickly became a resounding success, transforming into a vibrant hub not only for the school’s students but also for young people across the city. Additionally, to ensure easy and safe access around the school, UNICEF worked on the school’s walkways so paths are safer to walk on now. This significant enhancement in the school’s capacity and infrastructure not only improves the learning environment but also supports the dedicated students and teachers daily.

The Egyptian Food Bank took the lead in hosting the Civil Society Consultation meeting: "Actionable Strategies for Sustainable Agri-food Systems in the Near East and North Africa". “The Egyptian Food Bank fosters collaborative communities by facilitating the exchange of knowledge among diverse stakeholders which falls under the strategic pillar Elevate. Through the two-day event, the FAO’s Four Regional Priorities, designed to transform the agri-food systems in the region, will take center stage. These plans will emphasize immediate and measurable actions that can drive positive change in regional agrifood systems. The meeting also aimed to strengthen the civil society network by fostering enhanced collaboration among civil society organizations.

North Korea was banned from conducting nuclear tests and ballistic missile launches by the U.N. Security Council. The report shared that North Korea had been developing nuclear fissile materials even though its last known nuclear test had been done last in 2017. North Korea capital Pyongyang has also denied allegations of hacking or cyberattacks in the past. Microsoft to train two million Indians in AI skillsDuring his visit to India, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella announced that the company plans to train two million Indians in AI skills by 2025. The inclusive programme will also offer in-depth training in AI skills to 100,000 young women through 5,000 trainers in higher education institutions in these cities.

Lufthansa Cargo launched its regional cargo network for same-day e-commerce customers two years ago with a single A321 converted freighter capable of transporting 14 pallets on the main deck. An A321 cargo jet connects Lufthansa’s central cargo hub in Frankfurt, Germany, to Amman once a week. In late November, Lufthansa Cargo added Stavanger, Norway, to its short- and medium-haul network. When the A321 fleet is fully restored, Lufthansa Cargo will again serve 18 destinations in the regional network on more than 32 weekly flights. Lufthansa Cargo currently operates 16 Boeing 777 freighters — 11 under its own brand and five for DHL Express joint venture Aerologic.

South African business consultancy Thinkroom has launched a new streaming education platform, called Thinkubate. Co-owner of the Grindstone Accelerator, with Knife Capital, Thinkroom is a consultancy business, and Thinkubate is a business education service that operates as an Incubator|Accelerator-as-a-Platform (IAaaP). “Thinkubate’s mission is to disrupt the high business failure rate with expert education that works. An essential part of Thinkubate’s process is life-stage assessments that define the gaps and learning experiences needed to empower entrepreneurs and SMEs. The assessments establish which interventions will close these gaps,” says Catherine Young, founder of Thinkroom and Thinkubate.

Nigeria are through to the AFCON final after beating South Africa in a penalty shootout on a night of ceaseless entertainment. William Troost-Ekong, Nigeria’s captain, put his side ahead with a 67th-minute penalty which had been won following a stunning dribble by Victor Osimhen. The Napoli star then looked to have sealed victory for Nigeria with a close-range finish in the 83rd minute, but the goal was overturned by VAR and, sensationally, South Africa were awarded a penalty following a foul in the build-up. Teboho Mokoena converted from the spot to make it 1-1 and the game went to extra time where both teams had chances to win it, before goalkeeper Stanley Nwabili proved the hero in the shootout to secure victory for Nigeria. Here, The Athletic's writers Carl Anka and Jacob Whitehead analyse and evaluate the key talking points from the game.