The past year proved a challenging chapter for African tech startups, marking a phase of unpredictability and setbacks. The landscape witnessed a tightening of venture capital, rendering it more arduous for startups to secure crucial funding. Yet, amid the downturn, there’s a silver lining—an opportunity for African startups to reevaluate their strategies, focus on fundamentals, and build resilience. The current funding drought serves as a litmus test, exposing flaws in business models and emphasizing the importance of profitability and market fit before scaling up. It’s an opportunity to reimagine and realign business models, seeking sustainability in an ever-evolving market.

Israel war on Gaza updates: Condemnation after Israel kills 2 journalistsHamza Dahdouh, son of Al Jazeera’s Gaza bureau chief, among media workers killed after car targeted near Khan Younis in southern Gaza.

Morocco is featured among the best world destinations to visit in 2024, according to the “Travel” segment of the renowned media outlet CNN. CNN has highlighted in a recent feature on its “Travel” segment, Morocco as one of the top 24 must-visit destinations for the year 2024. “A longtime travel favorite thanks to its diverse landscape and spectacular architecture, Morocco has bounced back determinedly after a devastating earthquake this past September,” CNN points out. The growing popularity of Morocco as a tourist destination is reflected in the statistics, with the country attracting 13.2 million tourists as of November 2023. Furthermore, revenues from the tourism sector experienced a significant boost, jumping from MAD 84.12 billion in November 2022 ($8.5 billion) to MAD 97.4 billion in November 2023.

Share Comment on this story Comment Add to your saved stories SaveCAIRO — Production at Libya’s largest oil field was suspended Sunday, the country’s state-run oil company said, after protesters forced the facility to close over fuel shortages. The National Oil Corp. declared force majeure at the Sharara oil field in the country’s south starting Sunday. The company said in a statement that the closure of the field forced the suspension of crude oil supplies to the western Zawiya terminal on the Mediterranean coast. Libya produces more than 1.2 million barrels of oil per day, and Sharara is the country’s largest field, with a capacity of up to 300,000 barrels per day. Libya’s light crude has long featured in the country’s yearslong civil conflict, with rival militias and foreign powers jostling for control of Africa’s largest oil reserves.

North Korea has threatened an immediate military strike against South Korea in response to any “provocation”. The remarks follow South Korean military reports that said the North had fired more than 60 artillery rounds on Saturday near their disputed maritime border. North Korea fired more than 90 rounds on Sunday, according to the South. “The North Korean military has been conducting the drills north of the South Korean front-line island of Yeonpyeong since about 4pm [07:00 GMT],” the South Korean Yonhap news agency reported, citing a military source. South Korea’s military rejected Kim’s statement as low-level psychological warfare, urging North Korea to cease military activity that raises tension near the border.

Flag of the Orange Free State, 1854 – 1902, via Wikimedia Commons; with Free State countryside, via Worldwide Elevation Map FinderThe Free State lies on the highest elevations of South Africa’s escarpment. For most of its life, however, the Free State was known as the Orange Free State. With a storied and unique history as an independent country, a colony, and a province of South Africa, the Orange Free State exists as a vital part of South Africa’s history and, as the Free State, an essential part of South Africa’s future. This lasted until 1910, when the Union of South Africa was declared, amalgamating most South African colonies into the independent country of the Union of South Africa. The provincial capital of Bloemfontein also serves as the judicial capital of South Africa (South Africa has three capital cities).

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In the past 50 years, the continent has suffered more than 100 coups. Muslim Africans, often prisoners of war, were transported through the states of the south and sold to the Europeans as slaves. This pattern largely persisted until the late 19th century, when European power eclipsed Muslim power. This makes military coups common. Many African nations have expelled the French military.

William Kentridge’s recent exhibition in Palermo, Sicily is intricately linked to its location—and has been years in the making. Now, Kentridge presents an arresting art exhibition across all levels and sections of Palazzo Branciforte. “The starting point of the Palermo exhibition was the idea of a sound work,” Kentridge explains in a press statement. (According to a museum docent, Kentridge asked for ledger sheets when he found out about the Palazzo’s previous function). William Kentridge, “You Whom I Could Not Save“ is on view until January 12, 2024 at Palazzo Branciforte, Palermo.

1974: Unstoppable Mulamba and the final played twiceImagine scoring twice in the AFCON final, including in the 117th minute after the match has gone to extra time, and then having to go and do it all again. Remarkably, Mulamba went and did it again, scoring twice as this time Zaire kept a clean sheet to win 2-0. He ended the tournament with nine goals, still the record for a single AFCON edition, although Vincent Aboubakar went close at AFCON 2021 with eight for Cameroon. The Leopards also qualified for the World Cup that year, becoming the first African nation to do so since Egypt in 1934. They have not qualified for the World Cup nor reached the AFCON semi-finals again since.

RIYADH - Avalon Pharma has announced its intention to launch an initial public offering (IPO) on the Saudi Stock Exchange (Tadawul), signaling a continuation of the recent IPO fervor within the region. The pharmaceutical company, a key player in Saudi Arabia's healthcare sector, is planning to offer up to 6 million shares to the public from January 14 to January 18. Avalon Pharma, established in 1998, has made significant strides in the competitive pharmaceutical industry of Saudi Arabia. The decision to go public follows a wave of successful IPOs on Tadawul, which has included prominent listings such as MBC Group, which raised $222 million, and Ades Holding, marking the largest IPO at $1.2 billion. Moreover, the pharmaceutical sector in Saudi Arabia is on a trajectory of growth, with projections indicating that the market could reach a valuation of $10.6 billion by 2028.

George Friedman is an internationally recognized geopolitical forecaster and strategist on international affairs and the founder and chairman of Geopolitical Futures. His most popular book, The Next 100 Years, is kept alive by the prescience of its predictions. Other best-selling books include Flashpoints: The Emerging Crisis in Europe, The Next Decade, America’s Secret War, The Future of War and The Intelligence Edge. Dr. Friedman has briefed numerous military and government organizations in the United States and overseas and appears regularly as an expert on international affairs, foreign policy and intelligence in major media. Friedman received his bachelor’s degree from the City College of the City University of New York and holds a doctorate in government from Cornell University.

Only then did the miners realize they had unearthed something special: a 7-foot-long mammoth tusk that had been buried for thousands of years. The miners unearthed the tusk from an old streambed, about 40 feet deep, at the Freedom Mine near Beulah, North Dakota. He expressed surprise that the mammoth tusk hadn’t suffered more damage, considering the massive equipment used at the site. Specimens have been found throughout the United States and Canada, said Paul Ullmann, a University of North Dakota vertebrate paleontologist. North Dakota Geologic Survey Paleontologist Jeff Person sits behind a 7-foot mammoth tusk on Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023, at the Geologic Survey office in Bismarck, N.D. Coal miners unearthed the tusk in May 2023 at the Freedom Mine near Beulah, North Dakota.

What is the impact on Indian trade flowing through the Red Sea? Whether exporting to Europe, the U.S. east coast and even to countries in North Africa, the longer route is being used. For instance, the Red Sea crisis could come in the way of any plans to reduce pump prices of petrol and diesel. The UN has said “no cause or grievance” could justify Houthi attacks against freedom of navigation in the Red Sea. The UN has said “no cause or grievance” could justify Houthi attacks against freedom of navigation in the Red Sea.

CLEMSON, S.C.: RJ Davis had 14 points while Armando Bacot had 14 points and 16 rebounds to lead No. 8 North Carolina to a 65-55 victory over 16th-ranked Clemson on Saturday. Davis hit a 3-pointer as North Carolina wiped out Clemson’s four-point lead to move in front 39-38. BIG PICTURENorth Carolina: The Tar Heels showed they could win a physical, back-and-forth game even when leaders like Davis and Bacot were not at their best. UP NEXTNorth Carolina plays at North Carolina State on Wednesday night.