La Talaudière (France) (AFP) – “It’s not a positive assessment overall, as there are still some injunctions that have not been carried out”, local MP finds conditions at La Talaudière prison in central France has not improved much since France’s State Council imposed renovation work in May 2023 at the dilapidated prison.
Tunis (AFP) – While Tunisians face economic hardships and their government is mired in debt, medical tourism has thrived and authorities are looking to expand the profitable sector even further.
Bogotá (AFP) – A group of researchers at the University of Rosario, in the Colombian capital of Bogota, patent a formula that protects the brains of bees and other pollinators from exposure to insecticides.
Tasmania (Australia) (AFP) – Scientists have collected 25 extremely rare red handfish from the ocean off Australia, hoping to protect the struggling species from warming seas, human-caused habitat changes and ravenous urchins.
Kuala Lumpur (AFP) – Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar of Johor state inspects the guard of honour before taking the oath as the 17th King of Malaysia. IMAGES
Kuala Lumpur (AFP) – Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar of Johor state inspects the guard of honour before taking the oath as the 17th King of Malaysia. IMAGES
Jenjarom (Malaysia) (AFP) – Fo Guang Shan Dong Zen temple in Malaysia is lighting up lanterns for the approaching Lunar New Year, which falls on February 10.
Stockholm (AFP) – “We will have to be ready to act, defend and support Ukraine whatever the US decision will be,” says French president Emmanuel Macron during a state visit to Sweden, referring to the 2024 US presidential election. “There is no more framework and architecture of security in our continent if this is a Russian victory,” he adds.
Beijing (AFP) – China warns against a “cycle of retaliation” in the Middle East after the United States vowed to respond to a drone attack on a base in Jordan that killed three American troops, which it blames on Iran-backed militants. The casualties — the first US military deaths in an attack in the region since the Israel-Hamas war began — raised fears of an escalating conflict, as fighting rages in Gaza.
Abidjan (AFP) – Fans in Abidjan celebrate their country’s stunning victory over Senegal at the Africa Cup of Nations, knocking out the reigning champions on penalties. The Elephants — the national football team’s nickname — will now play in the quarter-finals, hoping to win the title currently disputed on their home soil.
Janjanbureh (Gambia) (AFP) – In Janjanbureh, eastern Gambia, the annual Kankurang festival celebrates a mythical figure from the Mandinka people. For three days, hundreds attend parades and performances to help preserve an age-old tradition that is in danger of disappearing.
Strasbourg (France) (AFP) – He spent the night on a tractor blocking a motorway in the French city of Strasbourg, before returning to feed his ewes and tend to his farm: at 35, Felix Meyer is taking part in his first major protest. Throughout the country, thousands of farmers have been staging protests for over a week, denouncing low incomes, red tape and environmental policies believed to undermine their ability to compete with other countries.
