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The Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST) has opened applications for its 12-month tech entrepreneurship training programme. Founded in Ghana in 2008 by serial entrepreneur Jorn Lyseggen, MEST is a pan-African software and entrepreneurship training programme, seed fund, and incubator helping to launch technology startups across the continent. The 12-month, fully-sponsored training programme, based in Accra, helps budding entrepreneurs transform their ideas into viable startup businesses through various modules including software development, go-to-market strategies, sales strategies, UI/UX design, communications and more. It is designed to make interested candidates ready to pitch their startup ideas for funding and launch businesses that solve local and global problems through software technology. “Our mission at MEST is to empower the next generation of African tech innovators,” said Emily Fiagbedzi, director of the MEST Training Programme.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) have launched missile attacks on multiple “terrorist” targets in Syria and in Iraq’s Kurdistan region. The security council of the Kurdish regional government said in a statement that four civilians were killed and six injured in the strikes.

NORTH WAZIRISTAN: Six persons including two security personnel sustained injuries in a suicide attack in Mirali area here on Monday, officials from the district administration said. They said that a suicide bomber exploded himself near a security checkpost in Michikhel area leaving six persons injured including two security personnel and four civilians, adding that condition of all the injured persons was out of danger. They stated that the injured persons were shifted to a hospital, adding that a search operation was launched by the law enforcement agencies in the area. On Jan 9, a security man was martyred and an injured militant was arrested after an exchange of fire between security forces and suspected militants in the district. A statement issued by the ISPR said that security forces effectively engaged the militants and apprehended one in injured condition.

As Africa’s top football spectacle begins, continental attention turns to Ivory Coast for whom AFCON means much more. In addition to a new shiny $260m, 60,000 capacity stadium on the outskirts of Abidjan named after Ouattara, several stadiums have been built or upgraded across four other cities: the capital Yamoussoukro, Korhogo to the north, the central hub of Bouake and dreamy coastal San Pedro near the Liberian border. Fans are taking advantage of freedom of movement within the bloc to pour into the country to support their teams. But the world’s largest cocoa producer spending an eye-popping $1bn to host Africa’s biggest sporting event when almost half of its 25 million people live on $1.2 or less a day, has led to criticism for the Ouattara administration’s priorities. SOURCE: AL JAZEERA

ThriveAgric, Nigeria’s leading agricultural technology company, has flagged off the ThriveAgric 2023/2024 dry season farming cycle with the distribution of agricultural input, targeting over 100,000 smallholder farmers in northern Nigeria to facilitate the production of over 300,000MT of grains. Conversations centred on the challenges and opportunities of crop cultivation during the dry season. Smallholder farmers encounter challenges during the dry season, stretching from August to September in the South of Nigeria and September to April in the North. The dry season however remains mostly under-utilised for farming due to the absence of necessary infrastructure and widespread unavailability of drought-resistant inputs. For this 2023/2024 farming cycle, ThriveAgric is leveraging partnerships to impart thousands of smallholder farmers, especially those in the wheat, rice and maize value chain.

Bitcoin Minetrix: A Simplified Path to Bitcoin Mining? Bitcoin Minetrix introduces a unique “Stake-to-Mine” model that differs from traditional Bitcoin mining. The SEC’s approval of Spot Bitcoin ETFs could further benefit Bitcoin Minetrix, potentially unlocking billions in capital and boosting BTC’s price. However, Bitcoin Minetrix stands out with its innovative Stake-to-Mine model, simplifying Bitcoin mining. As the SEC approves Spot Bitcoin ETFs, Bitcoin Minetrix could benefit from increased capital influx.

Israel’s war on Gaza updates: Israeli attacks kill 25 overnight in GazaThe Israeli strikes reportedly hit Gaza City, central Gaza and Khan Younis and Rafah in the south.

Kenyan climate-tech startup has KOKO has raised an undisclosed amount of funding from Rand Merchant Bank (RMB). The resultant carbon revenues are shared with households as a non-government energy subsidy, enabling even the poorest households to switch. “We’ve been looking for an entrepreneurial banking partner that understands Africa, climate markets and technology. We are proud to embark on this long-term partnership with RMB to help accelerate the expansion of KOKO’s platform across Africa,” said Greg Murray, CEO and co-founder of KOKO. Phil Norton, carbon finance lead at RMB, said he was proud to partner KOKO in supporting its continued rapid growth while bringing far more affordable and lower emissions energy to millions of people in Africa.

Davos Klosters, Jan 15 (IANS) Global economic prospects remain subdued and fraught with uncertainty, the latest Chief Economists Outlook released on Monday said.The predictions come as the global economy continues to grapple with headwinds from tight financial conditions, geopolitical rifts and rapid advances in Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI). More than half of the chief economists (56 per cent) expect the global economy to weaken this year, while 43 per cent foresee unchanged or stronger conditions. “The latest Chief Economists Outlook highlights the precarious nature of the current economic environment,” said Saadia Zahidi, Managing Director, World Economic Forum. Though global inflation is easing, growth is stalling, financial conditions remain tight, global tensions are deepening and inequalities are rising -- highlighting the urgent need for global cooperation to build momentum for sustainable, inclusive economic growth,” the survey said. There is a notable uptick in growth expectations for Latin America and the Caribbean, sub-Saharan Africa and Central Asia, although the views remain for broadly moderate growth.

Africa has galloping population growth, while birth rates in the United States, Europe and East Asia are below replacement levels. The numbers don’t tell the whole story — there’s also a qualitative difference between the faith in Africa and its character in the United States and Europe. Belloc could write “Europe is the faith” because outside Europe, Christianity met with bitter and often bloody and conclusive setbacks. Europe and the United States have likewise fostered an environment in which Christianity flourishes, on a global scale. The West is not the faith — but it is the moral battleground on which the future of the faith on several continents depends.

The strategic meeting was held at the request of the Akwa Ibom State Government. The meeting between Akwa Ibom State, OCP Africa Nigeria team, and NSIA, was aimed at discussing the progress of ongoing industrial projects and strengthening collaboration in the field of agriculture. The meeting, attended by senior government officials of Ibom State and representatives of the two companies, was highly productive. The Akwa Ibom State government also expressed its willingness to further strengthen this fruitful collaboration. At the meeting, the parties exchanged information on the progress of the ongoing industrial project in Akwa Ibom State, adding that significant progress had been made.

A delegation led by Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui arrived in Moscow on Sunday, according to North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency. The United States and South Korea say North Korea has provided Russia with arms, including artillery and missiles, to help its fight in Ukraine. The Biden administration said it has evidence that missiles provided by North Korea to Russia have been used in Ukraine. Koo didn’t provide a specific answer when asked whether Choe may be arranging a visit by Putin to North Korea. Both Russia and North Korea have denied accusations of North Korean arms transfers to Russia.

In a swift response to the memorandum of understanding inked between Ethiopia and the Somaliland region, the Arab League will hold an emergency meeting on Wednesday Jan.17. The meeting, to be chaired by Morocco, will gather foreign ministers to deliberate on the potential ramifications of this diplomatic development. The Arab League, in a statement released on Sunday, underscored the seriousness of the situation and declared its decision to hold an emergency session via video conference at the League Council’s level. Elias Cheikh Omar Abu Bakr, the Ambassador of Somalia in Egypt and Permanent Representative to the Arab League, disclosed on January 4 that Somalia had formally approached the Arab League. The purpose was to call for an urgent meeting of the League Council, specifically among Arab foreign ministers.

Authorities in Guinea Conakry arrested Sunday January 14 in capital Conakry French journalist Thomas Dietrich who has been in the West African country to investigate state-run fuel company Société Nationale des Pétroles (SONAP), following a deadly explosion at the country’s main fuel terminal that killed 24 people. Authorities did not provide reasons for his arrest but media in the African country have called for his release and condemned the State’s alleged attitude aiming at silencing critical media. It is not the first time the French journalist is being arrested in an African country. Dietrich who has worked in several African countries was first thrown out of Conakry in 2020. He was also arrested and kicked out of Chad in 2016 after he criticized former leader of the country, late Idriss Déby Itno.