Nigeria: IBB Off to Libya Just two weeks after his visit and controversial position on Guinea’s military junta, presidential envoy, former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd) jetted off over the weekend to Libya and is also expected to visit Chad and Sudan.
Africa: Uganda-Libya Relations Strong – Govt [...]

Ukraine PM rebuffs president’s economic ‘hysterics’: report (AFP via Yahoo! News) Ukraine Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko in an interview Saturday accused her political rival President Viktor Yushchenko of “hysterics” over the economic crisis and ruled out budget changes for now.
TV Review: ‘Greek’ renewed, ‘Kyle XY’ axed (Entertainment Weekly)
Greece: Giannakopoulos returns, scores twice [...]

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visits young quake survivors. – JavnoChinese Premier Wen Jiabao arrived in London on Saturday in the latest leg of a European tour aimed at tackling the global financial and economic crisis and improving relations between the trading partners. Wen will hold talks with British Prime
Taiwanese student injured in [...]

BBC wine series stars Château Margaux, Berry Bros and South Africa (Decanter.com) A three-part wine series featuring Château Margaux, Berry Bros and South Africa is to air in February and March on BBC Four.
South Africa Trade Gap Narrows to 9.05 Billion Rand (Update1) (Bloomberg) Jan. 30 (Bloomberg) — South Africa’s trade deficit narrowed to [...]

Audi Bank Profit Soars (Khaleej Times) BEIRUT – Bank Audi on Friday posted a 19 per cent rise in net profit for 2008 and said it aimed to increase net earnings and assets in 2009 despite a difficult regional economic outlook.
Lebanon, Syria to bolster military cooperation (Middle East Online) Increased military cooperation between Lebanon, [...]

Voting starts in Iraq’s landmark election (AFP via Yahoo! News) Voting in Iraq’s provincial elections began on Saturday amid tight security in the nation’s first ballot since 2005, expected to test the nation’s recent security gains and its fledgling democratic system.
Iraqi Christians caught in middle of Mosul vote (The State) Iraqi Christians still [...]

Pakistani president urges nation to go green (People’s Daily) Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari Friday launched the spring tree plantation campaign and urged the nation’s people to make Pakistan green by enthusiastically participating in the national cause. Zardari kicked off the campaign to plant more than 70 million saplings across Pakistan by planting a sapling [...]

Nuclear lab loses equipment, but says no security breach (USA Today) Three Los Alamos National Laboratory computers were taken from a scientist’s home and a BlackBerry belonging to another employee of the nuclear weapons lab was lost overseas, but officials say no sensitive information would have been lost.
Ex-CIA Investigator’s Book Describes Hunt for Weapons [...]

Tajik leaders discuss Afghan ties (UPI) DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, Jan. 26 (UPI) — The United Nations has increased efforts to improve cooperation between Afghanistan and neighboring Tajikistan to strengthen security and economic ties.
Turkmen leader orders ministers back to school (AP via Yahoo! News) Turkmenistan’s authoritarian president has ordered members of his government to [...]

DAVOS: Thailand PM: Thai 4Q GDP Likely Down 2% To 3% On Year (Nasdaq) DAVOS, Switzerland -(Dow Jones)- Thailand’s economy is estimated to have contracted by 2% to 3% on year in the fourth quarter of last year and is expected to shrink further in the current quarter, said Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Saturday. [...]