Hi everyone. It’s been a busy year and the news from the frontiers isn’t letting up. But we all need a break, so this week we’re serving up a lightweight portion of news links.

We hope you enjoy the break and wish you all the best for the festive season and beyond,

FMN news team

What We’re Reading

Angola to leave OPEC over reduced oil production quotas (DW)

UAE plans to invest $30m for rice production in Angola (AllAfrica)

An anti-LGBTQ law in Uganda is hurting the economy (NY Times)

Questions persist over DRC election after voting was extended into second day (The Guardian)

Kenya pins rail hopes on PPP funding from China firms for belt and road project (SCMP)

TotalEnergies to ‘restart delayed Mozambique LNG project in early 2024’ (Reuters)

Nigerian naira falls to record low (Semafor)

Illegal cocoa farming threatens Nigerian rainforest (AP)

Ghana’s economic growth slows to 2.0% in third quarter (Reuters)

Egypt and Ethiopia trade blame as Nile dam talks fail (New Arab)

Egypt’s Sisi wins third term as president after amending constitution (The Guardian)

Russia’s foreign minister tours North Africa as anger toward the West swells across the region (AP)

Sri Lanka sees tourism surge after long crisis (Al Jazeera)

Sanctions threat looms over Bangladesh’s garment sector ahead of elections (Al Jazeera)

Pakistan uses artificial rain in attempt to cut pollution levels (The Guardian)

Afghan Taliban’s hydropower plans raise concerns in Pakistan (Radio Free Europe)

Disappearances in Myanmar create a climate of fear (NY Times)

‘Unprecedented’ weapons seizures in Myanmar boost anti-junta resistance morale (France 24)

Cambodia hopes for return of Chinese tourists after post-pandemic slump (VoA)

Philippines installs Japan-made radar to track China’s moves (Nikkei)

Iran-aligned coalition gains ground in Iraq’s provincial elections (Al Jazeera)

Romania’s market hits record high (Romania Insider)

Serbian opposition allege election fraud (Politico)

Hungary ready to lift objection to Bulgaria’s Schengen entry (Reuters)

Copper mine shutdown halves Panama’s 2024 growth prospects (Reuters)

Guatemala’s anti-corruption leader-to-be could be prevented from taking office (The Conversation)

Foreign firms court Bolivia as it ramps up lithium exploitation (Democracy Now)

Paraguay under threat from organized crime (Dialogo Americas)

Argentina’s Javier Milei unveils sweeping decree to deregulate the economy (FT)

China suspends $6.5b currency swap agreement with Argentina (SCMP)

Video: Rob Brewis and John Ewart at Aubrey Capital Management on EM prospects for 2024