Business
– World food commodity prices eased in October as cheaper cereals, dairy and meat outweighed a fourth straight monthly rise in sugar, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations said on Friday. Its Food Price Index averaged 133.9
– Egypt’s foreign reserves climbed by $151.6 million in October to a new record of $57.5 billion, the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) said. Net international reserves reached $57.4998 billion at the end of the month, up from $57.3482 billion
– Botswana’s diamond production has risen 14% this year, helping the economy recover from a two-year slump, as the government raised its 2026 growth forecast to 3.8%. The Ministry of Finance had initially forecast growth of 3.1%. Output reached 15.1
– Strong non-oil and gas exports helped Indonesia post a trade surplus of $10.61 billion in the first nine months of 2026, Statistics Indonesia (BPS) announced on Monday. The non-oil and gas sector produced a $34.21 billion surplus between January
– South Africa’s FirstRand, the second-largest lender in Africa, has joined a growing list of continental banks seeking to buy into Kenya’s banking industry. Half of Africa’s top 20 banks are building a multi-billion-shilling war chest for the market. They
– South Korea’s monthly exports reached a record $115.3 billion in October, up 93.7% from a year earlier, as semiconductor sales surged. Data released on Sunday by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources showed chip exports alone soaring 259%
– Kenya aims to raise its annual coffee output to 150,000 metric tonnes, with new climate-resilient varieties expected to play a central role. Production is projected at about 60,000 metric tonnes in the 2025/2026 season, well short of that target.
– Germany’s new electric vehicle registrations surged 58% to 604,000 in the first nine months of 2026, helping lift global battery-electric vehicle registrations to a record 11 million, according to PwC. Worldwide registrations rose 12% over the period, driven mainly
Technology
Middle East and Africa Private Market Place (MEAPMP) today announced the commercial launch of its revamped independent supply-side platform (SSP) and curated media marketplace, connecting enterprise media buyers and agencies directly with premium regional inventory across 73 countries. Operating from
Sports
Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal and Erling Haaland are among the 30 nominees for the 2026 Ballon d’Or. Organizers announced the men’s shortlist on September 8 before the awards ceremony in London on October 26. Ousmane Dembélé, Rodri and
Health
– Yellow fever has killed 18 people across nine African countries this year, the World Health Organization said, warning that outbreaks are continuing. A total of 67 confirmed cases were recorded between January 1 and October 12, 2026. The cases
Travel
– Türkiye has set its sights on becoming the sixth-highest-earning tourism country in the world, according to its 2027 central government budget draft. Anadolu Agency reported that the draft allocates $244.5 million to tourism, compared with $188.4 million this year.
