– United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called for urgent and effective international action to halt environmental degradation and biodiversity loss. He made the appeal at the Leaders’ Summit in the Armenian capital, Yerevan, on Friday, October 16. The summit
– Flooding across Thailand has killed 71 people since September 16, according to the Interior Ministry. The disaster has affected 51 provinces during the period and left large areas under water. As of October 12, floods remained active in 20
– Brent crude touched $110 a barrel on Friday for the first time since May as escalating Middle East tensions raised fears of tighter supplies. Brent futures for December delivery settled $3.94, or 3.7%, higher at $109.86, the highest close
– Remittances from Egyptians working abroad rose 27.2% in the first eight months of 2026 to a record $33.9 billion. The Central Bank of Egypt reported the figures on Tuesday, October 13. Inflows stood at $26.6 billion during the same
– Oman’s total electricity production rose 4.3% year on year through August 2026, reaching 37,481.8 gigawatt-hours. Output stood at 35,935.3 GWh during the same period of 2025. Preliminary data from the National Centre for Statistics and Information showed growth across
– The African Union officially launched the Africa Credit Rating Agency, or AfCRA, in Mauritius on October 7. The new institution will focus on African sovereigns, companies and other issuers. AfCRA plans to provide independent credit assessments using African data,
– Pakistan’s federal state-owned enterprises carried debt equal to about $36.5 billion at the end of December 2025. The total rose 14.3% from a year earlier, adding roughly $4.7 billion at current exchange rates. The Ministry of Finance published the
– The UAE recorded $63.353 billion in outward foreign direct investment in 2025, according to UN Trade and Development. The country’s total outward FDI stock reached $402.729 billion by year-end. That compares with $55.560 billion in 2010, showing a sharp
Technology
– Samsung Electronics has unveiled its next-generation memory and storage strategy for artificial intelligence infrastructure at the 2026 OCP Global Summit. The company presented the plans at the event in San Jose, California, which runs from October 12 to 15.
– Meta has introduced Muse Wonder and Muse Wonder Full, its most capable artificial intelligence models to date. The company designed the new systems for coding, long-running AI agents and complex personal or professional tasks. Meta said the models can
– The European Commission has proposed a new EU Critical Communication System to connect first responders across European borders. The plan would link national networks used by police, firefighters, emergency medical services and civil protection teams. It covers all EU
Apple has added a foldable model to the iPhone lineup with the debut of the iPhone Duo. The company introduced the device on Sept. 9, ahead of preorders opening Oct. 16. U.S. pricing begins at $1,999, while the starting price