News
– Pakistan represents about 48% of people living in extreme poverty across the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan region. The World Bank reported the figure in its October 2026 regional economic update. The lender measured poverty using the
– Prime Minister Narendra Modi has highlighted India’s water governance experience as a useful reference for countries across the Global South. He shared an article on October 6 that reviewed reforms developed first in Gujarat and later expanded through national
Business
– 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
– Pakistan petrol prices moved higher again on October 6 after another daily fuel revision. Petrol increased by Rs0.88 per litre to Rs393.64, extending the rise recorded three days earlier. High-speed diesel moved in the opposite direction, falling by Rs1.88
– Oil prices steadied near $102 a barrel on Monday after Brent briefly climbed above $103 in early trading. At 0900 GMT, Brent crude futures were up 5 cents at $102.30 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was down
Automotive
SEOUL: Mercedes-Benz on Monday unveiled the all-new electric C-Class at a world premiere in Seoul, introducing the first battery-electric version of one of its best-known sedan nameplates and placing one of the brand’s core products into the premium EV market. The launch
MENA Newswire, ATLANTA: Mercedes-Benz USA has unveiled the 2027 S-Class Sedan as a major update to its flagship luxury sedan, adding new lighting signatures, a revised cabin technology stack and expanded personalization choices. The automaker said the model introduces an illuminated front
MENA Newswire, DETROIT: Ford Motor Co. is recalling about 119,000 vehicles in the United States after federal safety regulators said a defect in certain engine block heaters can raise the risk of an under-hood fire when the heater is plugged in. The recall
BRUSSELS, December 17, 2025: The European Union is set to ease its planned 2035 ban on the sale of new combustion engine vehicles after sustained pressure from automakers and several member states, marking a significant policy adjustment in the bloc’s long-term climate agenda.