Business
– South Korea’s exports jumped 93.7% from a year earlier to a record $115.3 billion in October, driven largely by a sharp rise in semiconductor shipments. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources released the data on Sunday. Imports rose
– Kenya is banking on new coffee varieties to boost production, improve yields and help farmers cope with climate change as it targets annual output of 150,000 metric tonnes. Henry Kinyua, chairperson of the Coffee Board of Kenya, said researchers
– Global registrations of battery-electric vehicles rose 12% in the first nine months of 2026 to a record 11 million, driven by strong growth in Europe, according to a study by consultancy PwC. Europe accounted for 2.5 million electric cars,
– Oil prices rose on Wednesday, with Brent crude futures climbing $1.48, or 1.3%, to $115.36 a barrel by 01:40 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate crude futures gained $1.22, or 1.22%, to $101.12 a barrel. The increase reversed part of
– Microsoft said on Monday it is offering voluntary buyouts to a wide range of employees as it balances a costly artificial intelligence infrastructure build-out with capital efficiency. The new voluntary exit offer covers certain workers in the United States,
– South Korea posted the second-largest current account surplus among major economies in the second quarter, exceeding the combined surpluses of Germany and Japan. The country’s surplus reached $116.63 billion in the April-June period, according to central bank data reported
Sports
Automotive
Jaguar unveiled the production Type 01 in New York on October 6, marking a major product launch for the British luxury brand. The four-door electric grand tourer is the first production Jaguar based on the dedicated Jaguar Electric Architecture. It
German luxury sports car manufacturer Porsche announced an agreement with labor representatives on Monday to reduce its workforce by an additional 5,000 positions by 2035 as part of a restructuring program. The decision brings total planned job eliminations across the
Japan’s new car sales rose 1.8% in the first half of 2026, marking a second straight first-half gain for the domestic auto market. Automakers sold 2,387,189 new vehicles from January through June, including minivehicles. The increase followed a stronger second
Porsche has presented a one-off 911 GT3 RS created through its Sonderwunsch programme, combining the track-focused sports car with a bespoke design treatment inspired by haute couture. The vehicle is finished in Macadamiametallic from the Paint to Sample range and
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.