UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan joined a meeting called by U.S. President Donald Trump in New York on September 22. Talks covered developments in the Middle East, regional security, economic prosperity and international cooperation. Participants also discussed efforts to reduce tensions and support lasting peace across the region. The meeting included leaders and senior officials from Arab and Islamic countries, such as Jordan, Qatar, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia, among others. Discussions focused on security, stability, and development in the Middle East, as well as ways to strengthen international cooperation on regional and global challenges.
Business
Remittances from Egyptians working abroad totaled about $29.7 billion from January through July 2026. The Central Bank of Egypt said the figure rose 28.1% from about $23.2 billion a year earlier. The seven-month increase added roughly $6.5 billion compared with the same period of 2025. The data cover funds sent home by Egyptians employed overseas. The January-to-July gain followed the record level reported for calendar 2025.
China left its benchmark lending rates unchanged in September, extending a period of stable borrowing costs. The one-year loan prime rate remained at 3.0%, while the over-five-year rate stayed at 3.5%. Banks commonly use the longer-term benchmark when pricing mortgages. The September fixing kept both rates at the same levels seen in August. The figures remain central to loan pricing across China’s banking system.
Bullion faced renewed selling pressure across international trading desks as global commodity markets digested a quarter-point interest rate hike by the U.S. Federal Reserve. Spot gold declined 1 percent to $4,249 per ounce, hitting multi-session lows under the weight of higher sovereign yields and restrictive monetary policy. Higher interest rates have increased the opportunity cost of holding physical bullion, prompting institutional portfolios to reallocate capital into fixed-income assets.
Gold prices edged higher on Thursday as a softer U.S. dollar supported bullion before fresh U.S. inflation data. Spot gold rose 0.3% to $4,414.28 an ounce by 0419 GMT. U.S. gold futures for December delivery slipped 0.1% to $4,457.20. The early gain kept spot gold above $4,400 after a sharp reversal during Wednesday’s trading. Gold had initially moved lower before finishing that session more than 1% higher.
Egypt’s net international reserves rose to a record $57.2145 billion at the end of August 2026. Reserves stood at $56.2939 billion at the end of July. That means the total increased by about $920.6 million during August, or roughly 1.6%. The latest reading extends a series of monthly gains in 2026 and takes Egypt’s official foreign reserves above $57 billion for the first time.
The Panama Canal may reduce daily ship traffic to about 29 vessels in February or March 2027 if drought conditions continue, its new administrator said. Ilya Espino de Marotta took office on Sept. 7 and raised the possibility as El Niño pressures reservoir levels. The canal needs freshwater from rainfall-fed lakes to operate its locks. The Panama Canal Authority has already begun staged capacity cuts after below-expected precipitation across the watershed.
Travel
The carrier’s seasonal performance highlights expanding passenger capacity and higher load factors across primary long-haul routes connecting North America, Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific region. Operational updates released through international aviation channels indicate that forward bookings for the upcoming holiday travel window remain elevated across both premium cabins and economy class. Industry observers note that the sustained passenger volume underscores structural resilience across international long-haul aviation markets.
LONDON / RankWire.AI / – Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal and Erling Haaland lead the 30-player shortlist for the 2026 Ballon d’Or. Organizers released the nominees on September 8 ahead of the October 26 ceremony in London. Ousmane Dembélé, Rodri and Vinícius Júnior also appear on the list. Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Achraf Hakimi add further star power to the field. The London Palladium will host the event during the award’s 70th anniversary year.