As the Third Russia–Africa Summit and Economic and Humanitarian Forum open in Moscow today, the real question is not what will be signed but what will be built. Moscow expects at least 17 African heads of state, and the agenda covers security, energy, infrastructure, finance and humanitarian cooperation. The economic
What the bread queues show The latest bread reports come from Omdurman and the wider Khartoum area, with bakers in Gezira and North Kordofan describing the same pressure. They do not come from el-Fasher, which has been in RSF hands since October 2025. Khartoum’s bakers’ association says buyers now get
Three of the Middle East’s most consequential states sent senior figures to Tehran on Monday in an attempt to stop a stalled war from reigniting. Saudi Arabia’s defence minister, Prince Khalid bin Salman, travelled alongside Pakistan’s army chief, Asim Munir, and Turkey’s intelligence chief, Ibrahim Kalin, to meet President Masoud
An outbreak without a vaccine The outbreak was announced in the Democratic Republic of Congo in mid-May and has caused more than 9,000 cases and more than 4,000 deaths, with a case fatality rate of 48.2%. The WHO has said it is on track to exceed West Africa’s 2014-16 epidemic,
Half a million people marched across France last Saturday. Town halls were set alight, 1,200 were arrested, and two people died. The marchers speak of fuel prices, the cost of living and decaying schools. Yet behind the tear gas lies a harder number: French public debt stands at €3.6 trillion,
A national sector under strain The national backdrop is sobering. In the first quarter of 2026, manufacturing fell 0.8% quarter-on-quarter, the only industry that dragged GDP growth down. Output then slumped 4.3% year-on-year in May, edged up 1.1% in July and fell 4.3% again in August. Producer inflation on final
Volvo Cars reported a third-quarter operating loss of 3.7bn Swedish crowns ($373m), against a profit of 5.8bn a year earlier. Analysts had expected a loss of only 724m crowns, so the result was a shock, and the shares fell almost 30%. The Geely-owned carmaker will cut a further 2,500 jobs,
Volvo Cars reported a third-quarter operating loss of 3.7bn Swedish crowns ($373m), against a profit of 5.8bn a year earlier. Analysts had expected a loss of only 724m crowns, so the result was a shock, and the shares fell almost 30%. The Geely-owned carmaker will cut a further 2,500 jobs,
Anthropic’s first-half net loss reached $80.7 billion, up from $13 billion a year earlier, according to its draft IPO prospectus. The number is startling, but most of it isn’t cash leaving the building. About $72 billion is an accounting charge, because the estimated value of convertible bonds that could become
Anthropic’s first-half net loss reached $80.7 billion, up from $13 billion a year earlier, according to its draft IPO prospectus. The number is startling, but most of it isn’t cash leaving the building. About $72 billion is an accounting charge, because the estimated value of convertible bonds that could become