Commercial Bank of Ethiopia ‘glitch’ sees customers withdraw millions

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia – Dec. 7, 2023: A branch of the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia in Addis Ababa. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images Ethiopia’s largest bank is struggling to recoup millions of dollars after a glitch over the weekend allowed customers to withdraw unlimited funds, according to local media reports. More than $40 million … Read more

Bank of Japan made a landmark rate pivot. Here’s what happens next

Neon advertisements in Osaka’s Dotonbori district in Japan Alexander Spatari | Moment | Getty Images Japan’s central bank on Tuesday finally ended its experiment with negative rates and unconventional easing tools which were aimed at reflating the world’s fourth-largest economy. The Bank of Japan’s decision came just days after Rengo, Japan’s largest federation of trade … Read more

United Arab Emirates is using cloud seeding tech to make it rain

Rising global temperatures have added a strain on regions like the Middle East, which is extremely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. These nations are now faced with a big problem, how can they solve their water shortage issues?  The United Arab Emirates averages less than 200 millimeters of rainfall a year, in stark … Read more

Denmark leads, with top four from Europe

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images Four of investors’ top five favorite destinations are in Europe, according to the Milken Institute’s Global Opportunity Index (GOI) report. Denmark topped this year’s rankings, scoring first on business perception, a measure of the … Read more

CEO of top ocean freight carrier says outlook has changed for economy

The Toronto Express container ship, operated by Hapag-Lloyd AG at the Port of Hamburg in Hamburg, Germany, on Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023. Maria Feck | Bloomberg | Getty Images Rolf Habben Jansen, CEO of Hapag-Lloyd, the world’s fifth-largest ocean carrier, tells CNBC he has an improved view on trade for the rest of 2024. Conversations … Read more

McDonald’s suffers global tech outage forcing some restaurants to halt operations

CFOTO | Future Publishing | Getty Images LONDON — McDonald’s suffered a system failure Friday that left customers in some parts of the world unable to order food. “We are aware of a technology outage, which impacted our restaurants; the issue is now being resolved,” a McDonald’s spokesperson said. “We thank customers for their patience … Read more

First ship carrying aid approaches Gaza Strip as Israel accused

The Open Arms vessel docked in the Cypriot port of Larnaca. – | Afp | Getty Images An aid ship was approaching the Gaza Strip’s coastline on Friday with much-needed deliveries for the Palestinian people, as relief organizations warn that thousands in the besieged enclave are on the brink of famine. The ship — called … Read more

Qatar Airways to launch First Class, as airline courts Airbus and Boeing for new planes

Qatar Airways is developing a First Class concept and pursuing aircraft orders from aviation giants Boeing and Airbus, as part of a broader strategic overhaul under new group CEO Badr Mohammed Al Meer. “This is a new era,” Al Meer told CNBC on Thursday, unveiling changes at the airline that follow a multi-month “war room” … Read more

Abu Dhabi-backed newspaper buyout is sparking panic

Copies of The Daily Telegraph newspaper on a newsstand in a shop in London, UK, on March 12, 2024 (L), and UAE Vice President Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan speaking at COP28 on Dec. 1, 2023. Getty Images DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Mansions, university facilities, think tanks, sports teams — the U.K. is no stranger … Read more

UK economic growth, January 2024

People walk along Waterloo Bridge past the City of London skyline, the capital’s financial district, on a sunny and mild day. Sopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty Images LONDON — U.K. gross domestic product grew 0.2% in January, the Office for National Statistics said Wednesday, as construction output jumped unexpectedly. The headline figure was in … Read more