Markets, energy, business and economic policy.
The US Federal Aviation Administration has ordered a halt to all flights across the United States until further notice. In a statement, the agency cited "exceptional circumstances" and safety considerations. The available information does not say what those circumstances are or how long the suspension will last.
The United States ran a budget deficit of $404 billion in October, the first month of fiscal year 2027, the largest ever recorded for that month. Revenues fell while government spending rose. According to RT Arabic, the gap was about $120 billion, or 42%, wider than in the same month last year.
Libya ranked second and Algeria third among Africa's crude oil producers in September, according to OPEC data. Libyan output has risen, while Algeria is expanding its exploration and refining projects.
Saudi Arabia and Egypt lead a ranking of the 10 most indebted Arab countries in 2025, according to Al Jazeera. Combined debt across the ten totals about $1.73 trillion. Debt-to-GDP ratios show that the burden differs between oil-producing economies and Arab oil importers.
The dollar has moved in both directions against the Egyptian pound in recent weeks, according to CNN Arabic. It topped 56 pounds in late October 2026, a record level, then eased by about 2 pounds before edging up slightly in the latest trading.
Security sources in Iraq's Kurdistan Region said production at the Khor Mor gas field in Sulaymaniyah province has stopped after an attack by an explosive-laden drone on Sunday evening. The sources reported no casualties. An Iraqi security source told RT Arabic the field was targeted by drones, and no party has been identified as responsible in the available reports.
US Labor Department data released Friday showed the economy added 165,000 jobs in October, well above analysts' forecasts of about 65,000. The unemployment rate fell to 4.1%, with hiring growth in services and healthcare. According to Al Jazeera, the figures strengthened market bets on another interest rate hike.
Électricité du Liban began on Monday enforcing a decision to cut power to public administrations, institutions and municipalities that missed the payment deadline and have not contacted it to settle their debts. According to BBC Arabic, Beirut airport's management reached a settlement to pay its overdue bills and avoid an outage, but the fate of other vital public facilities remains unclear.
UAE authorities said the sources of an oil leak from the tanker GEM NO. 2 have been brought under control after it was involved in an incident in the country's territorial waters. The Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure said it is continuing to coordinate with the climate change and environment ministry, the national emergency authority and other federal and local bodies to secure the vessel and keep shipping safe. According to the environment ministry, cleanup work continues to contain pollution on the affected coastlines.
US President Donald Trump said on Friday afternoon that officials are following the recent hack of the Binance crypto trading platform, which has been described as the largest of its kind in the world. According to BBC Arabic, the cyberattack affected digital assets worth $6.3 billion and may be the biggest in the industry's history.
Churches are building apartments on land they own as part of a movement known as YIGBY, short for "Yes In God's Backyard," The Wall Street Journal reports. According to the report, the projects help ease housing shortages while helping congregations sustain their ministries.
The European Commission has warned that a harsh winter lies ahead for millions of Europeans who cannot afford to heat their homes, according to media reports. It acknowledged that the energy bill crisis is deepening, despite its efforts to diversify supply sources.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi met in Damascus on Wednesday to discuss expanding economic and security cooperation. Oil topped the agenda, in particular exporting Iraqi crude through the Baniyas route at a capacity of up to 2 million barrels per day. RT Arabic said the talks brought back to the fore the project to revive the Kirkuk–Baniyas pipeline, which leads to Baniyas port on the Mediterranean.
Crude oil stocks in the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve fell to 282.6 million barrels last week, according to US Department of Energy data. That is the lowest level the reserve has recorded since October 1982.
Russian Energy Minister Sergey Tsivilev met Libya's acting Minister of Oil and Gas, Khalifa Rajab Abdulsadek, to discuss energy cooperation projects. The talks also covered resuming the work of the two countries' joint intergovernmental commission, according to Russian media.
President Donald Trump has determined that oil production, refining and related activities are essential to national defense, invoking a law dating back to the Cold War era. RT Arabic reported that the move is aimed at supporting the sector.
Elon Musk has said he supports merging Tesla and SpaceX and has set up two committees to study the deal, according to news reports. Estimates put the combined company's market value at between $3.5 trillion and $3.6 trillion. The announcement coincided with strong financial results from SpaceX and a roughly 9% rise in its shares, Al Jazeera reported.
BBC's fact-checking team has examined President Donald Trump's frequent claims that the US economy is strong. The report weighs the description against available data on the economy's performance.
Oil futures rose to $110 a barrel on Friday, their highest level since May. According to Al Jazeera, Brent settled at $109.86 for a weekly gain of 4.9%, while US crude gained 10.4% over the week. The rally is tied to concerns over rising Middle East tensions and pressure on supplies, and it could push US gasoline and diesel prices higher ahead of the congressional midterm elections.
US consumer prices rose 3.7% year on year in the 12 months to September, faster than expected, according to BBC Arabic. The acceleration was driven mainly by higher vehicle fuel costs.
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