Khartoum (Reuters + Diplomat.so) - Petrol and diesel prices in Sudan rose sharply on Friday following fuel subsidy reforms, which are part of a series of economic measures that have helped set the country on course for substantial debt relief.

Mogadishu (Reuters + Diplomat.so) - Somalia's central bank awarded on Saturday the country's first mobile money licence to Mogadishu-based Hormuud Telecom Somalia Inc, a move aimed at formalising the country's digital payments system and integrating it with the global financial system.

Hong Kong (AFP + Diplomat.so) - Seven former and current bank employees have been arrested in Hong Kong as part of a major operation against a US$810 million international money-laundering syndicate, police said Wednesday.

Beijing (AP + Diplomat.so) — China's highest-profile entrepreneur, Jack Ma, appeared Wednesday in an online video, ending a 2 1/2-month absence from public view that prompted speculation about the future of the e-commerce billionaire and his Alibaba Group.

Beijing (Xinhua + Diplomat.so) -- The total output value of the animation and mobile game industries in Beijing exceeded 100 billion yuan (about 15.43 billion U.S. dollars) in 2020, up 32 percent year on year, according to Beijing Animation and Game Industry Alliance.

Tel Aviv (Xinhua + Diplomat.so) -- Israel's Ministry of Finance estimates that Israel's GDP will expand 4.6 percent in 2021, according to an annual report issued by the ministry on Sunday.