Bloomberg African online retailer Jumia is planning an initial public offering in New York this year that could value the business at about $1.5 billion, according to people familiar with the matter. Jumia’s largest shareholder MTN Group Ltd. is planning to raise as much as $600 million from selling its shares through the IPO, said one of the people, who …

VATICAN / WAM His Holiness Pope Francis, Head of the Catholic Church, reflected on his Journey to the United Arab Emirates, at his General Audience on Wednesday. The journey to the UAE “wrote a new page in the history of dialogue between Christianity and Islam,” His Holiness the Pope said, affirming that the visit underlined the commitment to “promote peace …

Bloomberg Oil steadied below $54 a barrel as signs of weakening economic growth from Europe to the US and a reported increase in American crude stockpiles were offset by supply curbs from Opec and its allies. Futures in New York fell as much as 1.5 percent before paring losses. Growth concerns were fueled by a drop in German factory orders, …