Canada becomes latest Western country to lift Syria sanctions: What to know Like the US, Canada had strained relations with Syria during the civil war but is now showing signs of engagement. Syria
Analysis Egyptians in for another expensive Ramadan despite recovering economy Egyptians tend to spend more during the Islamic holy month relative to the rest of the year, but high inflation and low wages have reduced their purchasing power. By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
Meet Fahad Al-Saif, PIF exec and Saudi Arabia's new investment minister Saif previously led investment strategy at the kingdom's sovereign wealth fund and has held senior roles at the Saudi Awwal Bank and HSBC Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia names new investment minister as Vision 2030 funding lags The leadership change comes as slowing megaprojects and weak foreign inflows expose gaps in the kingdom’s ambitious economic overhaul. Saudi Arabia
Turkish Central Bank suffers big credibility loss The Turkish Central Bank’s obedience to the government, both in terms of monetary policy and interventions in the foreign exchange market, is badly damaging its credibility among foreign investors, the ultimate cost of which will be borne by the crisis-hit economy. Turkey
As Lebanese PM lays out reform package, protesters demand more Although the Lebanese government has unveiled a set of reforms to calm popular protests, it appears unlikely the proposal will satisfy demonstrators' demands. Lebanon
Iran faces challenges in privatization plans For privatization to succeed in Iran, the government must empower the real private sector as opposed to semi-state entities. Iran
Palestine Monetary Authority gets grip on terrorism funding A new network will help Palestinian banks crack down on illegal money transactions by collecting more data from their customers. Palestine
Palestine no longer a safe environment for investments Economic indicators show an increase in Palestinian investment outside Palestine, stirring fears about the Palestinian economy. Palestine
Turkey’s wealth fund borrows to rescue companies Having borrowed 1 billion euros from foreign lenders, Turkey’s controversial sovereign wealth fund has turned to rescuing troubled construction companies. Turkey
Will Lebanese wait hours in gas lines as fuel crisis bites? Lebanese citizens are living day by day the repercussions of the dollar scarcity crisis, as the fuel sector threatens an open strike next week if the government fails to find a proper solution. Lebanon
A closer look into Lebanon’s fixed currency Lebanon's fixed exchange rate has been a pillar of stability for two decades. However, poor economic conditions threaten its sustainability. Lebanon
Turkish regulator aims to hasten banking sector recovery as loan market remains weak A Turkish regulator instructed banks to write off $8.1 billion in bad debt, but analysts question whether the delayed move will suffice when it comes to reviving the nation’s troubled loan market. Turkey
Palestinian officials encourage competition among banks The Palestinian government in Ramallah will begin allowing Palestinian banks to compete with Bank of Jordan branches in the territories to collect citizens' payments for licenses and taxes owed to the Ministry of Transportation. Palestine
Ankara’s economic measures risk scaring off foreign banks Foreign-capital banks operating in Turkey are growing uneasy over economic measures aimed at pushing lenders to toe the line with government policies. Turkey
Will Egypt launch its own official digital currency? As Facebook announced it might not launch its digital currency as previously announced, experts in Egypt are debating whether the country should regulate digital currency. Egypt
