Oman's sultan meets Macron in first France visit since 1989: What to know French President Emmanuel Macron has been pushing against any form of toll for the Strait of Hormuz. Iran
Traffic plummets through Strait of Hormuz after Iran, US trade fire Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz had recovered somewhat before renewed fighting between Iran and the United States saw traffic drop sharply over the weekend. Iran
Interview Saudi labor localization will take ‘generation or two': Armada CEO Around 70% of Saudi Arabia's population is 35 years old or younger, according to the kingdom’s General Authority for Statistics, providing ample opportunity for an educated and technology-savvy national workforce in the coming decades. Olivier Badard CEO of Armada Holding
Analysis Why the Hormuz oil shock never became an energy catastrophe The US-Israel-Iran war produced a historic oil supply shock but not a severe global economic crisis, due to ample prewar supplies, China's energy pivot and strategic reserve releases. By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Interview US-Egypt fund makes case for economic statecraft in hard power era Cornelius Queen Senior Vice President of the Egyptian-American Enterprise Fund
Egypt finds its nationals new job markets abroad The difficult economic conditions and nationalization of jobs in Gulf states have caused a problem for Egyptians willing to work overseas, and prompted thousands to return home. Legacy: Gulf
Is Erdogan's airport dream turning into nightmare? The Istanbul New Airport's current and projected damage to ecosystems, its subpar construction and its woeful financial setup is turning the project into a grandiose failure — one that will cost the Turkish public dearly for decades to come. Turkey
Russian Industrial Zone in Suez to be launched soon The construction of the Russian Industrial Zone in the new Suez Canal Economic zone is expected to begin soon, in a project that Egypt hopes will boost its economy. Egypt
Egypt’s unemployment rate declines to pre-revolution levels amid economic recovery Although the Egyptian government is initiating programs to encourage work in the private sector, some graduates still see unemployment as a threat to young people. Egypt
Iran’s top banks launch blockchain platform to boost ailing banking system Banking giants in Iran have established a digital tokenization platform to liquidize bad assets. If it can overcome the many challenges on the way, it could generate vital cash — and public trust. Iran
Erdogan blasts polling as Turkey's local elections approach President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, long a close observer of opinion polls, now indicates they are not to be trusted when it comes to March 31 local elections that may put his leadership to the test. Turkey
Gazans reluctant to import from Egypt despite Hamas’ encouragement Although Hamas reduced fees imposed on goods entering the Gaza Strip, it seems local traders are hesitant to import from Egypt, which imposes high fees on traded products. Palestine
Iraq-Jordan trade deal opens new doors for regional trade A breakthrough trade agreement may signal new trend toward integration; Erdogan plays Syria card in Turkish elections; HTS undermines Turkish-backed groups in Idlib. Iraq
Trump introduced Qatari to donor pursuing nuclear power project, report says A Tennessee businessman says US President Donald Trump introduced him to a potential Qatari investor at his Mar-a-Lago resort in spring 2018. Saudi Arabia
Iran questions Iraq's promise to import oil despite sanctions In a surprising statement, Iran's oil minister recently complained that Iraq is abiding by the US sanctions and canceling some energy deals with Iran. Iraq
Is Egyptian parliament encouraging alcohol consumption? The Egyptian parliament's approval to lift the prohibition of the sale of alcohol in the law on shops has stirred a wide controversy in a country where Sharia is the source of legislation. Egypt
Turkey’s agricultural decline drags down related industries The alarming decline in Turkey’s agriculture, the core reason behind soaring food prices, is having a spillover effect on agro-industries, especially the food and beverage sector as well as other industries that manufacture inputs for the agricultural sector. Turkey