IMF slashes Mideast outlook by nearly 3 points as Iran war hits economies The International Monetary Fund cut gross domestic product forecasts for the Middle East and North Africa, with the fallout from the conflict exposing stark divergences between the region’s energy exporters and importers. Iran
Analysis Egypt eyes energy breakthroughs as Iran war deepens gas crunch Among countries outside the Gulf conflict's direct line of fire, few have felt the shockwaves as acutely as Egypt. By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Analysis Hostage to Hormuz, can Gulf rewire future energy flows to bypass Iran’s chokepoint? As the US-Israel-Iran war disrupts around 20% of global oil supply, experts point to opportunities and challenges facing a renewed push to develop alternatives to the Strait of Hormuz. By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Israel energy minister says gas flowing to Egypt, Jordan despite shutdown reports Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen told Al-Monitor that despite security concerns and partial shut down of marine gas platforms, Israel continues to supply gas to Egypt, Jordan and Israeli consumers. Israel
Analysis Oil-rich Gulf states could face power crunch as Iran war hits energy security By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Analysis Oil crisis stokes inflation risks for Mideast as Iran war exposes importers By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Egyptian Salafist Considers Sinai The 'Next Frontier' The lawyer for veteran jihadist Jamal, who has been linked to the US consulate attack in Benghazi, told Al-Monitor's Mohamed Fadel Fahmy that his client called the Sinai the next frontier in the "conflict with the Zionists and Americans." Egypt
Activists Challenge Egypt's Views On Women's Status in Society Many woman activists in Egypt are challenging the sincerity of President Mohammed Morsi's recent announcement of a new intiative "to support the rights and freedoms of the Egyptian women," writes Daria Solovieva. Egypt
Egypt’s Interest in Iraq, Iran Is Economic, Not Ideological Despite the concerns of Gulf states that Egypt’s recent rapprochement with Iraq, and by extension Iran, is founded on an ideological basis, experts assert the reason is purely economic, Abdelrahman Youssef writes. Egypt
Could Violence in Egypt Spin Out of Control? Bassem Sabry writes that he's never been more worried about Egypt since its revolution than he is right now. Egypt
Sinai Tourism Hits Rock Bottom, Business Owners Blame Morsi Writing from South Sinai, Mohannad Sabry meets with local business owners in the tourism sector who tell him that they keep hoping for political stability to bring back tourists — but that Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi's inability to govern has been making a bad situation worse. Egypt
Israeli, Norwegian Tourists Kidnapped in Egyptian Sinai The kidnapping of an Israeli man and Norwegian woman in Egypt's Sinai peninsula occurs as the Egyptian government has undertaken a "highly secretive operation" to secure the region, writes Mohamed Fadel Fahmy from Cairo. Egypt
Lawless Sinai Becomes Flashpoint For Egypt With Israel, Hamas The growing presence of armed groups in the Sinai threatens to destabilize the area, potentially drawing Israel, Egypt and Hamas into confrontation, Noura Khouri writes. Egypt
IFC Cautiously Confident On Egypt Economy International Finance Corp. CEO Jin-Yong Cai spoke to Sarah el-Sirgany on the challenges for Egypt in attracting investment during his recent visit to the country. Egypt
Sectarianizing Foreign Policy In Egypt Mohamed Elmenshawy discusses the implications of Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi’s sectarian foreign policy. Egypt
Kerry to Assad, Opposition: 'Come to the Table' US Secretary of State John Kerry calls on Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad to “come to the table” to begin negotiations; the bitter springs of Tunisia and Egypt; and Gaza Salafists fight in Syria. Egypt
Women Face Same Barriers In Morsi's Egypt Yasmine Nagaty writes that the treatment of women under Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi is more of the same pattern of economic oppression experienced under Hosni Mubarak. Egypt
Egypt's NGOs Face New Strictures Under Ruling Party Egypt's NGOs are facing more restrictions than ever, reports Daria Solovieva from Cairo. Egypt