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Economy & Business

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Sharaa taps Visa as Syria reconnects to global finance: What to know

Visa and Mastercard announced Wednesday that their networks can now be used to make international card payments in Syria.

gas station in Cairo, Egypt

Eni presses ahead with Egypt gas projects as war raises investment risks

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi met with Eni CEO Claudio Descalzi on Tuesday, with the Italian energy giant revealing it could make a crucial investment decision in coming months.

A Syrian Air passenger jet lands at Aleppo airport on March 18, 2025, the first aircraft to land after it was shut during the offensive that toppled former President Bashar al-Assad.

Syrian Airlines expands Europe comeback with Vienna, Copenhagen flights

Syrian Airlines currently flies to 14 destinations across eight countries, with four additional routes planned.

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China warns US not to interfere with Iran trade: What to know

BAY ISMOYO / AFP via Getty Images

Large UAE delegation set to arrive in Lebanon in major investment push

Lebanese Presidency

France, Saudi Arabia announce more than $10B in deals on MBS visit

France's President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman shake hands

Oil falls 1.8% as traders await 'toughest' sanctions on Iran

Leon Neal/Getty Images

Samuel Wendel

Senior Analyst, Middle East Business & Tech

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Adam Lucente

News and Business Correspondent

In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change

Jack Dutton

Chief Business Correspondent

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Sabena Siddiqui

In Karachi, reporting on South Asia, Middle East, Iran

Vanessa Ghanem

In Dubai, reporting on business, energy and politics

Francisco Serrano

In Lisbon, reporting on North Africa business

Visitors stand in front of works by Bybit on display during the 15th edition of Art Dubai at Madinat Jumeirah in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on March 10, 2022. - Art Dubai, the Middle East's largest annual contemporary art fair, featured for the first time digital works, as the wealthy Gulf emirate seeks to position itself as a crypto-assets hub. - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY MENTION OF THE ARTIST UPON PUBLICATION - TO ILLUSTRATE THE EVENT AS SPECIFIED IN THE CAPTION (Photo by Karim SAHIB / AFP)

UAE's crypto push seeks to draw in high-net-worth individuals

Sebastian Castelier

Sebastian Castelier

In Dubai, reporting on regional business

OLEKSANDR GIMANOV/AFP via Getty Images

Russia reassures Egypt on wheat exports after Odessa attack

The Russian missile attack on Ukraine’s port of Odessa came just a day after Turkey brokered a deal on safe passage of wheat exports from the war-torn country.

Obsolete Turkish lira banknotes.

How realistic are Ankara’s hopes of trading in Turkish liras?

While the Turkish lira continues to tumble, Turkey’s currency swaps with China and other countries have failed to live up to their stated objective of boosting trade in local currencies, official data show.

Ras al-Khaimah

UAE doubles tax inspections in first half of 2022

The Gulf state is seeking to increase its financial transparency and boost tax revenue.

STEFANI REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images

Oil falls below $100 to lowest price in two weeks

US President Joe Biden failed to convince Saudi Arabia to significantly increase oil production during his recent trip to the region but the boosts endorsed by the OPEC+ alliance came into effect this month.

AL-MONITOR Staff

By AL-MONITOR Staff

Libya oil

Libyan oil production to return to normal following resolution of dispute

Tribes loyal to former rebel Khalifa Hifter shut down oil fields and ports in eastern Libya recently over a dispute with the transitional government.

MAHMOUD kHALED/AFP via Getty Images

Egypt to list more state companies on stock exchange

Egypt is selling state firms amid its economic crisis and Gulf entities are particularly interested in acquiring them.

A partial view shows residential buildings in Tehran on Dec. 22, 2021.

Iran's middle class priced out of housing market

As housing costs in Iran see record increases, officials are exchanging blame.

Egypt McDonald's

Reports: McDonald’s raises Big Mac price by 50% in Egypt

One Egyptian media outlet is encouraging people to make McDonald’s food at home in response to the price hike, which comes amid soaring food costs across the region.

an. 13, 2022, photo shows the broadcasting headquarters of the Egyptian Radio and Television Union in Cairo.

Saudi Arabia, Egypt go in on media project ahead of COP27

Preparations are underway in Egypt to launch an international news channel after securing an agreement with Saudi Arabia to fund the media project.

(L-R) Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Russia to invest $40 billion in Iran’s oil sector

The news came during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Iran and may have been motivated by US sanctions.

(L to R) Amos Hochstein, the US senior adviser for Energy Security, speaks with the Saudi Investment Minister Khalid al-Falih.

Venture capital investments in Saudi startups triple to $584 million

Saudi Arabia is proud of its emerging startup scene, but oil remains the bedrock of the Saudi economy.