Saudi Arabia lifts 5-year ban on Lebanon imports: What to know Saudi Arabia had been a main donor for Lebanon before ties strained during Hezbollah’s rising influence in the country. Lebanon
Suez Canal traffic soars as Hormuz disruptions reroute energy trade The canal generated $419 million in revenue in April, up 27% year over year. Egypt
Syria says Iraqi oil shipments surge as Damascus courts foreign energy investment Speaking at the Atlantic Council Global Energy Forum in Washington on Tuesday, Syrian Petroleum Company CEO Yousef Qiblawy said Iraq's overland oil exports through Syria have expanded rapidly in recent months. Syria
Explainer Saudi Arabia, Turkey advance plans to revive historic Hejaz Railway Turkish and Saudi officials signed agreements as part of a Turkish push to revive the Hejaz Railway linking Turkey to the Gulf through Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Turkey
Analysis Turkey pushes Iraq, Syria trade routes as Hormuz crisis disrupts Gulf shipping By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
Intel: Iraq-Jordan-Egypt summit urges increased trade as security concerns loom over region A meeting between the leaders discussed economic cooperation and joint security efforts. Egypt
Detained Jordanian teachers freed amid economic strife The lawyer for the Teachers Syndicate recently told Al-Monitor the government used virus-related laws to silence the group, which is critical of the economic situation in Jordan. Jordan
Iran's Khamenei calls for making economy independent Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei spoke about the need for an economy that is not dependent on other countries. Iran
Trump, Kadhimi launch new chapter in US-Iraq relations US offers Iraqi prime minister aid, energy deals and continued cooperation against Islamic State. Iraq
Family silver next in line in Turkey’s debt crunch The hefty external debt of Turkey’s public and private sectors is increasingly imposing the option to offer asset swaps to creditors, including company shares and valuable real estate. Turkey
Oman kicks off ambitious reform project A significant revamp promises to slim down the Omani government, bring in new faces and mark the start of a new era. Oman
Jordan accuses teachers union of 'economic crimes' in crackdown Activists claim Jordanian government is applying "defense laws" to suppress dissent during economic downturn. Jordan
How megaprojects mitigated COVID-19 impact on Egypt’s labor market The coronavirus pandemic has increased the unemployment rate, but the impact could have been worse without the infrastructure overhaul. Egypt
Opting for backdoor measures, Turkey’s Central Bank holds interest rate steady Turkey’s Central Bank left a key interest rate unchanged in favor of liquidity measures Thursday in what analysts described as a “missed opportunity” to send a positive signal to the markets. Turkey
Despite dispute with Riyadh over Kashmir, Saudi-Pakistan ties remain strong Security and economic bonds mean that Islamabad’s recent disputes with Riyadh are unlikely to impact overall bilateral ties. Saudi Arabia
Israeli companies enthusiastic on deal with UAE, target Gulf market Israeli companies in the fields of cyber, water management, defense and even diamonds are lining up for launching business ventures in the United Arab Emirates. United Arab Emirates
