Economy and trade

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UAE looks to boost Russia trade to $23B despite Trump tariff threats

The two countries signed a trade agreement focusing on several key sectors, including fintech, health care, logistics, transportation and services.

United Arab Emirates

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian attends his first press conference, after taking office. on September 16, 2024 in Tehran, Iran.

Iran’s president to visit Armenia, China: What to know

Tehran is looking to strengthen ties with regional and Asian powers as Western sanctions continue to squeeze its economy.

In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin (R) meets with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan (L) at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside Moscow on October 20, 2024. (Photo by Artem Geodakyan / POOL / AFP) (Photo by ARTEM GEODAKYAN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

UAE president heads to Russia to meet Putin as ties grow: What to know

UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan is heading to Moscow on Thursday for an official visit, his second in less than a year as Russian-Emirati relations continue to develop rapidly.

United Arab Emirates

A picture shows the headquarters of UAE's state oil company ADNOC in Dubai on July 27, 2022.

UAE’s ADNOC inks 10-year gas deal with India: What to know

The UAE is seeking to export more gas to India as domestic consumption is projected to rise in the South Asian country.

United Arab Emirates

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Iran mulls nixing zeros from currency as value plunges: What to know

This picture shows old Iranian banknotes of 1 million, 500,000,and 100,000 rials (L), and the new banknotes with four zeros removed (R), on Aug. 3, 2025.

Turkey’s inflation falls to four-year low of 33.5%: What to know

People shop at a local street market in Istanbul, Turkey, May 3, 2023.

Analysis

Netflix teams up with MBC’s Shahid in Saudi Arabia: An end to streaming wars?

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Egypt inks offshore oil and gas deals with Eni, BP: What to know

JOSEPH EID/AFP via Getty Images

BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images

AI chips, drones, jets: A look at Trump's $3.2 trillion megadeals during Gulf trip

Amid photo ops and lavish receptions, President Donald Trump’s Gulf trip yielded $3.2 trillion in announced deals with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE — though some details remain vague.

Trump

In Gulf trip, Trump to prioritize blockbuster deals amid regional turmoil

President Donald Trump is set to land in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, the first stop in a Gulf tour focused on securing massive investments.

DIMITRIS KAPANTAIS/SOOC/AFP via Getty Images

On fifth Greece visit, Egypt’s Sisi and Mitsotakis advance energy projects: What to know

The new partnership agreement appears to further cement the two nations' growing ties even as migration challenges persist.

JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images

Israel pounds Yemen after Houthi missile strike near Tel Aviv airport: What to know

Foreign airlines are canceling flights to and from Israel after a missile launched from Yemen landed just outside the terminal at Ben Gurion Airport.

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OPEC+ moves up meeting as oil prices continue to drop: What to know

Saudi Arabia has signaled it is willing to live with lower oil prices as US President Donald Trump calls for more production.

Sheikha Mayes Al-Thani speaks at inaugural USQBC-SelectUSA event in Washington, DC, February 25, 2024.

Interview

Qatar’s digital future offers opportunities in AI, energy, says head of US-Qatar Business Council

Talent, not just capital, is key to sustainable growth, says Sheikha Mayes Al Thani.

Sheikha Mayes Al Thani

Sheikha Mayes Al Thani

Managing Director, US-Qatar Business Council

UAE/LEBANON

UAE lifts Lebanon travel ban, signals support for $11B reconstruction in sign of thaw

The United Arab Emirates and Lebanon will establish a joint business council and explore joint projects, suggesting the UAE could play a role in Lebanon’s economic recovery.

MAHMUD TURKIA/AFP via Getty Images

Libya, Turkey deepen economic ties with new trade committee, $5B target

Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat said on a visit to Tripoli that the two countries want to increase their annual trade volume from $3.7 billion to over $4 billion this year and to $5 billion in 2026.

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

Motorists wait at a traffic light by the Central Bank of Egypt building in Cairo early on March 4, 2024.

Analysis

Can Egypt’s economic comeback absorb Trump’s global trade shocks?

Buoyed by foreign investment and cautious reforms, Egypt’s fragile recovery faces a new test from Trump’s tariff-fueled trade turbulence.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar face uneven 2025 growth as trade tensions rise: IMF

While Gulf economies face only the Trump administration’s baseline 10% tariffs, the levies have already impacted oil prices and revenue, especially for rentier states like Saudi Arabia.

Employees stand behind stacks of local currency notes as they serve clients at an exchange shop in Damascus, on April 16, 2025.

IMF appoints first Syria mission head in 14 years: What to know

Syria's new government faces the task of revitalizing an economy that has been devastated by 14 years of war and ravaged by international sanctions.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (R) shakes hands with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman prior to a meeting at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Feb. 20, 2019.

Analysis

India's Modi visits Saudi Arabia, seeks to boost trade route to counter China

India's largely transactional relationship with Saudi Arabia has moved beyond oil sales to a more strategic and closer partnership.

Jennifer Gnana

By Jennifer Gnana

In Dubai, reporting on Gulf energy policy and politics