Maersk resumes Red Sea passage after two-year halt amid easing Houthi threat A ceasefire reached between Israel and Hamas in October has prompted some shipping companies to consider resuming services, but security concerns persist. Yemen
Analysis How Netanyahu ceded to Trump, agreed to Egypt's $35B gas deal The Israeli prime minister's frustration with Trump administration strong-arming continues, with pressure to sign Egypt gas deal and now a reported push for Sisi meeting. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Israel's Netanyahu approves $35B natural gas megadeal with Egypt Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Israel will sell Egypt natural gas worth $35 billion, in the biggest-ever deal of its kind for the country. Israel
Analysis Iran’s FM Araghchi in Moscow as biting sanctions drive closer Russia ties The economic agenda of the meetings in Moscow and Tehran reflected a deliberate effort by both governments to signal momentum in a partnership increasingly shaped by isolation from the West. By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
Exclusive Inside Netanyahu’s pressure campaign to block Turkey, Saudi Arabia from acquiring F-35s By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Analysis Protests across Israel against judicial reform rattle Netanyahu Facing American warnings and mass demonstrations across Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may find it impossible to continue with his judicial overhaul. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed visits Pakistan as its economy crumbles The UAE president arrived in the city of Fahim Yar Khan in Pakistan, one day after a nationwide power outage left nearly 220 million people without electricity By Salim A. Essaid
Explainer: What is behind Iraq's Central Bank shuffle and what is next? The economic crisis in Iraq as a result of the ongoing rise in the value of the US dollar against the dinar resulted in the prime minister sacking the heads of the Central Bank of Iraq and the Trade Bank of Iraq. Iraq
UAE hosts Gulf leaders including Qatar's along with Egypt, Jordan Egypt and Jordan are increasingly looking to the United Arab Emirates and other Gulf states for development and economic support. Legacy: Gulf
Egypt green-lights sweeping privatization strategy following IMF agreement The plan defines the contours of the state’s future participation in the economy, including those activities it plans to exit, to increase the contribution of the private sector. Egypt
Iraq's PM Sudani hosted US envoy ahead of meeting Iran's Quds commander Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani received high-ranking US and Iranian envoys separately for discussions of bilateral issues related to both countries. Iran
Davos 2023: Saudi Arabia 'open' to discuss trading in non-dollar currencies Qatar also voiced support for Elon Musk’s leadership of Twitter at the annual forum in Davos, Switzerland. Legacy: Gulf
Lebanon's Riad Salameh probe tops visit of European investigators A European delegation is conducting an investigation into Lebanon’s banking system and the port explosion in the hope of providing some answers. Lebanon
Egypt, facing economic crunch, restricts non-essential travel for government The decision is the latest in a series of measures Egyptian public and private financial institutions are taking in an attempt to cope with the economic crisis. Egypt
Turkey's inflation slows most in December in a boost to Erdogan Facing crucial elections in spring, the Turkish government is trying to take credit for curbing inflation, even though the steep decline in the annual rate owes mostly to a favorable base effect. Turkey
2022 in review: Reforms, Ukraine war drive boost in UAE’s real estate market Improved regulatory policies and diplomatic measures amid the Ukraine war have welcomed foreign direct investment and boosted the UAE real estate market in 2022 above the global average. Legacy: Gulf
Secondhand clothes offer Egyptians respite as inflation skyrockets With living expenses rising and temperatures dropping and inflation surging to a five-year high of 18.7%, many Egyptians are looking to buy secondhand clothes at Wekalat al-Balah, Egypt's most famous used clothing market in the center of Cairo Egypt