Analysis What UAE’s $3.45B pullback from Pakistan signals about Abu Dhabi's priorities As Abu Dhabi pulls back long-rolled deposits while investing selectively, Pakistan faces an era of more conditional Gulf support tied to strategic alignment. By Sabena Siddiqui In Karachi, reporting on South Asia, Middle East, Iran
Analysis MENA wheat importers face food security risks as Hormuz crisis festers Home to many of the world's largest wheat importers, the Middle East and North Africa face acute food security risks as the US-Israel-Iran war disrupts global fertilizer flows and pushes up prices. By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Israel rejects Ukraine's claim that Russian shadow fleet vessel docked in Haifa Ukraine alleges the vessel unloaded wheat taken from occupied territories in Haifa, while Israel says ship had not entered the port. Israel
UAE’s cash request tests US ties as Iran war strains Gulf financial muscle Amid growing economic fallout from the regional war, Abu Dhabi’s bombshell request for a war-time financial lifeline from the United States is less about cash and more about clout — for now. United Arab Emirates
Analysis Gulf energy deals face Iran war stress test as global expansion meets oil shock By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Can Saudi Arabia afford a stimulus? Oil-revenue-dependent Saudi Arabia still has $490 billion in reserve assets, but its massive foreign and domestic commitments and a long-term declining demand curve for oil could spell trouble down the road. Saudi Arabia
Turks fire back as Trump ends preferential trade status The United States removed Turkey from its list of countries that enjoy tariff-free access to the US market, a decision criticized by the Turkish government. Turkey
Exodus by big firms pushes Iran toward smaller Chinese enterprises To mitigate the impact of harsh US sanctions, Iran is increasingly turning to China by dispatching high-ranking delegations to Beijing to augment trade. But China is also mindful not to cross the red lines drawn by the United States. United States
Egypt finds its nationals new job markets abroad The difficult economic conditions and nationalization of jobs in Gulf states have caused a problem for Egyptians willing to work overseas, and prompted thousands to return home. Legacy: Gulf
Is Erdogan's airport dream turning into nightmare? The Istanbul New Airport's current and projected damage to ecosystems, its subpar construction and its woeful financial setup is turning the project into a grandiose failure — one that will cost the Turkish public dearly for decades to come. Turkey
Russian Industrial Zone in Suez to be launched soon The construction of the Russian Industrial Zone in the new Suez Canal Economic zone is expected to begin soon, in a project that Egypt hopes will boost its economy. Egypt
Egypt’s unemployment rate declines to pre-revolution levels amid economic recovery Although the Egyptian government is initiating programs to encourage work in the private sector, some graduates still see unemployment as a threat to young people. Egypt
Iran’s top banks launch blockchain platform to boost ailing banking system Banking giants in Iran have established a digital tokenization platform to liquidize bad assets. If it can overcome the many challenges on the way, it could generate vital cash — and public trust. Iran
Erdogan blasts polling as Turkey's local elections approach President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, long a close observer of opinion polls, now indicates they are not to be trusted when it comes to March 31 local elections that may put his leadership to the test. Turkey
Gazans reluctant to import from Egypt despite Hamas’ encouragement Although Hamas reduced fees imposed on goods entering the Gaza Strip, it seems local traders are hesitant to import from Egypt, which imposes high fees on traded products. Palestine
Iraq-Jordan trade deal opens new doors for regional trade A breakthrough trade agreement may signal new trend toward integration; Erdogan plays Syria card in Turkish elections; HTS undermines Turkish-backed groups in Idlib. Iraq
Trump introduced Qatari to donor pursuing nuclear power project, report says A Tennessee businessman says US President Donald Trump introduced him to a potential Qatari investor at his Mar-a-Lago resort in spring 2018. Saudi Arabia
