Egypt’s Sisi, Putin meet as Russia steps up Africa push: What to know Wednesday’s meeting comes on the sidelines of the third Russia-Africa Summit, a two-day gathering in Moscow bringing together African leaders and officials. Egypt
Canada, UAE sign trade pact as Ottawa seeks to diversify beyond US The agreement is set to broadly lift tariffs on key products as Canadian officials hope to boost bilateral trade to $7 billion within a decade. United Arab Emirates
Macron secures Gulf diesel supplies as France grapples with fuel costs, unrest France now has commitments for 295,000 metric tons of diesel per month from the Gulf, accounting for just over 10% of the European country’s consumption. Bahrain
Saudi Arabia postpones 'Davos in the Desert' until 2027 amid Houthi attacks The Future Investment Initiative, which typically attracts the CEOs of some of the biggest companies in business, finance, and technology to Riyadh, will now be held next year. Saudi Arabia
Analysis How Hormuz crisis is reshaping economic ties between Iraq and Syria By Shelly Kittleson In Baghdad, reporting on Iraqi politics
No light at end of tunnel for Yemen’s economy The Yemeni government and central bank are unable to solve the unpaid salaries crisis of government employees amid an economic crisis that has left devastating humanitarian conditions in the war-torn country. Yemen
Rouhani’s visit a reality check for Iran-India relations Trade connectivity overtakes energy as Tehran and New Delhi move to forge closer cooperation. United States
Iran's Rouhani mocks his opponents, again Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who has welcomed criticism in the past, is under fire for mocking his critics once again. Iran
Palestinians call for new reconstruction plan for Gaza Although more than $5 billion was pledged by international donors to help rebuild the Gaza Strip after the 2014 war, much of the plan to revitalize the coastal enclave has gone unimplemented. Palestine
Iranian lawmakers block cuts to cash handouts Iran's parliament has dramatically weakened the administration's proposed plan to end cash subsidy payments in a politically motivated backlash against the cost-saving effort. Iran
Turkish-Iranian trade revived amid growing cooperation in Syria Turkey and Iran have reversed a four-year downturn in bilateral trade as collaboration in Syria increases, but the possibility of a setback remains real. Syria
Iran prepares to boost jobs, clean air by revamping auto fleet The vast fleet of dilapidated vehicles on Iranian roads may disappear sooner than thought, though not everyone is optimistic about Tehran's latest attempt to get it done. Iran
Iran's currency crisis shakes Rouhani’s middle-class base Following the nationwide protests led by the Iranian working class in late December, the return of fluctuations on the foreign exchange market is putting pressure on the minds of middle-class Iranians. Iran
After big boom, Turkey’s aviation sector heads for turbulence Led by national carrier Turkish Airlines, Turkey’s civil aviation sector has grown impressively since 2003, but its heyday may be over due to the strain of economic and political factors. Turkey
Turkey mulls 'national' bitcoin A government-promoted push for the "native and national" in almost every realm has reached the sphere of cryptocurrency despite Turkey's lingering mistrust of bitcoin. Turkey
Congress skeptical of Saudi nuclear energy demands Lawmakers are making it clear that any proposal to share civilian nuclear technology with Saudi Arabia must include robust nonproliferation safeguards. Saudi Arabia
Six factors driving Iran’s sudden currency devaluation A confluence of political, economic and psychological factors appears to be behind the recent plunge in the Iranian currency’s value on the free market. Iran
