France, Saudi Arabia announce more than $10B in deals on MBS visit Among the deals included a 6 billion euro ($7 billion) pledge from the Public Investment Fund in three manga-themed amusement parks on the outskirts of Paris. Saudi Arabia
China slams Trump over economic war on Iran: What to know China’s once significant oil imports from Iran have been impacted by the war in the region and increasing US sanctions. Iran
Explainer King Abdullah visits China as region hedges against US unpredictability With no end in sight to the war in Iran and an unchecked Israeli policy across the region, the kingdom is hedging against future uncertainty and a less predictable US policy. China
Trump’s Iran ‘economic D-Day’ threat sends oil prices above $94 In a Truth Social post, the president threatened that any country that provides a financial lifeline to Iran will face "tremendous economic consequences." Iran
Analysis Jordan shores up US lifelines as Iran targets Amman’s reliance on Washington By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Lebanese protest dire economic conditions as coronavirus lockdown eases Protests have resumed in Lebanon, with many people lamenting hunger and economic strife as the country's financial crisis continues during the coronavirus lockdown. Lebanon
Israel under coronavirus: Economic straits revive social protests In the spirit of the wave of social justice demonstrations in 2011, Israelis in desperate economic situations due to the coronavirus outbreak are taking to the streets of Tel Aviv. Israel
Gaza farmers destroyed flowers amid lockdown The state of emergency imposed on the Gaza Strip due to the coronavirus pandemic has not spared the flower cultivation sector. Palestine
Lebanon becomes first Arab country to legalize cannabis farming Despite pushback from Hezbollah, the Lebanese parliament passed legislation Tuesday legalizing cannabis cultivation for medicinal and industrial purposes. Lebanon
Rouhani hits out at skeptics of Iran pandemic statistics The Iranian president said skeptics of the official coronavirus narrative in his country are serving as enemy mouthpieces. Iran
Larger than expected rate cut raises pressure on Turkish lira Turkey’s central bank surprised market watchers Wednesday with a significant interest rate cut to bolster the economy amid the coronavirus pandemic, though analysts say the move poses inflationary risks. Turkey
Lebanese parliament reconvenes with anti-virus measures in place The Lebanese parliament voted to pass a bill allowing cultivation of cannabis for medicinal purposes as protests resumed in Beirut. Lebanon
Iran extends closure of religious sites amid pandemic While gradually reopening much of the economy amid lowering coronavirus-related mortalities, the Iranian government has extended a shutdown of religious sites nationwide. Iran
Qatar Airways defers some employees' pay to save costs and keep flying Qatar Airways is still offering many passenger flights, unlike other major Middle Eastern carriers. The drop in international travel due to the coronavirus has resulted in major losses for airlines. Qatar
How a falafel shop owner may have accelerated Israel's unity government A falafel vendor's tearful account in a TV interview about his livelihood and how he has been personally affected by the coronavirus pandemic has resonated across the country, so much so that it shook Benjamin Netanyahu and Benny Gantz into action. Israel
Jordan eases lockdown, focuses on opening economy Jordan ends the lockdown in Aqaba while keeping certain restrictions in place and eases curfews elsewhere as the region's first country to enforce a nationwide lockdown now seeks to gradually reopen its economy. Jordan
Coronavirus lockdown uncovers vulnerability of Tunisia’s economy Despite government measures to help those most affected by a general lockdown aimed at containing the spread of the coronavirus, Tunisia’s economy is being dealt a heavy blow. Tunisia
