Kuwait's Zain eyes $1.5B mobile network in postwar Syria: What to know The Kuwaiti company is planning to invest more than $1.5 billion in Syria after securing a license to operate there, Bloomberg reported Tuesday. Syria
Oman's sultan meets Macron in first France visit since 1989: What to know French President Emmanuel Macron has been pushing against any form of toll for the Strait of Hormuz. Iran
Traffic plummets through Strait of Hormuz after Iran, US trade fire Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz had recovered somewhat before renewed fighting between Iran and the United States saw traffic drop sharply over the weekend. Iran
Interview Saudi labor localization will take ‘generation or two': Armada CEO Around 70% of Saudi Arabia's population is 35 years old or younger, according to the kingdom’s General Authority for Statistics, providing ample opportunity for an educated and technology-savvy national workforce in the coming decades. Olivier Badard CEO of Armada Holding
Analysis Why the Hormuz oil shock never became an energy catastrophe By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Turks spooked as government's inflation efforts fall flat Inflation has hit a new recent high of 25% in Turkey and the president's son-in-law and finance minister is struggling to convince the public his anti-inflation plan is getting anywhere. Turkey
Egypt facilitates investment opportunities in Africa The Egyptian government plans to create an investment risk insurance fund to encourage Egyptians to invest more in the African continent and to help strengthen and deepen relations with African nations. Egypt
PA, Turkey closer than ever The death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi seems to have strengthened Turkey's position in the regional competition with Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia
Smuggling surges as US sanctions hit Iranian rial The Rouhani administration may not be responsible for the US sanctions hitting the Iranian economy, but it is responsible for the damage caused by smuggling and other harmful activities resulting from misguided foreign exchange policies. Iran
Turkey’s crisis-hit construction sector threatens big fallout Once a driving force of economic growth, Turkey’s construction sector is among the first victims of the country’s economic turmoil, threatening a contagion effect on an array of other sectors. Turkey
Syrian businessmen succeed in Turkey Syrian businessmen continue to partner with Turks in Turkish enterprises, even though such Turkish sponsorship is no longer required by law. Syria
Egypt to bridge 4% of budget deficit through elections Egypt’s National Elections Commission is set to impose a fine on Egyptians who did not take part in the March 2018 presidential elections. Egypt
How Palestinian exports of $1 billion impact trade deficit Governmental and nongovernmental parties in Palestine are trying to support the export sector in a bid to reduce the trade deficit and dependency on the Israeli economy. Palestine
Putin, Sisi take Russia-Egypt relations to 'strategic level' Moscow and Cairo signed a strategic cooperation agreement that is supposed to open new venues for bilateral relations in the military, political and cultural domains. Egypt
Why Iran must seriously act to address rent seeking While the top elites of the Islamic Republic are recognizing the need to address mismanagement of the Iranian economy, the core issue remains the rent seeking that is thwarting genuine reform. Iran
Iran hedges bets on EU, China with focus on trade with neighbors Beyond engaging with Europe and major global trading partners such as China, Iran is looking to its neighbors to blunt the impact of US sanctions. Iran
Ongoing blockade will cause Gaza to explode in the face of Israel, Hamas warns Employees are being laid off and shops are closing down in the cash-strapped Gaza Strip, while the World Bank warns that the economy is collapsing after a decadelong blockade. Palestine
