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Gulf crisis: War Widens in the Gulf RegionF

Yemeni missile and drone strikes on Saudi Arabia’s Abha airport, Iranian attacks on tankers near the Strait of Hormuz, and a US-Iran military exchange are compounding aviation and shipping risks across the Gulf, with no resolution in sight.

Egypt joins China’s tariff-free initiative as Beijing opens its market to nearly all of Africa

Egypt joined China’s expanded zero-tariff scheme on 1 May 2026, gaining duty-free access to the Chinese market alongside 52 other African countries with diplomatic ties to Beijing. The move eliminates tariffs that previously ran from 8 to 30 percent on key Egyptian exports, though the arrangement is a two-year preferential window through April 2028 rather than a permanent deal, and non-tariff barriers like rules of origin and phytosanitary standards still apply.

Egypt Clears $6.1 Billion Oil and Gas Arrears, Energy Sector Looks to Rebuild Investor Trust

Egypt has fully paid the $6.1 billion in arrears it owed foreign oil and gas partners, ending a multi-year backlog tied to its foreign-currency crunch. With the debt paid down to zero by mid-2026, officials are pairing the settlement with new investment incentives and a push to revive onshore drilling, aiming to reverse years of declining crude output.

Libya: Washington’s Libya Plan Would Install Haftar’s Son as President. Libya’s Institutions Are Saying No$

Washington’s power-sharing plan for Libya would install Saddam Haftar as president while Abdulhamid Dbeibah remains prime minister. But Libya’s High Council of State, Misrata’s leadership, and Grand Mufti Sadiq al-Gharyani have all rejected it, while the UN’s separate 4+4 committee is quietly producing the actual roadmap Washington’s plan still lacks.