Economics and Policy The United States has unveiled aggressive new sanctions against Iran, directly targeting the rial currency for the first time and also the auto sector, a key source of jobs and revenue. More from AFP Offshore oil and gas prospects are improving for Lebanon, with analysis of seismic data foretells a high chance of successful drilling. More from The Daily Star There remains a high risk of social unrest in the Middle East due to lack of economic reforms, the International Labour Organization has said. More from Reuters A standard contract template for Islamic inter-bank transactions has been launched, as the industry works to diversify the range of liquidity management solutions available. More from Reuters Companies and Business The United Arab Emirates is merging its two flagship state aluminium firms to create the world’s fifth largest aluminium company with an enterprise value of $15
