Economics Lebanon’s Finance Minister Mohammad Safadi has denied media allegations that he has proposed raising the value added tax from 10 to 12 percent. More from The Daily Star The United Arab Emirates attracted about AED30bn (US$8.2bn) of direct foreign investment last year, the UAE's prime minister said on Monday. More from Reuters The United States has urged Egypt to move fast to agree a loan deal with the IMF, reform its energy sector and guarantee investors against "arbitrary acts" to avert a deeper slide in its economy. More from Reuters Lebanon thwarted the largest ever cigarette smuggling attempt to Egypt in December, the Egyptian Embassy announced Monday. More from The Daily Star The Sudanese has government signed a Qatar-sponsored ceasefire with a splinter Darfur rebel group, Sudanese and Qatari state media said, raising hopes of an improvement in the economy there. More from Reuters
