Economics and Politics Qatar plans to boost the government spending by 18 percent to QAR210.6bn (US$57.8bn) in the 2013/14 fiscal year that began on Monday, the QNA state news agency quoted Finance and Economy Minister Youssef Kamal as saying. More from Reuters But elsewhere in the Gulf, Bahrain’s economic growth slowed sharply in the final quarter of 2012 as growth in hydrocarbon output stalled and two years of social unrest weighed on the banking sector. More from Reuters Sudanese president Omar Al Bashir has claimed that he will release all political detainees, a move welcomed by the opposition as tensions ease with South Sudan. More from AFP Iran's inflation rate has climbed above 30 percent under the impact of international economic sanctions, according to figures released by the government's statistics centre. More from Reuters Demand for Saudi crude is likely to rise over the next few
