Economics and policy Israeli restrictions and closures coupled with the worsening fiscal situation of the Palestinian Authority is causing "lasting damage" to the competitiveness of the Palestinian economy, the World Bank warned on Tuesday. More from Reuters Toppled president Hosni Mubarak, awaiting trial over his role in the deaths of protesters, believes Egyptians should rally around his Islamist successor and end violent protests, his lawyer said yesterday. More from AFP For the first time since 2006, Lebanon recorded a primary deficit after the Cabinet of Prime Minister Najib Mikati raised the salaries of civil servants and military personnel at the beginning of 2012. More from The Daily Star Egypt's wealthy benefactor Qatar has dampened speculation of rapid extra funding to help Cairo through a currency and budget crisis, as pressure grows at home on the Islamist government to come clean about the state of the economy. More
