The Middle East is rapidly emerging as a global crypto hotspot, with daily traders surging 166 percent year-over-year and nations like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar leading the charge. Backed by clear regulations, rising investor confidence, and landmark moves like the UAE’s approval of a dirham-backed stablecoin (AE Coin), the region is shifting from crypto-cautious to crypto-forward. With 7.5 percent of global crypto transactions and major exchanges like Binance and OKX setting up shop, the Middle East is poised to become a key player in the future of digital finance.

In a major escalation, Israel has launched its largest military campaign in the West Bank in over 20 years, deploying tanks and displacing over 40,000 Palestinians since January 2025. Entire neighborhoods have been destroyed, with critical infrastructure in ruins and at least 70 Palestinians killed. The Israeli government plans to maintain a long-term military presence, raising fears of permanent displacement and accusations of ethnic cleansing. As global concern grows, Palestinian communities are left reeling—facing daily violence, erasure, and a world that seems to be looking the other way.

The Gaza ceasefire, established in January 2025, is on the verge of collapse as Israel faces mounting accusations of repeated violations. From blocking life-saving aid to launching deadly airstrikes and stalling peace talks, Israel’s actions have deepened Gaza’s humanitarian crisis and ignited fears of renewed war. With shelter shortages, rising death tolls, and international condemnation growing, the ceasefire’s promises are unraveling fast—threatening to plunge the region back into chaos.

In Gaza, winter has become a deadly threat. On February 25, 2025, six-week-old Sila became the seventh child to die from hypothermia in just 24 hours—one of many victims of freezing temperatures and unlivable tent shelters. With over 2 million displaced, blocked aid, and overwhelmed hospitals, Gaza faces a deepening humanitarian crisis. The world watches as children continue to die not from war, but from the cold.

On April 2, 2025, US President Donald Trump announced a new, comprehensive tariff policy, imposing a 10 percent tariff on all Egyptian exports to the US. Trump also imposed higher tax rates on certain countries that were deemed to have unfair trade practices. ****Please note that for the next 90 days, the tariffs have been revoked by US President Trump.

The Egyptian economy is expected to continue its recovery this year, especially after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved Egypt's proposal to re-prioritise reforms related to the programme agreed upon by the IMF’s management and after Egypt approved the fourth tranche of the IMF's loan.