Baghdad is opening its energy sector to US investment while racing to diversify oil exports, strengthen its economy, and reduce its vulnerability to regional conflict

Innovation and private enterprise have yet to challenge the energy sector's centrality

Lower oil prices, less tourists, and an over-reliance on state funding has led to some of the biggest tourism development projects being paused until private capital is secured

A giant $30bn four-reactor nuclear plant on Egypt's Mediterranean coast could ease some of the country's energy costs, but it would be paid for largely by a Russian loan

Traditional large electricity customers' requirements have tended to match utilities' capacities, but the enormous data centres on which the AI era is being built are redefining demand

Ankara wants to be a regional energy hub, while Israel seeks deeper integration into Europe's emerging energy system. Will Europe choose or the other, or a combination, to meet its energy needs?

Once a port at the entrance to the Strait of Malacca, Singapore is now a hub for managing risk in international trade. There are broader lessons for countries dependent on energy flows

Some big shipping companies are starting to reroute through the iconic waterway once again, with more problems currently in the Strait of Hormuz and the Arabian Gulf than in the Red Sea

As the country seeks more direct investment, a period of overbuilding and weak domestic demand means that there are plenty of assets to choose from, but are prices inflated?

This form of welfare eats up more than a fifth of the state budget and reform has been demanded by the IMF. Cairo says the changes will help the poorest. Others are less sure