Turkey lifts veil on unemployment data, revealing bigger army of jobless A new, broader set of labor statistics has exposed a big gap between Turkey’s official unemployment rate and the actual joblessness in the crisis-hit country. Turkey
Rights group criticizes Jordan over debt imprisonment Human Rights Watch has highlighted the plight of poor Jordanians imprisoned for failing to pay back loans taken out to meet basic needs. Jordan
COVID accelerates evolution of Gulf economies The economic policy response to COVID-19 is an acceleration of specific trends already underway across the Gulf Cooperation Council members, variously affecting tax policy, labor market regulation and immigration policy. Saudi Arabia
Iran receives COVID-19 vaccine from Cuba Iran enjoys warm relations with the Latin American state and the two countries are also developing a coronavirus vaccine together. Iran
Palestinian police patrol Hebron in rare sight for locals Israel recently allowed Palestinian security forces to deploy in Hebron's old town in a show of control and cooperation, but it has not committed to any ongoing coordination for future patrols. Palestine
Syrian women face heat, harassment while picking Jordan's crops Many women who fled the war in Syria have found themselves working to survive with their entire families in Jordan's fields. Syria
Turkey’s economic headache bigger than Brunson standoff, US problems Although Turkey’s dispute with the US administration over American pastor Andrew Brunson has worsened the country’s foreign currency position, the US-Turkish row is not why the lira is melting down. Turkey
Turkey steps up efforts to shun dollar As the Turkish lira plunges to a record low, some voices in Ankara are warning that the United States is furious over Turkey’s efforts to reduce its dependency on the dollar. Turkey
Brunson affair taking economic toll on Turkey A Turkish delegation has been dispatched to Washington to try to resolve the crisis swirling around the detention of American pastor Andrew Brunson in Izmir. Turkey
Turkey remains defiant in row with US over pastor as deal falls through A possible deal to end the US-Turkish row over an American pastor detained in Izmir appears to have failed after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan heaped additional demands on an agreement. Turkey
Turkey’s economy struggles with new political reality Turkey’s economic downturn has only grown worse since President Recep Tayyip Erdogan assumed sweeping new powers after the June polls, as some observers fear that the economy might not be Ankara’s primary concern. Turkey
China set to fill vacuum left by French carmakers exiting Iran The exit of French automakers from Iran is leaving a vacuum that appears set to be filled by Chinese auto manufacturers. Iran
Egyptian forum dreams up ways to attract expat money A recent forum for Egyptian expatriates produced various ideas on how to get emigrants to invest in their home country. Egypt
US reimposes sanctions as Iran deal crumbles With the Donald Trump administration set to reimpose Iran sanctions after exiting the nuclear deal, it’s looking less and less likely the rest of the world can salvage the accord. United States
Iranians flock to greener pastures on Caspian coast The nationwide drought in Iran is triggering internal migration and its water-rich areas are already suffering shortages. Iran
Will Riyadh-Tehran rivalry kill Iraqi Kurdistan's investment drive? A visit to Erbil by a Saudi trade delegation in late July has the potential to bear fruit in advancing economic cooperation and investment in the region, helping ease its current financial crisis, but the Saudis' move has raised eyebrows in Tehran. Saudi Arabia