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
Turkey’s battered lira takes another hit Turkey's currency has sunk to a record low after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he expects interest rates to fall despite warnings a crisis looms as the country struggles under its burden of debt. Turkey
Turkish TV preacher, disciples detained on sex abuse charges Televangelist Adnan Oktar, who sparked both imaginations and outrage with his unconventional blend of sexuality with Islamic doctrine over decades, is accused of organized crime, espionage, sexual assault and more. Turkey
Gaza tunnel workers face greater risks, shrinking pay The tunnels used for smuggling goods between Gaza and Egypt are still operating despite the dangers posed by the Egyptian army’s campaign to destroy them. Palestine
Erdogan son-in-law takes Finance Ministry post with promises, hush orders Turkey’s newly re-elected President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has promoted his son-in-law in law to finance minister among other steps to tighten control over the country's economic policies. Turkey
Turkey clinches deal to sell 4 warships to Pakistan After failing to find buyers in Middle East, Turkey's defense industry takes a major step forward by selling four corvettes to Pakistan. Turkey
Egypt to build $11 billion petrochemical complex As Egypt invests in refining crude oil at home, domestic fuel prices continue to rise. Egypt
Egyptian banks to forgive interest on certain loans The Central Bank of Egypt is willing to overlook the interest on some customers' loans to recover principal that otherwise might not be repaid. Egypt
Rouhani goes on offense against critics, shady interests and ‘culture of opacity’ Iranian president presses ahead with anti-corruption agenda in response to political dissent and widening protests. United States
Drought forces Iraq to abandon cultivation of crops Due to the acute shortage of irrigation water, Iraq is reducing the cultivation of large areas of land and preventing the cultivation of strategic crops that are a source of livelihood for farmers, such as rice and corn. Iraq
Will Islamic bonds help revive Egypt's economy? Some economists say the government's plan to issue dollar-dominated and euro-dominated Islamic bonds will generate more financial resources, while others worry the move strays from Egypt's secular nature. Egypt
Turkey’s passion for Jerusalem does little for Palestinians Despite the frequent and lofty promises by Turkish officials, major steps that would seriously contribute to the Palestinian economy hinge on Turkey’s attention to sensitive points in its relations with Israel. Palestine
Iran’s economic crisis gives Rouhani chance to hit 'corrupt networks' Rouhani should make use of the mandate that Iran’s supreme leader has given for further transparency, which will weaken corrupt networks that are harming the country more than any external enemy. Iran