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
West Bank city becomes shopper's paradise for Palestinians living in Israel Impressive numbers of Palestinians in Israel are crossing the Green Line destined for shopping and eating in the West Bank city of Jenin. Palestine
Egypt expands law granting domestic products preference Egypt’s parliament has approved amendments to a law that gives preference to domestic products instead of imported ones in government contracts, drawing mixed reactions from local experts. Egypt
Turkish exports to Syria revived under shadow of war Turkey remains Syria's leading supplier of goods despite the ongoing war, with exports standing at some $1.4 billion last year. Syria
How Iran's Telegram ban will kill jobs The move by the Iranian authorities to ban Telegram impacts not just access to information but also top political priorities such as job creation. Iran
Russia finds navigating new development tricky in Syria Syria is slowly being seen less as a military liability and more as an investment opportunity, though there are still many potential challenges. Syria
Iran’s insurance industry braces for impact of US sanctions As Iran’s insurance industry awaits the re-imposition of US nuclear-related sanctions, the sector is this time better prepared for external restrictions. Iran
Can Palestine be transformed into investment hub? Foreign investments in Palestine accounted in 2017 for $1.5 billion, mostly in the tourism and banking sectors, with Palestine offering a range of encouraging incentives. Palestine
Iran's outreach to India after US exit from nuclear deal faces obstacles While Iran will likely receive political and trade support from the Indian government, Indian business with exposure to the United States will likely succumb to pressure from Washington. United States
Truckers display new face of popular protest in Iran The recent trucker strike in Iran was characterized by its geographical spread and focus on economic demands. Iran
Turkey's steel wars heat up While gearing up for countermeasures against US steel tariffs, Turkey faces a fresh challenge from regional steel producers who are increasingly targeting its own market. Turkey
Can Egypt’s Central Bank save thousands of faltering factories? The Egyptian Central Bank launched a new initiative to save more than 5,000 faltering factories by repaying their loans. Egypt
Is Turkey headed for IMF bailout? An increasing number of observers see an inevitable prospect of Turkey seeking an IMF bailout, yet the country is not on its beam-ends yet and the outcome of the June 24 polls will bear on its ability to keep its economy afloat without going to the IMF. Turkey