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
Iran’s currency tensions spur crypto ban Iran’s recent move to ban cryptocurrencies is not only far from clear in its scope, but also likely a mere temporary fix amid efforts to combat capital flight. Iran
Economic disobedience looms in Gaza Gaza’s private sector is threatening to start acts of economic disobedience in a bid to pressure the Palestinian Authority and Israel into alleviating the economic crisis plaguing the enclave. Palestine
Boeing finds other buyers as prospects for Iran sales dwindle There is a sense of deja vu as Boeing finds other countries, including the United Arab Emirates, to fill its order books amid US government pressure. United States
Iraq targets terrorism financing with blacklist Iraq has gained international support for its efforts to cut terror funding sources as it gathers data on companies and individuals for inclusion in the UN's sanctions list. Iraq
Can new startup law revitalize Tunisia’s economy? Tunisia’s startup scene has grown in the past several years, but some question whether a new law aimed at encouraging entrepreneurs can have a significant impact amid numerous economic woes. Tunisia
Egyptian companies pledge to stand behind Sisi’s promises to the disabled The Egyptian government and the private sector are working to improve employment opportunities for people with disabilities. Egypt
Egypt's camel bone sculptors gather to sustain ancient art The historic Egyptian art of camel bone sculpture is threatened in modern Egypt, where the carvers are fast disappearing. Egypt
Can 'de-dollarization' break Iran’s economic isolation? While there are many risks involved with currency swaps, such endeavors do present an opportunity for Iran to enhance the stability of its economy. Turkey
Egypt sets up system to manage seized Brotherhood assets Egypt has passed a law setting up measures for the seizure, assessment and managing of financial assets belonging to designated terrorist groups. Egypt
Saudi Arabia eyes Iraq's Anbar for potential investments Riyadh is considering significant investments in Iraq's Anbar province, but is facing opposition from certain Iraqi political forces and Shiite factions. Saudi Arabia
Egypt's street vendors face new restrictions Egypt’s parliament is drafting a law regulating the work of street vendors, which would save street vendors from remaining under the mercy of local authorities. Egypt
Why Iran moved to unify dual exchange rates Iran’s government was left with no choice but to resort to unifying the official and open market currency exchange rates to tame the rial's slide during a currency crisis, which has spurred some positive efforts. Iran