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 faced with return of double-digit inflation Although the Rouhani administration has made great strides in terms of stabilizing the Iranian economy, it could soon be witnessing the return of double-digit inflation. Iran
Turkey can't afford to take sides in Qatar crisis A rattled Ankara is trying to keep to the middle ground in the crisis around its ally Qatar, but its soft calls for dialogue are unlikely to have much impact. Qatar
Women-only cafe opens in Upper Egypt The instantly popular Pink Cafe for women meets a need in Upper Egypt, a conservative place where women have few options for socializations and entertainment. Egypt
The curious timing of the Qatar crisis The latest Middle East crisis, the rift between Qatar and its Gulf Cooperation Council partners, has come at a sensitive time for the Gulf states. Gulf
Kirkuk’s oil to play big role in Kurdish independence The post-Islamic State era will be crucial for Kirkuk, as conflicts over the governorate's territory and oil will determine the future of relations between the Iraqi government and the Kurdistan Regional Government. Iraq
Ankara's paranoia spikes as Qatar shunned The news that five Arab countries have cut ties with Qatar, its close regional ally, has rattled Turkey, which depends on its political, military and business ties with Qatar. United Arab Emirates
Palestinians opt for Islamic banking Islamic banks operating in Palestine have experienced remarkable growth in the past decade compared to conventional banks. Palestine
Syrians in Egypt demand clearer work regulations Syrians who fled their country and settled in Egypt have so far contributed to the Egyptian economy with more than $800 million, but they have yet to get their papers in order. Egypt
Palestinians call Israeli economic offer too little, too late While Israeli Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon made a dramatic visit to Ramallah to announce a package of economic concessions, the Palestinians were less than impressed. Palestine
Egypt launches initiative to keep farmers from bailing on their land Many of Egypt's farmers are abandoning agriculture and moving to the cities to find employment, but an initiative by the Union of Producers and Exporters of Horticultural Crops is trying to encourage farmers to stay put. Egypt
Qatari money increasingly important for Turkey Growing ties with Qatar have become a hallmark of Turkish regional policy under the Justice and Development Party, with the two countries now readying to establish a joint wealth fund. Qatar
Turkish town gets ready to smell the roses The Turkish town of Isparta is in the midst of this year's rose harvest, a flower the Ottomans revered for its fragrance, taste and medicinal qualities. Countries