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
The real reason Boeing, Airbus deals with Iran matter Beyond being the first major aircraft sales with Iran in decades, the Boeing and Airbus deals are groundbreaking because they may entice major Western banks to resume dealings with the Islamic Republic. United States
New initiative aims to protect Palestinian working women In a bid to help women overcome the bitter situation plaguing the work environment, the Palestinian Ministry of Labor, in cooperation with the International Labor Organization, recently issued a guideline for the rights of working women in Palestine. Palestine
Police overwhelmed as drugs from Iran flood Basra Iraqi police are unable to keep up with increasing drug smuggling from Iran, and Basra, the hardest-hit province, has neither a rehabilitation center for drug addiction nor the resources to prosecute drug-trafficking gangs. Iraq
How Turkey’s government became the country’s top tycoon The Turkish government has seized scores of companies in its crackdown on the Gulen community after the July coup attempt, which, some believe, will be now transferred to government cronies. Turkey
Is Jordan Israel’s new best friend? Jordan is boosting its strategic ties with Israel based on their mutual economic interests, while Palestinians sound the alarm against normalization of relations with their enemy. Palestine
Why Rouhani won't halt costly cash handouts anytime soon Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is unlikely to discontinue the monthly cash handouts paid to most Iranians any time soon, despite the payouts' steep costs. Iran
US Treasury official praises Saudi cooperation against terror funding Assistant Treasury Secretary Daniel Glaser says there has been substantial progress reducing funds amassed by the Islamic State, but warns that IS could seek external financing if it loses its "caliphate" in Iraq and Syria. Saudi Arabia
How these Palestinian artisans are keeping craft industry alive The residents of Hebron, in the southern part of the West Bank, are trying to preserve what is left of the ancient crafts industry. Palestine
Why Iran’s banking shake-up won't be enough The first shake-up of Iran's banking sector in three decades is only the first step toward supporting the economy. Iran
Where has Turkey's foreign direct investment gone? In the first half of this year, foreign direct investments in Turkey plummeted 54% compared to the same period last year. Turkey
How realistic is Turkey’s pledge for free factories? Its budget already gaping, the Turkish government plans to spend even more under an ambitious project to revive the economy in the conflict-hit, mainly Kurdish southeast. Turkey
Protests bring transparency but not stability to Tunisia's oil sector Last year's mass protests succeeded in gaining public access to Tunisia's oil records, but the progress hasn't been enough to heal a hydrocarbon sector still plagued by labor unrest. Tunisia