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
Palestinians fight back against currency counterfeiters Gaza officials say counterfeiting there is mostly limited to small-time operators, though sometimes high-quality foreign forgeries slip in. Palestine
Egypt hopes to refashion tourist industry in style Egypt is turning to the world of fashion to reinvent its threadbare tourism business. Bahrain
Why some Egyptians yearn for return to monarchy Nostalgia for the period of King Farouk's monarchy has Egyptian youth focusing on that period's positives, without addressing its mistakes. Egypt
Will KRG be next target of Turkey's Gulenist purge? Though the Gulen movement has long been a major player in education, business and public facilities in Iraqi Kurdistan, observers doubt that the Turkish government will let its influence hinder relations between the two important trading partners. Iraq
Millionaire MK's plan: Partners in business will be partners for peace In an interview with Al-Monitor, Knesset member Erel Margalit argues that Israel should focus on joint regional economic ventures to build confidence, and from there advance to negotiating with the Palestinians. Israel
'Pallets of cash' controversies pay off for conservatives in US, Iran The controversy over a US-Iran settlement of a canceled arms deal indicates that opponents of reconciliation between the two countries are likely to try to use future settlements for political gain. Iran
Will Cairo decide to float the pound? Egypt's severe dollar shortage has contributed to the crisis facing the national currency, leading some to speculate a decision to float will come soon. Egypt
Why Israel's ultra-Orthodox are not happy with proposed Sabbath law This time, secular Israelis are pushing for a Sabbath-observance law while the ultra-Orthodox resist, claiming the legislation falls short of preserving the day's character. Israel
Cairo in hot water over alleged Nile flooding coverup Egypt’s government has been criticized for allegedly trying to silence reports of higher than usual Nile flooding rates, amid fears that it could hamper their efforts to reduce water usage. Egypt
Can Sisi's new investment council save Egypt's economy? While some have praised Cairo's decision to form a Supreme Council for Investment to be overseen by the president himself, others say that Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's personal involvement only demonstrates institutional incompetence. Egypt
What will $12 billion IMF loan cost Egypt? Egypt, facing a huge budget gap, is seeking to borrow from international agencies, but doing so is likely to bring harsh financial restrictions. Egypt
Long road ahead for Iran’s bid to join World Trade Organization If it wants to join the World Trade Organization, Iran will face many hurdles and has to take some painful measures. Iran