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
Do gas condensate exports represent new beginning for Iraq's hydrocarbon industry? As the first shipment of gas condensate reached the UAE, Iraq is seemingly on the right path to develop its energy sector despite some difficulties in the sector. United Arab Emirates
Is Israel key to solving Renaissance Dam crisis? Ousted parliamentarian Tawfik Okasha still faces fierce criticism from his government for getting too close to Israel, in the ongoing Renaissance Dam saga — but could Egypt need Israel more than they are willing to admit? Egypt
After criticism, Rouhani defends his economic performance After receiving criticism for not yet having implemented the resistance economy, President Hassan Rouhani answered back that his administration has already fulfilled many economic promises. Iran
Is Turkey swaying back toward Iran? The recent visits of Turkey’s prime minister to Iran and the Iranian foreign minister to Turkey may indicate a turning point in relations between these two important neighbors. Turkey
Ultra-Orthodox turn to 'kosher' Internet Israel's ultra-Orthodox leadership is encouraging its community to access only filtered Internet content and use ''kosher'' smartphones, as technology makes it harder and harder to block unwanted material. Israel
Vessels willing to go the distance to avoid Suez canal tariffs Egyptian authorities, who recently inaugurated the East Port Said side channel of the Suez Canal project, say they’re not concerned by reports of vessels using alternate routes. Egypt
Will Iran be able to win over Britain when it comes to banking sanctions? To put pressure on the United States to uphold its commitments to facilitate the implementation of sanctions relief, it appears that the Iranians are now turning to Britain. Iran
Palestinian farmers caught in political tug of war After some West Bank farmers were barred from bringing their goods into Jerusalem, it seems the Palestinian conflict is moving more to the economic sphere than to the political one. Palestine
Will short-term solution help Lebanon solve trash crisis? After drowning in piles of trash for more than eight months, Lebanon is implementing a landfill plan rejected by civil movements amid concerns of the environmental, health and economic damages ensuing from this crisis. Lebanon
5 reasons Iran will be able to wait out low oil prices Iran’s decision not to take action against low oil prices is primarily motivated by the ambition to reclaim market share. Iran
Will border region dispute threaten Egyptian-Sudanese ties? In an interview with Al-Monitor, new Halayeb-Shalateen parliamentarian Mamdouh Amara spoke about the dispute between Cairo and Khartoum over the area, as well as the main problems facing development in remote regions. Egypt
Will Riyadh cancel aid to Egypt? Saudi Arabia might be using the promise of aid or the threat of withdrawing aid to get Egypt to toe the line politically in regard to Syria. Saudi Arabia
