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
Why so many Lebanese are looking abroad As the economic and political situations in Lebanon worsen, more Lebanese seek to emigrate to the West and to Gulf countries for better job opportunities. Lebanon
Shift to open market economy no easy task for Iran Suggested reforms as part of Iran's sixth five-year development plan envisages more competition, but will President Hassan Rouhani's team be able to push for a true open market economy? Iran
How do large ultra-Orthodox families afford so many weddings? Charitable loan societies allow the ultra-Orthodox to marry off their numerous children by avoiding expensive bank loans. Israel
First the Middle East, now Central Asia slipping away from Turkey Having lost influence in the Middle East, Turkey finds itself increasingly isolated from Central Asia and the Caucasus after its dust-up with Russia in Syria. Turkey
After liberation from IS, Iraqi cities await reconstruction After the Islamic State was defeated in several areas in Iraq, it seems the reconstruction promises have yet to be fulfilled in the absence of funds. Iraq
Will Yemen’s journalists fare better in 2016? In 2015, some journalists in Yemen suffered so much harassment and abuse that they quit their jobs and fled the country. Saudi Arabia
Does draft Palestinian social security law really protect workers? The draft social security law has been widely criticized for failing to provide workers sufficient retirement pensions or protection in cases of work-related disability. Palestine
Why are Iranian investors shrugging at nuclear deal? Despite the signing of the nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers, the Tehran Stock Exchange is still far below its levels before negotiations began under President Hassan Rouhani's rule. Iran
Why Palestinian housewives are taking lead in boycott campaigns Palestinian women have recently been joining the global BDS movement by launching their own local campaigns to encourage people to refrain from buying Israeli goods. Palestine
Protesters lock horns with government over crusader battlefield History lovers and environmental activists are battling state plans to build a Druze settlement at the ancient battlefield Horns of Hattin, where crusaders confronted Saladin's army in 1187. Israel
Can Turkish lemons soothe Ankara-Moscow relations? Turks are wondering why Russia is embargoing everything but lemons and nuts. Turkey
Will South Pars help bring Iran's economy back to life? The newly inaugurated phases 15 and 16 of Iran's giant South Pars project have the potential to greatly boost the country's economy. Qatar
