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
Stocks plummet as Turkey names Gulenists top security issue Following the decision to add the Gulenist "parallel state" to its Red Book of national security priorities, companies with ties to the Gulen movement have suffered huge stock market losses. Turkey
Gaza’s businessmen facing bankruptcy Israel targeted important economic sectors in the Gaza Strip in the latest war, rendering many businesses bankrupt and business owners unemployed. Palestine
How to finance your education An inside view on how to finance your college education. Culture & Society
Israeli art fair aims to attract new collectors The Fresh Paint contemporary art fair, which opened this week in Tel Aviv, offers art lovers a chance to acquire Israeli works of art at reasonable prices, while introducing a new generation of up-and-coming young artists. Israel
Arab universities chart new course: research and job training How Arab universities are training students to fit the region's emerging needs. Pan Arab
Russia holds firm on Syria Moscow is clinging tightly to its Syria policy, believing that the regime is the best option for controlling the Islamic State and worrying over the economic situation that will inevitably emerge from the conflicts there. Syria
Egypt's beer industry toasts long history Despite the Islamic arguments against alcohol, beer has long been a successful industry in majority-Muslim Egypt. Egypt
Alawites find their voice against Assad Alawites in Syria are protesting the rise in fuel prices as criticism of the regime and its policies becomes more common and open. Syria
Islamic banking gains ground in Turkey In a first for Turkey, a state-run bank is poised to enter the Islamic banking sector, and other major state lenders are expected to follow. Turkey
Sisi's land cultivation plan ignores worsening water crisis Egypt has put forward proposals to cultivate 4 million acres of land for growing crops, but questions are being raised about where the water will come from. Egypt
Turkish government ramps up privatization A Turkish plan to privatize major public properties has come under fire from the opposition and sparked layoff worries among workers. Turkey
Turkish navy sails through rough seas Turkey is using its navy to display its global prowess, after the Sledgehammer trials saw many naval officers detained and forcibly retired. Turkey