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
Egypt aims to produce 20% of power from renewables by 2020 Egypt has conducted feasibility studies for the construction of solar power plants that could not only help cover its energy needs, but become an exportable commodity. Egypt
Sacred citrons mean big business for Israeli farmers The mystical citron fruit, used by Jews during the Feast of the Tabernacles, continues to captivate the imaginations of those who cultivate it and of Jews around the world seeking "the most beautiful citron." Israel
Syrian price spikes: Aleppo gas increases by 140% Strikes by the US-led coalition on the Islamic State have targeted oil wells and refineries, causing prices of basic commodities in Syria to skyrocket. Syria
Questions arise over Egypt's proposed Nile shipping lane Egyptian experts say a project to add a navigation lane to the Nile River, linking Lake Victoria and the Mediterranean Sea, is almost impossible to achieve. Egypt
Gaza civil servants' salaries remain unpaid The Palestinian national reconciliation government is suffering from a deficit that poses a challenge to the payment of the salaries of Gaza's government workers. Palestine
Turkish home sales to foreigners on the rise Foreigners bought 1,774 homes in Turkey in August, a twofold increase from the same period last year, with Britons, Russians and Germans topping the list of buyers. Turkey
Turkey hits jackpot by privatizing gambling Turkey’s government has decided to privatize all games of chance, driven both by religious motives and financial woes. Turkey
Lapid could end up paying for the price of pudding The public outcry over the price of chocolate pudding snacks should signal to Finance Minister Yair Lapid and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that socioeconomic issues will dominate the agenda of the next elections. Israel
Israeli war destroys Gaza antiquities Owners of private museums that housed thousands of antiquities continue to survey the damage and looting committed by Israeli forces in the latest conflict. Palestine
Route to Mecca shortened for Arab Israelis Arab-Israeli pilgrims can now fly from Israel via Jordan to Mecca, without a long and expensive stopover in Amman. Israel
Turkish markets undergo two-month slump A series of domestic and external risks, coupled with the global surge of the dollar, spur an alarming downturn in the Turkish economy. Turkey
Rich kids of Tehran A new Instagram account documenting the lives of Iran's young elite reveals the extreme wealth of the newly rich. Iran