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
Turkey assesses losses from Iraqi market Turkish officials, politicians and traders are trying to calculate Turkey's losses in the Iraqi market after the ISIS takeover of Mosul and other Iraqi cities. Iraq
Turks come to Israel in record numbers The strengthening of business ties between the two countries results in an increase in Turkish citizens arriving in Israel, Israeli officials say. Israel
Ahmadinejad’s legal case still open, says Iran judiciary The Iranian judiciary’s spokesman has said that various charges are still being investigated against former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and other officials in the banking and oil sectors. Iran
US-Turkish citizens hit with sticker shock over new tax law Turks with US citizenship making profits from the stock market and interest in Turkey are now liable for taxes going back six years. Turkey
Aleppo's water crisis adds to local suffering Rebel attempts to cut the water supply to regime-held areas have backfired, disrupting drinking water supplies to the entire city. Syria
Israel's Generation Y 'brainwashed' by social networks Founders of an Internet site dedicated to Israelis in their 20s say that today's young people are reluctant to grow up, concentrating on self-fulfillment rather than on responsibility. Israel
Real estate sales boom as Turkey opens to foreign buyers Following measures making it easier for foreigners to acquire property in Turkey, sales have skyrocketed. Foreigners’ locations of choice include Istanbul as well as the Turkish coast, especially Antalya. Turkey
Gaza's unemployed graduates: between Google and falafel With the unemployment rate steadily on the rise in the Gaza Strip, many college graduates are taking and creating jobs outside their specialty. Palestine
Iraq crisis hits Turkish economy Iraq is Turkey's second leading export market, but trade routes to Baghdad and farther south are currently blocked because of ISIS's capture of Iraqi territory. Iraq
Arab startups connect with Silicon Valley Some of the Middle East's fastest growing companies visited the United States in search of advice and inspiration. Lebanon
Financial sector spurs Turkish economic growth Europe’s rising demand for Turkish exports is considered a positive sign for Turkey's economic forecast. Turkey
Lebanon’s World Cup 'crisis' A dispute over broadcasting rights has led the Lebanese to temporarily ignore political crises and focus on ways to watch World Cup games. Lebanon
