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
Syria-bound trucks put spotlight on Turkey Turkish opposition politicians and many in the public are questioning why trucks associated with Turkish intelligence may have been carrying arms to radical groups in Syria. Syria
Source: Hamas resorts to tobacco taxes to pay state employees In light of a religious debate concerning the permissibility of cigarettes in Islam, the Hamas-led government in the Gaza Strip had restricted the use of money from tobacco taxes to infrastructure projects, but a source says it's now using those funds to pay salaries. Palestine
UPDATE: Egypt may take Nile dam dispute with Ethiopia to UN After negotiations broke down between Cairo and Addis Ababa regarding the Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, the Egyptian government is considering internationalizing the issue through filing a complaint with international bodies. Egypt
Coffee in Gaza is a ritual for grief and creativity Despite the emergence of modern cafes and the growing popularity of espresso, some Gazans have preserved ancient Arabic coffee-drinking traditions. Palestine
Egypt-Ethiopia Nile dam talks hit dead end Talks between Cairo and Addis Ababa concerning the construction of the Renaissance Dam and Egypt’s rights to the Nile water have stalled, while Egypt remains preoccupied with internal crises. Egypt
Iran’s tourism industry struggles to meet growing demand While Iranian officials have stated they plan to grow Iran's tourism industry, challenges such as investment, visa requirements and cultural issues must be addressed. Turkey
Istanbul's skyline betrayed A generation that professes to worship the Ottomans betrayed Istanbul by destroying its silhouette with high-rises. Turkey
Lebanon's rocket scientists Although Lebanon is a small country, many of its citizens have gained prominence throughout the world as scientists and inventors. Lebanon
Unemployed Gazans turn to Facebook for income Young, unemployed Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have found ways to make money off Facebook. Palestine
Slow but steady escalation between Gaza, Israel The growing economic crisis in the Gaza Strip and frustration over Hamas' rule play into the hands of small jihadist terror organizations, which fire at Israel and destabilize the status quo. Palestine
The rise and fall of Israeli PR king Rani Rahav Public relations powerhouse Rani Rahav has represented most of Israel's rich and famous, until becoming himself the product he sells: a symbol of a society who cares little for the poor and cherishes fast money. Israel
Egypt conducts global search for stolen antiquities Following successful diplomatic efforts to recover 90 smuggled artifacts from Israel last November, Egyptian authorities continue their efforts to crack down on the antiquities trade and repatriate stolen items. Egypt
