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
Iran's Pivot to the East Iran's trade patterns have shifted in recent years as a result of sanctions, making Asia a new market for Iranian goods. Iran
Turkey Adds Fuel to Fight Of Iraqi Kurds for Independence Despite Turkey’s age-old fear of Kurdish independence in contiguous regions near its border, energy ties are growing between Turkey and Iraq's Kurdistan Region. Iraq
Gaza Construction Halts As Siege Tightens Gaza's construction unions have pleaded with Europe and the United States to pressure Israel to allow in raw materials after Egypt border closure. Palestine
Iraqi MP: Maliki, Barzani Close to Solving Oil Dispute Rapport between Baghdad and Erbil seems relatively warm as the two governments continue to settle oil disputes. Iraq
Why Turkey Has 'Anti-Capitalist Muslims' İhsan Eliaçık, the group's leader, believes that the Islamic duty is not just caring for the poor, but overthrowing the capitalist “system” that he thinks makes them poor. Turkey
Gaza Hospitals Suffering Due To Border Closure with Egypt Egypt's closure of the border tunnels is hampering the ability of Gaza's health sector to treat those in need. Palestine
Erdogan Flips on Turkey’s 'Interest Lobby' Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan had blamed the “interest lobby,” or domestic and foreign financial institutions, for the Gezi Park protests, but now he is raising interest rates. Turkey
Erdogan’s Muddled Plan For Yassiada Memorial Erdogan uses a historical tragedy to initiate a profit-oriented project on Yassiada Island, the symbol of the 1960 coup that resulted in the execution of then-premier Adnan Menderes, the man Erdogan idolizes. Turkey
Iraq’s Sex Trade Thrives Given the lax security situation since the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq, the country’s sex trade has proliferated. Iraq
Rouhani Decides Honesty Best Policy On Iran's Economic Mess Iran’s new president looks to US-educated veterans to staff his cabinet and deal with Iran’s economic crisis and nuclear standoff. Iran
Hamas Faces Financial Crisis After Egypt Tunnel Closures Hamas is struggling to pay the salaries of government employees as revenues from smuggling tunnels have drastically dropped due to closures by Egypt. Palestine
