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
Sisi sees great promise in China-Egypt partnerships President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi attended China's second forum on its Belt and Road Initiative with the aim of boosting trade and promoting investments. Egypt
Will Banque du Caire’s second go at privatization succeed? Banque du Caire hopes to raise $300-400 million by selling a 20-30% stake in it this year. Egypt
Energy tops agenda of Turkish FM's meetings in Iraq Turkey’s foreign minister is touring Iraq in a likely bid to boost ties with his country's oil-rich neighbor as the United States ends the waivers that allowed Turkey to buy oil from Iran. Iraq
Brain drain saps Turkey's defense industry Turkey is holding a mammoth defense industry fair, looking to boost its exports and counter a saturated domestic market, but the sector is suffering from a serious lack of manpower. Turkey
Russia consolidating its position in Iraq amid anti-Iran sanctions Russian and Iraqi officials convened in Baghdad for another bilateral commission session to discuss energy and security cooperation amid US anti-Iran sanctions. Iraq
US permits civil nuclear ties with Iran despite 'maximum pressure' Iran’s economy struggles under sanctions, floods, mismanagement; Al-Monitor’s Jack Detsch recognized for "exemplary reporting." United States
Turkey seeks alternate oil sources as US ends Iran sanctions waivers Ankara vowed to defy US sanctions on Iran, but figures show Turkey heeding US restrictions and curtailing oil imports from Iran. Turkey
As food prices soar, Ankara wobbles on solution Turkey’s food inflation has climbed to nearly 30% amid an alarming decline in the agricultural sector, but Ankara remains far from a viable solution, wasting time with unrealistic projects. Turkey
Qatar brings Gaza beaches back to life The Gaza Electricity Distribution Co. completed April 18 a Qatar-funded project designed to ensure uninterrupted power supply to the wastewater treatment plants, which will subsequently stop seawater pollution and revitalize the beaches. Palestine
Gaza’s Justice Ministry has a new delivery service For the first time, judicial notification and papers in Gaza will be delivered by a private company. Palestine
Egypt's iron tariffs threaten some of its own companies The Egyptian government’s new temporary import fees have sparked controversy among Egypt’s steel rerolling factories, which rely on imported iron billet to produce rebar. Egypt
Can Palestinians free themselves of the shekel? The new government of Prime Minister Mohammed al-Shtayyeh would like to drop the shekel, which is not an easy proposition given the many ways the Israeli currency enters the Palestinian economy. Palestine