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
Report: Emirates airline receives $2 billion from Dubai government Emirates has struggled financially as it works to rebuild its flight network. United Arab Emirates
Lebanon-IMF talks make little progress despite bank collapse The Lebanese ruling elite is still bargaining over the economic reforms required by the International Monetary Fund, while the country’s economic situation continues to go downhill. Lebanon
Lebanon's central bank to take over banks that cannot boost capital The central bank is giving Lebanese banks until February to increase their capital by 20% or give their shares to the government amid fears that people's deposits are at risk. Lebanon
Turkey’s militarized Africa opening fuels influence wars The rivalry between Turkey and its regional adversaries has spilled over to the Horn of Africa and other regions in the continent beyond Libya, stoked by Ankara’s militarization of its outreach policy. Turkey
Egyptian women embrace natural hair in identity revolution Salons and kitchens are hotspots of a change that is sweeping Egypt as women reject European beauty standards and celebrate their hair as it is. Egypt
Egypt sends antiquities abroad on tourism-boosting tours As Egypt finds new ways to promote tourism in the time of the coronavirus crisis, the Czech Republic is hosting an exhibition of Egyptian antiquities found by a Czech archaeological mission. Egypt
Turkey plans new naval drills in eastern Mediterranean The Turkish navy will hold live-fire exercises in the eastern Mediterranean next week amid rising tensions with Greece. Turkey
How Mediterranean standoff complicates Turkey's natural gas agenda Too many factors — especially tensions with Greece — are at play to determine whether recent gas discovery in the Black Sea will translate into massive commercial and political gains for Ankara. Turkey
Germany appeals for calm as Turkish, Greek navies run drills in EastMed The Turkish and Greek navies conducted drills in the eastern Mediterranean this week as German Foreign Minister Heiko Mass seeks to bring both nations back to the negotiation table. Turkey
Egypt casts about for ways to protect fisheries from GERD effects Egypt is concerned Addis Ababa’s controversial dam on the Blue Nile will harm its fish resources and is pursuing ambitious projects to protect the national resource. Egypt
Flooding in Turkey kills at least eight in bitter reminder of climate chaos The government has pledged to rebuild areas hard hit by a weekend flood, but activists warn the construction of roads, dams and buildings in flood zones means more disasters are likely to follow. Turkey
Gulf citizens powerless in face of megaprojects Local communities in Saudi Arabia often have no say in the strategic infrastructure projects and long-term economic reforms that directly impact them. Saudi Arabia
