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
Is Egypt trying to provoke Turkey in eastern Mediterranean? Although Egypt has stopped liquefying and exporting liquefied natural gas due to the global collapse of prices as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, it is still expanding its gas production in the eastern Mediterranean. Egypt
End of lockdown brings avalanche of demonstrations to Israel People from across Israeli society have been demonstrating against the government, demanding both looser and tighter restrictions and increased aid Israel
Israel, PA agree on return of construction workers Israel and the Palestinian Authority have agreed on the conditions for the return of some 50,000 workers, mostly in the construction sector. Palestine
Turkey’s politicians spar over masks, bread in coronavirus response President Recep Tayyip Erdogan insists his government should spearhead the fight against the pandemic and has stymied relief efforts in opposition-held cities, forcing local officials to come up with creative ways to deliver aid. Turkey
US sanctions Iranian-Iraqi businessman, mining company linked to IRGC The sanctions freeze any US-held assets belonging to Amir Dianat and Taif Mining Services. Iran
Low projections dim Ankara's high hopes for tourism recovery Turkey plans to begin reopening domestic travel in late May, but prospects remain gloomy for its crucial tourism sector, which relies largely on foreign visitors. Turkey
Extremist Syrian rebel group tests Turkey's limits in Idlib Jihadi forces resisting the reopening of the key M4 highway in Idlib are squeezed between Turkey’s amity and military might, but Turkey itself is not without dilemmas. Syria
Lebanon to seek IMF assistance to help with economic crisis The prime minister said Lebanon would seek $10 billion in loans from the international financial institution after passing a reform bill. Lebanon
Israel’s largest bank admits to helping taxpayers use offshore accounts, facilitating FIFA conspiracy Bank Hapoalim agrees to pay the United States more than $900 million in connection with the two cases. Israel
Report: Trump threatened to remove US troops from Saudi if no oil production cut Trump told the Saudi Crown Prince that US troops would leave Saudi Arabia if OPEC did not cut production, according to a new report. Saudi Arabia
Turkey says virus outbreak at peak as government weighs easing restrictions The country’s health minister credits new therapies and contact tracing for a recent decline in new cases, but warns it is still too soon to loosen restrictions on mobility to mitigate the outbreak. Turkey
Oman’s sovereign wealth fund under pressure Ahead of the prospect of a high budget deficit in 2020, assets held by the State General Reserve Fund (SGRF) plunged by about a third to $14.3 billion. Oman
