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
Saudi Arabia eases anti-virus measures Saudi Arabia allowed businesses to reopen today, but mosques, schools and other places remain closed. Saudi Arabia
Syria allows businesses to reopen during the day The Syrian government announced the easing of the country's coronavirus lockdown today. Syria
Skies to reopen over Israel, but for whom? International carriers have announced flights will resume to Tel Aviv, though significant obstacles remain to international air travel. Israel
‘Virtual mall’ in Bahrain opens for shoppers on lockdown The online hub will allows shoppers in Bahrain to purchase from more than 100 brands. Bahrain
Egypt kicks off more Sinai development projects Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has inaugurated a series of major development projects in the Sinai Peninsula, long a hotbed for terrorism. Egypt
Lebanese protest dire economic conditions as coronavirus lockdown eases Protests have resumed in Lebanon, with many people lamenting hunger and economic strife as the country's financial crisis continues during the coronavirus lockdown. Lebanon
Sinai editorial lands Egyptian journalist in hot water Cairo is investigating the writer of an pseudonymous editorial that earned his Al-Masry Al-Youm newspaper a hefty fine for suggesting autonomy for the Sinai Peninsula. Egypt
Dubai malls open, but residents reluctant to shop The government of Dubai has eased some pandemic restrictions for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. United Arab Emirates
Israel under coronavirus: Economic straits revive social protests In the spirit of the wave of social justice demonstrations in 2011, Israelis in desperate economic situations due to the coronavirus outbreak are taking to the streets of Tel Aviv. Israel
Turkey's Syrian refugees among hardest hit amid coronavirus pandemic Some 4 million Syrians scattered across Turkey are among the most vulnerable to the novel coronavirus pandemic and its economic fallout as most of them are unable to work due to restrictions and also cannot benefit from relief assistance. Syria
COVID-19 crisis stokes fear of food insecurity in Turkey The novel coronavirus is threatening to inflate food prices in Turkey, whose agricultural sector was already in dire straits and overly reliant on imports before the pandemic. Turkey
Gaza farmers destroyed flowers amid lockdown The state of emergency imposed on the Gaza Strip due to the coronavirus pandemic has not spared the flower cultivation sector. Palestine
