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
Turkey builds more hospitals as coronavirus cases spike More than 30,000 people have been diagnosed with COVID-19 less than a month since it was confirmed to have reached Turkey as the government continues to resist imposing a full lockdown. Turkey
Egypt, Jordan pay for luxury quarantine to rein in coronavirus Hotels and resorts in Egypt have welcomed people who have to be quarantined or who want to self-isolate; in Jordan, the government paid for Jordanians to be quarantined in Dead Sea resorts to stem the spread of the coronavirus. Egypt
2 million jobless as coronavirus batters Turkish economy, opposition leader says Turkey's president is facing pressure from the opposition to impose a nationwide lockdown. Turkey
Saudi Arabia to pay some private sector salaries amid coronavirus fallout Riyadh has announced it will cover a portion of private sector salaries in the industries most impacted by the novel coronavirus pandemic. Saudi Arabia
Syrian refugees villainized as Turkey faces costs of coronavirus The Turkish government is under fire for being less generous to its own needy citizens hit by the coronavirus crisis than it has been to Syrian refugees, who are said to have cost Ankara more than $40 billion. Turkey
How COVID-19 will change GCC labor markets A siren is blaring for local labor markets as the global pandemic and falling oil revenues begin to upend the Gulf states' economies. Saudi Arabia
Coronavirus revives Gaza's sewing sector as tailors turn out PPE As COVID-19 spreads across the Middle East, Israel is having medical gear made in the Gaza Strip, where clothing manufacturers have shifted production to sorely needed personal protective equipment. Palestine
Can Iran's president turn around its economy? Iran's economic plight — compounded by US sanctions, low oil prices and COVID-19 — depends on risky and difficult reforms for a turnaround. Iran
Saudis risk losing last Republican defenders with oil price war The oil price war places the Saudis at risk of losing their previously stalwart defenders on Capitol Hill, the last line of defense against legislation targeting the kingdom. Saudi Arabia
Turkey offers fresh money to companies, seeks donations for the poor amid coronavirus crisis While enhancing monetary expansion measures to prop up companies and banks against the coronavirus crisis, Ankara is calling for donations from the public to support the poor. Turkey
Erdogan threatens new restrictions if Turks flout 'voluntary quarantine' Turkey's president continues to resist calling for a nationwide lockdown, but has admitted that stronger action will be needed if Turks don't stay home. Turkey
Intel: Trump laments oil price war as Saudis lose key defenders in Congress President Donald Trump on Tuesday bemoaned the oil price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia that has rattled energy markets and exacerbated coronavirus-related layoffs throughout the United States. Saudi Arabia
