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
Intel: US stands down on Europe’s new trade mechanism with Iran Europe launched its first shipment to Iran today using a mechanism that was originally intended to function as a workaround to US sanctions in a Hail Mary bid to salvage the unraveling Iran nuclear deal. United States
Tehran stock market could remain strong despite Iran's economic downturn Now might be a good time to list companies on Tehran’s booming stock exchange. Iran
COVID-19 menaces oil market The novel coronavirus pandemic could have an even greater impact on the global oil glut than the Saudi-Russian showdown over prices and output. Saudi Arabia
How will the COVID-19 crisis impact US-Iran tensions? If Iran can hold out long enough against COVID-19, Tehran and Washington might be able to come to terms. United States
Coronavirus strikes Palestine, closing down stock exchange With the Palestinian Authority's declaration of a state of emergency to fight the coronavirus pandemic, the Palestine Exchange has closed, without convincing everyone of the economic necessity. Palestine
Turks demand 'helicopter money' as coronavirus crisis worsens Turkey’s government faces growing pressure for direct cash injections to support the vulnerable masses as the coronavirus outbreak threatens grave fallout for the already ailing Turkish economy. Turkey
Old Gazan factory restored to produce protective suits amid pandemic Amid fears of catastrophic consequences in case of a coronavirus outbreak in the besieged Gaza Strip, two Palestinians took the lead and started a factory to produce protective suits. Palestine
Egyptian government’s anti-virus plan met with mixed reactions Cairo has taken several new measures to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, but many Egyptians are skeptical about the government's plans and fear the worst is yet to come. Egypt
Turkey mulls full lockdown to check coronavirus Turkey's interior minister says “full isolation” is possible if current measures do not slow the outbreak and Istanbul’s mayor says the country’s biggest city needs a stay-at-home order now. Turkey
Turkish government divided over lockdown proposals Turkish policymakers are split on whether a lockdown approach is the best way to protect Turkey from coronavirus, with some more fearful of the economic fallout than the potential deaths. Iraq
Egypt to offer investors shares in military-run companies Egypt’s Sovereign Fund is assessing military-run companies in a bid to open them up to domestic and foreign investors. Egypt
Intel: How the US is relying on Riyadh to reassure global markets In a phone call with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged Saudi Arabia to “rise to the occasion” as the escalating coronavirus crisis and the kingdom’s standoff with Russia continue to hammer global markets. Saudi Arabia
