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
Turkish inflation creeps higher as Central Bank pressed to act Turkey’s annual inflation hit 14.03% in November, well above forecasts, raising pressure on the nation’s new Central Bank governor to impose tight monetary policies. Turkey
Israelis, Emiratis connect over cinema, concern for nature While trade is a pillar of the nascent ties between Israel and the Emirates, civil groups on both sides are finding plenty of common goals and joint projects to pursue. United Arab Emirates
Oman to issue tourist visas after 8-month suspension Travelers whose trips are organized through hotels or tourism companies can apply for visas. Oman
Jerusalem cable car taken to Israel's highest court Israel's High Court is set to rule on a controversial cable car project in Jerusalem that would alter the city's landscape. Israel
Turkish labor leaders criticize state COVID-19 response as cases surge Turkish officials introduced tighter curfew measures to curb a national surge in COVID-19 rates, drawing criticism from labor rights leaders over exemptions for production workers. Turkey
Lebanese GDP to decrease by nearly 20% in 2020 The World Bank has proposed several reform measures as Lebanon continues to struggle with currency depreciation, the COVID-19 pandemic and more. Lebanon
Intel: Rights groups urge US to nix arms sales to UAE The organizations warned the major weapons sale could contribute to further instability and violent conflict in the Middle East. United Arab Emirates
Despite tension, Turkey attracts more Egyptians than ever Istanbul has been a hot destination for Egyptians for many years and the trend is only increasing despite the tensions between the two countries. Egypt
As EU mulls sanctions against Turkey, East Med allies to begin joint drills Egypt, Greece and Cyprus are preparing to conduct joint military exercises in the Mediterranean Sea as a European summit is expected to impose sanctions on Ankara amid escalating tensions over maritime borders and gas exploration rights. Turkey
Will reopening of border crossing drive Saudi investment in Iraq? Iraq and Saudi Arabia are opening the Arar border crossing, a move that should boost Saudi investment in Iraq. Saudi Arabia
Egypt rallies Namibia, Zambia for support in Nile Dam talks Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi hosted officials from Namibia and Zambia, who have expressed support for Egypt’s role in the African continent. Egypt
Israeli Arabs enjoy fruits of normalization with the Emirates For some Israeli Arabs the normalization agreement with the United Arab Emirates opens a range of possibilities for both business and tourism. United Arab Emirates
