Turkey’s economic gamble
Polite descriptions of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s economic policies go something along the lines of “unorthodox” or “going against the grain.” Put more bluntly, his ideas appear to tap into …
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Taliban stop imports, exports from India through Pakistan’s transit routes
“We keep a close watch on developments in Afghanistan. Imports from there come through the transit route of Pakistan. As of now, Taliban has stopped movement of cargo to Pakistan, …
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In Saudi Arabia, women are turning to business as a form of ‘quiet activism’
Saudi women are highly educated and control much of the wealth in the country. The kingdom has been advocating for female entrepreneurship in its National Development Plans for more than …
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Israel vaccinates 1 million Israelis against coronavirus, and zero Palestinians
Israel has achieved the startling feat of being the fastest country to administer coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccines. But as we would expect, the beneficiaries have been exclusively its own citizens, not the several million Palestinians …
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Oil-rich Kuwait faces looming debt crisis
When Kuwait emerged from a months-long coronavirus lockdown, hundreds of Kuwaitis flocked to reopened stores, the lines clogging malls, snaking through hallways and spilling onto sidewalks. But unlike much of …
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How the Lebanese Diaspora Is Mobilizing Against Food Insecurity at Home
Lebanon is facing a major food crisis. Struck by an unprecedented economic meltdown, nationwide protests, and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, more than 3.7 million people in the small Middle Eastern nation, which …
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Local groups step up to lead Beirut blast response
While attention has focused on promises of international aid from a France-led donor conference and a UN appeal, much of the initial help in the two weeks since a massive explosion …
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In post-blast Lebanon, farmers struggle as food shortages feared
Without money to plant, Lebanon’s farmers were already in deep trouble before last week’s explosion. Far from being the solution to the country’s food shortages, the agricultural sector that is …
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Urban refugees in Turkey uniquely threatened by coronavirus and economic recession
Much has been published about the severity of the situation regarding Covid-19 transmission in different refugee camps such as Cox Bazaar and Lambasia in Bangladesh, Zaa’tari and Azraq in Jordan, Baddawi in Lebanon, Moria in Greece, and Matamoros in Mexico. All …
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The sharing economy helps women find new economic opportunities in Jordan
In Jordan, only 15% of women are engaged in the formal economy. Jordan is near the bottom of global rankings for economic participation and opportunity for women, ranking 145 out …
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