The Middle East @ Work

For eight years Israel has imposed severe restrictions on the movement of people and goods from the West Bank. Sam Eaton reports the restrictions have devastated the business of Palestinian exporters.

Once civil servants in their home in Baghdad, Ayssir and Maher now work small jobs round the clock to provide for their family in Jordan. But they still rely on the help of friends to get by (Part 4 of a series).

Textiles are a huge employer in Egypt, but workers have started protesting their wages. In an unusual move, the government met the demands of thousands of strikers last year. Scott Jagow asks American University's Joel Beinin why.

For many Americans, the Middle East all boils down to oil. But commentator Dennis Ross notes development lags in Middle Eastern countries. To solve the problem, they're seeking to diversify their economies.

Egyptian entrepreneurs have many hurdles ahead of them to start a business, from finding money to surviving a gauntlet of paperwork. Amy Scott talks to young business owners in Egypt to hear more about their struggle.

Cross-border violence in and around Israel's Gaza Strip makes it difficult for both Israeli and Palestinian business owners to keep their doors open. Daniel Estrin reports how Israeli shop owners are coping.

We walked around Old Cairo until we found a place where they were giving music lessons. The students were learning to play an instrument called an...

Iraqi refugee Ayssir and her family abandoned their furniture and belongings in Baghdad and ended up in Amman, Jordan, one of the most expensive cities in the Middle East for housing. Alisa Roth tells more of the story (Part 3 of a series).

At an Egyptian cafe you'll find men sipping tea, smoking tobacco in water pipes, and watching satellite TV. The satellite dish has changed the Middle East as much as any technology. Commentator Marwan Kraidy says Arabic television has come a long way.

Finding a job in Egypt is an uphill battle -- even for those with college degrees. Marketplace's Amy Scott reports on a generation of young people waiting for work.