MEMRI Launches New Blog Focused on Economic Activities in the Middle East

WASHINGTON, July 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) has announced the launch of a new Economic Blog that will focus on economic news and developments in the Middle East and North Africa, specifically all Arabic-speaking countries and Iran.

The Blog (http://www.memrieconomicblog.org/) helps to elucidate economic aspects and developments of this pivotal region, with its enormous natural resources, particularly oil, and its strategic importance.

Featuring regular editorial comments, the blog offers articles and current news from the Arab and Persian press. The blog will also highlight policy statements originating from governments in the regions, and from international organizations, particularly the World Bank and the IMF.

The MEMRI Economic Blog is edited by Dr. Nimrod Rapaheli who has been a senior analyst at MEMRI for more than 5 years. Prior to that, Dr. Raphaeli served in managerial and advisory positions at the World Bank and, upon his retirement in 1997, continued to work as a consultant with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. During his service with the World Bank, Dr. Raphaeli traveled extensively to many developing countries including a number of countries in the Middle East such as Iran, Afghanistan, Yemen, Tunisia and Jordan. He has recently visited Qatar and Dubai. Dr. Raphaeli was born and raised in Iraq, and is fluent in Arabic.

"The Middle East has been on everyone's radar screen for a long time, but often for the wrong reasons. For most readers of the Western press, coverage of the Middle East region is perceived as an arena for conflict, wars, religious extremism and terrorism, and coverage is overshadowed by this," said Dr. Raphaeli. "But there are many positive stories of economic development and hope here. The MEMRI Economic Blog will shed light on these stories and the entrepreneurial spirit that is alive and well in this critically important region of the world," he continued.

The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) explores the Middle East through the region's media. MEMRI bridges the language gap which exists between the West and the Middle East, providing timely translations of Arabic, Persian, and Turkish media, as well as original analysis of political, ideological, intellectual, social, cultural, and religious trends in the Middle East.

Founded in February 1998, MEMRI is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit, 501 (c)3 organization. MEMRI's headquarters are located in Washington, DC with branch offices in Jerusalem, Tokyo and Baghdad. MEMRI research is translated to English, German, Hebrew, Italian, French, Spanish and Japanese.