Stories
Construction signs of a new Silk Road
The port of Dubai offers a snapshot of the Middle East's place in the global economy. Goods and capital flowing between countries, with the U.S. rarely in sight. Kai Ryssdal and Scott Tong report from Dubai and the Chinese port city of Qingdao.
Migrant labor problems hit Jordan too
The war in Iraq has brought a building boom to the capital of Jordan, Amman. But the men hanging out on street corners every morning looking for work aren't locals, which has turned a labor shortage into a regional problem. Alisa Roth reports.
Egypt is running out of water
Egypt is adding more than a million people a year, which is putting huge strains on its natural resources. Strains that are evident every time some people turn on the tap. Amy Scott reports.
Emirates Airlines enjoys more thrust
On his trip to Dubai, Kai Ryssdal flew on Emirates Airlines, one of the top 10 airlines in the world measured by passengers carried and miles flown. But it's not operated like other airlines. Here's his report.
Extending an olive oil peace
Can economic cooperation with olive growers in the West Bank contribute to attempts at peaceful co-existence between Palestinians and Israelis? Sam Eaton reports.
With Harvard, it'll be Healthcare City
Dubai's Healthcare City is shelling out half a billion dollars to build Harvard Medical School Dubai. Sean Cole grew up hanging around Harvard Square, so we figured he was the guy for this one.
TGIT! Head to the beach
Thursday night is the start of the weekend in Dubai, so Kai Ryssdal and the Marketplace crew checked out the scene at Jumeirah Beach Park.
Saudi boy meets girl -- via Bluetooth
Under Islamic law in Saudi Arabia, unrelated men and women can't mix in public. Courtship and marriages are traditionally arranged. But young Saudis are starting to resist -- and technology's helping them bend the rules. Kelly McEvers reports from Riyadh.
Can Islam shape sustainable business?
Islam frowns on wasting natural resources. It's a nod to tribal days when survival depended on it. Today some Middle Eastern businesses are reaching back to those green Islamic roots to get an edge on the global competition. Sam Eaton reports.
Hotel rules follow Islamic laws
Sharia, or Islamic, law shows up in a lot of different businesses in the Middle East, including the hospitality trade. Somewhat less-strict but still Islamic-friendly hotels are popping up all over the Middle East, including Dubai. Sean Cole checked them out.
Tending to Dubai's Muslim roots
The United Arab Emirates is an Islamic country, but sometimes it's hard to tell -- especially in Dubai. Which is a surprise for some Muslims who move there. Amy Scott reports.
A visit to Dubai's falcon hospital
Falcons hold a special place in the United Arab Emirates, so it's probably no surprise that they have a hospital especially for their care. Kai Ryssdal has more.
A lot of glitter in Dubai's gold market
Along Dubai Creek are the souks, or markets, where you can buy everything from spices and textiles to gold. Kai Ryssdal visited them and got a sense of their gold standard.
Building fast on cheap labor
Dubai's workforce is almost entirely made up of laborers from other countries. They're nothing less than crucial to the city. Stephen Beard reports on the supply of cheap labor that makes Dubai go.
Filipino worker longs for Dubai
For every Indian or Pakistani who decides to leave Dubai, for every Bangladeshi who figures their opportunites will be better at home, there are dozens or hundreds of others who'll gladly replace them. Scott Tong met one of them in Manila.
Expats keep waiting to move in
Real estate in Dubai has been open to foreigners since 2002. Speculators and would-be Dubai transplants have been coming ever since. And developers are having trouble keeping up. Sean Cole reports.
Nothing like a night at the track
When the millionaires aren't there for the big events, Dubai's Nad al Sheba racetrack is a great place for a family night out. But there's no booze and no betting . . . well, not exactly. Kai Ryssdal has more.
It all began along a creek in the desert
Kai Ryssdal introduces Marketplace's week in Dubai -- a city that wants to be the most influential place in the Middle East, the hub for everything in this world that can be bought, made or traded.
The real Emiratis
There are about 1.7 million people in Dubai. Most of them are foreigners, imported to drive its growth. Best estimates are that only 15% of the population is native-born, and that ratio could fall even lower. Stephen Beard introduces us to Dubai's vanishing breed -- the real Emiratis.
The cost of spinning sand into gold
Ambition might be Dubai's most obvious attribute, but there is a deep environmental cost of its building frenzy. There aren't enough natural resources to back it up. Sam Eaton reports.
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Muslim mortgages
How do you buy a house when your religion bars you from paying interest? Tess stops by the Zerroug family's home in Pasadena to learn about Muslim mortgages.
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Sharia student loans
Avoiding interest has forced some Muslim student loan seekers to get pretty creative. Rico Gagliano learns about financing higher education under Sharia law.
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Americans in Dubai
Nearly 80 percent of the people who live in Dubai are ex-pats, including 20,000 American citizens. Sean Cole brings us a few of their stories.
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The dream of Dubai
Dubai aims to be the biggest and the best in every way, but as Sean Cole reports, there's debate as to whether the reality of Dubai lives up to the dream.
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The Out-of-Towners
Egypt is a prime tourist destination, but that doesn't mean things are always easy for visitors. Scott Jagow explains some of the difficulties he came across as an American in Cairo.
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Voices: Thoughts on Islamic finance
Web extra: some thoughts about Islamic finance from members of our Public Insight Network.
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A modern Egyptian industry calling
They may not go head to head with India, but the call centers of Egypt offer different business perks and provide Egyptians with a decent salary. Amy Scott visits one modern facility near Cairo.
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Refugees in Jordan's schools
When Ayssir's family moved from Baghdad to Amman, Jordan, Iraqi children weren't allowed to enter the public school system. The only other option was private school, but how could they afford it? (Last in a five-part series).
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Against Saudi odds, a woman CEO
When Nadia Al Dossary's husband fell into a coma, she ignored Saudi Arabia's laws and handled his affairs. Now, she runs his multimillion-dollar scrap metal company. Kelly McEvers has her story.
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Egyptian start-ups battle red tape
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.
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Work not enough for Iraqi refugees
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).
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Minding your own business in Israel
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.
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Egyptian artifacts! (Made in China)
The Khan el-Khalili bazaar is the oldest, most famous marketplace in Cairo, where you'll see the tourism economy at work. Visitors come in droves to get souvenirs, spices, even gold. But the ancient Egyptian artifacts might just be made in . . . Well, Scott Jagow has more.
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Egypt's educated and jobless
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.
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A very humble home in Jordan
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).
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Egypt's new gold rush
Gold prices in Egypt keep hitting record highs, but until now, Egypt has largely missed out on the gold boom. Amy Scott reports on the opening of the country's first major modern gold mine.
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Markets adapt to ways of Islamic finance
The market for financial products that conform to Islamic rules is expected to grow by up to 15% a year. Financial centers around the world are scrambling to get in on it. Stephen Beard reports from Dubai.
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Hunger is a new part of their life
Ayssir, Maher and their three children moved to Jordan to escape the war in Iraq. Music is a necessity in their home, even as they struggle to put food on the table. Alisa Roth continues their story. (Part 2 of a series)
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Family faces bleak future together
Some 750,000 Iraqis have taken refuge in Jordan. Marketplace's Alisa Roth spent time with one family that's happy to be safe, living in Amman, but unsure of what lies in store for them. (First in a series)
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In Jordan, hijabs inspire style
Some women in Jordan wear head scarves, or hijabs, more as a fashion statement than as part of religious practice. Alisa Roth reports on the different ways Jordanian women view the hijab.
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Bringing Arabic music to America
Most Americans don't have enough experience with Arab music to appreciate it fully. Caitlan Carroll reports on a group of Arab musicians hoping to change that by bringing their music into the American mainstream.
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An unclear view
My lasting memory of Dubai is going to be its incompleteness. Not just physically, although that for sure. But also because for all the building and booming, its place in the global economy still isn't a sure thing. Too many people here are being left behind. Read more.
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The cost of spinning sand into gold
AUDIO SLIDE SHOW: Ambition might be Dubai's most obvious attribute. But there really aren't natural resources to back it up. Sam Eaton reports.
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Emirates Airlines enjoys more thrust
On his trip to Dubai, Kai Ryssdal flew on Emirates Airlines, one of the top 10 airlines in the world measured by passengers carried and miles flown. But it's not operated like other airlines. Here's his report.
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Modernity and Islam go together
When you see a woman in Dubai covered in black from top to bottom, including her face, but sporting hot-pink stilletto heels, you might assume some kind of disconnect between Islam and the present day. Commentator Samer Shehata says that's not the case at all.
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