Introduction:

The below paragraphs are brief overview of some major happenings and
incidents happening all across Middle eastern Region.These happenings are either social,
political or economical in nature present in varying degree across the region.
Some of them are:
Water Crisis in the Middle East Region:
According to one of the publishing done in AsianTimes by Thomas W. Lippman at
May21st, 2014 it stated that The political and social unrest of the arabsprings have
diverted the attention of major countries from the major challenges the middleeast might
face in comming future an that problem is none other than Water scarcity. Middleeast is
already facing issue of rapid population growth, poverty,unemployment, insufficient
growth of consumer product; and now, a new item is ready to join the line called water
shortage. The Middle East Region is rich in oil reserves which produces most of countries
wealth but lacks water resources due to harsh climate and hot deserts which made their
agriculture more difficult than ever. There are many countries in the middle east who are
in desperate need of water and are at state of emergency.These include countries like
Syria, Yemen, Jordan, Egypt. For Yemen, to built such water reservoir is very expensive.
It is very expensive for Syria as well to construct and operate as well as being less
equiped. Egypt i sexposed to such problem due to their rapid population growth with no
additional water resources. Jordan is always short of water and bears the weight of
refugees from Syria. But technically speaking, countries who are well stable
economically can overcome this problem and Saudi Arabia leads as an example which
have made notable progress in supply of water and good water management. Once, one
of the largest exporter of wheat now banned the cultivation of wheat from 2016 and now
mainly focuses on greenhouse production of fruits and vegetables and reuse of waste
water.
Middle East: An Emerging World of Unemployment:
In one of the publishing done by Tom Arnold in The National stated that Report by
International Labour organization published in January 22, 2013 warned the rapid
increase in unemployment rate all across the Middle east Region, already doubled the rate
of the global average and is expected to increase in further comming years. According to
the Report, unemployment among all age group in the region is 11.3% last year and was

expected to rise slightly this year. In 2012, 28.1% of youth of Middle east were jobless
out of which 19.3% of females were unemployed, which was twice the rate for men.
Joblessness in females is most as compare to the male population. And where the youth
population is concerned, more than half of the youth under age 20 are jobless and is some
countries this figure stands for 70% for female population. Some of the named and most
knowned countries in Middle East Region like Yemen, Iraq, Iran and Palestine are at
alarming stage of unemployment and in need of desperate help. 35% of Iraqi youths are
unemployed and in Palestine Territories, unemployment is more than 20%. Where GCC
countries are concerned, Unemployment rate in GCC countries are lower but still at the
highest when compared to the International Standards. Femal and Youth unemployment
for both Males and Females in U.A.E were more than 10%, while total joblessness was
less than 5%, and about 30% of youth in KSA and Bahrain are jobless, highest in any
GCC countries. International Labour Organization warned and pointed out slow growth
of market as a main cause of unemployment. But despite this, International Labour
Organization appreciated the efforts of GCC governments' public employment efforts to
help reduce situation of unemployment in GCC countries.
Middle East Private Education Market is fastest growing in the world:
According to an IIR Middle East report on "Trends in Private Education Investment and
Expansion in MENA 2013", due to rapid growth of population, settlement of expacts,
construction of international level schools and economic expansion, the value of Private
Education in GCC countries has risen up to 15b$ making it the fastest growing Private
Education Market in the world.
An IIR Education Investment MENA Conference was held with some profound speakers.
Chaiperson of IIR Conference Raplh Tabberer, who is CEO of (BBD) (Better Broader
Deeper) said "There is no doubt that private education investment expands more rapidly
in this region than anywhere else in the world". He further says that in terms of growth in
private education market, Dubai has taken the lead, which closely followed by AbuDhabi
and Qatar.
Ashwin Assomull, Partner at the Parthnon Group, U.A.E and speaker at this year's
conference siad that "Private educaton in the egion continues to outspace growth in the
public sector. Both higher education and K-12 segemnts are growing rapidly across
MENA. One factor that has contributed to this growth is the increase in expatriates in the
GCC, which has risen by 20% since 2005". Speaking at this conference, he said that

Western Private sectors are growing at 15-20% per annum as compared to 2-6% of
experienced by non-western and government aided universities. He further added that the
market size of U.A.E is larger than those of China, KSA and India.
Another Prominent speaker at the conference Dr. Ayoub Kazim, Managing Director of
TECOM's Education Cluster which incorporates Dubai Knowledge Village and Dubai
International Academic City said" We have long seen the growth potential in the
regions higher education sector indeed, that is what spurred us on to open our first
universities at Dubai Knowledge Village in 2003. Ten years later, we have seen a further
25 world-renowned academic institutions open up across DKV and DIAC, in direct
response to rising student numbers. Not only that, the UAE is now recognised as the most
attractive destination for higher education amongst emerging market economies.
MERS could go Global in 2014:
Published in HAARETZ in April 24th, 2014, stated that The world is at risk of Middle
East Respiratory Syndrome(MERS) outbreak after spreading at a record speed in KSA.
The main root of this disease expected to go global is because of large number of foreign
Pilgrimage to attend Hajj in month of July, 2014 and is expected to go global. Confirmed
cases of MERS virus in KSA is staggering as 10 new MERS cases sre now being reported
everyday and there is no vaccine or anti-viral treatment being found. Later this year, King
Abdullah of KSA has replaced health minister Abdullah al Rabeeah due to growing
public concerns and protest over virus which was discovered 2 years ago and killed
around third of sufferers.Many countries including Yemen, Malaysia, Philippines and
Greece reported their first case of MERS virus and all were reported to have travelled
from Gulf States.
Forecasting the death toll to rise, many health care expets have accused KSA of hiding
information about the outbreak. A statement released by WHO stated also claimed they
are not receiving timely information on the spread of MERS and do not have latest count
on Infected individuals and requested GCC to monitor spreading in their countries. On
the website they adviced "WHO encourages all Member States to continue their
surveillance for severe accute respiratory infection (SARS) and to carefully review any
unusual changes"
Oil Prices affected International Market: Who wins and Who loses:
Oil is one of the biggest natural resource Middle East have and affect in its price likely

affects international market whic is happening nowadays. Since KSA has dropped its
prices of oil, it has affected both local and global market producing positive as well as
negative effects. The recent reduction in oil prices have reduced the oil prices to $70 in
U.S.A, which was more than $100 in the month of July.
Since the oil price have shaped the economy, it has also produced some winners and
losers in economy as well.
1) Winners: Global Consumers
Due to decrease in oil price by KSA, consumers who uses transportation
and other means of traveling may have to pay less than waht they are actually expected to
pay thus taking a sigh of relief. though this effect may not lasts forever, but for now,
consumers in U.S.A and beyond are the winners
2) Losers: American Oil Producers
Independent Oil producers in America are earning less revenues due to
decrease in price of oil in the global market, hence relying heavily on bank loans or in
some cases, may face bankruptcies
3) Potential Losers: The Environment
Reduction in oil prices leads to more travelling and more travelling lead to
more consumption of oil and fuel which then leads to excessive carbon emission which is
harmful for environment.
The Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria (ISIS):
An extreme Islamist group ISIS, a group that even have outdone Al-Qaeeda in many
ways. ISIS is run by an Iraqi Jihadist Abu Bakr al- Baghdadi including 6000 fighters from
Iraq, 3000-5000 from Syria, including perhaps 3000 foreigners including 500 from
France, Britain and other parts of Europe. ISIS has an extended network and in some past
years or so they have managed to get control much of eastern and northern Syria and
western and northern Iraq. On June 10th, the marked their biggest achievement by
capturing Mosul, Iraqs second city, and most of the surrounding province of Mineveh.
Next, they marched towards Baghdad and took control of several towns on the way. Not
only taking control of some major cities, they defeated Iraqs security forces and took
control over army bases, banks and government offices.

ISIS, is a big group of Jihadis and has its own aim, and govern their lives on principles
and moral codes. Right now, their biggest aim is to take control of territories, imposing
own laws of justice and moral codes like no football, no smoking, no unveiled women
and even impose taxes on parts of Iraq and Syria it has conquered. They are ruthless and
kills Shia and other minorities including Christians and Alawites.
ISIS in Iraq ans Syria are accused of some major killing leaving 5,400 people dead this
year alon (in 2014). They are held responsible for 75% to 95% of all attacks. Thus these
figures are enough to show the ruthlessness of ISIS group. Not only this, Al-Qaeeda also
deemed ISIS is too violent and giving Al-Qaeeda a bad name.
Conclusion:
Briefly explained above are some of the happenings in the Middle East thugh the list
itself is exhausted. Moreover, and you cannot guess from these 6 topics as from what
Middle East is going thorugh and to what phase its going to enter because the happenings
in the Middle East Region, whether big or small stays unpredictable and its only a
guesswork what will Middle East will go through in the future.
Citation: