Middle East

Corruption is still a serious challenge for most countries in the Middle East, according to the Germany-based Transparency International. Iraq remains one of the most corrupt countries in the world, while Iran slightly improved in the ranking but is still among the most corrupt countries in the region, along with Libya and Yemen, according to the latest index released by the corruption watchdog. The least corrupt countries in the region include Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Israel and Oman, which all rank in the top 50 of Transparency International’s list, Voice of America reports.