Tag: Gulf
Stimulating geo-strategic environment
Dr. Zafar Nawaz Jaspal | Changing regional and global politico-economic circumstances and emerging security concerns have been reshaping the relationship between/among nations. The replica of...
Shifting energy import patterns enhance China’s clout in the Middle East
James M. Dorsey | Subtle shifts in Chinese energy imports suggest that China may be able to exert influence in the Middle East in alternative...
There’s no difference between men and women: Crown Prince Salman
News Desk | Saudi Arabia's crown prince Muhammad Bin Salman in his latest interview to CBS's news program ‘60 minutes' remarked that he considers women...
Saudi-Iranian rivalry: The way forward!
News Analysis | Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani said, “Iran is ready to discuss regional security issues with its Gulf Arab neighbors as long as foreign...
Muslim countries to face severe water scarcity by 2025
News Desk | Islamic countries are expected to suffer from severe water scarcity by 2025. The matter of water shortage was discussed in an inaugural...
Saudis ban botox lips for Camels at beauty pageant
AFP | Huddled together on a dusty racetrack, Saudi judges scrutinise pouty lips and shapely humps in a high-stakes camel beauty pageant mired in scandal after botox and cosmetic...
Gulf crisis continues to fuel the fire in Syria and Iran
James M Dorsey | Turkish allegations of Saudi, Emirati and Egyptian support for the outlawed Kurdish Workers Party (PKK) threaten to turn Turkey’s military offensive...
Saudi boosts citizen benefits as taxes bite
AFP | Saudi Arabia announced Saturday it had boosted stipends and benefits for citizens to cushion the impact of economic reforms including the kingdom's first...
Trump’s decision causes turmoil in the Gulf
James M Dorsey | US president Donald J. Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem potentially sets the stage for a controversial American effort to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian...
What is the difference between Qatari and Saudi Wahhabism?
James M Dorsey | A multi-domed, sand-colored, architectural marvel, Doha’s biggest and national mosque, symbolizes Qatar’s complex and troubled relationship with Saudi Arabia. Its naming...
Playing with Fire: There are no good guys in the Middle...
James M. Dorsey | Remarks at United Hebrew Congregation, Singapore, 3 October 2017 There are no nice guys in the Middle East, a region that is...
Gulf crisis turn Qatar into potential model of social change
James M. Dorsey| Potential Qatari moves to become the first Gulf state to effectively abolish the region’s onerous kafala or labor sponsorship system, denounced as...
Is US running out of friends?
M K Bhadrakumar | An amazing week is unfolding in West Asian politics. It began with three dramatic developments on Monday – Turkish troops crossing...
The Gulf crisis: Fighting it out down and dirty
James M. Dorsey | In the three-month old Gulf crisis, nothing is too expensive or too down and dirty when it comes to buying influence,...
100 days of Qatar crisis
Ambreen Shabbir | The Qatar-blockade, the diplomatic crisis of 2017 that jiggled the world in different ways, approached its 100 days. There has been no...
Riyadh slams Doha, suspends talks after signs of breakthrough
News Analysis | Saudi Arabia has cut off talks with Qatar on Saturday accusing the tiny Gulf country of "distorting facts" regarding the telephonic conversation...
Qatar attempts to help itself: Citizens of 80 countries allowed visa-free...
News Analysis | With the ongoing Crisis in the Gulf, Qatar and the national flag bearing airline, Qatar Airways, is facing a massive problem with a...
Gulf media wars produce losers, no winners
James M. Dorsey | Feuding Gulf states that have pumped millions of dollars into public diplomacy appear to have done better in damaging the reputations...
The Gulf crisis: Fake news shines spotlight on psychological warfare
James M. Dorsey | Revelations about two incidents of Gulf-related fake news shine a spotlight on a long-standing psychological war between the UAE and Qatar...
Gulf crisis ties global soccer governance into knots
James M. Dorsey | International soccer governance is tying itself up in knots with football associations grappling with the fallout of the Gulf dispute between...
Overseas Pakistanis: An underrated asset for Pakistan
Shanzay Asim | Overseas Pakistanis form a sizeable chunk of our population and contribute significantly to the economy through remittances. In fact, foreign remittances are...
Gulf crisis: A new tale or a recap of the Southeast...
James M. Dorsey | Two competing visions of ensuring regime survival are battling it out in the Gulf. To Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates,...
Iran sits pretty as the Qatar crisis continues to loom
News Analysis | The Qatar saga continues to frustrate peaceniks. For many, this rift between Arab countries is Iran’s hit. As the crisis remains unresolved,...
Increased intervention in Syria: How many targets is the US eyeing?
M. K. Bhadrakumar | The shooting down of a Syrian SU-22 warplane by a US F/A-18E Super Hornet to the south of the city of...
Gulf crisis and new alliances: Where does Pakistan stand?
News Analysis | Bahrain has ordered Qatari troops serving with a coalition fighting the Islamic State group to leave its territory. It comes after Bahrain...
A battle for influence between two monarchies
Yasir Malik | Qatar, a tiny oil-rich nation, an ally of the USA and European powers having a wealth fund of $335 billion is the largest...
ISIS leader Abu Bakar al-Baghdadi killed: Who will be his successor?
Nauman Sadiq | The Russian Ministry of Defense has claimed that according to information, which is being checked through various channels, the Islamic State’s leader Abu-Bakr...
Saudi Arabia or Qatar: Pakistan’s search for neutrality in the Gulf...
M. K. Bhadrakumar | The fact that Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was accompanied by the army chief General Qamar Bajwa on the visit to...
“The US created ISIS” says Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei
News Analysis | Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatullah Ali Khamenei has stated that America is the cause of instability in the region and its fight again...
Realignments in the Middle East: Which is the stronger bloc?
M. K. Bhadrakumar | Almost a week has passed since the terrorist strikes in Tehran but Iran has not retaliated with any “surgical strike” against...
The coerced dictated definitions: Who are terrorists and freedom fighters?
Muhammad Feyyaz | Qatar is in the eye of a storm, and sectarian blocks have deepened as never before. Indeed, geopolitically, the whole edifice of...
Diplomatic breakdown in the Gulf: Is Trump the only one to...
Nasir Azeem | The diplomatic and political rifts between the Arab nations is nothing new. The Gulf States have been fighting over a variety of...
Gulf crisis: Is Saudi Arabia the only bad guy here?
James M. Dorsey | A Saudi and UAE-led campaign to force Qatar to halt its support for Islamists and militants is little else than a...
The 4th generation war: Who is running away with the show?
Saleem Akhtar Malik | After President Trump’s recent tour of Saudi Arabia and Israel, the Middle East is ablaze with accusations and counter-accusations. The geopolitical...
Ashraf Ghani’s outburst: How should Pakistan handle the situation?
Imtiaz Gul | Political temperatures spiked to unprecedented levels with a May 31 terrorist attack in Kabul that has left about 150 people dead. Afghan...
Saudi-UAE-Qatar crisis: Will the US’ mediation bear fruit?
News Analysis | The noise of Saudi-led Qatar boycott is reverberating in the region and beyond as the need for mediation and protection is being...