It has been a year since the announcement of the enlargement of the now-recognized BRICS Plus, which saw Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates all adhered to the group, collectively representing over 30 percent of the global GDP and nearly half of the world’s …

Israel Mulls Its Iran Options: With considerable trepidation, the Middle East, and indeed the wider world, is awaiting Israel’s response to Iran’s massive October 1st missile barrage on the Jewish state. The White House, fearful of a wider regional war, is exerting massive (albeit mostly quiet) pressure for Jerusalem to …

Eng. Saleem Al Batayneh In psychology, there’s a phenomenon called Stockholm Syndrome, a condition where the victim begins to sympathize with and even feel loyalty toward their oppressor. This is an apt metaphor for what has been happening to the educational systems in many Arab countries. As we …

Diplomacy has expanded beyond physical borders to include the digital realm. Cyberdiplomacy—the intersection of diplomacy and cybersecurity—is now crucial for maintaining international peace and security. While countries like Estonia have risen as global leaders in cyberdiplomacy, positioning themselves at the forefront of international cybersecurity cooperation, Latin America still …

Social media has radically transformed the way people engage with politics and geopolitical issues. Platforms such as TikTok, X (formerly known as Twitter), and Instagram have emerged as crucial arenas where political debates unfold, ideologies are shaped, and global issues are framed. The brevity of content, ease of …

The impending Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Islamabad on October 15-16, 2024, is a momentous event for Pakistan and the whole Eurasian region. Since becoming a full member in 2017, Pakistan has gradually increased its involvement in this significant regional group, which strives to improve political, economic, …

The Israel-Iran rivalry continues since establishment of Israel and the roots of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and mistrust are deep and complex, predating the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948. The blatant, horrific, cross border terror attack by Hamas on October 07, 2023, killing about 1,200 people and …

Since the period of the Cold War, proxy warfare has been a common phenomenon involving major powers coming into indirect military confrontations in a third state through surrogate forces to reflect dissent or rivalry. The absence of direct engagement makes it a convenient and diplomatically arguable form of …

Crude oil has long been regarded as the lifeblood of the global economy, with its price fluctuations having profound effects on industries, nations, and consumers worldwide. Given its centrality to economic activity, any geopolitical instability, particularly in the Middle East, can lead to significant volatility in crude oil …