REGIONS

By Shehab al-Makahleh • The bloc of four nations entailing Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates with overall population estimated at 75 million, occupying an area of 2.95 million square kilometers would become a regional power to counter Iran and any other regional country posing a threat …

The bloc’s 60th anniversary celebrations have been tempered by Britain’s impending departure. Pope Francis warned world leaders on Friday that the European Union “risks dying” without a clear vision for the future. The pontiff addressed European Union leaders at the Vatican ahead of the bloc’s 60th anniversary celebrations, scheduled to …

Don’t be relieved by the Dutch election—it’s done nothing to stop populism in Europe It was with a sigh of relief that the world’s progressives greeted the Dutch general election results on March 15, exactly one week ago. The international press had descended on The Hague to see …

Special Report • According to the documents at our disposal, the U.S. authorities and the Syrian Kurds reached an agreement past week on the boundaries of the Kurdish autonomy in the territory of Syria, which had been guaranteed to Kurds in case of capturing Raqqa and Al-Tabqah (34 miles …

The MENA region is anticipated to receive 195 million tourists within the next 13 years Despite many countries being marred by political conflict and violence, the Middle East and North Africa region is expected to become a popular tourist destination within the next 13 years. The region, often referred to …

Last month Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan once again suggested that a new national Syrian army should be created, adding that the Free Syrian Army (FSA) could form part of such an army. Turkey has influence over at least 2,000 FSA fighters in northwest Syria, which it uses as an allied proxy …

Ever since September 11, 2001, security concerns have played a central role in the United States’ migration policy – but never more aggressively so than now. Americans, anaesthetized by the War on Terror that just drones on, may have forgotten, but a tough and exhaustive vetting process has …

While the short-term outlook still looks uncertain for Iran, the larger fundamentals hugely favor it. Saudi Arabia’s King Salman hopes to exploit a window of opportunity while in Beijing to loosen China’s affiliations with Iran. But he faces long odds. The Saudi battle with Iran is fundamentally unequal …

It is a telling sign of how Western-centric the global debate still is that, for all the attention paid in the media about “important” elections to be held, Germany figures prominently, as does France – and even the Netherlands! A glaring omission There was one glaring omission in …