Britain and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
Alireza Akbari, an Iranian politician and once a senior officer in Iran’s notorious IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps), was deputy Minister of Defense from 1998 to 2003. In 2009 he was…
Questions from Turkey’s quake
On August 17, 1999, Turkey suffered an earthquake registering 7.6 on the Richter scale that killed some 176,000 people. The then leader of the opposition in Turkey’s parliament, Recep Tayyip…
Earthquakes Strike Turkey and Syria, Leaving Devastation and a Miracle Baby
On February 6, 2023, Turkey was hit by a devastating earthquake that claimed the lives of over 47,000 people, leaving many more injured, homeless, and traumatized. Two weeks later, on…
Trapped and Betrayed: How LGBT+ People in the Middle East Are Being Hunted Online
Human Rights Watch has released a report that highlights how government officials across the Middle East and North Africa are targeting LGBT+ people based on their online activities, particularly on…
UAE’s mastery of playing both sides against the middle has its limits
The United Arab Emirates has mastered playing both sides against the middle. In the game’s latest iteration, the Gulf state earned significant brownie points in Washington this week by withdrawing…
Why does the US ignore Hamas?
Antony Blinken, US Secretary of State, was in Israel on January 30 and 31, incorporating a quick trip on the 31st to Palestinian Authority (PA) headquarters in Ramallah. Blinken…
UK Announces New Aid Funding to Support Earthquake Recovery Effort in Turkey and Syria
On 15 Feb 2023, the UK government has announced a new aid package of £25 million to support urgent humanitarian needs in Turkey and Syria following the recent earthquakes in…
Earthquakes as Harbingers of Political Change
The recent earthquake in Turkey and northwest Syria is considered one of the worst to have hit the region in over 80 years. The immediate effects of such natural disasters…
Saudi columnists bolster calls for reform of Muslim religious law.
To watch a video version of this story on YouTube please click here. A podcast version is available on Soundcloud, Itunes, Spotify, Spreaker, and Podbean. Taliban bans on women’s education and employment by foreign aid organisations…
Saudi Arabia still won’t commit
by Neville Teller Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made no secret of his hope that Saudi Arabia will be the next Arab state to sign up to the Abraham Accords. …