By : Ramzy Baroud Iraqi Shiite fighters chanted “Labeiki ya Zaynab,” as they swayed, dancing with their rifles before TV news cameras in Baghdad on June 13. They were apparently getting ready for a difficult fight ahead. That chant alone

By : Abdulrahman Al-Rashed The recent developments in Iraq sent shockwaves throughout the world because it was unimaginable that anyone could rival Iraqi forces — trained with most modern weapons — when it comes to protecting the government. But when

By : Abdulateef Al-Mulhim Last Thursday, I had to visit Alkhobar to attend to some important matters. Usually on Thursdays, one is always on the run because it is the last day of the week and if one fails to

By : Khalil Innovation is widely recognized as one of the key drivers of sustained economic development. All advanced economies are characterized by elaborate, active innovation ecosystems. Realizing the importance of innovation, Saudi Arabia has all along been taking appropriate

By : Razeen Sally China and India are in the vanguard of a historic ‘shift to the East’. While economies in the West shrunk during the global financial crisis (GFC) and remained in a funk afterwards, China, India and other

By : Razeen Sally What is the economic outlook for Southeast Asia at a time of general growth slowdown in emerging markets, and when global monetary conditions are set to tighten? Is it realistic to talk of a “regional” outlook,

By : John Foley China is richer and more stable than when tanks rolled into Tiananmen Square 25 years ago. Then, incomplete political reforms led to chaos, violence and retrenchment. While there’s little risk of that now, a similar dynamic

By : Ethan Bilby China’s security spat with the United States risks corporate casualties on both sides. The People’s Republic has responded to U.S. allegations of cyber spying by targeting American tech companies. A continuing dispute could lead to blocked

By : Andy Mukherjee Shinzo Abe’s big miss in prizing open Japan’s farm economy is making investors needlessly glum. The prime minister’s smaller recent successes, from thawing out frozen land and labour markets to reining in healthcare costs, add up

By : Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg I write this week from Washington, where debate is heating up about Iraq in light of the advances made by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) during the week. The two main

By : Seema Sengupta Saudi Arabia has demanded a comprehensive reassessment of the efficacy of Non-Aligned Movement’s (NAM) global peace initiatives. The Saudi Cabinet recently urged the NAM leadership to honestly evaluate whether the body is indeed playing a constructive

By : Muhammad Waqas When former President Pervez Musharraf liberalized state policy regarding media in early 2000s, several new private channels mushroomed on the landscape. These channels were hailed as the fourth pillar of state that not only brought entertainment

By : Hassan Barari It was obvious from the get go that the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) would always seek to reignite the conflict between the disgruntled Sunni minority and the Shiite-dominated government of Nuri

By : Bikram Vohra I think it is a great idea that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is spring-cleaning the corridors of power and their fusty, musty cupboards full of red tape. About time this was done. However, when you are

By : Rasheed Abou-Alsamh I never thought I’d see Saudis dancing at Ibirapuera Park in São Paulo, the business center and largest city in Brazil, but that’s exactly what I witnessed last Sunday. These dancers, all men, were part of

By : Nishita Jha There is more to this case than you know, Abhinav smiles slyly as he stuffs a samosa into his mouth. Once he is done chewing, he says with more gravitas, “Things are not always as they