Category: Opinion

Opposition candidate Prabowo Subianto has far more “hardcore die-hard supporters” from Islamic camps, according to Alexander Raymond Arifianto from the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies. As Indonesians head to the polls in April, religion and the economy will likely take center stage as President Joko Widodo seeks re-election. Commonly known by his nickname “Jokowi,” the incumbent […]

Perhaps a metaphor for Lebanon’s complex cultural mosaic, the fighter is married to a Christian woman, has fought in Syria for several years but says that what he and all other Shia men really want is jobs, healthcare and a decent education. BAALBEK, Lebanon — About half a kilometre from the 2,000-year-old ruins of the temple […]

Caught in the middle of the conflict were a people, an entire generation, who have been robbed of the opportunity to live secure lives Friday 15 March marks the eighth anniversary of the beginning of the Syrian uprising. Certainly, the women and men who took to the streets beginning in March 2011 could not have […]

“Persians will never forget their defeat at the hands of Arabs in the Battle of Qadisiya 1,400 years ago. It is as if a fire keeps seething under the ashes and is waiting for the right moment to explode.”  The relationship between Arabs and Persians has always been a source of controversy, not only owing […]

An Iranian citizen journalist, who writes under a pseudonym to protect her identity, wrote the following article from Herat, Afghanistan. The Afghan government is usually cautious when it comes to criticizing its neighbor Iran. But last year, Afghan government officials were as direct as they could be when they condemned the Islamic Republic for recruiting its citizens to fight […]

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Runners from around the world will convene next week in Bethlehem to take part in the 7th International Palestine Marathon. The marathon, organized by the Supreme Council for Sport and Youth Affairs in cooperation with the Bethlehem municipality, will take place on March 22. It was officially recognized by the International Association of Athletics Federations in 2017 […]

When I see Western leaders smiling, shaking hands and offering sage and heartfelt advice on tours of Africa, I just can’t help settling in for the show because you know some top level hypocrisy is just around the corner. By far, my favorite part of politics is watching its highest level practitioners ignore whatever inconvenient […]

An anti-Muslim terrorist on Friday killed no less than 49 Muslim worshipers at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. A large number of individuals, including two Turkish citizens, survived the attacks with injuries. The assailant carried out the attack around Friday prayers in an apparent attempt to maximize the number of casualties. A video of […]

As it stands, Zimbabwe is a fragile climate in which citizens are subjected to harsh police actions and the president has no short-term solutions. President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s 150-percent fuel hike announcement almost three weeks ago triggered protests, which followed brutal police measures. With his words taking immediate effect, the public took to the streets. This […]

In spite of the shared desire of all major stakeholders in Syria to end hostilities and the growing consensus around Assad’s long-term staying in power, the prospects of a swift peace settlement and a rapid reconstruction of the country are remote. On Feb. 14, Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted his Iranian and Turkish counterparts, Hassan […]