opinion - INTERNATIONAL AGENCY FOR JOURNALISM AND STRATEGIC STUDIES

Democracy, political stability in Middle East cannot be promoted over dead bodies: Dr M

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said democracy and political stability in the Middle East cannot be promoted over the dead bodies of Yemenis, Syrians, Iraqis and others, and it cannot be built upon the rubble of bombed-out cities. ...

If news is dying, who will safeguard democracy?

Journalism has joined the list of endangered professions: teaching it appears to be more lucrative than doing it. A great deal of brilliant and high-quality journalism is still being pursued around the world every day, but the news industry is steadily shrinking. Why is that? ...

China never plays politics in Middle East

Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud arrived in China Thursday for a two-day visit after his trip to Pakistan and India, where he signed investment agreements. People believe his trip to China will enhance the connection between Saudi Vision 2030 and the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and strengthen the two countries' comprehensive strategic partnership. ...

Nigeria election 2019: Who benefits from poll delay?

Nigeria is to hold a delayed presidential election this Saturday after the initial vote was rescheduled in a dramatic overnight press conference, five hours before polls were due to have opened. ...

Pulwama attack: What are Modi's options?

A suicide bomber killed more than 40 paramilitary police in Indian-administered Kashmir last week in what was the deadliest attack on Indian forces in the region for decades. Pakistan denies any role in the attack by militant group Jaish-e-Mohammad, which is based on its soil. ...

Can US soybeans find a new home in the Middle East?

The US is looking to the Middle East to help it reduce its surplus of soybeans, a key US agricultural staple hit by the US-China trade war. ...

Middle East peace remains elusive after Warsaw summit

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was in Warsaw this week attending a conference to discuss “the future of Middle East stability and prosperity.” On the surface, the aims were noble, because the Middle East is replete with crises and the Trump administration’s policy of disengagement has certainly not helped. ...

What are people saying about Trump's national emergency?

President Donald Trump has declared a national emergency on the US southern border, claiming that he needs special powers to build a wall to halt all illegal migration. ...

Inside the illegal world of organised dogfighting

The brother of Ian Brady's fourth victim has issued a plea for the contents of two briefcases left behind after the Moors Murderer's death to be revealed. ...

Trump Has All But Lost Peace in the Middle East

The Trump years are shaping up to be the most consequential period for American diplomacy on the Israel-Palestine front since the Clinton presidency a generation ago. But that doesn’t necessarily mean what’s happening is positive, at least for the Palestinians and everyone interested in real peace. ...

Asean can learn from Middle-East woes: Chan Chun Sing

Singapore and Asean can draw a lesson from the unstable situation in the Middle East that a region needs to have cohesion if it does not want to be a platform for proxy contests by major powers, said Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing. ...

What effect has Brexit had on the UK economy?

There may still be more than a month to go until Brexit is scheduled to happen, but there has already been some fallout from the decision to leave. ...

The Middle East: Contending hegemons

Exercising a degree of hegemony in the Middle East has long been a central plank of American foreign policy. This all began toward the end of the Second World War. President Franklin Roosevelt held very amicable meetings with King Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia that led to the United States enjoying a dominant position in the development and exploitation of Saudi Arabia’s enormous oil reserves. In 1953, the United States engineered a coup in Iran that saw the overthrow of a left-leaning government and its replacement by one led by the Shah, who became a steadfast ally of the United States. In the mid 1950s, the United States sponsored the creation of regional defence pacts, which included Turkey, Iran and Iraq and which became part of a network designed to contain the Soviet Union. In 1958, President Eisenhower ordered the deployment of marines to Lebanon to prevent the takeover of the government of Lebanon by left-leaning rebels. All of these actions had the effect of expanding the presence and influence of the United States in the Middle East. ...

ANALYSIS: The Middle East’s Tectonic Shifts

There is a tendency to view the Middle East as largely unchanging, now that the chaos unleashed after the Arab Spring appears to have dissipated. It’s the status quo – again. Gaza is still Gaza. Iraq is Iraq. Egypt is Egypt. But that analysis ignores the tectonic shifts which have taken place in the last few decades. Regimes may appear the same, but in fact, the instability of recent years has had major effects. The region is now at a crossroads no less important than during the decline and fall of the Ottoman Empire 100 years ago. ...

Trump's mixed messages on the Middle East

President Trump's State of the Union address revealed no clear foreign policy vision or coherent Middle East strategy. ...

Democratic women clapped for Trump. Really.

We're replaying Nancy Pelosi clapping during the State of the Union and counting down the days until "Game of Thrones" comes back into our lives. It's Ashley, here to bring you today's biggest news. Let’s dive in, okurrr? ...

American Presence in Iraq and Future of the Middle East

Iraqi politicians hit back at US President Donald Trump on Monday after he said that he plans to keep American forces in the country to spy on Iran. In an interview with CBS television, Trump reaffirmed his determination to pull the United States out of ‘endless wars’ in Syria and Afghanistan but said that some American troops would stay on in Iraq, citing the need to protect Israel and to be ‘looking a little bit at Iran’. video link:https://www.breakingisraelnews.com/121435/american-presence-iraq-middle-east/ AFP. ...