A politics of hope is our best hope
After a year in which political incumbents around the world were either voted out of office or forcibly removed from power, one statement, repeated in various forms by UAE Minister of Cabinet...
Europe’s resilience firmly tested in 2024
Europe entered 2024 with some trepidation. War was still raging on the continent for the first time since 1945. The echoes of renewed conflict in the Middle East were reaching into its...
Trump’s key foreign policy challenges
As ever, a new year comes with new challenges and opportunities. For US foreign policy, the new Trump administration, which will take office on Jan. 20, will shape the country’s approach to...
Poverty — the world’s last great challenge
In an era where technological advances and economic integration promise unprecedented opportunities, nearly 700 million people worldwide continue to live in extreme poverty — surviving on less than $2.15 per day. This...
What next for Lebanon?
This has been a terrible year for Lebanon. Many of the country’s problems had been accumulating for years; they most notably started with the financial crash in 2019, followed by the Beirut...
Reliance on foreign-born talent for innovation is undeniable
Immigration is a divisive issue in Europe and the US at present, but the size and significance of its contribution, particularly in driving scientific progress, cannot be overstated. Just because politicians on...
What lessons have we learned from the 2004 tsunami?
Christmas holidays tend to be a time of joy for many families around the world. However, this year’s festivities will also be tinged with great sadness for many as the world on...
Taliban infighting adds to Afghanistan’s woes
The Taliban’s de facto minister of refugees and repatriation, Khalil Ur-Rahman Haqqani, was killed along with five others in a bomb explosion in Kabul last week. This marked the first time since...
France and Germany’s woes could seriously weaken the EU
One government in, another one out — that is becoming a feature pointing to the instability within the EU’s family of nations. One could easily dismiss this and consider it the usual...
Gaza war may soon end, but the calamity will last years
A pivotal moment could be close for the 14-month-old war on Gaza, which has claimed the lives of tens of thousands of Palestinians, destroyed almost 80 percent of the enclave and left...