Arab World

Jordan’s welfare benefits the world

Feb 07,2016 – JORDAN TIMES – EDITORIAL His Majesty King Abdullah’s address at the recently held “Supporting Syria and the Region Conference” in London underscored the urgent need to adopt a new approach in dealing with the protracted Syrian crisis, as “we are confronted with what is arguably the worst, […]

The death throes of oil

Feb 07,2016 – JORDAN TIMES – HAROLD JAMES The price of oil is often regarded as a sort of thermometer to measure the health of the world economy. What is less often noted is that it can also serve as a barometer — warning of approaching geopolitical storms. Indeed, the […]

Houthis, Saudis and jihadis

Yemen Houthis, Saudis and jihadis The three-way war in Yemen is not going well IF EVER a war caused pointless death and destruction, it is the one in Yemen. The Houthis, a rebel force, ousted the government from Sana’a, the capital, earlier this year but are nowhere near their aim […]

Religious diplomacy in Iraq

In Shia Muslims’ holiest site, a new openness to other faiths Dec 5th 2015  CORDIAL encounters between representatives of different creeds are common enough in the Western world, whether the organisers are universities, governments or NGOs. (In the latter case, inter-faith activity is often aimed at building bridges by tackling […]

The great populists

Feb 06,2016 – JORDAN TIMES – Jacek Rostowski The first challenge to the Western hegemony that followed the collapse of communism in Europe was the emergence of the so-called BRICS countries — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — in the 2000s. Rapidly growing and collectively accounting for nearly […]

Generous gesture

Feb 06,2016 – JORDAN TIMES EDITORIAL His Majesty King Abdullah recently issued directives to concerned Royal Palace officials to continue implementing Royal initiatives extending help to underprivileged families, charity societies, orphanages, the elderly and people with disabilities. These most vulnerable groups of people will benefit from the Royal directives, which […]

Bad for the Syrians

Feb 04,2016 – JORDAN TIMES EDITORIAL UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura declared a “pause” in the tortuous UN-mediated talks to end the war in Syria, postponing them for February 25. While acknowledging that after the first week of preparatory talks “there is more work to be done, not only […]

A European takeover?

Feb 04,2016 – JORDAN TIMES – GEORGE S. HISHMEH Barely were Western sanctions lifted from Iran, after it signed a nuclear deal with key Western powers, than its president, Hassan Rouhani, went shopping in Europe, namely in Italy and France, where he received red carpet treatment. This forward-looking approach should […]