For a change, good news from Arabia
By Bernd Debusmann Good news from the Arab world is an increasingly rare commodity. But there are exceptions. Take the United Arab Emirates, where a...
Read MoreLessons from the retaking of Palmyra
By William Watkins When Syrian armed forces recaptured the ancient desert city of Palmyra from the Islamic State jihadist movement in March, the...
Read MoreWorld of senseless violence, selfless good
By Ally Oh We’re always told to look for the good — the silver lining, the upside, the half-full glass — but it’s not always that easy...
Read MoreWatch out for anti-Islam language
By Nelson Graves Beware misconceptions about Islam that can mar Western accounts of society and politics in Muslim-majority nations. That was the...
Read MoreWhy I signed the anti-Trump letter
Last month dozens of foreign policy experts in the U.S. Republican Party issued a letter denouncing Donald Trump’s worldview and vowing to...
Read MoreFighting erupts between ex-Soviet states in Caucasus
By Rashad Mammadov Forgotten by most outsiders for the past 22 years, a frozen conflict between two former Soviet states, Azerbaijan and Armenia,...
Read MoreVeteran journalist named News-Decoder editor
Robert Holloway, a veteran journalist who has worked around the world, has joined News-Decoder as editor. A former senior editor and...
Read MoreLow oil prices: Good news & bad news
Crude oil is arguably the most important traded commodity. Despite efforts to switch to other energy sources, most countries — particularly in...
Read MoreSaudi-led war wreaks havoc in Yemen
By Alistair Lyon A year ago, Saudi Arabia and its allies unleashed a Western-backed military intervention in Yemen’s civil war. It has gone...
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Let’s look at conflict with different eyes
Mainstream media depicts conflict as a violent struggle between good and bad. A Danish professor suggests a different way of thinking about...
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What are the prospects for peace in Syria?
Fighting rages in Syria despite international efforts to impose a ceasefire and advance a peace plan. How remote are the prospects for peace in...
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Learning diplomacy — to help the world
“The atmosphere blew me away.” Giuliana represented Denmark at the model United Nations and quickly learned the arts of diplomacy. Here...
Read MoreCheap oil need not doom global climate deal
By Sue Landau With the ink barely dry on a global accord to rein in greenhouse gas emissions, the price of oil has resumed its staggering slump....
Read MoreMarjan: “It hurts to see destruction in the Middle East”
Name: Marjan Aletomeh Birthplace: Tehran, Iran Age: 29 Occupation: I have a degree in criminology, and I work in retail banking. I plan to become a...
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Italy covers up but no hiding from brickbats
Diplomatic deference or crass kowtowing? Italy’s decision to cover up nude statues during a visit by Iran’s president provokes scorn,...
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I watched presidents from a privileged perch
Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton — Gene Gibbons watched six presidents from one of the venerable vantage points of U.S. journalism....
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North Korea: defiance and chutzpah
North Korea has defied the world again. What does its latest nuclear blast mean for regional and global security? North Korean leader Kim Jong Un,...
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Starting a new year with refugees
After the refugees crossed the border, we offered them warm coffee, and their expressions changed completely. Monika Pronczuk is a Polish national...
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Avoiding mistakes in Syria
Should the U.S. intervene more aggressively in Syria? History tells us it could lead to mistakes. And blocking immigrants would betray U.S. values....
Read MoreIs Saudi Arabia’s coalition a bluff?
By Rashad Mammadov Saudi Arabia has announced it will lead a coalition of 34 Muslim countries with a single, proclaimed goal — to fight...
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