World News Insights: Opinion Articles

Between 1618 and 1648, Europe, especially its central regions, lived through the Thirty Years’ War: a combination of religious conflicts, dynastic ambitions, and territorial disputes. This war, which splintered into several wars that resulted in the deaths of millions, either in conflict or because…

"Everyone I asked about the mutual defense pact between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan - signed in Riyadh in the presence of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz and Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif - gave the same response: 'A masterstroke.' This was the reaction of…

The Arab-Islamic Summit in Doha that followed the attempted assassination of Hamas leaders on Qatari soil reaffirmed its participants’ principles in the wake of Israel’s assault on Qatar, which has been playing the role of an active “mediator” in order to halt the assault on Gaza. Held one…

Luxury cars, modern residential towers, the rehabilitation of infrastructure, and most notably, the restoration of the historic al-Rashid Street with its shops, bookstores, and cafes in the old city center: Baghdad is brimming with foreign delegations, suffocating traffic jams, and the bustle of…

When we speak about liver disease, statistics can seem overwhelming. Numbers climb into the millions; lives reduced to data points. But sometimes a single life tells the story of an entire nation’s struggle. Many in the Arab world remember Abdel Halim Hafez, the legendary Egyptian singer whose…

Confident of their ascendancy in terms of military and economic power, the newly cemented bloc under Chinese leadership has also started promoting what President Xi Jinping has dubbed “new governance” as a model not only for “global south” but for the world as a whole. In other words, the Middle…

At the turn of the twentieth century, the French philosopher Henri Bergson published three essays that were later compiled into a book, "Le Rire" (Laughter). This small book is perhaps his most significant legacy; indeed, some consider it a philosophical treatise on comedy that parallels Aristotle…

Every sane person in Sudan seeks an end to this war that has left unprecedented destruction, sparing nothing and no one. Yet talk of an “end” to the war is often framed ambiguously, failing to define the basic terms. There is much talk of “returning to the civic path” and “transition.” The slogan …

Creating opportunities for people is central to our mission at the World Bank. As Vice President for the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan, I’ve visited cities buzzing with youthful energy and rural towns facing deep uncertainty. I’ve seen the resilience of communities in the face…

I am writing this in the wake of the sucker punch Israel delivered in Doha, seeking to eliminate the leadership of Hamas. In the aftermath, we saw the arrival at a critical juncture leading us to a familiar position as efforts to reach a ceasefire intersected with broader questions around Palestine…

When Saudi Arabia’s Abqaiq oil facilities came under attack, calls quickly emerged urging Riyadh to end its alliance with the United States. A similar chorus was heard after the Israeli strike on Doha, with voices demanding that Qatar reconsider its relationship with Washington. Yet in both cases,…

On September 11, 2025, the UN Security Council held an emergency meeting in New York to discuss Israel’s strike on the Qatari capital, Doha, issuing a statement that condemned the assault on Qatar’s sovereignty without naming the perpetrator. The attack raises grave questions around…