Articles
The attack on Ghouta is Russia’s attempt to avoid an 'October surprise'
Russia is using the exact same playbook in Eastern Ghouta that it did in Aleppo, writes Faisal Al Yafai
Maths could offer a solution to deal with returning ISIL fighters
A basic algorithm could separate the deadliest foreign fighters from those unlikely to re-offend on their return, writes Faisal Al Yafai
The cities of the future might be dominated by robots – but the blueprint must be laid down by humans today
How to build a robust education system, flexible labour market and shrink the public sector are the problems of today and tomorrow, writes Faisal Al Yafai
How Abu Dhabi’s Sawab Centre stops the flow of extremist propaganda
Next week marks a year since the UAE’s anti-extremism Sawab Centre started a social media campaign called #AfterDaesh, highlighting ordinary daily life in parts of Iraq after the end of ISIL
Turkey's permanent state of emergency is crippling its chances of development
The lockdown suggests Erdogan is placing his own political career above the interests of the country
The battle in Afrin has exposed divisions even among those opposed to Bashar Al Assad
There is no clear answer to what the Syrian revolution even is any more, let alone who is fighting legitimately on its behalf, writes Faisal Al Yafai
Israel's hopes of a brothers-in-arms relationship with India are flawed
Although Modi has made the right noises towards Tel Aviv, he has put clear distance between the two countries when it matters, writes Faisal Al Yafai
France's desire to face both ways in the Middle East will lead to hard choices
Emmanuel Macron is most comfortable when his country can play the man in the middle, but seeking to be a stable player in the Middle East requires hard choices, writes Faisal Al Yafai
Putin's final presidential campaign will be banking on military victories in Syria and Crimea
The Russian president should beware of using Syria as a backdrop to his election campaign, writes Faisal Al Yafai
What a war of words says about foreign wars and the language of the other
An American literary dispute has highlighted the tangled links between language, culture and power in the Middle East, writes Faisal Al Yafai
Removing Russian troops from Syria will backfire on Vladimir Putin
With his troops gone from the country, the Russian president will find that Bashar Al Assad no longer needs him, writes Faisal Al Yafai
Even in death, Saleh is bringing pain to Yemen
The people of Yemen will pay the heaviest price for the death of the former president, writes Faisal Al Yafai
Iraq finds reconciliation, not points of contention, in united battle against ISIL
The war against ISIL has led to unlikely alliances between Sunni and Shiite groups. Indeed, the shift in public support for their militias should not be underestimated
With the opposition divided, Assad seeks to remain the dominant force
Riad Hijab feared Syria would end up like Yemen. It may, but not in the way he imagined, writes Faisal Al Yafai
Tehran's domestic divisions are keeping Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe in jail
It is British blundering that has thrust Zaghari-Ratcliffe's arrest into the spotlight – but, writes Faisal Al Yafai, it is Iranian politics keeping her in prison
