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EnergySource

Feb 21, 2018

GCC economic diversification: Lessons from Texas

By Randolph Bell

The 2014 oil price collapse sent shockwaves across the oil industry and put economies from North Dakota to Nigeria on notice that $100 oil is not a sure thing. The economy of Texas, however, fared far better during the years of low prices than many experienced oil watchers predicted. Its relative resilience, explained in part […]

Energy Markets & Governance Oil and Gas

EnergySource

Feb 21, 2018

Groko or Noko: What Germany’s grand coalition means for energy and climate

By Ellen Scholl

Members of Germany’s Social Democratic Party (SPD) have a big decision to make. SPD party members have until March 2 to vote on whether their party should participate in a coalition government with the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the party of Chancellor Angela Merkel. The vote puts SPD party members in a difficult position—endorse a […]

Climate Change & Climate Action Energy Markets & Governance

SyriaSource

Feb 21, 2018

The Slaughter of Eastern Ghouta

By Frederic C. Hof

Just five days ago, in this blog, this writer assessed the possibility of Russia playing a positive role in ending Syria’s armed conflict. The following words proposed the test: “If the mass murder of Syrian civilians continues—and especially if Russian pilots participate in it—Washington and its partners may safely conclude with respect to Russian benign […]

Syria

New Atlanticist

Feb 21, 2018

Assad’s Forces Are Killing Dozens of Children in a Damascus Suburb

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Syrian President Bashar al Assad’s forces have unleashed an unrelenting bombardment of the rebel-held Damascus suburb of Eastern Ghouta that has killed hundreds—many of the victims are women and children—over the past few days. The United Nations (UN) has warned that the situation is “spiraling out of control.” The Assad regime has reportedly not even […]

Syria

IranSource

Feb 21, 2018

Iran’s History of Suspicious Deaths in Prison

By Holly Dagres

A single word “baba,” dad, appeared on an Instagram post by Iranian punk rocker King Raam taken at his father’s funeral.  Kavous Seyed-Emami, a prominent Canadian-Iranian environmentalist and academic, was quickly buried without an independent autopsy due to pressure by authorities, according to his family. Officials said Seyed-Emami had committed suicide in Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison on February 9, […]

Iran

UkraineAlert

Feb 21, 2018

Ukraine Can Do Far Better, Aivaras Abromavičius Says

By Iuliia Mendel

In December 2014, President Petro Poroshenko granted citizenship to three foreign technocrats, Lithuanian Aivaras Abromavičius, American Natalie Jaresko, and Georgian Alexander Kvitashvili, who were nominated for cabinet positions. The foreign masterminds were expected to contribute expert advice to overcome the severe economic and defense threats facing Ukraine. Minister of Economic Development and Trade Aivaras Abromavičius […]

Ukraine

SyriaSource

Feb 21, 2018

Deir Ezzor: An Unbalanced Equation in the Syrian Conflict

By Sardar Mlla Drwish

Deir Ezzor today is a complex variable in the Syrian equation, particularly since the opposition wrested control of the province from Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime in 2013 followed by Islamic State (ISIS, ISIL, or Daesh) control in 2014. Deir Ezzor now contends with several forces trying to control it: Russia works to manage its […]

Syria

IranSource

Feb 20, 2018

US Should Offer Incentives for Iran Missile Testing Moratorium

By Sina Azodi

The Trump administration has been ratcheting up pressure on its European allies to agree to unspecified new measures against Iran’s ballistic missile program as the price for conserving the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The US, referring to United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231, which codified the 2015 nuclear deal, has repeatedly called on […]

Middle East Missile Defense

SyriaSource

Feb 20, 2018

Syrian Refugees: The Right to Return, But Not the Wrong Way

By Hanan Elbadawi

Since September 2017, the agreed upon “de-escalation deal”  seemed to mark the final chapter of the Syrian civil war; entering into its eighth year. The goal of the Astana talks in 2017 was to sustain the de-escalation deal, in order to minimize violence, secure more aid, and consequently make it “safe” for Syrian refugees to […]

Syria

UkraineAlert

Feb 20, 2018

How to Remember the Final Days of Ukraine’s Maidan Revolution

By Paul Niland

For those of us who were on the ground in Kyiv, Ukraine, in the middle of the burning barricades from February 18 to 20, 2014, we could have no idea where or when or how the revolution would end. During those three February days, more than one hundred were killed, thousands were wounded, and dozens […]

Ukraine
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