Meena Janardhan

DUBAI – The civilian nuclear deal between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the United States may fulfill the former’s long-term desire to develop alternative energy sources and the latter’s intention to promote a model for peaceful nuclear energy that sends a hint to Iran. The Jan. 16 deal, one of the last diplomatic decisions … Continue reading “US-UAE Nuclear Deal a Hint to Iran”

DUBAI – While Iran and the United States exchange aggressive statements, the Arab countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have been busy building trade relations with Tehran and charting an economic course with the potential of mending ties in a tough neighborhood. Following an official proposal by Iran, the GCC – which groups Bahrain, … Continue reading “Bridging the Shia-Sunni Divide With Free Trade”

DUBAI – The new United States plan to sell arms to Saudi Arabia and other allies in the Middle East to counter growing Iranian influence could trigger an arms race and worsen instability in an already volatile region, say experts. The arms deal, which still requires the approval of the Democrat-controlled US Congress, is one … Continue reading “Plan Against Iran May Trigger Arms Race”

DUBAI – In the evolving debate on reforms, Arab intellectuals and common people continue to emphasize the need for culture- and region-specific democratic reforms in the Middle East, and strongly oppose the imposition of Western models. Highlighting the difficulty of implementing a Western tailor-made process without heeding local and regional circumstances, Omro Hamzawi, senior fellow … Continue reading “After Iraq, Arabs Wary of ‘Western’ Democracy”

DUBAI – Democracy in Iraq is in the eye of the beholder. The elections on Jan. 30 may be touted as the first step toward freedom in the strife-torn country, but the chance to vote in their own government has evoked mixed emotions among Iraqi expatriates living in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This mood … Continue reading “Lowered Expectations for Iraqi Expatriate Turnout”

DUBAI – Denouncing misguided religious fanaticism and terrorism, Muslim scholars and religious leaders who recently attended a major world Islamic conference in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), jointly called for the issuing of a unified fatwa (edict) on pressing issues in order to avoid the misuse of the religion. Attended … Continue reading “Scholars Try to Rein in the ‘Sheikhs of Death’”

DUBAI – The ordeal of a Filipino truck driver freed by militants after his country withdrew its troops from Iraq has not deterred Philippine migrant workers from making their way to the occupied Middle Eastern country through the United Arab Emirates, despite an official ban by Manila. The Philippines banned its citizens from going to … Continue reading “Desperate Filipinos Still Going to Iraq Despite Govt Ban”