Asia

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation shocked the international community at its March meeting when it publicly praised China for its treatment of its Turkic Muslim minority.

Washington’s support for Golan status may seem like a game to Trump, but it’s one which only plays into the hands of Hezbollah and increases regional tension.

Turkey’s human rights record has once again dogged Ankara’s admission to the EU, but it’s not the real reason for derailing the process.

While Saudi Arabia and other countries of the Arabian Gulf make some shallow progress towards improving women’s rights, the hundreds of women trying to flee the region make clear that true progress is still a long way off.

China long ago mastered the art of casually sitting on the sidelines while regional and global economic and political forces clash, then swiftly swooping in to scoop up the spoils.

Arab states are gradually re-normalizing their diplomatic ties with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government. As Iran and Lebanese Hezbollah have been major advocates of Syria’s return to the Arab world’s diplomatic fold, both are attempting to facilitate a restoration of relations between Damascus and Hamas, which may soon occur despite the Palestinian group’s decision to side against Assad in 2012.

Throughout recent weeks, deep-rooted tensions between Abu Dhabi and Tehran have heated up. Yet as the UAE is working closely with the United States and Arab allies to counter Iran’s regional influence via an Arab NATO alliance and tougher sanctions against Tehran, the risk of frictions and hostilities between Abu Dhabi and the Islamic Republic escalating beyond harsh rhetoric cannot be dismissed.

India now has the highest oil and natural gas consumption in the world and will for the foreseeable future. With exorbitant and ever-increasing energy demands, India is under pressure to diversify its energy supply.

The Turkish government welcomes President Donald Trump’s decision to pull U.S. forces out of northern Syria, effectively ending Washington’s role as an on-the-ground protector of Ankara’s arch-enemy, the Kurdish YPG.

To meet its growing energy needs, Oman is looking to increase its natural gas supply above the current levels of imports brought in from Qatar via the Dolphin pipeline. What are the prospects for Iranian natural gas to reach Oman and global markets through the anticipated Iranian-Omani gas pipeline project?