Cypus Mail: The bigger game: Israel and Saudi Arabia vs Iran

By Gwynne Dyer. Gaza, IDF, Hamas, Netanyahu, famine, terrorism, genocide, and on and on: the loud, incessant clatter of local issues and tactical moves almost drowns out the low, grinding noise as the Middle East shifts inexorably into a new strategic alignment. But it’s happening, and it’s still about oil, sort of. Israel has no

Heritage Daily: Archaeologists find ancient papyri with correspondence made by Roman centurions

By Mark Milligan. Archaeologists from the University of Wrocław have uncovered ancient papyri that contains the correspondence of Roman centurions who were stationed in Egypt. The papyri were discovered in Berenice Troglodytica, an ancient seaport of Egypt on the western shore of the Red Sea. The city was founded by Ptolemy II Philadelphus (285–246 BC),

Asharq Al-Awsat: On ‘Colonialism’ as an ‘Original Sin’

By Hazem Saghieh. While colonialism, including the settler variant, is obviously an acute and vicious problem in Palestine and for Palestinians, this does not mean that decolonization is a universal issue that all of humanity must contend with. In fact, this assumption goes against the popular claim that Palestinians are suffering at the hands of

Russia Today: Looking for aliens: Humanity unleashes AI and the largest ever telescope to search for life among the stars

By B R Srikanth. Indian astronomers will play a critical role in the 16-nation Square Kilometer Array Observatory (SKAO), whose dish array antennas began being set up this month and which will start scanning the far corners of the universe in 2027 Having joined up in January, India is set to be a key player

History.com: This Day In History (January 10-2008): World’s cheapest car debuts in India

By History.com Editors. At the New Delhi Auto Expo in India, Tata Motors debuts the Nano, billing it as the world’s cheapest car. The anticipated price tag is around $2,500. Tata, India’s largest automaker, called the four-door, bubble-shaped mini-vehicle (it was just 5 feet wide and 10 feet long) the “People’s Car” and declared that

Responsible Statecraft: The Middle East is once again West Asia

By Chas Freeman. Shifting regional dynamics require the reconsideration and adjustment of longstanding American policies. Names make a difference.  Those who confer them reveal their perspectives on the places and peoples they are naming. Over the course of the 16th to the 19th centuries, Europeans conquered and colonized the world, imposing their self-centered perspectives on its geography. 

History.com: This Day In History (August 15- 1947): India and Pakistan win independence

By History.com Editors. The Indian Independence Bill, which carves the independent nations of India and Pakistan out of the former Mogul Empire, comes into force at the stroke of midnight on August 15, 1947. The long-awaited agreement ended 200 years of British rule and was hailed by Indian independence leader Mohandas Gandhi as the “noblest

History.com: This Day In History (August 3-1492): Columbus sets sail

By History.com Editors. From the Spanish port of Palos, Italian explorer Christopher Columbus sets sail in command of three ships—the Santa Maria, the Pinta and the Nina—on a journey to find a western sea route to China, India and the fabled gold and spice islands of Asia. On October 12, the expedition sighted land, probably Watling

War On The Rocks: Iran, Russia, and the Challenges of “Inter-Pariah Solidarity”

By Mathieu Droin and Nicole Grajewski. On March 31, 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin approved a new Russian foreign policy concept that hailed the ongoing “formation of a more equitable multipolar world order.” The concept highlighted Moscow’s intent to strengthen its ties with the non-West, in particular “developing full-scale and trusting cooperation” with Iran and other states discontented

Foreign Policy: India Has Become a Middle Eastern Power

By Steven A. Cook. It’s time to take New Delhi’s projection of power in the region seriously. A decade ago, I went to India on a three-week speaking tour that took me to New Delhi, Lucknow, Chennai, Mumbai, Pune, and Hyderabad. The idea behind the trip, which the U.S. State Department sponsored, was to foster