Saudi Arabia’s death penalty

Saudi Arabia’s death penalty

Six men were pushed before the watching eyes of countless men, women, and children — they were thieves and murders, and they were set to be executed in public. The style of execution? Beheading. One might expect such a scene from medieval England or ancient China, but this particular anecdote? Early June 2017 in Saudi […]

Jordanian prime minister resigns in the wake of national protests

Jordanian prime minister resigns in the wake of national protests

On Monday, Jordanian Prime Minister Hani Mulki resigned in the wake of nationwide anti-austerity protests by Jordanian citizens who are distraught over price inflation of general goods and rising unemployment rates; the protests went on for five straight days. The protests were in the thousands and eventually drew the attention of King Abdullah II who in turn summoned […]

Kurdish official kidnapped over Hashd al-Shaabi’s missing dead

Kurdish official kidnapped over Hashd al-Shaabi’s missing dead

A Kurdistan government official was recently abducted by armed men in Baghdad who demanded the remains of fallen Hashd al-Shaabi be returned to Iraq. The demands were about the events of October last year, when Iraqi supported paramilitary forces took over the city of Kirkuk from Kurdish Peshmerga forces. Several casualties were had by both sides […]

Eager Lion: Jordan and US forces train in massive CENTCOM exercise

Eager Lion: Jordan and US forces train in massive CENTCOM exercise

The U.S. Department of Defense has announced the commencement of the annual training exercise known as “Exercise Eager Lion 18” from April 18-26, 2018. Approximately 3,600 service members from the U.S. will work alongside their Jordanian counterparts in order to better train cooperatively for any future engagements the countries may endure together. This culminating exercise […]

United States releases Peshmerga salaries to the KRG

United States releases Peshmerga salaries to the KRG

According to the Kurdish Regional government’s Secretary General of the Ministry of Peshmerga, Jabar Yawar, the United States has begun paying the Peshmerga’s monthly salaries with an allocated fund of $365 million. Yawar told local media during a press release, “This year, the US will assist the Peshmerga with $365 million contribution. It’s expected these funds […]

Iraq demands Kirkuk government be divided ethnically

Iraq demands Kirkuk government be divided ethnically

In a brash demand from the Iraqi government, they have ordered the political parties and governing officials in Kirkuk to restructure all government posts based on ethnicity in one month’s time. The division of personnel would be a three-part split (32%) of Arabs, Turkmens and Kurds, with the remaining 4% left to Christian minorities. The […]

Opinion: The ‘Noble Savage’ trope and its modern counterpart

Opinion: The ‘Noble Savage’ trope and its modern counterpart

The “Noble Savage” character is an idea about a distant culture or group of people (often used in works of fiction) that are uncorrupted by the evils of society. It’s usually an oversimplification of an indigenous people who are in touch with nature, and, while misunderstood by the industrial powers at large, they are innately […]

Disinformation campaign in full effect for Iraqi Kurdistan

Disinformation campaign in full effect for Iraqi Kurdistan

Since the start of Iraq and its proxies occupation of Kirkuk, a city in southern Kurdistan or northern Iraq depending how you look at it, there has been an increasing number of falsified anti-Kurdish sentiments. It’s happening in the form of forged documents, false reports often based on rumors and sensationalism from local media outlets. […]

Michael Flynn’s role in Mideast nuclear project could compound legal issues

Michael Flynn’s role in Mideast nuclear project could compound legal issues

In June 2015, retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn took a little-noticed trip to Egypt and Israel, paid for by a U.S. company he was advising. The company hoped to build more than two dozen nuclear plants in the region in partnership with Russian interests. Flynn’s quiet involvement in that project — and his failure to […]

Dubai Airshow 2017 sights & sounds

Dubai Airshow 2017 sights & sounds

The 2017 Dubai Airshow runs from November 12th through the 16th and is a sight to see! Enjoy the spectacle! Russia’s Sukhoi Su-35 Displays Thrust Vectoring Aerobatics Airbus Flight Display   Featured image of the “Al Fursan” (The Knights), the United Arab Emirates Air Force aerobatic display team, flies in formation behind a U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike […]

Leaked documents reveal financial habits of Queen Elizabeth and Trump officials

Leaked documents reveal financial habits of Queen Elizabeth and Trump officials

A huge leak of financial documents revealed by a group of about 100 media organizations on Sunday provided deep insights into some of the mechanisms used by top politicians and celebrities to escape paying taxes. Offshore funds are often used to avoid paying high taxes, and their use is not necessarily illegal, though when they are being used by […]

Paradise Papers expose offshore tax secrecy of Middle East elite

Paradise Papers expose offshore tax secrecy of Middle East elite

Sons of the Turkish prime minister, a Jordanian dowager Queen and a Saudi prince who owns a superyacht longer than a football pitch, are just a few Middle Eastern figures whose offshore dealings have been laid bare by one of the largest ever data leaks. Published by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), the […]