I am always astounded by the number of people who assume that if they are vaccinated against COVID-19, they will neither get ill nor be able to transmit the virus. Neither of which is true, although the likelihood of becoming ill or transmitting COVID-19 is much reduced. Here is an explanation as to why a person might get COVID-19 and pass it on. T...
New Zealand PM bows out
Here's an article from The Economist which, while talking about John Key's resignation, states that NZ is "one of the most successful countries in the world. While this is debatable, there is no doubt that Key has had successes- namely international recognition- along with failures, housing, immigration and the environment. We have yet to see whether the new Prime Minister, John English, will have the same success.
I've spent a lot of time looking at movies that portray New Zealand as a place to which to move post COVID, which is good, I guess. That in itself might be a plus. But there's also a worry. More often than not there is a partner involved. And they live across the Tasman. Will COVID reignite as the "travel bubble" resumes? Apart from Covid I have be...
Are there positive signs that there will be an imminent normalization of Egyptian-Turkish relations? Ahmad Abdel-Rahman, who is based in Egypt, looks at whether this is likely. New developments at the level of Turkish-Egyptian relations indicate the possibility of a breakthrough that may lead to a normalization between the two countries. This was r...
In this article Ahmad Abdel-Rahman looks at the impact on global international relations of geopolitical changes in the Middle East . Countries in the Middle East are going through structural and crucial transformations that will have a real impact on the pattern and trends of its relations with other countries outside the re...
The cyberattack on Iran's main nuclear facility on Sunday which resulted in a large-scale black out at the Natanz reactor has ramifications not just for Iran but for the whole Middle East. How will Iran react? Will it retaliate? Will Israel, who Iran accuses is behind the attack, admit culpability? Will this attack mean full-scale war in the Middle...
This article looks at how the Arab Spring has led to increased divisions among Islamic countries in the Middle East and North Africa. Ahmed Abdul-Rahman in Egypt discusses what has happened. It was called the "Arab Spring". Since the changes that took place in the Arab world at the end of 2010, international public opinion, especially the Western m...
There is no doubt that the participation of Lebanese armed groups in the Syrian conflict reflects sectarian political divisions and threatens to seriously destabilize Lebanon. Ahmed Abdul-Rahman explains. The term "powerless state" adopted by former finance minister Georges Corm perfectly describes the situation in Lebanon. This term actually refle...
LDC has been looking closely at the relationship between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia. There's been a few articles on this website about it by Ahmad Abdel-Rahman about it. Will a war develop over water? This is another take on recent developments. By Khalid Hassan for Al Monitor Egypt weighs UAE mediation initiative in Nile dam crisis Sudan approved a...
Myanmar, and its appalling human rights, is dominating the news in Asia/Pacific. Over 100 peaceful protesters were fired on and killed by the Myanmar police. How bad is that? Now countries in the Pacific, NZ and Australia among them, must do something about it. I read this on Tuesday. It shows how close NZ is to Myanmar. From stuff.co.nz (RNZ...
How do the Arab countries aim to respond to Iran's attempt to have more influence in the Arab region? Ahmad Abdel Rahman, who is based in Egypt, gives his explanation. The Middle East, with the Arab region at its heart, is considered one of the most targeted regions in the world by regional and international powers. This is because of its geopoliti...
Relations between Egypt and Russia are getting closer, moving away from the US. How did this happen and what does it mean for geopolitics in the Middle East? Ahmad Abdel-Rahman, based in Egypt, explain why this might be. The international geopolitical map continues to change and these c hanges are leading to a significant shift in the interests o...
There's so much focus on Iran and what it is likely to do with its nuclear programme. Will it continue and expand it or will it dismantle it . According to an International Atomic Energy Agency report, Iran is now using IR-4 centrifuges to enrich uranium in violation of the nuclear accord. Mar 17, 2021 from Al Monitor Iran is now enriching ur...
The economic policy response to COVID-19 is an acceleration of specific trends already underway across the Gulf Cooperation Council members, variously affecting tax policy, labour market regulation and immigration policy. Mar 16, 2021 By Karen Young for Al Monitor Like many countries across emerging markets, the plan for economic recovery from the ...
Ahmad Abdel- Rahman explains how changing geopolitics in the Gulf region impacts developments in the region and beyond. The Al-Ula Summit, which was held in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA)in January opened a new chapter of geopolitics in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Openness and reconciliation were hallmarks of the summit of the six countr...
Egyptian president Abdel Fattah El-Sisi has met with the head of Sudanese Sovereignty Council, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. Ahmad Abdel-Rahman explains what the meeting means for the region. The visit of Egyptian president Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to Sudan on March 6 and his meeting with the head of the Sudanese Sovereignty Council, Abdel Fattah...
The Story of "ADAM" This article talks about "ADAM" Artificial Intelligence. "ADAM" aims to make it possible for most people to invest in Clean Energy. Mohamad Kharkan, PhD and Soheil Servati, PhD explain. During the last three centuries, apart from the political revolutions, three major developments have taken place in the world, the I...
It is rare for foreign workers to be treated well in the Gulf States. The region is rife with stories of poor living and working conditions, with all workers having their passports taken by their employees, which effectively makes these workers "slaves". They may not get paid. That is not unusual. As an ex-pat financial journalist, I had my passpor...
This article, written exclusively for LCD by Ahmed Abdel-Rahman, talks about the impact of COVID-19 on conflicts in the region. The new coronavirus (COVID-19) came at a very bad time for the Middle East. Since the US-led coalition defeated ISIS, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) has struggled to achieve lasting peace. Most of the region is st...
This article, written exclusively for LDC by Ahmad Abdel-Rahman, explains some of the tensions in the Middle East and the repercussions for the global economy. Last year w itnessed many hot events and a number of global challenges which led to negative economic effects globally. However, 2020 came with the expectation t...
The Asian Arab Chamber of Commerce recently was inaugurated. One of our correspondents, Muhamed Riyaz, was there to see first hand what was happening. PRESS RELEASE OPENING OF ASIAN ARAB CHAMBER OF COMMERCE February 17, 2021 Hotel Residency Towers, Chennai FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE LAUNCHING OF ASIAN ARAB SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONE IN CHENNAI, India The ASI...