Last year, due to the pandemic and the social and political problems caused by extended lockdowns, people were watching the evolution of the Covid-19 outbreak with apprehension. Few would have imagined that a health crisis could quickly have economic repercussions. These effects are no longer regional or national, but global. As economies came to a … Continue reading The Global Shortage of Raw Materials: Pandemic Aftermath
Child Marriage Continues to Rage all Over the World
What is Child Marriage? Child Marriage, a deplorable practice of marrying children under the age of 18, remains a worldwide scourge to this day. Unfortunately, it is a custom that often involves families who either through custom or belief, consider it right. In order to provide a future for their children, they marry them off … Continue reading Child Marriage Continues to Rage all Over the World
The Spread of Atheism and Irreligiosity in the Middle East
The Middle East, in the collective imagination, represents an area of the world characterized by great religious fervor. It does not only govern the individual, but influences every aspect of public life. The Muslim countries of the MENA region are characterized mostly by religiously repressive states and secularly repressive states in comparison to other parts … Continue reading The Spread of Atheism and Irreligiosity in the Middle East
Wahhabism and Saudi Kingdom: A Dangerous Alliance?
Saudi Arabia is frequently mentioned today, not only because of the wealth shown by the ruling family, but also and above all because of its investments scattered around the world. As a rentier state, Saudi Arabia has enjoyed a flourishing economy based on oil and gas exports for almost 70 years now. This enormous wealth … Continue reading Wahhabism and Saudi Kingdom: A Dangerous Alliance?
Nagorno-Karabakh: A Perennial Dispute
When an armed conflict broke out in Nagorno-Karabakh between Artsakh Armenian forces and Azerbaijani forces on 27 September, few expected that this conflict, which concerns a small area of the Caucasus, would become the first war scenario to be decided by drones rather than directly by humans within 44 days. It is not known how … Continue reading Nagorno-Karabakh: A Perennial Dispute
Iraq Water Shortage: a ‘Hydro-Political’ Disaster
Water is the basis of life on earth, and without it nothing would exist, including the economic activities on which humanity relies, such as agriculture, industry or any other human endeavour. Civilisation as we now know it has developed around the great rivers, and among these, the Tigris and Euphrates have played a major role, … Continue reading Iraq Water Shortage: a ‘Hydro-Political’ Disaster
Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam: an Endless Diplomatic Conflict
Mankind's relationship with the River Nile is lost in the mists of time: its almost 7000 km length has allowed human civilisation to grow, prosper and enrich itself, bringing fertility even to the most hostile and desert territories it encounters along its path. Thanks to this mighty river, one of the oldest and most fascinating … Continue reading Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam: an Endless Diplomatic Conflict
Turkey’s Expansion in Central Asia: a New Path?
It seems a long way from the time when the leader of the Republican's People Party, Mustafa Kemal, summed up his country's foreign policy in 1931 with the famous motto 'Peace at home, peace in the world'. The Republic of Turkey has changed radically since then, as has its position in the world. Despite its … Continue reading Turkey’s Expansion in Central Asia: a New Path?
China’s Belt and Road Initiative – An Alternative to Western Globalization
The Belt and Road Initiative, often called the New Silk Road, conjures up distant and exotic images that are still reminiscent of the fairytale descriptions in Marco Polo's Milione. The allusion, which is not insignificant, refers to historical periods in which international trade was monopolised by the caravan routes that developed between the Far East … Continue reading China’s Belt and Road Initiative – An Alternative to Western Globalization