Showing 1 - 10 of 865
Iran's water weapon against Gulf
Oped, Michael Christopher Low, Published on 07/04/2026
» The oil-rich monarchies of the Persian Gulf are often described as petrostates. But the US-Israeli war with Iran has highlighted that they are also saltwater kingdoms, societies whose survival depends on desalination, or converting seawater into potable water at industrial scale.
Gulf states tell US ending the war is not enough
Oped, Samia Nakhoul, Published on 31/03/2026
» Gulf Arab states are telling the US that any deal with Tehran should do more than end the war, and must permanently curb Iran's missile and drone capabilities and ensure global energy supplies are never again "weaponised", four Gulf sources said.
Education rethink
Oped, Postbag, Published on 27/03/2026
» Re: "Social Security Fund reform 'urgent' as society ages", (BP, March 25).
Trump goes off-script, US gone rogue
Oped, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 27/03/2026
» It was not supposed to work like this. "America First" and "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) were supposed to be about an inward turn to repair, replenish and rebuild an externally overstretched and internally weakened country, weighed down by unnecessary global entanglements, unsustainable national debt, and unimpeded mass migration. It seemed for a time that the MAGA movement to prioritise America above and beyond the international system and its constituent parts had found its final prophet in President Donald J Trump. But now, somehow, President Trump has betrayed the movement that has carried him to office by waging a disastrous war on Iran in cooperation with Israel.
MPs' pensions on the line
Oped, Editorial, Published on 26/03/2026
» A bleak economic outlook driven by the oil crisis has prompted renewed calls for a review of the pension scheme for former members of parliament, which critics say has become a heavy burden on taxpayers.
Asean's energy security at risk
Oped, Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro, Published on 26/03/2026
» In June 1986, the five founding members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) assembled in Manila to discuss Asean's response to the global energy crisis, which began with the Iranian Revolution in late 1978.
Rising costs, empty tanks
Oped, Editorial, Published on 18/03/2026
» As war between the US–Israel alliance and Iran escalates, the caretaker government's response -- limited to a few warnings, a recommendation for state officials to work from home, and, as usual, fuel subsidies from the State Oil Fund -- appears woefully inadequate.
The Iran war is upending global energy markets
Oped, Carolyn Kissane, Published on 12/03/2026
» The war with Iran is widening faster than many expected. The Islamic Republic's retaliation against Arab Gulf states has extended beyond military targets to critical civilian infrastructure, including airports, water desalination plants, and energy facilities. Hezbollah has opened a second front from Lebanon. US President Donald Trump suggests that operations could last "four to five weeks", but with nearly 50 senior Iranian officials having been killed, it is unclear who might be positioned to negotiate an off-ramp.
Preparing for AI-enabled bioweapons
Oped, Sania Nishtar, Published on 11/03/2026
» We don't know when the next epidemic or pandemic will hit, or where the next infectious threat will emerge. But we do know that the nature of the threat is constantly evolving. One of the most sobering takeaways from this year's Munich Security Conference was that AI-enabled gene editing has radically lowered the barrier to developing genetically engineered bioweapons. We must prepare to live with even deeper uncertainty about whether emerging infectious threats are natural or man-made, and whether they have been accidentally or deliberately released.
Testing times could prove govt mettle
Oped, Veera Prateepchaikul, Published on 09/03/2026
» A honeymoon period seems out of the question for the new administration led by the Bhumjaithai Party, which may come into office in late April or May, depending on how quickly the processes of electing the House Speaker and his two deputies, and the election of the prime minister in parliament, take place.