Syria: Finally, the Return to Raison d’État
January 19, 2025The Syrian government has just increased customs duties on all imports from Turkey by a staggering 300%. Has Ahmad el Charaa, Damascus’ new strongman, drawn inspiration from Donald Trump, who has repeatedly threatened trade partners with sharp tariff hikes since taking office? Not quite. The recently installed Syrian administration is, in fact, harmonizing…
Cheap drugs, a new calamity for Arab countries
June 2, 2024The Middle East is awash with Captagon. A mixture of amphetamine and caffeine, this drug has become particularly popular in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Workers and partygoers use and abuse it, partly to suppress hunger and partly to stay awake as long as possible. These two countries are facing a true…