Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

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Who Invented ‘Zero’?

by Manil Suri | Oct 12, 2017 | Opinion

Carbon dating of an ancient Indian document, the Bakhshali manuscript, has recently placed the first written occurrence of the number zero in the third or fourth century A.D., about 500 years earlier than previously believed. While the news has no practical bearing on...

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Iraqi Kurdish President Masoud Barzani sits with Kirkuk Governor Najmaldin Karim (R) during his visit in Kirkuk, Iraq September 12, 2017. REUTERS/Ako Rasheed

Scrutinizing The Kurdish Referendum

by Eyad Abu Shakra | Oct 11, 2017 | Opinion

It was really significant that the coffin of Jalal Talebani, the ex-Iraqi president, was wrapped by the national flag of Kurdistan rather the flag of Iraq, during his funeral in his hometown As-Suleimanyyah. What we are now witnessing is a virtual ‘divorce’ between...

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A Nobel for Humility in Economics

by Noah Smith | Oct 11, 2017 | Opinion

As you are by now all probably aware, Richard Thaler won this year’s Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences. All question of whether this is a “real” Nobel can now be laid to rest, since the announcement was made via the Nobel Prize’s official verified Twitter...

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Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Saudi Deputy Crown Prince and Defense Minister Mohammed bin Salman during a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, May 30, 2017. REUTERS/Pavel Golovkin/Pool/File Photo

Saudi Arabia’s Armament Policy

by Abdulrahman Al-Rashed | Oct 10, 2017 | Opinion

After Saudi King Salman’s visit to Moscow ended with serious talks over two major military agreements, it seemed more pressing than ever to delve into the why behind Riyadh gravitating closer towards importing all sorts of arms deals in an unprecedented manner. The...

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US President Barack Obama flanked by US Secretary of State John Kerry (L) and US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter arrive to speak to the press following a meeting with the National Security Council (NSC) on February 25, 2016 at the State Department in Washington, DC. (Photo credit: MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)

Why Did the US Even Get Involved in Syria?

by Leonid Bershidsky | Oct 10, 2017 | Opinion

A candid memoir by former US Defense Secretary Ash Carter provides a rare opportunity to better understand President Barack Obama’s Syria strategy before it recedes into the historical distance. His many valuable insights raise one big question, however: Why did...

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Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. REUTERS/Caren Firouz/File Photo

The Nuclear Issue Isn’t the Real Iranian Challenge

by David Ignatius | Oct 9, 2017 | Opinion

Various cultures have different phrases for expressing the idea of having it both ways at once. “To take a swim and not get wet” is an Albanian proverb. Poles talk about “having the cookie and eating it.” Iranians want “both God and the sugar dates.” The Trump...