Marriage in the Middle East, as it is for many regions of the world, may not only be an expression of love and commitment, but also a way to bind two families together, strengthening social ties and ensuring financial stability.… Continue Reading
On Monday, three committees in Mexico’s senate — constitutional issues, energy and legislative studies — voted to bring an energy reform bill to the chamber’s floor for debate. The legislation would provide international oil companies the opportunity to participate in profit-sharing contracts and concession-like licenses for energy operations in Mexico, and it is expected to become law by the end of the legislative session Dec. 15. Continue Reading
This week, Norwegian oil and gas company Statoil announced that its employees would begin returning to Algeria to resume activities related to its gas production in the country. Less than a year ago, members of the Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) organization thrust Statoil’s operations onto the front page with a significant terrorist attack against its In Amenas gas production facility. Continue Reading
The audacity of choosing a city that was so poor so recently to host a World Expo provides a great opportunity to improve our understanding of the Middle East, so often written off as a war zone. You can’t run a World’s Fair in a war zone. You need political stability, and that’s why Dubai makes a great choice. Continue Reading