Bahrain

Kuwait refuses to budge as other Gulf nations abandon the Palestinian cause

The most prominent Gulf nations are normalising ties with Israel without gaining any concessions from the Israelis. Why has Kuwait not followed its closest allies?

Bahraini refugee footballer returns to Australia after Thai detention

Hakeem al Araibi returned to Australia two months after he was detained in Thailand where he was under threat of extradition to his native country over alleged political crimes.

Thailand to free refugee Bahraini footballer after extradition bid dropped

Hakeem Al Araibi, 25, who fled Bahrain in 2014 and received refugee status in Australia, was arrested in November at a Bangkok airport while on a honeymoon trip following an Interpol notice issued at Bahrain's request.

Fate of Bahraini footballer will inevitably net Thailand an own goal

Thailand is between a rock and a hard place trying to pick who it is more willing to upset; Bahrain and the GCC or Australia, human rights organisations, and football's governing bodies.

'Please, don't send me to Bahrain' - Jailed Bahraini footballer

Footballer Hakeem al Araibi, who fled Bahrain in 2014 and was later granted asylum in Australia, faces extradition to his homeland Bahrain, where he thinks he will face torture and even death.

Normalising Bashar al Assad as a counter to Iran is a fool's errand

Attempts to transform Syrian regime leader Bashar al Assad into a regional bulwark against Iran have been tried before - and didn't work. There is little to no evidence that it will work this time around.

Football player refuses voluntary extradition to Bahrain

Hakeem al Araibi's rejection of extradition means a trial will be held to determine whether Thai authorities will send him to Bahrain, where he fears he is at risk or torture.

Has the Warsaw 'Iran' summit already fizzled out?

US and Poland, sponsors of an Iran-focused conference in Warsaw, have backtracked from their initial agenda as some EU invitees' plan to skip the meeting. Is the summit headed for a two-day fiasco?

Ex-player seeks FIFA help for jailed Bahrain refugee athlete

A former Australian football player campaigning to free a Bahraini refugee athlete detained in Thailand wants FIFA, the sport's governing body, to sanction the football associations of Thailand and Bahrain if they fail to help.

The Arab NATO — an alliance of regional foes?

Despite US efforts to set up an Arab alliance to counter Iranian influence in the Middle East, the Arab countries attending the Warsaw summit have different priorities and conflicting foreign policies.

Syria’s re-entry into the Arab League is a matter of ‘when’ not 'if'

At the recent Arab League summit in Lebanon, the signs of Syria's reinclusion were clear.

Will tensions between Bahrain and Iraq trigger a wider political crisis?

Opposition to Bahrain's monarchy has set up shop in Iraq and criticism within Iraq of Bahrain's crackdown on dissidents hasn't gone down well in Manama. The perceived interference in Bahraini affairs could set Iraq on a collision course with the GCC.