The Yemeni novelist and computer science professor speaks to Al Majalla about science, uncertainty, and the role of fiction in questioning inherited narratives of progress
The UAE backs southern Yemenis who want secession, while Saudi Arabia wants a unified Yemen. Egypt also favours unity, but is close to both Gulf states, putting it in a difficult position.
Overcoming Yemen's fragmentation requires more support for the Riyadh-led path—one that rejects secession, all militias and institutionalises the state
No single party in Yemen can impose dominance over the other through military force, nor can any side achieve dominance solely by relying on external actors
For decades, two separate states - North and South Yemen - existed side-by-side, until the Cold War ended. Suddenly, the two came together. For a brief moment, united Yemen prospered.
The rejection of peace initiatives, the clampdown on civil society, and the forced disappearance of humanitarian workers have contributed to growing fatigue among Yemenis under their control
From kidnapping Venezuela's president to proposing the annexation of Greenland, Trump appears to be the most 'imperialist' leader the US has had in decades
From Yemen and Syria to Sudan and Libya, there is a concerted effort to reassert state authority and thwart moves toward the proliferation of quasi-states and fragmentation
A decisive Syrian military campaign, coupled with diplomatic pressure from Türkiye, the US, and Israel, has forced the SDF into a far-reaching integration deal with Damascus
This could be a decisive year for Beijing as long-running strategies collide with harsher geopolitical realities. The outcomes will shape global power balances well beyond 2026.