Gulf Region
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Middle East economies
Treading the trade war tightrope
Trumpʹs latest campaign to put pressure on China, with the option of raising existing trade tariffs of 10% to 25% by year-end, is just part of an escalating trade war between two super economic powers that could have disastrous effects – with the fragile Middle East destined to feel the pinch. By Stasa Salacanin
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Higher education in the Middle East
Low standards, wrong content
Young people in the MENA region today are better educated than their parents' generation. But higher educational attainment does not open doors to better jobs. Many youngsters go from university straight into unemployment. By Nassir Djafari
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Western diplomacy in crisis
What to do about Khashoggi?
The abduction or even murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi would constitute a dangerous escalation in the Saudi government's campaign to clamp down on its critics. According to Guido Steinberg, the West should react with as much determination as it did towards Moscow following events in Salisbury
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Malaysiaʹs Mahathir targets corruption
Graft links to the Gulf
Newly elected Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir is adopting policies that could re-shape the southeast Asian nationʹs relations with Saudi Arabia and the UAE. By James M. Dorsey
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Saudi Arabia and the West
Europe's window of opportunity
A new social contract is being drawn up in Saudi Arabia. This presents Germany and its EU partners with new opportunities. But if these are to be properly utilised, they should demonstrate greater commitment to defusing the conflict with Iran. By Matthias Sailer
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The uncertain future of Modern Standard Arabic
A language in decline
Substantial numbers of schoolchildren in the Gulf are losing their ability to communicate in Arabic. The development may well herald the onset of language loss in the region. By Sawsan Khalaf
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The Emirate of Sharjahʹs March Meeting
A fresh take on the figurative
The DNA of art is no longer just western: known as the "March Meeting", the spring exhibition in the Arab desert city of Sharjah displays an undreamed-of diversity. By Georg Imdahl
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Geopolitics in the Middle East
End the Arab-Iranian tug-of-war
You can’t change regional geography, notes the political analyst Khaled Hroub. Iran and the Arabs will always be neighbours, but we can change and re-shape history and politics. The common interest must therefore lie in ending the period of conflict and moving towards co-operation and regional security
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Qatari foreign relations
The point of no return?
The crisis between Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain and Egypt on the one hand and Qatar on the other appears to be approaching tipping point. The possibility of Doha's departure from the GCC and new alliances with Turkey and Iran is likely to trigger major shifts in the regionʹs balance of power. By Stasa Salacanin
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UAE foreign policy and the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi
Hardly a ruler in waiting
Architect of the United Arab Emiratesʹ assertive foreign policy approach is the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi: he it is who ultimately makes the decisions, in consultation with several of his brothers and the ruler of Dubai. Report by Matthias Sailer
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Sultanate of Oman
A happy symbiosis
It is rare that a ruler is able to concentrate so much power in his own hands while remaining popular with his subjects: Sultan Qaboos has achieved a synthesis of tradition and globalisation. By Ingrid Thurner
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Documentary: "A Silent Revolution"
Pioneering Saudi women
Thanks to the courage of a few, Saudi Arabian women are now managing companies and will soon be allowed to drive cars. The documentary "A Silent Revolution" showcases Saudi Arabia's female movers and shakers. Elizabeth Grenier talked to director Danya Alhamrani and producer Dania Nassief