Gulf Region
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Qatar's foreign policy
Little emirate, big ambition
This week, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani paid his first state visit to Germany since being named emir of Qatar after his father's abdication in June 2013. The 34-year-old emir is one of the Middle East's most influential leaders, but his political course is controversial. By Anne Allmeling
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The Arabic language
A better understanding
Arabic is spoken in 22 countries, but people from different countries don't necessarily understand each other. The language is split up into numerous dialects, some of which are mutually unintelligible. The Arab spring went a long way towards unifying the way Arabic is used in everyday life. Translators are working on an online dictionary to help standardise the language for business purposes. By Charlotte Schmitz and Guido Zebisch
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Profile: Qassem Soleimani
The man who pulls the strings
Iran is battling Saudi Arabia for regional supremacy in the Middle East, and is steadily expanding its sphere of influence in Lebanon, Syria and Iraq. Behind the scenes, Qassem Soleimani is a key figure who has had more influence on Iran's foreign policy over the last twenty years than almost anyone else. Martina Sabra reports
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The Bahraini activist Ala'a Shehabi
David versus goliath
The Bahraini economist Ala'a Shehabi has taken up the fight for democracy in her native country. In light of the fact that the repression of activists has increased here over the past three years and that the regime is spending millions on PR, hers is set to be a long, uphill struggle. By Iris Mostegel
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International Prize for Arabic Fiction 2014: "Frankenstein in Baghdad"
Beyond good and evil
Ahmed Saadawi's novel "Frankenstein in Baghdad" has won the 2014 International Prize for Arabic Fiction. Khaled Hroub presents the book
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The political consequences of the Arab Spring
Some revolts just take longer
Civil war in Syria, a military regime in Egypt ... at first glance, it seems as if the Arab Spring has gone off the rails. But the battle is not over yet: 2014 will be a decisive year for change in the Arab world. An essay by Karim El-Gawhary
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Book review: "Sectarian Gulf" by Toby Matthiesen
Sectarianism instead of revolution
The Gulf states were among the many countries enveloped by the Arab Spring. However, authorities there skilfully managed to play Sunnis and Shias off against each other as a means of dividing the protest movement. Initially, the tactic proved successful, writes Toby Matthiesen in his book "Sectarian Gulf". A review by Jannis Hagmann
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Global history
Playing with the relativity of perspectives
A new six-volume work entitled "A History of the World" is the high point of a historiographical boom in the discipline known as "global history". The project attempts to overcome the eurocentrism of traditional writings of history. By Andreas Pflitsch
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Saudi Arabia
Facing a Plethora of Fundamental Challenges
The deterioration of Saudi Arabia's political influence has contributed to a growing sense of national decline. King Abdullah's reform efforts have lost steam. An essay by Tarek Osman
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Surveillance and Domestic Security since 9/11
Like Donkeys Carrying Books
The intelligence services' frenzied data analysis is the latest and for the moment, the last in a series of imbalanced responses to the attacks of 11 September 2001, says investigative journalist Stefan Buchen who, according to a report in the German news weekly Der Spiegel, has himself been the subject of security agency investigations
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Social Fabric and Solidarity in the Arab World
The Indifference of the Arab Middle Class
The upheaval in the Arab world has radically changed the fabric of society there. The Arab Spring has been followed by a shift in affinities towards people's kinship and religion. Moreover, the recent civil war in Syria has shown that Arab solidarity is a myth. An essay by Sami Mahroum
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Political Pressure Exerted by Gulf States in Egypt
Reaching for the Cheque Book
With economic aid packages running into the billions, Saudi Arabia is leading a campaign to manipulate Egyptian politics, shore up support for the army and eliminate its old rival, the Muslim Brotherhood. Report by Karim El-Gawhary