Jordan
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Arab world
Germany and the Middle East – a tale of morals and markets
Germany's foreign policy is explicitly values-based. But what happens, Ralf Bosen asks, when democracy, the rule of law and human rights collide with the logic of trade and business?
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Women in the Arab world
More violence, less income: Arab women bear the brunt of COVID-19
A new survey by Arab Barometer adds numbers to the narrative that COVID has led to a harsher reality for women in the Middle East and North Africa. By Jennifer Holleis and Razan Salman
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Literary power politics
Spotlight on the UAE's 30th Abu Dhabi Book Fair
They’ve already got the Louvre; they’ll soon have a Guggenheim Museum as well – and now the Emirates have added literature to their quest for cultural supremacy in the Arab world. Stefan Weidner reports from Abu Dhabi, from the first book fair of this year to take place in person
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COVID-19 in the Middle East
Arab countries face high coronavirus vaccine hesitancy
The rollout of coronavirus vaccines in the Middle East and North Africa is already taking place on a massive scale, with the United Arab Emirates leading the way. Nevertheless, many people are in no rush to get the COVID-19 jab. Cathrin Schaer poses the all-important question: why?
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100 years of Jordan
Prince Hamzah – just a storm in the royal Jordan tea-cup?
Faced with a deteriorating economy and a discontented populace, Jordan's ruling family is feeling the pressure.
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One hundred years of Jordan
"A land for all Arabs" turned Middle East anchor of stability
Founded in 1921 as a temporary solution, Jordan managed to establish itself as one of the most stable countries in the Middle East. The inclusive and flexible approach taken by the state’s founder Abdullah and his successors doubtless contributed to this stability. But the centennial celebrations of the Hashemite Kingdom are overshadowed by an economic crisis and deadlock over political reform. By Edmund Ratka
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New books on the Middle East
The clouds of war or the dawn of a new beginning?
German Middle East analyst Guido Steinberg and television journalist Ulrich Tilgner have both published new books on the conflicts in the Middle East. Their analyses and their forecasts for the region could not be more different. By René Wildangel
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100 years of Jordan
Prince Hamzah – just a storm in the royal Jordan tea-cup?
Faced with a deteriorating economy and a discontented populace, Jordan's ruling family is feeling the pressure. Was last weekend's palace intrigue involving Prince Hamzah indicative of a deeper crisis for Jordan, one that could inexorably alter the country's reputation for stability? By Cathrin Schaer
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Book review: Amjad Nasser's "Land of No Rain"
A milestone of modern Arabic literature
Jordanian author Amjad Nasser, who died in 2019, presents an impressive tale of homelands, life in exile and the hardships of returning home. His profound eloquence and use of experimental literary forms make “Land of No Rain” a landmark publication in modern Arabic literature, writes Martina Sabra in her review for Qantara
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10 years of Arabellion
The buds of the Arab Spring
Ten years after the start of the Arabellion in North Africa and the Middle East, many view the movement as a failure. But rather than being over, it has now entered a more mature phase with new forms of protest. An assessment by Claudia Mende
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Humanitarian aid in the Middle East
UN agency for Palestinian refugees faces imminent collapse
Financial woes had been part and parcel of UNRWA's work for years. In 2018, however, President Donald Trump dealt the organisation a deadly blow, deferring payment of U.S. yearly contributions of more than $300 million. Now the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees is facing insolvency. Financial aid for millions of refugees is at risk. By Kersten Knipp
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Human Rights Film Festival Berlin
Lives in limbo
The Human Rights Film Festival Berlin has been held for the third time in 2020 under the patronage of Nadia Murad. In just a short time, this festival, which was initiated by the NGO Action Against Hunger, has evolved into a highlight in the German film calendar. By René Wildangel