Kuwait
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Disenfranchised in the Gulf
The Bedoons – Kuwait's stateless minority
For more than 50 years, the Bedoons have been living in Kuwait without citizenship status. Now, it seems this problematic situation is finally being addressed. There may be light at the end of the tunnel. By Dina Elbasnaly
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Album review: Reem Kelaniʹs "Why Do I Love Her?"
Sweet discomfort
As a prelude to the album she's currently working on, "This Land is Your Land", Reem Kelani has just released the four track EP "Why Do I Love Her" – recorded live at the Tabernacle in London. By Richard Marcus
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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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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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Soft power and football
Qatar vs. UAE: The not-so-beautiful game
In the race to buy influence, garner soft power and win over hearts and minds, those involved in the three-month old Gulf crisis are hell-bent on raising the stakes. Commentary by James M. Dorsey
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Obituary
Actor Abdulhussain Abdulredha: The fourth tower of Kuwait
Much-loved Kuwaiti actor and entertainer Abdulhussain Abdulredha, known across the Arab world for his charisma and comic flair passed away on 11 August 2017. Reem Kelani looks back fondly on his career
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Saudi ultimatum for Qatar
Turning up the heat?
The list of thirteen demands given to Qatar on Friday by Saudi Arabia and the UAE does not represent a serious attempt to settle the conflict. Even so, a split in the Gulf Cooperation Council seems unlikely. By Anna Sunik
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Oil and development in the Middle East
A two-edged sword
When poor countries started producing oil, they thought that was the key to economic growth and prosperity. Since then, the impact of resource wealth on producing countries has been the subject of endless debate. By Nassir Djafari
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Album review: ″Detour Guide″ by Karim Nagi
Breaking the mould
Stereotyping has been going on for a long time. We see something different and we try to make it easily definable by using simplistic, often demeaning, words describing something as complex as an entire culture, or race. In his newest release, ″Detour Guide″, Karim Nagi tackles this issue with humour and intelligence, while expressing pride in his culture and people
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Book review: "The Bamboo Stalk" by Saud Alsanousi
A life uprooted and replanted
The world is familiar with reports about the exploitation of migrant labourers in the Gulf region. In 2013, Saud Alsanousi's book "The Bamboo Stalk", which focuses on the experiences of a young man in Kuwait who is half Kuwaiti, half Filipino, won the International Prize for Arabic Fiction. This novel shines a light on the discrimination and rejection experienced by so many migrants in this region. Nahrain Al-Mousawi read the book
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Relations between Saudi Arabia and Egypt
Conditional support
Relations between the Gulf States and Egypt are undergoing readjustment. Saudi Arabia will continue to support Egypt, but the conditions for this support have changed. By Matthias Sailer
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The jihadi fighters of IS
"Jihadism has become a German phenomenon"
German jihadists are participating in Islamic State's war of terror. Security forces fear they could also pose a threat to the country. Guido Steinberg is an expert on Islam and Islamism. He has written a book about Germany's jihadi fighters. Bettina Marx spoke to him about the country's home-grown fighters