Oman
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Man Booker International award
Johka Alharthi scoops a first for Arabic literature
Omani novelist Johka Alharthi confounded regional literary pundits earlier this month when she carried off the highly prestigious Man Booker International prize for "Celestial Bodies". Marcia Lynx Qualey caught up with her and the novelʹs translator, Marilyn Booth, the morning after the award was announced
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Geopolitical alliances in the Middle East
Religionʹs waning role
Todayʹs turmoil in the Middle East is rooted largely in historical legacies and poor leadership, but the influence of religion hasnʹt helped. So it is good news that, from Saudi Arabia to Israel to Iraq, religion is increasingly being superseded by strategic and security interests in shaping regional affairs. By Shlomo Ben-Ami
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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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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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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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Gender equality in the Middle East
To the benefit of all
Achieving gender equality in the Middle East will be a long process, requiring fundamental educational, social and economic reforms. But giving women the right training now can kick-start the process, writes Arib Ali Al-Mandhari
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Oman's succession problem
Neither heir nor spare
Unmarried and childless, Qaboos bin Said Al-Said, Sultan of Oman, is something of a rarity in the Arab world. His reign has already lasted for 45 years. Confusion still remains, however, over the identity of his successor. What is clear is that whoever it is will not have it easy. By Anne Allmeling
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The Sultan of Oman: neither heir, nor spare
Many long-established Arab rulers were toppled during the Arab Spring in 2011. But not all of them: the Sultan of Oman has been head of the Gulf state for forty years – and is as popular as ever. By Anne Allmeling
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The Gulf Monarchies and the Arab Spring
Counter-revolution in the Gulf
Far away from the attention of Western media, the oil-rich Gulf monarchies are currently trying to avoid being hit by the wave of uprisings and revolutions in North Africa and the Middle East. So far, they have not only been successful in doing so, they've even managed to exploit the uprisings for their own purposes. Matthias Sailer reports
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Cultural Change in Oman
From Camels to Classics
The Royal Opera House in Muscat, the first opera house on the Arabian Peninsula, is a symbol of the nature of the changes which have taken place in Oman. By Laura Weißmüller