Wahhabism
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After Yemen's Presidential Election
A Herculean Task
Militia in the north, separatists in the south, al-Qaeda and the return to the country of the former president Ali Abdullah Saleh ... the challenges facing Yemen's interim government on the road to democracy are staggering. From Sanaa, Birgit Svensson explains that the country's new leadership is actually fighting a war on four fronts
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Presidential Election in Yemen
An Experiment in Democracy
Yemen is voting for a successor to President Saleh, who was overthrown after months of protest. But the only candidate is the vice-president, Abed Rabbo Mansur Hadi. And how he can possibly turn into the "Saviour of Democracy" in Yemen remains a mystery. Birgit Svensson reports from Sanaa
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The ''Roads of Arabia'' Exhibition at the Museum of Islamic Art
Saudi Arabia's Surprising Treasures
An exhibition entitled "Roads of Arabia", which runs at the Museum of Islamic Art in Berlin from 26 January to 9 April, is showcasing the archaeological heritage of Saudi Arabia. This striking collection contains some surprising and sensational treasures and reveals a desert kingdom in transition. By Marian Brehmer
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Militant Islamism in Nigeria
The Radical Seed of Boko Haram
The Boko Haram sect exploits social inequality and widespread resentment to undermine the state – with the support of Al Qaeda. A report by Marc Engelhardt
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Salafists in Egypt
Exploiting the Weakness of the People
The Salafists provided the biggest surprise of the Egyptian elections. They will constitute the second largest party in the new Egyptian parliament. The Salafists are seeking to present an outwardly moderate image, but it is their radical slogans that score points for them with the voters. Karim El-Gawhary reports from Cairo
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Interview with the Saudi Arabian Blogger Ahmed al Omran
''You Cannot Copy and Paste a Revolution''
Ahmed al Omran is one of Saudi Arabia's most popular bloggers. In this interview with Benno Müchler, he explains why people in Saudi Arabia do not have an inclination to revolt, and assesses the prospects for political reform in the country
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New Line of Succession to the Saudi Throne
Riyadh's Old Regime Grows Older
Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah has named Naif bin Abdelaziz, 77, as crown prince and deputy prime minister, a choice that raises concerns about the direction in which the conservative prince will take the kingdom. By Mai Yamani
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Interview with Abdul Aziz Al-Khamis
Saudi Arabia Doomed to Renewal
The women of Saudi Arabia will be allowed to vote for the first time in 2015. Why not already today in the current local elections? Abdelmoula Boukhraiss discussed this topic with the well-known Saudi Arabian civil rights activist and journalist Abdul Aziz Al-Khamis in London
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Saudi Arabia versus the Arab Spring
Stability at All Costs
Saudi Arabia is often seen as the main player in the counter-revolution against the uprisings of the Arab Spring. In reality, however, the kingdom's reaction has been conservative because both its domestic and foreign policies have been geared towards "stability" for quite some time now. By Bernard Haykel
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Women's Rights in the Arab World
Are Saudi Women Next?
Nowhere in the world are women's lives more regulated than they are in Saudi Arabia. But, writes Mai Yamani, Saudi women activists are beginning to eloquently demand the removal of restrictions and an end to women's dependency
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Salafists and the Arab Spring
Fears of Rising Extremism in Egypt's Power Vacuum
As secular and Islamic groups prepare for Egypt's first free elections later this year, the unchecked rise of the Islamist Salafi sect is causing concern among Egyptians who fear its violent extremist agenda. Nick Amies reports