Kuwait
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Geopolitics in the Middle EastEnd 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 footballQatar 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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ObituaryActor 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 QatarTurning 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 EastA 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 NagiBreaking 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 AlsanousiA 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 EgyptConditional 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
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Interview with Bakary Sambe''In the Arab World, We Africans are Viewed as Inferior Muslims''
The French military intervention in Mali has triggered controversial reactions among Muslim intellectuals in West Africa. While there is almost universal rejection of jihadism, opinion about France's political motives is divided. Charlotte Wiedemann spoke to the Senegalese political scientist Bakary Sambe
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The Gulf Monarchies and the Arab SpringCounter-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