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World Cup leads to closer ties among Gulf states

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GULF STATES

The World Cup marked an opportunity for Qatar to bolster its soft power and its role as a global sporting and tourism destination. Although the tournament brought a wave of…

Iran will seek solid-fuel tech for space and missiles

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IRAN

The Nur satellite was lifted by the two-stage Qased satellite launch vehicle (SLV) into orbit 425 kilometres from earth. This followed a second failed launch in February by the…

Mideast countries will still value BRICS membership

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MIDDLE EAST

This is the first time since 2010 that new members have been invited to join the group, signalling growing confidence among ‘middle powers’ and their intent to establish…

Crisis will cut profits, add risks for Turkish banks

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TURKEY

It was a bid to stabilise the lira. Bank deposit and credit rates have already risen sharply, and credit growth has virtually halted. As Turkey’s economic crisis takes hold, the…

Saudi-Emirati relations will be tense

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SAUDI ARABIA/UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Current animosities are driven by competing economic plans and ambitions for regional leadership. Encouraged by a changing geopolitical environment, strong finances and solid…

Damascus-dominated dialogue will sideline opposition

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SYRIA

The National Coalition (NC), another Syrian opposition grouping, also condemned the plan as an effort to circumvent “the international desire for political transition”. However…

Egypt's limited actions on human rights will pay off

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EGYPT

Efforts to impress external donors are yielding results, allied with an uptick in regional instability that has afforded Cairo more room for manoeuvre. However, repressive…

Disjointed initiatives to hobble Libya peace progress

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LIBYA

International diplomacy over the Libyan conflict slowed this year. This was partly the result of Russian-US disagreement over selecting a new UN envoy, and the waning influence of…

Egypt’s military will entrench control of public life

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EGYPT

The most notable change institutionalises the control by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) over officers’ participation in elections; another extends the military’s…

War may set back Yemen’s women for decades

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YEMEN

Prospects for Yemeni women.