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In an often fractious political scene, the 1962 document is the foundation upon which all Kuwaitis agree – and it is now working in favour of women’s freedoms
Egypt’s role in the alliance gathered behind Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh’s efforts to crush the Houthi rebellion suggests the ‘sleeping giant’ of Middle East politics has not entirely withdrawn from its central role in regional diplomacy. Cairo still plays an important part in mediating in the Israeli-Palestinian dispute, most recently in trying to heal the fratricidal rift between Fatah and Hamas. But otherwise, Egypt under 81-year-old President Hosni Mubarak seems to have long parted from its Nasserite status as a critical hub for Arab political and cultural thought and action.
Despite the slow but steady progress now being made on policy issues, the prospect of an old-style ministerial grilling threatens Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammed and may lead to the dissolution of parliament
Everyone from ‘Great Satan’ America to Al-Qaeda has been blamed for a suicide bombing that targeted senior IRGC commanders in Sistan va Baluchistan. The incident points to deepening confrontation in sensitive, often ethnically distinct border regions such as Khuzestan province, where Tehran has rejected all challenges to its authority
Following rumours last month that Prince Mishaal Bin Abdelaziz may have suffered a stroke, the Allegiance Commission (Al-Hayat Al-Bayaa) chairman is in Geneva for health care (GSN 861/7).
Regional attention is focusing on the assistant interior minister as a serious contender for the Saudi throne following his narrow escape from a terrorist attack, writes Sultan Sooud Al-Qassemi*. There has been an unusual development in the much-debated topic of the Saudi succession,
It is not just through trade and financial controls that the United States and its allies are gradually encircling Iran in an effort to throttle the Islamic Republic’s nuclear ambitions. And the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) states are playing a larger role in this process than seemed likely earlier this decade, when Saudi King Abdullah Bin Abdelaziz led a move towards rapprochement with Tehran. Thus, according to GSN’s contacts in the
Emerging family and tribal squabbles threaten to destabilise the Yemeni regime, as Ali Abdullah Saleh struggles to solve problems in the north and safeguard his dynastic legacy
The mainstream Shia parliamentary opposition appears to have become sidetracked by marginal and sectarian issues, and is now caught between a tactically astute government and vigorous rivals
The latest bloodbath in Saada, causing tens of thousands of civilians to flee, has made international news. The roots of the crisis, and the continuing confrontation in the south, present a complex challenge to Ali Abdullah Saleh
The Kingdom is on high alert after the audacious assassination attempt during Ramadan – the first recorded Al-Qaeda attack on a Saudi royal in recent times – and the security focus is on the border with Yemen
When a 'terror plot' emerges everyone is quick to rush in with their interpretation of the (usually shadowy) events. "An armed cell related to a regional government" was reportedly uncovered over the summer in the northern emirate of Ras Al-Khaimah (RAK). Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Jarida,
With persistent rumours about the Supreme Leader’s health, key figures are jostling for power as they await the succession that many expect sooner rather than later. Meanwhile, with growing influence, the Rahbar’s son Mojtaba Khamenei waits in the wings
The Al-Houthi rebellion is closely linked to the north's distinctive traditions of Zaidi Shiism and the emergence of a 'revivalist' movement among Zaidis resentful of the growing influence of the Sunni conservative Salafi Wahhabis
Alarm bells have sounded over reports that Saudi Arabia is preparing to sign an unprecedented $2bn arms deal with Russia. Saudi defence procurement is usually the domain of the United States, Britain and France – leading observers to speculate that a geopolitical shift is under way. This might also involve shifting attitudes towards Iran, with Riyadh offering Moscow juicy contracts if it cools relations with Tehran.
