Middle East & North Africa
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Middle East jubilant over Wall St woes
The Wall Street crash has provoked undisguised gloating among the US’s enemies in the Middle East who claim the global financial crisis is a further sign that the US has lost its superpower status
Sadr loyalist killed in roadside bomb
A senior Shia lawmaker loyal to anti-American cleric Moqtada al-Sadr was killed by a roadside bomb in Baghdad, raising concerns about the potential for violence ahead of provincial elections expected early next year
Dubai dismisses refinancing fears
The Dubai government has dismissed investor concerns that the debt-laden emirate could face problems with refinancing as global markets tumble
Iran’s bazaar traders in revolt against new tax
The imposition of value added tax in Iran has pitted President Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad against one of the country’s most powerful institutions: the bazaar traders
Kabul seeks foreign funds to take on corruption
His right arm bandaged to cover the wounds he acquired a week previously when he was almost killed by a Taliban bomb, Kabul's chief police investigator incredulously...
Influence has waned but remains significant
Ancient Persia enjoyed a high level of trade because of its position on the Silk Road. But when it lost most of its agricultural lands after the Mongol invasion in the...
Gulf states face a reality check
The oil-fuelled boom seems to be stalling but governments may have saved enough during the good times to stimulate growth once more
Related content and features
Comment
Saudi clerics imperil economy
Unless the clerical establishment is confronted, it is reforms and economic transformation that will be threatened, writes Roula Khalaf
Viewpoint
Gulf can secure a soft landing
With prudent policymaking, the region’s economic strengths can save it from a crash, writes Marios Maratheftis
Markets Watch
Gulf equities in ‘Vicious circle’
Growing fears for the region’s banks are leading to sharp sell-offs in real estate companies – and vice versa, says Robin Wigglesworth
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