The rare earths powering industries and fuelling conflicts

From Africa to the Arctic, certain metals and minerals are so highly sought after for today's strategic industries that countries will go to war over them. What are they? Al Majalla digs deeper.

Abdulfattah Khattab

Political Spring, Economic Firestorm

[caption id="attachment_55236398" align="aligncenter" width="619"] Dr. Nasser Saidi (Source: KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP/Getty Images)[/caption] The downfall of Mubarak and Ben Ali and the explosion of…

Alex Edwards

Confronting the Gas Revolution

[caption id="attachment_55236336" align="alignnone" width="620"] A general view shows burning flames from a gas well in Sailiya, 40km north of the Qatari capital Doha. Source: AFP/Getty Images[…

Keily Miller

Can Morsi Bite the Bullet?

[caption id="attachment_55235489" align="alignnone" width="594"] A boy stands next to a stall at Magra El-Oyoun market on January 24, 2012, Cairo. Getty Images[/caption] Egypt’s worsening economic…

Sophie Anmuth

Big Dreams for Iraqi Oil

[caption id="attachment_55234515" align="alignnone" width="620"] An Iraqi oil worker works at Al-Doura oil refinery [/caption]Iraq could become the second-largest oil exporter in the world by the…

Jenna Marangoni

Saudi's Soaring Economy

[caption id="attachment_55234316" align="alignleft" width="620"] The outlook for Saudi Arabia's Economy is favourable[/caption]Barclays’ Capital (BarCap) has recently released projections that Saudi…

Jenna Marangoni

The Unheard Struggle in Egypt

[caption id="attachment_55233790" align="alignnone" width="620"] Workers at Cleopatra Ceramics factory began striking during the revolution.[/caption]Last month, Egypt saw renewed protests following…

Alessandra Bajec

Islamic Finance Leads the Way

[caption id="attachment_55233677" align="aligncenter" width="620"] A logo of Bank Islam Malaysia is seen at the bank's headquarters in Kuala Lumpur[/caption]Ironically, the global financial crisis…

Mehrunisa Qayyum

Downward Pressure

[caption id="attachment_55233662" align="aligncenter" width="620"] An investor watches his stocks at a securities exchange in Shanghai on August 22, 2012. Chinese shares were down 0.34 percent in…

Stephen Glain

Libya’s Cursed Wealth

[caption id="attachment_55233273" align="aligncenter" width="620"] An armed National Transitional Council (NTC) fighter provides security inside the Zawiya Oil Refinery, some 40 km west of Tripoli,…

Paula Mejia