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النسخة العربية
  • Politics
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  • mineral wealth

An Afghan miner extracts gold ore in the Ghulak Dara Valley in the Shighnan district of Badakhshan province, northeastern Afghanistan, on 28 July 2026. AFP

Will Trump entertain the Taliban's rare-earth invitation?

Afghanistan's mineral resources, including its coveted rare earths, are estimated to be worth more than $1tn, but so far China has been the main extractor, but a recent offer could change that

Kamal Alam 12 September 2026
Underwater image of a diver among fish at the North Seymour Island dive site in the Galapagos archipelago, Ecuador, taken on 8 March 2024. ERNESTO BENAVIDES / AFP

The global race for rare earths reaches the ocean floor

A critical mineral found on Japan's seabed has caught US attention, and the two are teaming up to see whether it can yield future benefits and reduce their dependence on China

Abdulfattah Khattab 08 September 2026
Diana Estefanía Rubio

New front in race for rare earths opens under the sea

In the Pacific, the US and Japan are looking to exploit deep-sea mineral resources to counter China’s dominance of rare-earth supply chains, amid environmental concerns and unresolved international…

Al Majalla - London 18 August 2026
Eduardo Ramon

The G7 gets serious about critical minerals

With China dominating the 'rare earths' needed to power the technology of the future, the West is playing catch-up in a race that began years ago. Finally, a plan is emerging.

Abdulfattah Khattab 20 January 2026
Al Majalla

The six noble gases countries are fighting over

Odourless, colourless gases such as helium, neon, radon, argon, krypton, and xenon power key industries. They are rare, difficult to extract, and hugely valuable, yet largely under the radar.

Abdulfattah Khattab 07 December 2025
US President Donald Trump (L) and Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim (R) hold up signed documents on a trade deal during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur on 26 October 2025. ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP

Will Trump’s critical minerals blitz pay off?

The US president has been on a mission to secure new supply chains—and counter China's grip

Christina Lu 11 November 2025
Shutterstock

Thorium: Egypt’s mineral treasure lying in its black sands

A metal that can be converted into a fissile material for nuclear power is plentiful in the Arab world's most populous country. If science can harness its potential, Egypt has a valuable asset.

Marcelle Nasr 09 September 2025
A worker mining lead sulphide in the border area between Morocco and Algeria. Alamy

Algeria’s mineral wealth gives it a new edge

The country has passed a new minerals law seen by its backers as a catalyst for investment. But critics say it surrenders sovereignty. Which way will the pendulum swing?

Rabia Abdul Salam 04 September 2025
Eduardo Ramon

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 18 August 2025
Al Majalla

China's rare earths edge puts US industry on the back foot

America’s economy heavily depends on imported minerals vital for technology, energy, and defence. In 2024, the US was 100% import-reliant for 12 of the 50 “critical” minerals identified by the US…

Al Majalla - London 12 August 2025
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Al Majalla/Reuters
Politics

Trump's midterm loss opens a window for Iran diplomacy

11, Nov 2026

Both Tehran and Washington have powerful incentives to resolve the conflict through negotiations, but actors on all sides have reasons to derail these efforts

Alex Vatanka
The UK's Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey carries the traditional red budget box as he leaves Downing Street in London on 28 October 2026. Reuters
Business & Economy

Britain's debt squeeze tests the pound’s power

11, Nov 2026

Rising borrowing costs and persistent inflation are narrowing the UK's fiscal room for manoeuvre, exposing the limits of monetary independence

Abdulfattah Khattab
Crew members of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) navy ship Qi Jiguang wave as their ship prepares to dock on 2 August 2026. JUNI KRISWANTO / AFP
Politics

China eyes greater security role in the Red Sea

12, Nov 2026

Beijing has been expanding its base in Djibouti, the tiny state that sits opposite Yemen across the Bab al-Mandab Strait. With numerous other states also in play, this is a region to watch

Charbel Barakat
Pep Boatella
Science & Technology

Climate change is redrawing national borders

10, Nov 2026

Whether it is rivers, glaciers, or sea-level submergence, the implications of rising temperatures are becoming an increasingly urgent issue for states

Alaa Emara
Culture & Social Affairs

Five Arab novels that paint an AI-dominated future

10, Nov 2026

From machines that develop human emotions to societies governed by artificial intelligence, Arab novelists explore the promises and perils of a radically transformed future

Ibrahim Adel

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OPINIONS

Why the midterms complicate Trump's search for an Iran deal

Neil Quilliam and Alice Gower
Neil Quilliam and Alice Gower

Eugene Vodolazkin: technology has advanced, but the human spirit has not

Nesrein El-Bakhshawangy

The mounting cost of airport hoax threats

Abdel-Rahman Ayas
Abdel-Rahman Ayas

The growing importance of North Africa's trade corridors

Rabia Abdul Salam
Rabia Abdul Salam
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