Arab Gulf Region Research Articles

Bahrain: Recent Developments in the Protection of the Rights of Migrant Workers and of Women

Abstract This survey reviews some of the key legislative and executive measures of the government of Bahrain in the year 2021–2022, which have relevance to mainly the rights of the migrant workers. Further, and in less detail, this survey also refers to some of the developments pertinent to the rights of women living in Bahrain. However, more generally these rights are less relevant to women who are not Bahraini nationals. Bahrain is a member country of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The GCC comprises six states in the Arab-Gulf region: Oman, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. These oil-producing states have significant proportion of foreign workforce in the population. Foreign workers work mostly in the private sector and are also residents in the host countries. At 55 per cent, Bahrain has a relatively lower proportion of migrants in its population among the GCC members (UN DESA, 2020). Therefore, a broader spectrum of governments’ measures relating to the issues like labour, entry and residence, and ownership of property or business touch the lives of the foreign/migrant workers or expatriates in the Gulf country. Governments’ initiatives targeting domestic workers are relevant also for women because they comprise the majority in this group. The survey notes that most of the governmental activity in Bahrain in the past year largely concern new laws or amendments of the existing legislation and regulations linked to labour and residency matters. Some of the more relevant ones that the survey has selected here confirms this. It also marks the period post the pandemic, which had posed considerable economic challenge for the government. Hence, as also some neighbouring Gulf countries, Bahrain has shown a balance of measures. On the one hand, to revive its economic dynamism and competitiveness, measures have been taken aimed at facilitating more ease and benefits to attract and retain foreign labour and investment in the country. On the other hand, measures have been taken that expressly favour the national workforce in order to boost their more active participation in the labour market and to support increased nationalisation efforts. The Bahraini government’s introduction of new labour reforms replacing its Flexi-work permit programme, initiatives to enforce the Wage Protection System, and easing of residence permits are a few notable highlights. The survey has essentially drawn on the government’s documents and announcements as available in English or translated text, in addition to information in the press and other relevant sources.

United Arab Emirates: Recent Developments in the Protection of the Rights of Migrant Workers and of Women

Abstract This survey reviews some of the key legislative and executive measures of the government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the year 2021–2022, which have relevance to mainly the rights of the migrant workers. Further, and in less detail, this survey also refers to some of the developments pertinent to the rights of women living in the UAE. However, more generally these rights are less relevant to women who are not UAE nationals. The UAE is a member country of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and a federal state comprising seven emirates namely, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Dubai, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah. The GCC comprises six states in the Arab-Gulf region: Oman, Bahrain, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. These oil-producing states have a significant proportion of foreign workforce in the population. Foreign workers work mostly in the private sector and are also residents in the host countries. At 88.1 per cent, the UAE has the highest proportion of migrants in its population among the GCC members (UN DESA, 2020). Therefore, a broader spectrum of governments’ measures relating to the issues like labour, entry and residence, and ownership of property or business touch the lives of the foreign/migrant workers or expatriates in the Gulf country. Governments’ initiatives targeting domestic workers are relevant also for women because they comprise the majority in this group. The survey notes that most of the governmental activity in the Emirates in the past year largely concern new laws or amendments of the existing legislation and regulations linked to labour and residency matters. Some of the more relevant ones that the survey has selected here confirms this. It also marks the period post the pandemic, which had posed considerable economic challenge for the government. Hence, as also some neighbouring Gulf countries, the UAE has shown a balance of measures. On the one hand, to revive its economic dynamism and competitiveness, measures have been taken aimed at facilitating more ease and benefits to attract and retain foreign labour and investment in the country. On the other hand, measures have been taken that expressly favour the national workforce in order to boost their more active participation in the labour market and to support increased nationalisation efforts. The UAE government’s expansion and the introduction of new residence and entry visas, unified rules of labour, and the Abu Dhabi government’s initiative with separate personal status law for non-Muslim foreigners in the emirate are a few notable highlights. The survey has essentially drawn on the government’s documents and announcements as available in English or translated text, in addition to information in the press and other relevant sources.

Correlations Between Learning Style Preferences and Arab-Speaking Gulf Region First-Year College Students’ EFL Performance: A Literature Review

This review aims at examining recent and relevant literature that investigates the correlations among learning style preferences, awareness of learning style preferences, motivation, intelligence types, gender, and Arabic Gulf region first-year college students’ EFL performance. A lot of studies about the influence of learners’ awareness of their learning style and motivation types on their ESL (English as a second language) learning performance have been conducted in English speaking Western countries, but fewer similar research studies have been conducted in EFL (English as a foreign language) contexts, particularly in the Arabian Gulf region Arabic-speaking countries and more particularly with first-year college-students as research participants. This review attempts to explore the dominant learning style preferences, main or obvious intelligence types according to the multiple intelligence theory, main motivation type and how the awareness of these could impact the learners’ progress or otherwise in EFL. Due to the relative scarcity of relevant research in the Arabic Gulf region, other studies conducted in neighboring and culturally similar countries were reviewed as well. As a result of examining the literature in this respect, more studies and research are recommended to help learners, instructors, professionals, researchers, and practitioners concerned and involved in EFL in this context.

The Geopolitics of The Global Energy Transition and its Implications on The Arab Gulf Region: A Review

The Geopolitics of The Global Energy Transition and its Implications on The Arab Gulf Region: A Review

The Ottoman – British Rivalry in the Arabian Gulf Area (1840 – 1872 A.D.) Ottoman Reports as a Source

Objectives: The study aimed to shed light on the Ottoman-British rivalry in the Arab Gulf region between 1840-1872, an important period of transformation in the political history of the Arabian Gulf, which contained many frictions between the Ottoman Empire and Britain, which oscillated between the tides.
 Methods: Ottoman documents, deposited in the Ottoman archive of the Presidency of the Republic of Turkey in Istanbul, were adopted as a source of study and analyzed using the historical research method.
 Results: The results of the study indicated that the Ottoman Empire's multiple problems during that period prevented it from effectively controlling the Arabian Gulf region, while Britain devoted all its efforts to strengthening its influence in the Arabian Gulf and combating Ottoman rule in it, and multiplied its tricks to achieve this, such as provoking sedition and unrest in the various Gulf regions under Ottoman sovereignty,
 Conclusions: A large number of Arab studies on the Arabian Gulf, which rely on Ottoman and local sources; to confront the fallacies issued by Western sources, especially English, about the history of the Arabian Gulf region, which, are natural and reflect the direction of English policies.

Early diagnosis of cancer and its treatment using medical nanomaterials

Nanotechnology is one of the modern technologies used in many fields, including the medical field. The materials that are used in this field have dimensions measured in nanometers. These substances target cancer cells for the purpose of early diagnosis and treatment. This article was written to identify the most important medical applications of nanomaterials and to review some of the literature that was written in this field. It was found that they have promising future dimensions in diagnosing and treating various cancerous diseases and reducing them in the Middle East and the Arab Gulf region, especially Iraq, Therefore; it has become the key to technology starting from this technology. To spread and develop health awareness in this region.

Nutritional profile and energy density evaluation of common traditional meals in Arabic Gulf region.

This study aims to describe the energy and nutritional profile of common traditional meals in Arabic Gulf countries and extrapolate the usefulness of evaluating their energy density (ED) level. An analysis of 155 traditional meals commonly consumed in Arabic Gulf region was performed. The meals were categorized into four ED levels based on energy content as kcal per gram of meal weight. The meals were further classified according to their usual consumption pattern for the analysis. The average percentage of macronutrient composition of the meals was 50% as carbohydrate (CHO), 18% as protein and 32% as fat. The majority of the meals were categorized as moderate energy density (MED) (55%) and about 38% of them were categorized as low energy density (LED), whereas less than 8% of the foods were categorized either as very low energy density (VLED) or high energy density (HED). ED value (kcal/g) for sweets (SW) was the highest (2.9 ± 1.3, Mean ± SD) compared to appetizers (APT) (1.9 ± 0.9), main dishes (MD) (1.7 ± 0.9), and side dishes (SD) (1.8 ± 0.9). A negative correlation (p=0.000) between moisture content and ED was found in all meal types. A significant positive correlation (p<0.05) was found between CHO content and ED of all meal types except MD. Protein and fat contents positively correlated with ED in all meal types. The study illustrates that the number of HED meals among the common traditional meals in Arabian Gulf region is very limited. The data also suggest that common traditional meals in Arabic Gulf region can be part of a balanced diet to control energy intake if sweets consumption has been avoided.

Socio-Cultural Peculiarities of the Audience of Online Drama in Bahrain

Bahrain’s population is diversified, consisting of both Bahrainis and expats from many nations. Online dramas often reflect this diversity in terms of the languages used and the portrayal of cultural identities. Productions may employ a mix of Arabic and English, or they may incorporate characters from various ethnic origins. Grounded in uses and gratifications theory this research examines online dramas on web television platforms in Bahrain — one of the most ecomomically developed country of the Middle East and the Arab Gulf region with a high index of digital media consumers. Therefore, this study aims to explore social and cultural peculiarities of usage of online dramas in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Moreover, the research attempts to examine motivations of different social groups of watching online dramas on web television platforms. The paper tends to investigate gratifications achieved from watching online dramas on Netflix. For this goal Netflix platform has been chosen as a pattern of the most popular web television platforms in the above metioned region. To achieve these objectives, a cross-sectional online questionnaire was used with self-selection, and convenience non-probability sampling techniques. A total number of 306 self-selected respondents from Bahrain was investigated. The overall results showed that within the Banrainean society, which prefers to watch online dramas via the precised web television platforms, there is no difference between ritulaized and instrumental motivitations, as well as there is no a significant difference between process and content gratifications.

Optimizing Decision-Making of A Smart Prosumer Microgrid Using Simulation

Distributed renewable energy sources offer significant alternatives for Qatar and the Arab Gulf region’s future fuel supply and demand. Microgrids are essential for providing dependable power in difficult-to-reach areas while incorporating significant amounts of renewable energy sources. In energy-efficient data centers, distributed generation can be used to meet the facility’s overall power needs. This study primarily focuses on the best energy management practices for a smart microgrid in Qatar while taking demand-side load management into account. This article looked into a university microgrid in Qatar that primarily aimed to get all of its energy from the grid. While diesel generators are categorized as a dispatchable distributed generation with energy storage added to handle solar radiation from the sun and high grid power operating costs in the suggested scenario, wind turbines and solar Photovoltaic (PV) are classified as non-dispatchable distributed generators. The resulting linear math issues are assessed and displayed in MATLAB optimization software using a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) strategy. According to the simulation results, the suggested energy management strategy reduced the university microgrid’s grid power costs by 38.8%, making it an affordable solution which is somehow greater than the prior case scenario’s 23% savings. The installed solar system capacity’s effects on the economy, society, and finances were also assessed, and it became clear that the best option for the smart microgrid was determined that would be 325 kW of solar PV, 25 kW of wind turbine, and 600 kW of diesel generators, respectively. Given the current situation, university administrators are urged to participate in distributed generators and adopt cutting-edge designs for energy storage technologies due to the significant environmental and financial benefits.

THE POLITICAL POSITION IN YEMEN REGARDING THE GULF CRISIS, AUGUST 1,1990 - JANUARY 17, 1991

To create the fabrication of crisis and wars between two countries has many reasons and the division of the parties into supporters and opponents is inevitable but the crisis of Iraq's invasion of Kuwait has gained a great deal of significance because it is a rare Arab issue in the history of the regional system. opinions and Arab reactions have ranged from emotion، fanaticism، rationality، and reservation، as well as its effects and long-term effects on the two countries and the region in general. Additionally to above، which approved the failure of Arab countries league to resolve Arab's crisis and disputes. Arab countries league within its framework gave the space for foreign intervention and US military occurrence in the Arab Gulf region

The Libyan position on the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait in 1990-1991 AD

The Iraqi military occupation of Kuwait on August 2, 1990 AD, constituted a regional and international crisis that made the Arab and Western countries deal with it with great interest, given its direct impact on the security of the Arab Gulf region, to which Western interests are linked. From here came the positions of most countries of the world towards this important event, including The position of the Libyan Jamahiriya stemming from its foreign policy, its Arab and international relations, and its methods of dealing with Arab and international crises, especially the Iraqi-Kuwaiti crisis.

The Politics of Islam: The Muslim Brothers and the State in the Arab Gulf

The Politics of Islam: The Muslim Brothers and the State in the Arab Gulf

The role of the Arab Gulf and its impact on interaction Civilization with the East

The Arabian Gulf is characterized by a distinguished geographical location, as it is on the outskirts of the three continents, Asia, Africa and Europe, and this strategic importance has not been erased by scientific progress in communications or progress in transportation. It is fertile for cultural communication and interaction of all kinds and openness to all civilizations, and since we are part of that site, Iraq, with its civilizations, has certainly affected those cultures and civilizations coming from distant ports, as the Arab Gulf region was affected by what these cultures benefit from, and therefore the Arabian Gulf has been throughout the ages an orbit The continuous civilizational interaction to this day, which we would like to show in this study.

Teacher Burnout and Collegiality at the Workplace in Higher Education Institutions in the Arab Gulf Region

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of teacher burnout on collegial relationships among faculty members in two higher education institutions- one in Kuwait and the other in the United Arab Emirates. A quantitative methodology was employed using a self-constructed online questionnaire. The results of the study showed that there was no statistically significant difference between the teachers’ perception of burnout and collegiality by gender, age group, and years of experience in teaching at a 0.05 level of significance. However, there was a statistically significant difference between the teachers in Kuwait and the UAE in their perception of burnout, although the difference was not significant for collegiality at a 0.05 level of significance. The findings also showed that the participants’ gender, age, and work experience were not predictors of collegiality, but the perception of burnout was a significant predictor of collegiality. Conclusions were drawn from the study’s findings, with implications for policy, practice, and future research.

Non-pharmaceutical interventions and their relevance in the COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Saudi Arabia and Arab Gulf countries.

In the early stages of the pandemic, Saudi Arabia and other countries in the Arab Gulf region relied on non-pharmaceutical therapies to limit the effect of the pandemic, much like other nations across the world. In comparison to other nations in the area or globally, these interventions were successful at lowering the healthcare burden. This was accomplished via the deterioration of the economy, education, and a variety of other societal activities. By the end of 2020, the promise of effective vaccinations against SARS-CoV-2 have been realized, and vaccination programs have begun in developed countries, followed by the rest of the world. Despite this, there is still a long way to go in the fight against the disease. In order to explore disease transmission, vaccine rollout and prioritisation, as well as behavioural dynamics, we relied on an age-structured compartmental model. We examine how individual and social behaviour changes in response to the initiation of vaccination campaigns and the relaxation of non-pharmacological treatments. Overall, vaccination remains the most effective method of containing the disease and resuming normal life. Additionally, we evaluate several vaccination prioritisation schemes based on age group, behavioural responses, vaccine effectiveness, and vaccination rollout speed. We applied our model to four Arab Gulf nations (Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman), which were chosen for their low mortality rate compared to other countries in the region or worldwide, as well as their demographic and economic settings. We fitted the model using actual pandemic data in these countries. Our results suggest that vaccinations focused on the elderly and rapid vaccine distribution are critical for reducing disease resurgence. Our result also reinforces the cautious note that early relaxation of safety measures may compromise the vaccine's short-term advantages.

Benefits, Challenges and Sucess Factors of Water Safety Plan Implementation: A Review

&lt;p&gt;Drinking water supply is a preeminent to public health, environmental protection, quality of life, economic activity, and sustainable development. Many disasters are being recorded due to poor water quality every day. In this case, it is essential to assure safe water demand through continuous enhancement and improvement of all practices and processes related to the water supply. The Water Safety Plan (WSP) concept has become a globally recognized and accepted approach to drinking water supply management and operation. This study aims at reviewing the WSP risk management approach around the world. In addition, the four success factors of WSP implementation are discussed. The benefits, difficulties, as well as recommendation from recent studies that implemented WSP is presented. Improving water quality and operational efficiency were the main benefits whereas lack of staff training and insufficient time and fund were the main challenges for effective WSP implementation. According to a literature scan, the water utilities in Arab gulf region countries do not implement WSP, thus, the author encourages water utilities in these countries to conduct WSP to improve water quality management.&lt;/p&gt;&#x0D;

Brief Synopses of New Arabic-Language Publications

Brief Synopses of New Arabic-Language Publications

Perception and knowledge of critical thinking: A qualitative research study with Professors of Higher Education in Oman

Critical thinking is a key feature of the organizational cultures of higher education institutions, given its multiple impacts on graduates’ academic, professional and personal levels. Thus, most of these higher education institutions in the Arab Gulf region state in their strategic plans, implicitly and explicitly, objectives related to enhancing students’ critical thinking skills. Despite the apparent prevalence of such objectives, the concept of critical thinking (CT) is hardly taught in higher education institutions in the Arab Gulf region for different reasons. One of these reasons is that the perception of the concept is still in its infancy in the region, even among professors. This study aims to investigate how the perceptions and knowledge of critical thinking of English as a Second Language professors in the General Foundation Program at the College, a higher education institution in Muscat, foster critical thinking teaching. This is a qualitative and exploratory study with 10 professors and the data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The thematic analysis identified 4 themes: 1. First encounter with CT; 2. Connotations and denotations of CT; 3. Attainability of CT; 4. Scarce teaching of CT. The participants revealed their belief in the attainability of critical thinking. However, they expressed difficulties in implementing critical thinking teaching in their classrooms. The General Foundation Program’s professors referred openly to the disparity between their espoused beliefs and enacted practices.

Validation study of a wellbeing scale (SPANE) in the Arab Gulf region: A multicountry study.

The Scale of Positive and Negative Experience (SPANE) is an emerging wellbeing scale to measure the frequency of positive and negative emotions. This study explores the psychometric properties of SPANE on a sample from the Arab Gulf region. The Arab Gulf region shares cultural elements with the broader Muslim and Arab world, but maintains distinct features that warrants validation studies for psychological instruments. There were 1393 participants from Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and other Arab Gulf countries. The factorial structure of SPANE was examined using a principal axis factor analysis, followed up with a confirmatory factor analysis. The convergent validity was examined by correlating SPANE with the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). The findings confirmed a two-factor structure of SPANE, and demonstrated adequate psychometric properties and convergent validity. In conclusion, this study indicates that SPANE shows sufficient validity for use as a measure of wellbeing in the Arab Gulf region.

Consequences of U.S Withdrawal from Iran Nuclear deal on Iraq: (A study to assess Political and Security Aspects)

The aim of this research is to make an overall assessment of American Withdrawal from Iranian Nuclear Program and its impacting on political and security aspects in Iraq; however this study took a year 2013, as launching point due to this year Iran retains of its a nuclear program. Besides Iran has also announced that it is working on a new Nuclear Power reactor. The findings of this research shows that the continuing of Iran's government to reject any intention regarding the developing of nuclear bombs. But stepping away from its obligations rather Iran seeks to increasing stockpiles of enriched uranium that may will bring the country nearer to possess the ability to do so.The findings of this research also explore that Iran's possession of nuclear weapons, that will create instability in the Arab Gulf region in particular Saudi Arabia, Emerita and other countries