http://library.aus.edu/Feeds/Feeds.htm Latest Librarian's picks from the American University of Sharjah Library In The Challenge of Economic Reform in the Arab World, Sufyan Alissa examines the major factors responsible for hindering meaningful economic reform in the Arab world. http://www.carnegieendowment.org/files/cmec_1_econ_reform_final.pdf http://www.carnegieendowment.org/files/cmec_1_econ_reform_final.pdf This report, released by the World Economic Forum, ranks 13 Arab economies – Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Syria, Tunisia and United Arab Emirates - in three country groups according to the stage of development to enable benchmarking against peers in other parts of the world. http://www.weforum.org/en/initiatives/gcp/Arab%20World%20Competitiveness%20Report/index.htm http://www.weforum.org/en/initiatives/gcp/Arab%20World%20Competitiveness%20Report/index.htm This site lets you dynamically see statistics such as income per capita, carbon dioxide emissions, population etc. overlaid on a map of the world or in a chart. http://tools.google.com/gapminder/ http://tools.google.com/gapminder/ How Products Are Made explains and details the manufacturing process of a wide variety of products, from daily household items to complicated electronic equipment and heavy machinery. The site provides step by step descriptions of the assembly and the manufacturing process (complemented with illustrations and diagrams). http://www.madehow.com/x http://www.madehow.com/ This report is the most comprehensive analysis of business opinion in the region and is rapidly becoming the most authoritative indicator of trend lines and future business direction. http://www.moutamarat.com/knowledge/abir_report.aspx http://www.moutamarat.com/knowledge/abir_report.aspx This website features a searchable version of the Oxford English Dictionary, word of the day, language games and other interesting learning features. http://www.askoxford.com/ http://www.askoxford.com/ The top 25 articles by journal or core 24 disciplines as determined by downloads on ScienceDirect. This is a free service, and quarterly email notifications are available. http://top25.sciencedirect.com http://top25.sciencedirect.com The top 40 Arab brands as determined by Forbes magazine. http://www.forbes.com/business/2006/10/17/top-arab-brands-biz_cz_fas_1018toparabbrands.html http://www.forbes.com/business/2006/10/17/top-arab-brands-biz_cz_fas_1018toparabbrands.html NY Times Article - In Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum’s quest for tourists, no venture is too extravagant. http://travel.nytimes.com/2006/12/10/travel/10entrepreneur.html?ref=travel http://travel.nytimes.com/2006/12/10/travel/10entrepreneur.html?ref=travel Article about American-style education in the Middle East. http://www.insidehighered.com/views/2006/10/30/detweiler/ http://www.insidehighered.com/views/2006/10/30/detweiler