Apr 27 - May 3, 2008

~~~~~~~~ [ May 2] ~~~~~~~~~

Saudi Crown Prince Leaves Geneva After Medical Tests [May 2]
"Crown Prince Sultan of Saudi Arabia has left Switzerland after undergoing medical tests, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Friday. The crown prince, who is in his early 80s, left Geneva on Thursday after arriving on Sunday with a large retinue for 'regular medical tests'.. ..Prince Sultan had an intestinal cyst removed in Saudi Arabia in 2005 and diplomats say he is in weaker health than King Abdullah.." [more]

Oil Price May Go Up to $250, Warn Experts [May 2]
"Crude prices continue to baffle analysts and pundits. With the $100-era a well established fact in our daily life, there is now a growing chatter within the energy fraternity that $200 a barrel may not be a far fetched idea altogether. Is another global oil shock now gathering pace? With limited additional supplies, alternative fuel still some decades away and demand far from collapsing, Deutsche Bank is pointing to a 'huge risk' that oil prices would continue to rise in the near to mid-term.. ..Pointing to the reasons behind the analysis, Sieminski underlines, 'Oil supply growth in non-OPEC countries is struggling at a time when OPEC has been cautious with its production policies.' In order to analyze the situation further, we need to look at historical facts too.." [more]

Oil-rich Gulf States Will Need Nuclear Power Soon [May 2]
"Persian Gulf states will need to build nuclear plants to meet local power needs as the oil- and gas-producing region becomes a major energy consumer, consultant PFC Energy Inc. said yesterday. 'Nuclear will have to become some part of the energy mix in the future for the region,' Raja Kiwan, an analyst at PFC, said in a telephone interview from Bahrain. 'After the United Arab Emirates, I would guess that Bahrain and Saudi Arabia would most likely be the next to go nuclear.' Power consumption in the Gulf is growing as much as 14 per cent a year.." [more]

Petron Set to Decide on Aramco Sale [May 2]
"The board of Philippine National Oil Co. will announce its decision on the sale of Aramco Overseas Ltd. shares in Petron Corp. to the Ashmore Group on May 8. A source privy to the talks said the PNOC board had discussed the company’s options, including the possible buyback of the 40- percent stake owned by Saudi Aramco in the country’s biggest oil refiner. PNOC has a preemptive right on the shares of Saudi Aramco. 'They have weighed all the options and will be ready to reveal the decision by May 8,'.. ..Saudi Aramco earlier said it had entered into an agreement with the United Kingdom-based fund manager to sell its 40-percent stake in Petron for $550 million. PNOC reserves the right to match or 
assign if the Saudi Arabia-based oil company decides to sell its shares.." [more]

Saudi Women: Untapped Economic Powerhouse [May 2]
"The economic status of women around the world needs immediate attention of the authorities concerned with national development. It is said that even though women make up half of the world’s population they are burdened to perform nearly two-thirds of its work hours; receive only one-tenth of its income; and own only one hundredth of its property.. .. in spite of the heavy investment most Arab nations have made in women’s education, working women in the region make up only 32 percent of the region’s total work force — and within these unemployment statistics, highly educated women are 
known to be the most unemployed.." [more]

Sharief Might Get Saudi Ambassadors Position [May 2]
"..Sharief’s bruised ego might receive a soothing balm after the Karnataka elections – in the form of ambassadorship to Saudi Arabia. Congress sources on Thursday said the senior leader, who had to be placated by AICC president Sonia Gandhi last Sunday after he threatened to quit the party in protest against his grandson being denied a ticket to fight elections, had shown interest in such an assignment. In fact, sources said, Mr Sharief might have already been appointed the ambassador to Saudi, but for an extension given recently to incumbent M O H Farook, the former Pondicherry chief 
minister, who has been in the position since 2004.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ May 1] ~~~~~~~~~

Abdullah Calls for New Global Food Order [May 1]
" Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah yesterday called for a new global trade order to ensure food security and achieve sustained agricultural development. In a keynote speech, delivered on his behalf by Agriculture Minister Dr. Fahd Balghunaim, to the general assembly of Arab Organization for Agricultural Development, King Abdullah said the whole world is concerned with the new wave of price hike and inflation. He added that new global developments have increased the price of food and agricultural products by 47 to 85 percent.. ..King Abdullah blamed world food shortage on biofuel production. 'The shift by some major food producing countries to biofuel crops has led to a decline in the cultivation of food crops,'.." [more]

Gulf States May End Dollar Pegs [May 1]
" Gulf states are considering dropping their pegs to the dollar after the U.S. currency's decline stoked inflation across the region, Kuwaiti Finance Minister Mustafa al- Shimali said. ``Yes, there are some'' Gulf Cooperation Council states considering dropping their pegs to the dollar, which has fallen 13 percent against the euro in the last 12 months.. ..The U.A.E., Bahrain and Qatar lowered their benchmark interest rates today by a quarter point, matching a cut by the U.S. Federal Reserve a day earlier. The move is needed to maintain the dollar pegs. Saudi Arabia is on its weekend while Oman moves its interest rates in line with the London Inter Bank Offered Rate.." [more]

Japan Mega Banks Target Mideast Oil Money [May 1]
"Japanese mega banks are boosting their efforts to attract Middle East oil money, which is in abundant supply thanks to soaring crude oil prices. Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp., a core unit of Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc. , established a representative office in the Qatari capital of Doha in April. Mizuho Corporate Bank, the wholesale banking unit of Mizuho Financial Group Inc., plans to set up an office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.. ..Mizuho Corporate Bank plans to establish an office in Saudi Arabia as early as the end of this year after the bank receives approval from Saudi authorities. Saudi Arabia is considering setting up a sovereign wealth fund worth 6 billion dollars.." [more]

Ministry of Education Hit by Soaring Prices [May 1]
"The rising cost of building materials has slowed down part of the construction boom of public schools in the Kingdom, said Prince Khaled Bin Abdullah Bin Muqrin Al-Mushari, Deputy Minister of Education for Girls’ Education during an inspection tour of construction projects in Riyadh. 'The ministry has withdrawn some projects from contractors for their inability to honor their contracts amid rising prices of building materials,'.. ..The Ministry of Education is constructing 1,200 schools across the nation worth SR6b and only 18 projects have been withdrawn from contractors, said Eng. Abdulrahman Al-Ahmad, Deputy Minister of Education for Buildings and Equipments.." [more]

Kingdom Needs $200b Investment in Water, Power Projects in 15 Years [May 1]
"Saudi Arabia will need to invest over $200 billion into its desalination and power generation programs in the next 15 years amid high demand of the growing population and the construction of mega projects. Equally important though is the need to ensure environmental and economic sustainability at all phases of development programs. Against this backdrop, the Fourth Saudi Water and Power Forum will be held on Nov. 1-4, 2008 at the Jeddah Hilton Hotel.. ..The forum will highlight the investment opportunities, sustainable development (environmental & economic), innovation and emerging technologies in the Kingdom. At a time of huge investment in the utilities sector, SWPF 2008 strategic forum will provide unique perspectives on the best investment strategies, the key uncertainties and most appropriate risk mitigation tools for water and power projects in the Kingdom.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Apr 30] ~~~~~~~~~

AP Opens Bureau in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia [Apr 30]
"The Associated Press has opened a multimedia news bureau in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and appointed veteran Mideast correspondent Donna Abu-Nasr as bureau chief. The announcement was made Tuesday by John Daniszewski, managing editor for international news.. ..The bureau was created by reallocating resources within the AP, Daniszewski added, noting that the Middle East remains a highly volatile area and the effects of rising oil prices and tensions in the Persian Gulf motivated the strategic move. 'Having an ongoing presence in such a vital country will increase the AP's ability to have 
far-reaching and in-depth coverage of the important and booming Gulf as it becomes even more key to world stability,'.." [more]

Palestinians Losing Hope For Peace D eal - Rice [Apr 30]
"US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has told an American Jewish group that young Palestinians are losing hope for a peace agreement with Israel. Her comments came during a sobering speech on Tuesday evening to the American Jewish Committee at their 102nd annual meeting in Washington. Rice is set to leave early on Thursday for more Middle East peace talks with Arab and Israeli leaders.. ..She called on Israel to make "difficult decisions" to provide the Palestinians with the dignity of statehood.." [more]

$25M of Saudi Money Aids Cornell Nano Work [Apr 30]
"A $25 million grant, spread over five years, will enable Cornell University to create a center focused on nanotechnology research with a sustainability aim. The funding will come from the Saudi Arabia-based King Abdullah University of Science and Technology's Global Research Partnership. The award was announced Tuesday along with three others going to other universities. Cornell researchers Lynden Archer and Emanuel Giannelis are the principal investigators for the developing center, which will be called Cornell University's KAUST Center for Research and Education.. ..The center will study nanomaterials for the enhancement of oil recovery, carbon dioxide capture and sequestration, water desalination, and photovoltaics and solid state lighting. The center will begin work on June 1.." [more]

Media Deliberately Trying to Malign Us, Says Commission Chief [Apr 30]
"Western media is deliberately trying to malign the commission for unknown reasons, said the national head of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice in a wide ranging interview with Arab News. 'Or else, why should a respectable institution be denigrated because a few of its officials committed some judgmental errors?' said Ibrahim Al-Ghaith, the commission president. Speaking about criticism that the commission goes beyond its jurisdiction and trespasses into people’s private lives, Al-Ghaith said such generalizations were unfair. 'Interior Minister Prince Naif recently said that the commission is a governmental department and is prone to making mistakes like other departments,' he said.." [more]

Penn State Offers Tailored Learning for Company in Saudi Arabia [Apr 30]
"Saudi Aramco, the state-owned national oil company of Saudi Arabia, wanted to educate its employees in the foundations of supply chain and recognized Penn State's expertise in that area — specifically, the Smeal College of Business' Department of Supply Chain and Information Systems. That department offers a graduate certificate online via Penn State World Campus. While Aramco wanted to learn more about Penn State's online learning environment, the company was more comfortable with traditional face-to-face learning for its employees. The solution: Amy Stever, Penn State Outreach client development manager, approached Peter Forster, World Campus associate director, and Gary Gittings, Penn State instructor of supply chain and information systems, to develop a model to alleviate the company's concerns. Because the company was new to Penn State and online learning, Forster and Gittings collaborated to customize the online curriculum to include an initial week of on-site, face-to-face learning, in order to first establish trust with Penn State. The 12-credit certificate program began in August 2007; the first cohort of 26 students will complete the certificate this August.." [more]

Saudi Index Crosses 10,000 on Banks [Apr 30]
" Banks helped the stock market in Saudi Arabia, the Gulf’s largest, close above 10,000 yesterday on attractive valuations. Five out of seven Gulf bourses closed in the black. The Saudi market surged 1.8% to 10089.52 at close, led by banks. It last closed above 10,000 in early March. SABB climbed 7% to 114 riyals and Samba Financial Group rose 6.3% to 101 riyals. Lenders are attracting attention as their profitability is showing signs of recovery after recording a 13% decline in 2007, said a National Commercial Bank weekly report on Sunday. Banks also led gains on Monday. 'Banks are reacting positively to news that the US Federal Reserve will likely cut interest rates Wednesday and the Saudi central bank is expected to follow'.." [more]

SABIC to Sell $1.3b Islamic Bonds [Apr 30]
"Saudi Basic Industries Corp (SABIC), the biggest chemicals maker by market value, is in the process of selling about $1.3 billion of Islamic bonds in Saudi riyals. The company has scheduled meetings with investors starting on May 3, with an aim of completing the borrowing by May 14, Chief Financial Officer Mutlaq Al-Morished said in an interview as reported by BIME on Tuesday. HSBC Holdings and a venture between Calyon and Banque Saudi Fransi are arranging the issue. SABIC is selling bonds for 'general corporate use,’ Al-Morished said. 'The Saudi market has good liquidity so it should go well’ even as a global credit crisis freezes global debt markets, he said.." [more]

Saudi, Swedish Students Exchange Cultures [Apr 30]
"The Jeddah General Directorate for Education on Tuesday hosted a delegation of Swedish students that is scheduled to participate in a joint educational program between the two Kingdoms. Under the name 'Spiritus Mundi,' (Spirit of the World), the same name of the Swedish nongovernmental organization behind the visit, the four-day visit aims to exchange ideas of artistic work among selected students of the two countries.. ..Some of the students told the Saudi Gazette of their impressions about the country when they first arrived. 'To be honest, we were surprised,' said a Swedish journalist accompanying the delegation. 'Never before had we this opportunity to see Saudi Arabia up close.' 'Before, all what has been said about your country in the media was about terrorists and terrorism but now, we see friendly people and a civilized community.'.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Apr 29] ~~~~~~~~~

Bush to Mideast, No Joint Talks Planned [Apr 29]
"US President George W. Bush will visit Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt May 13-18 but has no plans for a joint peace summit with Israeli and Palestinian leaders, the White House said Monday. Bush, who seeks a Middle East peace deal by year's end, will meet in Israel with President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and address the Knesset, Israel's parliament, said spokeswoman Dana Perino. The US president, who has been pushing Israel and the Palestinians to agree on the outlines of a future Palestinian state, will then travel to Saudi Arabia for talks with King Abdullah.. ..In Saudi Arabia, Bush will commemorate the 75th anniversary of the formal establishment of US-Saudi relations, said Perino. The visit also will focus on cooperation with US Mideast allies and 'will reaffirm efforts toward peace and prosperity and our close work with regional allies to combat terrorism and promote freedom.'.." [more]

Abbas to Visit Saudi Arabia Over Mideast Peace Talks [Apr 29]
"Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will visit Saudi Arabia Wednesday to hold talks with King Abdullah over his recent visits to Russia and the United States, sources at Abbas' office said on Tuesday. Last week, Abbas discussed with U.S. President George W. Bush Washington's efforts to push forward the Mideast peace negotiations renewed between Israel and the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) following a U.S.-hosted conference at Annapolis in November. As the peace process still marks time, Abbas seeks to "crystallize a united Arab stance between the PNA, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan after the U.S. administration retreated from building pressure on the Israeli government to make progress," the sources said. Abbas' tour is also aimed at signaling Arab warnings to the U.S. administration that 'the region will plunge into a circle of violence and the extremists will be boosted if the U.S. failed to pressurize Israel in ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.'.." [more]

Saud Denies Rift in Relations With Syria [Apr 29]
"Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal said yesterday that the Kingdom and Syria were in direct contact with each other and denied that relations had come to a halt. 'Relations have not been cut. They are still ongoing and communication between us continues,' Prince Saud told reporters yesterday, while addressing a joint press conference with visiting Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store, who arrived in the Kingdom on Sunday at the head of an official delegation. Prince Saud expressed surprise at Iranian suggestions that it was ready to mediate between the Kingdom and Syria. 'I do not think there is any need for a mediator between Saudi Arabia and Syria. We are surprised by offers of outside mediation between us,' he said.." [more]

US Firm to Design EP Research Park [Apr 29]
"The Kingdom has awarded a multi-million-riyal contract to a US architectural firm to prepare the design of a project encompassing about 40 world-class research and development companies. Dhahran Techno Valley (DTV), an undertaking by the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), awarded the contract to HOK Planning Group, an international firm that specializes in planning, design and delivery solutions for buildings and communities. The project, to be located within KFUPM’s campus, is envisioned to become a hub of research and development in the Middle East.." [more]

Saudi First Sovereign Wealth Fund Nears Approval [Apr 29]
"Saudi Arabia is about to approve the launch of its first sovereign wealth fund with initial capital of 20 billion riyals ($5.3 billion), the Financial Times reported on Tuesday. The fund, which will be set up by the state-controlled Public Investment Fund (PIF), will act as "a portfolio investor focusing on maximizing long-term rates of return", the newspaper said, quoting the PIF's secretary general, Mansour al-Maiman. Maiman, who said Riyadh is in the final stages of approval, said new fund could raise its capital or increase the size of assets under management as needed.. ..Saudi Arabia is considering setting up a $6 billion sovereign wealth fund to invest the country's surplus oil wealth.." [more]

Saudi Officials Deny Yemen Reports of Burning Migrants [Apr 29]
" Saudi Arabia yesterday denied Yemeni press reports that its policemen had burned 18 Yemenis in Khamis Mushayt, a town in the Kingdom’s southern Asir region. 'There is no truth at all to these reports,' said Col. Abdullah Al-Qarni, spokesman of the Asir police. He said the 18 undocumented foreign nationals had suffered burns of varying degrees as a result of a massive fire in a garbage dump. 'Civil Defense firefighters rushed to the site and put out the fire while the injured were taken to hospital,' he said. According to a statement issued by the Civil Defense Department, the undocumented foreign nationals, who were later identified as Yemenis, were in the rubbish dump at the time sifting through garbage.." [more]

Saudi Takes Steps to Curb Price Rises [Apr 29]
"Saudi Arabia's cabinet has approved short- and long-term measures to protect the inflation-hit economy from food price rises. 'The cabinet approved a number of short- and long-term steps ... to protect the market from price fluctuations and preserve living standards in the kingdom,' a statement on the official news agency SPA said.. ..Inflation in the largest Arab economy almost doubled in the six months to March, when it hit 9.6 percent, its highest since at least the 1970s, official data showed on Sunday. Earlier this month Saudi Arabia slashed import levies on food such as frozen poultry, dairy goods and vegetable oils to 5 percent from about 20 percent.." [more]

KSA, Norway to Cooperate to Stabilize Oil Market [Apr 29]
"Energy and regional issues were the focus of Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere’s visit to the Kingdom. “We held a comprehensive long session today which focused on bilateral relations and means to reinforce them in many domains,” said Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Minister of Foreign Affairs, during a joint press conference with Stoere. 'We are as different as two countries can get… in culture, history and even climate, but we have one thing in common and that is we have both developed our energy fields,' said Stoere. Prince Saud said the Kingdom was looking forward to signing a free trade agreement in its final form between the GCC and countries of the European Free Trade Federation.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Apr 28] ~~~~~~~~~

Saudi Says Beheadings of Syrians Not Political [Apr 28]
"Saudi Justice Minister Abdullah al-Sheikh on Monday said there was nothing political behind recent beheadings of Syrians in the ultra-conservative kingdom, amid strained ties between the two countries. 'We do not execute anyone for political reasons,' Al-Sheikh told reporters.. ..Earlier this month Saudi Arabia executed three Syrians convicted of drug trafficking, triggering protests in Damascus where one human rights activist claimed that 300 Syrians were jailed in Saudi Arabia with 75 on death row. 'Executions carried out in Saudi Arabia are not a matter of opinion. They are decided by Saudi courts which implement sharia (Islamic law) without distinction,'.." [more]

Too Many Guardians Hindering Society’s Progress: Al-Gosaibi [Apr 28]
"Labor Minister Ghazi Al-Gosaibi yesterday criticized people who reject the idea of Arab and Saudi women working as maids in Saudi households.. ..Saudis sponsor over 1.5 million foreign maids, the majority from southeast Asia. Even though the issue of needy Saudi women working in Saudi households was brought to the ministry’s attention in the past, conservative elements in society rejected the idea. 'I see that any job, whatever it may be, is an agreement between an employer and the employee. It is a matter of accepting and refusing. If there is a woman whose circumstances force her to work in a kitchen for a few hours and she accepts the payment, then I cannot come and say, ‘How could Saudi women take such jobs?’ Our mothers and grandmothers used to do such jobs. And they still do in the Bedouin culture,'.." [more]

Australian University Urged to Return Saudi Cash [Apr 28]
"Australian Muslim leaders have urged a university in the eastern state of Queensland to return a $100,000 grant from the Saudi Arabian embassy. Griffith University has been criticised by Muslims and academics after it was revealed the grant was part of an overall donation of more than a million dollars the university had hoped to secure from Saudi Arabia. The Australian newspaper says the university also offered to keep elements of the funding deal secret. Australia's most senior female Muslim leader, Aziza Abdel-Halim, has urged Griffith to give the money back. She claims the Saudi government has funded other projects in Australia with a view to imposing a hardline ideology on recipients.." [more]

Number of Saudi Fighters in Iraq Exaggerated [Apr 28]
"Deputy Interior Minister Prince Ahmad Bin Abdul Aziz has said reports about the actual number of Saudis fighting in Iraq were exaggerated. He also denied reports that these fighters are reaching Iraq directly from the kingdom.. ..'We challenge anyone to prove that Saudis are leaving for Iraq via its international borders directly. But the reality is that there were a number of Saudis leaving for other neighbouring countries. Then they were being lured to fight in the war-torn country,' he said.." [more]

Saudi Ministry Buys Helicopters to Boost Security [Apr 28]
"Saudi Interior Minster Prince Naif Bin Abdul Aziz said the ministry has signed a contract for the purchase of 30 helicopters. 'The new helicopters will work in all fields of security at the Ministry of Interior. The copters began arriving in the Kingdom now,'.. ..Regarding the use of technologies at Saudi borders to curb infiltration and smuggling, the minister said: 'We are on our way to use the best technologies at the borders.'.. " [more]

Saudi Inflation Nears 10% in March [Apr 28]
"Inflation in Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, accelerated to almost 10 per cent in March, its highest since at least the oil boom of the 1970s, on soaring rents and food prices. The rental index of the largest Arab economy, which pegs its currency to the ailing dollar, soared 15.8 per cent, while food and beverage costs rose 14.2 per cent, the state-controlled Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Sunday, without citing anyone. The rental index includes fuel and water costs.The overall cost of living index accelerated for a tenth straight month, rising 9.6 per cent to 114.2 points in the year to March 31, compared with 104.2 points.." [more]

King Abdullah Receives Afewerki [Apr 28]
" King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, received Eritrea’s President Isaias Afworkiat his Palace in Riyadh Sunday. At the outset of the audience, the Monarch welcomed the president, wishing him and the accompanying delegation a good stay in the Kingdom.. ..The two leaders discussed the events at the regional arena, the prospects of cooperation between the two countries and the ways of their enhancement in all areas. On the Saudi side, the audience was attended by Prince Saud Al-Faisal, the Foreign Minister and Nasser Al-Risheidan, Saudi Ambassador to Eritrea.." [more]

World Class Media Institute Launched [Apr 28]
"Riyadh Gov. Prince Salman formally inaugurated the world-class Prince Ahmed bin Salman Applied Media Institute, the first media training facility of its kind in the Arab world, here last night. The institute, which has received major funding from Saudi Research and Marketing Group (SRMG), will open a new era in Saudi mass communication with its diverse international courses in print and broadcast media.. ..'The institute has been established in response to calls from the media sector for qualified and specialized professional human resources at the vanguard of rapidly developing Arab journalism'.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Apr 27] ~~~~~~~~~

Be Patient, We’ll Deliver, King Tells Saudi Women [Apr 27]
" 'Be patient and we will deliver,' was King Abdullah’s message to Saudi women during his meeting with female participants of the Seventh National Dialogue Forum. During the reception at the Yammah Palace, some female participants requested the implementation of a four-year-old Council of Ministers’ order on the establishment of a Higher Commission on Women’s Affairs.. ..After every National Dialogue forum, the King receives the participants at his palace. The opportunity to meet and talk to the King was overwhelming for many of the female participants.. ..'The fact that he is meeting us is a message to the world that he is the greatest supporter of Saudi women.'.." [more]

Reformist Saudi Blogger Freed and Very Happy [Apr 27]
"A Saudi blogger and reform advocate, whose detention without charge four months ago sparked criticism from Washington, told AFP on Sunday he was 'very happy' to be free and was 'fairly' treated in custody. But Fouad al-Farhan, who was released on Saturday from a prison in the Red Sea city of Jeddah, said he would not comment on the details of his case for the time being.. ..According to earlier reports, Farhan wrote to friends two weeks before his arrest saying he expected to be detained for his writings about a group of reformists arrested in February 2007 for alleged links to terror funding. Prior to his arrest, Farhan had also criticised a number of influential Saudi figures as well as religious extremism in the oil-rich Muslim kingdom. In an article entitled: 'No to terrorism, yes to dialogue in Saudi Arabia,' and posted on December 3, Farhan wrote that Al-Qaeda had not been eliminated despite the calm prevailing in the kingdom.." [more]

Dialogue Will Promote Peace: Abdullah [Apr 27]
"Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah yesterday welcomed the different viewpoints and ideas of Saudis, but insisted that they should be based on the Islamic faith and morality. Addressing a reception at his Riyadh palace for participants of the national dialogue in Buraidah last week, the king emphasized that dialogue would promote peace and humanity.. ..King Abdullah emphasized the need for Muslims taking part in interfaith dialogue to be confident. 'We have to exercise our historic right with the confidence of a strong believer by participating in every dialogue that serves our Islamic faith, and the principles of peace and humanity.'.." [more]

GE Healthcare Strengthens Saudi Presence With New El Seif Joint Venture [Apr 27]
"GE Healthcare, the US$17 billion healthcare business of General Electric Company (GE), today announced the formation of a new joint venture GE El Seif Healthcare Arabia. The new company will drive the sale of GE Healthcare's products in Saudi Arabia, and has 51:49 per cent ownership by GE and El Seif Development, respectively. GE Healthcare has been established in Saudi Arabia for more than 25 years.. ..This new joint venture, GE El Seif Healthcare Arabia, is aligned with GE Healthcare's vision for the future of healthcare - 'Early Health'; it is about moving healthcare delivery to pre-symptomatic and earlier disease detection.." [more]

Leading Saudi, UK Law Firms Join Hands [Apr 27]
"Herbert Smith, a London-based law firm with over 1,200 lawyers in branches world-wide, has established a formal and exclusive association in Saudi Arabia with the Al Ghazzawi Professional Association (GPA), one of the Kingdom's largest and leading law firms. The move is part of the British firm's plan to establish a strong regional profile, particularly given the rapid development of the Saudi economy.. .."Given the tremendous expansion of the Saudi economy and the welcome influx of foreign companies into the country, we thought it important to link up our local expertise with the international capability of a firm like Herbert Smith," said Belal Al-Ghazzawi, managing partner of GPA.." [more]

Saudi Aramco Plans to Boost Drilling Activity [Apr 27]
"Saudi Aramco is preparing a plan to boost drilling activity by a third and increase investments by 40 per cent, the London-based Middle East Economic Digest (MEED) reported, citing sources close to the state firm. A final version of Aramco's plan, which runs from 2009 to 2013, is expected to be approved by the company's board and the Oil Ministry by mid-May.. ..Aramco will bolster the number of wells drilled around the kingdom to 248, compared with an initial target of 187 and investment on projects will be increased to $13.7 billion from $10.7 billion under the draft plan. The increase in drilling activity will be aimed at sustaining the kingdom's production target of 12.5 million barrels a day, which it expects to reach by the end of 2009." [more]

Sabic May Spend $5bn in Iraq as Competition For Gas Heats Up [Apr 27]
"Saudi Basic Industries Corp, the world’s largest petrochemical firm by market value, may invest $5bn in war-torn Iraq as competition for energy at home forces it to search for cheap gas in riskier Mideast locations. The Riyadh-based company, known as Sabic, is in talks with Iraq’s government 'to build a new factory to produce polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride,' Faris Taha Abdul Hameed, Iraq’s chemical industry director, told Zawya Dow Jones on the sidelines of a conference in Dubai this week. Sabic joins companies like Royal Dutch Shell, Dow Chemical Co and Total as the latest to flirt with a major investment in Iraq amid ongoing political uncertainty and violence in the country. For their part Sabic officials are quick to pour cold water on the Iraq project talks. 'This has been twisted politically,' .." [more]

Saudi Security Burn Yemenis at Border [Apr 27]
"The security authorities in Hodeida province have begun investigating the incident in which several Yemeni people were burnt by the Saudi police while trying crossing into the Saudi lands. Some of these people, who were seriously injured, were sent to hospitals in Sana'a and others are receiving treatment in Hodeida's hospitals. Meanwhile, the Yemeni authorities are considering contacting with the Saudi Authorities to find facts about the incident.. ..Many Yemenis usually try to cross the borders with Yemen's neighbor Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to escape bad economic conditions and seeking livelihoods in the rich-oil country.." [more]

Apr 20 - Apr 26, 2008

~~~~~~~~ [ Apr 26] ~~~~~~~~~

Oil Prices Jump More Than $2 on US-Iran Tensions [Apr 26]
"Oil prices jumped more than $2 to above $118 a barrel yesterday on supply disruptions in Nigeria and the North Sea and fresh tensions between the US and Iran.. ..Tensions between Washington and the Opec nation last year helped send oil to then-record highs. Crude prices have surged more than five-fold since 2002 as supplies struggle to keep pace with rising demand in emerging economies, such as China.." [more]

Saudi Chambers Council Holds Talks With Sudanese Delegation [Apr 26]
"The Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry held talks here today with the visiting delegation of The Sudanese Businessmen & Employers Federation (SBEF) on ways of enhancing commercial and investment relations between Saudi Arabia and Sudan.. ..The Sudanese side invited the Saudi investors to participate in the promising investment in Sudan through SBEF which is a gateway to investors looking forward to projects and investment opportunities in Sudan. 'In addition, SBEF familiarizes investors with regulations, procedures and economic systems in Sudan'.." [more]

Saudi Blogger Freed After 4 Months Jail [Apr 26]
" Saudi blogger detained without charge for more than four months after expressing pro-reform opinions has been released, a colleague said on Saturday. Fouad Farhan was detained in early December after running an online campaign over 10 men arrested since February 2007 on suspicion of financing militant groups, but whose supporters say they are being punished for pro-democracy activity.. ..Saudi authorities blocked Farhan's website (www.alfarhan.org) earlier this month. An Interior Ministry spokesman said he would not confirm Farhan's release. The ministry had declined to say on what charges he was arrested, but said it was not security related.." [more]

Queen Rania to Speak at Seminar [Apr 26]
" Queen Rania of Jordan will deliver the keynote address at the formal opening of the two-day 6th annual Learning and Technology Symposium at the Jeddah Hilton tonight.. ..The event is taking place at a time when the Kingdom’s e-learning industry is projected to reach $125 million in 2008. It is set to grow at a compound annual rate of 33 percent over the next five years, according to a recent study. The growth is being driven by the Ministry of Education’s initiatives for the integration of information and communication technology and the education sectors, including pilot e-classrooms in five secondary schools in Riyadh.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Apr 25] ~~~~~~~~~

Senators Want Oil Linked to Arms Deal [Apr 25]
"A group of senators pressed President Bush on Thursday to halt billions of dollars in sophisticated arms sales to Saudi Arabia and several other Gulf oil producers unless they agree to pump more petroleum, reflecting growing frustration in Congress over soaring energy costs.. ..The senators said if Saudi Arabia does not increase production, they would seek a resolution that would block the arms deals. But such a move would be difficult to achieve since it would require 60 votes to pass the Senate, must also pass the House and then would be subject to an almost certain veto by the president. In their 
letter to Bush, the five senators — four Democrats and one of the chamber's two independents — said that Saudi Arabia has reduced oil production from about 9.5 million barrels a day in 2005 to 8.7 million barrels a day last year, well below its stated capacity of 11 million barrels a day.." [more]

Poly: Saudi Deal Will Follow Laws [Apr 25]
"Cal Poly officials said Thursday that their deal to develop a university engineering program in Saudi Arabia expressly forbids that nation’s officials from discriminating against women and minority faculty. They also said at a student forum that no specific time-line has been set for when Cal Poly and the Saudi Arabian government could ink a deal. Details of the agreement between the Saudi government and Cal Poly are still being worked out.. ..Thursday’s event was the second forum aimed at addressing questions and concerns about a proposed $5.9 million partnership in which Cal Poly faculty would help design four engineering departments at Jubail University over five years. Some students and faculty have expressed concerns over the possibility that female, Jew-ish and gay professors would be discriminated against in Saudi Arabia because of that nation’s poor human rights record. Inequalities currently exist there, they note, and some wondered how they could be avoided.." [more]

Child Labour Has Spread Throughout Saudi Cities [Apr 25]
"Child labour is a serious social problem facing Saudi Arabia where nearly 1.54 per cent of the child population works, says a recent study. The study, the first of its kind in the kingdom, commissioned by the King Abdul Aziz City for Science and Technology and conducted by Dr Mohammad Abdullah Al Naji, showed that the Eastern Province tops the list in child labour at 2.3 per cent followed by Makkah, Madinah, Asir and Riyadh. Common prominent social characteristics among working children include the low professional and educational standards of their parents, large family size and inadequate support for children by their families and low levels of achievement in schools.." [more]

Saudi Women Can Be Employed According to Sharia Rules [Apr 25]
"The issue of women's employment figured highly in both the days of the two-day Seventh National Dialogue Forum, which concluded on Wednesday in Buraidah City. Minister of Labour Dr Gazi Al Gosaibi was the focus of attention among the key figures addressing the forum on the concluding day.. ..'There are some people who want to have a debate on the issue again and again with the motive of either imposing restrictions on employing women or expanding the scope of the Sharia regulations in this respect,' he said. Dr Al Gosaibi said the amendment of a clause in the Labour Law is nothing to do with mixing of women with men at work places. 'On the other hand, it is aimed at broadening the supremacy of values of Islamic Sharia.'.. ..Dr Al Gosaibi said no Islamic religious strictures prevent women from working.." [more]

SRMG Plans Strategic Expansion in Media Sector [Apr 25]
"The Saudi Research and Marketing Group (SRMG) has said that it was in the process of executing a number of strategic projects that aim at providing support to its affiliates and seek to enhance the Group’s leading position in the fields of media, publishing, management and marketing of the knowledge content at regional and global levels.. .. 'the challenges faced by traditional print media should not be undermined, especially that the majority of the Arab readers are the young category that tends to the nontraditional means of accessing information. However, there are big opportunities for developing digital media industry, and generating new revenues through sales of e-ads and digital content. This will certainly contribute to the growth of media and the development of the means of editing and producing'.." [more]

Kingdom to Spend $20b on Health Sector by 2016 [Apr 25]
"The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is expected to spend $20 billion on the health and medical sector by 2016, according to statistics from the Saudi Ministry of Health (MOH), with the demand for better medical products and services and the rapid rise in population driving the industry’s unprecedented growth. 'As the Saudi government undertakes drastic reforms in the health care system, the market catering to medical equipment can be expected to witness exponential growth, thus presenting tremendous opportunities for global and regional suppliers,'.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Apr 24] ~~~~~~~~~

UK Fraud Office Wins Right to Appeal in Saudi Case [Apr 24]
"Britain's Serious Fraud Office (SFO) won the right on Thursday to appeal against a London High Court ruling which sharply criticised the halting of a corruption investigation into a Saudi arms deal. In the April 10 ruling, two judges had said the SFO had capitulated to threats from the Saudi royal family over arms deals with Europe's biggest defence company.. ..On Thursday, the two judges, Lord Justice Alan Moses and Justice Jeremy Sullivan, formally quashed the decision of the SFO to drop an investigation. At the same time they gave the SFO the go-ahead to appeal to the House of Lords, Britain's highest court, against their ruling.." [more]

Insecurity Blocks Saudi Embassy in Iraq [Apr 24]
" The Iraqi capital isn't secure enough yet for an embassy, Saudi Arabia said Wednesday, insisting its diplomatic absence there doesn't reflect a lack of support for the country. Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal's comments following months of urging by both Iraq and the United States for the kingdom to establish an embassy. His statement was an apparent retreat from September comments that his country would open a Baghdad embassy soon. 'There aren't any reservations at all regarding contact with the Iraqi government by Arab countries,' Saud told reporters. 'The real reason why there's no 
embassy in Baghdad is not for political but for security reasons,'.." [more]

Islam Does Not Forbid Women From Working [Apr 24]
"A senior Saudi scholar is in the forefront of those who made a fervent appeal to the Saudi public and private sectors to create more job opportunities for qualified young Saudi women. Shaikh Abdul Mohsen Al Obaikan, a member of the Shura Council and adviser to the Ministry of Justice, ruled that Sharia does not prevent women from working as long as they do not mix with unrelated men. 'We cannot see any religious scriptures that forbid women from being engaged in duty together with men at work places. Islam permits women to mix with men even while performing Tawaf and Sa'ai. Similar is the case with shopping at markets,'.." [more]

Saudi Inflation Could Top 10% This Year [Apr 24]
"Inflation in dollar-pegged Saudi Arabia could cross 10 per cent this year, the country's central bank governor said, the highest since at least the 1970s when Gulf econ-omies boomed on soaring oil prices. Still, consumer price rises in the world's largest oil exporter could then ease in the second half as anti-inflationary government measures take hold and lower global demand for commodities feeds into prices.. ..Inflation in the largest Arab economy almost doubled in the six months to February to at least a 27-year high of 8.7 per cent, as rents surged 18 per cent and food prices jumped 13 percent.." [more]

Saudization Now or Never – Gosaibi [Apr 24]
" If recruitment of foreign workers were put on hold for six months, not a single Saudi would remain jobless. That was Minister of Labor Ghazi Al-Gosaibi’s answer to the avalanche of questions he had to face on the second day of the 7th National Dialogue in Buraidah on Wednesday. In a speech at the beginning of one of the dialogue’s sessions, the straight-talking Gosaibi said that his ministry had to succumb to the demands of a large swathe of the society which opposed his ministry’s policy of minimizing foreign recruitment, mainly because of the Kingdom’s economic boom. 'Last year, 1.7 
million work visas were issued,' said Gosaibi, 'which was the highest number in the history of the Kingdom'.. ..the real problem the ministry has to deal with is that it tries to get someone who doesn’t want to work hired by someone who doesn’t want to hire them.. ..The Ministry of Planning, he said, had estimated that the qualifications of 80 percent of Saudi job seekers are below high school levels.." [more]

S. African Trade Mission Boosts Ties With Kingdom [Apr 24]
"A 30-member business delegation from the South African province of Western Cape led by its Premier Ebrahim Rasool is in the Kingdom to strengthen economic ties. 'We want to diversify our economic ties beyond petrochemicals,'.. ..The two sides agreed to strengthen bilateral ties. After Mbeki’s visit, a number of delegations from South Africa visited the Kingdom to explore business and investment potentials. The volume of trade between the two countries stood at SR11.5 billion last year. It has shown an increase of 13 percent. Saudi Arabia exports mainly petrochemical products to South Africa and imports mainly mining and agro products, thus the balance of trade is tilted toward Kingdom.." [more]

Victims’ Relatives Demand Death for Vice Cops Accused in Madinah Chase [Apr 24]
"Relatives of four people who died in an accident last month after two members of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice chased their car said they would demand execution of the culprits who caused the accident, according to Al-Madinah daily. Authorities are questioning the two commission members and a policeman, who was also involved in the pursuit that led to the death of two men, a woman and the woman’s daughter.. ..The husband of the woman who died in the incident said he would also demand the execution of the culprits. He said his 17-year-old daughter had a mental collapse after learning of the deaths of her mother and sister.." [more]

Editorial: Clinton’s Threat to Iran [Apr 24]
"If there were any doubt that if she made it to the Oval Office, Hillary Clinton’s term would be George Bush Mark III, the lady made it plain on the eve of Tuesday’s Pennsylvania primary. Her campaign had already run TV advertisements featuring pictures of Osama Bin Laden and asking voters who they would really trust as their commander-in-chief, Clinton or Obama. Then Monday night, Clinton drove home her 'toughness' by threatening to “obliterate” Iran if it launched an attack on Israel. Given the kind of foreign policy advisers she has (the same as those who paved the way for Iraq war), she may not wait for Iran to “attack” Israel. It can be a pre-emptive 'obliteration.' This is the foreign politics of the madhouse.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Apr 23] ~~~~~~~~~

Abbas to Ask Bush to Jump Start Mideast Peace Talks [Apr 23]
"Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will call for urgent international action to jump start Middle East peace talks when he meets US leader George W. Bush this week, a senior Palestinian official said on Wednesday. Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Al Maliki said Israel and Palestine last year agreed to try to reach a peace deal in 2008 and international pressure is needed if both sides are to meet objectives on the way to that goal. Abbas will ask Bush for the United States, and other members of the Middle East "quartet" of negotiators, to pressure Israel to meet commitments to freeze Jewish 
settlement activity in the West Bank and ease checkpoints that limit Palestinian mobility.." [more]

Prospect of Iran Nukes Frightens Saudi Royals to Their Core [Apr 23]
"A U.S. report projects a concerted effort by Saudi Arabia to match Iran's nuclear weapons program. The report, submitted to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, took note of a U.S. assessment that Teheran's nuclear program frightens the Saudi royal family 'to their core.' 'The future Middle East landscape may include a number of nuclear armed or nuclear weapons-capable states vying for influence in a notoriously unstable region,' the report, released in early April 2008, said. The report, ordered by ranking Republican Sen. Richard Lugar, was authored by staff member Bradley Bowman, Middle East Newsline reported. The assessment on Saudi nuclear plans was based on discussions with senior U.S. diplomats in Riyad. Saudi Arabia would be followed by other Middle East states bent on producing or acquiring nuclear weapons.." [more]

Saudi Arabia’s eLearning Industry to Touch US$125 Million in 2008 [Apr 23]
"The Saudi Arabian eLearning industry is projected to reach USD 125 million in 2008 and is set to grow at a compound annual rate of 33 per cent over the next five years, according to a recent study conducted by Madar Research. The growth is being driven by the Saudi Ministry of Education’s initiatives for the integration of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and the education sectors, including pilot eClassrooms in five secondary schools in Riyadh. In line with its aims to increase awareness on the benefits of eLearning technologies, Edutech Middle East, a leading provider of technology-enabled learning solutions, has partnered with Saudi-based Effat College to organise ‘The 6th Annual Learning Technology Symposium’ at the Jeddah Hilton Hotel from April 26 – 27, 2008.." [more]

Marriott Announces Five New Saudi Hotels [Apr 23]
"Marriott has announced a significant expansion in its presence in the Middle East. The company has announced five new properties in Saudi Arabia.. ..The Saudi properties are a 250-room Marriott and a 50-unit Marriott Executive Apartments in Damman, a 250-room Ritz-Carlton hotel with 100 Ritz-Carlton Residences in Riyadh, and a 220 room Courtyard hotel in Jubail. The properties will open by 2011.. .. "The Middle East is not only a rapidly expanding centre of commerce, but also a thriving tourist destination. The region is a lynchpin in our company's long-term vision to expand global distribution.." [more]

National Dialogue Debates Women’s Employment in Islam [Apr 23]
"The definition of Islamic rules concerning women’s employment was the center of debate during the Seventh National Dialogue that opened in Buraidah on Tuesday. Participants discussed Islamic regulations on employing women, whether they need to be defined or left to individual interpretation. Some participants said there was a need to clearly define Islamic regulations on employing women, while others said that the labor market should be fully open to women.'We need to have clearly stated regulations for companies to follow,' said Huda Al-Jeiresy, Chairwoman of the National Committee for Women at the Saudi Council for the Chambers of Commerce and Industry. 'There are regulations now, but they contradict each other.." [more]

Samba Tops List of Most Active IPO Managers in Middle East [Apr 23]
" Samba Capital topped the list of most active IPO managers in the region with its 76 percent share of total offerings in Saudi Arabia, said Eissa M. Al-Eissa, chairman of the company’s board of directors. 'A review of the total offerings in the Kingdom since 2004 reveals Samba Capital as the manager of over SR137 billion with more than 38 million subscribers,' Al-Eissa said. The IPOs were oversubscribed by an average of 10 times.. ..'We have managed the largest IPOs in the Saudi market in terms of stock volume and number of subscribers,' the Samba chief said. 'We have been eager to accomplish the process at the highest standards of transparency and flexibility and in line with the vision embraced by Custodian of Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah to make the offering a chance for citizens to develop their investments and contribute to major business institutions.'.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Apr 22] ~~~~~~~~~

Britain's Serious Fraud Office Says it Plans to Appeal Ruling on Saudi Arms Deal [Apr 22]
"Britain's Serious Fraud Office said Tuesday that it plans to appeal a High Court ruling that the agency acted unlawfully when it ended a corruption inquiry into a lucrative arms deal between Saudi Arabia and BAE Systems PLC. The fraud agency said it wanted to seek a 'definitive ruling' in the House of Lords, Britain's highest court of appeal, on the judiciary's 
ability to intervene in such a case. The SFO's move to appeal is a blow for the Campaign Against Arms Trade and social lobby group Corner House, which successfully brought the High Court judicial review over the decision and had called on the SFO to immediately reopen the inquiry. An appeal to the House of Lords could drag on for several months.." [more]

Crude Tops $119; Saudi Arabia Pledges $90 Billion to Lift Supply [Apr 22]
"As oil prices hit a fresh record Tuesday, the Saudi Arabian oil minister Ali al-Naimi called for more investment to increase world oil production capacity. The minister said his country, the world's top oil exporter, was 'working hard' to ensure the crude market is adequately supplied. 'Limited capacity along the entire supply chain is the real source of current global supply tightness and represents the greatest threat to ensure adequate energy to fuel future economic growth,' Naimi said in a speech at the International Energy Forum in Rome.." [more]

Saudi Terror Suspect Admits to Plotting Strike [Apr 22]
" Saudi engineer turned terror suspect has admitted to his involvement in a planned attack on the Chinese city of Shanghai. The suspect was one among those arrested following the failed terror attack on Abqaiq oil processing plant in the Kingdom's Eastern province, the largest oil facility in the world.. ..'The terror suspect, who worked as an engineer in the petroleum sector, told me that the aim of the planned Shanghai attack was to lure Americans into Saudi Arabia in order to kill them.'.. ..The February 24, 2006, attempt on Abqaiq, which left two security guards dead, was later claimed by Al Qaida.." [more]

France, Saudi Arabia to Cooperate in CO2 Capture Technology [Apr 22]
"France said Tuesday it plans to cooperate with Saudi Arabia in solar energy and in technology for 'capturing' and storing carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels, preventing them from being released into the atmosphere. The two countries would set up a joint top-level technical group in Paris by July, French Energy Minister Jean-Louis Borloo told reporters on the sidelines of the International Energy Forum here. It would be a research group investigating solar technology on a large-scale and so-called CCS, carbon capture and storage technology, Borloo said after a bilateral meeting with Saudi Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi.." [more]

Oil's Big Issue is Investment, Not Reserves-Naimi [Apr 22]
"The world has enough oil to fuel future economic growth, but the energy industry is facing a big challenge to ensure investment is enough to meet future demand, Saudi Arabia's Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi said on Tuesday.. ..Limited fuel supply capacity, and not a lack of oil reserves, was the greatest threat to future energy supplies, Naimi said. A lack of spare crude output capacity and tight refining capacity have helped fuel a six-year rally in oil prices to a record of over $118 a barrel on Tuesday.. ..Shortages of labour, equipment and materials were raising costs and delaying new projects that would boost capacity, Naimi said.." [more]

Saudi Call to Resist Foreign Influence [Apr 22]
" Saudi Arabia yesterday urged feuding factions in Lebanon to pledge allegiance to their own country and resist foreign influence, in an apparent reference to Iran. 'The kingdom... calls upon all the Lebanese to work to form one Lebanese front that would owe allegiance to no one except Lebanon,' the government said in a statement after its weekly meeting 
chaired by King Abdullah. Such a united front 'would have the ability to overcome... new hegemonic attempts that the country is facing,'.. ..Saudi Arabia appeared to be referring to Iran which — along with Syria — backs the Hezbollah-led opposition in Lebanon, which has been without a president since November. Saudi Arabia and several other Arab states 
back the ruling majority, which also enjoys Western support.." [more]

7th Dialogue Forum Opens Today [Apr 22]
"Difficulties in obtaining labor visas, the call for a minimum wage, regulated working hours, the problem of unemployment, women’s working conditions and the need for updated labor regulations are among the several topics that will be addressed at the Seventh National Dialogue Meeting which opens in Qassim Tuesday. The main theme of this year’s forum is the promotion of dialogue between society and employment related establishments, ministries and other government agencies.. ..The forum seeks to address the main problems faced by businessmen and businesswomen as well as employees and job seekers.." [more]

Americans Amaze Saudi Literati [Apr 22]
"A cultural evening hosting an American cultural delegation organized by the Ministry of Culture and Information was held at the Jeddah Literary Club in Al-Shati district on Sunday. The delegation consisted of poets, authors, novelists and writers who came to Jeddah as a part of their Middle East Reading and Lecture Tour.. ..Doctors and professors of Arabic and English literature from many universities around the Kingdom, such as King Saud University and Umm Al-Qura University, attended the evening. They commended the visit of the first American cultural delegation in decades, saying it’s better to have this sort of delegation in the Kingdom than political ones. Both academics and members of the 
delegation hoped it would be the beginning of a better understanding between the two cultures.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Apr 21] ~~~~~~~~~

Abdallah, Carter Discuss Mideast Peace Moves [Apr 21]
"King Abdallah of Jordan met with former US President Jimmy Carter yesterday and stressed the need for making 'tangible progress' in the ongoing peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. The king underscored the importance of achieving tangible progress in the peace talks and also called for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, according to a royal court statement. He also stressed the significance of Israel giving up its policy of blockade and expansion of settlements, the statement added. Abdallah expressed 'appreciation for Carter’s active role and contributions toward the establishment of peace in the region, ending the Arab-Israeli conflict and boosting world peace.'.." [more]

Saudi Arabia, India to Ease Visa Regulations [Apr 21]
"Saudi Arabia and India have agreed to simplify visa regulations for businessmen and entrepreneurs by granting long-duration multiple-entry permits and set up a Saudi-India investment fund. Minister of External Affairs Pranab Mukherjee held a two-hour-long meeting with his Saudi counterpart Prince Saud Al-Faisal in Riyadh yesterday and the two leaders agreed on a number of issues, including liberalisation of business visa regulations, setting up Saudi-India Fund and the enforcement of Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Treaty.. ..The two sides underscored the importance of private sectors from both countries playing a key role by establishing a number of joint ventures, enhanced trade and investment activities.." [more]

Asciano Wins $7b Saudi Project [Apr 21]
"Transport infrastructure group Asciano expects to generate a 'very attractive'' capital return on a $7 billion rail infrastructure project in Saudi Arabia it will develop with a consortium of partners. Asciano, the ports and rail owner spun-out of Toll Holdings, and its seven Saudi Arabian partners who make up the Tarabot consortium have been selected as the preferred bidder to deliver the project. The Saudi Landbridge project will connect the Saudi city of Riyadh with the major port cities of Jeddah and Dammam with the construction of more than 1000 kilometres of rail track.. ..The group expects to reach financial close on the project within 12 months, with building to begin shortly afterwards.." [more]

Saudi Arabia to Spend USD 20 Billion on the Health and Medical Sector by 2016 [Apr 21]
"The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is expected to spend USD 20 billion on the health and medical sector by 2016, according to statistics from the Saudi Ministry of Health (MOH), with the demand for better medical products and services and the rapid rise in population driving the industry's unprecedented growth.. ..'As the Saudi Government undertakes drastic reforms in the health care system, the market catering to medical equipment can be expected to witness exponential growth, thus presenting tremendous opportunities for global and regional suppliers,'.." [more]

Syrians Hold Sit-in in Damascus to Protest Beheadings of Two Countrymen in Saudi Arabia [Apr 21]
"Scores of angry Syrians have staged a sit-in in a Damascus park to protest last week's beheadings in Saudi Arabia of two of their countrymen convicted of drug smuggling. Nearly 200 Syrians attended the demonstration, calling on Riyadh to hand over other Syrian prisoners. Monday's protest reflects the cold relations between Syria and Saudi Arabia, mainly over Lebanon where Damascus backs the Hezbollah-led opposition and Saudi is a major supporter of Prime Minister Fuad Saniora's government.." [more]

Over 60 Percent of Saudi Women are Jobless [Apr 21]
"Unemployment among Saudi women rose to an alarming rate of 60.6 per cent, according to a new report of the Ministry of Economy and Planning. 'The number of unemployed Saudis is put at 4.45 million. Of these women make up 60.6 percent,' the report said.. ..'The workforce in Saudi Arabia accounted for 8.2 million last year, of which Saudi men constituted 40.9 per cent while women’s percentage was only 8.1. As for expatriates, men make up 43 per cent while the remaining 7.3 per cent are women,' the report said. The female labour participation rate was extremely low in the kingdom as there will be little growth in government hiring, and the private sector is overwhelmingly dominated by foreign workforce. Saudi women comprise 55 per cent of graduates but make up only 5 per cent of the workforce in the Kingdom.." [more]

Saudi Aid for Lebanon Starts [Apr 21]
"With directives from Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz, and with supervision from Prince Naif Bin Abdul Aziz, the Minister of Interior and General Supervisor of the Saudi National Campaign for the Aid of the Lebanese people, the Zakat Fund of the Akkar region in northern Lebanon has begun distributing financial aid to some 1,800 Lebanese families. The fund is also heading out olive oil cans to some 1,400 families, as well as orphans, widows and the elderly.." [more]

Value of Saudi Investment Projects Reaches SR3.2 Trillion [Apr 21]
"Backed by sustained high oil prices and a growing need to diversify the economy, Saudi Arabia is embarking on a massive spending program focused predominantly on infrastructure projects across the country. According to the Dubai-based Shuaa Capital, the value of announced investment projects so far is SR3.2 trillion ($862 billion), with the civil sector taking the lion’s share at 39 percent of the total number of projects. The power industry came in second at 19 percent, followed by the oil and petrochemical industries with 15 and 13 percent respectively. The Saudi Arabian General 
Investment Authority (SAGIA) has taken the lead role in translating the strategic directives.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Apr 20] ~~~~~~~~~

King Abdullah Welcomes Carter [Apr 20]
"Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah held talks with former US President Jimmy Carter at Al-Yamamah Palace here yesterday. They discussed matters of mutual concern, the Saudi Press Agency said. The talks were attended by a number of senior officials including Prince Muqrin, director of intelligence, Prince Abdul Aziz ibn Abdullah, Prince Mansour ibn Nasser, Prince Bandar ibn Salman ibn Muhammad, Abdul Mohsen Al-Tuwaijeri, advisers to the king, and Dr. Nizar Obaid Madani, state minister for foreign affairs. Carter arrived earlier in the day and was received at the airport by Madani, Dr. Abdul Mohsen Al-Marik, deputy chief of protocol at the Foreign Ministry, and other officials.." [more]

Human Rights Watch: Saudi Arabia's Male Guardianship Policies Harm Women [Apr 20]
"The Saudi government should abide by its international obligations and dismantle discriminatory policies against women, including male guardianship of women, a report by the New York-based Human Rights Watch said. The 50-page report, which will be released Monday, draws on more than 100 interviews with Saudi women to document the effects of these policies on their rights. 'The Saudi government sacrifices basic human rights to maintain male control over women,' said Farida Deif, women's rights researcher for the Middle East at Human Rights Watch. 'Saudi women won't make any progress until the government ends the abuses that stem from these misguided policies.'.." [more]

Saudi Arabia Refutes Iranian Allegation About Murder of Hezbollah Commander [Apr 20]
" Saudi Arabia strongly refuted allegations made by some Iranian newspapers that Riyadh is behind the killing of top Hezbollah commander Imad Mughniyeh in Lebanon. Denying reports, Interior Minister Prince Naif Bin Abdul Aziz said: 'It is ridiculous'. Prince Naif also clarified that his recent meeting with US Ambassador to Iraq was focused on the condition of Saudi detainees and their coming back home.." [more]

Saudi Arabia's Biggest IPO 74 pct Oversubscribed [Apr 20]
"Investors offered 18.3 billion riyals ($4.87 billion) or 74 percent more than Saudi Arabia's Alinma Bank was seeking in the country's biggest initial public offering, the bank and its IPO arranger said on Sunday. Alinma sold 1.05 billion shares at 10 riyals each, raising 10.5 billion riyals in the IPO that ended on Wednesday, the bank and Samba Financial Group 1090.SE said in a statement. The sale is equivalent to 70 percent of the bank's share capital. 'The number of subscribers stood at 8,853,000, with the total value of shares purchased reaching 18,273 million riyals, or 174 percent of the value of the total share offering,'.." [more]

Saudi Mega Cities Take Off [Apr 20]
"Work is under way at the first of Saudi Arabia's six new economic cities. The projects at Madina, Hail, Tabuk, Jizan, Ras Az Zour and Rabigh, are designed to accelerate major regional development. They represent the launch of new industries and businesses comprising the most ambitious long-term investments the kingdom has ever undertaken. As well as stimulating a huge expansion of the kingdom's growing non-oil economy they will ease the growing pressures on Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam, where most urban expansion has taken place since the first oil boom in the 1970s.. ..An essential feature of the new economic cities is that their developments are in the main private sector led albeit with the close encouragement of Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) as a facilitator.." [more]

Oil Beyond Control [Apr 20]
"Oil at $117 a barrel has left energy producers and consumers in rare agreement there is little they can do for now to prevent prices rising higher still. Oil hit the latest in a series of records on Friday after a rebel attack in Nigeria added to supply concerns and offset the impact of a US-led economic slowdown, which has begun to eat into energy demand. 'There is a possibility of (oil prices) going still higher,'.. ..'Today, there is no reason to jump up and down and say ‘we will supply more crude’ – because that request from consuming countries is probably politically-driven rather than a fundamental requirement,' Saudi Arabian Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi said in an interview.." [more]

Saudi Delegation to Explore Business Avenues in Bosnia [Apr 20]
"A delegation of Saudi businessmen will visit Bosnia in early May to explore the prospects of establishing business and trade relations between the two countries. The delegation, organized by Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry, will also travel to Turkey.. ..'This is the first trip organized by a Saudi chamber to Bosnia and will be an exploratory one because most of the delegates have not visited Bosnia before,' Al-Sulaiman, said. 'I hope the businessmen will succeed in promoting trade and investment with that country.' The delegation is expected to meet Bosnian President Dr. Haris Silajdzic, who visited Saudi Arabia for the Jeddah Economic Forum in February this year.." [more]

Dialogue Center Conveys Nation’s Pulse to King [Apr 20]
"Conveying the pulse of the Saudi street to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah is one of the main purposes of the King Abdulaziz Center for National Dialogue, Faisal ibn Muammar, secretary-general of the center, said here yesterday. 'King Abdullah has given us a great responsibility and the national duty of conveying to the leadership the pulse of the street, as well as bringing different points of views closer,' Muammar said.. ..'The idea of establishing a national center for dialogue, which has been supported by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, is the biggest project of its kind in the Islamic world,' Muammar said. 'These meetings have proved that no matter how extreme an idea may be it can be dealt with through meaningful dialogue in the context of national unity, which is the basis for the nation,' he said. 'National unity is the lifeguard for the nation when ideologies and people’s interest are mixed.'.." [more]

Apr 13 - Apr 19, 2008

~~~~~~~~ [ Apr 19] ~~~~~~~~~

No Need for Further Saudi Capacity Boost Yet-Naimi [Apr 19]
"Top oil exporter Saudi Arabia has no plans to embark on further capacity expansion as long-term oil demand forecasts fall and alternative fuel supplies rise, the Saudi oil minister told industry newsletter Petroleum Argus. The holder of the world's largest oil reserves sees no need to go beyond its 2009 capacity target of 12.5 million barrels per day "at least up to 2020," Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi said. Long-term future energy demand forecasts have fallen sharply, he said in the interview given to the weekly on April 11, casting doubt on the need for more Saudi oil.." [more]

Islamic Banking in East Asia Faces Challenges [Apr 19]
"Despite being relatively young as a global industry with the first modern Islamic banks only emerging in the 1970s, Islamic banking nonetheless has not only taken root in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries but also in certain Asian countries – primarily in Malaysia. Though Islamic banking in East Asia is slowly developing, however, it needs more action by regulators to establish legal and regulatory frameworks if it is to emerge as a significant segment across the region, said Moody’s Investors Service in its recent report entitled 'Islamic Banking in East Asia - Growing but not without Challenges.' Its growing importance is also evidenced by the segment’s relatively high market penetration in Brunei and rapid asset growth in Indonesia.." [more]

Kingdom, Neighbors Study Railway Revival [Apr 19]
"The Transportation Ministers of Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Syria agreed in Amman on Thursday to have a joint study conducted throughout the next three weeks on the possibility of reviving the Hejaz Railway, which stretches across the three countries. The Supreme Commission of the Hejaz Railway concluded its meeting in Amman on Thursday as the meeting’s record was signed. Saudi Minister of Transportation Dr. Jubara Al-Suraisri signed the agreement representing the Kingdom, as Jordanian and Syrian Ministers of Transportation, Engineer Ala’a Al-Batayneh and Ya’areb Badr signed for their countries.." [more]

Prepare for N-Emergency, Group Urges [Apr 19]
"The Regional Organization for the Protection of the Marine Environment (ROPME) has called for the establishing of a committee of experts to map out future strategies on how to deal with nuclear emergencies and radiation leaks in the region. 'It has become a must, as a regional organization to protect this region from different kinds of threats, to collectively prepare an action plan for radiation emergency so that the region would be able to overcome any radiation incident or leakage,' said ROPME, whose members include Saudi Arabia, Iran and Iraq, in a recently released report. Referring to the need to monitor the problem, the report said, 'It is very vital because we have some nuclear warships and submarines transiting in our shores every now and then.' The problem is further exasperated by the proximity of Israeli nuclear facilities at Daymona. A leak there would affect other countries in the region.." [more]

Investors Look for Results of Blue Chips [Apr 19]
" Saudi shares extended gains last week giving the impression that the downward trend that lasted for several weeks could be over. The Tadawul All-Share Index (TASI) went up by 1.35 percent, bringing the total gains in two weeks to 4.9 percent. TASI, which closed last week at 9,630.37 points from 9,501.72 points previous week, is currently 12.8 percent lower than the year’s start. 'Investors are still waiting cautiously for the first quarter corporate results, particularly of blue chips in the petrochemical industries and the telecommunication and IT sectors to reallocate their portfolios,'.." [more]

Saudi Arabian Churches: Vatican Pipe Dream? [Apr 19]
"Much has been made of reports that the Vatican is holding talks with Saudi Arabia on building churches in the Gulf monarchy, the birthplace of Islam and stronghold of the conservative Wahhabi school of thought. But it’s hard to imagine imminent breakthroughs, given broad-based scholarly opposition anchored in prophetic traditions and centuries of jurisprudence and commentary. The IslamOnline (IOL) Web site posted an Arabic article polling prominent clerics on the issue, and offers some insight into the magnitude of clerical opposition such a prospect would generate. The sheikhs rejected the idea as violating a basic Islamic commandment. Crucially, IOL’s correspondent said a source close to a Saudi government-appointed religious body said that the issue would be raised with a view to issuing a fatwa, or religious edict, reiterating the existing prohibition.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Apr 18] ~~~~~~~~~

UK Confident That U.S. Will Grant Export Licenses for Saudi Eurofighter Deal [Apr 18]
"The UK government said it believes a debate in the U.S. over the licensing of technology necessary for Britain to sell Eurofighter Typhoon jets to Saudi Arabia will not scupper a 20 billion pound deal. The State Department must approve the transfer of U.S. technology on the fighter before Britain can export 72 jets to Saudi Arabia as part of the Al-Salam deal.. ..U.S. officials are reportedly concerned that UK defence company BAE Systems Plc. which is the main contractor on the deal, is also under investigation by US authorities over alleged bribes to Saudi Arabia in the previous Al-Yamamah arms deal.." [more]

Saudi Banks' First-Quarter Reports Reflect Mixed Outcome [Apr 18]
"Saudi stock market remained stable though cautious during the week ended on Wednesday as a continuation of the previous weekend as if it is monitoring the performance results of major financial companies and banks for the first quarter of 2008. Most of the Saudi banks announced their first quarter report, which reflects mixed outcome of their performance during the first three months of the year. After some years of strong returns, the growth in net income for the Saudi banking sector is slowing.." [more]

Saudis Urged Not to Travel to Lebanon [Apr 18]
"Prince Mohammed Bin Fahd, Emir of the Eastern Province, has urged Saudis not to travel to Lebanon this summer.His directive, which was sent out through the Asharqia Chambers of the Eastern Province, came due to the unstable security situation in that country. In his directive, Prince Mohammed said Saudis should not consider Lebanon for their summer holidays itinerary, due to unrest and security problems there.. ..Saudis, known to have always been fond of Lebanon, seem to be heeding Prince Mohammed’s advice.." [more]

Saudi Arabia to Put $119b Into Energy Infrastructure [Apr 18]
"Saudi Arabia is expected to invest $119 billion in energy infrastructure projects from 2007 to 2009, according to latest studies, with investments in the refining sector being expected to grow at a staggering 2189 per cent in the same period compared with figures from 2004 to 2006. As burgeoning energy requirements continue to mirror the current pace of economic development across the region, national oil companies, including those with upstream, midstream and downstream operations in the Middle East, are facing challenges such as ageing infrastructure and equipment, lack of efficiency in refinery processes and shortage of skilled manpower.." [more]

Companies Seek Permission to Hire Foreign Lawyers [Apr 18]
"A number of Saudi companies are asking the Ministry of Justice to allow foreign lawyers to represent their cases in Saudi courts. The companies have been prompted by a recent decision by the Ministry of Justice that only licensed lawyers would be allowed to take up the legal profession. Currently only Saudis are issued lawyer’s licenses.. ..The liberalization of the economy and the surge in foreign direct investment in recent times spurred the local demand for quality corporate legal services in the country. The number of Saudi lawyers currently available is insufficient to handle the volume of cases, some company executives say. And Saudi lawyers charge exorbitant fees with no competition or other alternatives for litigants.." [more]

Saudi Arabia Becomes First in Gulf to Follow Free-Float Methodology [Apr 18]
"Saudi Arabia becomes the first GCC market to follow a free-float methodology in its indices and moves closer to adopting global best practices in the capital markets. This information was contained in a report released yesterday by NCB Capital, the investment arm of the National Commercial Bank. The report discusses how the adoption of the free float methodology will see a significant change in the rankings of the top 10 companies and reduce market concentration of the top 5 companies to 35.5 per cent (from 48.5 per cent earlier).." [more]

Saudi Embassy Warns Students Against Donating Money to Australian Groups [Apr 18]
" The Kingdom’s embassy in Australia has banned Saudis studying in the country from giving donations to any organization without the prior permission from the Foreign Ministry through the embassy or consulates. This was announced by Hassan Nazir, the Saudi ambassador to Australia and New Zealand, during a meeting with Saudi students in Perth, in western Australia. 'Any student who makes even a petty donation to an Islamic organization, the activities of which the Australian government watches with suspicion, would be subjected to police interrogations and other embarrassing situations,'.. ..Nazir said any one who wished to make donations should consult the embassy first.." [more]

Oil Scene: Energy Forum Meets Amid Exceptional Circumstances [Apr 18]
"With the 11th International Energy Forum set to get underway in Rome on Sunday, these are indeed very interesting as well as hectic times at the International Energy Forum Secretariat in Riyadh. With crude prices hovering around $115 a barrel and virtually every one underlining the need and importance of dialogue between energy producers and consumers, the 11th International Energy Forum, bringing together energy ministers from close to 70 countries, is thus set to take place in extremely exceptional circumstances.. ..It seems despite progress and some convergence, the producers and consumers are still poles apart on some key issues and it is here that role of IEFS needs to be strengthened further. The upcoming 11th ministerial at Rome would thus be looked at closely. IEFS Secretary General Noe van Hulst and his team have an ominous task in hand.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Apr 17] ~~~~~~~~~

Abbas: Middle East Peace Talks to be Held in Moscow in June [Apr 17]
"Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Thursday that a Middle East peace conference will be held in Moscow in June. In a lecture at a Moscow university Abbas expressed 'great hopes' for the conference and said it will lay the groundwork for an overall peace process in the region. Abbas is expected to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the end of his three-day visit on Friday. Israel has not welcomed the idea of a Moscow conference, proposed by Russia immediately after the Annapolis talks in November.." [more]

Mukherjee's Visit to Boost Indo-Saudi Ties [Apr 17]
"External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee will pay a long-pending visit to Saudi Arabia from Saturday to deepen the bilateral strategic partnership and take the ties between the two countries to new heights. During the two-day tour, which has been postponed several times due to various reasons, Mukherjee will discuss bilateral, regional and global issues, including trade and energy security, with top leaders of the oil-rich Kingdom. 'This is going to be the first high-level Indian visit to the Kingdom after King Abdullah's state visit to India in 2006,'.. ..Mukherjee's visit is likely to set the stage for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Saudi Arabia later this year.." [more]

Combat Brain Drain to Rebuild Strong Arab World [Apr 17]
"The troubles in the region "are created by others" and the Arabs are not to be blamed for them, Interior Minister Prince Nayef Bin Abdul Aziz has said. 'The Arabs are capable of returning [to] their lofty position and sovereignty to each of their countries through relying on Allah, the Almighty, coupled with determination of their men and making better use of their intellectual capabilities,'.. ..urged the Arab university heads and their representatives to give priority for intellectual security in the curricula of their higher education institutes through establishing special scientific chairs for promoting research in this vital sector. He called for greater efforts to combat brain drain to build a strong Arab world. Prince Nayef also underlined the need to enable younger Arab generations to achieve excellence in science and information technology.." [more]

Saudi-Jordan Summit Stresses Need to Elect Lebanon President [Apr 17]
"King Abdullah II of Jordan and Saudi monarch Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz stressed the need to elect a President for Lebanon in accordance with the Arab League plan. After talks in Riyadh on Wednesday, both rulers called on the various Lebanese groups and forces to 'overcome divisions and work toward electing a consensus President in line with the Arab League initiative.' The talks focused on developments in the Arab region and bilateral relations between Jordan and Saudi Arabia. The summit also touched on the situation in Lebanon and efforts to achieve a breakthrough in the political crisis.." [more]

Saudi Aramco Turns Attention to Global Marketing Coordination [Apr 17]
"Hydrocarbon demand is rising the world over, and that includes the Middle East. At one of the premier gatherings of oil and gas industry experts in the Middle East, Saudi Aramco Vice President of Marketing, Supply and Joint Venture Coordination Adil A Al-Tubayyeb discussed the imperative of transforming Middle Eastern markets to meet that demand.At the outset of the 16th Middle East Petroleum and Gas Conference, held on 6-8 April in Doha, Al-Tubayyeb delivered his keynote address titled 'Transformations in the Middle Eastern Energy Markets'.. ..Turning the region into a centre for marketing petroleum products, he said, will require the development of infrastructure and  the establishment of region-specific price indicators independent of the price indicators that serve global markets far from the region.." [more]

Kingdom to Run UN’s Tourism Plan in Mideast [Apr 17]
"The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has invited Saudi Arabia to run its Capacity Building Program initiative, which will ensure effective implementation of tourism information systems across the region. According to Antonio Massue, chief of statistics for the economic impact of tourism at UNWTO, the Kingdom will represent the Middle East in the running of this project, which has excreted a tangible progress in its tourism statistics and informational system. Based on the initiative, the Kingdom will function as an intermediate to transit UNWTO expertise to other Middle Eastern countries. On the other hand, UNWTO will provide Officials and experts advice in the fields of tourism statistics for the tourism and leisure industries in the Kingdom.." [more]

Concerns Over Funding of Islamic Studies [Apr 17]
"A closed meeting called by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (Hefce) about Islamic studies will take place today amid fears that Saudi and Muslim organisations exert too much influence over UK universities as a result of donations that dwarf government funding. Private donations, mostly to Islamic study centres, are much greater than government funding for Islamic studies and academics are said to be nervous of the threat to their academic freedom.. ..Prof Anthony Glees, director of Brunel University's Centre for Intelligence and Security Studies, claims that eight universities, including Oxford and Cambridge, have accepted more than £233.5m from Saudi and Muslim sources since 1995, with much of the money going to Islamic study centres.. ..He alleges the government's plan to counter extremism would in fact create a Muslim apartheid in the UK, with Muslims being taught to think of themselves as Muslim first, British second.." [more]

Al-Ghaith Urges Media to be Objective [Apr 17]
"The media campaigns against the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice over a few death cases have created a state of tension between the Commission and the public, said Chief of the Commission Sheikh Ibrahim Al-Ghaith during his routine inspection visit to the Commission office in the Eastern Province, Wednesday. Sheikh Al-Ghaith asked journalists to be objective and accurate before pinning the blame on the Commission and running stories, criticizing them for showing only the negative side of their work and ignoring the bright side to protect society from vice.. ..Hasty publication of incidents in which the Commission is involved may not do good to the case as the Commission always tries to keep low profile on moral violations, he said.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Apr 16] ~~~~~~~~~

King Meets Crocker, Petraeus [Apr 16]
“Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah yesterday received US Ambassador to Baghdad Ryan Crocker and top US commander in Iraq Gen. David Petraeus and discussed the situation in the war-torn country. Crocker and Petraeus also held talks with Interior Minister Prince Naif and Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal on regional and international developments..” [more]

Saudi Arabia Now Centre of Gravity of World Investment [Apr 16]
”Saudi Arabia has become the world’s centre of gravity for capital investment with over $117 billion in petroleum and petrochemicals investments planned over the next two years, according to new research. In a report titled ‘The Saudi Arabian Paradox - Opportunities and Challenges in the KSA Energy Infrastructure Market’, Industrial Info Resources (IIR) of Sugar Land, Texas, in joint sponsorship with Contax Dubai, a leading Middle East consultancy agency, discusses important business strategies for pursuing opportunities in this dynamic environment.. .. ‘Investment in refining and petrochemical projects in the Middle East is 20 to 30 times greater than the investment in the US, making the Middle East the world’s centre of gravity for this type of investment,’..” [more]

Saudi Agencies Endorse New Draft Law on Trafficking [Apr 16]
” As many as seven Saudi government agencies have signed a final draft law to combat human trafficking in order to present it to the Council of Ministers for approval. The move comes at a time when the Saudi Human Rights Commission plans to make a statement in response to the US State Department report, which ranks Saudi Arabia third among other Arab countries where human trafficking is present.. .. This initiative was taken to curb human trafficking, including exploitation of workers for sex and taking possession of their passports and residence permits in order to force them to work under any circumstances..” [more]

Commentary: Puncturing Mideast Myths [Apr 16]
“To paraphrase Winston Churchill on the Battle of Britain: Never in the field of Middle Eastern reporting was so much owed by so many to so few. In fact, to one man.  Martin Sieff's ‘Politically Incorrect Guide to the Middle East’  is a superb compendium that should be required reading for anyone reporting on what diplomats prefer to call the Near East. Whether Middle or Near, it's where political correctness can kill.. .. Among the gems in Sieff's "Politically Incorrect Guide":. .. Contrary to most reporting on Saudi Arabia, the kingdom has proven far more successful than any other country in crushing al-Qaida domestically over the past five years. At least five operational heads of the al-Qaida underground in a row have been killed and the terrorist organization repeatedly decapitated..” [more]

Intel Launches Wimax, Classmate PC Projects in Saudi Arabia [Apr 16]
“Citing Saudi government-industry partnership (or private public partnership) as successful model in "advancing education, technology innovation and economic development in the Arab World", Intel Corporation Chairman Craig Barrett, kicked off his fourth visit to the Gulf region pledging technical support for building a high-speed wireless network in the country using a long-range wireless technology known as WiMAX. According to Intel source, Barrett also dedicated a pilot project for e-learning at a Saudi Arabian public school, which is becoming a top priority in many educational systems throughout the world..” [more]

KFH Planning Entry Into the Saudi Market [Apr 16]
“Kuwait Finance House, the Gulf's second-largest Islamic lender by market value, said yesterday it planned to enter Saudi Arabia as part of an expansion abroad. ‘KFH aims to enter the Saudi market... as all countries of the GCC are a natural extension to the Kuwaiti market,’ general manager Mohammad Al Omar said. Kuwait's biggest bank by market value has applied for a license to set up a Saudi bank with a capital of 500 million Saudi riyals ($133.5m)..” [more]

European Commissioner Rules Out Blasphemy Law [Apr 16]
“European Commissioner for External Relations and Neighborhood Policy Benita Ferrero-Waldner, who finished a two-day visit to Riyadh yesterday, said that the EU would not develop new laws against blasphemy.. .. “There are two principles involved in this matter: freedom of press and freedom of religion. Every individual has a right to express what he thinks is correct. Similarly, the other individual, who is not in agreement, can rebut in the same way,” she said. Ferrero-Waldner said that the Dutch government was quick to stress that the opinion made in the “stupid film” is not that of the government or its people. ‘It is an individual opinion. We practice freedom of religion. You have to understand that Muslims have freedom to practice their religion in our country,’..” [more]

Arab Literature Steals Show at London Book Fair [Apr 16]
” Arabic writers were thrust into the spotlight at the London Book Fair this week, as the British capital's annual festival showcased the literary talents of the Arab World. In its 37th edition the publishing professionals' fair invited 22 countries and territories where Arabic is the official language to present their own particular forms of literature. Organisers at the fair, which drew to a close Wednesday, insisted that the fact that the Paris Book Fair honored Israeli writers last month was purely a coincidence. ‘The real purpose is to sell the rights for the Arab authors in English or other languages,’.. .. having to translate books remains a major barrier holding back greater literary exchanges between the West and the Arab world. A 2003 report from the United Nations Development Program estimated that just 50 Arabic-language books a year were translated into another language..” [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Apr 15] ~~~~~~~~~

Saudi Arabia Asks Kuwait to Change Refinery Site [Apr 15]
"Saudi Arabia asked Kuwait to change the site of a planned $15 billion oil refinery in the countries' shared border area, newspaper Al-Watan reported, citing people it didn't identify. The nations agreed to look for a new location within the Al-Zour area about 1 kilometer (0.6 mil