Saudi-US Relations Information Service


Keeping Track - Recently on SUSRIS







Rollover image for info		Rollover image for info

Twenty-one Killed in Road Accident in Saudi Arabia [Aug 5]
"Twenty-one people were killed when two vehicles collided on a highway near Saudi Arabia's Red Sea port city of Jeddah, a newspaper reported on Saturday. Al-Riyadh newspaper said the accident occurred on Friday when a vehicle carrying 14 Yemenis and two Saudis tried to avoid a police checkpoint by going around it, and rammed into an incoming car carrying five passengers from Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Sudan.." [more]

Saudi Woman Held for Solo Protest March [Aug 5]
" Saudi women’s rights activist said yesterday she was detained for several hours by police after she carried a placard demanding equal rights for women in a solo march on a causeway linking Saudi Arabia to Bahrain.. ..Huwaider said she had timed her action with the first anniversary of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz’s accession to the throne of oil-rich Saudi Arabia on August 1 last year.." [more]

Oil Prices May Hit $100 a Barrel This Year [Aug 5]
"Crude oil prices may increase to $100 a barrel on winter demand and because of concern over supplies getting disrupted, Iran's Deputy Oil Minister Hadi Nejad-Hosseinian said.. ..Analysts, meanwhile, said they believe that crude oil may rise on concern that the three-week-old conflict between Israel and Hezbollah will spread in the Middle East, threatening supplies from the region that pumps almost a third of the world's oil. Sixteen of 40 analysts and traders surveyed by Bloomberg News, or 40%, said prices will rise next week.." [more]

Arab FMs to Meet in Beirut on Monday [Aug 5]
"Arab foreign ministers will hold an extraordinary meeting on Monday in Beirut to support Lebanon, Arab League number two Ahmed Ben Helli said yesterday. "The meeting of Arab foreign ministers will take place on Monday in Beirut. It will be a follow-up of the session which took place in Cairo on July 15'.." [more]

Saudi Businessmen Plan to Sue Israel [Aug 5]
"A group of Saudi businessmen, who have investments in Lebanon, said they had plans to sue Israel after the end of the aggressions, the Arabic-language daily Al-Watan reported Friday. According to the newspaper, these businessmen have an estimated $14 billion worth of investments in Lebanon, $10 billion of which is in real estate alone. Saudis also have formidable investments in tourism, agriculture and industry in Lebanon.." [more]

U.S. Freezes Assets of Two Branches of Saudi-Based Charity [Aug 4]
"The U.S. Treasury Department named on Thursday two branches of a Saudi Arabia-based charity as fund-raisers for al-Qaida and other terror groups, and said it would freeze all their assets found in the United States. The department named the Philippine and Indonesian branches of the International Islamic Relief Organization as fund-raisers for al-Qaida and other terror groups, and one of the organization's high-ranking officials as a fund-raiser for al-Qaida.." [more]

Controversial Anti-Hizbullah Fatwa Sparks Saudi Debate [Aug 4]
"An old fatwa by a hardline Saudi scholar banning Muslims from helping Lebanon's Hizbullah because it is Shia has sparked a debate on Islamist Websites and in Arab media.. ..The fatwa has been cited by some hardline Sunni Muslim clerics and others writing on Islamist Websites to argue that Sunnis should not back Hizbullah, which has been fighting Israel since the Jewish state launched a devastating offensive against the Shia party July 12, after the group captured two Israeli soldiers.." [more]

OIC Members Press UN For Quick Ceasefire [Aug 4]
"The Islamic world's biggest bloc yesterday clamoured for the United Nations to implement an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon, warning that Israel's warfare will stoke Muslim radicalism and breed new terrorists.. ..Foreign ministers and senior officials represented Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Senegal, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.." [more]

Budget Airline Looks at Saudi Franchise Deal [Aug 4]
"EasyJet said today it was considering a franchise opportunity which would allow a Saudi-based carrier to use the airline’s brand name on flights around the Arabian Gulf.. ..The company insisted a deal – if it did happen – would not involve the airline investing any equity or cash. However, it did say it could deliver 'significant shareholder value'.." [more]

Riyadh Reiterates Stand on Lebanese Sovereignty [Aug 4]
"Saudi Arabia reiterated yesterday its full support to the Lebanese government’s efforts to protect its sovereignty during an emergency meeting of the Organization of the Islamic Conference.. ..The Kingdom called on the OIC members to form a united Arab-Islamic stand to counter the challenges facing the Ummah and find the mechanism for implementing a just and honorable peace initiative.." [more]

Steep Jump in Australian Meat Imports Into Kingdom [Aug 4]
"There has been a record increase in Australian sheep meat imports into Saudi Arabia and the rest of the Middle East.. ..Citing reasons for increased meat imports from Australia, Ross told Arab News that Australian processors who export to the Middle East met strict regulations on Shariah-compliant slaughter procedures set by Saudi Arabia and the rest of the GCC. 'These systems are audited by representatives from the GCC to ensure that Halal products exported to the region meet religious requirements'.." [more]

Photography Ban Lifted to Encourage Tourism [Aug 4]
"Saudi Arabia has lifted a ban on photography in public areas as part of an effort to attract more visitors.
A royal decree allowing pictures to be taken in many public places was issued about a year ago and the interior ministry enacted it this week. Permission is still needed to photograph private property or individuals.." [more]

Effat College Teams Up With IT Institute [Aug 4]
"Effat College recently concluded a partnership deal with the Millennium Institute in Safa, Jeddah, as part of its Cisco networking academy program.. ..Effat offers a six-month program and a two-year diploma in networking, and trains women to become Cisco Certified Network Associates (CCNA). The six-month program targets IT professionals as well as computer science information systems graduates.." [more]

Madani Reiterates Saudi Support for Lebanon in OIC Meeting [Aug 3]
"Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Nizar Madani today strongly condemned the Israeli attacks on Lebanon and Palestine and warned that the situation could turn into a wider war whose consequences cannot be anticipated.. ..'Saudi Arabia is warning the international community against the dangerous situation in the Middle East and against sliding into an atmosphere of war and violence whose consequences cannot be anticipated especially under the international indifference in dealing with the Israeli aggressive policies,' he noted.." [more]

Wealthy Saudi Nationals Evading Zakat Payment [Aug 3]
" Saudi writer has lamented that the payment of Zakat (obligatory payment to the poor due of 2.5 per cent)) is only in billions of riyals even though according to estimates by big businessmen savings and deposits by wealthy Saudi nationals in European and US banks amount to more than $1 trillion — or 1,000 billion dollars, meaning the amount of Zakat due on just this amount alone would come to $90b.." [more]

Saudi Arabia Rules Out Oil Weapon [Aug 3]
"Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest crude exporter, believes oil should not be used as a weapon because it is the economic lifeline of Arab states, its foreign minister said. Asked whether the oil weapon should be used if the conflict between Israel and Hizbollah escalates, Prince Saud al-Faisal said: "The two issues should not be mixed because oil is among the economic capabilities that countries.. .. need to meet their obligations toward their citizens.." [more]

Arab Ministerial Meeting Under Consideration in Support of Lebanon: Saudi FM [Aug 3]
"..Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal made the remarks to reporters in the country's Red Sea city of Jeddah. 'There are ongoing discussions among Arab countries to hold a ministerial meeting for the Arab League in Lebanon at the nearest time possible,' Faisal told the reporters. The meeting was proposed to be held with purposes to voice full Arab support to the Lebanese people by saying that 'all Arab countries stand by Lebanon', he said.." [more]

Saudi Arabia Allows Photography in Public Areas [Aug 3]
"In a step to promote tourism in the Kingdom and allow people to better understand the importance of photography and filming in promoting social and cultural development, Saudi Arabia is now officially allowing photography and filming for all citizens and residents in public areas. Officials in the Kingdom have been asked to take the necessary measures to implement a royal decree that allows photography in public and private places as long as it does not conflict with people's right not to be photographed. The decree is the first of its kind to be issued on this matter in the Kingdom.." [more]

Hashemite University Signs MoU with Saudi Community Colleges [Aug 3]
"The Hashemite University Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding with Saudi community colleges to enhance cooperation in developing education and e-education in Saudi colleges. Under the agreement, channels of cooperation will be opened between the Hashemite University and Al Khaleej Corporation for Training and Education and Al Alamiyyah Corporation for Education and Training. The two corporations supervise Saudi community colleges for girls in the fields of education and e-education.." [more]

Saudi Arabia Reiterates Full Support to Lebanon [Aug 3]
"..Saudi Arabia is warning the international community against the dangerous situation in the Middle East and against sliding into an atmosphere of war and violence whose consequences cannot be anticipated especially under the international indifference in dealing with the Israeli aggressive policies. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia supports the Lebanese government and its efforts to protect Lebanese interests and extend its sovereignty and independence to all its territories.." [more]

Foreign Minister Calls for Immediate Cease-fire in Lebanon [Aug 2]
"Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Saud Al-Faisal addressed the crisis in Lebanon in his regular press briefing today.. ..In the Q&A session, Prince Saud said that he hopes the United States will change its position and support an immediate cease-fire in Lebanon. He also said that he hopes the US will adhere to its principles in the case of Lebanon, as it is a democratic state suffering from unjustified, inhuman attacks.." [more]

Saudi March for Hezbollah Draws Thousands [Aug 2]
"More than 2,000 Saudi Shiites marched in the country's Eastern Province late on Tuesday to denounce Israel's military onslaught against Lebanon, the second rare protest this week in the kingdom.. ..Shiites said a heavy police deployment prevented them from staging similar protests over a week ago, but dozens of Saudi Shiites managed to hold protests on Sunday in the same areas.." [more]

Saudi Arabia Donates US$2 Million to WFP Relief Operations in Lebanon [Aug 2]
"The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia today donated US$2 million to support the food relief efforts of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in Lebanon.. ..'This generous Saudi donation will cover nearly a quarter of the food requirements for the emergency three-month operation; it will ensure that those Lebanese people affected by this crisis receive much-needed assistance,' said John Powell, WFP's Deputy Executive Director.." [more]

Saudi Telecom Signs SR200m Agreement With India's TCS [Aug 2]
"The Saudi Telecom Company (STC) has signed a SR200 million agreement with an Indian company.The accord with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is to develop customer-care and billing solutions for future services of the next generation network.. ..TCS, which has an annual revenue of $2.4 billion, will soon become a foreign investor company under the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA). The company is the top independent global software and services company in Asia.." [more]

Allegations Against Top Saudi Islamic Scholars Refuted [Aug 2]
"Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh, the grand mufti, yesterday issued a statement refuting charges made by a former Kuwaiti minister against two leading Saudi scholars. Yousuf ibn Hashim Al-Rifae, former Kuwaiti state minister for Cabinet affairs and an Islamic thinker, said in an interview published by Kuwait’s Assiyassa Arabic daily on May 27 that the late scholars Sheikh Abdul Aziz Bin Baz and Sheikh Muhammad Othaimeen promoted takfeer (the branding of other Muslims as infidels) and extremism in their books.." [more]

Saudi Fund Cuts Gulf Exposure [Aug 2]
"A major fund of Saudi Arabia’s state-owned National Commercial Bank (NCB) has been been cutting its exposure to Gulf Arab stocks and is investing in US, European and Asian markets, a fund manager said. The $350mn Al-Manarah fund of funds, run by the kingdom’s largest bank by assets, had about 25% of its portfolio in Gulf stocks, which tumbled this year after a record breaking rally in 2005.." [more]

Israeli Attacks Fail to Halt Inflow of Foreign Capital [Aug 2]
"Amr Al-Dabbagh, the governor of the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA), said the recent Israeli attacks in Lebanon and Palestine and the Iraq war have neither affected the investment climate in the Kingdom nor checked the strong inflow of foreign capital. Al-Dabbagh told Arab News yesterday that foreign direct investment in the Kingdom has increased as the country’s international investment rating jumped to 38 from 67 last year.." [more]

Kingdom is 'Very Much Engaged' With the US on Lebanon, says Saudi Adviser [Aug 1]
"Saudi Arabia remains “very much engaged” with the United States on the crisis in Lebanon, Saudi media adviser Jamal Khashoggi told CNN’s Hala Gorani in an interview today. 'Most of the ideas floating right now for a sustainable cease-fire, a sustainable solution for all of Lebanese problems are being floated between Riyadh, Washington and Beirut,/ he said. Khashoggi stressed that Saudi Arabia and the United States agree on many aspects of the future of Lebanon.." [more]

Saudi Urges U.S. Take Lead in Mideast Peacemaking [Aug 1]
"Saudi Arabia has exhorted the United States to take the lead in efforts to immediately end the fighting between Hizbollah and Israel and faulted President George W. Bush for not following through on earlier peacemaking appeals.'The United States must play the role of pacifier and lead the world to peace and not be led by Israel's ambitions,' said the Saudi ambassador to Washington, Prince Turki al-Faisal.." [more]

SABIC Affiliate GAS Signs SR 1.2 Billion Islamic Loan [Aug 1]
"The SABIC affiliate, National Industrial Gases Company (GAS), today signed a SR 1.2 billion Islamic loan agreement with Banque Saudi Fransi (BSF). As per the agreement BSF will be Financial Advisor for GAS and Lead Arranger for the company's expansion projects at its plants in Jubail and Yanbu.. ..GAS is a symbol of cooperation between SABIC and a group of national industrial gas companies, which own a 30% stake. SABIC owns the remaining 70%.." [more]

Kingdom Holds Jewish State Guilty of War Crimes [Aug 1]
"Saudi Arabia yesterday held Israel responsible for the massacres and war crimes being committed by the Jewish state against the people of Lebanon. It also reaffirmed that the Kingdom, with all its political and economic capabilities, would stand by the Lebanese people.. .. 'Israel should take full moral, political and material responsibility for the massacres and war crimes it has committed against the Lebanese people as well as against Lebanese institutions and infrastructure.'.." [more]

Oil Above $75 on Iraq Bombing, Lebanon Conflict [Aug 1]
"Oil climbed further above $75 on Tuesday as Israel prepared to advance deeper into Lebanon, ignoring calls for a ceasefire, and saboteurs again attacked Iraq's northern oil export pipeline. Violence in the Middle East, which pumps a third of the world's oil, is keeping prices within striking distance of July's $78.40 a barrel record high.. ..Oil markets are on edge that the war in Lebanon could suck in oil producers Iran and Syria, both allies of Hizbollah, and interrupt exports from the region.." [more]

Arabs Have No Monopoly on Terrorism, Says Prince Saud [Aug 1]
"At least 53 percent of terrorist attacks that took place in 2004 happened outside the Middle East region, according to Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal.. ..Prince Saud cites data provided by Rand Corporation, a nonprofit institution specialized in research and analysis, in support of his argument that 'a stranger to the Middle East relying only on the media for information about the region would be led to believe that we have a monopoly on terrorists acts'.." [more]

Saudi Post to Deploy Cisco Solutions [Jul 31]
"Cisco Systems Saudi Arabia has signed an agreement with the Saudi Post Corporation (SPC) to transform its network and communications infrastructure by deploying Cisco's local area network (LAN) and wide area network (WAN) networking, data centre, internet protocol (IP) telephony (Cisco Call Centre), and Networking Security solutions.." [more]

Will Saudis Emulate Dubai's Development Bonanza? [Jul 31]
"The grass is always greener on the other side. Saudi visitors and businessmen returning from Dubai seem to come back ever more impressed by the phenomenal growth and development taking place in that UAE emirate. They long for the day when the Kingdom emulates Dubai's apparent success. A major question, however, does Saudi Arabia really want to be another Dubai?.." [more]

GCC Reserves Grow by $70 Billion [Jul 31]
"A sharp increase in oil prices in the past five years has boosted the reserves of the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states by nearly Dh257.5 billion ($70 billion). The latest World Bank data shows that the reserves of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman have reached the highest level of $145.1 billion at the end of 2005 compared with $75.1 billion at the end of 2000. The bulk of the reserves are controlled by the UAE and Saudi Arabia.." [more]

Muslim Countries to Hold Summit in Malaysia [Jul 31]
"As many as 30 Muslim nations are expected to take part in an emergency summit in Malaysia this week to discuss measures to end Israel's war in Lebanon, officials said Monday.. ..the one-day meeting scheduled for Thursday is expected to involve heads of government, mainly from the OIC executive committee, which comprises Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Senegal, Yemen, Turkey and Azerbaijan.." [more]

Saudia to Privatise Five Divisions [Jul 31]
"Saudi Arabia’s flagship carrier Saudia will privatize five branches next year, some through public listings, to pave the way for the flotation of its core transport business, company and banking sources said yesterday.. ..The sources said the government has given the company’s board the green light to turn its catering, handling, cargo, pilots training and technical and maintenance units into independent firms.." [more]

Lower Admissions at Saudi State Universities Sign of Things to Come [Jul 31]
"The heady days of the 1980s and 1990s, when most Saudi high-school graduates made it into college are over. Saudi high school graduates now have to tread an intricate path of passing their high school diploma tests with lofty grades of 90 percent and above, then they need to pass an aptitude test with at least 70 percent grade – after which, they are interviewed for placement at public universities or for scholarships abroad. Only 500 boys and 3,000 girls will study at the state’s expense at King Abdul Aziz University this year. The lowest high school grade for students admitted at King Abdul Aziz University was 92 percent.." [more]

Kingdom Embarks on New Mega Projects [Jul 31]
"Saudi Arabia is embarking on a number of new mega-projects in a wide range of industries. The bulk of them are focused on those sectors of the economy in which the Kingdom has comparative advantages — oil and petrochemical industries.. ..the total cost of projects currently under way or in advanced planning for execution over the next several years is about SR1.06 trillion ($283 billion). Alone, the oil and gas industry is undertaking about SR259 billion ($69 billion), or one fourth, of the total.." [more]

Kingdom Sending Emergency Relief Supplies to Lebanon [Jul 31]
"Saudi Arabia will send emergency relief supplies worth in excess of SR21.37 million to the Lebanese people who are reeling under the Israeli military aggression, Dr. Saaed Al-Harithy, chairman of the Popular Committee for the Relief of Lebanon, announced yesterday. He said Interior Minister Prince Naif, general supervisor of the committee, had already made allocations for the relief supplies, including SR17.62 million for foodstuffs and SR3.75 million for medicines and medical supplies, the Saudi Press Agency said.." [more]

Carlyle Plans $1bn Push into Mideast [Jul 30]
"Carlyle Group, the US buy-out fund, is planning an investment push into the Middle East with a dedicated fund of up to $1bn, in spite of the mounting spiral of violence there.. ..The fund is expected to focus on investments in the six-nation Gulf Co-operation Council – which includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates – as well as North Africa.." [more]

Saudi Arabia Condemns Massacre in Lebanese Town of Qana [Jul 30]
"Saudi Arabia condemned today's Israeli massacre in Qana, Lebanon and called for an immediate cease-fire. In today's statement, a Saudi official said that most of those killed in Qana were women and children seeking shelter from Israeli attacks. 'The Kingdom condemns this brutal act which has no respect for law, sanctity or covenant,' the official said, adding that the war has destroyed lives as well as the Lebanese economy.." [more]

War Risks Returning the Region to the 1980s [Jul 30]
"For Middle East historians recent events in Lebanon are a reminder of an earlier time in recent history. In June 1981 Israel launched a bloody attack on Lebanon that included a bombardment of civilian districts and hundreds of thousands fled their homes for safety.. ..So what would it mean for regional business if the conflict becomes a regional one, as it did in the 1980s with the Lebanon and the Iran-Iraq border the unfortunate focus of the fighting?.." [more]

Wheel of Reform Turns Slowly in Saudi as King Marks One Year [Jul 30]
"Since ascending the throne of Saudi Arabia a year ago, King Abdullah has shepherded the oil powerhouse on the path of reform and encouraged women’s participation in public life, activists say. But much remains to be done to establish a “civil society” in the conservative Muslim kingdom, said a leading reformist who spent 17 months in jail for demanding a constitutional monarchy.." [more]

Jordan King Heads for Saudi Arabia [Jul 30]
"His Majesty King Abdullah II left Amman on Sunday heading for Saudi Arabia on a two- day visit during which the King will hold talks with Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdel Aziz on the current regional crisis resulted from the Israeli aggression on Lebanon. Talks, which will be held in Jeddah, will also cover Arab and international efforts that aim at ending the crisis and supporting Lebanese people to overcome the current hard circumstances.." [more]

Tech Data Targets Saudi Arabia for ‘SMB Access’ Event [Jul 30]
"Distribution giant Tech Data hopes to take its ‘SMB Access’ reseller road show to Saudi Arabia after the success of the initial event held in Dubai during April 2006. Tech Data hopes that the event will allow it to forge even closer relationships with SMB-focused resellers in the Kingdom. Tech Data hopes to hold its first SMB Access event in Saudi Arabia in mid-September.." [more]

Saudi Arabia Building Middle East’s Biggest Logistics Hub [Jul 30]
"Dubai’s crown as the logistics superhub of the Middle East could be threatened by Saudi Arabia, which has announced plans to construct one of the largest distribution centres in the region. The Saudi Arabia General Investment Authority (SAGIA) is planning a series of economic cities to develop the country’s economy and create employment opportunities for the local population.." [more]

Saudi’s Tadawul Rises [Jul 30]
"Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul stock index advanced, paced by shares of Saudi Basic Industries Corp.. ..Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index rose 3.5% to 10,755.09 in Riyadh. Saudi Basic Industries, the world’s biggest chemicals maker by market value, added 5.6% to 137 riyals. Saudi Electricity Co, the country’s largest power generator, also increased 5.6% to 19 riyals.." [more]

Saudi Arabia to Provide 10,000 Pre-Fabricated Houses to Pakistan [Jul 30]
"Saudi Arabia is to provide 10,000 pre-fabricated houses for landless affectees of the earthquake-hit areas next month. Deputy Chairman Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (Erra), Lt Gen Nadeem Ahmad said this at a news briefing in Islamabad Friday. He said half of these houses would go to the landless people in Balakot and the rest to Muzaffarabad and some other landslide-prone areas in Azad Kashmir.." [more]

Abdullah, Abbas Denounce Israel [Jul 30]
" Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas yesterday denounced the Israeli military campaign in the Palestinian territories and called for a halt to the bloodbath and for the restoration of Palestinian rights.. ..The Saudi-Palestinian summit talks also reviewed the repercussions of events unfolding in occupied Palestinian territories as well as the suffering of Palestinians as a result of Israeli military operations and economic seige.." [more]

Saudi Transfers 46 Million Dollars to Palestinians [Jul 30]
"Palestinian Authority president Mahmud Abbas.. ..said that Saudi Arabia had transferred 46 million dollars to the Palestinian Authority, amounting to half its pledged yearly contribution under an Arab summit resolution.. ..Oil-rich Saudi Arabia has pledged 250 million dollars for reconstruction in the Palestinian territories, which have also been reeling under a Western financial boycott of the Hamas-led government elected in January.." [more]

Many Arabs Applaud Hezbollah [Jul 30]
"Arabs see the U.S. refusal to press Israel, its ally, for a cease-fire as a clear bias toward the Jewish state and against Arabs. They also believe that U.S. delivery of weapons to Israel makes the United States complicit in the deaths of civilians.. ..The United States' Arab allies -- Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt -- initially blamed Hezbollah for the violence, calling its seizure of the soldiers miscalculated adventures. But a high civilian death toll, widespread destruction in Lebanon and strong popular support for Hezbollah have forced a shift in their stance.." [more]

The SUSRIS project -- an independent, private-sector information resource - offers objective, comprehensive news and information on the history, breadth and depth of the US-Saudi Arabia relationship.
< Read More About SUSRIS >