|
~~~~~~~~ [ Sep 13] ~~~~~~~~~
Saudi Judge Condemns Immoral TV [Sep 13]
"The most senior judge in Saudi Arabia has said it is permissible to kill the owners of satellite TV channels which broadcast immoral
programmes. Sheikh Salih Ibn al-Luhaydan said some
'evil' entertainment programmes aired by the channels promoted debauchery.. ..'There is no doubt that these programmes are a great evil, and the
owners of these channels are as guilty as those who watch them,' said the sheikh. 'It is legitimate to kill those who call for corruption if their evil can not be stopped by other
penalties.'.. ..Given his position as the country's most senior judge, the sheikh's views can not be easily dismissed, says BBC Arab affairs analyst, Magdi
Abdelhadi. Clerics
like Sheikh al-Luhaydan represent a huge dilemma for the Saudi royal family, our correspondent adds. On the one hand, Saudi rulers need their support to claim that they
rule in the name of Islam. But on the other hand, fighting militant Islam can be difficult when the country's top judge calls for the beheading of those he views as immoral
broadcasters.." [more]
Mixed Saudi Signals Confuse Opec Deal [Sep 13]
"Mixed signals from Saudi Arabia have thrown into question whether the top oil exporter will throttle back output as agreed with other Opec members this week. Saudi
Arabia, the most influential member of Opec, signed up to a deal on Wednesday that would cut output by around half a million barrels per day (bpd) after oil prices fell
from a peak above $147 a barrel in July to just above $100. Any cut would be made primarily by Saudi Arabia, which produces most of the additional barrels above Opec’s agreed target.. ..'It always comes down to what the Saudis want to do, but the fact that they don’t appear happy with the decision throws up a question mark (about Opec
cuts),' said Mike Wittner, energy analyst at Societe Generale. 'There are political considerations and Saudi Arabia and other moderate Opec members have a genuine
concern that while higher oil prices didn’t cause the economic slowdown, they are an extra weight on the economy,' he said. But he added he expected Saudi would
eventually cut output.." [more]
GCC to Collaborate With Private Sector to Ensure Food Security [Sep 13]
"The ministers of commerce and industry of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states have adopted on Thursday evening measures to check the soaring prices of
foodstuffs in their countries. They decided, among others, to work with major investors in the agricultural sector in the region to ensure food security, GCC Assistant
Secretary General Mohammad Al-Mazrou’i told reporters after the meetings. They asked the GCC Secretariat to notify the major agricultural investors such as the Arab
Authority for Agricultural Investment and Development (AAAID) and the Gulf Investment Corporation
(GIC) to work out a feasibility study on joint investment with a view
to providing foodstuffs to the GCC citizens at reasonable prices, he said. The study could result in launching a fund or strategic partnerships between the government and
private investors in the field of agricultural development.. ..King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, had earlier called for ways to remove all obstacles facing the
trade exchanges among the GCC members as well as acceleration of joint action.."
[more]
Marriage Officials to be Punished if Bride Consent Not Sought [Sep 13]
" Saudi society has been recently exposed to a number of marriages that involve elderly men as old as 60 marrying young girls as young as eight. The marriages shocked
many people who objected to such marriages, saying that there is no equality in this type of marriage and that there should be a strong law against such marriages. The
question that was raised was how have marriage officials approved such marriages in the first place.. .. the Ministry of Justice's new regulations, which include imposing disciplinary punishment against marriage officials who marry girls without their consent.
Al-Belaihi believes that there should a legal liability on the wali - the legal
guardian.. ..In this regard, consultant to the Ministry of Justice and member of the Shoura Council, Sheikh Abdul Mohsen
Al-Obaikan, stressed the fact that should the wali
be conspiring to marry his daughter without her consent or approval he should be deprived of the guardianship over his daughter.
Al-Belaihi says that he finds it
irresponsible for marriage officials to overlook the consent requirement.."
[more]
Young Businesswomen Set Up Forum [Sep 13]
"A 10-member executive council for young businesswomen, which is first of its kind in the Kingdom, has been set up at Asharqia Chamber in the Eastern Province. The
council will encourage young women to set up their own businesses. The council was formed during the annual conference of Businesswomen’s Center at the chamber
attended by nearly 800 women in the presence of Princess Jawahir bint
Naif, wife of Eastern Province Gov. Prince Muhammad bin Fahd.. ..'We want to tell our women that
there is nothing impossible.' The formation of the new council comes in the wake of the government’s efforts to empower women. Arab News has been publishing an annual
supplement named 'Saudi Businesswomen Top 20 Companies' to highlight the achievements of successful businesswomen in the country.."
[more]
~~~~~~~~ [ Sep 12] ~~~~~~~~~
Will the Saudis Break Ranks with OPEC? [Sep 12]
"OPEC's recent decision to cut production may not have the impact that is usually expected (see NY Times article). Reports are, that Saudi Arabian officials have assured
world markets that they would ignore their own cartel members and continue to pump oil. While agreeing with the recent decision of OPEC to cut production, the Saudis
are concerned that higher oil prices will not help the world economy, possibly causing a recession that would not only cause oil prices to collapse even further, but also speed-up the development of alternative energy sources. The 13 nations in OPEC control roughly 40-45 percent of the world's oil production (and hold roughly two-thirds of
reserves), yet some large non-OPEC players in the space, such as OECD members and Russia, produce approximately 24 percent and 15 percent, respectively. The impact
of the OPEC decision, especially when one of its members may be breaking ranks, could be less than might be expected, but with close to half of all production their impact
is still worth paying attention to.." [more]
Why Jihad's Waning in Bin Laden's Homeland [Sep 12]
"..The 9/11 anniversary wasn't big news in Riyadh; Saudis have other things on their minds, this being the holy fasting month of Ramadan. But while counter-terror experts
in the West take this opportunity to bemoan the resurgence of the Taliban and al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan, it's worth noting that Saudi Arabia is one of the few
places where jihadism is on the wane — with relatively little help from the Bush Administration's 'global war on terror.'.. ..How did the Saudis do it? They used a
combination of brute force and subtle persuasion. Few details are available on the crackdown on terrorist groups, because the authorities here don't much like talking about
it. So it's a fair guess that many of the means they used wouldn't pass any Western human rights test. Riyadhis speak in whispers about midnight raids, arrests, torture and
summary executions. The government also put the squeeze on al-Qaeda's sources of funding by imposing rules on previously unmonitored religious charities. In private, officials boast that
bin-Laden's organization receives no money from his homeland. In public, the government of King Abdullah prefers to talk about its efforts to reason
with extremist preachers and rehabilitate young men led astray by "deviant" ideologies. And Abdullah launched a massive TV, newspaper and advertising campaign to
counter al-Qaeda propaganda; for a time, you couldn't draw money from an ATM without reading warnings against extremism!.."
[more]
Bangladeshi Expats Being Phased Out [Sep 12]
"Saudi Arabia has stopped issuing visas to recruit domestic helpers and agricultural workers from Bangladesh, said Waheedur
Rahman, Minister and Deputy Chief of
Mission at Bangladeshi Embassy in Riyadh. While Bangladeshi workers in other job categories are continuing to arrive in the Kingdom, those already here – including
doctors and nurses – are uncertain about staying on much longer, he added. 'Starting April 2008, no domestic helpers including house maids, drivers and agriculture labor were being recruited to work in Saudi Arabia, although no official notification was given by Labor Ministry to the Embassy in this regard,'.. ..The minister said that
Bangladeshi expatriates in the Kingdom are facing problems such as Saudi refusal to transfer sponsorship and the Immigration department’s refusal to extend the Iqama
(residence) permit of Bangladeshi children who turn 18 while living here with their parents. 'When the parents apply for
(Iqama), renewal the authorities give an exit-only
visa,” he said, adding that several families have had to send their children, particularly daughters, back to Bangladesh'.."
[more]
~~~~~~~~ [ Sep 11] ~~~~~~~~~
Meeting of Minds at OPEC Gathering [Sep 11]
"This week's OPEC meeting was about more than what a barrel of oil can fetch on the open market as the global economic picture grows dim. Organization of the
Petroleum Exporting Countries heavyweight Saudi Arabia gave a nod, at least symbolically, to member nations that have grown increasingly uneasy about the rapid
decline in crude prices. The Saudis attempted to placate rival Iran, and laid the groundwork for a potential new alliance with oil-producing giant Russia. But OPEC's
announcement that it would cut output by more than 500,000 barrels by sticking closer to quotas did little to change what most consumers care most about—the cost of
filling up a car with gas.. ..OPEC's decision Wednesday to cut output by 520,000 barrels left some talking about a Saudi defeat and a victory for Iran, which has sought
higher oil prices through production cuts. Not so, says analyst and trader Stephen
Schork, who was monitoring the meeting in Vienna. 'I wouldn't say the Saudis backed
down,' he said. 'I'd say it was a respectful nod to the other members of the group'.."
[more]
Saudi Arabia to Overhaul National Anti-Poverty Strategy [Sep 11]
"Saudi Arabia is in the process of upgrading its national anti-poverty strategy in order to cope with the high cost of living according to information made available to Asharq
Al-Awsat. In fact, the rate of inflation has reached a record of 11.1 percent in July 2008, which is the highest rate the country has ever witnessed in the last 25 years,
according to the latest official information issued by the government.. ..Officials in charge of the anti-poverty national strategy acknowledge the increasing numbers of the
poor in varying degrees in Saudi Arabia in view of the increase of the population growth in the country. It is worth mentioning that Saudi Arabia is regarded as one of the
countries with highest population growth in the world while there are no programs to cope with this increasing population growth.. ..Among the programs which the Saudi
government approved as part of the anti poverty national strategy is to increase the allocations appropriated to the orphans and those who are living under needy conditions
by 82 million Riyals or $21.86 million. The appropriations consisted of aid to the sponsoring families, school aid, end-of-sponsorship reward, matrimony aid, and rewards of
the inmates of the orphanages.." [more]
Brown Announces Oil Summit on December 19 [Sep 11]
" Britain will host a summit of oil producer countries and consumers on December 19, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Thursday, warning that the world must move
away from the 'dictatorship of oil.' The guest list of those who will attend the conference will be finalized in the next few weeks, he said, while citing Saudi Arabia, long the
kingpin of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). 'We... have taken this major initiative on energy,' Brown said at a monthly press conference in London, adding: 'We've all got to change from the dictatorship of oil to a far more balanced energy policy.' Brown raised the possibility of a summit meeting at talks in
Jeddah in June, when Saudi King Abdullah launched an offensive against oil market speculators and called for greater transparency in oil market dealings. Reports have
indicated the summit was pencilled in for mid-December, but Brown had not previously specified a date.."
[more]
Saudi Arabia Faces Manpower Shortage [Sep 11]
"Saudi Arabia is facing an acute shortage of foreign manpower, the chairman of the National Recruitment Committee at the Saudi Council of Chambers of Commerce Sa'ad
Al Badah, told a local newspaper. In an interview with Al Watan Arabic daily, Al Badah said the impact of the manpower shortage is expected to be particularly felt in the
next few months if the restrictions on recruitment of expatriates continue. The expatriate workforce in Saudi Arabia is estimated at about six million. He blamed the
shortage on the recent departure of a number of foreigners due to a sharp increase in cost of living and high recruitment fees.. ..The crisis, he felt, is due to the fact that many
European recruitment agencies are turning to India, Philippines and Indonesia, the traditional source of blue-collared labourers in the Gulf, to recruit migrant
labour. The
salaries of these workers have increased tremendously because of competition from these countries.. ..The increase in demand has upset the balance of supply, Al Badah said.
As a result, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries will suffer from a drastic shortage in foreign manpower, particularly skilled workers who are needed for new development
projects.." [more]
Too Much Oil, Too Few Options [Sep 11]
"Saudi Arabia may seem rigid, autocratic and antiquated, but it is slowly changing. Under King Abdullah there has been some liberalisation and an attempt to build an
economy not based on oil. But is this too little, too late?.. .. the al-Saud
("Saud's folk") have outlasted their enemies and rivals: the other Arabian sheikhdoms, the Sharif of
Mecca, Gamal Abdel Nasser and Saddam Hussein, the Shah of Iran, and, at the time of writing, Osama Bin Laden. By the short-winded standards of the Near and Middle
East, the al-Saud are stayers... .. the sons of Abdul Aziz are coming to the throne at ever more advanced ages, as in the last days of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union,
or what Mark Weston calls 'the Chernenko syndrome'.. ..The al-Saud have had crude oil in abundance since 1938, but that is both a blessing and a curseThe
al-Saud are in a race to create an economy independent of oil. When pressure falls in the oilfields and the wells run dry or fill with water, 30 million people cannot go
back to herding camels, fleecing pilgrims and stoning adulteresses as in the 18th-century Saudi state. The desert will not even support one million. That is the challenge to
the al-Saud, compared to which Bin Laden is a mere inconvenience.." [more]
~~~~~~~~ [ Sep 10] ~~~~~~~~~
Saudi Says Arrests Five Internet Qaeda Sympathizers [Sep 10]
" Saudi Arabia said on Wednesday it had arrested five regular users of Islamist chatrooms associated with sympathizers of al Qaeda. A statement by the Interior Ministry
aired on Saudi state television said the five unidentified men were seized for 'spreading misleading propaganda on the Internet.' A security source told Reuters the men
posted comments on many websites associated with al Qaeda using different pseudonyms. Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, had battled battling Islamist militants who launched a violent campaign to destabilize the U.S.-allied monarchy in 2003. The violence has subsided since 2006 after nearly 200 people, including foreign
residents, security forces and militants died, but the government has arrested hundreds of suspects over the past year. The Interior Ministry runs an extensive program of
Internet monitoring.." [more]
Chevron Gets Saudi Extension [Sep 10]
"Saudi Arabia extended an agreement with Chevron Corp. Wednesday that allows the U.S. oil company to operate in a neutral zone the kingdom shares with Kuwait.
Under the agreement, Saudi Arabian Chevron will be allowed to look for and produce crude on behalf of Saudi Arabia in the onshore neutral zone. Saudi Arabian Chevron
and the Kuwait Gulf Oil Co. jointly operate four fields in the area -
Wafra, South Umm Gudair, South Fuwaris and Humma. The fields produce mainly heavy crude from 10 reservoirs. The extension allows Chevron to operate in the area through Feb. 19, 2039.."
[more]
Russia's Bid to Strengthen OPEC Ties May Sow Unease [Sep 10]
"Russia upped the ante in its faceoff with the West by proposing "extensive cooperation" with the OPEC oil cartel, an idea that would stir concerns among big oil-consuming
countries like the U.S. The Russian proposal came just hours before the group's 13 ministers decided to scale back production by around 520,000 barrels a day, or less than
1% of world oil supply, over the next 40 days in the face of falling prices and slowing demand growth.. ..The offer by Russia's energy czar and vice premier, Igor
Sechin, came as a surprise twist at the start of the OPEC session. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries supplies around 40% of the world's oil, while Russian output
makes up another 11%. Mr. Sechin made his offer for cooperation in person at the meeting in a visit that OPEC officials said was arranged in recent days. The Russian
delegation of more than 20 officials raised eyebrows at the cartel's usually cloistered headquarters along the banks of the Danube; it was among the largest sent to Vienna by
a nonmember state.." [more]
Saudi Arabia, Bahrain Lead GCC in World Bank's Doing Business Report [Sep 10]
"It takes six days to start a business in Qatar, seven days in Egypt, 9 days in Bahrain, 12 days in Saudi Arabia and 17 days in the UAE, compared to just one day in New
Zealand, according to the World Bank’s latest Doing Business 2009 report published on Wednesday, an advanced copy of which was obtained by Gulf News. Saudi Arabia
leads the Gulf countries in global ranking in ease in doing business at 16, followed by Bahrain at 18, Qatar at 37 and the UAE at 46, the report shows.. ..“Saudi Arabia, a top
regional reformer, made it easier to start a business by continuing to simplify formalities for commercial registration and reducing registration fees by 80 per cent,” the
report said. 'The time to start a business fell by 3 days. Saudi Arabia strengthened protections for minority shareholders through new provisions that prohibit interested
parties from voting on the approval of related-party transactions and increase sanctions against directors for misconduct. And it was the only reformer in the region in the
area of closing a business this year'.." [more]
~~~~~~~~ [ Sep 9] ~~~~~~~~~
Saudi Arabia: OPEC Output Level Contributes to Fairly Well-Balanced Market [Sep 9]
"Saudi Oil Minister Ai al-Nuaimi said here Tuesday that the international crude oil market is 'fairly well-balanced' and that the current OPEC crude oil output is appropriate. Ai
al-Nuaimi said that OPEC had made great efforts to fulfill its objectives and stabilize the market. Therefore, the current market is 'fairly well-balanced' and the
'inventories are in a healthy position,' he explained Oil ministers of the OPEC member countries will meet and discuss the new production levels for the coming months at the 149th Ordinary Meeting of the OPEC Conference scheduled for Tuesday night in Vienna Comments by Ai
al-Nuaimi was seen as a signal. Some analyst predicted that
the oil cartel might keep its current production level. Since early July, the OPEC crude oil prices have dropped sharply along with the international oil prices. The oil cartel
produces about 40 percent of the whole world crude.." [more]
First of 100 Arab Human Genomes Sequenced by Saudi Biosciences [Sep 9]
"An international consortium consisting of Saudi Biosciences, Beijing Genomics Institute
Shenzhen, and CLC bio have in a joint effort performed an initial sequencing and
analysis of the first Arab human genome, as part of a large project to sequence 100 Arab human genomes to map the unique genetic variations of the Arab population.. ..The
results, including analysis and identification of the unique variants of the Arab genome compared to African, European and Asian genomes, have been accumulated. The
data are currently confidential but will be released following publication. What is the impact of this project? One of the most important goals of modern medicine and
genetic research is the goal of tailoring medical care to an individual's needs, based on information from the individual's genotype or gene expression profile, so-called
personalized medicine. Personalized medicine can offer huge advances in medical care but can only succeed if the genetic variation of humans can be accurately mapped..
..This is why the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia wanted to start building an Arab human genomics database now, in order to scientifically explore the unique genetic composition
in the Arab world.." [more]
Islamists Call on Saudi Leaders to Act Against Dangerous Liberal Ideology [Sep 9]
"A number of Saudi Islamists have appealed to the Grand Mufti Shaikh Abdul Aziz Al Shaikh to counter what they refer to as the
'Westernisation phenomenon in Saudi
society'.. ..they expressed their dissatisfaction with the steps taken to curb the phenomenon, which they claim contradicts Islamic teachings. Speaking to Gulf News, Saudi
writers and thinkers said their call comes after moves of some Saudi liberals to push society in a 'dangerous' direction.. ..Included in the memorandum is a list of demands.
Among these, they request a halt to media campaigns that 'promote vice and evil.' They also asked the government to not accept visiting female delegations. Finally, they
asked that the government not yield to the liberalising pressure from influential people in the government. Meanwhile, Saudi liberals told Gulf News that the movement of
the Islamists against them would not force them to give up their attempts to make the Saudi people accept the views of others.."
[more]
Qaeda Down But Not Out in Saudi [Sep 9]
" Oil-rich Saudi Arabia, home of most of the 9/11 hijackers, has largely neutralised local Al-Qaeda militants but they can not be written off so long as their 'dogma' is alive,
officials and experts say. And a surge of Al-Qaeda militancy in neighbouring Yemen shows that the fight against the group is not over in the Arabian peninsula. 'Security
forces have managed to bring the situation on the ground under control and have so far succeeded in foiling Al-Qaeda's plots in the kingdom,' said Saudi interior ministry
spokesman General Mansur al-Turki. 'But this does not mean that Al-Qaeda is finished. Al-Qaeda still seeks to propagate its thinking and recruit youths in and outside the
kingdom,' he told AFP, echoing the cautious view often voiced by officials. 'A greater degree of international cooperation is required to defeat Al-Qaeda everywhere,'..
..While Saudi Arabia seems to have put behind it the dark days when Western residents fled the country after a spate of attacks by the so-called 'Al-Qaeda in the Arabian peninsula,' including the gruesome beheading of a US engineer in June 2004, its southern neighbour Yemen has in the past year faced an upsurge in Al-Qaeda operations
against both Western and local targets.." [more]
Saudi Urges UN Meet on Settlements [Sep 9]
"Saudi Arabia yesterday called for the UN Security Council to hold a meeting on Israel’s policy of Jewish settlement building on Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank.
'I have proposed ... the Arab group (at the UN) calls for the UN Security Council to hold a ministerial meeting on the settlements,' Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal said at an Arab ministerial meeting in Cairo. Prince Saud charged that Israel was 'undermining the conditions of the peace process by intensifying the construction of
settlements to change the situation on the ground.' He said his request for a Security Council meeting was made in co-ordination with Palestinian President Mahmoud
Abbas.. ..The construction of settlements — viewed as a major obstacle to reaching a peace deal — has nearly doubled since 2007.."
[more]
Kosovo FM Visiting Saudi Arabia [Sep 9]
"Kosovo Foreign Minister Skënder Hyseni is visiting Jeddah, Saudi Arabia today where he will meet with General Secretary of the Organization of Islamic Conference,
Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu.. ..The main discussion during this meeting will focus on the developments in Kosovo after independence, process of recognition of its statehood,
interior developments in Kosovo and the 63th session of the United Nation General Assembly.. ..Minister Hyseni will ask Islanoglu for the support of the Islamic
Organization to back Kosovo during the 63rd session of United Nations General Assembly to block the Serbian initiative regarding Kosovo independence.."
[more]
Saudi Cargo Ship Rescued From Pirates [Sep 9]
"A Saudi cargo ship was rescued from Somali pirates by the Yemeni Coast Guard in the southern part of the Red Sea on Saturday, according to a statement by the Yemeni
authorities yesterday. 'On receiving an SOS from the Saudi ship ‘Mumina’ at 3 p.m. on Saturday, coast guard boats rushed to a location 43 nautical miles off Raas Qaawa
in the Gulf of Aden and found the ship surrounded by three Somali pirate boats. At the sight of the coast guard boats, the pirates fled. The coast guard accompanied the
ship to the Shaqra region of Shabwa province from where it continued its voyage to Bahrain,'.."
[more]
HRC Handled Over 10,000 Complaints in Three Years [Sep 9]
"In the last three years since its establishment on Sept. 28, 2005, the governmental Human Rights Commission
(HRC) has dealt with over 10,000 complaints. Turki bin
Khaled Al-Sudairi, chairman of the organization, said 50 percent of complaints were dealt with by referring them to specialized bodies, or dismissing them as
unsubstantiated, or not falling under the HRC’s jurisdiction. Al-Sudairi said that the organization members have so far carried out 12 visits to shelters, homes and
observation centers in conjunction with concerned governmental bodies, including the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Labor and the Ministry of
Social Affairs. He added that the HRC recently formed a higher committee to work with governmental and nongovernmental organizations to distribute booklets on
human rights to official bodies.." [more]
~~~~~~~~ [ Sep 8] ~~~~~~~~~
Varsity Allocations Doubled: Al-Anqari [Sep 8]
"Higher Education Minister Khaled Al-Anqari yesterday highlighted Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah’s support to institutions of higher learning in the
Kingdom and said budget allocations to Saudi universities have doubled in the last five years. 'The government has shown tremendous enthusiasm to upgrade
infrastructure facilities of universities,' the minister said while meeting Adnan
Wazzan, president of Makkah’s Umm Al-Qura University and other top officials. He also
referred to King Abdullah’s efforts to promote university education.. ..He said many colleges, especially teaching colleges, have been restructured to meet job market
requirements.." [more]
Saudi Arabia Must Focus on Niche Farming [Sep 8]
"Saudi Arabia should move from large-scale agribusiness to niche farming of high-value products, says an analysis of the kingdom's agriculture sector in The Gulf. The
kigndom is is the only state which boasts an agriculture sector in the water-scarce Arabian peninsula. And the sector takes up 90 per cent of total water consumption in the
state. The GCC state took up large-scale agribusiness in order to attain food security, during the 1970s oil boom. On a purely economic level, the earlier policy was remarkably successful.. ..But from an ecological point of view, the policy has been disastrous, says the report. Groundwater reserves were extracted at up to five times their
repletion rates.. ..In an attempt to preserve what remains of the country’s groundwater, the Saudi government in November took the decision to phase out wheat production.
It was the first step in an unavoidable reduction and redirection of the agricultural sector. Now the question is, which crops should continue to be produced domestically?.."
[more]
Saudi PetroRabigh Start Delayed to Q1 2009 [Sep 8]
"Saudi Arabia's Rabigh Refining and Petrochemical Co said on Monday it would delay to the first quarter of 2009 the commercial launch of operations at its $10.3 billion
refining and petrochemical plant.. ..Spokesman Eyad al-Ajaj said the delay would affect the whole of the refining and petrochemical complex. 'As we said in the press
release we are planning to start in the first quarter of 2009. We are talking about the whole start of the whole complex; it will be for the first quarter of 2009 instead of the last
quarter of 2008,' Ajaj said. The firm targets the first quarter for both the experimental and commercial launches of the complex, he said. 'We don't anticipate any further
delay, at least for the time being,' he added. The complex was 97.6 percent complete at the end of August.."
[more]
Mall of Arabia Offers New Concept [Sep 8]
"Mall of Arabia, which aims to be a destination center for families, both for shopping and recreation, opened in north Jeddah, near King Abdul Aziz International Airport, on
Saturday night. 'With its area spanning 25,000 sq m., this is the largest mark in the city,' Fawaz
Al-Hokair, president of Fawaz Al-Hokair Group, who opened the mall, told
Arab News. 'We have worked hard to built commercial centers that offer a new culture and concept in the marketing of trademarks across the region. With its traditional
souk, a snow village, two international hotels, a French hypermarket, a food court and coffee shops, this project, which is being completed in two phases, is aimed to become
a destination mall,' he added. 'The new concept mall is a benchmark in 21st century shopping and its creation is due to the economic dynamism witnessed in the city and
elsewhere in the province,'.." [more]
Amazon Makes Middle East Entry wth Taufeer [Sep 8]
"Amazon.com is set to make is Middle East debut, through an agreement with Saudi-based
e-tailer Taufeer.com. Under the agreement, Amazon will use Taufeer’s e-channel retail program to bring a range of products to online customers in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf. Amazon, the world’s largest online retailer, is very popular with
online shoppers in the region, but currently has no dedicated site for the Middle East or offerings in Arabic. Taufeer.com will act as a retail channel to sell Amazon’s product ranges in the Gulf, starting with consumer electronics. Yasser Abdullah, founder and CEO of Taufeer.com commented: 'We are very excited about signing up a mega
retailer such as amazon.com to our e-channel program. After careful analysis and testing by
amazon.com, our advanced comparison shopping service was selected for its
simplicity and ease of integration with Amazon.com infrastructure. This is an important milestone in our strategy to be the first destination for online shoppers in the Middle
East.." [more]
~~~~~~~~ [ Sep 7] ~~~~~~~~~
Iran: Saudi Arabia Should Produce Less Oil [Sep 7]
"The relationship between one of the leading countries in the region - Iran and Saudi Arabia - continues to deteriorate. The two have been at odds with each other for decades..
.. Saudi Arabia actively supported the United States during the first Gulf War. If they would not have done so, it would have been very difficult indeed for the U.S. to push
Saddam Hussein’s forces back into Iraq. Now, Iran was all too happy with Saddam’s defeat, but letting Americans forces on your soil is an entirely different affair altogether.
That support for the U.S. also becomes clear in other ways; when other oil producing countries produce less oil - forcing the prices to go up - Saudi Arabia sometimes agrees
to produce more. As is the case right now. The Saudis have stepped up the production of oil, even though the other OPEC countries wanted to produce more. The result? Iran
is angry. It has told Saudi Arabia to cut back production soon (or else).."
[more]
Iraq, Saudis Reach Anti-terror Agreement [Sep 7]
"Iraqi officials say they and Saudi Arabia officials have agreed to a continuation of their joint effort to fight terrorism. Financial transactions between the two countries will be
a special focus under an agreement reached during a recent visit to Saudi Arabia by Iraqi Security Adviser Dr. Muwafaq
al-Rubaie, the Kuwait News Agency, KUNA,
reported Sunday. A statement issued by the Iraqi government Sunday said
Al-Rubaie also assured the Saudis that Iraq is ready to provide security for the new Saudi
embassy scheduled to open soon in Baghdad. The Saudi embassy is considered an important sign of credibility in the Sunni Arab world.."
[more]
Saudi Arabia Invites Bids for Jazan Refinery [Sep 7]
"Saudi Arabia's oil ministry said on Sunday it had set March 7, 2009 as the deadline for prequalified companies to present detailed proposals to build an export refinery in
Jazan. Eight companies already shortlisted by the ministry could now download a "request for proposal" package from the refinery website..
..Spiralling costs have cast doubt
over the viability of new oil refineries worldwide, and industry observers have been sceptical over the Jazan plan since it is a long distance from crude production facilities.
The project is part of government plans to give an economic boost to the impoverished region of Jazan in the far south near Yemen, on the Red Sea coast. The request for
proposals is aimed at companies the ministry has vetted as qualified to build and operate the refinery. The ministry said last year that eight Saudi and 43 international
companies had prequalified to take part in the Jazan tender.." [more]
Saudi Inflation to Continue to Rise [Sep 7]
"Inflation in Saudi Arabia will continue to rise in the third quarter of 2008, but at a slower pace than in the previous period, the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA) said
a report on Saturday. The general cost of living index registered an annual rise of 10.5 percent in the second quarter of 2008, compared to the second quarter of 2007, SAMA
said. 'In terms of external factors that feed domestic inflation level, the openness of the Saudi economy on the world makes it vulnerable to international economic conditions.
Unfavorable economic circumstances in certain regions of the world have influenced the supply of food commodities and thus raised the prices of food products in general,'.. ..'Projections indicate a continued rise in the inflation rate during the third quarter of 2008 but at a slower pace than in the previous period,'.."
[more]
Gulf Oil Production to Surge by 2015 [Sep 7]
"The Gulf could deliver an extra 10 million barrels of crude oil per day by 2015, with investment of almost $300 billion in boosting oil production currently underway, new
research says. Emil Rademeyer, director of Dubai-based project research firm
Proleads, said in a statement on Sunday that more than half of the added capacity would come
from Saudi Arabia alone. 'Recent analysis of total global oil production and development projects shows that world crude production capacity from all sources has the
potential to rise from the current 87 million barrels per day to as much as 108 million by 2015'.. ..'Saudi Arabia, with one-fifth of the world's proven oil reserves and some of
the lowest production costs has an aggressive energy sector investment initiative. Saudi would contribute more than half the 10 million barrels a day in added capacity if all
projects deliver on target by 2015,' Rademeyer added. Between this year and 2009 alone, Saudi Arabia has put in place projects with target added production capacity of
more than 1.6 million barrels a day.." [more]
Palestine is AL’s Priority – Qattan [Sep 7]
"The meeting of 130th regular session of the Council of the Arab League at delegates level began at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo on Saturday. The meeting was
headed by the representative of Saudi Arabia to the Arab League Ambassador Ahmed Abdulaziz
Qattan.. ..the Ambassador said in his speech that the Palestinian issue is the
most important priority of joint Arab action, which is currently working to achieve reconciliation among the Palestinians so that they can prevent their enemies from dispersing them. Saudi Arabia, he added, believes that the resolutions of the Arab League on the dispute between the Palestinian Authority and
Hamas, and the Cairo,
Makkah and Yemen agreements signed between them, in addition to the
Palestinian constitution, are references for solving the internal
Palestinian dispute.." [more]
Saudi Stock Index Plunges 5.41% to End at 8,044.79 [Sep 7]
"The Saudi stock index suffered the biggest one-day loss since Jan. 22 as blue chips extended declines into a fourth trading session yesterday. The Tadawul All-Share Index
(TASI) plunged 459.93 points or 5.41 percent to close just above 8,000 points at 8,044.79.. ..'The market’s sudden drop defies any logical and fundamental explanation. Trying
to explain a correction on external factors does not qualitatively quantify the market’s behavior especially as this was done in a volume-healthy session,' John
Sfakianakis, chief economist at SABB (The Saudi British Bank), said, adding that looking closely, the external environment has not become more geopolitically uncertain as it was a few
weeks back or when the market reacted in a positive way to the Capital Market Authority’s (CMA’s) announcement of the foreign swap agreement.."
[more]
Saudi Aid Handed Over to Mali [Sep 7]
"Saudi humanitarian aid has been handed over to the Republic of Mali to alleviate the effects of a recent drought and locusts which were destroying agricultural crops in that
country. The aid to Mali comes in implementation of the directives of King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. The aid was handed over by Saudi Acting Charge
d’Affaires in Mali Ibrahim Bin Abdulwahab Al-Ghareeb, head of Saudi relief delegation, Ibrahim Bin Sulaiman
Al-Duraiweesh, Ministry of Finance representative, Sultan Bin
Mohammed Al-Subaie, and chief of the Food Security Commission in Mali, Nana
Lansri. The aid includes 3,667 tons of rice. Lansri asserted that the Kingdom will always
support the people of Mali who now face a food crisis in some parts of the republic.."
[more]
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