Mar 2 - Mar 8, 2008

~~~~~~~~ [ Mar 3] ~~~~~~~~~

Saudi Arabia Is Not a Puppet State: Saud [Mar 3]
"Saudi Arabia will never change its domestic or foreign policies under pressure from the United States, Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal said here yesterday. Addressing a closed session of the 150-member Shoura Council in the capital, Prince Saud said the Kingdom�s policies were steady and not dictated by the superpower or any other country. 'We have never been a puppet state,' a Shoura member quoted Prince Saud as saying. He said the United States and Saudi Arabia have been sharing 'strategic' relations over decades, but the relationship was built on national interests.. ..Regarding the negative image projected by certain media outlets about Saudi Arabia in the West and the need to improve the country�s image abroad, the foreign minister said it was unfortunate that Western media outlets continue to print misleading facts about the Kingdom.." [more]

Saudi Arrests 28 Suspects For Links With Zawahiri [Mar 3]
"Saudi Arabia said on Monday it has rounded up 28 more Al-Qaeda suspects after arresting an equal number in December who plotted "terrorist" attacks and were in contact with the group's number two Ayman al-Zawahiri. This brings to 56 the total number of members of the same group who have been detained and are linked to the Al-Qaeda leadership abroad, the interior ministry said in a statement carried by the state SPA news agency. The group had been instructed by the Al-Qaeda leadership to launch a "terrorist campaign" inside the kingdom.. ..The fugitive Egyptian-born Zawahiri is the right-hand man of Saudi-born Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden. Security forces have now rounded up a total of 56 members of the group who are of 'various nationalities,' including their leader, the Saudi ministry added, without naming its chief.." [more]

Saudi Compares Israeli Offensive to Nazi Crimes [Mar 3]
"Saudi Arabia compared Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip to Nazi war crimes yesterday and called on the international community to stop what it called the mass killings of Palestinians. Saudi Arabia, which condemns the Israeli war crimes against the Palestinian people and the threats of Israeli officials to transform Gaza into an inferno, sees that Israel is simulating through these actions the Nazi war crimes.. ..Saudi Arabia urges the international community, peace-sponsoring countries and the international Quartet to work to curb the Israeli military machine and stop it from carrying out mass killings and destruction against the Palestinian people and their properties.." [more]

Saudi to Shun Paris Book Fair [Mar 3]
"Oil-rich Saudi Arabia said on Monday it will boycott this year's Paris book fair because Israel is invited as guest of honour. 'Saudi Arabia will not participate in the fair due to Israel's presence as guest of honour,' a Saudi official told AFP, requesting anonymity. Saudi Arabia has taken part in the fair in previous years. Several Muslim countries and writers' associations have said they will stay away from this year's fair on March 14-19, after organisers announced that 39 Israeli writers were being invited to mark the 60th anniversary of the creation of the Jewish state. The 50-nation Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation has called for a boycott of the event by Muslim states.." [more]

Saudi Money Supply Growth Hits 4-year Peak [Mar 3]
"Saudi Arabia's money supply growth, an indicator of future inflation, hit its highest in at least four years in January. This signals inflation in the world's largest oil exporter could accelerate from a 25-year peak. M3, the broadest measure of money circulating in the Saudi economy, grew to 815.14 billion riyals ($217.4 billion) at the end of January compared with 657.92 billion riyals a year earlier.. ..Inflation in the largest Arab economy, which pegs its riyal currency to the dollar, hit a quarter-century peak of 7 percent in January as rents surged 16.7 percent. The central bank's room for manoeuvre for combating inflation is limited by its need to track US interest rates given the peg.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Mar 2] ~~~~~~~~~

Saudi Embassy Received Threats: Lebanon Acting FM [Mar 2]
" Saudi Arabia's warning to its citizens to leave Lebanon, issued this weekend, was based on 'specific threats' received by its embassy in Beirut, Lebanon's acting foreign minister said Sunday. 'The Saudis have specific reasons. They have received specific threats,' Tareq Mitri told the private LBC television channel, though he did not elaborate. Lebanese and Saudi officials on Saturday said Saudi Arabia was advising its citizens to leave Lebanon or exercise extreme caution because of heightened political unrest.. ..Last month Saudi Arabia had advised its citizens against travelling to Lebanon and in August 2007 threats against the embassy had forced Ambassador Abdel Aziz Khoja to leave the country, although he eventually returned.." [more]

US-Saudi Effort Seeks to End Syrian Influence in Lebanon [Mar 2]
"The United States and Saudi Arabia have launched a joint campaign to pressure Syria to end its political interference in Lebanon, including the US deployment of the USS Cole and two other warships off the Lebanese coast, according to US and Arab officials. The new military, economic and diplomatic steps include the toughest actions taken by the Bush administration against the regime of President Bashar Al Assad, such as a recent presidential executive order allowing sanctions against Syrian officials meddling in Lebanon and a member of Bashar's family.." [more]

Motorola Gets $335 mln Pact from a Zain Saudi Firm [Mar 2]
"Motorola Inc. said on Sunday that it received a $335 million contract to supply a communications network and related services to a Saudi Arabian member of Kuwait's Zain Group. The member, Zain in Saudi Arabia, is planning a $1.87 billion initial public offering, and the network will help the company provide voice, data and multimedia telecommunications services, Motorola said. Zain in Saudi Arabia was formed to provide mobile-telecom services in Saudi Arabia under the third mobile license the kingdom awarded last July, Motorola said.." [more]

Saudi Arabia Slowly Opens Doors to Tourists [Mar 2]
"If you were running a restrictive Islamic state where the women can't drive and restaurants are segregated between families and single men, the last idea that might occur to you is to invite Westerners in to have a look. And yet, that's exactly what the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is doing. As part of a group of reforms, the kingdom is trying to develop the country as a tourist destination, first for domestic travelers and later for international ones. Westerners are starting to visit the country on small group tours, a process that has become easier with loosened visa rules.. ..in April, the government passed a law allowing domestic travel agencies to bring in foreign tours. If all goes as hoped, the new arrangement will speed the visa process and give foreign tour operators greater flexibility. It is a small step, but one that reflects the Saudi government's new interest in foreign tourism.." [more]

Oil Prices to Stay Above 60-70 Dollars: Saudi Arabia [Mar 2]
"Saudi Arabia's oil minister believes oil prices are set to stay above a minimum price of 60-70 dollars per barrel, signalling a new era for world energy markets, he said in an interview released Sunday. Ali al-Nuaimi, one of the most influential people in the business as oil minister for the world's biggest crude producer, said 'a line has been drawn below which prices will not fall.' His explanation to French oil newsletter Petrostrategies was technical, based on the idea that public policy in many countries was to invest in alternative energy sources to compete with crude. These government-backed alternative sources such as biofuels -- but also alternative oil sources in Canada's tar sands, for example -- can only compete with crude if the price of oil stays above 60-70 dollars a barrel. 'If you take all the subsidies that go into producing a barrel of biofuels, I doubt that anybody can make money in that business with a price less than 60 or 70 dollars,'.." [more]

Saudi Arabia, IBM to Implement New Project [Mar 2]
"A spokesman for IBM announced that the company is cooperating with Saudi Arabia to implement a new project to look into nanotechnology for cleantech applications.. ..The multi-year project will see Saudi scientists and engineers working together with their IBM counterparts on advanced nanotechnology programs in the fields of solar energy, water desalination and petrochemical applications including recyclable materials.." [more]

Kingdom�s Sovereign Ratings Raised [Mar 2]
"Capital Intelligence, the international rating agency, has raised Saudi Arabia's long-term foreign currency and local currency ratings to AA- from A+ and its short-term foreign- and local-currency ratings to A1+ from A1. The outlook for Saudi Arabia's ratings is �stable'. The upgrade reflects the continued strengthening of the public and external finances along with improved prospects for faster economic growth over the medium to long term, the Capital Intelligence report said. As the world's largest producer and exporter of crude oil, Saudi Arabia has benefited greatly from the upward movement in oil prices over the past five years.. ..The propitious economic setting has also enabled the authorities to move ahead with structural reforms geared to increasing private sector involvement in the economy, raising the level of foreign direct investment, and enlarging the non-oil export base.." [more]

Saudi Stocks Fail to Maintain Upward Trend [Mar 2]
"Saudi stocks failed to maintain last week�s upward trend as the Tadawul All-Share Index (TASI) dropped 113.57 points to close at 10,177.91 yesterday. Industrial stocks led declines on Saudi Arabia�s bourse. The Industrial index fell 1.43 percent to 27,246.11 points yesterday.. ..The BMG Saudi Index started the week with a fall. The index dropped by 1.1 percent to 560.60 points. The market turnover, however, did not follow the performance of the index, experiencing an increase in the value invested by 11.4 percent, ending yesterday�s session at SR5.4 billion ($1.4 billion) compared to 4.8 billion ($1.3 billion) on Wednesday.." [more]

It Is No Slur to Be Called a Muslim [Mar 2]
"Hillary Clinton denied leaking the photo of Barack Obama wearing a turban, but her campaign manager says that even if she had, it would be no big deal. 'Hillary Clinton has worn the traditional clothing of countries she has visited and had those photos published widely.' Sure she did. And George Bush put on a poncho in Santiago, while Paul Wolfowitz burned up YouTube with his anti-malarial African dance routines while World Bank president. The obvious difference is this: When white politicians go ethnic, they look funny; when a black presidential contender does it, he looks foreign � and when the ethnic apparel in question is vaguely reminiscent of the clothing worn by Iraqi and Afghan fighters (at least to many Fox viewers, who think any headdress other than a baseball cap is a declaration of war on America), the image is downright frightening. The turban 'scandal' is all part of what is being referred to as 'the Muslim smear'.." [more]

Feb 24 - Mar 1, 2008

~~~~~~~~ [ Mar 1] ~~~~~~~~~

U.S., Saudi Arabia Jointly Put Pressure on Syria [Mar 1]
"The United States and Saudi Arabia have jointly pressured Syria to end allegedly political interference in Lebanon, including the U.S. military deployment off the Lebanese coast, the Washington Post reported Saturday. The new military, economic and diplomatic steps include the toughest actions taken by the Bush administration against Syria, such as a recent presidential executive order allowing sanctions against Syrian officials allegedly meddling in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia is considering withdrawing its ambassador from Damascus and pressed for an Arab League meeting to be held next week, to discuss the political vacuum in Lebanon followed by its inability to elect a new president since last November, said unidentified U.S. government officials in the report.." [more]

Over $240bn to be Pumped Into Saudi Property Market [Mar 1]
"More than 900 million riyals ($240.5 billion) will invested in Saudi Arabia's real estate sector over the next 12 years as economic development and population growth drive demand for property in the kingdom, according to new research. The study by King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) predicted almost two million housing units would be built between now and 2020 at a rate of around 163,750 units per year, reported the daily Saudi Gazette on Saturday. The total number of housing units in Saudi is expected to reach seven million in 2020, the study said, estimating that there are currently just over five million units in the kingdom.." [more]

Saudi Khursaniyah Oilfield May be Delayed [Mar 1]
"Production at Saudi Arabia's 500,000 bpd Khursaniyah oilfield may be delayed beyond the first half of this year, a Saudi newspaper reported on Saturday. 'The oil field may start pumping limited quantities in May but it will not be able to meet the announced production capacity since the gas plant has not been completed yet,' Al Watan newspaper said, quoting an unnamed oil industry source. 'The project's completion might be delayed to beyond the first half of this year,'.." [more]

Saudi Investors Regaining Back Their Confidence [Mar 1]
"The Saudi stock was highly volatile last week following previous week�s jump of more than 10 percent. The Tadawul All-Share Index (TASI) gained further 1.62 percent last week, closing at 10,291.47 points from 10,127.10 points previous week. TASI is currently 7.9 percent lower than the year�s start. The Riyadh-based Bakheet Investment Group (BIG) said in its weekly report that with oil prices breaking the $100 per barrel barrier, investors of the world�s largest crude exporter restored confidence they seemed to have lost a month ago as a result of turmoil at global markets. 'We expect the Saudi stock market to witness a steady increase during the coming days with the retreat of negative external factors,'.." [more]

Opportunities Abound in Tourist Infrastructure: Maldives Envoy [Mar 1]
"The Maldives, the island country in the Indian Ocean, has opened its first embassy in the Middle East in Saudi Arabia. �We chose Saudi Arabia as the first destination to have our foreign mission in the region since the Kingdom, which hosts millions of pilgrims in the holy city of Makkah and Madinah, is accepted not only as a leader in the Muslim world but also as a strategic hub in the region,� said the new Maldivian Ambassador Hussain Shihab, who presented a copy of his credentials to Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal in late February.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Feb 29] ~~~~~~~~~

Saudi Arabia Invites Taiwan to Develop King Abdullah Economic City [Feb 29]
"Saudi Arabia has invited Taiwan to head the development of its new a multi-purpose King Abdullah Economic City, a newspaper in Taiwan reported Friday. The Saudi Arabian General Investment Administration (SAGIA) plans to give Taiwan priority in developing the city, the Economic Daily News said. Taiwan would form an investment company and sign a contract with SAGIA in march, according to the report. Taiwan's Vice Economics Minister Hsieh Fa-ta visited Saudi Arabia in January and met with Saudi officials and SAGIA members.. ..The King Abdullah Economic City will be built along Saudi Arabia's west coast, about 100 kilometres north of Jeddah. It is the largest among the six economic cities Saudi Arabia plans to build to lure foreign investment to boost its economy.." [more]

Saudi Purchase of Turkish Bank Approved: Official [Feb 29]
"Turkey's banking watchdog has approved the sale of privately owned Turkish Islamic lender Turkiye Finans to Saudi Arabia's National Commercial Bank, a BDDK official told Reuters on Friday. Last July, National Commercial Bank, the Gulf's largest lender by assets, agreed to pay $1.08 billion for 60 percent of Turkiye Finans. The BDDK official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said a statement would shortly confirm the approval of the sale.. ..Islamic banks only control 3 percent of Turkey's overall banking assets but their share is expected to more than treble. Officials have told Reuters they expect Turkiye Finans to see asset growth in 2008 to at least match last year's 36 percent.." [more]

Yemeni-Saudi Joint University to be Established [Feb 29]
"Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Saleh Ba-Sura returned home on Friday from Saudi Arabia after both countries agreed to establish a joint Yemeni-Saudi university aiming to serve Yemeni expatriates in the kingdom, whose number ranges between 15-20 thousand students. The minister clarified that he participated in the activation of the Cultural and Scientific Forum of the Yemeni Universities in the Saudi Universities. In a statement to Saba, the minister pointed out that higher education and scientific research ministries of both countries agreed to develop and activate aspects of cooperation between the two countries in the several fields .." [more]

Silencing Arab Media [Feb 29]
"In yet another erosion of political freedoms in the Middle East, the Arab League adopted a new Arab media charter this month, dealing a huge blow to press freedoms in the Arab world.. ..The importance of the television media in the Arab world should not be underestimated, especially in societies that lack serious political opposition due to oppressive governments, legal obstacles and failed political cultures. Private Arab television stations often present the only serious "opposition" to Arab regimes. What few voices exist promoting social change, especially since the United States has all but abandoned its democracy promotion efforts in the region, are only accessible via these satellite stations. They a forum for expressing conflicting and varied political views and routinely show footage of labor strikes, demonstrations and student protests - topics that have not found their way into state-controlled TV.." [more]

Saudi Scholars Slam Move [Feb 29]
"Saudi Muslim scholars and propagators have denounced the appointment of an Egyptian woman in the post of a Mazun (Islamic marriage attorney). In statements to Gulf News they said this step opens all doors for women, adding that this trend runs contrary to the teachings of Islamic Sharia. Shaikh Dr Abdul Rahman Bin Shraim Al Azahrani, a Saudi Sharia professor, said it was not permissible in Islam. 'Sharia does not allow women to assume such a job. During the era of the Prophet (PBUH), men were appointed as judges.'.. ..'Never during the era of the Prophet (PBUH) or his righteous companions, was a woman appointed to perform this task. No woman has been reported to have concluded the wedding contract of another woman,' he said.." [more]

Syria Slow on Saudi Invite to Summit Amid Lebanon Row [Feb 29]
"Syria has yet to invite regional powerhouse Saudi Arabia to an Arab summit in Damascus next month, an official said yesterday, as Arab League chief Amr Mussa said some member states would only attend if Lebanon's political crisis was resolved. Syria and its regional ally Iran are the main backers of the Lebanese opposition which has been at odds with the Saudi-backed Beirut government for months over the election of a new president.. ..Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem handed an invitation to HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani in Doha yesterday to attend the March 29-30 summit. The previous day he delivered an invitation in Abu Dhabi to United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahayan. It was unclear where the Syrian minister was headed next but Saudi media have made no mention of any planned visit.." [more]

Women�s Rights Group Riled by Ministry Rebuff [Feb 29]
"The founder of the Ansar Al-Marah Women�s Rights Society has condemned the Ministry of Social Affairs for denying initial approval to establish the society. The women�s rights activists in the Kingdom were eagerly anticipating the establishment of Ansar Al-Marah � the first civil society group dedicated to supporting women�s rights in the country.. ..Al-Watan newspaper yesterday reported, quoting a source at the Ministry of Social Affairs, that the ministry has not given approval to establish the society. The source claimed that authorizing such bodies is not the ministry�s responsibility. Suliman Al-Salman, the founder of the group, said not allowing this group to function is unfair. 'We need an official response from the ministry stating their reasons for this rejection,' he said.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Feb 28] ~~~~~~~~~

Saudi King Boycotting Arab Summit, Mubarak Reluctant to Go [Feb 28]
"Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz is boycotting an Arab summit due to be held in Syria next month and Egypt's President has not made up his mind yet on the conference amid a row over Lebanon's presidential crisis. Press reports, citing both Saudi and Egyptian sources, said the Saudi monarch will not attend the summit scheduled for March 29-30. They said Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, however, is likely to attend the opening session only. The sources said that Mubarak and Abdul Aziz have agreed that participation, should it take place, is to be on a low level.. ..An Arab diplomat had also said that Syria was "accusing Saudi Arabia of trying to internationalize the Lebanese crisis" by supporting the Hariri tribunal which Syria fears could pin the blame on Lebanon's eastern neighbor. Damascus believes Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal's recent tour of several Western capitals, including Washington and Paris, was aimed at speeding up the establishment of the tribunal, according to a Riyadh-based diplomat.." [more]

No Freedom For Dean of Saudi Bloggers [Feb 28]
"A top Saudi blogger who was jailed late last year remains in prison more than two months later for unspecified, non-security matters -- and there are few signs that he will be freed anytime soon.. ..Al-Farhan -- known on the Internet as the "Dean of Saudi Bloggers" -- was arrested on December 10 shortly after one of his blog entries was critical of influential Saudi religious, business and media figures. 'He is still being investigated,' Maj. Gen. Mansour al-Turki, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry, told CNN this week. Al-Farhan has yet to be charged with a crime, but under Saudi law can be held without charges for six months.." [more]

Saudi Aramco and Total Likely to Build Refinery Despite High Costs [Feb 28]
"France's Total and Saudi Aramco are likely to go ahead with plans to build a 400,000 barrels per day (bpd) refinery in the kingdom despite escalating costs, an industry source in Saudi Arabia said yesterday. The world's top oil exporter Saudi Arabia is planning four new plants as it looks to boost domestic refining capacity by as much as 1.6 million barrels per day from 2.098 million bpd. But rising costs for equipment and labour have hit the energy sector worldwide, forcing project cancellations and delays and raising industry concern about the new Saudi plants.. ..Total and Aramco would take a final investment decision on the plant in May or June.." [more]

Cumber is US Envoy to OIC [Feb 28]
"US President George W. Bush will formally announce later Wednesday that Texas entrepreneur Sada Cumber will be the first US envoy to the Organization of the Islamic Conference, the White House said. Bush, who first indicated in June 2007 that he would send an envoy to the OIC.. ..Asked why Bush's search for an envoy had taken as long as it had, Perino replied: 'He wanted to find the right person and he found that in Sada Cumber.' OIC, headquartered in Jeddah, groups 57 Muslim countries.." [more]

Saudi-Jordan Summit Talks Focus on Major Issues [Feb 28]
"The political standoff in Lebanon, the forthcoming Arab summit in Syria and the vulnerable situation in Palestine topped the agenda of the talks between Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and Jordanian King Abdullah II here yesterday. The wide-ranging talks during the several-hour visit of King Abdullah to the Saudi capital also focused on the latest developments in the Middle East region with special reference to Saudi-Jordanian relation.. ..Referring to the subjects of talks with Saudi king, the diplomat said: 'The talks between King Abdullah and Jordanian leader dealt on the chances of concluding a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians on core issues before the end of 2008 as envisaged earlier by US President George W Bush'.." [more]

Justice Ministry to Hire 2,000 New Judges [Feb 28]
"The Ministry of Justice will appoint 2,000 university graduates as judges to fill a shortage in the Kingdom�s courts, a newspaper reported yesterday. 'The ministry will select the most qualified graduates to enroll in the judiciary sector,' a ministry source told Al-Madinah newspaper, adding that the graduates would operate in the new appeal courts, which are scheduled to open in two years time as part of a project to develop the Kingdom�s judiciary. The source said the ministry would advertise the positions in the next few days.. ..In two years, on completion of a judiciary development project, the cassation courts are to be converted into appeal courts, which will be closely monitored by the Supreme Court in Riyadh. The appeal courts are designed to give people, who are unsatisfied with verdicts issued by preliminary courts, to have their rulings reviewed.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Feb 27] ~~~~~~~~~

Jordan's King Departs for Saudi Arabia for Talks [Feb 27]
" Jordan's King Abdullah II on Wednesday left for Saudi Arabia where he will hold talks with Saudi King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz on bilateral ties and means of further cementing them in various fields. According to Jordan's official news agency Petra, the talks during the several-hour visit are also expected to focus on the latest developments in the Middle East, mainly the situation in the Palestinian lands and Lebanon. Abdullah's visit to Saudi Arabia comes within his continued consultation and contacts with Arab leaders on ways of addressing challenges facing the Arab nations.. ..Later this week, Abdullah is scheduled to start a visit to the United States during which he is expected to urge the U.S. President George W. Bush to put pressure on Israel to show more cooperation in its current talks with the Palestinians.." [more]

Saudi Moves its Ambassador in Damascus to Doha [Feb 27]
"Saudi Arabia has decided to move its ambassador to Syria Ahmed Ali Qahtan to Doha in a move that reflected Riyadh's desire to lower its representation in Damascus. Arab Diplomatic sources in Damascus said the 'swift' Saudi measure was a result of the deterioration in relations between Syria and Riyadh over the Lebanese crisis.. ..Saudi Arabia recalled its ambassador from Doha in 2002 when the Al-Jazeera television network aired a debate in which participants strongly criticized the Saudi royal family, and the two neighbors often snipe at each other through their respective media.." [more]

Arab Media Code Attacks Free Speech - Group [Feb 27]
"A new Arab League charter on satellite broadcasting adopted this month amounts to a 'crude assault on free speech' that Arab governments should publicly reject, Human Rights Watch said on Wednesday. Arab governments, led by Egypt and Saudi Arabia, adopted a satellite broadcasting charter on Feb. 12 that will entrench state control over broadcasts and curtail political expression on the airwaves over a region of some 300 million people.. ..The Arab charter bans airing material seen as undermining "social peace, national unity, public order and general propriety", as well as criticising religions or defaming political, national or religious leaders. 'Many Arab states routinely use this language of 'state interests' and 'national sovereignty' as an excuse to imprison journalists and intimidate critics,' Stork said in a statement.." [more]

Most Muslims Desire Democracy [Feb 27]
"The largest survey to date of Muslims worldwide suggests the vast majority want Western democracy and freedoms, but do not want them to be imposed. The poll by Gallup of more than 50,000 Muslims in 35 nations found most wanted the West to instead focus on changing its negative view of Muslims and Islam. The huge survey began following the 11 September 2001 attacks in the US. The overwhelming majority of those asked condemned them and subsequent attacks, citing religious reasons. The poll, which claims to represent the views of 90% the world's 1.3 billion Muslims, is to be published next month as part of a book entitled Who Speaks For Islam? What A Billion Muslims Really Think.." [more]

Virtue Commission Refutes Professor�s Entrapment Claims [Feb 27]
"The head of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice in Makkah has hit back at claims that the commission conspired against a professor who was sentenced to jail for eight months and 180 lashes for being in a state of �khulwa� (seclusion) with an unrelated woman.. ..He said that Al-Sanusi�s claims that the prosecution board had returned the case to the commission saying it had not seen any evidence of khulwa and that the commission took the case directly to the General Court were incorrect. He said that the case was taken to the prosecution board, which followed all legal procedures and that the General Court found the professor guilty.." [more]

Kingdom to Take Part in Water Conference [Feb 27]
" Saudi Arabia together with several Arab countries will participate in a high-profile international conference to be hosted by Germany to find out solution for the depleting water resources in the Middle East and North Africa region. The event will be organized on the sidelines of the International Trade Fair for Water, Sewage, Reuse and Recycling (IFAT), to be held in Munich May 5-9. Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, Eugen Egetenmeir, deputy managing director of Messe Munchen International (Munich Trade Fairs International Company), said here yesterday that IFAT is the most important environmental trade fair in the world.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Feb 26] ~~~~~~~~~

Saudis Move to Stem University Radicals [Feb 26]
"Saudi Arabia has taken an unprecedented step to curb radicalisation among its university students in Australia by ensuring its pupils make up less than 1per cent of any campus. The move is a marked turnaround from past initiatives by the Saudi Government, including allegedly bankrolling hardline Muslim clerics, such as Canberra-based Mohammed Swaiti who openly praised jihadists; and pumping an estimated $120 million into the local Islamic community since the 1970s to influence its ideological bent. Muslim leaders yesterday backed the move by the Saudi embassy's cultural mission, which is responsible for the nation's students in Australia.. ..'Radicalisation is already taking place in this country,' Mr Ali told The Australian. 'This (influx) will add to the momentum of radicalisation.' 'So I think it's a good measure by the cultural mission not to allow them to congregate in one place because they are coming from a very orthodox, conservative Islamic background. It's better to scatter them, so that they can acclimatise to the general environment of this country and mix with the other students'.." [more]

Saudi Arabia's Sovereign Ratings Raised [Feb 26]
"Capital Intelligence, the international rating agency, today announced that it has raised Saudi Arabia's long-term foreign currency and local currency ratings to AA- from A+ and its short-term foreign- and local-currency ratings to A1+ from A1. The outlook for Saudi Arabia's ratings is stable. The upgrade reflects the continued strengthening of the public and external finances along with improved prospects for faster economic growth over the medium to long term. As the world's largest producer and exporter of crude oil, Saudi Arabia has benefited greatly from the upward movement in oil prices over the past five years.." [more]

Industrialists Welcome Saudi Ministry Decision [Feb 26]
"Saudi industrialists have welcomed the Ministry of Labour decision reducing Saudisation quotas at manufacturing industries from 30 to 20 per cent. The decision also grants incentives with regard to recruiting foreign manpower in this sector. It stipulates that the quota of Saudis working in these factories should never be less than 15 per cent in the first two years of operation, or three years from the date of granting licence to the factory. 'The decision is an encouraging measure for increasing the productivity of this sector which constitutes 80 per cent of the volume of Saudi industry'.." [more]

Opec Set to Fine-tune Oil Output to Match Demand [Feb 26]
"A seasonal drop in demand will lead Opec to curb oil shipments unofficially in the short term, even if it leaves its formal target alone, officials from producer nations and executives said. Oil at near $100 a barrel has piled the pressure on the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries to refrain from cutting output when it meets in Vienna March 5.. ..But demand in April and May was expected to fall because of refinery maintenance in Asia which receives more than half of the crude exports from top Opec producer Saudi Arabia. Some producers especially in the Gulf will have to trim back only because customers are in turnaround and can't take it, the oil executive said. Ministers have said repeatedly they respond to fundamentals of supply and demand. Pumping more oil when the market does not require it will not offset the speculative buying they say has been largely responsible for inflated prices.." [more]

Academic Gets Jail, Lashing for Illegal Seclusion with Girl [Feb 26]
"The General Court here sentenced a prominent academic to eight months in prison and 180 lashes after he was found guilty of being in illegal seclusion with a girl. Staffers of the Commission for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice had caught the academic with the girl in a caf�. The academic's lawyer Abdullah Al-Sanousi claimed his client was framed and appealed to the National Human Rights Association and National Human Rights Society to back his plea for reviewing the case.. ..According to Al-Sanousi, his client had drawn the ire of some of the Commission's staffers for speaking at length during a training course about how important it was for them to deal nicely with the public.." [more]

Saudi Arabia Plans Big Hike in Refining Capacity by 2013 [Feb 26]
"Saudi Aramco plans to go ahead with three new refineries that may not all reach full capacity until 2013, a company official said today. Aramco will add 400,000 barrel-a-day refineries in Ras Tanura, Yanbu and Jubail, taking Saudi Arabia's total refining capacity to 3.29 million barrels a day, Mahdi al-Adel, Senior Manufacturing and Planning Engineer at the existing Ras Tanura refinery, said at a conference in Abu Dhabi. 'Ras Tanura is expected on stream in December 2012,'' al-Adel said after the event, clarifying his presentation and correcting his earlier statement that the refinery may be delayed until as late as 2014. "It may take a month or two to reach full capacity, so we can comfortably say that Saudi Arabia's new capacity will all be on stream in 2013.' Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil producer, is planning to raise refining capacity by 50% to provide fuel oil and gasoline for soaring local demand, and benefit from exporting high-value oil products.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Feb 25] ~~~~~~~~~

Saudi Arabia Brings Down Job Quota for its Nationals  [Feb 25]
"Inability to find local workers has forced Saudi Arabia to reduce the job quota for its nationals in certain sectors. Jobs reserved for Saudis have been reduced from 30 per cent to 20 per cent in industries like foodstuffs, beverages, textiles, readymade garments, shoes, furniture and paper. The decision taken last week by the Saudi Minister of Labour Ghazi Al-Gosaibi also requires that the quota of Saudis working in these factories does not fall below 15 per cent in the first two years of operation, or three years from the date of licensing.. ..'Saudization is a national demand, I agree, but dealing with unqualified Saudi labour in a downstream industrial project can be costly,'.." [more]

Dropping Gulf Dollar Peg Would Ease Inflation: Greenspan [Feb 25]
"Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said on Monday near-record Gulf Arab inflation would fall 'significantly' were the oil producers to drop their dollar pegs, in contradiction to Saudi policy. The pegs restrict the Gulf's ability to fight inflation by forcing them to shadow U.S. monetary policy at a time when the Fed is cutting rates to ward off recession and Gulf economies are surging on a near five-fold jump in oil prices since 2002.. ..'In the short term free floating ... will not fully dissipate inflationary pressure, although it would significantly do so,' Greenspan told an investment conference in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia's second-largest city.." [more]

Saudi Arabia, France Sign Cooperation Agreement to Combat Terrorism, Money Laundering [Feb 25]
"Interior ministers of Saudi Arabia and France have signed a security agreement to combat terrorism, the official news agency reported Monday, amid the European country's efforts to take a higher profile in the Middle East. Saudi Interior Minster Prince Nayef bin Abdel Aziz and visiting French Interior Minister Michele Alliot-Marie signed the agreement after brief discussions Sunday night.. ..France has long-standing military cooperation accords with other countries in the Persian Gulf region, including the United Arab Emirates and Qatar and a little over a month after becoming one of the first Western countries other than the U.S. to have a base in the Persian Gulf region.." [more]

WTO Integrates KSA in World � Turki [Feb 25]
"Throughout history, the Mideast has been of great economic and cultural importance, Prince Turki told the JEF 2008. Now as a member of the WTO with a powerful economy, the Kingdom has again become a major cog in the world economy, opening its doors to international investment to foster development and communication, he said.. ..Segueing to other aspects of his chosen theme, Al-Faisal stressed the importance of economic growth in the Arab world, in particular, that of Saudi Arabia. 'Economic growth in all sectors of the economy is vital,' he said, 'as it creates more opportunities on various fronts. Saudi Arabia is open for business across the board, not just in the oil sector.'.." [more]

Businessmen Sign $417 mln in Saudi Deals [Feb 25]
"A delegation from the All Industrialists and Businessmen's Association (T�MSİAD) signed $417 million in trade agreements during a visit to Saudi Arabia last week. �nder Matlı, president of T�MSİAD's Bursa branch, said they had completed several deals and that the visit had proved more fruitful than they had expected. He noted that 33 members participated in the business trip, which aimed to establish trade channels and cooperation.. ..The delegation signed an agreement with the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Turkish businessmen in the delegation signed agreements worth nearly $417 million with various Saudi companies. Matlı said the visit also paved the way for further business and trade deals and cooperation.." [more]

Saudi Leads Gulf Losers [Feb 25]
"Shares in Saudi Arabia, the Gulf's largest stock market, closed lower yesterday, reversing an eight-session winning streak that saw it add 17%.. ..Saudi shares were down 2.1% to 10121.23 at close, led by Saudi Electricity, down 4.8% at 14.75 riyals and Saudi Basic Industries Corp, or Sabic, down 3.3% at 177.75 riyals. Investors are booking gains after the market closed higher in the last eight straight sessions.." [more]

Breast Cancer Alarm Prompts Saudi-US Course for the Cure [Feb 25]
"Every woman after 40 years must be screened for early breast cancer detection (mammogram), as the incidence rate of this dreaded disease appeared to be alarmingly high in Saudi Arabia, said Dr. Yousef A. Al-Jehani, member of Saudi Cancer Society (SCS).. ..Dr. Al-Jehani was speaking at a press conference in Riyadh Saturday held at King Fahd Medical City to announce the launch of Course for the Cure, which is considered as the milestone of the US-Middle East Partnership for Breast Cancer Awareness and Research in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi-US Partnership that unites leading breast cancer advocates from Saudi Arabia and the US to reduce breast cancer incidence and increase early detection of the disease, came as a result of high-level government contacts both in Saudi Arabia and the US including King Abdullah, Princess Hessa Bint Tarrad Al-Sha'lan and Prince Faisal Bin Abdullah, (honorary SCS president) and Laura Bush (US First Lady).." [more]

Abdullah Welcomes Mubarak [Feb 25]
"Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah held wide-ranging talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Riyadh yesterday to discuss their positions on a range of bilateral and regional issues, including the next Arab Summit to be held in Damascus, Syria, on March 29-30. The talks primarily focused on Lebanon�s political standoff, the siege imposed on the Palestinian people and the continuing Israeli aggression.. ..'By deciding their level of participation in the summit, both regional powers � Saudi Arabia and Egypt � are setting the tone for many Arab countries, which are likely to follow suit,' said a report published in Al-Riyadh Arabic daily yesterday. 'Ahead of his visit to Riyadh, Mubarak stressed the importance of his alliance with Saudi Arabia and the Saudi people,' said the report.." [more]

Women Take 58% Seats in Universities, Says Anqari [Feb 25]
"Fifty-eight percent of students in higher education departments of Saudi universities are now women, Higher Education Minister Dr. Khaled Al-Anqari stated yesterday. 'This is a record rate for women�s higher education in the region. Forty years ago Saudi women had no opportunity to conduct post-graduate studies within the country,' the minister said, speaking to reporters after signing an agreement on an executive program for higher education with his Egyptian counterpart Dr. Hani Mahfouz Hilal. Al-Anqari also said that there was considerable increase in the number of Saudi girls in all levels of education. He attributed this increase to rising awareness and progress in education in the country.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Feb 24] ~~~~~~~~~

FPCCI President to Lead Trade Team to Saudi Arabia [Feb 24]
"FPCCI President Tanvir Ahmad Sheikh would lead a trade delegation to Saudi Arabia to attend the Pak Saudi Investment Conference and Seminar being organised by Investment Division and Board of Investment of Pakistan with the coordination of Embassy and Consulate General of Pakistan in Riyadh and Jeddah, Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry and Council of Saudi Chamber of Commerce and Industry.. ..The purpose of the investment conference is to promote Pakistan�s economic policies to generate Saudi investment in various economic sectors.." [more]

Saudi 2008 Inflation Unlikely to Fall [Feb 24]
"Inflation in Saudi Arabia, which hit at least a 27-year high last month, is unlikely to fall this year as a housing shortage spurs rent rises and government spending causes bottlenecks, the central bank deputy chief said. Revaluing the Saudi riyal, which has been fixed to the dollar at the same rate for 22 years, would not necessarily help reduce inflation because the imported element in limited, Muhammad Al Jasser, Vice Governor of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency told Reuters in Dubai on Sunday. Annual inflation in the world's largest oil exporter rose to 7 percent in January, its highest since at least 1981. Rents jumped almost 17 percent.." [more]

Cut to Saudi Benchmark Lending Rate Doubtful [Feb 24]
"The Saudi central bank is unlikely to cut its repurchase rate, the benchmark lending rate, in response to further easing by the US Federal Reserve as it seeks to stem money supply growth, the vice governor said. With its riyal pegged to the dollar, the world's largest oil exporter has been striving to track US monetary policy as the Federal Reserve slashes interest rates to help ward off recession while the Saudi economy surges.. ..The central bank has soaked up liquidity by raising reserve requirements twice since November to force lenders to keep more money in their vaults in a bid to slow down credit growth, another trigger of inflation. Its reverse repurchase facility 'is also mopping up some liquidity', Al Jasser said, without giving details.." [more]

Saudi Minister Meets US Business Leaders [Feb 24]
"The Governor of the Saudi Arabia General Investment Authority (SAGIA) His Excellency Amr Al Dabbagh was joined in Boston this week by Massachusetts State Treasurer Tim Cahill and a dozen academic and business leaders to discuss cooperation and business opportunities between Saudi Arabia and the US. The meeting was hosted by Bruce Fenton, President of Atlantic Financial Inc., an investment company that focuses on the Middle East region. Governor Dabbagh highlighted SAGIA�s construction of six economic super cities and discussed the many economic incentives available to US based companies who might be interested in business opportunities in Saudi Arabia.. ..Governor Dabbagh highlighted the desire for Saudi corporations to draw on the expertise of US firms and the 
ways in which Saudi Arabia can benefit US companies as consumers and as a source of consumption, capital and a gateway to the region.." [more]

Petrochemical Firms Pace Rise in Saudi Shares as Oil Prices Surge [Feb 24]
"Saudi Arabian stocks gained for the eighth straight trading session, led by Saudi Kayan Petrochemical Co and Yanbu National Petrochemicals Co as energy companies benefited from this week's record oil price. The Tadawul All Share Index rose 2.1% to close at 10336.06, the highest since January 21. The oil prices soared to $100 a barrel this week, which forced investors' confidence in the local economy and in the performance of Saudi companies, particularly in the petrochemical sector, Bakheet Investment Group said in a weekly report posted on its website after the close of trading on Wednesday.." [more]

Saudis Pull Out 18b Riyals in Investment From Lebanon [Feb 24]
"Businessmen have revealed that Saudi investments worth more than 18 billion Saudi riyals have been withdrawn from Lebanon. At the same time, the number of Lebanese been recruited to work in the kingdom has also come down, they said in a statement.. ..He attributed this to what he called 'the fallback in the confidence of the future of the Lebanese economy' following the escalation of the political crisis and lack of security. He noted that the deteriorating situation in Lebanon has caused frustration among investors.. ..Observers are expecting the number of Saudis travelling to Lebanon to come down sharply due to the security situation in Lebanon.." [more]

Justice Ministry to Appoint Spokesperson in Wake of Qatif Girl Case [Feb 24]
"Ministry of Justice will soon be more accessible to the media. A source at the ministry said it is planning to appoint an official spokesperson to preempt rumors.. ..The source said the idea of nominating a spokesperson came up after the media outcry over what has come to be known as the Qatif Girl.. ..The source said that following the upheaval triggered by the case, the Ministry is leaning towards appointing an official spokesperson to nip rumors and "fabricated" Ministry news in the bud.." [more]

SIHS Sends First Group of Students for US Training [Feb 24]
"The Saudi Institute for Health Services (SIHS) announced yesterday that a first batch of Saudi medical students have joined Miami Dade College in the United States under a partnership deal signed by the two institutions in 2007. SIHS is a non-profit organization established five years ago with the aim of guiding Saudi youth toward better employment opportunities in health care. �This is done by offering invaluable educational and medical training for high school graduates in Jeddah,� said a statement issued by the institute. SIHS currently provides four intensive medical programs including optometry, radiology, nursing and health administration, delivered by highly committed and qualified staff.." [more]

Blogger�s Family Urges Authorities to Allow Prison Visits [Feb 24]
"The family members of the detained Saudi blogger Fouad Al-Farhan said yesterday that although Saudi authorities allowed Al-Farhan for the first time to make a telephone call from Jeddah�s Dahban Prison on Feb. 12 they would still like to continue to visit him.. ..Maj. Gen. Mansour Al-Turki, spokesman for the Interior Ministry, told Arab News earlier this month that there is no update on the Al-Farhan case other than the ministry�s previous statement that the blogger was being held for 'interrogation for violating non-security regulations.' Al-Turki would not clarify exactly why Al-Farhan was being held and whether it was in connection with his blog www.alfarhan.org. Al-Turki was unavailable for comment yesterday.." [more]

Feb 17 - Feb 23, 2008

~~~~~~~~ [ Feb 23] ~~~~~~~~~

Mubarak to Visit Saudi in Run-up to Arab Summit [Feb 23]
"Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak travels to Saudi Arabia on Sunday for talks with King Abdullah on an Arab summit due to take place in Syria next month, his office said on Saturday. Oil powerhouse Saudi Arabia, which hosted the annual summit in 2007, has not yet received a formal invitation from Syria to attend the March 29-30 forum amid tensions between the two countries over Lebanon's presidential crisis.. ..Arab analysts and recent media reports have suggested that Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Arab countries may boycott the Damascus summit or send low-level delegates.." [more]

Businesses Fear Impact of Inflation [Feb 23]
"Nearly half of firms surveyed in Saudi Arabia last month expected inflation to have a negative impact on their business and a third said they would pass on higher costs, SABB bank said. In the survey, which showed high business confidence, more than a third of respondents said they expected Saudi Arabia, facing record inflation in December, to revalue its US dollar-pegged riyal by the end of September, the bank said. Saudi Arabia's dollar peg limits its ability to fight inflation, which hit 7% in January.. ..The US economy is slowing but Saudi Arabia's is growing due to a five-fold increase in oil prices over the past six years. Some 48% of 609 respondents said they expected inflation to harm their businesses and 33% said they would pass on higher costs to end-users through higher prices.." [more]

Saudi Men Arrested for Flirting [Feb 23]
"Prosecutors in Saudi Arabia have begun investigating 57 young men who were arrested on Thursday for flirting with girls at shopping centres in Mecca. The men are accused of wearing indecent clothes, playing loud music and dancing in order to attract the attention of girls, the Saudi Gazette reported. They were arrested following a request of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice. The mutaween enforce Saudi Arabia's conservative brand of Islam, Wahhabism.. ..The guardians of some of the men defended their actions, however, saying they would regularly get together at the weekend to have fun without ever violating laws governing the segregation of the sexes.." [more]

Women Want Women Muftis [Feb 23]
"Saudi women who find it embarrassing to seek a fatwa (religious ruling) on private matters are calling for appointing female mufti specialized in women's affairs. A fatwa is a formal legal opinion or religious decree issued by an Islamic scholar (mufti) recognized by the State. 'In many cases women find it embarrassing to seek clarification about matters and issues dealing with their day-to-day life,' Haifa Al-Kharboosh, a lecturer in Shariah (Islamic law) told the Arabic daily Al-Watan. Hence it is preferable that a knowledgeable woman in Shariah be assigned to reply to their questions," she said. There are several women licensed for different recitations of the Holy Qur'an and Al-Kharboosh wondered what prevented them from being accredited in Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence)?.." [more]

Private Sector Must Employ More Women [Feb 23]
"With 106,000 unemployed Saudi women actively seeking employment, 65 percent of them holding university degrees, Deputy Minister of Labor Abdul Wahim Al-Homaid said recently that the private sector should act more quickly to find places for these qualified workers. Al-Homaid also conceded that a proposal to place Saudi women in shops selling lingerie and other products targeting women (to replace expatriate men) has been a failure so far.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Feb 22] ~~~~~~~~~

Fourth Saudi Airlift Relief Plane Leaves for Tajikistan [Feb 22]
"In implementation of the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud to provide urgent relief aid to afflicted people in Tajikistan and a grant of $ 10 million as a result of severe cold and snow, the fourth Saudi airlift relief plane left Riyadh Airbase Airport for Tajikistan today.  The plane carried 7.5 tons of relief materials including foodstuffs, blankets and rugs.." [more]

The Gulf States - Annual Report 2008 [Feb 22]
"The Gulf states are a pillar of US policy in the Middle East and in the present decade have moved towards political and economic liberalisation. The changes include the media, which is less restricted than before, but things have a long way to go.. ..The reforms begun in Saudi Arabia have had a good effect on both society and the media, according to many Saudi journalists. The royal family and religion still cannot be criticised, but the media�s margin for manoeuvre has significantly increased. Newspaper editors are still under pressure to avoid discussing the country�s international relations or national security. When 'mistakes' are made, they are usually encouraged to dismiss the journalists considered to be 'disrespectful' by the regime. Two journalists of the daily Al-Wakt in Bahrain were summoned by the authorities in January for referring to 'Bandargate,' a political scandal involving the royal family and regime officials that has been a forbidden topic since 2006.." [more]

Saudi Hip-Hop's Painful Birth [Feb 22]
"For many years, the members of the Saudi hip-hop group Dark2Men performed mostly in living rooms for their friends. They hid their pastime from relatives who view singing and dancing as shameful in this strict Muslim kingdom where concerts, theaters and movies are banned. But that all changed last month after the group auditioned for a hip-hop competition on MTV Arabia -- launched in November as the latest addition to the MTV network -- and became one of eight finalists from the Middle East.. ..In a kingdom where the Koran serves as the constitution, Dark2Men's rapid ascent from obscurity to the waiting room of pop fame has brought its three young members a mix of elation and misery.." [more]

Arabs and South Americans Want Energy Cooperation [Feb 22]
"Arab and South American governments are prepared to join forces in the energy sector. The theme deserved several paragraphs in the Buenos Aires Declaration, the document published at the end of the meeting of foreign ministers of both regions, which ended yesterday (21) in the Argentine capital.. ..During the meeting it was agreed that the next summit of heads of state of both regions should take place in the second half of this year in Doha, the capital of Qatar. The meeting in Buenos Aires included representatives of the 34 Arab and South American nations, many of them ministers, including Saudi Foreign Minister and prince Saud Al-Faisal, the secretary general at the League of Arab States, Amr Mussa, and the minister of Foreign Relations of Brazil, Celso Amorim.." [more]

Saudi Mulls Prudent Steps to Tame Inflation [Feb 22]
"Saudi Arabia, which pegs its currency to the dollar, said it will act with prudence when considering what measures to take to tackle inflation. The inflation surged to a record in December on higher rent and food costs. Saudi Arabia will 'deal with the matter with wisdom and prudence, and not surrender to superficially easy solutions,' Saudi central bank governor Hamad Al Sayyari said yesterday. 'Easy solutions can be catastrophic in the long term,'.. ..Saudi Arabia has held back from revaluing its currency or dropping the dollar peg that forces it to track the US in lowering interest rates to maintain the relative value of its riyal. Whilst the US economy is slowing, Saudi Arabia's is surging on a five-fold increase in oil prices during the last six years, causing bottlenecks and accelerated price rises. 'Many commentators blame the exchange rate and speak as if the matter is simple, as if de-pegging the riyal's link to the dollar would solve the problem of inflation,' Al Sayyari said. 'The truth is that the subject is far more complicated than that ... the impact of the exchange on local prices is limited.'.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Feb 21] ~~~~~~~~~

Saudi Officials: Lebanon Crisis Putting at Risk Arab Summit in Damascus [Feb 21]
"Lebanon's political crisis has further damaged relations between Damascus and Riyadh, putting at risk next month's Arab summit in Damascus, Arab officials in Riyadh warned on Thursday. 'There is a crisis in ties with the Syrian government, with Lebanon the main reason,' a Saudi official told AFP. "Damascus has not joined in efforts, including the Arab initiative, to elect a consensus president" in Lebanon.. ..The Arab League proposal calls for the election of army chief General Michel Suleiman as consensus president, followed by the formation of a national unity government in which no single party has veto power, and a new electoral law.." [more]

Saudi Arabia Says Arabs Likely to Reconsider Mideast Peace Process [Feb 21]
"Saudi Arabia said Wednesday that Arab states would reconsider their stance if Israel continued its inaction of implementing the Annapolis deal reached last year. Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal, who was attending a South America-Arab foreign ministers meeting in the Argentine capital, said Arab countries have taken active actions to support the Mideast peace process in a bid to achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting peace with Israel. However, the Arab world would scale back support for the Annapolis deal if Israel continued its settlement expansion in the West Bank.." [more]

Poly Proceeding With Partnership With Saudi College Despite Human Rights Concerns [Feb 21]
"Cal Poly is moving ahead with a multimillion-dollar partnership with a Saudi Arabian college, even as the plan has drawn ire from some professors and others because of that nation�s human rights record. Critics of the proposed collaboration � for which Cal Poly would get $6 million to help design new engineering programs abroad � say that qualified local faculty members could be shut out because of discriminatory Saudi policies.. ..But in discussions on campus and with The Tribune, Cal Poly officials deny that any bias would take place in the five-year partnership with University College of Jubail, a city on the Persian Gulf coast of Saudi Arabia. 'There is no intention on our part to exclude anybody,' said Bill Durgin, Cal Poly�s provost. 'Anybody who wants to participate will have the opportunity to do so.' Under the program, about a dozen Cal Poly faculty members would design curriculum, laboratories and admission requirements, among other duties. They would also help hire and train Saudi instructors.." [more]

Aramco Allots $45b for Expansion [Feb 21]
"Saudi Aramco announced on Wednesday that $45 billion has been allocated to carry out the company's expansion plan, adding that it would increase oil output to 12 million barrels a day next year from the current 9.6 mbd.The expansion plan calls for incorporation of five new oil production mega projects representing an increase in crude oil production capacity by 3 million barrels per day. Aramco said the cost that does include the company's joint projects in the area of refining and petrochemical processing which are valued at about $35 billion. These projects are the largest in Aramco's history and include Al-Kharasaniyah project which has a capacity of 500,000 barrels per day, Al-Shaibah project with a capacity of 250,000 barrels per day, Al-Naim, which will produce 100,000 barrels per day, Khurais, at 1.2 million barrels per day and Manifa, at 900,000 barrels per day.." [more]

Saudi Women Will Not Be Flight Attendants [Feb 21]
"Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAA), the kingdom's national carrier, has ruled out any plans to hire Saudi women as flight attendants, ending a long controversy about employing Saudi women on-board its fleet. The national carrier said that such jobs are inconsistent with Saudi society. At the same time, SAA said that it is planning to hire Saudi women at ticket sales centres adding this will begin initially at the airline's headquarters in Jeddah.. ..In 2006 SAA announced that it intended to recruit more women in line with the government's policy to increase job opportunities for Saudi women, while respecting religious teachings.." [more]

Education Fair Shuts Out Women [Feb 21]
"Twelve Australian universities are being showcased to the Saudi public in a three-city tour. Around 1,200 Saudis have visited the exhibition, which was held in Al-Khobar and Riyadh.. ..While 1,200 visited the university fair so far, women were excluded from the event. 'Women are not allowed, security guards at the Marriott Hotel told Saudi women interested in attending the fair. After being turned back by security guards, around a dozen young Saudi women gathered at the lobby of the Marriott hotel where the event was taking place. 'Due to our limited budget, we couldn't open a separate section for female visitors,' Nimrawi told Saudi Gazette. 'We try to attend to their needs in the lobby of the hotel.' However, this didn't play well with some of the female visitors.." [more]

Women Driving Is Not in Conflict With Religion: Scholars [Feb 21]
"A well-regarded Saudi religious scholar said that there is nothing in Islamic law that bans women from driving and that the fatwas issued in this regard are based on individual judgments. 'In principle women driving is permitted in Islam,' said Sheikh Abdul Mohsen Al-Obaikan, a member of the Kingdom�s Council of Senior Islamic Scholars. The ban, he said, has to do with the social complications rather than the act itself.. ..Fawzeyah Al-Oyouni, a woman�s rights and human rights activist, said that most people agree that Islam doesn�t forbid women from driving. The problem, she says, is that the government isn�t moving fast enough to implement the necessary actions to open the way for a smooth transition toward allowing women to drive. The Saudi government has pointed out that there is no law that states women cannot drive.." [more]

Inflation Jumps Above 6% in 5 Saudi Cities [Feb 21]
"Consumer prices in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, and four other cities topped 6 percent in the fourth quarter, growing faster than the average of 16 cities, as food, rent and utility costs surged, official data showed. Saudi Arabia�s dollar peg means its ability to fight inflation � which hit a record 6.5 percent in December � is limited because it has to mirror US interest rates at a time when the United States is lowering them to ward off recession.. ..Inflation last year averaged 4.1 percent, a 12-year high. Average inflation in the prior five years was just 0.8 percent. Saudi Arabia, the world�s largest oil exporter, pegs its currency to the dollar, which declined almost 11 percent last year against the euro.." [more]

King OKs Rail Link Between Holy Cities [Feb 21]
"Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah has ordered the implementation of the Makkah-Jeddah-Madinah railway project using Saudi local funds, Transport Minister Dr. Jabara Al-Seraisry announced yesterday. He said the royal directive would speed up the implementation of the project known as Makkah-Madinah Rail Link (MMRL), which is estimated to cost SR20 billion ($5.33 billion) and bring about revolutionary changes in the transportation of pilgrims between the two holy cities.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Feb 20] ~~~~~~~~~

Saudi Arabia Confident of Meeting Expansion Target [Feb 20]
"Top world oil exporter Saudi Arabia is confident it will reach a target to lift crude oil output capacity, a top executive from the country's state oil firm said on Monday. Saudi Arabia holds the world's largest oil reserves and is expanding supply capacity to meet rising world demand at a time when higher costs are leading to delays and cancellations across the oil and gas industry. State oil firm Saudi Aramco aims to lift supply capacity to 12 million barrels per day, enough to meet 14 per cent of current world demand, by the end of 2009.." [more]

Saudi Muttawa Hits Back on Arrest of Businesswoman [Feb 20]
"A Saudi Arabian commission hit back yesterday at critics of their arrest of a businesswoman in a Starbucks cafe for mixing with a male colleague, threatening to sue a journalist. The powerful Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice charged the Saudi woman was making “suspicious gestures while in the man's company and broke the law on several counts.. ..the 5,000-strong Muttawa accused Yara of violating both the law and Islamic tenets by flying unaccompanied from Jeddah to Riyadh and sitting alone with an unrelated man in a public place in a section reserved for families. Muttawa said its members went to the coffee shop after receiving information that the woman did not have her head covered and was wearing make-up.." [more]

KSA to Recruit Cuban Doctors [Feb 20]
"The Ministry of Health is reportedly planning to recruit senior doctors from Cuba because of difficulties in recruiting from countries that have been traditionally supplying qualified medical staff to Saudi Arabia. Dr. Obied Al-Obied, undersecretary at the Ministry of Health for Planning and Development, revealed to Al-Madina Arabic daily the Cuba option. The ministry has been mainly recruiting doctors from Arab countries like Egypt, Sudan, Tunis and Syria in addition to some other Islamic countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh and also from friendly countries such as India. In the past few years, however, the ministry had been facing some difficulties in recruiting doctors because of both stiff international competition and improvement of the standard of living in these countries.." [more]

US Visas From Dhahran Starting May [Feb 20]
"At the US Consulate�s Presidents� Day reception on Monday evening, US Ambassador Ford M. Fraker announced that the US Consulate in Dhahran will open for full visa services from May 3.. ..'I am extremely pleased we are opening full non-immigrant visa services in Dhahran,' Fraker said. 'This action demonstrates the high value the United States places on our relationship with Saudi Arabia and the historical importance of the Eastern Province to American and Saudi friendship. We expect that this step will facilitate business and tourism and will allow greater numbers of Saudi students to study in the United States.'.." [more]

Saudi Bribery Cases Surge, Despite Crackdown [Feb 20]
"Corruption and bribery cases continue to increase in Saudi Arabia, despite legislative efforts to fight the practice.. ..Saudi anti-corruption laws stipulate severe punishment against those who receive bribes, stating that employees who accept gifts or promises to perform any duties face 10 years imprisonment or fines of up to one million riyals ($267,000). The government report follows the 2007 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), published in September by anti-corruption coalition Transparency International, which placed Saudi Arabia as the most corrupt Gulf country with a score of 3.4.." [more]

IPO Attracts More Than Five Million Investors [Feb 20]
"The initial public offer of shares in Saudi Arabia�s newest cellular licensee, Saudi Zain, attracted more than five million investors and was 151% oversubscribed. 5.05 million investors purchased 952 million shares worth a total of SAR9.52billion (USD2.5 billion), reported Arab News. Saudi Zain (originally known as Saudi MTC) won an auction for Saudi Arabia's third national mobile licence in March 2007, beating off competition from the likes of Orascom Telecom (Egypt), MTN (South Africa), Turkcell (Turkey), Oger Telecom (UAE), Reliance (India), Bharti (India), MTNL (India) and Digicel (Jamaica) with its winning bid of SAR22.91 billion (USD6.11 billion).." [more]

Oil Price Surges to More Than $101 a Barrel [Feb 20]
"Oil prices have surged to more than $101 after fears that Opec nations will reduce output. In New York, light sweet crude oil finished trading on Tuesday at $101.01 a barrel, a rise of $4.51 on the day. Opec producers are due to meet on March 5 but analysts are predicting they will cut oil production because of the slowdown in the US economy.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Feb 19] ~~~~~~~~~

Saudi To Hold First Official Film Contest in May [Feb 19]
"Ultra-conservative Saudi Arabia, where movie theatres are banned, will hold its first official film festival in May, a newspaper reported Tuesday. There have been smaller and informal movie screenings in recent years but the contest, to be underwritten by the government, will mark the first time film critics from the region will be invited to take part, the Arab News said. The planned annual event will start on May 20 and is organised by a literary club based in the eastern city of Dammam and the Saudi Society of Arts and Culture, the English-language paper said. Quoting poet Ahmad al-Mulla, a board member of the Dammam Literary Club, the paper said the five-day contest will feature Saudi and other Gulf and Arab movies of various genres.." [more]

Cabinet Condemns Israel for Aborting Chance for Peace [Feb 19]
"The Council of Ministers on Monday said Israel was aborting any chance for peace by announcing its plans to go ahead and build new settlements in occupied East Jerusalem. The Council reiterated its condemnation of Israel's continued military escalation and aggression against the Palestinians, and its ceaseless killing of innocent people. The Council noted in particular Israel's aggression against Al-Breij Camp in the heart of the Gaza Strip, which destroyed lives and property, SPA said. King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, presided over the session Monday afternoon at his residence in Rawdhat Khuraim. The Council appealed to the United States and the international community to stop the continuing Israeli aggression and give a push to the Middle East peace process.." [more]

Cabinet Ratifies UN Protocol on Illicit Weapons [Feb 19]
"Saudi Arabia yesterday ratified the UN protocol against illicit manufacturing of, and trafficking in, firearms, their parts and components and ammunition. A meeting of the Council of Ministers, chaired by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, made the decision to ratify the firearms protocol. Countries that ratify the protocol must adopt a series of crime control measures in order to prevent illegal manufacturing of, or trafficking in, firearms on the basis of the protocol requirements.. ..The objective of the protocol is to promote, facilitate and strengthen cooperation among states in preventing, combating and eradicating the illicit manufacturing of, and trafficking in, firearms, their parts and components and ammunition.." [more]

Virtue Commission Defends Arrest of Businesswoman [Feb 19]
"The Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice yesterday defended its action against the Jeddah-based businesswoman Yara earlier this month, saying she violated Saudi regulations and Islamic law. 'The Ministry of Labor does not approve mixing of men and women at work places. So it�s both a violation of the country�s law and the Shariah,' the commission said in a statement carried by Sabq.org Internet portal. In its first reaction to the arrest of Yara, a mother of three, in Riyadh on Feb. 4 by its officials, the commission also said that it reserved the right to take legal action against columnist Abdullah Al-Alami for accusing its officials of abducting the woman.. ..There was public outcry in the Kingdom and around the globe at the highhandedness of the commission members.." [more]

Saudi Arabia, Luxembourg to Form Business Forum [Feb 19]
"The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Luxembourg will soon form a business council to promote bilateral trade between the two countries, Abdul Rahman Al-Jeraisy, chairman of the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry told Arab News yesterday, following his talks with Prince Guillaume, crown prince of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg who is currently visiting the Kingdom. The prince, who is leading a 30-member trade delegation including Jeannot KRECKE, minister of economy and foreign trade, met a number of key Saudi officials during his visit.." [more]

Saudi Ministry Admits Some Imams Lack Qualifications [Feb 19]
"An official at the Saudi ministry of Islamic affairs ruled out accusations that prayer imams and preachers in Saudi Arabia are not concerned in their sermons with the daily social life of citizens. Dr Tawfeeq Al Sudairy, undersecretary of the Saudi ministry of Islamic affairs, described as 'individual behaviour and not a phenomena' the use of mosques' Friday sermons for promoting certain ideologies.. ..Meanwhile, the Ministry has admitted that some of its mosques imams (prayer leaders) and preachers lack qualifications that enable them to promote the role of mosques.." [more]

Saudi or Expat, We Want Qualified Staff [Feb 19]
"Difficulties in obtaining visas for foreign workers and finding qualified Saudi personnel are the main problems businesswomen here face. They addressed their problems to Deputy Minister of Labor Dr. Abdulwahed Al-Hameed during a closed circuit meeting at the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI), Monday morning. "I have applied 10 times in the past two years for visas for interior designers and decorators without any results," said Daliyah Al-Get. Women with businesses in education and training complained of the legislation that prohibits them from recruiting trainers from abroad. 'We are not permitted to employ from abroad'.. ..'There are not enough qualified Saudi women in the market to fill our needs,' she said. 'Yes, there are many graduates but they lack experience.' Huda Al-Jeraisy, RCCI member who owns a computer-training institute, agreed. 'The problem is that we do not have Saudi females graduating with bachelors in Computer Science,' she said. 'They all have diplomas which does not meet the Ministry's requirements for holding such positions.' The businesswomen suggested that they be allowed to employ expatriate women who are in the Kingdom as dependents - under their husbands' sponsorship and not on job visas.." [more]

Saudis to Hire Over 2 Million Domestic Workers in 10 Years [Feb 19]
"Experts estimate that during the next 10 years Saudi Arabia will recruit more than two million domestic servants to work in different parts of the country, Al-Eqtisadiah newspaper reported yesterday. Walid Al-Suwaidan, director of the Recruiting Offices Committee in the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Riyadh, said that the Saudi labor market would receive two million domestic servants of various nationalities over the next 10 years. The annual figure is expected to between 250,000 and 300,000.. ..He called on people to give up hiring unnecessary domestic helpers and those who hire maids purely for prestige not to do so. Many families recruit maids from abroad without any actual need for them.." [more]

Italy to Help Establish Biomedical Institute [Feb 19]
"Saudi Arabia and Italy have set out a new vision for bilateral relations in the field of education and culture following the launch of a joint initiative to help 300 Saudi students enroll in Italian institutions this year.'A total of 150 students will go to Milan, which has emerged as a premier destination for international students,' Mayor of Milan Letizia Moratti said here yesterday. She pointed out that the Kingdom would also attain a world-class level facility in the form of a biomedical institute following an agreement signed by the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) and a top oncology institute in Milan.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Feb 18] ~~~~~~~~~

Saudi Arabia Advises Citizens Not to Visit Lebanon [Feb 18]
"Saudi Arabia, a key backer of Sunni Muslims in Lebanon, advised its citizens on Monday not to travel there because of a deteriorating political and security situation. Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia is a major backer of the Sunni-led government in Lebanon which is locked in a political battle with an opposition movement led by Shi'ite group Hezbollah, backed by Iran and Syria.. ..Diplomats and political analysts in Riyadh saw the Saudi announcement as a possible signal of more civil strife to come in Lebanon. 'They could see a real possibility of the situation getting out of control,' a senior diplomat told Reuters. Political analyst Khaled al-Dakhil said: 'Perhaps they have intelligence information that something is going to happen or they think the negotiations taking place now on presidential crisis are going nowhere. They are in a position to know.'.." [more]

Saudi Aramco Confident of Oil Expansion Goal [Feb 18]
"Top world oil exporter Saudi Arabia is confident it will reach a target to lift crude oil output capacity, a top executive from the country's state oil firm said on Monday.. ..'We're pressing ahead and we are very comfortable, we're very confident," Khalid al-Buainain, Senior Vice President Refining, Marketing and International, told Reuters on the sidelines of a London conference. "We will reach it.' Aramco is confident it will reach the goal despite one major project coming on stream later than expected.. ..An official at Aramco had said in January the giant field, previously scheduled to begin pumping at the end of last year, would come onstream in the first quarter of this year.." [more]

Saudi Arabia: New Boycott Against Danish Goods After Cartoon Row [Feb 18]
"A new campaign has begun in Saudi Arabia calling for a boycott of Danish products, after the fresh publication of 12 controversial cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed, reported the Arab daily al-Watan. 'We will carry out a new boycott,' said the president of Arab entrepreneurs, Mohammed Abidat. 'It is imperative for Arab and Muslim tradespeople and shopkeepers to boycott Danish products,'.. ..On 12 February 2008, Danish police arrested five people in connection with a planned attack to kill the cartoonist Kurt Westergaard, who drew the original images of the prophet Mohammed in September 2005.." [more]

Saudi Draft Law to Curb Family Violence [Feb 18]
"A draft on a by-law to protect women and children against sexual, psychological and physical abuse will be finished next week, Saudi Minister of Social Affairs Abdul Mohsen Al Akkas has announced. The study by the Experts Commission of the Council of Ministers came after reports by Saudi and foreign human rights groups. The minister told reporters on Saturday evening that the new law was a qualitative move to eliminate domestic violence. 'What makes the ministry prepare this draft law is that there are cases of violence not only against wives but against children too,'.." [more]

New Saudi Measures May Cost Govt SR66 Billion [Feb 18]
" Saudi Arabia has announced its second public-sector wage increase in the course of two years. The first rise (15 percent) was instituted in 2005, following a 20-year pay freeze. It is estimated that this 2005 pay rise will have cost the government SR65 billion ($17.3 billion) by October 2008. This latest move follows public-sector rises of 15 percent in Bahrain and Oman during 2007, whilst the UAE announced a massive 70 percent increase. Across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), governments have become attuned to growing calls for higher salaries to combat the rising cost of living.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Feb 17] ~~~~~~~~~

Saudi King May Miss Syria Arab Summit Over Lebanon [Feb 17]
"Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah is unlikely to attend the Arab League's annual summit in Syria next month unless a political deadlock in Lebanon is resolved, diplomats and analysts said on Sunday. Other Arab leaders may follow suit, potentially spoiling a chance for Damascus to shore up its regional standing in the face of U.S. pressure against it as a 'rogue state'. 'What we have heard is that if there is no president in Lebanon, King Abdullah and (Egyptian leader) Hosni Mubarak will not go,' said a senior diplomat in Riyadh.. ..'Saudi Arabia wants to persuade Russia to tell the Syrians to stand back and allow a president to be elected'.." [more]

Al Jazeera Calls Media Penalties a Risk to Freedom [Feb 17]
"Al Jazeera, the satellite television company based in Qatar, has reacted angrily to the adopting of a charter by the Arab League that authorizes member governments to penalize broadcasters that offend the religious or political authorities. The charter is 'a risk to the freedom of expression in the Arab world,' Al Jazeera said in a statement issued Friday. 'Some of the language contained within the charter is ambiguous and could be interpreted to actively hinder independent reporting from the region.' The measure calls on broadcasters to air only shows that 'conform with the religious and ethical values of Arab society and take account of its family structure.' It calls on governments to 'withdraw, freeze or not renew the work permits of media which break the regulations.'.." [more]

First Saudi Relief Plane Leaves for Tajikistan [Feb 17]
"In line with the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz to provide urgent humanitarian aid to the Republic of Tajikistan, which has recently suffered from the wave of the cold weather and snow, in addition to a $10 million grant, the first Saudi relief plane left this morning for Tajikistan. The plane was carrying 10500 Kilogram of relief assistance including blankets, carpets and foodstuffs.." [more]

Reprinting of Mohammed Cartoon Condemned [Feb 17]
"The Saudi-based Muslim World League on Sunday condemned the decision by Danish newspapers to reprint a controversial cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed but also urged Muslims not to overreact. The organisation, which represents Muslim associations worldwide, expressed its "deep consternation" and denounced 'the obstinacy in offending Islam and its Prophet', a statement on the official Saudi SPA news agency said. It also warned that reprinting the controversial cartoon would lead to more hatred and urged Denmark to act to stop the insults against the Prophet.." [more]

Shoura to Discuss Major Issues With Al-Assaf [Feb 17]
"Three hot issues � revaluation of Saudi riyal against the US dollar, rising inflation and a GCC common currency � will be the focus of today�s discussion between the 150-member Shoura Council and Finance Minister Dr. Ibrahim Al-Assaf. Dr. Osama Abu Gharara, deputy chairman of the Financial Committee at the Shoura Council, said the discussions would also deal with the Kingdom�s financial and monetary policies and its efforts to contain inflation. 'So far we have not seen any solution to control inflation,' Gharara told Al-Eqtisadiah business daily.." [more]

Albania, Saudi Arabia First to Recognize Kosovo? [Feb 17]
"Beta says an analysis shows Kosovo's unilateral declaration will first be recognized by some Islamic countries. The news agency has had insight into the document, put together 'by some EU countries', that says the province's independence declaration, rejected by Serbia, will be recognized in "three waves". Albania, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and some other Muslim countries will lead the way, the report says. This will be followed by Austria, Denmark, Finland, Luxembourg, Belgium, and, the document speculates, France, Great Britain, Germany and Italy. The United States is also likely to recognize Kosovo very soon.." [more]

UK Powerless Over Saudi Threats [Feb 17]
"The UK government was powerless to resist threats from Saudi Arabia which forced it to drop a BAE corruption probe, a court heard Friday. Lawyers for the Serious Fraud Office said the �grave� and �imminent� threat to British national security was so great the office had no option but to close its two year investigation into the Al-Yamamah arms deal, UK media reported.. ..A lawyer for the groups said the government had not denied that Prince Bandar bin Sultan, who allegedly received $1 billion in secret payments from BAE, had in July 2006 threatened to withdraw a contract for Typhoon fighter jets if the inquiry was not dropped. The $8.8 billion deal for 72 Typhoon jets was eventually sealed in September 2007.." [more]

First Gulf Investment Forum Explores Gulf Common Market [Feb 17]
"The organizers of the First Gulf Investment Forum (FGIF) in GCC States noted that the variety of discussions in the eight working sessions of the forum, reflected different types of investments and financial trends in GCC states. They also illustrated the different experiences of the speakers at the Forum, they added. This variety, they said, will directly contribute to achieving the desired goals of the forum, which is the first of its kind after the establishment of the Gulf Common Market at the beginning of 2008.." [more]

Saudi Riyal Revaluation May Curb Inflation [Feb 17]
"Revaluing the Saudi currency against the dollar could help tackle inflation at a near record peak, but severing the link to the dollar would not be a solution, a Saudi councillor was quoted as saying on Sunday. Saudi Arabia's Shura Council, which advises the king, is scheduled to meet with the finance minister and central bank governor on Sunday to discuss ways to fight inflation.. ..The deputy governor of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency, Mohammed al-Jasser, said last month it would take a 'precipitous' decline in the dollar for Saudi Arabia to consider revaluing the riyal. Saudi policymakers have repeatedly said the largest Arab economy would not sever its dollar link. 'I don't think that dropping the peg is a magical solution to curb inflation as there are neighbouring countries that changed the peg and their inflation reached record highs,'.." [more]

Feb 10 - Feb 16, 2008

~~~~~~~~ [ Feb 16 ]~~~~~~~~~

Bush Meets Saudi FM at White House [Feb 16]
"US President George W. Bush held talks here Friday with Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal on what was expected to touch on the Palestinian-Israeli peace process and Lebanon, officials said. White House spokesman Scott Stanzel said Bush planned to meet the Saudi foreign minister in the Oval Office in the morning, with another official confirming that the meeting actually took place. Bush 'looks forward to discussing with him a wide range of regional issues including the president's recent trip to the Middle East, to the region, the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and the situation in Lebanon,' Stanzel said. A spokeswoman for the National Security Council later confirmed that the meeting between the president and Prince Saud took place but declined to provide any details about what was discussed. The Saudi embassy in Washington also declined to comment.." [more]

Rights Group Attacks Arab Media Charter [Feb 16]
"A new Arab "charter" to coordinate media control is an attempt by autocratic governments to squash already limited freedom, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said on Saturday. Arab governments, led by Egypt and Saudi Arabia, last week adopted a satellite broadcasting charter, which will entrench state control over broadcasts and curtail political expression on the airwaves across the region of some 300 million people. The charter, signed by information ministers in Cairo, bans broadcasting material seen as undermining "social peace, national unity, public order and general propriety", criticising religions or defaming political, national and religious leaders.." [more]

King Abdullah Urged to Spare Saudi Witchcraft Woman�s Life [Feb 16]
"A Saudi woman condemned to death for 'witchcraft' is still clinging to hope that King Abdullah will spare her life after Human Rights Watch appealed her sentence. Fawzi Falih faces imminent beheading for sorcery unless the King issues a rare pardon. But the influential rights group has stopped short of asking for intervention from foreign governments in the case, which has captured international attention and highlighted discriminatory aspects of the Saudi justice system, where courts often fail to follow due process. Such was the case in the trial of Ms Falih, Human Rights Watch argues. Religious police arrested the illiterate woman in 2005, allegedly beating her before forcing her to fingerprint a false confession.." [more]

Saudis to Discuss Revaluing Riyal on Sunday [Feb 16]
"A Saudi Arabian council that advises the king will discuss revaluing the riyal against the dollar at a meeting on Sunday with the finance minister and central bank governor, a newspaper reported on Saturday. Reviewing the exchange rate of the riyal versus the U.S. dollar is a 'necessity', daily al-Eqtisadiah quoted Osama Abu-Gherara, deputy chairman of the Shura Council's finance committee.. ..It would take a precipitous decline in the dollar for Saudi Arabia to revalue, Mohammed al-Jasser, vice governor of Saudi Arabia's central bank, said last month. Saudi Arabia has been trying offset the impact of price rises on its 25 million people through measures including a plan announced last month to raise wages, welfare payments and subsidies.." [more]

Saudi Arabia to Set Up International Translation Center [Feb 16]
"Saudi Arabia has announced plans to set up an autonomous international translation center with a mandate to translate references, textbooks, international literature and scientific materials to be used by individuals as well as local and international institutions. The proposed center will also help bridge the gap between Arab and Western cultures, boost the process of Arabization and also address the problems of shortage of translators and interpreters.. ..Also, the center will help engage in dialogue with non-Muslims in different countries to clarify any misconceptions about Islam.." [more]

Thai Foreign Minister Plans Restored Relations with Saudi Arabia [Feb 16]
"Thailand will implement a proactive foreign policy spearheaded by both political and economic aspects, including restoration of the former warm relations enjoyed with Saudi Arabia before diplomatic ties were strained by the 1980s gems scandal, according to Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama.. ..The ministry prepared to restore the relationships with foreign countries after formerly strong ties were strained by the coup in 2006, he said. Mr. Noppadon said plans to normalise diplomatic relation with Saudi Arabia by concluding the Saudi diamond case and the murder of four Saudi businessmen and the disappearance of one Saudi businessman. The case dates to the late 1980s.." [more]

Ministry Plans to Assess Quality of Education in Kingdom [Feb 16]
"In an attempt to improve the quality of education in the Kingdom, the Ministry of Education is planning to assess the curriculums used in the system.. ..The assessment will review different sample groups of students: three grades in the first phase of the survey. The fourth, eighth and twelfth grades (boys and girls) will be assessed next year. The courses to be assessed are: Islamic studies, Arabic, mathematics and science. 'These are the courses that are important for academic advancement,' Al-Shamrani said.." [more]

Luxembourg Crown Prince Arrives [Feb 16]
"Prince Guillaume, crown prince of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, will arrive here today on a four-day visit to the Kingdom at the head of a 30-member trade delegation including Jeannot Krecke, minister of economy and foreign trade. �This is the first ever delegation from Luxembourg,� Michel Lastschenko, Belgium ambassador, told Arab news yesterday, adding that the purpose of Guillaume�s visit is to boost the bilateral trade and identify new areas of interests that would mutually benefit Luxembourg and Saudi Arabia. The envoy pointed out that the prince would begin his official round of talks with Saudi officials tomorrow.." [more]

Saudi Stocks Expected to Recover Slowly [Feb 16]
"..According to the weekly report of the Riyadh-based Bakheet Investment Group (BIG), the Saudi stock market witnessed a slowdown amid trading value decreases to an average of SR8.8 billion daily, 30 percent lower than previous week. The value of traded shares reached SR 44.2 billion, down against last week�s SR63.69 billion. Rabigh Refining and Petrochemical Co. (Petro Rabigh) dominated trading value at 17 percent followed by Saudi Kayan Petrochemical Co. at 13 percent and SABIC at 7 percent. The BIG report expected Saudi stocks to recover 'slowly' following the recent series of plunges as investors turn to blue chip shares, the prices of which have gone down tangibly.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Feb 15] ~~~~~~~~~

$20 Million Saudi Gift Is Questioned [Feb 15]
"A Virginia congressman has asked Georgetown University to explain how it used a $20 million donation from a Saudi prince for its academic center on Muslim and Christian relations. Rep. Frank R. Wolf (R) sent a letter yesterday to university President John J. DeGioia expressing concern about the donation and asking whether the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding has ever produced any reports critical of Saudi Arabia. Wolf has been critical of Saudi Arabia and what he calls its influence on U.S. affairs for some time.. ..Georgetown spokesman Julie Green Bataille issued a statement saying that the school had received the letter and that unive