Mar 30 - Apr 5, 2008

~~~~~~~~ [ Apr 4] ~~~~~~~~~

Saud to Address US-Arab Economic Forum [Apr 4]
" Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal will address the 3rd annual US-Arab Economic Forum, which is scheduled in Washington DC on May 7-9. Prince Saud said at the USAEF in 2003, 'It is our hope that the turmoil our region has undergone in the past few years will be replaced by stability, prosperity, and peace. For this to happen, we must focus on finding solutions to the region�s problems and improving the lives of its inhabitants. The United States can play a constructive role by providing leadership, talent and resources.. ..The forum, hosted by the American Middle East Economic Affairs Committee (AMEEAC) in cooperation with the League of Arab States, strives to enhance bilateral relations between the United States and Middle East. By bringing together top business, government, academic and cultural leaders, the forum acts as a catalyst for change and facilitates economic collaboration, cultural dialogue and innovation.." [more]

There's No Room For Fundamentalism in Islam [Apr 4]
"Highlighting Islam's moderation and tolerance, Saudi Arabia's Grand Mufti Shaikh Abdul Aziz Alu Al Shaikh, reiterated that there is no room for fundamentalism and extremism in the divine religion. He also underlined the need to combat all deviant groups and their ideologies that inflict severe damage on the image of Islam as a tolerant religion.. ..He called upon youths to strictly abide by these principles, especially the moderation advocated by the Prophet Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him) in all his deeds and sayings. Referring to the Prince Sultan Chair for Contemporary Islamic Studies, the Mufti said: "We hope this chair will encourage scholarly research based on moderation, without excess or carelessness.." [more]

Saudi Returns Remains of Iraqi Soldiers [Apr 4]
"The remains of 62 Iraqi soldiers killed in the 1991 Gulf War were repatriated from Saudi Arabia, ending years of "painful uncertainty" about their fate, the International Committee of the Red Cross said. The humanitarian agency reported in a statement that the body of a seven month old Iraqi baby girl who died in a refugee camp at the time was also returned under a bilateral deal that had been negotiated over a long period. The 63 bodies, exhumed in northern Saudi Arabia near Iraqi borders, were transported through Kuwait and handed to Iraqi authorities.. ..It is to be noted that another 77 bodies are buried at the unnamed site still await exhumation and identification by forensic experts.." [more]

Mobily Floats 20 Percent Equity in Saudi Arabia [Apr 4]
"Etihad Etisalat, the second mobile service provider in Saudi Arabia, announced the completion of listing 20 per cent equity of founders in the Saudi Capital Market. 'The process of selling 100 million shares by founding shareholders in line with the percentage of stake held by each in the company has met with a resounding success,' the company sources said. This was in line with the royal decree issued for the formation of the company to launch the second mobile phone company in Saudi Arabia, ending the monopoly of Saudi Telecom. The royal decree envisages floating of 20 per cent equity for subscription by the public in the third year after formation of the company.." [more]

China Refinery Set to Process Saudi Oil [Apr 4]
"PetroChina�s Dalian refinery, one of China�s largest by capacity, has added a major diesel unit as part of a wider expansion program, and expects to process its first Saudi crude oil in September, industry officials said. The firm completed last week a 120,000 barrels per day (bpd) hydrotreating facility for diesel and kerosene, one of six major secondary units to fully match its primary crude processing capacity of 400,000 bpd, they said... ..Once the hydrocracker is on line, Dalian will start processing Saudi crude under a one-year supply contract with Saudi Aramco for Arab light cargoes. The Saudi oil deal is part of a broader pact the world�s top oil producer reached with the second-largest oil consumer early this year, said a second official. He did not give a volume for the contract. China has agreed to boost crude imports from Saudi Arabia by nearly 40 percent this year, or about one-tenth of China�s total oil consumption.." [more]

Saudis Plan to Invest in Rice Production Overseas [Apr 4]
"Saudi businessmen plan to invest in rice production in foreign countries to secure a steady supply of the commodity to the Kingdom, the secretary general of the Asharqia Chamber in the Eastern Province said Wednesday. Adnan A. Al-Naeim, Secretary General of Asharqia Chamber, said the recent move by India to ban the export of rice to importing countries like Saudi Arabia 'clearly indicates that we are under the mercy and dictates of rice producing countries.' Rice producing countries like India, Egypt, the Philippines, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam have either banned or slashed their export quotas or increased their prices, thereby jacking up series of price hikes in importing countries. 'The Kingdom is not a rice producing country; we are always under the control of exporters who dictate the price. The best option we have is to become rice producers ourselves by investing in agriculture in countries that still have vast land for rice production'.." [more]

Capitalism Has Failed to Address Major Issues [Apr 4]
"A three-day international conference on Islamic economics ended yesterday urging Islamic banks to address problems such as poverty and unemployment in Muslim countries. The conference, hosted by King Abdulaziz University (KAU), adopted a number of important recommendations to promote Islamic economics in the world. Nearly 1,000 delegates from across the globe, including several pioneers in Islamic economics, attended the forum.. ..the KAU conference came at a time when capitalism had failed to address major international economic issues including poverty, inflation and unemployment. 'We should present Islamic economics to the world as the best solution to its problems in a convincing manner,' he said. The conference urged universities and research centers in Muslim countries to prioritize Islamic economics and encourage research in the field. It also called on Islamic banks and financial institutions to fund such research projects, especially on topics relating to boosting economic development and fighting poverty and unemployment.." [more]

Oil Scene: A Drab Debate Becomes Interesting [Apr 4]
"Being at the top is not easy. Somehow Saudi Arabia, the world�s largest crude producer, has been dragged into the debate about Canadian oilsand and if it is clean enough to be used or not. In an interesting tussle, a virtually unnoticed clause was added almost at the least moment to a US energy bill that bars the government, in particular the Department of Defense, from using Alberta crude because it is deemed unconventional and too dirty.. ..Strategic resource analyst Paul Michael Wihbey recalling the November OPEC summit, said it was then that for the first time Saudi Oil Minister Ali Al-Naimi �took a swipe at the oilsands.� He claimed the minister then said �Canada is one of the world�s costliest oil producers and requires high prices to remain viable.� Al-Naimi had suggested the Saudi product was a better value for investors, claiming, it costs $40 to $60 a barrel to produce the oilsands crude from the massive reserves.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Apr 3] ~~~~~~~~~

No Paper, No Peace � Abbas [Apr 3]
"Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas said Wednesday he would withhold any assessment of the peace process with Israel until the two sides start putting a draft accord on paper. 'I can�t speak of progress as long as we have not started to edit a draft. When we start drafting we will feel we have started to make progress,' he told reporters in Cairo after meeting Egypt�s President Hosni Mubarak. So far, Abbas said, the two sides aiming for a peace deal by the end of 2008 as targeted by Washington have only had 'exchanges of ideas, a dialogue ... in depth.'.." [more]

Saudi Arabia is Interested in Ending Lebanon Crises [Apr 3]
"Democratic Gathering MP Elie Aoun said 'contrary Hezbollah claims, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is at equal distance from all the parties in Lebanon' , pointing out that Saudi Arabia is interested in helping Lebanon to stand on its feet and end its current crisis.. ..Aoun ( pictured) said 'Saudi Arabia is seeking to solve the crises of Lebanon and this is what distinguishes it from other countries ', in reference to Syria's efforts to maintain the crises in Lebanon, by its support for the Hezbollah-led opposition only. He added : 'While Saudi Arabia is trying its best to have an election in Lebanon for the president of the republic , which it sees as the key to ending the crises, other parties including the Syrian regime and its allies in Lebanon are putting pressure on Saudi Arabia to achieve specific gains at the expense of the interests of Lebanon'.." [more]

Saudis, Turks May Develop Nuclear Weapons [Apr 3]
"According to a report submitted to the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Saudi Arabia most likely would develop nuclear weapons if Iran acquires them. The report has been prepared by a member of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee after interviewing hundreds of individuals in Washington and the Middle East. The report says Turkey will come under pressure to follow suit if Iraq builds nuclear weapons in the next decade. The report says that while Turkey and Iran do not see themselves as adversaries, Turkey believes the current power balance between them is the primary reason for a peaceful relationship.." [more]

Saudi Arabia Plans Islamic Forum Against Extremism [Apr 3]
"Saudi Arabia plans to hold a conference of senior Muslim clerics from around the world this year to promote moderation in Islam and fight extremism, a newspaper reported on its Web site on Thursday. It was not clear if the event is linked to a call by King Abdullah last week for dialogue of Muslims, Jews and Christians. Such a meeting will be a milestone for the kingdom where a hardline school of Sunni Islam holds sway and has influenced al Qaeda and its Saudi-born leader Osama bin Laden. Liberal reformers in Saudi Arabia are engaged in a battle with religious hardliners over the direction of the country, a key U.S. ally and the world's biggest oil exporter. Saudi daily Asharq al-Awsat said the plans to organise a conference of Islamic scholars would be pursued in April and May with an eye to holding the event later this year.." [more]

Labor Law Precludes Mingling Restrictions � Prince Khalid [Apr 3]
"Prince Khalid Al-Faisal, the Emir of Makkah, reiterated that the Ministry of Labor is the only authority responsible for the application of rules governing women�s employment in businesses. Prince Khalid�s directives came in a memo to all public agencies in the Makkah region, including the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice.. ..The letter refers to the new labor law, which cancels a previous bylaw that disallowed women mingling with men in the workplace. This bylaw has been superseded by a general bylaw within the new labor law that is applicable to both women and men. Prince Khalid�s circular came in response to a request for clarification sent to the Governorate by the executive director of Khadeja Bint Khuwailid Center at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, about women�s participation in national development and obstacles facing women.." [more]

Religious Police Held After Fatal Car Chase [Apr 3]
"Two members of Saudi Arabia�s religious police have been held for questioning over their suspected involvement in the deaths of two men and two women in a car chase near the holy city of Madinah, a newspaper reported yesterday. They were arrested by Madinah police, along with a member of the regular police who was said to be in their patrol when it was involved in the chase on Monday.. ..Arab News quoted witnesses as saying that members of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, or religious police, pursued the car in which the four victims were driving before it overturned 20km outside Madinah. 'Commission officials were chasing the car in which the four were travelling,' one unidentified witness said. Three passengers died at the scene and the fourth died later in hospital. The paper quoted the commission�s chief in Madinah, Fahd al-Khidr, as calling the allegations baseless and denying that his men were involved.." [more]

US CG Gives Scholarships to Jeddah Students [Apr 3]
"The US Consulate General in Jeddah on Monday awarded scholarships to 15 male students and 15 female students to pursue English language studies.. ..The ACCESS English scholarship program provides two years of free English language instruction to outstanding 14-18-year-olds through a local partnership with Direct English, an English language institute. Students from the Jeddah area were openly invited to apply, and were selected based on their school records and age. Nearly 200 Saudi boys and girls are currently enrolled in the scholarship program in seven cities across the Kingdom.." [more]

Kingdom-India Strategic Relationship Need of Hour [Apr 3]
"Saudi Arabia and India should forge a strategic relationship and enhance their roles in the developing world, speakers at a meeting here said. Speaking at a conference on Saudi-Indian relationship, Saudi Ambassador to India Saleh M. Al-Ghamdi said, 'The security interests of Riyadh and New Delhi will be best served by a strong strategic cooperation that needs to be supplemented by an equally strong commercial and cultural relation.'.. ..Several proposals were presented at the meeting to promote Saudi-India strategic relationship. Those included setting up of an exclusive Indo-Arab University, motivating more Saudi students to go to India for higher studies, activating the existing Saudi-Indian Business Council, establishing a business conclave and holding closer interactions in cultural fields .." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Apr 2] ~~~~~~~~~

CNN Hails King Abdullah�s Inter-Faith Dialogue Initiative [Apr 2]
"..In a report in its main bulletin, CNN highlighted the King�s call for dialogue among the three monotheistic religions for the protection of humanity from frivolousness and his role in supporting the peace process in the Mideast. Octavia Nasser, CNN�s correspondent, said King Abdullah has made history by his initiative, which was welcomed by religious quarters. David Rosen, head of the Religions Dialogue Committee said, 'Let us agree to shake hands with the hand that has been extended to Christians and Jews.' Meanwhile, political analyst Dr. Maurice Jones said if it were possible for a leader to accomplish an achievement as regards peace, then King Abdullah is the most capable leader for doing that. 'The US is hopeful that King Abdullah is capable of doing a lot for realizing peace in the entire region,' Dr. Jones said.." [more]

Hezbollah Criticizes Saudi Arabia [Apr 2]
"The Hezbollah militant group criticized Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, accusing it of siding with Lebanon's Western-backed government in its power struggle with the Syrian-allied opposition. The comments came only days after Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal slammed Syria and its Lebanese allies for obstructing an Arab League initiative to help Lebanon elect a new president. Hezbollah rejected Prince Saud's criticism and instead accused Lebanon's anti-Syrian majority of obstructing parliamentary elections for a new president. Lebanon has been without a president since pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud ended his term last November without a successor. 'This (Saudi) accusation against the opposition harms the kingdom's role and raises big question marks about its position and role in the Lebanese political crisis,'.." [more]

Abbas Sees No Progress in Mideast Peace Process [Apr 2]
"No tangible progress has been made during ongoing Palestinian-Israeli peace negotiations, the Palestinian Authority president said in Cairo on Wednesday.. ..Abbas met with Saudi King Abdullah in Riyadh on Tuesday, where he called for a more proactive role on the part of the United States in putting more pressure on Israel to come to an agreement with the Palestinians. A Mideast peace conference was held in the U.S. in Annapolis, Maryland last year. Palestinian-Israeli violence has continued unabated since the conference however, and more than 300 people have been killed in clashes since the November talks. The Palestinian leader also met with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Jordan on March 30-31, after which he announced that he would resume talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.." [more]

Saudi Arabia: Grand Mufti Denies Inviting Israeli Clerics to Religious Conference [Apr 2]
"The Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Abdulaziz Bin Abdullah al Sheikh has denied media reports that he has invited a group of Israeli clerics to take part in a religious conference to be held in Riyadh and described the reports as 'baseless.' Sheikh Abdulaziz Bin Abdullah al Sheikh who heads the Council of Senior Ulema and the Permanent Committee for Scientific Research and Issuing of Fatwas said that he wished that people would ascertain the truth before issuing reports.." [more]

Saudi Arabia is Prime Source of Terror Funds, U.S. Says [Apr 2]
"Saudi Arabia remains the world's leading source of money for Al Qaeda and other extremist networks and has failed to take key steps requested by U.S. officials to stem the flow, the Bush administration's top financial counter-terrorism official said Tuesday. Stuart A. Levey, a Treasury undersecretary, told a Senate committee that the Saudi government had not taken important steps to go after those who finance terrorist organizations or to prevent wealthy donors from bankrolling extremism through 
charitable contributions, sometimes unwittingly. 'Saudi Arabia today remains the location where more money is going to terrorism, to Sunni terror groups and to the Taliban than any other place in the world,'.." [more]

Saudi Arabia to Spare No Effort in Supporting Beijing Olympics [Apr 2]
"Saudi Arabia will spare no efforts in supporting Beijing's hosting of the forthcoming Olympic Games and wishes the event great success, King of Saudi Arabia Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz said Tuesday. He made the pledge and expressed the wishes during a meeting with visiting Chinese envoy to the Middle East Sun Bigan, saying Saudi Arabia credits China as a most precious friend. Saudi Arabia is willing to coordinate its efforts with China and boost cooperation between the two countries for the promotion of bilateral ties, said the king. Sun, for his part, thanked the king for his attaching such importance to Chinese-Saudi ties, saying China is willing to make joint efforts with Saudi Arabia to raise strategic and friendly cooperation to a new high. The Chinese envoy also expressed his appreciation for Saudi Arabia's long-support for China in such issues as Taiwan and Tibet.." [more]

Saudi Ruling Assailed [Apr 2]
"More than 100 Arab rights groups and intellectuals on Tuesday condemned a religious edict calling for the death of two writers for apostasy. Sheik Abdul-Rahman al-Barrak, one of Saudi Arabia�s most revered clerics, had ruled that two newspaper columnists should be executed if they did not publicly renounce their �heretical articles� questioning the view that Christians and Jews should be considered unbelievers.." [more]

Western and Arab Media Must Bridge Gap [Apr 2]
"There is a need to open more channels of dialogue between the Western and Arab worlds, to bridge the gap created by the September 11 attacks in the US, concluded a group of media experts from both sides during a seminar held this week. The participants in the symposium, which concluded on Monday evening and was entitled "The Role of Media in Arab-Western Dialogue", argued that the attacks influenced the performance of mass media in a way that has triggered further tensions between Arabs and the West.. ..'Since September 11, the US has been utilising mass media to convince the public that terrorist acts are a form of war," said French media and international relations expert Virginie Sandrock. She stressed the importance of unbiased sources of information to fight preconceived thoughts and images of the Arab world.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Apr 1] ~~~~~~~~~

Saudi Court Meets in Secret to Ponder Fate of Canadian [Apr 1]
"A Saudi court has threatened the lawyer of a Canadian man who is facing a public beheading after the advocate submitted a bid to appeal the death sentence. Mohamed Kohail's lawyer was ejected from the court in Jidda on Monday after tabling a 27-page document before the same judges who rendered the execution order on March 3. 'The judge kicked the advocate out, they obtained a copy of his permit and they're threatening him, to revoke his licence,' said Mahmoud Al-Ken, a friend of the Kohail family. 'The court was not public. It lacks transparency.'.. ..The Canadian government has said it will seek clemency for Mohamed Kohail after a directive from Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day met with Saudi officials during a visit to Saudi Arabia last week. He asked that the death sentence be overturned and the case reviewed. Al-Ken says the case is in a critical phase and the federal government 'has to do more.'.." [more]

Poll Reveals Saudi Arabia at Greater Risk From Religious Extremism [Apr 1]
"Nearly a third of all Arabs believe that Saudi Arabia is at greater risk from religious extremism than any other country in the world, according to a YouGov poll commissioned by the Doha Debates. The survey adds weight to an unusually blunt message from the mainly Muslim participants at the last Doha Debate, filmed on February 3rd, 2008, who criticised their communities around the world for failing to combat extremism. A motion to that effect was carried by more than 70 per cent of the audience. During the Debate, Ed Husain, a former Islamic fundamentalist from Britain, accused Saudi Arabia of acting like �a machine� by pumping millions of dollars into the support of Islamic extremism and criticised its 'destruction of our heritage in the holy cities of Mecca and Medina'.. ..More than half the respondents believe that poor religious leadership is to blame for today's extremism.." [more]

Saudi Arabia Slashes Import Duty as Inflation Soars [Apr 1]
"Saudi Arabia is cutting import tariffs on food and many other items from Tuesday, the Saudi Press Agency reported, after inflation almost doubled in the six months to February. The agency said the cabinet decided on Monday to cut duties on food products such as frozen poultry, dairy goods and vegetable oils to 5 per cent from about 20 per cent. Levies on building materials such as paints, gypsum, electrical cables and plastic pipes will also be cut to 5 per cent, while duties on wheat products will be eliminated entirely from 25 per cent.. ..Saudi Arabia, which pegs its riyal currency to the weak US dollar, has been struggling to contain inflation, which surged to an at least 27-year high of 8.7 per cent in February. The kingdom, which has reiterated commitment to its dollar peg even as the US currency tumbled to record lows against the euro last month.." [more]

Rights Group Seeks to Unblock Access to Websites [Apr 1]
"Saudi Arabia's National Human Rights Society, a private organisation, is striving hard to unblock restricted access to websites belonging to Arab and international human rights organisations. Dr Saleh Al Hothalan, chairman of the monitoring and follow-up committee at the society and professor of politics at King Saud University in Riyadh, said that the society had noticed that websites of Human Rights Watch, Reporters Without Borders and the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information inside Saudi Arabia had been blocked. Speaking to reporters earlier this week, Dr Al Hothalan said that blocking these sites is tantamount to depriving Saudi Arabia of its rights as a member of the UN Human Rights Council.." [more]

Four Killed After Vice and Virtue Squad Car Chase in Saudi Arabia [Apr 1]
"In the second horrific incident to take place in northern Saudi Arabia in two weeks, allegedly caused by a 'religious police' chase, four people, including two women, were killed on Monday.. ..The Commission�s agents fled the scene, they added. One witness said after the car crashed he waved at the Commission�s agents to stop but they ignored him, prompting him to report the incident and the SUV�s licence plate number to the police. Another witness confirmed that he saw the commission�s SUV at the scene of the crash as it happened.." [more]

JCCI to Hold Kingdom�s 1st Environment Forum [Apr 1]
"Prince Turki Bin Nasser Al-Saud, the General Manager of the Saudi Meteorology and Environmental Protection Authority (MEPA), is scheduled to open the first session of Jeddah environmental forum on Monday, April 21, at the Jeddah Chamber for Commerce and Industry (JCCI). 'Warning people of the dangers of environmental pollution is the main aim of the forum,' said Prince Turki, 'especially when we need to exchange both local and international knowledge.' 'The forum seeks to benefit from the experiences of other countries in fighting environmental pollution'.. ..Prince Turki said special programs are going to be used in the Kingdom�s first environmental forum. 'Three important angles are going to be discussed in the forum, and those are environmental rules and legislations, environmental management, and motivating businesspeople to invest in environmental fields.'.." [more]

Demand for Petrochemicals in Asia to Rise [Apr 1]
"The demand for petrochemicals in Asia is expected to exceed the combined demand of the United States and Europe within two years, says Mohamed Al-Mady, the CEO of Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (SABIC). 'Petrochemical producers in the Middle East, where cheap access to energy encouraged large investment in the industry, will benefit from the expected demand surge,' he said. 'Growth in global demand was a catalyst for growth in these industries, especially in China and Pacific Asia ... where demand is the expected to exceed within two years its level in the United States and Europe put together. Output from the Middle East will account for 17 percent of global output by the end of 2010 against 10 percent at the beginning of 2000, said Al-Mady, whose firm is the world's largest petrochemical company. 'Growth in global demand was as fast as growth in production capacities,' he said.." [more]

Editorial: Road Map to Nowhere [Apr 1]
"The Middle East Road Map is still leading nowhere. Four months after Annapolis, Palestinian and Israeli negotiators have yet to find any way forward. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has just completed her second visit in less than a month, urging both sides on. The only tangible achievement of her latest visit is an agreement by the Israelis to dismantle 50 roadblocks in the occupied West Bank. But viewed more closely, this amounts to little. There remain some five hundred others, including the 
main checkpoints, whose cumbersome processing of Palestinians on occasions produces long queues lasting hours. But far worse than this, Rice's visit coincided with the confirmation by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that his government has given the go ahead for almost a thousand new settlement homes in East Jerusalem. Three thousand further illegal homes are in the pipeline.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Mar 31] ~~~~~~~~~

Arabs' Dollar Doldrums Fail to Shake Central Bankers [Mar 31]
"Central bankers in the Middle East are proving the U.S. dollar's decline to record lows is a small price to pay for the loyalty -- and oil money -- of their biggest Western ally. The governor of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority, Hamad Saud al-Sayari, called the dollar a 'good buy' when it fell to $1.55 a euro on March 12. The United Arab Emirates, conceding to U.S. pressure, will keep the dirham tied to the currency, a U.A.E. central bank official speaking on condition of anonymity said March 17.. ..The survival of the pegs shows how hard it is for major economies to break from the dollar, regardless of its 13 percent decline on a trade-weighted basis in the past 12 months. Saudi Arabia keeps the riyal fixed at 3.75 to the dollar by purchasing or selling the greenback with the local currency.." [more]

Extremism Is Tool of Destruction: Salman [Mar 31]
"Umm Al-Qura University in Makkah has awarded an honorary doctorate degree in arts to Riyadh Governor Prince Salman, who is also the chairman of the King Abdul Aziz Museum, in appreciation for his contributions to knowledge and support for scholars.. ..Prince Salman described religious extremists as �the main enemies of the Saudi state,� saying that they have become tools of destruction and terrorism. He also said the Islamic faith has always urged its followers to be moderate.." [more]

Saudi and UAE Taps Opened to Offset Price Surge [Mar 31]
"Saudi Arabia boosted its oil production early this year to one of its highest levels in many years while the UAE pumped near capacity after prices smashed through the $100 barrier and triggered fears of slackening demand.. ..Riyadh�s decision to raise output came after oil prices began climbing fast in December before surging above $100 in January. They slumped below that level in the following weeks but have again shot above $100. Strong demand has allied with Opec�s reluctance to increase crude supplies and other factors to push oil prices up by nearly 30 percent since September.." [more]

Women to Work in Saudi Courts: Justice Minister [Mar 31]
"Saudi women are to be employed in soon-to-be-established reception centers at courts, Minister of Justice Abdullah Al-Asheikh announced here yesterday. These women-only reception centers will provide legal assistance before cases are brought before judges. 'We have come up with a mechanism in which women can reach judges without having to mingle with men,' said Al-Asheikh. 'These reception centers will deal with women visitors and convey their requests to judges.' Speaking to reporters on a host of issues after a meeting with members of the Human Rights Commission (HRC), Al-Asheikh said that law graduates in the Kingdom would be accepted by the Ministry of Justice to work as legal experts along with Shariah judges.." [more]

Saudi Delegates Arrive on April 7 [Mar 31]
"A high-level Saudi delegation is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka on April 7 to discuss labour issues between the two countries and other bilateral concerns, an adviser said Sunday. 'Issues relating to Bangladeshi nationals working in Saudi Arabia will be a major item on the agenda,' foreign affairs adviser Iftekahr Ahmed Chowdhury told reporters in his office.. ..The Saudi government had imposed a ban on Bangladeshis working in the agricultural sector or being employed in private houses. The kingdom, however, has made it clear that it is keen to recruit skilled professionals such as doctors, engineers or technical experts. There are currently over 17.5 lakh Bangladeshis working in Saudi Arabia.." [more]

Encyclopaedia is Biggest Research Project on Haj [Mar 31]
"The Riyadh Governor has launched a scientific and research project to compile an encyclopaedia on Haj and the two holy mosques. Prince Salman Bin Abdul Aziz said on Saturday the encyclopaedia would document the history of Haj and detail the location and the situation of main cities and pilgrim routes.. ..The encyclopaedia, to be illustrated with photographs, paintings and maps, will also include input from historians and researchers, historical documents from Saudi Arabia and abroad, discourse on terminology, and the experiences of pilgrims.." [more]

KEC Set to Begin Construction in Madinah [Mar 31]
"The Knowledge Economic City (KEC) has begun preparatory works for construction of buildings at its site in Madinah. The decision comes following the endorsement of the construction project by Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA). A number of national contracting companies are taking part in the first phase of the project, which will see construction of 100 villas and 300 apartments. Total area allocated for the whole project, including the first phase, is about 4.8 million square meters. The project offers distinct investment opportunities to businesses in Madinah.. ..The location of KEC in Madinah has enhanced its position, ensuring that it will come up to the expectations of investors and attract visitors and pilgrims from all over the world.." [more]

Editorial: Summit of Frustration [Mar 31]
"Substantial progress at Arab summits is rare. Habitual divisions have marked previous gatherings and have been usually papered over by a convenient consensus on generalities. But when half the leaders of the Damascus summit do not show up, the chances of reaching any sort of breakthrough considerably lessens, and the odds are further shortened when one of the principal parties of the very dispute which has kept so many leaders away, in this case Lebanon, boycotts altogether. The nonparticipation of so many Arab leaders in Damascus is the culmination of a growing sense of frustration with Syria�s leadership, mostly over its role in Lebanon, its declared support for Hamas in its battle for Palestinian minds and hearts with Fatah, and not to mention its all but declared alliance with Iran.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Mar 30] ~~~~~~~~~

Saudi Wants Positive Step From Syria on Lebanon [Mar 30]
"Saudi Arabia yesterday called on Syria to make a 'positive move' towards resolving the political crisis in Lebanon as delegations gathered at an Arab summit in Damascus. A positive Syrian step would 'complement the intense efforts exerted by Saudi Arabia and a number of Arab countries' to break the deadlock in Lebanon, Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal told reporters in the Saudi capital. 'We hope ... the (Arab) summit will come up with a solution to the Lebanese crisis in keeping with the Arab League�s initiative ... especially since the summit is being held in Damascus, from whom we continue to await a positive move on the Lebanese scene to implement the initiative,'.." [more]

Interfaith Dialogue Best Way to Defend Islam [Mar 30]
"A senior Saudi cleric said that inter-faith dialogue was among the best ways to defend Islam. Shaikh Abdul Rahman Al Sudeiss, chief imam of the Grand Mosque in Makkah voiced support for a proposal made earlier in the week by Saudi King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz for inter-faith talks between Muslims, Christian and Jews. The initiative 'is one of the best ways to defend the Prophet'.." [more]

Saudi Mortgage Law Awaits Confirmation [Mar 30]
"Saudi banks and developers expect that a regulatory framework governing the provision of housing finance, in particular mortgages, will be agreed soon. Draft proposals are being considered by Saudi Arabia's Consultative Council (Majlis Al-Shura). The move is likely to lead to a multi-billion dollar industry. A mortgage market would vastly extend home ownership for both low and middle income Saudis. There is a pressing need. Housing is a big issue in the Kingdom and the market is set for substantial with demand fuelled by a rising population and migration from rural to urban areas, far outstripping supply.." [more]

Land Dispute Will Not Delay Kuwait Refinery [Mar 30]
"Kuwait does not expect a land dispute with Saudi Arabia to delay the construction of its $14 billion Al-Zour oil refinery with contracts to be awarded in April, newspapers on Sunday quoted an oil official as saying. State refiner Kuwait National Petroleum Co (KNPC) launched a tender in June for the 615,000 barrels per day refinery, which would be one of the largest refineries in the world. KNPC wants to build the refinery in the neutral zone between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. But Saudi Arabian Chevron has a lease on some of the land on Kuwait's side, which KNPC has earmarked for the new refinery. Negotiations between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have taken place at a government level for months, but no solution has been announced so far.." [more]

Opec's March Supplies Rise by 100,000 bpd [Mar 30]
"Crude oil supply from the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) has probably increased by 100,000 barrels a day, or 0.3 per cent, in March, according to preliminary estimates from PetroLogistics Ltd. The 13 members of Opec have supplied 32.9 million barrels a day this month, up from 32.8 million a day in February, data from the Geneva-based tanker-tracking service showed.. ..Opec, the producer of more than 40 per cent of the world's oil, has no plans to increase output even if ministers meet informally next month, group President Chakib Khalil said, according to Algeria's state-run news service APS.." [more]

Demand for Consumer Products in Kingdom Surges [Mar 30]
"The demand for consumer products in Saudi Arabia will increase dramatically, Robert A. McDonald, chief operating officer of Procter & Gamble�s, said. 'Saudi Arabia has accelerated dramatically,' McDonald said. 'We see a lot of growth in the Middle East,' he said. Increasing buying power for consumers in emerging markets has helped US companies with big overseas presence even as American household budgets are tightening amid a credit crunch and housing slump.. ..McDonald said having worldwide business helps provide overall growth and 'a natural hedge' against currency fluctuations.." [more]

HR Society Seeks to Unblock Websites [Mar 30]
"The National Society for Human Rights is seeking to unblock some internet sites of some Arab and international human rights organizations, the Arabic daily Al-Watan reported on Saturday. Dr. Saleh Al-Khathlan, head of the Observation and Followup Committee at the society and a professor of politics at the King Saud University, said the society had taken note of the bans applied to some websites like those of Human Rights Watch, Reporters Sans Frontiers and the Arabian Network for Human Rights Information. Al-Watan quoted Khathlan as saying that the blockage goes against the Kingdom�s commitments as a member of the UN�s Human Rights Council.." [more]

Officers Trained to Guard Key Installations [Mar 30]
"The first group of 1,554 officers, who were attending special training courses to guard vital oil and industrial installations, graduated yesterday. Saudi Arabia has already announced its plan to deploy 35,000 well-trained officers to protect vital installations across the country, including oil refineries.. ..Al-Majed said nearly 35,000 security officers would be appointed to protect the country�s vital installations across the country, adding that courses for training these officers started a year ago.. ..The training of officers comes following terrorist attacks on some oil installations, including a refinery, in the eastern town of Abqaiq.." [more]

Mar 23 - Mar 29, 2008

~~~~~~~~ [ Mar 29] ~~~~~~~~~

Saudi Arabia Slams Syria Over Lebanon Crisis [Mar 29]
"Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister slammed Syria for obstructing Lebanese peace efforts and called on the Arab League Saturday to punish member states that don't honor the group's consensus decisions. In a press conference broadcast live on some Arab TVs during the Arab League summit's opening session in Damascus, Prince Faisal said from Riyadh that 'the kingdom has never boycotted a summit before.' He blamed his boycott on Syria, and implicitly blasted the country for worsening most of the crisis in the Middle East, especially in Lebanon. 'Syria is a country that is crucial to joint Arab efforts,' Faisal said. He blamed Damascus for not abiding by an Arab consensus over how to solve the lingering presidential crisis in Lebanon.." [more]

Lifting Ban on Women Driving Will Bring Economic Windfall: Experts [Mar 29]
"As women�s rights groups continue to steam ahead in full speed petitioning for the reversal of the ban on women�s driving in the Kingdom, experts on the issue conclude that the move, if successful, would not only lift the ban itself but the Saudi economy as well. 'Overall, lifting of the women driving ban in Saudi Arabia is expected to have a major effect on the local economy in three different ways,' said Dr. John Sfakianakis, chief economist at the Saudi British Bank (SABB) in Riyadh. 'First, by putting a large portion of house drivers out of work and increasing the purchasing power of Saudi families; secondly by causing a shift in the ownership of vehicles; and thirdly by a trickle down of additional vehicles being sold to women translating into greater opportunities of opening up new markets.'.." [more]

Seven Firms Vie for $1bn Saudi Quay Contracts [Mar 29]
"Seven international and Saudi companies are expected to submit bids for two contracts worth more than $1 billion to start construction on a petrochemicals quay in Jubail, Saudi Arabia, London-based MEED reported, without citing a source. The quay at King Fahd Industrial Port is being developed to help cope with the massive amounts of petrochemical products due to come on stream nearby over the next three years, the magazine said.The companies bidding for the quay's first-phase construction work, with an April 20 deadline, include China Harbour Engineering Co, Belgium's Jan de Nul and the Netherland's Van Oord and Royal Boskalis Westminster.." [more]

Gulf Not Ready for Currency Reform [Mar 29]
"A sinking dollar, soaring inflation and US interest rate cuts may appear to make a convincing case for Gulf currency reform, but the oil producers are not quite ready to tinker with their dollar pegs. Concerns over the future of their dollar assets, fears about what a move would mean for their alliance with Washington and questions over how effective any new currency regime would be in controlling inflation are causing central banks to tread softly. With Gulf states preferring to act together on currency policy as they prepare for monetary union, investors betting on revaluations could have to wait a year or more before they are vindicated.." [more]

Saudi Investors Adopt Wait-and-See Approach [Mar 29]
"Saudi shares appeared in a consolidation phase last week though the trading volume was the lowest since June 2006. �This reflects the wait-and-see approach of investors who are eying the first quarter results,� said the weekly report of the Riyadh-based Bakheet Investment Group (BIG). The Tadawul All-Share Index (TASI) was down 0.7 percent, closing week at 9,418.32 points from 9,488.85 points previous week. TASI is currently 15.7 percent lower from the year�s start. The stock market turnover, however, increased to SR38 billion last week compared to SR29.64 billion in the previous week.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Mar 28] ~~~~~~~~~

Arab Summit Conspicuous for its Absentees [Mar 28]
"According to the Baath Party, rulers of Syria for 43 years, Damascus is the "beating heart" of pan-Arabism, the center of Arab 'unity and dialogue' and the place to 'close ranks' and 'confront foreign plots' aimed at dividing the region. But when the Syrian capital hosts its first meeting of the Arab League this weekend, the 22-nation organization's annual event will be marked by snubs by leaders of regional heavyweights Saudi Arabia and Egypt. 'We hope that the ice will melt between Syria and Saudi Arabia,' the Saudi ambassador to the Arab League, Ahmad al-Qattan, told reporters in Damascus after announcing that Saudi King Abdullah would not attend the summit.. ..Some analysts say many Arab states are increasingly concerned over Syria's deepening military and political ties to Iran, whose Shiite Muslim rulers are seen as trying to dominate the Sunni-majority Middle East.." [more]

Palestinians, Israelis React Differently to Saudi Plan [Mar 28]
"While most Palestinians support a peace agreement proposed by Saudi Arabia, the majority of Israelis reject it, according to a poll by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research and the Harry S. Truman Research Institute for the Advancement of Peace at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. 66 per cent of respondents in the West Bank and Gaza Strip would back the comprehensive plan, while 57 per cent of Israelis would oppose it. Saudi Arabia has proposed the Arab Peace Initiative (API) to reconcile Israel and the Palestinians. The plan states that Israel will retreat from all territories occupied in 1967 including the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, Jerusalem and the Golan Heights, and a Palestinian state would be established.." [more]

Donohue to Meet with His Highness King Abdullah of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia [Mar 28]
"U.S. Chamber of Commerce CEO Tom Donohue will travel to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at the end of the week to meet with His Highness King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz as well as other key government and business leaders in the region.. ..While in the Kingdom, Tom Donohue will encourage Saudi business leaders and economic decision makers to more clearly articulate to U.S. investors the real opportunities for increasing engagement in the region's largest economy. Much of his attention will focus on the non-oil sectors, as Saudi Arabia has seen non-oil growth at almost 6% for three consecutive years. Beyond that, he will stress the need for the U.S. government to enact a simple and rational U.S. visa policy for Saudi business travelers to the U.S. Donohue will also highlight the Chamber's current fight against the protectionists in the U.S. Congress who seek to discredit and 
undermine trade deals, erect roadblocks to foreign investment and global sourcing, and want to turn the clock back on progress.." [more]

Arab Foreign Ministers Agree to Relaunch Peace Initiative [Mar 28]
"Arab foreign ministers meeting in Damascus on Thursday agreed to relaunch the Arab peace initiative without any amendments. Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Mua'alem had earlier in the day hinted that the initiative could be reconsidered. 'We agreed on maintaining the Arab peace initiative and there is no intention on the ministers' part to change it,' Mohammad Sobeih, Arab League assistant secretary general for Palestinian affairs, was quoted as saying by Reuters. 'The initiative will be relaunched to the international community in order to stress Arab concern for finding a solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict,'.." [more]

Turkish Parliament Speaker to Visit Saudi Arabia [Mar 28]
"Turkish Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan will travel to Saudi Arabia on Saturday at an invitation from Saudi Shura Council Chairman Saleh Bin Abdullah bin Hamid. Toptan's schedule will take start by attending General Assembly session of the Saudi Arabian Shura Council on March 30th. Toptan will later meet Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz al-Saud and attend dinner to be hosted in his honor.." [more]

Kingdom to Build Solar Energy Plant [Mar 28]
"Swicorp Joussour Company, a Saudi joint stock company capitalized at SR2.67 billion ($712 million) launched by Swicorp, announced that it has partnered with Chemical Development Company (CDC) of Saudi Arabia, and NorSun of Norway to invest in the construction of a polysilicon plant in the industrial city of Jubail.. ..In the Middle East, alternative energy is a new area of interest, which has gained recent attention due to the pressing need for economies to look toward diversified energy sources for future generations.." [more]

US Urged to Review Saudi Student�s Case [Mar 28]
"Shoura Council Chairman Dr. Saleh Bin-Humaid has urged US authorities to review the case of Homaidan Al-Turki, a 37-year-old Saudi student who was found guilty in a Colorado state court of 12 counts of sexually assaulting his Indonesian maid. 'The Saudi people sympathize with Homaidan Al-Turki and they closely follow up his case,' the Shoura chief said and hoped for a speedy end to the issue. He also emphasized the Kingdom�s respect for American justice. Al-Turki, a former Ph.D. student at the University of Colorado, maintains that he did not sexually assault the woman, whose identity has not been disclosed due to the nature of the alleged crime, and has accused US officials of persecuting him for 'traditional Muslim behavior'.." [more]

Can We Get to the Polls on Time? [Mar 28]
"It is �that time of the year� again. Nearly four years ago, my country Saudi Arabia ventured into its first political campaign to elect members for its 178 municipal councils (MC) Kingdomwide. Four years ago we got away with operational and scheduling delays because of our inexperience in the democratic processes of campaigns and elections; today, local and international eyes are turning toward us to see if we will fall into the same pitfalls. The question I ask myself time and again is: Are we?.. ..the fact remains that Saudi Arabia is committed to its agenda of political reform. The mere creation of 178 MCs in 2005 � and by popular vote � is a living proof of that commitment. The challenge for us now is to make this commitment sustainable and worthwhile.."  [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Mar 27] ~~~~~~~~~

Syria Calls on Saudi Arabia to Help on Lebanon [Mar 27]
"Syria called on Saudi Arabia on Thursday to exercise its influence on Lebanon's pro-Western governing coalition to solve the country's political crisis, which has left it without a president since November. Beirut's government, which is backed by countries including the United States and Saudi Arabia, has been locked in a power struggle since November 2006 with an opposition alliance backed by Syria and led by Hezbollah -- a group also sponsored by Iran. Simmering tension between Saudi Arabia and Syria over Lebanon has boiled over in the run-up to an Arab summit that opens in Damascus on Saturday. Saudi King Abdullah, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Lebanon refuse to attend in protest against what they consider Syrian meddling in its neighbour.." [more]

Church Body Backs Talks With Muslims [Mar 27]
"A day after King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, called for a Muslim consensus on a dialogue with Christianity and Judaism to end inter-faith tension, the World Council of Churches urged its members to open a dialogue with Muslim scholars. The Geneva-based WCC said it wanted to organize discussions on theology and ethics with signatories of A Common Word, a call for Christian-Muslim dialogue issued by 138 Islamic scholars last October and welcomed by many Christian churches. 'We are encouraging our churches to consider this invitation offered by the Muslim leaders as a new opportunity for inter-religious dialogue,'.." [more]

Activist Proposes National Conference on Human Rights [Mar 27]
" A local human rights activist has called on Saudi officials to hold the Kingdom�s first conference for human rights activists to network and share their experiences. Ibrahim Al-Miqitib, an independent Saudi human rights activist who is now with the government-run Human Rights Commission (HRC), said that the conference would serve as a platform for activists from across the Kingdom to come together.. ..Since non-governmental organizations (NGOs) � not including charities � are not permitted to operate in the Kingdom, activists do not have a proper venue to challenge human rights issues. Nevertheless, last December the Shoura Council approved a first draft bill permitting the establishment of NGOs. The bill was then submitted to the Cabinet for final approval.."[more]

Russia Set to Hold WTO Talks With Kingdom [Mar 27]
"Russia�s finance minister said on Tuesday he was planning to hold a series of 'constructive talks' with the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia on Russia�s accession to the WTO in early April. Russia has been seeking membership of the WTO since 1993. So far, it has completed bilateral talks with over 60 states but still needs to finalize discussions with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Georgia - the WTO members that still have trade disagreements with the country.. ..He also said that during his upcoming visit to the United States (to attend the spring session of the International Monetary Bank and the World Bank), he was due to meet with US Trade Representative Susan Schwab and US Department of Commerce officials to discuss Russia�s admission to the WTO.." [more]

Saudi Arabia to Back Sri Lanka Health Sector Development [Mar 27]
"Sri Lanka Health Ministry said the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has agreed to provide 86 million Saudi riyal (Approximately 2.8 billion rupees) to build a Epilepsy Hospital and a Neuro-Trauma centre at the Colombo National Hospital. The funds are to be provided by the Saudi Funds for Development as a soft loan of 75 million riyal to build the Epilepsy Hospital and as a supplementary loan of 11 million riyal to build the Neuro- Trauma centre.." [more]

Domestic Tourism in Saudi Arabia Expected to Reach SR101.3bn in 2020 [Mar 27]
"Domestic tourism in Saudi Arabia is expected to record phenomenal growth rates. According to a recent report by the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA), total income from domestic tourism is forecasted to reach SR73.3bn in 2010 and SR101.3bn in 2020.. ..Dr. Ahmed Al-Khalifa, SAMA secretary-general said that tourism accounted for 3% to the country's GDP in 2006.. ..Dr. Al-Khalifa stated that more than 342.000 employees are working in tourism sector in the Kingdom in areas related to hotels, resorts, furnished apartments, cafes, travel agencies, transportation and entertainment.." [more]

Analysts Attempt to Unravel Mystery of Rising Oil Prices [Mar 27]
"The rise in oil prices is a puzzling issue for observers, which is evident in their largely varying and sometimes contradicting analyses. The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) does not see any reason for oil prices to exceed $110 per barrel, while the US is pressurising oil-producing countries to increase production at a time when there is a balance between supply and demand in global markets. There are many mysteries facing oil observers and experts. The latest of these analyses came from the World Monetary Fund and attributed the rise in oil prices to hectic speculations in global markets.." [more]

Banking, Industrial Stocks Drag TASI Down [Mar 27]
"The Saudi stock market fell yesterday after making its biggest one-day gain since March 4 on Tuesday. There was no major impact from a minor technical glitch in the Tadawul settlement system. The Tadawul All-Share Index (TASI) closed 88.59 points lower at 9,418.32. The Tadawul announced that a temporary technical problem in the Tadawul settlement system caused it to be unable to properly receive orders and execute deals for eight minutes from 12:01 noon yesterday. The cause of the problem was identified and has been rectified, and trading resumed normally at 12:09 noon. There was no impact on any executed deals.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Mar 26] ~~~~~~~~~

Religious Leaders Welcome Saudi Proposal [Mar 26]
"Several Jewish, Christian and Muslim leaders reacted warmly to a proposal for dialogue among the religions by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, welcoming the overture from the leader of the strict Muslim country as a major development in interfaith relations. Specifics of the initiative, including whether Israelis could take part, remained unclear � leading some to caution against too much optimism. Abdullah's proposal comes at a time of stalled peace negotiations and heightened Middle East tension. It also comes amid Muslim anger over cartoons published in Europe seen as insulting the Prophet Muhammad and in the wake of the pope's controversial baptism of a prominent Muslim convert.." [more]

Positive Outlook for Saudi and GCC Equities [Mar 26]
"Speaking at the Second Annual Forecast dinner hosted by the Bahrain CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) Society, Mohamed Seif-Elnasr, Managing Director of Asset Management at NCB Capital (the investment arm of the National Commercial Bank - the biggest bank in Saudi Arabia), expressed a positive outlook on GCC and Saudi equities for 2008.. ..Favourable demographics, a large domestic market, companies moving up the value chain, the deregulation of industries, focus on education and improved utilization of state wealth were pointed out as factors that are helping the region to capitalize on the economic prosperity and driving growth forward.." [more]

Clemency Sought in Saudi for Canadian [Mar 26]
"Canadian Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day appealed to Saudi officials in Riyadh Wednesday for clemency for a Canadian sentenced to death. Officials in Day's office told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp., the minister's Middle East tour included a meeting to seek clemency for Mohammed Kohail, who this month was sentenced to public beheading for his role in a school brawl last year in which a Saudi youth was killed. Spokeswoman Melisa Leclerc said Day would express Canada's displeasure with the sentence for the 23-year-old Montreal native.. ..The sentence issued under Islamic Shariah law carries a 30-day window for appeal but Mahmoud Al-Ken, a friend of the Kohail family told CBC News that option didn't offer much hope.." [more]

Saudi Arabia to Develop Ports [Mar 26]
"The President of Saudi Arabia's General Ports Authority said that the entity will develop the kingdoms seaports with new investments to bring them on par with their international counterparts, Arab News reported. He added that the Kingdom is eyeing an investment of $8 billion on modernizing and equipping all of its ports. Saudi Arabia has eight seaports, six of which are commercial and two industrial. The location of the ports on the Red Sea and the Gulf makes the Kingdom a central commercial hub for the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia.." [more]

Saudi Arabia, Sudan Agree to Exploit Red Sea Treasure [Mar 26]
"Sudan and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement to reactivate a deal signed in 1974 on the joint exploitation of valuable mineral riches in the Red Sea. Under the protocol which was signed in Khartoum on Tuesday by Sudanese Minister of Energy and Mining Al-Zubair Ahmed Hassan and Saudi Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Ali Bin Ibrahim Al-Naimi, the parties agreed to form committees to enforce the agreement. The search for (the Red Sea treasure), which began in 1974 during the era of former Sudanese President Jaafar Numeiri confirmed the existence of this treasure, which contains large amounts of gold and precious metals which are priceless.." [more]

Experts Call to Rein in Domestic Violence [Mar 26]
"Experts are warning against an alarming increase in attacks against women, children and the aged in the Saudi society. Following a recently-concluded awareness campaign against domestic violence, they called for serious efforts to curb the menace. The warning came at a time when the Ministry of Social Affairs has issued a report outlining the unpleasant level of domestic violence against women and children in the Kingdom.. ..Of the domestic violence involving women, 48 per cent of the victims were between the ages of 19 and 35. The percentage of minors and babies subjected to violence during the same period accounts for 17 per cent, while cases of the aged stood at 4 per cent. The report blamed parents and husbands as major culprits.." [more]

Riyadh Seeks Private Investment in Tourism [Mar 26]
"Saudi Arabia is aiming at attracting more private investments in the tourism sector as a source of revenue and economic growth. Speaking at the Saudi Travel and Tourism Investments Market, organised by the Supreme Commission for Tourism, Riyadh Governor Prince Salman Bin Abdul Aziz said religious tourism in particular is an important sector that is unique to Saudi Arabia.. ..He invited businessmen to invest in developing the tourism sector, saying such investments are not only viable but also secure and safe.." [more]

A Summit Only in Name [Mar 26]
"It is a sad fact that the fate of the Arab Summit, scheduled to be held in Damascus next week, is already doomed to failure. The absence of key Arab leaders from this annual event can only be interpreted as a political indictment of the host country over its policies, especially in Lebanon. Few observers pin high hopes on its outcome and, in light of the tenuous regional reality, the event will add to the sense of gloom and despair permeating through the Arab world today. It is a summit only in name, with many Arab leaders choosing to skip the event and opting to send deputies. The message is clear but Syria has chosen to take the risk of organizing a botched event rather than yielding to Arab demands over Lebanon. If anything, the Syrian position reflects on its own internal predicament and the way it sees looming challenges.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Mar 25] ~~~~~~~~~

Saudi King Calls for Interfaith Dialogue [Mar 25]
"The Saudi king has made an impassioned plea for dialogue among Muslims, Christians and Jews � the first such proposal from a nation with no diplomatic ties to Israel and a ban on non-Muslim religious services and symbols. The message from King Abdullah, which was welcomed by Jewish, Christian and Muslim leaders, comes at a time of stalled peace initiatives and escalating tensions in the region.. ..The call � the first of its kind by an Arab leader � was significant. The Saudi monarch is the custodian of Islam's two holiest shrines in Mecca and Medina, a position that lends his words special importance and influence. Abdullah said Saudi Arabia's top clerics have given him the green light � crucial backing in a society that expects decisions taken by its rulers to adhere to Islam's tenets. It also raises the possibility that a religious dialogue could have a political impact in the Middle East, easing tensions between Arabs and Israelis in a way that years of off-and-on negotiations and political conferences have failed to do.." [more]

Saudi King to Skip Arab Summit [Mar 25]
"Saudi Arabia said King Abdullah won't attend this weekend's Arab League summit here, a message of displeasure to the meeting's host that raises already long odds the gathering will help solve a stalemate in Lebanon. Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the Arab League said he would represent his country at the summit of Arab heads of state that kicks off Saturday, instead of the Saudi king or the country's foreign minister.. ..Saudi Arabia's move makes it less likely that the Damascus meeting will be able to make much headway on the issue. It is unclear who Egypt, another Arab heavyweight, will send to the summit. Even Lebanese participation is in question.." [more]

Saudi Arabia: Slowly Opening Dialog About Human Rights [Mar 25]
"Saudi Arabia's two-year-old Human Rights Commission. Formed by a royal decree of King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz, the 24-member commission is a governmental body charged with monitoring the kingdom's compliance with human rights standards. Its creation was part of the monarch's reformist agenda, which is trying to introduce some political and social changes while ruffling as few feathers as possible among the kingdom's substantial conservative constituency of both clerics and ordinary folk. The commission, which reports to the king, is another sign of what some Saudis describe as an expanding awareness of human rights among the public and government officials. They cite increased discussion in the media and private blogs of such issues as child marriage, domestic violence, and treatment of foreign laborers. 'The big achievement is that it's no longer taboo to talk about human rights.'.." [more]

Cheney Wraps Up Mideast Trip With Little to Show [Mar 25]
"U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney has not made meaningful headway on the thorny issues of Iraq, the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and the world energy crisis during his 10-day trip to the volatile Middle East, analysts said. Cheney's tour, which included surprise stops in Iraq and Afghanistan, and scheduled visits to Oman, Saudi Arabia, Israel and the West Bank, "won't produce anything meaningful because he (Cheney) has got nothing to offer," Steven Simon, a U.S. expert on Middle Eastern issues, said. Cheney's trip, which he wraps up Tuesday, has been viewed as a move to express the U.S.' continued concern over the situation in the region rather than one aimed at making any tangible progress.." [more]

Migrante Asks DFA to Recall Two of its Officials in Saudi [Mar 25]
"A migrant workers advocacy group and six overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who managed to return to the country after being stranded in Saudi Arabia will demand that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) recall Philippine Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Antonio Villamor and consul general to Jeddah Ezzedin Tago for disregarding the numerous complaints by OFWs. Migrante President Connie Regalado said they will also demand the immediate repatriation of the OFWs living in tents under a bridge in Jeddah.." [more]

President Saleh Arrives in Saudi Arabia Kingdom [Mar 25]
"President Ali Abdullah Saleh arrived on Tuesday in the Saudi capital Riyadh on an official visit to hold talks with Monarch of Saudi Arabia Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Suad.. ..'The visit is a chance to coordinate the two countries' attitudes towards the current developments in the region and the Arab nation's issues including in the agenda of the Arab summit to be convened after days in the Syrian capital Damascus', Saleh said, indicating to the challenges the nation faces, especially in Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq and Somalia.." [more]

10 Things You Might Not Know About Tourism in Saudi Arabia [Mar 25]
"The Kingdom hopes to earn $27bn from tourism by 2010. Who needs booze and bikinis?.. ..1. Revenues from domestic are expected to reach $27 billion by 2010. In 2005, the last time the authorities totted up the receipts, the figure was $9.5bn. 2. Tourism contributes 3 per cent of the Kingdom's GDP. 3. 342,000 people are employed in the tourism industry, 15 per cent of which are Saudi nationals. The Saudization plan asks for 32 per cent. The aim is to employ 1.5 million people by 2025.." [more]

Experts Call to Rein in Domestic Violence [Mar 25]
"Experts are warning against an alarming increase in attacks against women, children and the aged in the Saudi society. Following a recently-concluded awareness campaign against domestic violence, they called for serious efforts to curb the menace. The warning came at a time when the Ministry of Social Affairs has issued a report outlining the unpleasant level of domestic violence against women and children in the Kingdom.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Mar 24] ~~~~~~~~~

Saudi King Abdullah to Stay Away From Arab Summit [Mar 24]
"Saudi Arabia's permanent representative at the Arab League said on Monday he would represent his country at this week's Arab summit in Damascus, meaning influential King Abdullah would be staying away. 'I will head Saudi Arabia's delegation to the summit,' Ahmad bin Abdelaziz Qattan told reporters after a meeting of Arab League representatives in the Syrian capital. The announcement confirmed fears that Lebanon's political crisis would hit the level of turnout at the summit and undermine the annual meeting. 'We meet today without a president in Lebanon due to the continued and unjustifiable delays in the election,' Qattan told the meeting earlier. Lebanon's parliament speaker Nabih Berri indicated on Sunday he would put off for the 17th time a session, this time scheduled for Tuesday, to choose a president due to a lack of progress toward ending the political deadlock.." [more]

Oil Falls on Saudi Statements Assuring Increases in Supply [Mar 24]
"Oil fell $1 toward $100 a barrel on Monday, as funds sought to lock in more first-quarter profits and the top exporter, Saudi Arabia, reassured consumers of its plans to increase supply in the coming years.. ..Saudi Arabia said Sunday that it was working to expand its oil production and refinery capacity in order to maintain world economic growth, reaffirming its vow to invest tens of billions of dollars in new wells and infrastructure. 'The kingdom will work with OPEC countries, other producers and consuming countries toward oil market stability and to avoid the effects of harmful speculation,' the Supreme Council of Petroleum and Mineral Affairs said in a statement after a visit by Vice President Dick Cheney. On Monday, Cheney, who had met King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, said the kingdom had kept its promise to increase oil production capacity over the past three years.." [more]

Saudi Arabia to Help Lanka in Oil Exploration, Refining [Mar 24]
"The Kingdom has agreed to train Sri Lankans in the field of exploration and refining oil in the island. This was the outcome of yesterday's talks between Ali Al-Naimi, minister of petroleum and mineral resources and Abdul Hameed Mohamed Fowzie, minister of petroleum and petroleum resources development at a meeting held at the ministry headquarters yesterday.. ..Sri Lanka buys 10 percent of her oil requirements from the Kingdom and her main supplier is Iran which delivers 70 percent of the island's demand. Sri Lanka also buys a substantial quantity of crude from Malaysia. The minister said that his country has plans to increase its oil import from 10 to 30 percent in the near future. Fowzie said that Sri Lanka conducted seismic surveys in 2002 and 2005 that revealed there are high chances of finding oil in the Mannar Basin which covers an area of 35,000 km, stretching from Mannar in the North East to Kalutara in the South.." [more]

Tourism Investment Conference Opens [Mar 24]
"The first Saudi Travel and Tourism Investment Market 2008 (STTIM) opened yesterday at Faisaliah Hotel in Riyadh. The four-day conference is organised by the Saudi Supreme Commission for Tourism. It is being held under the theme 'Tourism is for Everyone - Partnership for Sustainable Development' and aims to develop the tourism industry in the kingdom in relation to accommodation, services and investment opportunities. The conference brings together a number of Arab and international speakers to discuss the investment opportunities and the potential of Saudi Arabia's travel and tourism market. 'Saudi Arabia is witnessing high growth in the travel and tourism sector,'.." [more]

Saudi Uses 11 Planes to Bring Rain to Riyadh [Mar 24]
"Saudi Arabia has started the fourth phase of its program to extract rain from clouds, part of a project started five months ago to secure more water resources in the kingdom, recent press reports said. The head of the Meteorological and Environmental Protection Administration, Saleh al-Shahri, said 11 planes are being used in the current phase, together with a high-tech network of mobile cloud physics radars, a communication and satellite network, and experts from various Saudi universities and research centers. Shahri told Saudi newspaper Al-Riyadh that the program is part of the kingdom's ongoing efforts to counter the scarcity of water, especially since ground water is subject to depletion. He said a unique meteorological phenomenon that happens in Riyadh province constitutes a major challenge to the cloud seeding process.." [more]

Saudi Banks Among Worst Performers in Gulf Region [Mar 24]
"Saudi Arabian banks were amongst the worst performing lenders in the region last year, according to a Zawya.com survey of the top 20 listed lenders in the Arabian Gulf. Five out of six Saudi banks reported a drop in earnings last year, compared with robust results amongst the banks surveyed by Zawya.com in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain. Saudi British Bank, or SABB, the kingdom�s third-largest lender by market value, posted the largest drop in net profits, according to the Zawya.com survey. Earnings at the bank, an affiliate of HSBC Holdings, fell 14% to $695mn.." [more]

Plan to Deal With Radiation Hazard Before Shoura Council [Mar 24]
"The Shoura Council has discussed a national plan to deal with any potential leakage of radioactive material in the Kingdom following warnings of possible attacks on Iran�s nuclear reactors.. ..This concern has also been echoed several times by Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal in his meetings with regional and international leaders. �Riyadh has been of the view that the Middle East region should be void of weapons of mass destruction,� said the member, without giving details of the Saudi plan. A KACST nuclear scientist yesterday confirmed that an emergency plan to check radioactive leaks is there in place, but refused to provide details.." [more]

Community College in Landmark Deal With US Institution [Mar 24]
"The Jeddah Community College (JCC) signed a landmark agreement with the Louisiana Community & Technical College System (LCTCS) yesterday, opening a new era in the history of the college. Professor Ibrahim Kutbi, dean of JCC, which is one of the colleges of King Abdulaziz University (KAU), said the agreement that includes an exchange of faculty would lead to improving the college�s overall performance. Dr. Abdul Ilah Saaty, vice dean, said the accord covered academic assessment and accreditation, joint degree programs, faculty development through workshops and laying the foundation for distance learning. 'We�ll benefit from the expertise and capabilities of 10 US community colleges in Louisiana,'.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Mar 23] ~~~~~~~~~

Cheney Stresses Need For Painful Concessions at Abbas Meeting [Mar 23]
"US Vice President Dick Cheney arrived in the West Bank via helicopter to hold talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad on Sunday. At the meeting, Cheney said an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement will require 'painful concessions' by both sides, but said with hard work 'success will be achieved'.. ..He added that the US remains 'strongly committed' to the establishment of Palestinian state, adding that its achievement will require strong negotiations and concessions from both sides.." [more]

Saudi Inflation Hits 27-yr High as Gulf Tracks Fed [Mar 23]
"Inflation in Saudi Arabia surged to a 27-year high of 8.7 percent in February as the world's largest oil exporter and its Gulf Arab neighbours lowered interest rates to defend pegs to a tumbling U.S. dollar. Saudi Arabia matched the latest 75 basis point cut by the U.S. Federal Reserve last week.. ..Unable to use monetary policy, Saudi Arabia has also resorted to lending curbs and measures such as subsidies and wage hikes to cushion the impact of surging inflation, leading markets to bet that it will allow the riyal to rise against the dollar.." [more]

Saudi Arabia: Details of Project to Retrain the Kingdom's Imams [Mar 23]
"Saudi Arabia announced earlier this week a new plan to retrain 40,000 mosque imams in all regions on communication skills and the culture of dialogue. The King Abdulaziz Center for National Dialogue will carry out the training in cooperation with the Ministry of Islamic Affairs. The National Dialogue, which is a project that was launched in 2003 by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz, is considered the largest project designed to achieve ideological change toward centrism and moderation and away from extremism and excess. This, in addition to broadening the base of dialogue among the various groups in Saudi society.." [more]

Saudi International Ports & Maritime Transport Forum [Mar 23]
"Emaar, The Economic City (Emaar.E.C), the Tadawul-listed company developing King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC), will sponsor the first Saudi International Ports & Maritime Transport Forum (SIPMT) to be held at Hilton Hotel, Jeddah from March 23 to 25.. ..''The Forum serves as an ideal platform to highlight the importance of sea transportation and in particular, the role of Sea Ports to economic growth. As a key component of the King Abdullah Economic City development, the KAEC Sea Port will create a new logistics hub on the Red Sea Coast'.." [more]

Work Afoot on $6b Sovereign Wealth Fund [Mar 23]
"Saudi Arabia is planning to set up a new sovereign wealth fund worth $6 billion (SR22.5 billion) as its main investment focus is shifts to domestic projects, the central bank governor was quoted as saying this week. 'At this stage the sovereign wealth fund is on the drawing board and it�s not going to be sizable. It will be around $6 billion only and managed by the Public Investment Fund,'.. ..The SAMA report said Saudi Arabia�s main concern is 'to focus on domestic development and infrastructure, economic diversification and job creation'.." [more]

Price Rise: Saudis, Expats Clamor for Govt Intervention [Mar 23]
"Prices of essential commodities and house rents have increased by 30 to 50 percent, prompting Saudis and expatriates to call for government intervention to curb the unprecedented phenomenon and for increasing their salaries to cope with the situation. 'The government should stop the monopoly of big companies that supply essential commodities,' Dr. Abdul Ilah Saaty of King Abdul Aziz University told Arab News. 'Salaries must be increased further. The five-percent increase in salary is nothing compared to the price hike.'.. ..Increases in prices and house rents have forced many expatriate workers to leave the Kingdom because they could not make both ends meet. Most of them said they were unable to make any savings and that thus there was no point in staying in the Kingdom.." [more]

French Experts Prep Handbook for Preserving Jeddah�s Historic Area [Mar 23]
" A new technical guidebook for renovating Jeddah�s historic center, known as Balad, is currently being prepared with the help of French consultants, according to a municipality official.. ..The book, which is due to be completed in six months, would be provided for free to all contractors working on the historical area�s renovation projects. Owners of all buildings in the area have been ordered to renovate their properties without fail. A committee was recently formed comprising the regional governorate, the municipality and the Civil Defense to identify the historical structures in all three districts of Jeddah�s city center. The committee has informed the owners of structures that are in poor condition to refer to the municipality�s Historical Area Department to finalize the procedures for renovation.." [more]

Saudi Arabia Says Working to Ensure Oil Supply [Mar 23]
" Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, said on Sunday it was working to expand its oil production and refinery capacity in order to maintain world economic growth. The Supreme Council of Petroleum and Mineral Affairs affirmed Saudi Arabia's desire for oil market stability and maintaining supplies to all regions (of the world) at all times to ensure continuing global economic development," a statement said. 'The Council expressed its satisfaction at the kingdom's work in expanding crude production and refining capacity to help meet global demand,' it said. 'The kingdom will work with OPEC countries, other producers and consuming countries towards oil market stability and to avoid the effects of harmful speculation.'.." [more]

Mar 16 - Mar 22, 2008

~~~~~~~~ [ Mar 22] ~~~~~~~~~

Cheney Meets With Saudi King, Discuss High Oil Prices [Mar 22]
"Vice President Dick Cheney met for more than three hours with Saudi King Abdullah about high oil prices as well as a range of Middle East diplomatic and security issues, but U.S. officials reported no breakthroughs on short-term relief for tight energy markets. 'There was a lot of commonality in their assessment about the structural problems confronted by the global energy market now, and some discussion of probably the way forward, how we work together to try and stabilize the market and what can be done, what could be done shorter term," a senior administration official said, "but probably more about what's necessary to do over the medium to longer term.'.." [more]

Treasurys Are Still Hot Overseas [Mar 22]
"As the dollar has dropped sharply in recent weeks, concerns have arisen that diversification away from U.S. assets could be speeding up. But not, it appears, when it comes to foreign central banks. They have been snapping up Treasury securities, as the slumping dollar turns these high-quality assets into big bargains for non-U.S. investors.. ..Saudi Arabia's monetary agency, which holds mostly U.S. assets, has added an average of $15 billion a month for the last four months, said Rachel Ziemba, an analyst in New York at RGE Monitor.com, an online economic-research company that closely monitors activities of foreign central banks in the Treasurys market. Saudi Arabia's riyal is pegged to the dollar.." [more]

US Seeks Saudi Help to Boost Regional Security [Mar 22]
"..The US vice president and the Saudi King were expected also to discuss Syria and Lebanon, and Cheney was to push his host as well as other Arab countries to step up efforts to help US-led efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. On Iraq, Cheney was to push for Saudi Arabia to lead other Arab nations into dispatching an ambassador to Baghdad and step up other government-to-government contacts. 'I'm sure they will talk about the need for a cooperative way forward to try and stabilise the market, reduce the volatility in the market, and serve the interests of both consumers and producers alike,'.." [more]

Saudi King Urges US to Press Israel [Mar 22]
" King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia yesterday urged US Vice President Dick Cheney to pressure Israel to seal a peace deal with the Palestinians before US President George W Bush leaves office in January 2009.. ..sources said Saudi Arabia is not happy with the �slow� pace of US efforts to push the Middle East peace process by putting pressure on Israel to reach a peace agreement and end the building of settlements and excavations around al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem.." [more]

World Markets Put Pressure on Saudi Stocks [Mar 22]
"The Saudi stock market extended losses for the fourth week in a row last week, with investors coming under mounting pressures from world markets and reports of imminent US stagnation. The Tadawul All-Share Index (TASI) shed 4.07 percent last week, closing at 9,488.85 points from 9,891.80 points previous week. TASI is currently 15.1 percent lower than the year�s start. The weekly report of the Riyadh-based Bakheet Investment Group (BIG) described the decline at the Saudi stock exchange as �unjustified� and expected the market to get into a 'steady mood' until the release of the first quarter results, which it expected to 'boost the investors� confidence.'.." [more]

De-Pegging �Essential� to Curb Inflation [Mar 22]
"Dr. Abdullah Al-Saihati, chairman of Saihati Group, has called for the de-pegging of Saudi riyal from the weakening US dollar, saying it was essential to curb increasing inflation in the Kingdom. 'De-pegging will solve many problems including inflation,' he said, adding that people have lost confidence in the US dollar. He stressed the need to increase salaries of public and private sector employees to offset the financial burden caused by inflation.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Mar 21] ~~~~~~~~~

VP, Saudis to Talk About Oil Security [Mar 21]
"High oil prices paining U.S. consumers is a key topic of Vice President Dick Cheney's talks Friday with Saudi King Abdullah, yet it's unclear whether Cheney will ask the Saudis to increase production to bring down prices at the pump. Cheney's advisers cautioned in advance of Friday's talks that oil was just one item on a long list of discussion topics.. ..I am sure they will talk about the need for a cooperative way forward to try and stabilize this market, reduce volatility in the market and serve the interests of both consumers and producers alike," Hannah said. During his trip to Saudi Arabia in January, President Bush urged the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries to increase production, saying it was a mistake to have the economies of its largest customers slowing down as a result of higher energy prices.." [more]

Saudis to Retrain 40,000 Clerics [Mar 21]
"Saudi Arabia is to retrain its 40,000 prayer leaders - also known as imams - in an effort to counter militant Islam.. ..programme launched by the Saudi monarch a few years ago to encourage moderation and tolerance in Saudi society. The ministry of religious affairs and new centre for national dialogue will carry out the training, the paper said. The centre was created five years ago to disseminate a moderate interpretation of Islamic tradition. There is growing awareness in Saudi society that security measures alone are not enough to counter the threat of Islamic militancy.. ..critics are sceptical about whether such initiatives would work as long as the powerful, and ultraconservative, religious establishment in Saudi Arabia continues to exert enormous influence over society.." [more]

Crown Prince�s Humanitarian Services Win Him Man of the Year Award [Mar 21]
"Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier, Defense and Aviation Minster, has been selected for the second consecutive year as the Man of the Year for Humanitarian Services.. ..The London-based World Philanthropists Organization chose Prince Sultan Foundation for the philanthropist of the year award in 2006 in appreciation of its humanitarian activities at Muslim, Arab and international levels. The organization issued a report detailing the works achieved by Prince Sultan Charitable Foundation in the field of philanthropy. In 2003, it won the King Faisal International Prize. The Foundation is a manifestation of Crown Prince Sultan�s charitable and humanitarian efforts.." [more]

UK Companies Eye Security Market in Kingdom, Bahrain [Mar 21]
"A delegation of eight security companies organized by the British Security Industry Association (BSIA) concluded their weeklong second visit to Saudi Arabia and Bahrain on Tuesday. BSIA Overseas Promotions Manager Peter Nicholls was quietly pleased with the reaction to the second visit. �Our visit to Alkhobar saw a 100 percent and Riyadh a 50 percent increase in local visitors to the mission,� he said. �There seems to have been a clear development in the security market here.� He said that the levels of interest were right across the security market and driven by the huge number of infrastructure projects under way.." [more]

Noppadon Seeks Help From US Over Ties With Saudi Arabia [Mar 21]
"Foreign Minister Noppadon Patama has sought help from the US government to talk to the Saudi government to normalize ties with Thailand. Noppadon, who is on an official trip to the United States, told reporters that he sought help from the US government because Washington has good ties with Riyadh. The Thai-Saudi relation turned sour after Thai police failed to return stolen jewellery to Saudi Arabia and failed to solve cases of murders of Saudi envoys in 1980s.." [more]

Free Health Coverage for Social Security Recipients [Mar 21]
"Minister of Social Affairs Abdul Mohsen Al-Akkas has announced that his ministry plans to provide health coverage to all social security beneficiaries. He said the move was taken in order to reduce the financial burden on poor families and individuals.. ..At present nearly 1.5 million Saudis receive pension and financial assistance from the ministry and the government has allocated SR5.2 billion for that purpose. Minister of Health Dr. Hamad Al-Manie, in a related development, revealed his ministry�s plan to apply a cooperative health insurance scheme on all Saudis, including those who work in government departments from the beginning of next year.." [more]

SBI Signs Deal for First Saudi Branch in Jeddah [Mar 21]
"The State Bank of India�s (SBI) first branch in Saudi Arabia will be located at Al-Andalus Plaza on Sitteen Street here. This follows a building lease agreement signed on Wednesday. Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA) gave the clearance to SBI last year to open its full-fledged branch in the Kingdom.. ..With the opening of its 10,000th branch in India recently, the SBI has become the second largest bank in the world, next only to the ICBC of China in terms of branch numbers. And with its 4,000-plus associate bank branches, the SBI claims to have extensive coverage of India and also internationally. The bank also has the largest ATM network across India.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Mar 20] ~~~~~~~~~

A Church in Saudi Arabia? [Mar 20]
"The inauguration last week of Qatar's first Christian church � a small Catholic chapel bearing neither bells nor visible crosses � has been hailed as a welcome step forward in relations between Catholicism and Islam. But an even more dramatic development is under discussion just across the border: The Vatican has confirmed that it is negotiating for permission to build the first church in Saudi Arabia.. ..Archbishop Paul-Mounged El-Hachem, the papal envoy to the smaller countries on the Arabian peninsula, such as Kuwait and Qatar, has confirmed that talks are under way to establish formal diplomatic relations between the Vatican and Saudi Arabia, and to eventually allow for Catholic churches to be built there. Pope Benedict XVI is believed to have personally appealed to King Abdullah on the topic during the Saudi monarch's first ever visit to the Vatican last November.." [more]

UT, Saudi Institute to Broaden Research Capabilities [Mar 20]
"UT will expand its geological science research capabilities through a partnership with King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia. As part of the partnership, hosted by the Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences, UT will help the new university find and nominate faculty members, develop an academic curriculum and collaborate on research projects that are important to UT and Saudi Arabia. The five-year agreement is valued at $27 million, which will help UT fund research projects with the Saudi Arabian university. The projects will focus on geological science problems, such as global climate change, water sustainability and natural disasters, Omar Ghattas, director of the partnership, said.." [more]

Motorola Gets $165 mln Mobile Broadband Pact From Saudi Company [Mar 20]
"Thursday said it received a $165 million contract for its WiMAX 802.16e mobile broadband infrastructure from Saudi Arabian service provider Etihad Atheeb Telecommunication Co. The Schaumburg, Ill., telecommunications company said the contract to provide nationwide broadband access in Saudi Arabia includes the delivery of its WAP 800 access point, end-to-end delivery of network planning, installation, optimization and support services for the network. Motorola's 2007 full-year revenue was $36.62 billion.." [more]

Saudi Prince Ready to Invest in Afghanistan [Mar 20]
"Saudi Prince al-Walid bin Talal, one of the richest men in the world, has told President Hamid Karzai that he is willing to invest in the impoverished country, the Afghan leader�s office said. The Saudi Arabian prince and billionaire said he was particularly interested in investing in hotels, the energy sector and aviation.. ..Saudi Arabia was one of three countries that backed the 1996-2001 Taliban government. It dropped its support soon after the September 11, 2001 attacks by the Taliban�s Al Qaeda allies.." [more] 

Oil Falls $6 as Dealers See Weak US Demand [Mar 20]
"Crude prices fell more than $6 yesterday on concerns that a big US-led economic slowdown could further undermine global energy demand. The steep losses come in the midst of a volatile week in commodity and equity markets as dealers try to weigh signs of recession against aggressive interest rate cuts by the US Federal Reserve to counter a liquidity crisis. US crude fell $6.01 to $103.42 a barrel by 1732 GMT, down from a record $111.80 hit Monday. London Brent crude fell $4.96 to $100.60.." [more]

Limitless Unveils Plans for $12b Saudi Project [Mar 20]
"Limitless, a real estate development arm of Dubai World, said on Wednesday its 45 billion riyal ($12 billion) Al Wasl project in Saudi Arabia will have 50 mosques and eight shopping complexes. The 1,411-hectare project, which was announced last October, will create 55,000 homes for 200,000 people. There will be offices, several hotels, one university, health and educational facilities, and 300 hectares of green, open space.. ..The project, one of the largest in the company's portfolio, is being developed near Riyadh. Work on the development is expected to begin in the middle of this year, with the construction schedule spread over seven years.." [more]

14 Qassim Students Get US Embassy Scholarships [Mar 20]
"The US embassy in Riyadh has granted English language scholarships to 14 students from Qassim. The students will be studying six levels of English in the one-year program titled 'English.'.. ..US Ambassador Ford Freker handed over the scholarship certificates to the winning students. The 12 senior high school and two high school students were selected from among 50 contestants from Qassim. At the meeting, which brought together the US Ambassador, the students and their parents, Freker said his visit to the area aims at bolstering friendly relations between the Kingdom and the United States.." [more]

Dutch Envoy Distances Himself From Anti-Qur�an Film [Mar 20]
"The Dutch ambassador to the Kingdom has distanced himself and his government from an anti-Qur�an film soon to be released by right-wing Dutch politician Geert Wilders. Speaking at a press conference at the Dutch Embassy yesterday, Nicholaas Beets reiterated the bilateral ties that exist between the Netherlands and Saudi Arabia, adding that the Dutch government fundamentally disagrees with Wilders and that he was advised to take the consequences of the film into consideration. The disassociation follows the proposed-release of the 15-minute film entitled �Fitna� by Wilders, something that has prompted the Dutch government to advise its nationals abroad to be cautious. Wilders is screening the film in spite of appeals from his government not to.." [more]

KAU College in Tie-Up With US Institution [Mar 20]
" The Community College at King Abdul Aziz University (KAU) in Jeddah will sign a major agreement with the Louisiana Community & Technical College System (LCTCS) on Sunday. The agreement aims at improving the college�s overall performance and matching international standards.. ..Dr. Osama Tayeb, president of KAU, and Dr. Joe D. May, president of LCTCS, will sign the accord. Saaty, who will make a presentation on the cooperation agreement during the signing ceremony, said the accord would help the institution achieve high standards and win global recognition.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Mar 19] ~~~~~~~~~

Three Gulf States Cut Rates to Defend Dollar Peg [Mar 19]
"Three Gulf Arab oil producers lowered some interest rates on Wednesday to defend their dollar-pegged currencies after a U.S. rate cut despite the risk of stoking already near-record inflation. Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, the largest and smallest economies in the world's biggest oil-exporting region, cut deposit rates by 75 basis points to 2.25 percent , matching a reduction by the Federal Reserve.. ..Saudi Arabia, which has kept its riyal at the same rate against the dollar for 22 years, left its benchmark repurchase rate unchanged at 5.5 percent.. ..Rate cuts will help spur economies further, helping to create jobs in Saudi Arabia, where unemployment is at 15 percent, said John Sfakianakis, chief economist at HSBC Holding Plc's Saudi affiliate, SABB. The world's largest oil exporter has slashed its reverse repurchase rate by 3 percentage points in the last six months to 2.25 percent.." [more]

Dubai Property Firm Plans 12 bln usd Complex in Saudi Arabia [Mar 19]
" A real estate developer owned by the Gulf emirate of Dubai said it plans to build a 12 bln usd complex, including 55,000 homes, in Saudi Arabia. The firm, Limitless, said in a statement that the 'Al Wasl' project would include 55 mosques, several five-star hotels and an environmentally-friendly transit system. Limitless did not indicate when the work would start nor the exact location in the kingdom, but said demand for housing in Saudi Arabia was high, with 50,000 new units needed each year.." [more]

Saudi Clerics Back Death Fatwa for Liberal Writers [Mar 19]
" A group of Saudi clerics has come out in support of a colleague who issued a fatwa saying two writers deserve to die if they did not retract views that he said made them apostates. Sheikh Abdul-Rahman al-Barrak, one of the kingdom's most revered clerics, said in a rare fatwa last week the columnists should be tried for apostasy for "heretical articles" published in al-Riyadh newspaper and put to death if they do not repent.. ..Barrak, who is thought to be around 75, is viewed by Islamists as the leading independent authority of Saudi Arabia's hardline version of Sunni Islam, often termed Wahhabism. Liberal reformers are engaged in a battle with religious hardliners over the direction of the country, a key U.S. ally and the world's biggest oil exporter.." [more]

Saudi Shura Council Recommends Allowing Saudi Women to Drive With Limitations [Mar 19]
"On March 17, 2008, Alarabiya.net reported that the Saudi Shura Council has recommended allowing women to drive. The recommendation follows recent efforts by Saudi women rights activists headed by Wajeha Al-Huwaidar and Fawziya Al-Uyuni. Ten days ago Al-Huwaidar marked the International Women�s Day, March 8, 2008 by driving her car in Saudi Arabia appealing to the minister of interior, Prince Nayef to allow women to drive.. ..The following is a summary of the Saudi Shura Council recommendation.." [more]

First Women-Only Hotel in Saudi Arabia Opens [Mar 19]
"For a country that goes to such great lengths to segregate unrelated men and women, it took Saudi Arabia a long time to hit on the idea of women-only hotels. The kingdom's first hotel exclusively for females opened on Wednesday, offering plush lodgings with a full-range of health and beauty facilities.. ..New rules announced in January allow women to stay in standard mixed-gender hotels without a male family member in tow, but bureaucracy and conservative family values mean few have been able to make use of their new-found freedom. 'This meets the Saudi woman's need for a place to stay as she moves around her country.." [more]

Saudi Market for Cosmetics Grows 20% Per Year [Mar 19]
"A Saudi wedding fair is being held here from March 23-25. Eighty national and international companies dealing in wedding products and accessories are taking part in the exhibition.. ..170,000 weddings take place annually and an estimated SR2 billion is spent on them. Additionally, about SR7 billion is spent on cosmetics and perfumes by Saudi consumers annually. �The Saudi market for cosmetics and perfumes is growing at 20 percent per year.. ..Exhibitors at the show, described as the most comprehensive international wedding fair, will showcase products ranging from carpets, furniture and household goods to luxury cars and jewelry items..�  [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Mar 18] ~~~~~~~~~

Saudi Rejects Int'l Agreement to Forbid Anti-Religions Offences [Mar 18]
"The Saudi Arabian Parliament Monday rejected a recommendation to adopt an international agreement that forbids insulting of religions, prophets and clerics, the Saudi daily Al-Watan reported. Seventy-seven members of parliament rejected the recommendation, claiming that if they adopted the agreement, they would have had to recognize the legitimacy of idolatrous religions, such as Buddhism. The recommendation was put forward by MP Muhammad Al-Quweiha's. In his recommendation, Al- Quweiha's wrote that the Saudi Foreign Ministry should cooperate with the Arab and Islamic bloc in the United Nations to adopt the agreement. 'The concept of religions varies from one country to the other and from one culture to the other. Buddhism and Bahaism are considered religions in some countries, but must Muslims respect these sects and not condemn them,' said MP Khalil Al-Khalil, who rejected the recommendation.." [more]

IEA's Tanaka Seeks Saudi Arabia, U.A.E. Clean Energy Investment [Mar 18]
"The International Energy Agency wants Middle Eastern nations profiting from record oil prices to invest in technologies that reduce carbon emissions and combat climate change. Saudi Arabia is interested in solar power and capturing and storing carbon dioxide, Nobuo Tanaka, IEA's executive director, said in an interview. He will visit Saudi Arabia in April to meet Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi, followed by the United Arab Emirates.. ..Representatives of 20 countries agreed last week in Chiba City, Japan, to work on technologies to curb emissions of greenhouse gases, blamed for global warming. The ideas include coal- and gas-fired power plants that emit almost no carbon dioxide and steelmaking processes using hydrogen. Capturing and storing carbon dioxide 'is one of the key technologies that can be developed with collective efforts,'.." [more]

Saudi Arabia to Expand Water Infrastructure [Mar 18]
"Saudi Arabia plans to invest up to $60 billion over the next 20 years to expand its water infrastructure and to meet the requirements of a fast-growing population, a senior Saudi government official said on Monday. According to the latest estimates, the population of Saudi Arabia will rise more than 63.6 per cent to 36 million by 2032.. .."The demand for water in Saudi Arabia is growing at six per cent annually, as of now," he added. Saudi Arabia currently supplies 5.72 million cubic metres per day of water to 22 million people, and will need a further 10 million cubic metres per day by 2024.. ..At present, potable water is supplied in the country by desalinating sea water and tapping underground water sources.." [more]

Tourism Chief Highlights Opportunities in Kingdom [Mar 18]
"The Supreme Commission for Tourism (SCT), Saudi Arabia�s body aimed at developing the country�s nascent tourism industry, has urged investors in the Gulf region and around the world to seize the opportunity to invest in the tourism sector in the Kingdom. Addressing a press conference yesterday to highlight the activities of �the Saudi Travel & Tourism Market� on Sunday, Prince Sultan ibn Salman, secretary-general of the SCT, said Saudi Arabia was full of investment opportunities in the tourism sector for locals, Gulf citizens and international corporations in the tourism and real estate sectors.. ..Among the areas that are rich in investment in the Saudi tourism sector are the Farasan Islands, Taif and the Red Sea coastline.." [more]

Cassation Court Overturns Ruling in Al-Huraisi Case [Mar 18]
"The Cassation Court in Riyadh has overturned a 'not-guilty' verdict on two commission members, who had allegedly beaten to death a 28-year-old man during a raid last year. The case has now been returned to Riyadh�s General Court for a fresh trial. On Nov. 28 last year, the General Court acquitted two members of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice on charges of killing Salman Al-Huraisi, a Saudi security guard, after raiding his home in Riyadh in search of alcohol and drugs.. ..The ruling was appealed after three judges at the General Court made the accused swear under oath that they had not taken part in the raid and beaten the deceased, leading the defendants to retract an earlier confession. Further, the General Court did not mention Al-Huraisi�s autopsy report, which stated that he had suffered severe head injuries. Judges also rejected the testimonies of witnesses who saw the defendants enter the house during the raid.." [more]

Saudi Stocks Take a Nose-Dive [Mar 18]
" The Saudi stock index suffered its biggest one-day drop in two weeks as it plunged by over two percent yesterday. The Tadawul All-Share Index (TASI) fell by 202.80 points to 9,455.13. The index dropped 4.47 percent in three days of trading this week. In the banking sector, shares in Saudi Hollandi bank increased, while all other shares declined yesterday. Samba Financial Group shares dropped by 5.73 percent to SR82.25. Arab National Bank (ANB) shares also fell 5.09 percent to SR65.25 yesterday as the extraordinary general assembly approved on Sunday the capital increase through stock bonus.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Mar 17] ~~~~~~~~~

Saudi Plans Power Sector Overhaul, Privatisation [Mar 17]
"A plan to overhaul and privatise Saudi Arabia's power sector could be approved by the country's highest economic body within a few weeks, a Saudi official said on Monday. Power demand is rising rapidly in the world's top oil exporter of more than 24 million people, as record oil revenues fuel economic expansion in the vast desert state. The plan would split the power generation assets of the Gulf's largest utility by market value, Saudi Electricity Co., 5110.SE (SEC) into four separate units before eventual privatisation.. ..Privatisation would help bring the massive investment the power sector needs, Shehri said. SEC has been struggling to find cash to meet the growing power demand.." [more]

Saudi Oil Output Steady at 9.2 mbpd [Mar 17]
"The world's top oil exporter Saudi Arabia continues to pump around 9.2 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude, a rate the kingdom has held steady for several months, a Saudi official said on Monday. 'We are pumping around 9.2 million bpd still,' the official told Reuters by telephone. He declined to say if there would be any change in Saudi output in April. The kingdom's output is around 300,000 bpd above its formal Opec target. Saudi Arabia is the only member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries that can easily add significant amounts of extra oil to the market.." [more]

Saudi Arabia Ranked Among Global Tourism Destinations for the First Time [Mar 17]
"Saudi Arabia has been ranked in the worldwide tourism index for the first time, taking the 82nd spot among 130 countries. The kingdom has been ranked ninth among Arab countries in the World Economic Forum's (WEF) report titled 'Balancing economic development and environmental sustainability'.. ..The tourism index, known as the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI), is based on 71 criteria and variables. Saudi Arabia ranked first as the most AIDS-free tourism destination in the world. The kingdom took second position as the country with the lowest fuel charges, seventh in terms of taxes levied on tourists, and 15th regarding airport fees. The report ranks Saudi Arabia 15th in the availability of airline seats, and 39th in the number of airline services.." [more]

Saudi Firm Sued for SR 5 Million [Mar 17]
"Business Software Alliance (BSA) said it filed a first damage claim worth SR5 million against a Saudi firm involved in the infringement of copyright law in the Kingdom. BSA is the official representative organization for international software development companies operating in Saudi Arabia. Mohammed Al-Dhabaan, lawyer and BSA representative in the Kingdom, said at a press conference, Friday, that BSA-Saudi Arabia has been working to curb piracy in the Kingdom.. ..The objective is to protect investors who have brought their business to the Kingdom.. ..By protecting intellectual property rights more foreign companies will be encouraged to invest in the Kingdom and thereby strengthen the Saudi economy.." [more]

Kingdom to Host Meet on Islamic Economy [Mar 17]
"A three-day international conference on Islamic economy will be held in this city from April 1, organizers said on Sunday. The 7th International Conference on Islamic Economy, organized by the King Abdul Aziz University under the slogan 'Thirty Years of Islamic Economy Researches, Solutions and Applications for Contemporary Economic Issues,' will highlight several scientific studies by more than 50 scholars from across the world specializing in issues related to Islamic economy.. ..the conference aims to evaluate the march in search of Islamic economy during the last 30 years, and provide a strategic vision for the future of Islamic economy. It will also discuss solutions, develop applications and review contemporary financial Islamic issues.." [more]

Saudi Youth Sets Out to Conquer Mt. Everest [Mar 17]
"A 30-year-old national is ready to leave for Nepal today to scale Mount Everest, a feat that will make him the first Saudi to attempt the mammoth climb. 'My goal is to unfurl the Saudi flag on top of the world�s highest peak,' said Farouk Saad Hamad Al-Zoman, addressing a press conference here yesterday. Al-Zoman has climbed four of the world�s highest peaks while studying at Oregon State University and is set to embark on scaling the 8,850-meter high mountain on March 23.. ..At the end of last year, 3,679 people had attempted to climb Everest; only 2,436 climbers had been successful. So far, 210 people have died trying to reach the summit.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Mar 16] ~~~~~~~~~

Nobody Is Above Criticism: King Abdullah [Mar 16]
"Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah has declared that no one in the country was above criticism, including himself.. ..Addressing 150 Shoura members as well as princes, ministers, government officials, and foreign diplomats at the opening of the fourth annual session of the current Shoura Council, the king called upon all citizens to fear God and ensure that there was no place for injustice in society.. ..he said Saudi Arabia had always respected responsible freedom. 'Freedom comes from thinking and constructive criticism, which is a responsibility, and cannot be taken for granted,' he said. 'We preserve our freedom and define its parameters. And we tell the world: These are our principles and our ethics which are derived from our religion,'.." [more]

Cheney Begins M-E Visit Today [Mar 16]
"Vice President Dick Cheney�s trip to the Mideast, which is to begin Sunday, is just the latest in a series of official US visits to pressure Israel and the Palestinians to make good on their promises to forge a peace deal � and do it before President George W. Bush leaves office in January. Iraq, Iran�s rising influence in the region and soaring US gas prices also will be key topics in his private talks with leaders in the region. His trip to the region also coincides with the fifth anniversary of the US-led invasion of Iraq.." [more]

Pakistan Extradites 3 Militant Suspects - Saudi [Mar 16]
"Pakistan has extradited to Saudi Arabia three Saudis nationals suspected of being militants, according to an Interior Ministry statement on Sunday. The statement on the official news agency said two of the men handed themselves over voluntarily to Saudi authorities via the Saudi embassy in Pakistan. They had spent time in "troubled zones in an illegal capacity" in an apparent reference to the mountainous border area of north Pakistan where al Qaeda militants are strong. They will face legal procedures in Saudi Arabia.." [more]

Markets Continue Slump Ahead of Fed Cut [Mar 16]
"Markets across the Gulf fell on Sunday on concerns the US Federal Reserve will again slash rates when it meets on Tuesday, forcing central banks in the region to tighten their own lending rates and fuelling inflation. Saudi Arabia�s main index followed Saturday�s poor performance by shedding another 0.39% to end on 9,657.93 points. Leading the drop were Al Rajhi Bank and Saudi Telecom Company (STC), which fell 1.58% and 1.48% respectively. Inflation in Saudi hit a 27-year high of 7% in January, leaving the economy on edge ahead of Tuesday�s interest rate decision by the Fed.." [more]

Saudi Telecom Unveils Aggressive Expansion Plan [Mar 16]
"Saudi Telecommunications Company (STC) the largest Arab telecom firm by market value, has unveiled plans to go ahead aggressively with its drive to make foreign acquisitions. The process started nine months ago. It plans make investments worth 56.3 billion riyals ($15 billion) to acquire stakes in foreign companies. Saudi Telecom is the last of the five largest Gulf telecom operators to start making foreign acquisitions.. ..On the sidelines of the Riyadh Capital Forum, Bin Mushayt said that Saudi Telecom expected to raise its revenues from foreign investments to 7.5 billion riyals during the current year.." [more]

Saudi Arabia Needs to Tackle Unemployment Among Youth [Mar 16]
"Recently published statistics point to the rising problem of unemployment in Saudi Arabia. According to the Ministry of Economy and Planning, the jobless rate among Saudis stood at 11.2 per cent in the first half of 2007.. ..The number of Saudis without jobs stood at 453,994 in the first half of 2007, up by some 8,796 compared to the corresponding period in 2006. In fact, the opposite should have been true in the light of improved economic conditions, thanks to rocketing oil prices. The petroleum sector accounts for more than three quarters of the budgetary revenue, and thus plays a primary role in the country's economic activities. Saudi Arabia's real (adjusted for inflation) gross domestic product (GDP) grew 3.5 per cent in 2007. The kingdom saw an inflation rate of 6.5 per cent last year.." [more]

Poverty Fund Doles Out Millions to Support Poor Families: Akkas [Mar 16]
"The Kingdom has set up a national charitable fund to improve the living conditions of the poor, Social Affairs Minister Abdul Mohsen Al-Akkas has said. The fund receives SR300 million from the government in annual aid, the minister said.. ..The minister said the state was supporting thousands of poor families across the country. �We have a plan to convert these poor families into productive families by providing them with soft loans to implement small-scale projects,� he said. The fund has already given SR22 million for 1,949 small-scale projects and SR35 million to support productive families. It has allocated SR80 million for scholarship and training programs. It has so far given 1,853 scholarships to deserving students in different parts of the country.." [more]

Saudis Jostle to Pick Up Banned Books at Fair [Mar 16]
"The huge crowd that thronged the Riyadh International Book Fair's last day was a telling example of Saudis' avid interest in reading - and that includes banned books. Many book sellers exploited readers' desire to own literary works of their favourite authors, some of which are banned in the Kingdom. The last hours of the fair, which concluded on Friday, witnessed hectic activities as these shop owners were busy selling such books, after hiding them from public notice.. ..An average 10,000 people visited the fair during the first days. However, this number registered a gradual increase during the last days.." [more]

Saudi Arabia Calls for Water Conservation Measures [Mar 16]
"The Kingdom has called for water conservation measures, both at the corporate and individual levels, as part of a national effort to make judicious use of its natural resources. This message was delivered yesterday by Loay Musallam, deputy minister of planning at the Ministry of Water and Electricity, on the occasion of a signing ceremony between Arabian Company for Water and Power Projects (ACWA Power Projects) and Tamkeen Development and Management Consulting (Tamkeen) to sponsor the latter's Wafeer Initiative, designed to curb industrial water consumption.. ..In an earlier statement he had said Saudi Arabia might fall behind its target of meeting its water needs by 2025 in view of population growth, scanty rainfall and low water tariffs.." [more]

Mar 9 - Mar 15, 2008

~~~~~~~~ [ Mar 15] ~~~~~~~~~

US to Push Mideast Peace, Iraq Ties [Mar 15]
" US Vice President Dick Cheney leaves for the Middle East on Sunday, hoping to help revive the battered peace process and get Arab allies like Saudi Arabia to do more to curb Iran's influence in Iraq. With just ten months left in US President George W. Bush's term, Cheney is expected to seek support for confronting Tehran over its nuclear program and push Israel and the Palestinians to fulfill past promises for peace.. ..The political unrest in Lebanon, the situation in Syria, the violence in Gaza, and sky-high oil prices will all come up as Cheney visits Oman, Saudi Arabia, Israel, the West Bank, and Turkey, top aide John Hannah said Friday.. ..Cheney was not expected to press Saudi King Abdullah too much to boost oil output, or push OPEC to do so, in the face of sky-high oil prices that have fueled a bitter debate ahead of the November 4 US elections.." [more]

Top Saudi Cleric Calls for Writers' Deaths [Mar 15]
"Saudi Arabia's most revered cleric said in a rare fatwa this week that two writers should be tried for apostasy for their "heretical articles" and put to death if they do not repent. Sheikh Abdul-Rahman al-Barrak was responding to recent articles in al-Riyadh newspaper that questioned the Sunni Muslim view in Saudi Arabia that adherents of other faiths should be considered unbelievers. 'Anyone who claims this has refuted Islam and should be tried in order to take it back. If not, he should be killed as an apostate from the religion of Islam,'.. ..Liberal reformers are engaged in a battle with religious hardliners over the direction of the country, a key U.S. ally and the world's biggest oil exporter. Diplomats say powerful clerics allied to some key members of the Saudi royal family have prevented the government under King Abdullah from moving forward with social and political reforms.." [more]

Saudi Stocks Drop on Global Economic Fears [Mar 15]
"Fears over the outlook for the global economy hit Saudi stocks on Saturday as investors moved to limit their exposure to the crisis engulfing the US financial sector and the impact of record oil prices on industry. The drop was led by Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal's Kingdom Holding Company, which plummeted 8.16% to 11.25 Saudi riyals on the back of news that US investment bank Bear Stearns was forced to seek emergency financing to stay afloat.. ..'The outlook for the global economy is worrying investors because a recession would impact oil prices,' said Ibrahim Al-Alwan, deputy chief executive of KSB Capital. 'This would affect companies that have direct dealings with global markets, such as Sabic and banks.'.." [more]

Saudi Police Appoint Women For Festival [Mar 15]
"A new women-only unit has been created by Saudi Arabian police to monitor females' behavior and dress at the Jenadriyah Heritage and Culture Festival. The all-women unit of Saudi Arabia's Commission for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice will be responsible for warning and arresting women who are in violation of religious standards regarding behavior and dress during the popular festival, al-Arabiya reported. Hundreds of women reportedly have been appointed as officers in an effort to relieve the embarrassment male commission members feel when mixing with females, especially in female-only locations or in situations of 'immoral joining of the sexes'.." [more]

Four Million Pilgrims to Take Part in Umrah [Mar 15]
"More than four million pilgrims are expected to be in Makkah with the start of Umrah season this week. Concerned government and private agencies have completed preparations to receive the pilgrims.. ..According to industry sources, more than four million pilgrims are expected to perform the lesser pilgrimage of Umrah during the current season. "The Umrah package is attractive as its cost is smaller than that of Haj and it enables a pilgrim to travel to Saudi Arabia more than once in a single Umrah season. There are Umrah packages for a duration of three days and many people want to take advantage of them," according to Umrah sources.." [more]

Arab World Environmental Services Seen Reaching $100b Over 10 Years [Mar 15]
"With rich countries in the Middle East starting to go green, huge opportunities have opened up for environmental consultants and suppliers. The World Bank has estimated the need for environmental services and products in the Arab world at $100 billion over the next 10 years, said Ronald Portelli, managing director at Alturki Environmental in Saudi Arabia, at the Globe 2008 conference on Thursday in Vancouver. 'That�s a huge huge market,'.. ..'So the potential in the Middle East for environmental investment and growth is enormous,' Portelli said. The Saudi Arabian government implemented environmental regulations in 2001.." [more]

Kingdom Grants $1bn to OIC Nations [Mar 15]
"Saudi Arabia has contributed $1 billion to support poor countries of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), Interior Minister Prince Naif said while presiding over a prize distributing ceremony here Thursday night. Prince Naif emphasized the Kingdom�s strong commitment to Shariah. 'Our government has set a condition that no rules and regulations in the country should contradict Islam or the Qur�an and Sunnah,' he told the gathering. He said Saudi Arabia has been in the forefront of countries that support societies afflicted with natural calamities.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Mar 14] ~~~~~~~~~

Abdullah to Make Key Domestic and Foreign Policy Statement [Mar 14]
"King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz will make a major domestic and foreign policy announcement on Saturday.. ..people of Saudi Arabia pin great hopes on the speech of the monarch as it would contain major declarations with regard to both the domestic and foreign policies of the kingdom. . ..Abdul Aziz Al Oteibi, a member of the Shura, said the king's speech would have international ramifications as he is now emerging as an important world leader influencing the political and economic life on the global arena. The Shura Council is playing an active role in accelerating these reforms by giving its advice and opinions on major issues." [more]

Saudi FM Urges Syria for Effective Role in Solving Lebanese Crisis [Mar 14]
"Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal has said the kingdom was looking forward to an effective Syrian role in solving Lebanon's presidential crisis. 'The Arab League continues in its quick efforts to solve the presidential vacuum crisis,'.. ..'We look forward to an effective Syrian role in securing Lebanese national understanding based on the Arab initiative," he said in his speech on the opening day of the 11th Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) summit . Meanwhile, Syria's assistant foreign minister Faisal Miqdad denied that Damascus was trying to torpedo the Arab initiative which calls for the election of Lebanese Army Chief Gen. Michel Suleiman president, the formation of a national unity cabinet and the adoption of a new electoral law.." [more]

US Envoy Meets Mid-East Leaders [Mar 14]
"The US envoy appointed to monitor the stalled peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians has held his first meeting with the two sides. Lt Gen William Fraser met Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and a delegation from the Israeli defence ministry in Jerusalem.. ..After the two-hour meeting, the US consulate in Jerusalem said the goal of the talks was the fulfilment of the stalled 2003 peace plan known as the roadmap. 'We examined areas where the parties are not meeting their commitments and the reasons why, and explored ways to accelerate the process,' the consulate said in a statement. The statement said there had been a "cordial, but frank" exchange of views.." [more]

Saudi Students Survive Miami Culture Shock [Mar 14]
"Saudi students in an exchange program at Miami Dade College survive a six-week course in one of the  world's great party towns, holding fast to tradition.. ..Shamrani is part of the first class of students from  the Saudi Institute for Health Services to come to Miami as part of a six-week exchange program with MDC to learn in health-related fields.. ..The program represents a new chapter for MDC and illustrates the swelling number of Saudi Arabian students coming to the United States to study. Last year, the number of Saudi students studying in the United States shot up 128 percent to 7,886 from 3,448 the year before. Saudi enrollment in U.S. universities, second only to Turkey among Middle Eastern countries, spiked last year after the Saudi government started the Saudi Scholarship Program.." [more]

Why OPEC Won't Boost Oil Supplies [Mar 14]
"..as pricey as oil is these days, there's no shortage of customers elsewhere in the world. (There are also plenty of investors pouring billions into oil futures as a hedge against the falling dollar � and so driving up oil prices even more.) The major reason for the current high prices is that OPEC's production has been seriously stretched by the huge increase in demands from booming China and India, as well as from oil-rich countries in the Middle East itself, says Lawrence Eagles, chief economist of the Paris-based International Energy Agency, the watchdog for oil-consuming countries like the United States and those in the European Union. "Most OPEC members are working close to flat-out," he says. "There is little spare capacity outside of the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, and some of that is relatively poor quality crude." And right now, global demand continues to rise. ." [more]

$1bn For Fighting Illiteracy and Poverty [Mar 14]
"The Islamic Development Bank, the multilateral development financing institution for the Islamic world, yesterday announced details of the first two programmes under the five-year strategy of the Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development (ISFD), the $10bn Waqf fund recently created by the bank for poverty reduction in OIC member countries. The two programmes � known as the Vocational Literacy Program for Poverty Alleviation (VOLIP) and the Microfinance Support Programme (MFSP) - will seek to provide 
together about $1bn in financing over the next five years in order to help address some of the most fundamental causes of poverty in IDB member nations, namely lack of education and of employment opportunities.." [more]

Saudi Telecom is Planning $14bn Overseas Expansion [Mar 14]
"Saudi Telecommunications Co (STC), has allocated $14bn for overseas expansion and is considering Vietnam, Lebanon, Bahrain, Egypt and Yemen for future growth, pan-Arab daily Asharq Al Awsat reported yesterday. STC is also studying investment opportunities in the telecommunications markets in the Gulf and Turkey, the paper said, citing Fahed Mushayt, STC�s head of strategic investment. The telco expects a 20% return on revenues by the end of the current year.." [more]

Women May Win 2 Seats in RCCI Poll [Mar 14]
"Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) is expecting at least two women-candidates to win elections to its 18-member board of directors, scheduled for November.. ..RCCI has been playing a vital role in addressing the issues of business community in Riyadh, several of which pertain to businesswomen who need proper representation in business forums and other such meetings, Sinani said. He said more and more women are showing entrepreneurship and need training programs, counseling and guidance on the areas of business opportunities available. RCCI has a businesswomen committee with office-bearers such as president and vice-president, 'but no one sits on the board.'.." [more]

What Magic Wand Does Cheney Plan to Bring? [Mar 14]
"The good old man of Halliburton is on move again - and when US Vice President Dick Cheney visits the old familiar faces in this oil-rich region, eyebrows go up.. ..now he intends to travel again to the region next week in a climate where $100 per-barrel oil prices appear to be the norm rather than the exception in the crude markets. What he is really up to? There are claims that Cheney during the regional trip will urge OPEC members (read Saudi Arabia) to boost output and reel in sky-high prices. And he would begin from where others have attempted and failed.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Mar 13] ~~~~~~~~~

Lebanon Hopes Saudi Arabia Will Show its Support [Mar 13]
"Lebanon's government has asked Saudi Arabia to deposit $1 billion (Dh3.6 billion) at its central bank to boost the country's foreign currency reserves, the finance minister was quoted as saying on Wednesday.. ..Standard & Poor's in January cut its long-term sovereign foreign currency credit rating on Lebanon by one notch to 'CCC+' from 'B-' because of the political conflict - the worst since the 1975-90 civil war. The crisis has paralysed much of government, left the country without a president since November and led to bouts of street violence between followers of the rival sides. Lebanon is saddled by public debt of some $42.06 billion (Dh154 billion) - equal to 171 per cent of its gross domestic product.." [more]

Islamophobia Threat to Security: OIC [Mar 13]
"..The Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) called on Europe and America to take stronger measures against �Islamophobia� in a report prepared for a summit of the group�s 57 members.. ..Islamic leaders have long warned that perceptions linking Muslims to terrorism, especially since the September 11, 2001 Al Qaeda attacks on the US, would make Muslims more radical. The West must understand that 'the war against terror cannot be successful without the support of Muslim countries', said the report.." [more]

Saudi Arabian University Funds Research [Mar 13]
" A Penn State scientist will receive up to $10 million from Saudi Arabia during the next five years to investigate microbial fuel cell technologies. Penn State University officials said Professor Bruce Logan has been named one of 12 scientists to receive a Global Research Partnership Investigator award from the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. His research will center on converting waste into electricity or hydrogen and, in the process, clean water. King Abdullah University of Science and Technology is being developed as an international, graduate-level research university. The core campus, located on the Red Sea at Thuwal, Saudi Arabia, is to open in September 2009.." [more]

Qatar-Saudi Arabia Talks Likely to Kickstart Planned Gulf Projects [Mar 13]
"..After six years of strained relations that hindered commercial, industrial and energy cooperation between the two Gulf states, Qatar and Saudi Arabia have tried to mend ties and build on issues of common interest, Qatar's Prime minister said here on Tuesday night.. ..The talks may pave the way for a fresh start to negotiations over Qatar's gas exports to Kuwait, a planned bridge linking Qatar and the UAE, and other projects which had been suspended amid tense relations between the two states, Shaikh Hamad Bin Jasem Bin Jabor Al Thani, Qatari premier and foreign minister, told Saudi reporters here. 'Saudi Arabia is a backbone for the Gulf Cooperation Council. We have considered the need to build upon the positive aspects [of bilateral relations] and develop them,'.." [more]

Austrian Airlines to Offer Service to Saudi Cities [Mar 13]
"Austrian Airlines says it will provide service to the Saudi Arabian cities of Jeddah and Riyadh starting this summer. The Austrian carrier said Thursday that the new routes will take effect in August. It says it will fly nonstop from Vienna to Jeddah four times a week, and from Vienna to the Saudi capital of Riyadh three times a week.. ..Airline CEO Alfred Oetsch calls the new service strategically important because flight demand across the Middle East has grown by about 7 percent � well above the 4.8 percent worldwide average.." [more]

Dollar Undervalued, Says Saudi [Mar 13]
"The US dollar is a 'good buy', and excessive dollar volatility is undesirable, Saudi Arabia's central bank governor said. Asked after a meeting with European Central Bank officials about market talk the Saudi central bank had been in the market buying dollars, Hamad al-Sayyari said rumours should not be listened to but added: 'I said it is undervalued, but the market determines the value of the US dollar.'.." [more]

Investment in Kingdom�s IT Sector to Reach SR68b [Mar 13]
"The Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mazin Baterji, inaugurated on Tuesday the six-day Saudi Exhibition for Computing, Internet, Office Equipment, Business Communications and Mobiles (COMMTEL 2008).. ..investments in the information technology sector in the Kingdom exceeded SR20 billion and expected to increase in the few coming years to SR68 billion. The COMMTEL show is a place for businessmen and decision makers to gather and make deals that fulfill the needs of business, computer and software markets and also plays a role in showing the advancement in computerizing international commercial transactions.." [more]

British Security Trade Delegation to Visit KSA [Mar 13]
"A delegation of British security companies organized by the British Security Industry Association (BSIA) will visit Saudi Arabia and Bahrain on March 14-21 to further increase trade between Britain and the two GCC countries, according to Mohammed Farooq, trade and investment officer at the British Embassy. 'The security sector in Saudi Arabia is very buoyant and many British companies are enjoying success and expanding their business relationship in the market. This visit would be an excellent opportunity for UK and Saudi companies to strengthen their relationship further by forging new business links,'.. ..This will be the second visit to Saudi Arabia by the BSIA, whose member-firms have extensive experience and knowledge across a range of security products from CCTV to access control, perimeter detection and data tracking systems.." [more]

OPEC Oil Price Crosses $100 a Barrel Mark [Mar 13]
"The price of oil produced by Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has topped the $100-per-barrel mark for the first time, the organization said yesterday.. ..Brad Bourland, chief economist and head of research at the Riyadh-based Jadwa Investment, said: 'The rise in OPEC oil price will lead to increase in trade and budget surpluses for oil-producing countries.' Bourland, however, ruled out any change in spending plans of OPEC member countries. 'Spending of oil-producing countries will stay in line with budget projections for this year,' he added. Dr. John Sfakianakis, chief economist at SABB, said: 'At the time when the US economy is in a recession, record high oil price is not something auspicious. Speculation plays a large part in driving up oil prices. So is the case with the declining US dollar.'.. ..'But the cost to Western consumers is crossing the level of sustainability and acceptance,� he said. �Oil producers can increase output, but this will not contain speculation in the price of oil.'.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Mar 12] ~~~~~~~~~

Syrian Plans for Arab Summit Mired in Tensions [Mar 12]
"Syria's plans to host an Arab summit this month are mired in tensions focused on the presidential crisis in Lebanon and uncertainties over who will represent Arab heavyweights Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Lebanon has yet to be invited to the March 29-30 summit in Damascus while regional powerhouse Saudi Arabia only got its invitation last week -- days after most of the other members of the 22-strong Arab League.. ..Saudi Arabia and Egypt accuse Syria of blocking the election of a new president in Lebanon, which was under Syrian military domination for 29 years until Damascus withdrew its troops in 2005. The two heavyweights, which along with Syria and Lebanon are among the seven founding members of the Arab League, have linked the level of their participation at the summit to the election of a president in Beirut.." [more]

Germany Eyes Engineering [Mar 12]
"A 29-member delegation from the southwest German state of Baden-Wurttemberg is on a visit exploring the prospects for Saudi Arabia�s engineering projects.. ..�The German industry and enterprises of our region have strong relations with Saudi Arabia for a long time. This is the first time that a delegation of engineers has come here,� he said. These engineers who have ongoing projects in different parts of the world are seeking projects across the Kingdom, especially in the ongoing construction boom and six new cities that are under way.." [more]

Kingdom, Sweden Sign Trade Accord [Mar 12]
"Saudi Arabia and Sweden signed an agreement to promote trade and investment between the two countries in Riyadh yesterday. While Saudi Finance Minister Ibrahim Al-Assaf represented Saudi Arabia, Swedish Minister for Trade Ewa Bjِrling, signed the agreement on behalf of her country. 'The agreement represents the legal framework to guarantee the protection of the investments and rights of the investors in both the countries,' Al-Assaf said after the signing the agreement. The finance minister hoped that the agreement would prompt an influx of Swedish investments to the Kingdom.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Mar 11] ~~~~~~~~~

Kingdom Donates $25 Million to African Development Fund [Mar 11]
"Saudi Arabia has approved a $25 million donation to the African Development Fund, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced. The funds are expected to be disbursed over a five-year period. Established in 1973, the African Development Fund is part of the African Development Bank Group. Its main objective is to reduce poverty in member countries by providing them with concessional loans and grants for projects and programs, as well as technical assistance for studies and capacity-building activities.." [more]

Saudi Cleric Attacks Hardliners For Flaying Dance at Wedding [Mar 11]
"A prominent Saudi Arabian cleric has issued a rare public attack on religious hardliners angry over a video showing him dancing at a wedding, a newspaper reported on Tuesday.. ..Al Obaikan, an adviser to the cleric-run Ministry of Justice, defended himself in remarks published in Asharq Al Awsat, saying the society needed to 'get over restrictions imposed by ignorant people'. 'They want to turn our weddings into funerals and joy to sadness," he said. "There is no report from the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) or any of the early Islamic leaders saying that they turned weddings into occasions for preaching.'.." [more]

Senegal Summit Comes at a Crucial Time, Says Kingdom [Mar 11]
"The Council of Ministers yesterday emphasized the importance of the 11th summit of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) to be held in Senegal on March 13-14 and hoped the summit would strengthen Muslim unity.. ..The two-day summit in the Senegalese capital Dakar is expected to endorse a new OIC charter, informed sources said, adding that it would adopt resolutions to strengthen political, economic and cultural cooperation between member countries. It will also take measures to fight poverty.." [more]

Oil Prices Hit Record High of $107.44 a Barrel [Mar 11]
"Oil prices hit a record high of $107.44 yesterday as the White House announced that US Vice President Dick Cheney will head to Saudi Arabia next week to discuss oil production issue. Dealers said oil had fallen in early trade on profit-taking but concerns over the weakness of the dollar and tightening supplies provided support and news of the Cheney trip then added an extra twist. The New York contract for April delivery hit a record $106.54 per barrel on Friday. The latest spike came as the White House said yesterday that Cheney would next week urge Saudi Arabia to push OPEC to boost output in an effort to rein in sky-high prices.." [more]

Saudi Arabia to Attract $400bn in Investments [Mar 11]
"Saudi Arabia aims to attract more than $400 billion (Dh1.46bn) in investments and intends to be among the top ten competitive nations in the world for inward investment by 2010, a new report said. Global Investment House said That Saudi authorities will look to attract $300bn of investment in 'energy intensive industries' over the next 13 years. A further $100bn of investments are also being sought for 'knowledge-based' industries and a similar amount for transportation ventures in the country. A variety of industrial projects, transport developments, building of six new cities, liberalisation initiatives as well as oil and gas ventures will increase the level of investment desired by the country.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Mar 10] ~~~~~~~~~

Cheney to Discuss Oil Price on Saudi Visit [Mar 10]
"U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney is expected to discuss high energy prices with Saudi King Abdullah during Cheney's Middle East trip later this month, the White House said Monday. White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said U.S. President George W. Bush's message to Saudi Arabia and other OPEC countries remained unchanged. "Obviously we want to see an increase in production," she told reporters. But she declined to say whether Cheney, whose trip to the region follows one by Bush in January, would specifically press Abdullah to push OPEC to raise output.." [more]

King Abdullah Receives Faisal Prize [Mar 10]
"Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah received the King Faisal International Prize (KFIP) for his service to Islam at a ceremony held at the Prince Sultan Hall of the Al-Faisaliah Hotel last night. The king said he was honored to accept the prize on behalf of the world Islamic community.. ..King Abdullah was selected for the prize in recognition of his outstanding services to Islam and Muslims, both within the Kingdom and abroad. His domestic accomplishments included the establishment of mega economic cities and King Abdullah University for Science and Technology and the formation of Human Rights Commission and National Dialogue Center.." [more]

Saudis Mend Fences With Neighbor [Mar 10]
"Saudi Arabia's crown prince begins a three-day visit to neighbouring Qatar on Monday, the latest sign of a thaw in bilateral relations. The Saudis recalled their ambassador from Qatar in 2002, in protest at coverage by the Qatari-owned satellite television channel, al-Jazeera.. ..Some observers say al-Jazeera has toned down criticism of Saudi Arabia over the past year as a prelude to the rapprochement. The last straw in 2002 was one of the channel's infamous studio debates in which participants launched blistering verbal attacks on Saudi Arabia's rulers.." [more]

Four-Day Education Expo Begins Today [Mar 10]
"Education, which is among Saudi Arabia�s top priorities, will be in focus for four days from today, with an exhibition and a high-profile symposium at the Jeddah International Exhibition and Convention Center.. ..More than 150 educational institutions are participating in the annual Middle East education and training exhibition and symposium featuring major groups from Malaysia, the UK, Cyprus and Canada and individual participants from Australia, New Zealand, France, Switzerland, Ireland, Germany and India, in addition to the Arab world.. ..The event is taking place at a time when the Kingdom�s economy is booming and investment in education is growing by leaps and bounds.." [more]

Saudi Woman Drives on YouTube [Mar 10]
"When Wajeha Al Huwaider gets behind the wheel of a car, it's a daring and defiant act, flying -- or driving -- in the face of Saudi Arabia's ban on female drivers. This weekend, in honor of International Women's Day and in protest of the law, she posted a video on Youtube of her driving inside the kingdom. Al Huwaider is one of a group of women petitioning for the right to drive in Saudi Arabia. In a country governed by fundamentalist interpretations of Islam its activities have earned the group a rash of slanderous accusations and death threats from religious conservatives.. ..There have been broad calls for greater legal and civil rights in Saudi Arabia. Those in favor of change include the Saudi ruler, King Abdullah, who announced an initial set of judicial reforms last year. The king has said that he expects Saudi women will drive one day. But, for the time being, the ban remains.." [more]

Kingdom�s First Reinsurance Company Formally Launched [Mar 10]
"A new insurance company, Saudi Reinsurance Company (Saudi Re), was formally launched in Riyadh on Saturday, with its top officials being bullish about the local insurance industry. Mousa A. Al-Rubaian, chairman of the founders committee, told reporters that being the first Saudi reinsurer, Saudi Re has bright prospects and it may become one of the biggest players in the local insurance industry, which is estimated to be $1.5 billion annually and is expected to reach $8 billion within 10 years. Al-Rubaian�s optimism is hinged on the new regulations, which have liberalized the market and opened it to regional and international players.." [more]

Oasis Economies [Mar 10]
"While political tensions in the Middle East often grab international headlines, relatively little is written about a growing source of stability within the region - the rise of a diversified, open economy, no longer exclusively dependent on oil revenues, said a new report by Booz Allen Hamilton. The region�s economic development continues to gain momentum, despite being largely unrecognized. If this economic oasis can flower, it suggests the future of the Middle East is more hopeful - and more complex, than many realize.. ..This phenomenon is being spurred by a broad group of decision makers trying to build a bridge between Middle East culture and its economic potential.. ..If they manage to create this unique economy, the oasis blooming today won�t be a mirage, but an attractive, sustainable, fertile valley.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Mar 9] ~~~~~~~~~

Saudi Looks for Recipients of Zawahri Phone Message [Mar 9]
"Saudi Arabia said on Sunday anyone who received a voice recording from al Qaeda's deputy leader Ayman al-Zawahri on their mobile phone must inform the authorities within a week to avoid arrest. The Interior Ministry said last week that 56 men held since December on suspicion of seeking to revive al Qaeda cells in Saudi Arabia had planned to use a voice recording of Zawahri saved on a mobile phone to raise funds for the group.. ..Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil exporter and home to Islam's holiest sites, has been the target of attacks by militants linked to al Qaeda since 2003. But the campaign has gone quiet since its last major operation in February 2006 when militants tried to attack the world's largest oil processing plant at Abqaiq. 'The ministry calls on all those who were contacted concerning this voice message ... to inform the authorities,'.." [more]

Syria Invites Saudi to Arab Summit [Mar 9]
"A Syrian delegation on Sunday delivered an invitation to regional powerhouse Saudi Arabia to join an Arab summit in Damascus at the end of the month, the official SPA news agency reported. The invitation, which was delivered to Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal, had been slow to come amid strained ties between Riyadh and Damascus over the deep political crisis in Lebanon. The level of the kingdom's representation at the March 29-30 summit has yet to be decided.. ..Arab diplomatic sources said Saudi Arabia had been hesitant about arranging an appointment for the Syrian delegation to deliver the invitation.." [more]

Saudi Ambassador Returns to Qatar After 5-yr Gap [Mar 9]
"Saudi Arabia has reestablished full diplomatic ties with the neighbouring Gulf Arab state of Qatar after a five-year hiatus and will send an ambassador to Doha ahead of a visit by Crown Prince Sultan this week. The official Saudi Press Agency said on Sunday that ambassador Ahmed bin Ali al-Qahtani had taken up his post. Crown Prince Sultan is due in Doha on Monday. Riyadh withdrew its ambassador to Doha in 2002 in protest at coverage of Saudi Arabia on Qatar-funded news broadcaster Al Jazeera, and over Qatar's independent political line, which included forming ties with Israel and offering Washington military facilities.." [more]

BA Mulls Over Saudi Arabia Re-entry [Mar 9]
"British Airways has not ruled out re-introducing services to Saudi Arabia, but the move is unlikely to happen until the airline receives new aircraft deliveries. That was the verdict from BA's CEO for Asia Pacific, Robbie Baird, who revealed that KSA, Korea and "more points in China and India" were under review. 'But we have a number of years before new aircraft are coming (24 Boeing 787 aircraft and 12 A380 aircraft),'.. ..BA ceased its Saudi Arabia operations post-9/11 and in November slashed its commission payments to agents based in the Kingdom to 0%. In the meantime, rival UK carrier bmi has expanded its KSA presence and most recently introduced a three times weekly Dammam-London Heathrow service (March 1).." [more]

Gulf States to Meet to Discuss Inflation Levels [Mar 9]
"Policymakers and chambers of commerce officials from the Gulf are set to meet in Bahrain on March 23-24 to discuss how to deal with the almost record high levels of inflation that have hit the region incredibly. Recommendations from the International Monetary Fund will also be heard at the conference which is to be attended by members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) as well.. ..Rising inflation has been a crucial issue in the countries across the Gulf with many countries reaching near record high levels of inflation.." [more]

US Will Drive Oil Prices Down Before Poll [Mar 9]
"An Iranian oil official said on Saturday he expected the oil price to fall ahead of November's US presidential election, suggesting Washington would seek to push it down for political reasons. Hojjatollah Ghanimifard told the Fars News Agency that 'those in political power in the [United States] will try to [influence] the market through various factors to create interest in voters to elect individuals of their preference.' 'In view of the US presidential election and the fact that the US is the biggest consumer of oil products, oil prices will face a decline in summer,'.." [more]

Kingdom 5th Emerging Economy [Mar 9]
"An economic report expected the Saudi market to be classified as the fifth emerging economy in the world within two years after China, Brazil, India and Malaysia. Government expenditure on projects is a major factor for the classification. The report - issued by a specialized center for economic studies and research - noted that the acceleration of the Saudi economy�s growth is due to a number of factors, such as the major economic reforms carried out by the government in the last 5 years - the most prominent are the recent laws and regulations endorsed to encourage the movement of commerce and investment along with the development of Saudi training and educational institutes based on the need of the labor market. The report added that the large size of liquidity in the Kingdom is due to high oil prices.." [more]

Businesses Told to Benefit From WTO Accession [Mar 9]
"The Saudi business sector should make efforts through their chambers of commerce and industry to draw benefits from the Kingdom�s World Trade Organization membership. This was the message given by Valentine Rugwabiza, assistant director general at Geneva-based WTO.. ..'The Kingdom is one of the newest members of the WTO. No doubt, your accession means true universality of the organization,' Rugwabiza said, adding that the importance of the Kingdom�s accession is highlighted by the fact that it is the world�s major exporter and importer. The WTO has 152 member-countries. 'After 12 long years of negotiations, the Kingdom has become a WTO member, but not much head way has been made by the business sector in overcoming the challenges of accession processes. This is partly because the business sector has not realized the benefits it could accrue from the country�s accession to the world trade body,'.." [more]

Reformist Begins Sentence for Protests [Mar 9]
"A leading Saudi reformist and his brother started to serve time behind bars on Saturday after being convicted of inciting women's protests in the ultra-conservative Muslim kingdom. Abdullah al-Hamed, a prominent Islamist reformist, and his brother Issa were sentenced last November to six months and four months in jail respectively. The sentences were upheld by an appeals court last month, but the two men were still free pending a decision on the rulings by the governor's office of al-Qassim region where their trial took place.. ..The charges against the Hamed brothers were linked to two sit-ins last summer by women in al-Qassim.. ..More than 40 Saudi human rights activists and reformists called earlier this month for the annulment of the 'unfair ruling' against the Hamed brothers. In November, New York-based Human Rights Watch slammed Saudi Arabia for jailing the two reformers, saying the judgement proved it was illegal to criticize the authorities in the kingdom.." [more]

Mar 2 - Mar 8, 2008

~~~~~~~~ [ Mar 8] ~~~~~~~~~

Saudi's Top Cleric Warns Against Giving Money to al-Qaida Linked Charities [Mar 8]
"Saudi Arabia's top religious authority warned Saudis against giving money to charities and organizations financing 'evil' groups.. ..The warning by Grand Mufti Sheik Abdul-Aziz Abdullah al-Sheikh comes just days after police found an audio message from al-Qaida No.2 Ayman al-Zawahri exhorting his followers to collect money for needy families in Afghanistan and Pakistan.. ..The Interior Ministry found al-Zawahri's message on the memory card of a mobile phone of one of 28 militants whose arrest was announced March 3 for allegedly being tasked with rebuilding al-Qaida's network in Saudi Arabia. In October, the government-appointed mufti asked wealthy people to exercise vigilance on where they donate their money. He also warned young 'religious zealots' against becoming tools in the hands of foreign groups 'which play with their feelings in the name of holy war'.." [more]

Saudi to Fund Gaza Reconstruction [Mar 8]
"Saudi Arabia will pay for the reconstruction of all buildings demolished in Gaza by Israel during last week's deadly incursions in which more than 130 Palestinians were killed. Saudi Health Minister Hamad Al-Manie said in comments published on Friday that King Abdullah had ordered the reconstruction as part of the kingdom's support for the Palestinian people and their cause.. ..According to the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR), more than 70 buildings were either completely or partially destroyed by Israeli forces. Saudi Arabia has been among the most vocal critics of Israel's incursions into the Gaza Strip, last week comparing the assault to Nazi war crimes. The bloody assault earned Israel international condemnation and caused moderate Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas to temporarily cut contacts with the Israelis.." [more]

Arab Rights Fund to Aid Activists [Mar 8]
"An Arab human rights fund was launched in Beirut on Friday to support rights groups and activists in the region, the independent group announced in a statement.. ..'AHRF boasts an entirely Arab board and staff. It aims to provide financial resources and technical assistance to organisations and individuals active in the promotion of all human rights in the Arab region in line with local and regional needs,' the statement said. The Ford Foundation provided startup funds to AHRF.." [more]

Al-Sebail Defends Censors Despite Ministry Aim For More Openness [Mar 8]
"Censorship will be maintained on all publications displayed at the Riyadh International Book Fair, according to Abdul Aziz Al-Sebail, Deputy Minister for Culture at the Ministry of Culture and Information, who is also supervisor general of the fair.. ..Speaking after Wednesday�s uproar by publishers over unauthorized censors prowling around and confiscating books, Al-Sebail denied that he had promised the publishers that there would be no surveillance at the fair. 'We didn�t say that,' he told Al-Hayat Arabic daily. 'On the contrary, there will be censorship and monitoring till the last day of the fair'.." [more]

Al-Qahtani Named New Envoy to Qatar [Mar 8]
"Newly appointed Saudi ambassador to Qatar Ahmed Al-Qahtani takes charge Saturday after serving for about three years as ambassador to Syria. His first official task is to make arrangements for the three-day official visit of HRH Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz, Deputy Prime Minister, Defense and Aviation Minister and Inspector General which starts Monday.. ..The new envoy said the Crown Prince�s visit was part of constant consultations between the two countries in view of critical developments in the region, especially the escalating Palestinian-Israeli conflict in Gaza. Al-Qahtani said the Crown Prince�s visit to Qatar would help consolidate joint Gulf and Arab work and find effective solutions for thorny Arab issues.." [more]

Annan, Carter to Launch Mideast Peace Mission [Mar 8]
"The council of world leaders launched by former President Nelson Mandela is sending a three-person team to the troubled Middle East. Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, former US President Jimmy Carter and former Irish President Mary Robinson, will visit Israel, the Palestinian territories, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Saudi Arabia next month to �help people understand the urgency of peace,� the organization known as The Elders said in a statement yesterday. Launched last year to celebrate Mandela�s 89th birthday, the group of 12 world leaders is dedicated to fostering peace and resolving global crises.." [more]

Blue Chip Stocks Lead TASI Decline [Mar 8]
"Saudi shares suffered from selling pressure last week with blue chip stocks leading the decline. The Tadawul All-Share Index (TASI) shed 2.9 percent last week, closing at 9,984.58 points down from 10,291.47 points previous week. TASI is currently 10.7 percent lower than the year�s start. The weekly report of the Riyadh-based Bakheet Investment Group (BIG) attributed the decline to 'selling pressure for profit taking on the majority of the listed stocks that took place despite the fact that some stock prices had reached attractive levels, particularly those of blue chips.' 'It seems that the market is still impacted by regional factors, including economic and political tension,'.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Mar 7] ~~~~~~~~~

Saudi Oil Minister Says Speculation Driving Prices [Mar 7]
"Speculation is driving triple-digit oil making it impossible for any organization to control price movement, Saudi Arabia's oil minister said in remarks published on Friday. 'Speculation in futures market is determining prices,' Ali al-Naimi told 'The duty of oil exporters is to make sure that fundamentals are healthy,' said Naimi. 'If these fundamentals were stable and fulfill market needs, then there is no need to raise or decrease production,'.. ..OPEC ministers said recent record high prices had been driven by factors beyond their control, such as a weak dollar, speculation and political strife, not by a lack of oil. Oil held near $106 a barrel on Friday.." [more]

Against Saudi Odds, a Woman CEO [Mar 7]
"When Nadia Al Dossary's husband fell into a coma, she ignored Saudi Arabia's laws and handled his affairs. Now, she runs his multimillion-dollar scrap metal company.. ..In Saudi Arabia, women aren't allowed to drive -- but they can run banks and investment funds. Granted, these businesswomen are usually handed their positions within a family operation, and they're cut off from the rest of Saudi society. But that's not always the story. Kelly McEvers has a profile of one Saudi woman who's doing things differently.." [more]

KAUST Arranges Research Collaboration [Mar 7]
"King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) has announced the signing of two collaborative agreements, one with King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) and another with King Abdullah City for Science and Technology (KACST). The agreements are the first KAUST concluded in the Kingdom designed to expand its mission of supporting research and academic development for the benefit of Saudi Arabia, the region, and the world.. ..The KAUST- KACST collaboration focuses on technology research.." [more]

Kingdom�s Booming Real Estate Sector to Hit New High in 3 Years [Mar 7]
" The Saudi booming real estate sector will hit new high over the next three years backed by several economic, legislative and financial factors, expect property experts. They estimate the growth rate of fixed capital stock at 45-55 percent between 2005 and 2007 following the sharp increase in the Saudi gross domestic product from SR41.7 billion in 2000 to more than SR60 billion now, according to the latest statistics. This surge in capital inflows comes amid annual real estate transactions worth SR200 billion and investments ratcheting up to more than SR1.2 billion. Several factors are cited to be behind this prosperousness, primarily the rising oil prices that have reached an all-time high of $102 per barrel, an unprecedented price tag that is surely to augment liquidity and consequently provide further stimulus to the expanding housing market.." [more]

France Chosen Guest of Honor at Next Year�s Janadriya Festival [Mar 7]
"France, which was one of the first countries to recognize the young Saudi state that united the Najd and Hijaz regions of Arabia way back in 1927, will be the guest of honor at the 24th National Festival of Heritage and Culture at Janadriya next year.. ..France will be followed by Russia, which will be the guest country in 2010, he said. 'France has been given this honor because Saudi-French relations are longstanding and have progressed well over the last decade,' said a member of the Janadriya organizing committee. 'The growing relationship in all sectors, including culture and tourism, has made France one of the oldest allies of the Kingdom,'.." [more]

Guardianship Issue Must Be Solved [Mar 7]
"Hundreds of women attended the conference entitled 'The Saudi Woman Between Economics and Social Reality,' an event targeting Saudi businesswomen, working women and women seeking to develop a business. The objectives of the conference were to identify and discuss the new rules and regulations issued by the government that are related to Saudi working women and to examine ways for Saudi women to play a role in the economy in light of the social reality.. ..Dr. Fawzia H. Al-Bakr, professor at King Saud University, highlighted some major concerns. 'For me, first of all the guardianship issue must be solved. In practicality, a woman�s husband or father is the owner of all her finances and controls her business. In a family, if the husband dies, the guardianship of the woman passes to another man and then what happens to the woman�s business? It is unbelievable that women still need a guardian�s consent to be educated, open a business or even travel,'.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Mar 6] ~~~~~~~~~

Arab Foreign Ministers May Freeze Peace Initiative at Summit [Mar 6]
"Arab foreign ministers threatened to freeze their peace initiative during an Arab summit in Syria this month, unless Israel acts ``positively'' toward the offer and ends an offensive on the Gaza Strip. The initiative, proposed by Saudi Arabia at the Arab League summit in Beirut in 2002, calls for full Arab recognition of Israel, in return for Israeli withdrawal from the Arab land occupied in 1967 and establishing a Palestinian state on the West Bank and Gaza, with east Jerusalem as the capital. The decision comes in response to growing popular pressure in Arab countries, especially those with full diplomatic ties with Israel, to act against the Israeli operations in Gaza. Egypt became the first Arab nation to sign a peace accord with Israel in 1979 and Jordan followed suit in 1994.." [more]

Oil Tanker Rescued Off Saudi's Red Sea Coast [Mar 6]
"Saudi Arabia emergency services rescued a 1 million barrel oil tanker drifting without power in the waters of the Red Sea off the kingdom's east coast, Arab News said, citing the port's general director. The successful response from King Fahd Industrial Port's emergency team in Yanbu prevented an oil spill on coral reef 200 kilometers (125 miles) off the Saudi coast. ..The Greek-registered vessel was sailing to Jordan's port in Aqaba.." [more]

Saudi Aramco to Take 50% Stake in Sinopec's Qingdao Refinery [Mar 6]
"Saudi Aramco, Saudi Arabia's state- owned oil company, will take a 50 percent stake in a 12.5 billion-yuan ($1.8 billion) oil refinery that China Petroleum & Chemical Corp. is building. The refinery at Qingdao in Shandong province will start processing crude oil in early April, Zhou Yuan, the vice chairman of Sinopec, as China Petroleum is known, said in an interview in Beijing today. Sinopec will take the remaining 50 percent stake, according to Zhou. China, the world's second-biggest energy-consuming nation, plans to increase oil-refining capacity 25 percent by 2010. The country's biggest oil refiner started construction of the 10 million metric tons-a-year refinery in June 2005 to bolster its ability to supply fuels and chemicals to the world's fastest- growing major economy. ." [more]

OPEC Faults U.S. As Oil Hits New High [Mar 6]
"OPEC on Wednesday accused the U.S. of economic "mismanagement" it said is pushing oil prices to new record highs, rebuffing calls to boost output and laying the blame at the feet of the Bush administration. Oil prices surged past $104 a barrel for the first time after the OPEC announcement and the release of a U.S. government report showing a surprise drop in crude oil stockpiles. The 13-nation Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries said it would maintain current production levels because crude supplies are plentiful and demand is expected to weaken in the second quarter. ." [more]

Group Plotted Against Saudi Oil Installations [Mar 6]
"A senior Saudi official said yesterday that a terror cell uncovered this week was plotting attacks on oil installations and security forces in Saudi Arabia and receiving instructions from Al Qaeda members operating from an Arab country. Saudis, three Palestinians and a Yemeni were among the 28 militants arrested Monday in a security sweep on suspicion of seeking to rebuild the Al Qaeda terrorist network in the kingdom.. ..Cell members received instructions from Al Qaeda leaders believed to be operating from a key Arab country, the sources said without naming the country. They said, however, that it was the same country from where Al Qaeda former military commander, the Egyptian Sayf al-Adl, was believed to have given the green light for deadly attacks on housing complexes in Riyadh in May 2003.." [more]

Kingdom, Turkey Sign Agreement to Boost Cooperation [Mar 6]
"As part of an effort to boost Saudi-Turkish cooperation in the tourism and culture sector, Prince Sultan ibn Salman, secretary general of the Supreme Commission for Tourism (SCT), and Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism Ertugrul Gunay signed an agreement here yesterday. 'This accord with a mandate to promote tourism relation between Riyadh and Ankara is the continuation of the excellent ties between the two countries,' said Prince Sultan.. ..Speaking on his part, Turkish minister Gunay, who also delivered a speech at Janadariya�s opening ceremony yesterday, said: �The two countries had forged closer relation in all sectors.� He added that a Turkish tourism office was also opened in Riyadh yesterday to promote relations in the tourism sector.." [more]

Women�s Employment Rate World�s Lowest, says Princess [Mar 6]
"Five million Saudi women make up half of the adult population of citizens but only half a million of them are employed. At 5.5 percent, it is the world's lowest rate of women's representation in a country's workforce, said Princess Adla, daughter of King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. The Princess pointed out the limited role of Saudi women in the country's economic growth, while speaking at a forum entitled 'Saudi Woman Between Economy And Social Reality', organized in Dammam by the Saudi Businesswomen's Forum in the Eastern Province. Saudi women have combined financial assets of approximately SR100 billion but only 42.3 billion of this is invested in a very limited range of projects, the Princess said, according to a report in the Arabic daily Asharq Alawsat. The remaining assets are lying idle for want of investment channels. Unemployment among Saudi women is also rising, the Princess said, despite jobs opportunities for them having increased from 21.7 percent in 2002 to 26. 3 percent in 2006.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Mar 5] ~~~~~~~~~

Syria to Invite Lebanon, Saudi Arabia to Summit [Mar 5]
"Syria, facing Arab divisions over its role in neighbouring Lebanon, will invite Beirut and Riyadh to attend an Arab summit in Damascus due later this month, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem said. Syria, which has strained ties with the Western-backed government of Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, had said it would wait until Lebanon elects a new president before inviting Beirut and Riyadh to the March 29-30 summit. Saudi Arabia also backs Siniora, who is an opponent of Syria. Syria has invited all other Arab League members, according to Lebanese politicians.." [more]

KEC, Microsoft to Open Windows for Future Saudi IT Leaders [Mar 5]
"Young Saudis will soon be knocking at the gates of the IT world as a result of a strategic partnership forged between Knowledge Economic City Al Madinah (KEC), and Microsoft. 'KEC Al Madinah is the new base for Knowledge Based Industries and spreading knowledge,' Tahir Bawazir, CEO, KEC, told reporters at the press conference on the occasion of the signing of the strategic partnership agreement between the two major companies, today (Feb 25).. ..The main highlights of the partnership include establishing a Microsoft academy to train Saudis on the basic utilization of technology. Complimenting this academy will be the establishment of a Microsoft Library with IT books, trial software and other learning material. The agreement will also drive the formation of incubators to provide young entrepreneurs with an encouraging environment to establish healthy and promising businesses and thrive within a knowledge economy. ." [more]

Negotiations Advance on Typhoon Production in Saudi Arabia [Mar 5]
"The Saudi Arabian Alsalam Aircraft Company, a joint venture between Boeing, Saudi Arabian Airways and Saudi Advanced Industries Company, has revealed that it is currently involved in high-level discussions relating to Typhoon and Tornado combat aircraft and Apache attack helicopter programmes in the country. Speaking at the company's Riyadh facility, Alsalam's president and chief executive officer, Mohammed Fallatah, said that no firm contract had yet been signed regarding in-country Eurofighter Typhoon assembly. However, he confirmed that talks with BAE Systems were proceeding well and that he expected a firm agreement 'in the next month or two'. On 17 September 2007 the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) announced its intention to purchase 72 Typhoon aircraft as part of a deal worth GBP4.43 billion (USD8.9 billion).." [more]

Thai Foreign Minister to Reopen Saudi Gems Scandal Case [Mar 5]
"Thailand hoped to restore the former warm relations enjoyed with Saudi Arabia by concluding the 1980s gems scandal case and other cases believed link to the saga, according to Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama. Mr. Noppadon met Saudi charge d'affaires Nadil H. Ashri who made a courtesy call on him at the ministry. The foreign minister later told reporters he affirmed Thailand wanted to normalise diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia with the aim of re-establishing the Saudi Arabia Embassy.. .. Mr. Noppadon added diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia could be restored after a conclusion of cases including the Saudi diamond theft and murder of four Saudi diplomats and the disappearance of one Saudi businessman in the 1980s.." [more]

Saudi Unlikely to Revalue, says Deutsche Bank [Mar 5]
"Saudi Arabia will probably keep its currency pegged to the dollar at the same value for the foreseeable future because factors other than trade, like rents and food, are driving inflation, Deutsche Bank said in a report. Higher government spending rather than lower interest rates are likely to keep up the pressure on inflation in the kingdom because people in Saudi Arabia tend to rely more on savings and non-bank resources to finance consumption.. ..The world's largest oil exporter, which has kept its currency fixed to the dollar at 3.75 riyals since 1986, has repeatedly said it is committed to the peg because it helps encourage foreign investment.." [more]

Saudi Pumping About 300,000 bpd Over Target [Mar 5]
"Saudi Arabia has been pumping steadily at about 9.2 million barrels per day for several months, a senior Gulf Opec delegate said. The output is some 300,000 barrels per day above the kingdom's formal Opec target. Top exporter Saudi Arabia is the only Opec member that can easily add significant amounts of extra oil to the market. The United States on Tuesday called on Opec to increase its production by a modest 300,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 500,000 bpd to try to contain economic slowdown. But most of the 13 Opec ministers, who meet in Vienna on Wednesday, have said they think the group's output policy should remain unchanged.." [more]

Saudi's Bourse Leads Gulf Gainers [Mar 5]
"Shares in Saudi Arabia, the largest Gulf market, closed above 10,000 and led six out of seven Gulf markets higher Tuesday. The Saudi market ended higher by 2% at 10030.04, led by heavyweights Saudi Basic Industries Corp (Sabic), and Al Rajhi Bank. Buying was seen across the board as local investors looked for value deals after recent losses, said an analyst. The market had fallen by about 4.4% in the previous three sessions and is the Gulf region's worst performer this year so far.." [more]

Consul: Muslim Role Growing in Changing Make-Up of US [Mar 5]
"Islam and American Muslims now play significant roles in the fast changing racial, ethnic, religious and political make-up of the United States, according to John Kincannon, US Consul General in Dhahran.. .. Addressing a gathering of over 100 invited guests, mostly businessmen, Kincannon said that 'although hard facts are difficult to come by, some experts now believe that Islam is America's second largest religion and is also the fastest growing religion with more than a million practitioners.' He said there are now some 2,000 mosques in America, an increase by 42 percent since 1990 and up from only 52 mosques at the end of the Second World War. American Muslims are also being appointed in the Foreign Service, he said, citing as examples a Sunni Muslim who is now US ambassador to the United Nations and the nomination of Sada Cumber as the first US ambassador to the Organization of the Islamic Conference.." [more]

Women to Contest Oct. Elections at Riyadh Chamber [Mar 5]
"For only the third time in the history of the Kingdom, women will be running for major office - this latest contest for board membership in the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI). Prince Halah Bint Abdurrahman Al-Saud, manager of the women's branch at the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry announced that women would be running and voting in RCCI's 15th board elections due in October. Women have earlier contested in board elections of the chambers of commerce of Jeddah and Dammam.. .. Princess Halah is urging businesswomen to ensure their participation, by making themselves eligible for both voting and contesting. 'We urge all businesswomen who need to renew their membership with the RCCI to do so as soon as possible,'.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ Mar 4] ~~~~~~~~~

Rice in Israel in Effort to Resume Peace Talks [Mar 4]
"US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in Israel on Tuesday and said she would work toward resumption of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations as soon as possible. She said, 'I'm hopeful we can get through this current situation and get back to negotiations. I continue to believe that they can get to a deal by the end of the year if everyone's got the will to do it.'.. ..Rice was to head to the occupied West Bank for talks with Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad in Ramallah. She was later expected to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and hold talks with other senior Israeli leaders the following day.." [more]

UN Responsible for Israeli Aggression, Says Kingdom [Mar 4]
"The Council of Ministers said yesterday that Saudi Arabia would stand by the Palestinians with all its potentials against the Israeli aggression. It held the UN Security Council responsible for the Jewish state�s continuous violation of the international law.. ..'The UN Security Council should take the moral and political responsibility for Israel�s practices and continuous violations of the international law,' the Saudi Press Agency said quoting a Cabinet statement. The Cabinet said Saudi Arabia would continue its efforts to unify Arab ranks, help Arabs take independent decisions without foreign influence. It stressed the need for improving inter-Arab relations.." [more]

UC Berkeley to Team With New Saudi University [Mar 4]
"UC Berkeley is set to sign a deal with a soon-to-open graduate university in Saudi Arabia that would give Cal millions of dollars in exchange for its help in hiring professors and collaborating on research. The deal, which is expected to be announced this week, involves Cal's mechanical engineering department and the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. Al Pisano, chairman of Cal's mechanical engineering department, described it as a mutually beneficial "academic excellence alliance." Few details were made public. The King Abdullah University of Science and Technology is being built on the Red Sea at Thuwal, about 50 miles north of Saudi Arabia's second-largest city, Jidda. It is scheduled to open in the fall of 2009 and will accept students of both sexes.." [more]

Rights Body to Have Women Board Members [Mar 4]
"The Human Rights Commission (HRC) is to appoint Saudi women as board members following a royal decree approving the move, according to the group�s President Turki Al-Sudairi. Saudi women already work part-time at HRC�s headquarters in Riyadh as part of an initial step to fully introduce women into the body. Women also work full time at HRC offices in the Eastern Province and Jeddah. Saudi Arabia�s governmental human rights watchdog announced that it was planning to launch a 24-hour hot line to receive complaints from both citizens and expatriate residents. The announcement was made during a press conference on Monday following the launch of the HRC�s website.." [more]

Riyadh Keen to Boost Arab Unity [Mar 4]
"Saudi Arabia is keen to boost Arab political and economic ties and bring stability to the region through the Arab League, said Prince Saud Al Faisal, Foreign Minister. Addressing the Shura Council on Sunday, Prince Saud said: 'We are now facing a meeting of the Arab League, which is expected to discuss on all matters relating to the holding of the summit of the Arab leaders. Saudi Arabia considers this summit as a mark of Arab cohesion and unity.'.. ..The meeting took place a day after the meeting of the foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on Saturday.." [more]

Saudi Commerce Minister Steps Down Amid Inflationary Pressures [Mar 4]
"Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah on Monday appointed Abdullah ibn Ahmed Zainal Alireza as minister of commerce and industry. He replaces Dr. Hashim Abdullah Yamani. According to Arab News, a royal decree issued by the king said Yamani has been relieved of his position 'at his request.' However, observers claimed Yamani stepped down following harsh criticism over rising inflation in the kingdom. Yamani was among officials who was attacked in the Saudi press when inflation amounted to 7 percent last month, its highest level in the country in more than a quarter of a century. The new minister Alireza, who hails from a distinguished business family, has been hitherto a state minister in the Cabinet. Before that he was the chairman of Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Additionally, Alireza led the team that negotiated the Kingdom�s accession to the World Trade Organization.." [more]

NY Court: Saudi Billionaire Can Pursue British Claims in the U.S. [Mar 4]
"The author of a book about financing terrorism can't prevent a Saudi billionaire from trying to enforce a London libel verdict in the United States, a federal appeals court said Monday. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Manhattan author Rachel Ehrenfeld's lawsuit to stop the billionaire, Khalid Salim A. Bin Mahfouz, from trying to collect on a default judgment obtained against Ehrenfeld in London. Ehrenfeld's attorney, Daniel Kornstein, said he was disappointed by the ruling.. ..Ehrenfeld wrote that Bin Mahfouz and his family provided financial support to al-Qaida and other 'Islamist terror groups.' A 2005 ruling by London's High Court of Justice ordered Ehrenfeld to pay Bin Mahfouz $225,000, declare her writings about him to be false, destroy existing copies of the book and apologize .." [more]

Saudi To Turn Solar Power Hub [Mar 4]
"Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil exporter, plans to become an expert in another, cleaner field of energy by investing in solar power, the country's oil minister said in an interview released yesterday. For a country like Saudi Arabia ... one of the most important sources of energy to look at and to develop is solar energy, Ali al-Naimi told French oil newsletter Petrostrategies. He added: One of the research efforts that we are going to undertake is to see how we make Saudi Arabia a centre for solar energy research and hopefully over the next 30 to 50 years we will be a major megawatt exporter. In the same way we are an oil exporter, we can also be an exporter of power.." [more]

Aramco Official Calls to Develop New Technologies [Mar 4]
"Saudi Aramco�s operations chief challenged the world�s leading geoscientists to hone existing technologies and help create new ones to maximize oil reservoir recovery and take exploration activities to a new level of performance and sophistication. Khalid A. Al-Falih, executive vice president of operations, made the remarks Sunday at the opening session of the 8th Middle East Geosciences Conference and Exhibition being held over three days in Manama. For several years, new technologies for evaluating reservoir conditions have been employed and have provided upstreamers with large volumes of data. Only recently has the interpretation and integration of those data streams started to provide the detail and insights needed to push reservoir management to the next level.." [more]

~~~~~~~~ [ 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 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]

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