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Muslims Urged to Get More Power [Sep 2]
"The imam of the Grand Mosque in Makkah urged Muslims to acquire maximum power in order to maintain world peace, establish a balance of power and protect their rights. “Power is not detrimental to peace. It’s part of peace. It promotes peace. As long as we have power we don’t lose war or disturb peace,” Dr. Saleh Bin-Humaid said yesterday while delivering his Friday sermon. Bin-Humaid, who is also chairman of the Shoura Council, said wrong policies of certain powers had fueled terrorism.." [more]

Rise of Futures Trading Stirs Concerns [Sep 2]
"Some local banking analysts are urging authorities to curb the trading of futures on the Saudi stock exchange, called the Tadawul, citing concerns over a shift of liquidity from the trading of options to the trading of these fixed-term contracts. Analysts have noticed a marked increase in the trading of futures contracts on the Tadawul.." [more]

Saudi Aramco Buys First-Ever Fuel Oil Cargoes [Sep 1]
"Saudi Aramco, a major fuel oil exporter to East Asia, has imported its first-ever cargoes of the residual fuel, taking a total of around 160,000 tonnes for August and September deliveries, to meet peak summer utility demand amid a depressed global market.. ..'This is the first time ever that Aramco has actually bought fuel oil. It's a case of optimisation -- the market has been poor and they have cut back on their own production due to depressed prices in the face of peak summer demand,' a Singapore-based Middle East trader said.." [more]

Saudi Arabia's Moment of Redemption? [Sep 1]
"Flush with cash from high oil prices, ascendant in its battle with homegrown jihadists, buoyed by a newly robust private sector and entry into the World Trade Organization, and led by a popular, reform-minded king, Saudi Arabia has sputtered to life. After the dark days of the 1990s, marked by stagnation, drift and policy paralysis, the kingdom faces a brighter future.." [more]

Best Plans to Open Chain of Shops in Saudi Arabia [Sep 1]
"The electronic store Best, described as the largest store of its kind in the Kingdom, is planning to open a chain of 20 shops over an 18-month period at a cost of SR600 million.. ..Thousands of customers arrived to witness the opening day of two Best superstores located on Exit 16 of East Ring Road, and Exit 26 on Khurais Road, Riyadh. Each store is contained in an area ranging from 3,000 to 5,000 sq. meters.." [more]

Saudi Bid for Influence Shattered [Sep 1]
"The Saudi stance against Hezbollah has less to do with fears of Iran's growing geopolitical weight than a demoralized reaction to the failure of its foreign policy in Lebanon. However, by choosing to side with the United States and Israel, the House of Saud risks deepening the dynamics that generate divisions and dissent in the kingdom.." [more]

Rowan Awarded Contracts to Drill Offshore Saudi Arabia [Sep 1]
"The Saudi Arabian Oil Co. has awarded two contracts valued at $550 million to Rowan Cos. Inc. which will begin drilling operations offshore Saudi Arabia next year. Each contract is for a four-year term. The relocation of Rowan's two Tarzan Class jack-up drilling rigs from the Gulf of Mexico will begin in January 2007 and the rigs should be operational in Saudi Arabia by the end of the first quarter.." [more]

A Spark of Educational Revolution [Sep 1]
"Officials of the King Abdul Aziz and His Companions Foundation for the Gifted brought to a close their week-long conference on giftedness Wednesday. About 2,000 educationists from across the world and representing a large number of international organizations attended the conference, characterized by some participants as a spark for a coming revolution in the field of education in Saudi Arabia.." [more]

Saudi Gets 27 Years to Life for Enslaving Maid [Sep 1]
"A Saudi man convicted of sexually assaulting an Indonesian housekeeper and keeping her as a virtual slave was sentenced yesterday to 27 years to life in prison in Colorado.. ..Al-Turki, who was studying for a doctoral degree at the University of Colorado, was convicted June 30 of unlawful sexual contact by use of force, theft and extortion. All are felonies. He was also convicted on misdemeanor counts of false imprisonment and conspiracy to commit false imprisonment.." [more]

Oil Scene [Sep 1]
"Interesting new events are starting to impact the global crude balance — rather positively — this time. Markets are softening. A number of reasons could be attributed to this easing out. The lowering of geopolitical temperature in this major oil producing region, coupled with rising inventory levels in the OECD, are now impacting the global crude markets.. ..Traditionally, Saudi Arabia has been the No. 1 crude producer of the world for last many decades. In fact, it is an uncomfortable throne to occupy in many senses, for the position carries its own responsibilities too.." [more]

Saudi Arabia Urges World to Help Lebanon [Aug 31]
"Saudi Arabia has urged the world to assist the reconstruction of Lebanon ahead of a conference to raise funds for Beirut's pressing needs following Israel's offensive, a foreign ministry statement said yesterday. Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al Faisal held a meeting in the Red Sea city of Jeddah on Tuesday with heads of diplomatic missions during which he 'urged the international community to provide utmost levels of aid to Lebanon'.." [more]

Oil Crashes to 10-week Low After US Data [Aug 31]
"Oil prices fell below $69 a barrel yesterday after the US government reported a rise in oil inventories, easing supply worries as today’s deadline neared for Iran to halt its nuclear programme. Inventories of crude oil, fuel, and distillate fuels — which include heating oil and diesel — all rose last week, according to the US Energy Information Administration. Analysts had been expecting lower inventories.." [more]

Anti-Poverty Strategy Aims to Help 1.2m Saudis [Aug 31]
"The national strategy to fight poverty, which has been drafted by experts and presented to higher authorities for approval, will serve at least 1.2 million Saudis, informed sources said.. ..Officials at the Ministry of Social Affairs would not disclose the number of Saudi individuals and families living below the Saudi poverty line of SR1,700 ($452) per month.." [more]

Saudi Inflation Eases; Money Supply Slips [Aug 31]
"Inflation in Saudi Arabia slipped to 2.1 per cent in June, while money supply eased 0.3 per cent in July to 597.4 billion riyals ($159.3bn) and the central bank’s net foreign assets surged 4.4 per cent. The cost of living index, based on data from 16 cities, was at 101.3 points in June, up 0.1 per cent on May’s 101.2 and a rise of 2.1 per cent over the last 12 months. The index in May showed a rise of 2.2 per cent over the year.." [more]

Preparations Afoot for Sixth National Dialogue [Aug 31]
"The King Abdul Aziz National Dialogue Center will hold five preparatory meetings in September in different parts of the Kingdom to collect input for the next forum, which will take place in December. The aim of the sixth forum, entitled “Education: Facts and Ways of Developments,” will be to address the Kingdom’s strategies for improving its educational system.." [more]

Saudi Arabian Rules Out National Women Crew [Aug 30]
"Saudi women will not be part of Saudi Arabian Airlines' team of flight attendants, crew members, or ground support staff in the near future. Non-Saudi women are to replace Saudis in these jobs, said a report in the Jeddah-based Asharq Al Awsat newspaper. 'We are studying the employment of women, but I do not think it would be as stewardesses or as employees working at airports,' said another report in the Arab News quoting Saudia director general Khaled Al Mulhim.." [more]

Saudi Businesswomen to Establish Five Industrial Projects [Aug 30]
"Saudi businesswomen at the eastern region recently applied for the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to get five licenses to establish Industrial petrochemicals projects fully owned by them. Head of the women committee at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Dr. Nasreen Al Doseri told Okaz daily that these projects are the first of their kinds in the Saudi Kingdom.." [more]

UNESCO Lists Three Saudi Sites as Heritage [Aug 30]
"Until recently, Saudi Arabia has been considered a not very tourism-friendly destination. Unfriendly no longer, as three historical sites in the country have met the UNESCO approval for being the heritage sites. Approval has been given to include Al-Diriya, Madaen Saleh and Jeddah’s historical area in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) list of world heritage sites.." [more]

Foundation Stone Laid for Saudi Diplomatic Complex in Turkmenistan [Aug 30]
"In a simple and elegant ceremony Tuesday, foundation stone was laid for construction of the Saudi diplomatic complex in Ashgabat. The diplomatic complex of Saudi Arabia would include embassy building, ambassador’s residence, housing units for diplomats and staff, open and covered parking lots, security booths and other facilities.." [more]

Saudi Students Await the Sentencing of Humaidan al Turki Case [Aug 30]
"Thousands of Saudis studying in the United States of America as part of an exchange academic program by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques are anxiously awaiting the sentencing of Homaidan al Turki on Thursday. Al Turki, a PhD student, faces charges of forced labor, involuntary servitude and harboring an illegal immigrant. In recent trial sessions, the judge has suggested the Saudi citizen could face lifetime imprisonment.." [more]

Technip Receives Saudi Refinery Contract [Aug 29]
"Technip, a French provider of engineering and construction services to the oil industry, on Tuesday said it has received a contract from Saudi Aramco and French partner Total SA to develop an oil refinery on Saudi Arabia's eastern coast. Under the 18-month pact, Technip will handle front-end engineering, draw up capital and operating cost estimates, prepare subcontracting packages and otherwise manage the project's development.." [more]

Saudi Arabia Releases 9 Guantanamo Returnees [Aug 29]
"Saudi Arabia has released 9 former inmates of Guantanamo Bay where they were being held on suspicion of belonging to al Qaeda, an official said on Tuesday. The United States this year sent 29 Saudis back home after negotiating a framework agreement with Saudi Arabia for the return of its citizens. Saudi officials had said they were reviewing whether they should face charges in their homeland.." [more]

Saudi Arabia Beheads Guards Over Drugs [Aug 29]
"Saudi Arabia said it had beheaded two Saudi border guards found guilty of smuggling drugs into the kingdom, taking to five the number of reported executions in 2006. An Interior Ministry statement identified the men as Ma'idh al-Waily and Mahdi al-Mansour. It said they had been transporting drugs in patrol vehicles.. ..Saudi Arabia executes convicted murderers, rapists and drug traffickers.." [more]

Power Cuts: Saudi Industries Lose $266m [Apr 29]
"Power blackouts in the Central and Eastern provinces of Saudi Arabia have resulted in a loss of more than SR1 billion ($266 million) to industries in the regions.. ..Economist Abdullah Al-Muallami said the justifications made by the Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) for the power cuts were not convincing.." [more]

Saudi Businessmen to Meet on Lebanon Reconstruction [Apr 29]
"The Council of Saudi Chamber of Commerce and Industry will meet businessmen next month to discuss issues relating to the reconstruction of Lebanon. Businessmen have claimed that the prices of raw materials; especially concrete, iron and cement; have rapidly risen by 10 percent. Businessmen say such raises in prices may potentially cause a crisis.." [more]

Kingdom to Host 1st International Conference on Clean Environment [Aug 29]
"Prince Salman Bin Abdul Aziz, Emir of Riyadh, will open the first international conference on Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) being held from Sept. 19 to 21 at King Faisal Hall, here. Engr. Ali Al-Naimi, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources in a press statement thanked Prince Salman for accepting the invitation to open such an international conference, which aims to introduce UN’s Kyoto Protocol on development of mechanism for clean environment.." [more]

Drastic Solutions Needed for Regional Stability [Aug 29]
"Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah announced yesterday that Saudi Arabia was seeking drastic solutions to problems threatening the region’s security and stability, including Palestine, Iraq and Lebanon.. ..Abdullah emphasized Saudi Arabia’s significant role in the Arab and Islamic world. 'The Kingdom is the house of the Ummah and the center of Arabism and the window that can communicate with the world with confidence and in an openhanded manner,' he said.." [more]

Saudi 'Corrects' Ideas of 700 Qaeda Sympathizers [Aug 28]
"Saudi Arabia has released over 700 suspected militants after clerics "corrected" their thinking in a special program aimed at stemming a three-year-old campaign of violence by al Qaeda, officials said. 'They are sympathizers. There are many of this kind of people, who are subject to the process of an advisory committee. Hundreds of them have gone through this and been released,' Interior Ministry spokesman Mansour al-Turki said. The men have been released at different stages over the past three years.." [more]

Women Face Curbs in Makka Mosque [Aug 28]
"Religious leaders in Saudi Arabia want to impose restrictions on women praying in the Grand Mosque in Makka, one of the few places where male and female worshippers intermingle. But women activists in the kingdom, the birthplace of the religion and where a strict interpretation of Islam is imposed, say the idea is discriminatory and have vowed to oppose it.." [more]

Oasis Group Plans Major Marketing Drive in Saudi Arabia [Aug 28]
"Boosted by an AA rating assigned in July 2006 to its global equity funds by international rating agency, Standard & Poor's, Oasis Group Holdings, one of South Africa's fastest-growing asset management groups, is planning a major marketing drive in Saudi Arabia and the GCC countries for its Oasis family of equity, balanced and property funds.." [more]

Conference on the Gifted Inaugurated [Aug 28]
"King Abdullah, who is the Chairman of the King Abdul Aziz and His Companions Foundation for the Gifted, inaugurated a 5-day Regional Scientific Conference for the Talented here.. ..More than 20 scientists representing five continents besides international experts are participating in the conference. The conference aims at highlighting the role of the King Abdul Aziz and His Companions Foundation for the Gifted in spreading education for the gifted in the Arab region and authenticating its relationship with scientists, experts and organizations in the field.." [more]

Bureaucracy, Economic Development [Aug 28]
"Mention the name Saudi Arabia to foreign or indeed local businessmen and visions of mindless bureaucracy hampering the smooth operation of business is conjured up. Maybe it is an unfair accusation, as there are good and a bad bureaucrat in every country, but the comparison with other Gulf Cooperation Council bureaucracies is not a flattering one for the Kingdom.." [more]

Saudi Arabia to Increase Crude Oil Supply to Japan by 300,000 bpd [Aug 27]
"Saudi Aramco, the national oil company of Saudi Arabia, will increase its supply of crude oil to Japan by at least 300,000 barrels per day (bpd), the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Saturday. Saudi Aramco, currently supplying nearly 1 million bpd to Japan, has recently signed an oil supply accord with the country and will accordingly become Japan's top crude oil supplier. Meanwhile, Saudi Aramco would acquire 9.96 percent of shares of Showa Shell, a Japanese refining and marketing company.." [more]

Saudi to Host Meeting on Iraq [Aug 27]
"The next Interior Ministerial neighboring meeting of Iraq will hold here on 25th of September under the Presidency of Saudi Interior Minister Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz. A Saudi local daily said the Ministers will sign a security protocol on enhancing cooperation in combating terror and organized crimes.." [more]

Amex Eyes More Share in Saudi Arabia [Aug 27]
"Amex (Saudi Arabia) Ltd. has announced new simplified procedure for the issuance of Amex cards in a renewed move to win a larger share of the Saudi market.. ..Amex has established a fully autonomous service center with its own technical platform in Riyadh. The company has been actively seeking merchant agreements in the Kingdom.." [more]

34 Held in Saudi Anti-Qaeda Raids [Aug 27]
"Four militants arrested in Jeddah this week were part of a group of 34 men rounded up in an effort to prevent a resurgence of Al Qaeda violence.. ..Officials have said that two of the men arrested on Monday were among seven people who escaped from the Malaz detention centre in Riyadh in June.." [more]

Saudi Call Over Arab Identity [Aug 27]
"Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al Faisal has accused some states of compromising their Arab identity through ties with non-Arab countries. The kingdom, which fears the rising influence of Iran, has previously accused Iran of interfering in Iraq.. ..'We face the threat of losing our identity. Clearly some countries establish relations with other parties at the expense of relations between member nations,' the Saudi minister, a key member of the royal family, said.." [more]

Saudi Eyes Waste Water Power [Aug 27]
"A US based company, the International Power Group, is to undertake a feasibility study on setting up a plant to convert waste water into electricity in Saudi Arabia's south-eastern city of Jizan.. ..The facility would be the first of its kind in the kingdom.." [more]

Kingdom Calls for a Stronger Arab League [Aug 27]
"Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal yesterday called upon Arab countries to rise up to the expectations of their people. 'The current situation demands from us to work together seriously to regain the confidence of our people and the respect of the international community'.. ..Prince Saud reiterated the need for revamping the 23-member Arab League to make it an effective organization that would realize the hopes and aspirations of Arab people.." [more]

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