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Saudi Police Arrest 10 Terror Suspects [Feb 3]
"Saudi police have arrested 10 people who are accused of collecting donations and recruiting on behalf of militant groups.. ..The arrests follow claims in the U.S. bipartisan Iraq Study Group report issued in
December that Saudi Arabia has been a source of funding for the Sunni insurgency in Iraq.. ..'Security special forces, as part of their efforts in fighting terrorism and its funding, managed to arrest a group of people carrying out illegal activities including collecting donations illegally ... and sending them to suspected parties,' Mansour al-Turki, the Interior Ministry spokesman said in a statement.." [more]

UN Refugee Chief Holds Talks in Saudi [Feb 3]
"Saudi Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz has met UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres, who is touring the Middle East to assess programmes for hundreds of thousands of Iraqi refugees in the region. Guterres underscored the importance of Saudi Arabia's contribution to the UNHCR's programmes and activities around the world, the official SPA news agency reported.." [more]

Saudi Stock Index Tops 7,000 Points Mark [Feb 3]
"The Saudi stock market was relatively calm last week despite announcements by some listed companies of their fourth quarter results. The Tadawul All-Share Index (TASI) broke through the 7,000 points barrier.. ..The Riyadh-based Bakeet Financial Advisors (BFA) said in its weekly report that it expects the market to be "rather steady with a cautious mood" in the coming weeks.. ..The stock market received a boost from the announcement in Riyadh last week from Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, chairman of Kingdom Holding Company, that he would invest more than SR10 billion in the Saudi stock market and the real estate sector.." [more]

UN Experts Call for Ban on Racial Profiling [Feb 3]
"Human rights experts have called on governments to ban racial profiling by police and law enforcement
officers, including so-called "terrorist profiling", and to investigate any abuses. While racial
discrimination was clearly outlawed, people of a certain racial or ethnic type were still singled out in
investigations into crimes or terrorism, according to the United Nations Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent.." [more]

Fatah's Mahmoud Abbas to Meet with Hamas Leader in Saudi Arabia [Feb 2]
"Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will meet with Hamas' top leader in Saudi Arabia next week in another effort to negotiate a national unity government agreement.. ..The meeting between Abbas and Hamas supreme leader Khaled Mashaal was to take place Tuesday, the official said. The two leaders met in Syria last month, but failed to reach agreement on forming a government. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the meeting had not been officially announced.." [more]

Saudi Telecoms Decision Tipped to Have Positive Impact [Feb 2]
"The decision taken by the Saudi cabinet on Monday increasing the volume of shares to be offered for public subscription and reducing the fees levied by the government for land and mobile phone services will have a positive impact in increasing citizens' investments in the telecom sector.. ..The Saudi government decided to reduce its levied fees on the telecom sector from 15 per cent to 10 per cent.." [more]

Saudi Police Seize Armed Man Entering Mecca Mosque [Feb 2]
"Saudi police arrested a man with weapons hidden under his clothes as he tried to enter the Grand Mosque in Mecca, Islam's holiest site.. ..Militants sympathetic to Al Qaeda launched a campaign to topple the US-allied Saudi monarchy in 2003. Sunni-Shi'ite Muslim violence in Iraq and Lebanon has raised fears of sectarian strife across the region. Militants stormed the Grand Mosque in Mecca in 1979, in a rebellion that was crushed two weeks later.." [more]

Oil Prices Advance as OPEC Output Reduction Begins [Feb 2]
"Oil prices have risen as OPEC's planned February production cut took effect and the market looked to cold winter weather in the United States.. ..The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, meeting in Nigeria in December, had decided to cut production by 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) from February 1, following a cut of 1.2 million bpd in November. Crude prices had dived below 50 dollars a barrel on January 18 in New York, hitting their lowest levels since May 2005 owing to a sharp increase in US crude stocks and a relatively mild winter across the northern hemisphere.." [more]

Tadawul Ends 0.8% Higher [Feb 2]
"The Saudi stock market was quiet during the week ending Wednesday January 31 as losing and small companies' shares returned to their rising trend. The Tadawul All Share Index (TASI) closed the week at 7,041.22, a marginal gain of 0.8 per cent over last week's closing figure. The Index has slumped by 11.2 per cent since the beginning of the year. The value of shares traded rose from 41.4 billion Saudi riyals last week to 41.7 billion Saudi riyals.." [more]

Turki Meets Bush [Feb 2]
"US President George W. Bush met with outgoing Saudi Ambassador to the Untied States Prince Turki Al-Faisal at the White House on Thursday. During their meeting, Bush underscored the importance and strength of relations between the Kingdom and the United States. The president also commended the efforts of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and Crown Prince Sultan, deputy premier and minister of defense and aviation, in solving the problems that threatened security in the Middle East.." [more]

Saudi Medical Team Finds a Way to Stop Growth of Cancerous Cells [Feb 1]
"After almost two years of intensive research, a medical team at the Riyadh-based King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSHRC) has succeeded in stopping the growth of a gene responsible for causing lymphoma (cancer of immune cells). The team was able to isolate the gene called AKT.. ..AKT is a major factor in causing many types of cancer. The team, comprising a number of physicians and paramedics at KFSHRC, is chaired by Dr Khowla Al Kuraya, chief cancer researcher.." [more]

No Blair Pressure On Arms Deal [Feb 1]
"The attorney general has denied reports that Downing Street pressured him into ending a fraud probe into a BAE deal. Lord Goldsmith said the controversial decision to drop the inquiry into the arms deal with Saudi Arabia was taken by the Serious Fraud Office director.. ..The government says the investigation was dropped because it threatened national security, by damaging relations with Saudi Arabia - seen a key strategic ally in the so-called 'war on terror'.." [more]

DSI to Report to Saudi Authorities [Feb 1]
"The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) will send a team to Saudi Arabia to report on the progress of investigations into high-profile cases involving the deaths of four diplomats and the disappearance of a businessman.. ..Saudi Arabia asked the DSI to report on the progress and explain in detail how the agency has handled the cases and what it expects the outcomes to be, Mr Sunai said, adding that Saudi authorities may not expect any new culprits to be found. The Saudi diplomats were shot and killed in 1989 and 1990, and businessman Mohammad al-Ruwaili went missing in 1990. Saudi Arabia has suspected that Thai police may have had a role in the cases.." [more]

Oil Prices Climb Above $58 a Barrel [Feb 1]
"Oil prices edged up Thursday as OPEC was poised to put a new round of production cuts into effect.. ..The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries was set to begin its second round of production cuts, announced late last year, of 500,000 barrels a day of crude oil. While most analysts and tanker trackers believe the cartel has fallen well short of its first cut, Saudi Arabia added support to prices this week when it said it would cut its share _ 158,000 barrels a day _ starting Thursday.." [more]

Shoura Members Urge Legal Support for Vice Police [Feb 1]
"During a discussion of a report about the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, Shoura Council members demanded that provisions be made to provide the commission with legal support. Shoura members requested that a legal division be established with lawyers and legal consultants defending commission members and taking court action against people who defame the institution and its members.. ..Shoura Council Chairman Dr. Saleh Bin-Humaid rejected remarks by some members saying that there is no tension between the commission and members of the public.." [more]

Movie on Pre-Oil Boom Kingdom in the Making [Feb 1]
"Saudi actor Abdul Ilah Al-Sinani will begin shooting a new film “Sinin Al-Rahmat,” in a few months. The story is of the Kingdom in the days before oil came to play a major role in Saudi life. Saleh Al-Fauzan is the director and scriptwriter of the film, which will be produced by Saudi Television in collaboration with MBC, Al-Sinani told the daily Al-Watan yesterday. Al-Sinani is currently in a film about an ancient Arab king, Abu Jaafar Al-Mansour which is being shot in Syria and Jordan.." [more]

GE Energy Signs Gas Turbine Contracts in Saudi Arabia Worth 1 BLN USD [Jan 31]
"General Electric's GE Energy said it has signed contracts for two projects in Saudi Arabia with a combined value of around 1 bln usd. GE said it has signed an agreement to supply four combined-cycle power blocks including twelve Frame 7FA gas turbines and various other items to the Marafiq power generation and water project.. ..GE has also agreed with the Saudi Electric Company to provide 12 Frame 7EA gas turbines for the Riyadh Power Plant 9 project, along with technical advisory services and performance testing.." [more]

Saudi Arabia’s NAS Orders 20 Raytheon Planes [Jan 31]
"Saudi Arabia's National Air Services has ordered 20 passenger planes from Raytheon Inc worth at least $250 million for a low-cost airline it plans to set up, the US aircraft maker said. The deal, signed on Tuesday, makes National Air Services the launch customer for the new Hawker 750 light-mid jet. 'With an estimated value in excess of $250 million, the 20 aircraft order is the largest single order on record in the region,'.." [more]

UN Envoy in Iraq Visits Saudi Arabia Seeking Regional Support for Peace Efforts [Jan 31]
"The top United Nations envoy to Iraq visited Saudi Arabia today as part of his ongoing efforts to muster
regional support to bring stability to the war-torn country. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Special
Representative Ashraf Qazi, who over the weekend conferred with Syrian officials in Damascus, met with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal in Riyadh, the Saudi capital.. ..Mr. Qazi 'expressed the need for greater regional cooperation in supporting the Iraqi government’s reconciliation initiatives'.." [more]

Arab Bourses Mixed, Saudi Gains [Jan 31]
"Middle East stocks were mostly mixed yesterday with the Saudi bourse rising and Dubai and Abu Dhabi declining. Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index yesterday rose 0.3% to 6940.63 as 40 stocks rose, 35 fell and 11 were unchanged. Saudi Basic Industries Corp, the largest maker of chemicals in the world by market value, added 0.3% to 100 riyals.." [more]

Saudi Arabia to Pare Oil Output Again [Jan 31]
"Saudi Arabia, which already has aggressively shaved its oil output in a battle to shore up prices, is
tightening its spigots further this week, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday. A senior Saudi oil
official said yesterday the kingdom had advised its customers of the impending 158,000 barrel-a-day cut, which takes effect Feb. 1, according to the report. The reductions, part of a broader campaign by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), are intended to shrink inventories of oil that had ballooned last year as demand growth for petroleum faltered.." [more]

Putin to visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Jordan [Jan 31]
"President Vladimir Putin will travel to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Jordan next week, the Kremlin announced yesterday. The Russian leader will visit Saudi Arabia at the invitation of Saudi King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz on February 11-12.. ..The trip will be the first for Putin to any of the three countries and comes as Moscow has increased its participation in trying to resolve conflicts in the Middle East.." [more]

Envoys Chosen on Merit: Saud [Jan 31]
"Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal told Arab News yesterday that the Kingdom appoints its ambassadors based on their qualifications and their capabilities for success in their post and not on their affiliation to the royal family. 'There is no difference in terms of representation,' he said, referring to the appointment of Adel Al-Jubair as the Kingdom’s new ambassador to the United States, replacing Prince Turki Al-Faisal.." [more]

Saudi-Yemen Talks Set on Cross-Border Smuggling [Jan 31]
"A meeting of Saudi and Yemeni security officers will be held within three weeks to discuss measures to stop the increase in cross-border smuggling operations between the two countries, according to Lt. Gen. Talal Mohsen Angawi, director general of the border guards.. ..the meeting would discuss all aspects of border security, including across the border smuggling of weapons and drugs, organizing of pasturing, protection of livestock and intrusion of individuals. It will be followed by another meeting at the level of border guard directors general in both countries.." [more]

Business Visas Available in 24 Hours, Top Official Says [Jan 31]
"Foreign businessmen and investors can now get visas to Saudi Arabia within 24 hours directly from its
missions abroad, says Muhammad Bin Ahmed Tayeb, director general of the Foreign Ministry’s office in the Makkah region. 'We have developed a new system for the issuance of business visas. Businessmen anywhere in the world can now apply for visas to visit the Kingdom, without any restrictions'.." [more]

German Trade Mission, JCCI Hold Exploratory Talks [Jan 31]
"A German business delegation headed by Minister of Economy, Labor and Transportation of Lower Saxony, Walter Hirche, visited the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) yesterday to establish relations between Saudi and German small and medium entrepreneurs. The delegation represents various sectors in industry and services including construction, machinery, management system and education.." [more]

Saudi working to put out Mideast fires [ Jan 30 ]
A Saudi offer to broker a deal between warring Palestinian factions is the latest move to contain what King Abdullah has termed an explosive situation in the Arab world. Rival Palestinian leaders have welcomed Abdullah's offer to host a meeting in Islam's holiest city in a bid to end the power struggle between president Mahmud Abbas's Fatah and the ruling Islamist movement Hamas which has left more than 30 people dead in four days. [more]

Saudi Arabia to cut oil output to raise prices - report [ Jan 30 ]
Saudi Arabia, which already has aggressively shaved its oil output in a battle to shore up prices, will reduce production by another 158,000 barrels per day from Thursday and more cuts are on the way, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing an unnamed senior Saudi official. The latest cut means Saudi Arabia will have reduced production by about 1 mln barrels per day in the past six months, the report said. [more]

U.S. cool to Saudi Arabia's peace broker offer [ Jan 30 ]
The United States reacted coolly to an offer by Saudi Arabia to broker peace between rivaling Fatah and Hamas and stressed Hamas must renounce violence and recognize Israel. "Let me put it this way. What we would like to see is a Palestinian partner that is willing to talk about peace with the Israelis," White House spokesman Tony Snow said when asked if U.S. President George W. Bush supports the Saudi offer. "It is important to have a negotiating partner that renounces violence, acknowledges Israel's right to exist, and will abide by all prior agreements made by previous Palestinian administrations with the Israelis," Snow said. King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia called on Sunday Fatah and Hamas to hold emergency talks in the holy Muslim holy city of Mecca to stop the internal fighting between Hamas and Fatah and the Palestinian leaders on both sides said they would take up the invitation, although no date was set. [more]

Saudi initiative is a 'life jacket' for warring rival factions [ Jan 30 ]
A number of Saudi political analysts have described the Saudi initiative of calling upon rival Palestinian factions to stop fighting and meet in Makkah as a 'life jacket' that was thrown at the right time. King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz made on Sunday an urgent appeal to the Fatah and Hamas factions to halt fighting and come to the negotiating table. The king called upon Palestinians to resort to reason and listen to language of dialogue over the language of arms, noting that what is happening on Palestinian soil is disgraceful and has tarnished the history of honourable national struggle of the Palestinians who have been martyred for the liberation of their homeland. [more]

Saudi Arabia and Iran cooperating to try to ease crises in Iraq, Lebanon, Saudi FM says [ Jan 30 ]
U.S. ally Saudi Arabia and Iran are working together to try to calm the crises in Iraq and Lebanon, the Saudi foreign minister said Tuesday, despite Washington's efforts to isolate Tehran and stem its power in the Middle East. The mediation is an unusual step by two rivals, Saudi Arabia and Iran, that have been competing for influence in the region. Mainly Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia has been increasingly vocal about its suspicions of mainly Shiite Iran's intentions. [more]

Saudi king appoints his former foreign affairs adviser as new ambassador to U.S. [Jan 30]
Saudi King Abdullah announced Monday that Adel al-Jubeir was the kingdom's next ambassador to the United States, according to a royal decree posted on the state-run news agency's website. Al-Jubeir, a commoner, is a U.S.-educated diplomat who was drafted by Abdullah in 2001 to repair Saudi Arabia's image in America after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Al-Jubeir, 44, was foreign affairs adviser to King Abdullah when he was crown prince, is replacing Prince Turki al-Faisal, who quit last month after 15 months on the job. [more]

Putin to visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan Feb. 11-13 [ Jan 30 ]
Russia's president will visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Jordan at the invitation of the Middle East countries' leaders February 11-13, the Kremlin press service said Tuesday. Energy projects and the situation in the Middle East are expected to dominate Vladimir Putin's agenda in the Arab nations. It will be the first visit by a Russian leader to Saudi Arabia in the history of bilateral relations. Diplomatic contacts between the two countries, severed in the 1930s, were restored only in 1990 but remained fairly inactive. In September 2003, the current Saudi King Abdul Aziz bin Abdul Rahman Al-Saud, then crown prince, paid a visit to Russia, which marked a revival of bilateral ties. [more]

Saudi Shi'ites mark Ashura with new confidence [ Jan 30 ]
Regional conflicts have emboldened Saudi Arabia's minority Shi'ites, and many openly identified with brethren across the Middle East on Tuesday when they marked the Ashura day of mourning. Hundreds of people in black joined street processions to mark the slaying in 680 of Prophet Mohammad's grandson, Imam Hussein. They marched under large pictures of semi-divine hero figures, including Imam Hussein and his father Imam Ali, as well as posters of Lebanese Shi'ite Muslim leader Hassan Nasrallah. "The fight against tyranny has come again," said a teenager who gave his name as Hussein as he marched in the Gulf coast town of Tarut. "With the political situation now and the corruption, we are making war on all oppressors." [more]

Saudi to unveil new IT project [ Jan 30 ]
Executives at Saudi Arabia General Investment Authority (SAGIA) have confirmed today that the organisation's chief executive will present its latest IT project at an unveiling ceremony in Riyadh on February 5.. ..The new project, which is yet to be named, is thought to be the most significant IT deployment in the country's recent history, and is expected to have a profound effect on Saudi Arabia's overall economic situation. [more]

Aramco continues talks with Dow on chemical plant [ Jan 30 ]
Saudi Aramco, the national oil company of Saudi Arabia, is seeking partnership with America's Dow Chemical Company for the construction of a petrochemical complex at Ras Tanura. A delegation from Saudi Aramco is currently negotiating the project with the American company. [more]

Saudi King Warns Iran to Stay Out of Iraq [ Jan 29 ]
In a rare comment over the weekend, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia warned that Iran is not only interfering in Iraqi affairs, but is attempting to spread Shiite Islam in the majority-Sunni Middle East. The Saudi king told a Kuwaiti newspaper that he warned an Iranian envoy that Iran's actions were endangering the Gulf. As the defender of the Sunni faith in the Muslim world, Saudi Arabia is increasingly concerned about the spiraling sectarian bloodshed in Iraq, and about Iran's efforts to flex its political muscle in the region. But unlike the Americans, the Saudis are talking to Tehran. [more]

U.S./Iran: Tensions Unlikely To Stoke Military Conflict [ Jan 29 ]
President George Bush on Jan. 23 said that he would rely on diplomacy to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions. Recent media reports have suggested that a U.S. military confrontation with Iran may be imminent. Washington clearly sees Tehran's growing influence as a serious policy challenge. As Bush struggles to win support for his revised Iraq strategy, there is a growing consensus in Washington that the true treat emanates from Iran. Fundamentally, these perceptions are rooted in the sense that Washington has lost the strategic initiative in the Middle East, an apparent weakness that Tehran intends to exploit. [more]

King Offers to Host [Palestinian] Talks [ Jan 29 ]
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah yesterday invited leaders of the warring Palestinian groups for talks in Saudi Arabia. “I invite them all, without differentiating between them, for an emergency meeting in the vicinity of the Grand Mosque in Makkah in order to discuss issues of dispute without any bias and without any interference from any party,” the king said. [more]

Spreading Shia faith among Sunnis will not succeed: Saudi King [ Jan 29 ]
Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah said in an interview published on Saturday that attempts to convert Muslim Sunnis to the Shia branch of Islam will not succeed, and that Sunnis would always make up the majority of the world Muslims. Although Abdullah did not mention Iran by name, his comments - rare for the Sunni monarch - appeared aimed at easing Arab concerns over the Persian Shia nation’s growing influence in the Middle East. [more]

Alwaleed to Invest SR10 Billion in Stock Market, Real Estate Sector [ Jan 29 ]
In what is seen as a major boost to the Saudi stock market and the real estate sector, Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, chairman of Kingdom Holding Company, announced here yesterday that he would invest more than SR10 billion in those two sectors as part of a strategic move to diversify his investment portfolios. Of the total amount, SR5 billion will be invested in local companies, including the Saudi Research and Marketing Group (SRMG) from the media sector. Banking, industrial and consumer goods manufacturing sectors will be the other beneficiaries of Prince Alwaleed’s investment portfolios. The shares of companies represented in these sectors are traded on the Saudi stock market. [more]

SR60 Million Project Under Way to Expand Old Makkah Highway [ Jan 29 ]
The Transport Ministry has launched an SR60 million project to expand the old Makkah highway that links the holy city with Jeddah as well as Bahra, Heda, Jamoom and Shumaisi. The project will not only facilitate transport on this vital road but also reduce pressure on the Jeddah-Makkah Expressway. The contracting company has started its work from Um Al-Joud on the Makkah side, removing obstacles that stand in the way of the road. [more]

93.9 per cent of Saudi Arabia's households have Satellite TV [ Jan 29 ]
While 93.9 per cent of Saudi Arabia's households have Satellite TV, some 48.4 per cent of households still tune into terrestrial TV. A major new survey by Arab Advisors Group reveals that terrestrial TV still has a good base in Saudi Arabia with 48.4 per cent of households stating that they tune into it. [more]

Saudi Arabia: New Quotas [ Jan 29 ]
Last week, Ghazi al-Gosaibi, the labour minister, signalled the government's intent to push on with Saudiisation by raising the minimum number of Saudis employed by any company to 5%. The quota will still vary between sectors. Companies failing to meet the required percentage will be publicly named and barred from foreign recruitment. [more]

Expat remittances plunge as ratio of Saudi GDP [ Jan 29 ]
Saudi Arabia has succeeded in cutting the ratio of expatriate remittances to its Gross Domestic product (GDP) by 50 per cent in 15 years, an Arab Monetary Fund (AMF) report said. Expatriate remittances as a ratio of Saudi GDP have decreased from 9.6 per cent in 1990 to 5.4 per cent in 2005, the report added. [more]

No Alliance Against Iran — Abdullah [Jan 28]
Saudi Arabia yesterday denied suggestions that it was forging an alliance against Iran. “This is completely untrue and against our policy,” Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah said referring to Iranian media reports. “We don’t interfere in the affairs of others,” he said. [more]

5,000 More Scholarships for Higher Studies Abroad [Jan 28]
As many as 5,000 young Saudis will be sent abroad for postgraduate and undergraduate studies this year under the King Abdullah Scholarship Program, according to Deputy Minister of Higher Education Abdullah Al-Mojel. Seventy percent of the scholarships will be allocated for higher studies and the rest for the undergraduate and technical courses. The students will be given preparatory courses in their chosen fields before they go abroad. [more]

Saudis seek Palestinian dialogue [Jan 28]
Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah has invited rival Palestinian leaders to a meeting in Mecca aimed at ending a recent wave of factional fighting. In an open letter, the king described the clashes as a "disgrace" and urged leaders to make "dialogue prevail over the language of arms". [more]

Saudi king rejects talk of royal family rift [Jan 28]
Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah has denied talk of rifts within the royal family which rules the world's biggest oil exporter as an absolute monarchy, according to an interview published on Saturday. In the interview carried by state news agency SPA, the king said a heavily publicised appearance of numerous leading figures of the royal family at the return of a prince from a British hospital aimed to dispel talk of disputes. [more]

Sunnis will not take up Shiism: King Abdullah [Jan 28]
Riyadh: King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia said in an interview that attempts to convert Muslims Sunnis to become Shiites would not work. In the interview, which was published on Saturday in a Kuwaiti newspaper, the Al Siyassah daily, King Abdullah said that Sunnis would always make up the majority of the world’s Muslims. The comments – unusual for the monarch – seem to be in response to Arab media claims that Iran is seeking to spread Shiism among Sunni Arab countries as a way of increasing Tehran’s political power. [more]

Saudi king says Iran putting region in danger [Jan 28]
Iran is putting the Gulf region in danger following its conflict with the United States over Iraq and its nuclear policy, a newspaper quoted Saudi Arabia’s king as saying. In the interview in Kuwait, King Abdullah also issued a veiled warning to Iran to quit what he said were efforts to spread Shiism in the Sunni-dominated Arab world. The United States and its ally Saudi Arabia accuse Iran of "interference" in Iraq through backing Shiite militias and parties. [more]

Saudi Officials Seek to Temper the Price of Oil [Jan 28]
Saudi Arabia, which benefited immensely from record oil prices last year, has sent signals in the past two weeks that it is committed to keeping oil at around $50 a barrel — down $27 a barrel from the summer peak that shook consumers across the developed world. [more]

Saudi Ambassador: Public diplomacy is more important than ever [Jan 28]
“Having been given a voice by the media, the internet and satellite communications, people are empowered as never before to influence the outcome of world events,” Prince Turki said. “The people have a voice. Leaders listen. And the simple fact is: Governments can work together better when their constituents are supportive of their aims. Whether or not a nation’s citizens foster a positive environment toward a foreign people matters a great deal.” Prince Turki cited the Saudi-US relationship as an example of this point. While Saudi and US leaders have had close ties since King Abdulaziz Al-Saud and President Franklin D. Roosevelt met in 1945, relations between the two peoples have also developed. [more]

Gates: Women Key to Saudi Arabia Economy [Jan 28]
Bill Gates cited Saudi Arabia as an example Saturday of why he believes limiting the rights women can hinder economic growth. During a meeting on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, Gates described speaking to a segregated audience at a recent business seminar in Saudi Arabia. [more]

Saudi king: Iran endangers Gulf [Jan 28]
Saudi Arabia told an Iranian envoy this month that Shia power Iran was putting the Gulf region in danger, in a reference to Iran’s conflict with Washington over Iraq and nuclear policy, a newspaper said. In the interview in Kuwait’s Al-Seyassah yesterday, King Abdullah also issued a veiled warning to Iran to quit what he said were efforts to spread Shiaism in the Sunni-dominated Arab world. The US and Saudi Arabia accuse Iran of “interference” in Iraq, through backing Shia militias and parties, and suspect Tehran is developing a covert nuclear weapons programme - a charge Iran denies. [more]

Alwaleed bets $1.3 bln Saudi stock crash is over [Jan 28]
Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, who has made billions of dollars investing in underperforming companies, said on Sunday he spent 5 billion riyals (680 million pounds) in the Saudi bourse this month betting a crash is over.. ..Saudi Arabia's benchmark index plummeted 52.5 percent last year, the worst performance among 81 indices tracked by Birinyi Associates Inc., a U.S. stock market research company. [more]

Saudi Arabia to send 5,000 students abroad for higher studies [Jan 28]
The Saudi Deputy Minister of Higher Education announced that the kingdom will send 5,000 Saudi students abroad for postgraduate and undergraduate studies under the $2.7 billion King Abdullah Scholarship Program.. [more]

Commerce Minister to open First Forum on Saudi Family Companies [Jan 28]
The participants of the forum will review a number of issues pertaining to the family companies. More than 90 percent of the establishments working in the kingdom belong to family businesses. [more]

Yemeni-Saudi cooperation on fighting malaria [Jan 28]
Director general of the national program on fighting malaria disease Dr Shawqi al-Maweri said last Monday there were joint cooperation, efforts and activities for fighting malaria to be embarked on during this month. The cooperation in this field would be started on border areas between Yemen and Saudi Arabia. [more]

Iran, Saudi Seeking Face-to-Face Meeting between Berri, Saniora [Jan 28]
Iran and Saudi Arabia were seeking to establish a face-to-face meeting between Prime Minister Fouad Saniora and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri in a fresh bid to settle the ongoing political impasse which has sparked fears of a return to civil war after bloody clashes left eight people killed. The daily An Nahar on Sunday, citing ministerial sources, said Iranian and Saudi efforts were underway to bring together Saniora and Berri who have not met since November when six Opposition ministers quit the government, triggering the current crisis. [more]

Saudi SAGIA signs two major deals [Jan 28]
The Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) has signed two major international and local deals with Singapore's Jurong International and Saudi Arabia's Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC).. [more]

Saudi Arabia plans to increase water supply
The Saudi Arabian Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC) has drawn up a plan to eliminate water shortages across the country. The plan, which has not been released, will solve the water problem by building new desalination plants, the corporation said. [more]

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