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China, Saudi Arabia Pledge to Help Cut Global Imbalances [Apr 14]
"China and Saudi Arabia pledged Saturday to help ease global trade and financial imbalances that include the huge Chinese trade surplus with the United States. The two countries agreed with the US, Japan and the 13 European nations using the euro that all had 'a shared responsibility' to reduce the imbalances without triggering a global economic crisis. Sustained imbalances could lead to protectionism, they warned.. ..Saudi Arabia was included in the pledge because of its critical role as the world's largest oil exporter.." [more]

Saudi King Says He Wants to Boost Kingdom's Oil Production [Apr 14]
"Saudi Arabia wants to increase its oil production so it can meet domestic and international demand while ensuring "fair" world prices, King Abdullah said. Now pumping just over 11 million barrels a day, the kingdom is the world's largest oil producer and the biggest supplier of petroleum to the United States. The king did not say Saturday how much Saudi Arabia might increase production, but it has repeatedly said it was prepared to do so. Last May, Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi spoke of raising output to 12.5 million barrels a day by 2009.." [more]

Falling Bank Profits Pull Saudi Stocks Down [Apr 14]
"The Saudi stock market performed strongly at the start of last week in the wake of a prolonged drop that lasted three weeks, but retreated most of the week apparently under the pressure of shrinking profits of leading banks in the first quarter of the year. The Tadawul All-Share Index (TASI) crashed the psychological level of 8,000 points upward on Saturday but closed week at 7,789.76 points — about 1.61 percent lower than previous week’s close at 7,666.62 points. TASI is currently 1.8 percent lower than what it was at the year’s start.." [more]

A New Saudi Approach [Apr 13]
"..Throughout the 1990s, Riyadh played the role of stabiliser in the Arab world through the Syrian-Egyptian-Saudi tripartite axis. The axis slowed down the haste of some Arab countries towards normalising relations with Israel.. ..In the summer of last year, this quiet, noiseless diplomacy had to change. The Saudis started to play a more aggressive role in the region, expressing their displeasure clearly and loudly with the unfolding events in Iraq, Lebanon and other parts of the Middle East.." [more]

Gates To Visit Israel Over Saudi Arms Deal [Apr 13]
"U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates will visit Israel next week in an effort to gain support for the sale of advanced American-made weapons to Saudi Arabia, a nation still technically at war with the Jewish state. During the two day stop, which will be the first visit by a U.S. defense secretary in over eight years, Gates will meet with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Defense Minister Amir Peretz and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni. The sides will reportedly discuss U.S. military aid to Israel and regional threats to both nations, though the talks are expected to center on a recently frozen U.S.-Saudi arms deal.. ..But the U.S. defense establishment is said to be determined to push through the sale in an
effort to offset the growing regional influence of Iran, and is looking for a compromise that will satisfy America's allies in Israel.." [more]

Saudi Arabia and Russia Sign $100 Million Oil Pipeline Deal [Apr 13]
"Saudi Arabia and Russia have signed a $100 million deal for laying an oil pipeline in the world's biggest sand desert, Rub Al Khali (Empty Quarter).. ..The project will be fully implemented by the Russian partner, but workers from other countries would also be employed. Work on the proposed Sheyba-Abkayk oil pipeline, whose length exceeds 200 km (124 miles), will start in June and is scheduled to be completed in 18 months. It is the first ever contract by a Russian company and will be a breakthrough for Russian business in a totally new market, which would provide access to other
markets in the Middle East." [more]

Saudi Arabia Gets Dh198m as Gulf War Damages [Apr 13]
"Saudi Arabia has received $54 million (about Dh198 million) from the United Nations in compensation for environmental damages it incurred as a result of the second Gulf War. Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Prince Turki Bin Nasser Bin Abdul Aziz, chairman of the Presidency of Metrology and Environment Protection (PMAP), said the amount was used to save seacoasts and in other environment programmes.. ..Prince Turki urged all companies and factories to preserve the
environment. He stressed that the Saudi law penalised those who cause damage to the environment.." [more]

Standard & Poor's Launches Gulf Indices [Apr 13]
"Standard & Poor's has developed indices to track Gulf Arab stocks that are open to international investors, aiming to tap growing interest in the world's top oil exporting region, the index provider said yesterday. The S&P GCC Composite index will track 151 companies with a combined value of $110 billion, in five of the six Gulf states, S&P said in a statement. The Saudi market, the largest Arab bourse, is closed to investors from outside the Gulf region. Other Gulf Arab countries are looking to attract more foreign institutional investment.." [more]

Risk of Oil Crunch as OPEC Squeezes Tightening Market [Apr 13]
"The world faces the growing risk of an oil crunch this summer as OPEC supply falls to the lowest level in two years and stocks held by wealthy nations tumbled at the fastest rate in a decade. The International Energy Agency said the oil-exporting cartel had taken 1.2m barrels a day off the markets since last September in a move to support prices through the unusually mild winter, but had now pushed the pendulum too far the other way. Inventories held by the OECD club of rich states have fallen by 1.1m barrels a day over the first quarter.." [more]

China Backs Arab Peace Plan, Says Special Envoy [Apr 12]
"China’s Special Envoy Sun Bigan, who completed a three-day visit to the Kingdom yesterday, said his country wholeheartedly welcomes the decision taken at the 19th Arab League Summit in Riyadh to reactivate the Middle East Peace Plan proposed by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah in 2002. Sun, who held talks with King Abdullah and Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal, was briefing reporters on the first leg of his tour to the region. He is due to visit Israel, Palestine and will also hold talks with European Union officials in Brussels on the issue.." [more]

Approval Given for Setting Up of 15 New Colleges [Apr 12]
"Fifteen new colleges, including two medical colleges in Riyadh and Al-Kharj and an institute of tourism and a nanotechnology center in Jeddah, will be established soon. Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah has approved the proposals made by the Higher Education Council in this respect.. ..the king has also approved a proposal to bring the colleges of teachers and girls under the purview of universities at academic, administrative and financial levels. These colleges were till now under the Higher Education Ministry.." [more]

Saudi Kayan IPO Could Damage Market [Apr 12]
"Saudi Kayan Petrochemical Co. secured approval from the Saudi stock market regulator on Wednesday to sell $1.8 billion of shares this month in what will be the second-largest Gulf Arab initial public offering. Saudi Kayan, which is 35% owned by state-controlled Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (SABIC), has approval to offer 675 million shares at 10 riyals each ($2.67) between April 28 and May 7.. ..'In its current state, the market does not need an IPO, especially of this size,' said Abdulhamid al-Amri, a member of the Saudi Economic Association, an independent economic research body. Saudi
Arabia's stock market plunged 52.5% last year, making it the worst performer among 81 measured by U.S. stock market research company Birinyi Associates.." [more]

Saudi Extends Losses on Banks’ Woes [Apr 12]
"The Saudi bourse fell for a fourth consecutive day yesterday as investors sold banking stocks after a spate of weak earnings reports in the sector. The index fell 0.49% to 7,789.76 points. It is still up 1.6% this week after surging 5% on Saturday, its biggest one-day gain in nearly five months. 'The banking sector remains tricky and we are following banks very closely,' said Rami Sidani of Dubai-based Shuaa Capital. 'The sector is still suffering in the aftermath of the stock market crash'.." [more]

Shura Calls for Upgrade of Universities [Apr 12]
"The Saudi Shura (Consultative) Council has called for an upgrade of the standards of Saudi universities, the expansion of distance-learning, particularly education for girls and granting universities more financial flexibility. In December 2006, the performance of Saudi universities came under attack by a number of columnists and writers in the local press following the release of a global rating of world universities. The ranking has put Saudi universities at the bottom of the list.. ..The Shura Council decided that the ministry of higher education has to expand distance learning programmes at universities and higher education institutions.." [more]

IMF Casts Doubt on GCC Currency Union {Apr 12]
"The International Monetary Fund (IMF) yesterday casts doubt on the establishment of the GCC Monetary Union by 2010 saying, 'important preconditions remain to be fulfiled'.. ..Following Oman's announcement of its decision not to join the GCC monetary union at the scheduled date of 2010, it is reported that the six GCC monetary authorities are considering possible alternatives, including closer monetary policy coordination, during the transition to a full monetary union, it said.." [more]

Outlook for Middle East Remains Favorable [Apr 12]
"Middle Eastern oil producers, despite sound economies, are saddled with high unemployment rates and must find new sources of wealth to meet a growing demand for jobs, the IMF said yesterday. The International Monetary Fund in a report on global economic prospects nonetheless said the outlook for the Middle East as a whole remained “favorable,” with growth in the region expected to come to 5.5 percent this year and next after 5.7 percent in 2006.. ..But the IMF contended that oil producers are still heavily dependent on the petroleum sector at a time when “rapid population growth has contributed to some of the highest unemployment levels in the world.".." [more]

U.S.-Saudi Rift? Saudi Actions Say Yes, Saudi Prince Says No [Apr 11]
"One of the most powerful countries in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia has been a longtime ally of the United States. But in recent weeks, the country, which shares its northern border with Iraq and holds one-quarter of the world's oil, has shunned America. In March, Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abd al-Aziz publicly attacked the U.S. military presence in Iraq, characterizing American troops there as an 'illegitimate foreign occupation.' On 'Good Morning America,' Saudi Arabian's foreign minister, Prince Saud al-Faisal, asserted his country was not attacking America or siding with Iraq. 'It's not attacking, and it's a pity that the media concentrated on this particular issue,'.. ,,Faisal also shot down the rumor that Saudi Arabia had canceled a recent White House dinner. 'That is absolutely not true,' he said. 'There was a visit planned, but the timing of it was not appropriate, and that was the reason for delaying it. It's not canceled, it's delayed'.." [more]

Congress Center of Anti-Saudi Hostility, says Turki [Apr 11]
"Prince Turki Al-Faisal, former Saudi ambassador to the United States, accused the US Congress of being “the center of hostility” in America toward Saudi Arabia. 'The reasons for that are many, the first of which is the Zionist lobby in the United States,' Prince Turki said at a symposium entitled 'The Role of Diplomacy in Political Crises,' organized by the Saudi Association for Media and Communications here yesterday. He said that the lobby was powerful and had a direct impact on the decisions taken by members of Congress.. ..Prince Turki believes that overcoming traditional diplomatic efforts and having direct contact with the people of any nation, especially the United States, is the key to success in diplomacy.." [more]

Saudi Arabia To Be Included in September Study [Apr 11]
"Saudi Arabia will be included in the Global Com-petitiveness Report due for September, World Economic Forum officials have said. The kingdom will also figure in the next Arab World Competitiveness Report, they said here on the sidelines of the WEF Arab World Competit-iveness Roundtable. Because of its huge size, a large-scale survey is required to cover the entire business community in Saudi Arabia.. ..Saudi Arabia has drafted experts to do the job. The kingdom’s officials have assured they will come back to us with a proper feedback soon,” the WEF officials said.." [more]

Media Seminar Blasts Official Silence in Times of Crisis [Apr 11]
"The Saudi media should not be held responsible for printing information when government officials refuse to speak to journalists at times of crises, said speakers at a symposium organized by the Saudi Association for Media and Communication. 'Why should the Saudi media be held responsible for printing information when government bodies refuse to comment on issues'.. ..Abdullah Al-Tuwairgi, a member of the Shoura Council, accused many government departments of not doing their public duty by revealing information to the press at times of crisis.." [more]

French-Saudi Meeting on Economic Cities Set [Apr 11]
"A Saudi-French meeting on the development of architecture and city mapping will be held at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) on April 24, amid the Kingdom's thrust to establish six economic cities costing over SR300 billion. The French Consulate, the French Agency for International Business Development, the Saudi Architects Association and the French Business Delegation has organized the meeting.. ..The Kingdom is eager to take advantage of international
experience in order to ensure that the cities are of a high quality. The cities are being developed with an aim of developing alternative means of revenue for the Kingdom and thus decreasing the Kingdom's dependency on oil.," [more]

Riyadh Forum to Address Asia’s Rising Energy Needs [Apr 11]
" Saudi Arabia will host the next roundtable conference of Asian oil and energy ministers next month, an informed source at the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources said yesterday. The one-day forum will focus on the future of energy in Asia. Delegates from China, India, Japan, Iran, Iraq, South Korea, Oman, Kuwait, the UAE, the Philippines, Bahrain, Thailand, Malaysia, Pakistan, Indonesia and Brunei, as well as the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and the International Energy Agency (IEA) will attend event, the source said.. ..The conference is hosted by the Kingdom,
along with Japan and the International Energy Forum, to promote dialogue between oil producing and exporting countries and discuss issues affecting market and environment to boost mutual confidence.." [more]

Women's Empowerment Forum Brings American and Saudi Arabian Women Together [Apr 11]
"The Universal Express Friendship Invitational Women's Empowement Forum, hosted by Friends
of Saudi Arabia (FSA) and the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA),will bring American and Saudi women together to discuss topics affecting women internationally on Tuesday, April 17, 2007, at the Ginn Reunion Resort in Orlando. Constituents of the Women's Empowerment forum, including, keynote speaker, Ambassador Wendy Chamberlin, president of the Middle East Institute and previous UN High Commissioner; California politician and first Saudi woman to run for office in the United States, Ferial Masry; and Pam Swensen of the Executive Women Golfers Association, will discuss issues
revolving around Women in Islam, Women in the West, gender stereotypes, women's leadership, culture and diversity.." [more]

Saudi Film Gets to Rome Festival Final [Apr 11]
"The Higher Committee for the Rome Film Festival has chosen the Saudi film “Zilal Al-Samt” (“The Shadows of Silence”) among 15 films vying in the final competition for the festival’s top prizes, SPA reported Tuesday. The film, the brainchild of Saudi producer Abdullah Al-Muheisin, will be shown there on April 16. It is the only Arabic film in the finals. The film will compete against several films from Italy, and one film each from Iran, England, China, the United States, Australia, Serbia, France, Canada, Russia, Spain and Vietnam.. ..A seminar will be held after the film in which Al-Muheisin will discuss the difficult conditions during the “several long years” under which the film was produced.." [more]

Women Work Force Is Likely to Triple by 2009, Says Minister [Apr 11]
"The eighth five-year development plan (2005-2009) aims to improve the situation of Saudi women by providing them with more business and job opportunities, said Economy and Planning Minister Khaled Al-Gosaibi. Gosaibi expects that by the end of the plan period, the percentage of women in the Saudi work force will increase from a mere 5.4 percent to 14.2 percent.. ..The plan, which was approved by the Cabinet in November 2005, places greater emphasis on the potential role of women in the economy and the need to create more employment opportunities for them. It also identifies ways to achieve
such female participation by upgrading the capabilities of Saudi women, and removing obstacles that constrain their increased participation in economic and development activities.." [more]

Wave of Saudi Youths Challenge Kingdom's Conservative Sway [Apr 10]
"In Saudi Arabia, the young are findings more ways around the conservative regulation of public life. From dating to listening to music, they are testing the strict hold of religion on a kingdom ruled by the Koran and the same family for decades. Indeed, with more than 70 percent of its citizens under 30, the oil-rich country is being forced to find more room for freedoms than outsiders typically expect from this monarchy. While the young people aren't likely to lead a revolution on the scale that America saw in the 1960s, the urge for greater independence is coming under the rule of reform-minded King Abdullah, who many say is giving some license for Saudis seeking change.." [more]

Iraqi Officials to Hold Talks With Riyadh Soon [Apr 10]
"Saudi Arabia and Iraq will cooperate in security issues as senior Iraqi officials will arrive in Riyadh soon to discuss this matter, Saudi interior minister said in remarks published yesterday.. ..Prince Nayef was quoted earlier this week as saying that the Iraqi authorities promised to cooperate with the kingdom in handing over any of Al Qaida suspects involved in terror attacks in Saudi Arabia. But he believed that the lack of security in Iraq and the inability of the concerned authorities to reach the suspects are the reasons that no suspects were yet handed over to the kingdom.," [more]

Media Urged to Join Anti-Terror Fight [Apr 10]
"The Council of Ministers yesterday urged the media and cultural agencies to play a greater role in the Kingdom’s ongoing campaign to root out terrorism and terrorist ideology.. ..'The media and cultural agencies must do more in confronting the phenomenon of terrorism, by rooting out terrorist ideology and addressing social and international factors that promote terrorism'.. ..The Cabinet also underscored the cohesion and unity displayed by Saudi society in confronting terrorism and trying to eradicate the phenomenon from the country.." [more]

Kuwait Set to Ban Saudi Imports Over Bird Flu Scare [Apr 10]
"The trade minister of Kuwait is expected to ban poultry imports from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia following growing fears in the GCC over the persistence of the bird flu virus among the region's poultry, according to media reports. The KSA was hit with bird flu in March, causing demand for poultry to fall by 30 per cent in some provinces.." [more]

Arab Economies Suffer Huge Losses Due to Money Laundering [Apr 10]
"Financial crime including money laundering is resulting in major economic losses for the Gulf countries and the Arab world, according to a top official. Arab banks are in continuous need of advanced technology and solutions to acquire the necessary tools to better control all operations and activities and hence combat this serious international crime. "Recent studies have concluded that $5 billion worth of laundered money can result in losses worth up to $11.26 billion in gross domestic product.." [more]

Gulf Power Grid Network Ready by 2010 [Apr 10]
"A power grid project connecting the six Gulf Cooperation Council states will be ready by 2010, said the undersecretary of Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Water and Electricity, who is overseeing the project. The second phase of the project connecting Oman and the UAE was completed last year and it is ready for operation.. ..Work has started on the next phase of the project extending from Kuwait to Doha via Saudi Arabia, Dr Saleh Al Awaji. The multi-billion dollar project is aimed at reducing the cost of power generation in the Gulf.." [more]

Mesfaar Marriage Travel Solution for Women [Apr 10]
"Women students aspiring to go abroad on scholarships as part of the King Abdullah Scholarship Program were told last month that they would be unable to leave the Kingdom without a legal companion in the form of a husband, brother, or father — something that has caused an increase in a form of marriage dubbed the 'mesfaar marriage' (the travel marriage). Thirteen students have so far announced their intentions to get married solely for the purpose of being able to travel abroad and qualify for the scholarship program. The students say their family circumstances make it difficult for their brothers and fathers to accompany them abroad for long periods of time, sometimes three or four years.." [more]

The New Silk Road [Apr 9]
"When Chinese President Hu Jintao visited the oil giant Saudi Aramco last year, he didn't need a translator. Plenty of Chinese-speaking Saudis were on hand. A few years earlier, Saudi Aramco had sent dozens of employees to study in Beijing. After all, China, not the United States, represents the future growth for Saudi oil exports. Meanwhile, the Saudis are sponsoring students to study in India, China, Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea.. ..The Saudi students represent one small part of the growing trade and business corridor between the Middle East and Asia. Dubbed the "new Silk Road," trade and investment between the regions has quadrupled in the past decade and will continue to rise dramatically through 2020.. ..This new Silk Road is not only boosting economies (the India deal is expected to create 100,000 jobs) but is changing the geo-economic and geopolitical landscape of the East, with serious ramifications for U.S. policy.." [more]

Saudi Arabia Vows Crackdown on Radical Clerics [Apr 9]
"Saudi Arabia’s top security official has vowed to tackle extremist clerics, saying that authorities will be keeping a close watch. Radical clerics in the kingdom and abroad have issued edicts that encouraged jihad or religious attacks against the Saudi government and Western residents.. ..Prince Nayef also urged the official religious establishment to avoid the spread of extremist views. He said the lack of positive action from clerics will prompt a 'deficiency'.." [more]

Segregation of Sexes Is Not Right — Naif [Apr 9]
"Interior Minister Prince Naif yesterday urged the Saudi community not to endorse the culture of segregation between men and women.. ..Speaking about Saudi women and their role in society, the minister said it “was necessary” that people realized the important role played by women and the achievements they have made. 'Women have their capabilities and they have a role to play which was given to them by the Creator...Women are our mothers, our sisters, and our wives,' said Naif, urging Saudis not to further endorse the culture of segregation that exists in Saudi society. 'I hope this would be reduced'.." [more]

What a Difference a Year Makes in Saudi Arabia [Apr 9]
"What do Microsoft’s Bill Gates and Cisco’s John Chambers have in common? Agreed, they’re both not short of a few Riyals. However, on a more serious note, they have both paid a visit to Saudi Arabia during the last year, and have pledged significant investment to continue building up operations in the Kingdom. This level of commitment from A-brand vendors highlights the growing importance of the Saudi Arabian market, not just in the context of the Middle East, but also on the global ICT stage.." [more]

Let's Get to Know the Saudis [Apr 9]
"The U.S.-Saudi Arabian relationship has long been important, sensitive and opaque. Over the last few months, it has also been tested by a newly assertive Saudi Arabia. A simple deal has driven U.S.-Saudi relations for decades: The Saudis provide access to affordable oil; the United States provides security for the Saudi royal family. Yet tensions intrude upon this marriage of convenience.. ..At a time when America's standing in the Middle East is shaken, it is not surprising that the Saudis are defining their interests as they see them, not as we do. We should use this occasion to better understand Saudi concerns, and to move toward a relationship that is deeper and more sustainable than the simple
deal that has defined U.S.-Saudi relations all these years.." [more]

250 Projects Underway in Economic Cities [Apr 9]
"A top official in charge of the Kingdom’s economic cities confirmed that nearly 250 work programs are now under development here, the Arabic daily newspaper Al-Watan reported Sunday. In a statement, Fahd Bin Abdul Mohsin Al-Rasheed, the deputy governor of the Saudi Arabia General Investment Authority (SAGIA) in charge of economic cities, said that a new project management office has been established to make sure that the plans currently under development are carried out. A work plan has been laid out by the Authority through the year 2020, he said. The new office will have the responsibility and resources to attract the best human resources, both Saudi and international, for the economic
cities.." [more]

Chinese Special Envoy Due in Riyadh to Discuss ME Peace [Apr 9]
"China’s special envoy Sun Bigan will be in the Kingdom on a three-day visit beginning today as part of regional tour and is said to meet Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and other high-ranking officials at the Saudi Foreign Ministry. 'The purpose of his visit to the region is to hold talks with heads of state on the current issues in the Middle East,' Pan Liang, spokesman from the Chinese Embassy, told Arab News yesterday. 'The current situation in the Middle East and the latest developments in the region will be the focus of Sun’s talks with the Saudi king and Foreign Ministry officials'.." [more]

Kingdom’s Current Account Surplus to Reach SR245 Billion [Apr 9]
"Saudi Arabia’s current account surplus is expected to reach SR245 billion ($65.3 billion) or 19.2 percent the of gross domestic product (GDP) this year. According to a SABB’s latest report about Saudi Arabia prepared by SABB Chief Economist Dr. John Sfakianakis, Saudi Arabia’s current account surplus was 10 percent of the world’s surplus in 2006 and was among the top five global surplus holders. The SABB report said current account surplus would decline 46.1 percent due to decrease in oil exports, increase in imports and service and income transfer deficits.." [more]

Jeddah Show Affirms Booming Real Estate [Apr 9]
"Real estate investments in the Kingdom have been witnessing a healthy revival in the past five years, which is mainly attributed to the return of capital as well as the soaring oil prices and increase in oil revenues. The recently introduced regulatory framework covering investment laws for GCC nationals also made freehold investment in the Kingdom highly attractive. Professionals in the Saudi real estate market affirm that the capital invested in this sector runs into billions of riyals and will likely go up in the light of phenomenal growth and development the sector is witnessing.." [more]

Lebanon Opposition Divided Over Saudi Arabia's Role [Apr 8]
"Despite a call by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri for a Saudi-brokered settlement to the Lebanese Crisis, a Hezbollah-affiliated columnist said Friday Riyadh opposes giving the opposition veto powers in a new Lebanese government.Columnist Yassir al-Hariri, a Shiite Muslim who is affiliated with Hezbollah 's deputy leader Sheik Naim Qassem, wrote that 'Saudi Arabia does not want to give a one-third guarantee (of cabinet seats) to the opposition and is buying time in favor of majority forces while awaiting clear regional and international indications as to whether the region is heading either towards a military operation against Iran, Syria and Hezbollah or a comprehensive settlement'.. ..Contents of the
article attributed to unnamed opposition sources, sharply contradicted with Berri's call for a Saudi-brokered settlement to the Lebanese crisis.." [more]

Saudi Shiites Fear Fallout From Iraq Sectarian Strife [Apr 8]
"..Saudi Arabia, home to Mecca and Medina, Islam's holiest shrines, had been easing restrictions on Shiites gradually since 2004, when, emboldened by the U.S.-led ouster of Saddam Hussein, Shiites petitioned for equal rights in politics, religion and the workplace. The Saudi government agreed to allow Shiites in the Eastern Province to open husseiniyas and to mark their religious festivals publicly. Now, however, leaders of the kingdom's Shiite minority are fearful of losing their hard-won religious freedoms as sectarian violence sweeps Iraq and worries grow that Sunni-Shiite warfare will spill throughout the Middle East.." [more]

Saudi Index Jumps to Close Above 8,000 [Apr 8]
"Saudi Arabia’s bourse leapt more than 5% yesterday, its biggest one-day gain in nearly five months, as investors sought bargains after a correction and anticipated healthy first-quarter profit growth.. ..All traded stocks on the Riyadh bourse rose, with more than 40 firms, most in the agricultural and services sectors, surging 9% or more. The index jumped 5.16% to 8,061.97 points, its sharpest single-day rise since November 12. Saudi Arabia’s index had fallen more than 14% after hitting a 2007 high on March 10, when the index ended a five-week rally that had added more than 30% to its market capitalisation.." [more]

Restrictions Hit Saudi Tourism Promotion [Apr 8]
"The promotion of domestic tourism in Saudi Arabia is still hampered by restrictions, according to the head of a leading travel group in the Kingdom. 'Restrictions still remain in promoting local tourism. They have not yet activated the tourist visa. Even for those inside the Kingdom, it is still difficult for families to visit the tourist spots, because the infrastructure has not yet been developed,' said Nasser Al Tayyar, chairman of the Al Tayyar Group, which is based in Riyadh. 'Also, the cost of accommodation in or around the tourist areas is still high compared to other tourist destinations. All these restrictions are killing the tourist trade. We also need tourist literature in English if we want to target the expatriates and other tourists from outside the Kingdom,' he said.." [more]

Pranab to Begin Visit to Saudi Arabia on Monday [Apr 8]
"External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee is set to begin a three-day visit to Saudi Arabia from Monday, keeping up New Delhi's growing tempo of engagement with West Asia.. ..Mr. Mukherjee's trip is also being seen as a precursor to a possible visit by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Saudi Arabia later this year. The Saudi Government has recently raised its profile on the international stage, by helping to form a Palestinian Unity Government and increasing the level of Riyadh's engagement with Tehran.." [more]

83,000 Homeless Children Roam Saudi Streets [Apr 8]
"Around 83,000 homeless children are roaming the streets of Saudi Arabia, according to a recently released study. The children are believed to have been brought from neighbouring countries to work as camel jockeys and later were used for selling low-priced goods, according to Dr Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz Al Yousuf, associate professor of sociology at the Riyadh-based Imam Mohammad Bin Saud Islamic University.. ..Contrary to what is reported in the daily press, the study noted that 69 per cent of street children in Riyadh are Saudis while 56.6 per cent of them are females. Around 88 per cent
mothers of begging children are illiterate while nine per cent have only primary education.." [more]

Militants Receive Foreign Help: Naif [Apr 8]
" Interior Minister Prince Naif has said that militants in Saudi Arabia receive foreign assistance and urged Islamic scholars, intellectuals and the general public to play their roles in the ongoing campaign to root out terrorism from the country. 'These people are receiving support, especially from abroad in addition to support from inside, in terms of finance and religious rulings,' the Saudi Press Agency quoted the minister as saying. Prince Naif urged Islamic scholars, intellectuals and the media to launch a concerted campaign against militants by unveiling their crimes against humanity.." [more]

Ministry Eyes Law to Promote Professionalism [Apr 8]
"The Labor Ministry is planning to enact a new law restricting practice of specialized professions to qualified persons. It will study 43 professions in the first phase, including engineering, medical and financial professions. The move is aimed at reducing professional mistakes. Market analysts said the new law was planned as a result of Saudi Arabia’s accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), which demands from the Kingdom to comply with international market requirements.. ..The new law demands establishment of training institutes approved by the Labor Ministry.." [more]

Full-Fledged Dental College to Be Set Up [Apr 8]
" Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah approved the establishment of a full-fledged dental college to be set up under the umbrella of King Saud ibn Abdul Aziz University of Health Science, which functions under the King Abdul Aziz Medical City (KAAMC) in Riyadh. Announcing the new development, Prince Miteb ibn Abdullah, assistant deputy commander of the National Guard for military affairs, said the proposed college will be a model in the region which would include a state-of-the-art curriculum, advanced teaching methods and modern methods of training.." [more]

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