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US Helping Saudis Train Oil Security Force [Aug 25]
"US defence giant Lockheed Martin is training thousands of recruits for a special force designed to protect Saudi Arabia’s oil facilities from attack, a specialist economic newsletter said yesterday. Saudi authorities have recruited around 5,000 members of the Facilities Security Force and plan to raise the number to 8,000-10,000 over the next two years as an interim target, the Nicosia-based Middle East Economic Survey said. The plan to set up a 35,000-strong force to guard oil and other vital installations was announced in July.." [more]

Saudi Arabia Recalls Chinese-Made Toys [Aug 25]
"Saudi Arabia ordered the recall of 2,300 toys made in China feared to contain high levels of toxic lead paint, the country's official news agency reported Saturday. The Saudi minister of commerce collected 46 samples of toys in the Riyadh markets to examine whether they contained dangerous chemicals, the agency reported. The findings were not yet revealed.. ..Mattel Inc., which recalled almost 19 million Chinese-made items including dolls, cars and action figures earlier this month, warned its agents in Saudi Arabia that lead has been found in the toys, the press agency added.." [more]

Saudi Envoy to Lebanon Threatened [Aug 25]
"The Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon, Abdulaziz Khoja, quit his post last week, 17 August, following warnings of an attack. The ambassador told Asharq Al-Awsat that he had been alerted by the Lebanese Foreign Ministry of, 'a threat of attack against the ambassador’s residence, the embassy or other Saudi interests in Lebanon,” he said. “There were threats against [the] Saudi embassy and against my person,'.. ..According to high-level sources in Saudi Arabia, “the ambassador is currently in Riyadh on holiday for a few days and is consulting with the leadership,” furthermore confirming that he had received direct threats recently.." [more]

Saudi Stock Index Breaks 8,000 Barrier [Aug 25]
"The Saudi stock market continued its strong performance for the third week in a row, propelled by leading stocks particularly the Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (SABIC), Al-Rajhi Bank and the Saudi Telecom Co. (STC). The Tadawul All-Share Index (TASI) gained 2.38 percent last week, closing at 8,089.09 points, the highest this year, up from 7,900.88 points in the previous week. TASI is currently 2.0 percent higher than the year’s start.." [more]

Nearly 2,000 Camels Die in Saudi, Food Suspected [Aug 25]
"Nearly 2,000 camels have died in Saudi Arabia from a mystery illness that first appeared two weeks ago, the government said on Saturday, adding that poisoning was a more likely cause than infectious disease.. ..King Abdullah promised compensation for owners after the government said last week that 232 camels had died in the space of four days in the Dawasir Valley. The Agriculture Ministry blamed the deaths on animal feed supplied by food storage authorities. Bilghoneim said tests showed signs of poisoning from insecticides.." [more]

Opec Exports All Set to Increase [Aug 25]
"Opec oil exports, excluding Angola, will leap 610,000 barrels per day (bpd) in the four weeks to September 8, with most heading west to replenish falling US stocks, an analyst who estimates future shipments said on Thursday. Roy Mason of consultancy Oil Movements estimated Opec seaborne exports would rise to 24.20 million bpd, compared with 23.82 million bpd in the four weeks to August 11. The jump was the biggest this year, taking crude shipments, or exports, to the highest level since April.." [more]

Welfare Projects Grab Attention: Kurdi [Aug 25}
"Osama Al-Kurdi, a Shoura Council member, has been chosen as the deputy chairman of the Inter-Parliamentarians for Social Services (IPSS) following its meeting in Seoul. Al-Kurdi, who is a versatile scholar and social scientist, was selected by the IPSS general assembly, which seeks to set up a legal and institutional framework to promote social services around the globe.. ..The Kingdom was co-opted as an IPSS founder member in recognition of its social welfare programs, especially for its efforts in the rehabilitation of disabled people. The IPSS has also appreciated the Kingdom’s special program to improve housing facilities and help the poor.." [more]

Gosaibi Denies Media Reports [Aug 25]
"Labor Minister Ghazi Al-Gosaibi denied yesterday the recent reports that his ministry had plans to employ Saudi women in the domestic service sector to replace expatriate housekeepers. The minister said, however, that some poor families had contacted the ministry saying that they had unemployed young women without academic qualifications who wanted to work as part-time domestic helpers. They requested the help of the ministry in finding them jobs. Most of these families do not have breadwinners because of death or divorce. The ministry’s employment strategy was to implement the decisions of higher authorities in the matter.." [more]

Indonesians Protest Outside Saudi Embassy in Jakarta [Aug 24]
"Relatives of the four Indonesian maids who were allegedly severely beaten by their Saudi employers in Aflaj more than two weeks ago protested yesterday outside the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia, along with workers’ rights activists, demanding that the remains of the two maids who died of their injuries and the two survivors be sent home immediately.. ..The Saudi authorities have still not released the bodies of the two deceased maids to the Indonesian Embassy in Riyadh, and have also not allowed the embassy official access to the two remaining survivors.." [more]

Saudi Arabia Pulls Chinese Toothpaste Off the Shelves [Aug 24]
"Saudi Arabia has removed from shop shelves seven brands of Chinese toothpaste found to have a poisonous chemical in them, the government said yesterday. A statement on the Ministry of Trade and Industry's website said tests had shown traces of diethylene glycol, used in coolants and solvents but too toxic for food and medicine.. ..All Chinese toothpastes must now undergo tests before going on the market in Saudi Arabia, which has a population of over 24 million.." [more]

More Bearish Economic Trend Negatively Impact Oil Demand [Aug 24]
"Despite the calls to open taps, OPEC continues to tread a cautious course. With the world oil demand projections put forward by various stake holders falling into a still more widening range, global economic woes coming to surface finally and the crude prices falling, uncertainty in the market seems steering the OPEC to maintain the status quo. Global markets are definitely in a spin, with some hinting at a recession down the road. Doubts about the global crude demand growth are now being circulated.. ..Has the current bull run in the global crude markets contributed to the wobbling of the global economy? Pertinent questions indeed, with major implications, far and wide. And if that happens, the crude markets would almost be the first to hit. And OPEC hesitation is thus understandable.." [more]

Pakistan Has Original Nawaz-Saudi Deal Document [Aug 23]
"An observer of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) has claimed that the original copy of an agreement between Saudi Arabia and Nawaz Sharif has been forwarded to the Pakistan Government through sources.. ..He said Nawaz Sharif had inked a 10-year deal with the Saudi Government to stay away from Pakistan's affairs. The Saudi Government had in turn got a verbal assurance from Pakistani Government not to prosecute Sharif during this period.. .. the Pakistan Government submitted a copy of the exile deal signed with Sharif in the year 2000 before the Supreme Court, and argued that the politician should not be allowed to return. The copy does not specifically mention the Government
of Saudi Arabia as a party to the deal.." [more]

Saudi Arabia Surpasses Angolan Oil Sales to China in July [Aug 23]
"Saudi Arabia surpassed Angola in July as the biggest supplier of crude oil to China by selling 2.33 million tons, the Chinese General Customs Administration said in Beijing Wednesday. Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil producer, in July sold China some 548,677 barrels of oil per day, or 57 percent more than in the same period of last year.. ..In the first seven months of the year, Saudi Arabia was also the biggest supplier of oil to China with sales that rose 6.8 percent to 14.32 million tons.." [more]

Riyadh to Host OPEC Summit [Aug 23]
"The third summit of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) will be held in Riyadh in November, reported KUNA. The summit will address OPEC's efforts in oil market stability, including the role of OPEC Fund as a humanitarian front to the organization. OPEC has begun sending formal invitations to the 12 participating member states.." [more]

Nigeria: Saudis Introduce New Guideline for Visitors [Aug 23]
"Henceforth, visitors to Saudi Arabia with more than 60,000 Saudi Riyals or $16,000 will have to declare such cash on arrival or be sanctioned. A statement released yesterday by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) said a new guideline released by the Saudi authorities stated that any visitor who fails to comply with the rule would be fined or penalized in any other way. NAHCON urged intending Umrah and Hajj pilgrims to try and abide by the new financial and health regulations of Saudi Arabia.." [more]

India to Impose Restrictions on Hiring of Maids [Aug 23]
"India announced it would impose tighter restrictions on the recruitment of household workers, especially maids, beginning Sept. 1 as part of a new measure to check abuse of its contract workers abroad. The new regulation, which covers 18 countries including Saudi Arabia, will require a mandatory $400 monthly salary and a security deposit of $2,500 in the form of bank guarantee with the Indian mission. The new rules would also set a minimum age of 30 and require employers to provide their domestic servants prepaid mobile phones.. ..More than 15,000 Indian women are working as maids in Saudi Arabia.. ..There are more than 1.6 million Indians living and working in Saudi Arabia.." [more]

Maryland, Saudi Arabia Teams, to Head Home From LLWS [Aug 23]
"..Rain forced numerous postponements to the first-round schedule, so tournament organizers decided Tuesday night to cancel Maryland vs. Texas, and Japan vs. Saudi Arabia.. ..Little League president Stephen Keener said organizers had to make a tough decision. 'I'm sure Saudi Arabia and Maryland would have wanted to play for pride, if nothing else,' he said. 'But they understand, with the weather forecast.' Maryland plans to leave Friday, but not before the team tries to get one last exhibition game in against Saudi Arabia. Then it's back home to Salisbury, where manager Chris Yingling expects his youngsters to get a warm reception.." [more]

Mourant Identifies Opportunities for Jersey Trust Business in Saudi Arabia [Aug 23]
"Jersey's long established Trust structure could well help win more business in Saudi Arabia for Jersey firms with links in the region.. ..Senior representatives from Mourant Private Wealth accepted an invitation recently to explain the benefits of a Trust to a prominent group of Saudi Arabian business leaders in Jeddah, on the east coast of Saudi Arabia. Whilst the use of trusts amongst wealthier families in some areas of the Gulf has been commonplace for many years, it is less widely recognised in Saudi Arabia, primarily because of the country's strict adherence to Islamic principles.. ..The visit to Jeddah was arranged in association with one of the leading Jeddah based law firms.." [more]

US CENTCOM Chief Meets Saudi King [Aug 22]
"Saudi King Abdullah met Tuesday with the visiting head of the US Central Command, Admiral William Fallon, the official SPA news agency reported.. ..The CENTCOM chief had a separate meeting with Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdel Aziz, who is also defense minister, to discuss 'issues of mutual interest,'.. ..Oil powerhouse Saudi Arabia is a close US ally. According to Pentagon officials, several hundred US military personnel remained in the country after the US Air Force relocated its Gulf headquarters to the tiny neighboring emirate of Qatar in 2003, ending a 13-year presence in the kingdom.." [more]

NBAD is Shifting Assets to Saudi [Aug 22]
"National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD), the largest asset manager in the UAE, said it was shifting funds to Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi, where infrastructure spending is likely to boost profits and shares.. ..Saudi Arabia's main stock index until this week was the only Gulf stock market to be in negative territory for the year to date. But thanks to gains over the past few trading sessions, it is now up 1.8 per cent for this year so far.." [more]

Gritty Saudi Arabia Edges Out Kuwait [Aug 22]
"Saudi Arabia defeated Kuwait 72-71 in a tough encounter in the 11th GCC basketball tournament at Sharjah Indoor Sports Hall on Monday night. The match the best played in the tournament so far. Until the last seconds of the fourth quarter, no one could say who will win with the scores fluctuating. The win put Saudi Arabia on top of the standing with four points from two wins. They had beaten defending champions Bahrain on the opening day.." [more]

Fed Rate Cuts Could Affect Inflation and Currency Pegs in Gulf [Aug 22]
"The US Federal Reserve plan to cut the federal funds target rate (FFR), according to which commercial banks lend each other, is expected to have a decisive effect on inflation as well as currency pegs in the GCC.. ..the Saudi Arabian Central Bank announced in June that in a case of a substantial cut of rates in the US, the financial authorities of the GCC countries will meet to discuss the issue, an indication that a departure from the peg can be expected,.." [more]

Singapore Seeks to Woo Saudi Visitors Back [Aug 22]
"Singapore is trying to woo back Saudi visitors who turned away from it after the city state imposed strict visa requirements following the September 2001 attacks in the United States.. ..'Saudi Arabia was the number one market before September 11. Visa restrictions were the main reason it became a distant second,' said Ke-Wei Peh, Singapore Tourism Board's area director for Middle East and Africa.. ..the situation is slowly improving and steps are being taken in coordination with tour operators to make it easier for Saudi nationals to obtain a Singaporean visa. 'We are concentrating efforts on Saudi Arabia because the market is very important'.." [more]

Battered Indonesian Maid Held for Questioning [Aug 22]
"One of the Indonesian maids allegedly beaten up by her employers two weeks ago was taken into custody on Monday from hospital where she was being treated for her injuries. The Indonesian Embassy was not informed beforehand .. ..A vicious attack two weeks ago on four maids working for the same employers in Aflaj in the Riyadh region resulted in the death of Siti Tarwiyah Slamet, 32, and Susmiyati Abdul Fulan, 28. Tari and Ruminih were left severely injured in the incident. Seven members of the family that the maids were working for are also being held.. ..The Indonesian Embassy has requested, through diplomatic channels, custody of the two maids and assured authorities that they would ensure they would cooperate with police. However, a response has not yet been received.." [more]

Syrian-Saudi War of Words Bodes Ill For Troubled Region [Aug 21]
"A new war of words has erupted between Syria and Saudi Arabia, signaling a further low in relations between the Mideast's two key regional players — one of them aligned with Washington and the other with Tehran. The latest tensions between the two Arab heavyweights could have major repercussions for other Arab countries such as Iraq and Lebanon.. ..the verbal squabbling is part of a behind-the-scenes conflict that has been underway since the February 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, a close ally of the Saudi royal family. Many blame Syria for Hariri's death, despite Syrian denials.." [more]

Kingdom to Invite Bids for Jizan Refinery in Q4 [Aug 21]
"Saudi Arabia said yesterday it would invite bids for the building and operation of the planned Jizan oil refinery in the fourth quarter and denied reports that state oil firm Aramco had been asked to help do the job. The refinery is to be part of an “economic city” in the region of Jizan in the far south, on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast.. ..The London-based Middle East Economic Digest (MEED) reported earlier in August that the oil ministry had asked Aramco to help implement the project after struggling to attract interest from international companies to run the Jizan refinery. Earlier this year, US oil firm Chevron Corp. ruled out taking a stake in the project, saying it did not make strategic sense for the company.." [more]

Kingdom Keen to Activate Convention on Toxic Weapons [Aug 21]
"Saudi Arabia is keen to apply and activate the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction. This was asserted by adviser at the Saudi Foreign Ministry Naif ibn Bandar Al-Sudairy, who is heading the Saudi delegation to the conference, here yesterday. Al-Sudairy said in his speech that the Kingdom paid great attention to the accession to this convention and all international treaties that promote peace and stability in the world.." [more]

Saudi Opens Insurance, Real Estate to GCC Nationals [Aug 21]
"Saudi Arabia's cabinet decided yesterday to lift restrictions on nationals of fellow Gulf Arab states in the insurance, transport and real estate sectors, the official news agency said.. ..Saudi Arabia is one of the world's most under-insured areas, partly due to a belief among some Muslims that insurance could indicate a lack of religious faith. The government has given licences to 26 insurance firms and is considering applications by 10 others to try to open up the insurance sector in the world's top oil exporter.." [more]

Kingdom Urges Arabs to Close Ranks [Aug 21]
"Saudi Arabia said yesterday that solving the problems of the Muslim Ummah by promoting stability, security, development and unity is the first priority of the Kingdom’s foreign policy. 'The ability of the Arab countries to counter all challenges faced by them internally, regionally and internationally requires that they take joint action and fulfill their commitments to the decisions and treaties made at summit meetings,' Custodian of the Two Mosques King Abdullah said in his address to the weekly meeting of the Council of Ministers.." [more]

Shoura Team Heads for Seoul to Attend Social Service Forum [Aug 21]
"A two-member delegation of the Shoura Council led by Osama Al-Kurdi left for Seoul yesterday to participate in the third general assembly of the Inter-Parliamentarians for Social Services (IPSS), which will begin in the South Korean capital tomorrow. The forum will continue for three days.. ..Al-Kurdi said the meeting will evaluate the experience of member countries in establishing a legal and institutional framework to promote social services and issues relating to international labor migration, protection of human rights, streamlining of regulation for international cooperation, and creation of job opportunities for the physically disabled.." [more]

Saudi Writer Wins Plaudits With Harsh Bedouin Tale [Aug 20]
"When Yousef al-Mohaimeed published 'Wolves of the Crescent Moon' four years ago, he never imagined it would stoke much interest in his native Saudi Arabia, never mind the West. But the novel has put Saudi Arabia at the forefront of Arab literature usually dominated by Egypt, an unusual position for a country seen as a cultural backwater, and found an audience in English and French translations.. ..Saudi commentators have warned of an emerging 'industry' of writing about Saudi Arabia that is in danger of falling into cliches of representation for the sake of a quick buck.." [more]

Saudi Aramco Invites Engineering Bids For $8 bln Saudi Refinery [Aug 20]
"Saudi Arabian Oil Co. has invited engineering firms to bid for a contract to help it build an estimated $8-billion refinery in eastern Saudi Arabia, people familiar with the plans said Monday.. ..The plant, known as East Coast refinery, is the fourth new facility planned in the kingdom and will boost total domestic crude oil refining capacity to above 3.5 million barrels a day by 2012, more than double the U.K.'s. The refinery, due for completion around late 2011, will process 400,000 barrels a day of Saudi crude and will be at Ras Tanura on the Persian Gulf, already home to the country's largest refinery with a capacity of 550,000 barrels a day.." [more]

Saudi Arabia's Gold Demand Grows 30% in Q2 [Aug 20]
"A report issued by the World Gold Council showed that Umrah pilgrims and tourists pushed up Saudi Arabia's gold demand by 30 percent to 42.5 million during the second quarter of 2007 compared to a year earlier, Arab News reported.According to the report, gold demand in the Middle East region in general has increased by 20 percent to 97.5 tons in the April-July quarter from 81.25 tons a year earlier, thanks to strong economies and stable prices in the region. The report also forecast that the impact of the wedding season will continue the bullish trend in the third quarter.." [more]

Saudi Still Planning Iraq Mission Says Official [Aug 20]
"Saudi Arabia is still preparing to send a mission to Iraq as a precursor to reopening its embassy in Baghdad, despite a delay in the timeframe, a foreign ministry official said Monday. 'There are preparations and contacts between Saudi and Iraqi officials to undertake the visit soon,'.. ..Foreign minister Prince Saud Al Faisal told reporters August 7 that a Saudi mission would 'head for Baghdad, next week, to look into security conditions there and ... the modalities of opening the embassy,' more than four years after the US-led invasion. The official said the delay had nothing to do with the wrangling between Iraq's fractious leaders that has left the Shiite-led government of Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki teetering on the brink of collapse.." [more]

GCC Insurance Market Should be Consolidated [Aug 20]
"The GCC has vast potential for a consolidated insurance market that could provide more efficiency due to reduced costs, according to global insurer Lloyd’s. Lloyd’s, a market leader in reinsurance, particularly in the hydrocarbon sector, has asked local players to expand “significantly” since the Gulf region accounted for only 0.3% of the global insurance market premiums.. ..The statement from Levene assumes significance against the backdrop of the Gulf region shaping a common currency union with 2010 remaining a target.." [more]

Indian Naval Warships Coming [Aug 20]
"A goodwill visit by two Indian warships begins on Aug. 21 when INS Rajput and INS Betwa touch the Saudi waters in Jubail, according to an official of the Indian Embassy. This will further boost the already growing Indo-Saudi bilateral relations. During their stay here, Indian naval officers will be interacting with Saudi naval and other authorities. Mutual exercise maneuvers are also slated, the official added.." [more]

Profits of Saudi Listed Firms Rise to SR39.51 Billion [Aug 20]
"The Saudi listed companies showed profit growth in the first half of this year. The total profit increased by 3.2 percent to SR39.51 billion as compared to SR38.29 billion in the first half of 2006. According to Al-Rajhi Bank quarterly update, profits for the second quarter rose almost 7 percent to SR21.14 billion, as compared to SR19.78 billion for the same quarter last year. The industrial sector showed a remarkable performance as the bellwether Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (SABIC), the world’s largest chemical company by market value, posted its fourth straight record profit in the second quarter.." [more]

Arab League Helping Resolve Saudi-Syrian Tiff [Aug 19]
"The Arab League is stepping in to defuse a diplomatic row between Saudi Arabia and Syria. Arab diplomats met in Cairo on Saturday to discuss how to approach the dispute, which has recently increased tension between the two countries, according to the UAE-based Gulf News. Riyadh is angry about comments reportedly made last week by Syrian Foreign Minister Farouq A-Shara' that Saudi Arabia's role in the Middle East was "virtually paralyzed" and that Riyadh was to blame for the Palestinian infighting. Saudi Arabia has been instrumental in brokering agreements in various conflicts, including the internal Palestinian dispute.." [more]

Arab Diplomacy Stands to Lose [Aug 19]
"Lebanon and the Palestinians stand to lose the most from the escalating row between Arab heavyweights Saudi Arabia and Syria. Any potential deal to break the current political deadlock in Lebanon and Palestine has to be endorsed by Riyadh and Damascus, analysts say.. ..The traditionally strong ties between the two Arab countries have soured since the February 2005 assassination of Lebanese former prime minister Rafik Al Hariri, who also held Saudi citizenship. A UN probe committee has implicated Syrian and Lebanese security officials in the killing, a charge Damascus has repeatedly denied. At the time of the assassination, Lebanon was under Syrian military and intelligence dominance.." [more]

Saudi Appointed UN Humanitarian Envoy [Aug 19]
"UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Abdulaziz Bin Mohamed Ar-Rukban, of Saudi Arabia, as his special humanitarian envoy.. ..Ar-Rukban was previously special international ambassador for the UN World Food Program (WFP). John Holmes, undersecretary general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, said Ar-Rukban has come with extensive knowledge to the post.. ..Ar-Rukban is the first Saudi national and an Arab who holds this respectable post in the UN.." [more]

Hundreds of Camels Die in Saudi Arabia From Mystery Ailment [Aug 19]
"The Agriculture Ministry has said 232 camels died in the space of four days in the Dawasir Valley, 400 km south of Riyadh. The authorities have promised compensation for owners, who say the real number of deaths is far higher. Agriculture ministry officials have denied an infectious disease caused the deaths and blamed them on animal feed supplied by food storage authorities.. ..Camels are big business in Saudi Arabia and are traded by Bedouin tribes for thousands of dollars each. The animals are used for racing and their meat is also prized.." [more]

Saudi Public Investment Fund Extends US$40 Million for Financing Private Sector [Aug 19]
"The Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) will extend US$40 million to the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the private sector (ICD), a member of the Islamic Development Bank Group, to be used for financing companies and corporations in Saudi Arabia’s private sector.. ..Dr Al-Assaf stated that the Line of Finance, which was approved by the PIF Board of Directors, is intended to support the development efforts of in Saudi Arabia, disclosing that a considerable section of the Saudi private sector will benefit from it. 'The ICD has participated in financing about 19 operations for the Saudi private sector institutions totalling US$124 million, which equals 23% of the ICD operations,'.." [more]

Saudi Consumers' Demand for Western Products Still Strong [Aug 19]
"Products from the US, which were taken off the supermarket shelves in the wake of 9/11, and those from Denmark, banned last year following the publication of the blasphemous cartoons, are staging a comeback in the Kingdom, a random survey has shown.. ..Locally produced items currently account for around 50 percent of the Saudi market. However, barring a few well-known brands, most of the 'Made in Saudi Arabia' products have not reached international brand status, according to market sources, which cite lack of expertise in brand management and government initiatives requiring mandatory budget for R&D by the national industry.." [more]

Saudi Foreign Minister Undergoes Neck Surgery [Aug 19]
"Saudi Arabia's veteran foreign minister Prince Saud al-Faisal has undergone neck surgery in New York, the official news agency said late on Saturday. The report from the Saudi Press Agency said the senior member of the ruling Al Saud family, who has been foreign minister since 1975, was treated successfully on Friday to remove bone calcification. It said the prince would return to Saudi Arabia after a convalescence period. He could head the Saudi delegation to a Middle East peace conference including Israel later this year.." [more]

Saudi, Kuwait Bourses Steady After US Discount Rate Cut [Aug 19]
"Investors in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, the Arabian Gulf’s two largest equity markets, held their nerve yesterday amid concerns that stocks with exposure to the turmoil affecting international markets could suffer. Kingdom Holdings, the largest shareholder in US lender Citigroup, recovered from a 2.1% fall in early trading on Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul, to close flat at 11.50 riyals on concern about its exposure to the US. 'The global stock market problems have affected Kingdom because it owns big shares in Citigroup,' Rashid al-Fowzan, a Saudi market analyst, said.. ..The Tadawul closed slightly up 0.16% at 7913.15 points after early declines led by Al Rajhi Bank, which closed up 2.1% at 85.75 riyals. Other banking stocks fell including Saudi Hollandi bank, down 2.5% at 48.25 riyals and Banque Saudi Fransi down 1.8% at 68.75 riyals.." [more]

Saudi Government Urged to Release Reformists [Aug 19]
"More than 60 Saudi activists have signed a petition calling for the release of a group of reformists held in the ultra-conservative kingdom since early February, accused of funding terrorism. The petition, a copy of which was obtained by Agence France-Presse in Dubai, was signed by 67 activists and sent to the justice ministry and advisory Shura council in Riyadh, as well as to two government-sanctioned human rights watchdogs. The petition said the reformists had been held for longer than six months without a trial and that, under Saudi law, they should, therefore, be released.." [more]

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