The Saudi Industrial Property Authority – Modon: SUSRIS

2/2/12

This week Dr. Tawfiq Al-Rabiah, the new Minister of Commerce and Industry, in his role as Chairman of Modon’s Board of Directors, signed contracts valued at $186 million for electrical infrastructure at five of Saudi Arabia’s industrial cities. Newly named Director General Saleh Al-Rasheed told Arab News that Modon’s next project will focus on the completion of services and infrastructure, so that the existing industrial cities that are under development become integrated services cities.

Saudi Leads Online Jobs Boom With 56% Growth: ARABIAN BUSINESS

Andy Sambidge | 2/3/12

Saudi Arabia has posted 56 percent growth in online job opportunities over the past year, while Oman saw a 12 percent decline, according to the Monster Employment Index.

Invest in Saudi Arabia: MARKETWATCH

2/3/12

Saudi Arabia is further opening its investment markets to foreigners — and the word is: buy.

With strong fundamentals, little to no debt, and effective dividends, Saudi companies are compelling investment opportunities. But that’s not all. Saudi Arabia is going big into the solar and water industries — and there will be myriad ways to capitalize on making the kingdom more sustainable.

Fairs Make Job Search Easier: ARAB NEWS

Reuters | 2/3/12

In a cavernous exhibition hall on the outskirts of Riyadh, dozens of young Saudi women stroll between corporate booths in search of jobs. Each has completed a 3-1/2 hour aptitude test that gives her scores for 10 behavioral characteristics and two types of cognitive ability. The results are shown to as many as 81 potential employers which schedule job interviews using a centralized, online system.  It is Women’s Day at the first of a series of job fairs launched by the Saudi government this year to find employment for its citizens. In coming months the scheme aims to arrange interviews for 15,000 men and women out of 100,000 applicants, holding similar fairs in the cities of Jeddah and Dammam.

Hyatt Soon to Dominate High-End Hotels in Saudi Arabia: MARKET WATCH

1/2/12

Hyatt Announces Plans for Three New Hotels in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Agreements for Park Hyatt Riyadh, Grand Hyatt Jeddah, and Hyatt Regency Jeddah Bring Total to Six Hotels under Development in Saudi Arabia.

Saudis Set to Tap Fuel Oil Boom with Latest Pricing for Crude: BLOOMBERG

2/3/12

Saudi Arabia, the world’s biggest oil exporter, is poised to raise the price of its lowest-quality crude to the most in almost two years relative to the top grade as it benefits from the rising cost of shipping fuel.

Saudi Contribution to IMF Faces Tough Sell: GULF NEWS

2/3/12

International Monetary Fund managing director Christine Lagarde faces a tough but not impossible sell when she visits Saudi Arabia today to discuss a contribution from the oil-rich kingdom to the IMF’s $500 billion (Dh1.83 trillion) fundraising effort to fight the European debt crisis.

Saudi Arabia: USCIRF Urges Release of Prisoners: U.S. COMMISSION ON RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

2/2/12

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today called for the immediate release of 35 Ethiopian Christians who have been detained by Saudi Arabian police since December 15, allegedly for participating in a private religious gathering.

System Will Link GCC to Manpower-Exporting States: ARAB NEWS

Md Rasooldeen | 2/3/12

Prospective Gulf workers’ medical reports issued from 11 manpower exporting countries will be linked electronically to the GCC health ministers’ secretariat and to countries in the region.

Saudi Arabia Tanker Load Capacity Gains 22%, Ship Data Show: BLOOMBERG

Rob Sheridan | 2/3/12

The carrying capacity of oil tankers that docked at Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia’s biggest crude-loading port, gained 22 percent in the latest week, according to ship- tracking data compiled by Bloomberg.

Are Men Afraid Of Women’s Success?: SAUDI GAZETTE

2/3/12

We all agree that women have proved themselves in fields such as education despite the many obstacles they encounter. One of the main obstacles is being deprived of their rights to continue education or work. It is generally accepted that it is the male authority which tries to deprive women of these rights.

IRAN: U.S. OFFICIALS CONCERNED BY ISRAEL STATEMENTS ON IRAN THREAT, POSSIBLE STRIKE

Israeli leaders on Thursday delivered one of the bluntest warnings to date of possible airstrikes against Iranian nuclear sites, adding to the anxiety in Western capitals that a surprise attack by Israel could spark a broader military conflict in the Middle East.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak, speaking at a security forum attended by some of Israel’s top intelligence and military leaders, declared that time was running out for stopping Iran’s nuclear advance, as the country’s uranium facilities disappear into newly constructed mountain bunkers, Joel Greenberg and Joby Warrick (Washington Post) report. IRAN’S SUPREME LEADER THREATENS RETALIATION AGAINST ATTACK: The supreme leader of Iran vowed on Friday to retaliate over oil sanctions and threats of military action by the West to stop Iran’s nuclear program, warning that the United States in particular would face severe damage to its interests if any strike were carried out against its nuclear sites, J. David Goodman (NYT) reports. EFFORT TO REBRAND ARAB SPRING BACKFIRES IN IRAN: It was meant to be a crowning moment in which Iran put its own Islamic stamp on the Arab Spring. More than a thousand young activists were flown here earlier this week (at government expense) for a conference on “the Islamic Awakening,” Tehran’s effort to rebrand the popular Arab uprisings of the past year, Robert F. Worth (NYT) writes.

EGYPT: PROTESTS ESCALATE AFTER DEADLY RIOT
Violent clashes reignited in Egypt on Friday between police and protesters angered by reports of inadequate security at a soccer match that devolved into a riot this week, leaving 79 people dead, Mohamed Fadel Fahmy (CNN) reports. AFTERMATH: WHERE TO PIN BLAME? Many of Egypt’s liberal youth activists quickly pinned the blame on a military-orchestrated conspiracy. “SCAF [the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces] is trying to manipulate people into begging for the reinstatement of the Emergency Law again,” activist Ahmad Aggour tweeted hours after the violence erupted on national news. Others questioned how a police force so notorious for its use of brutality against protesters — and in securing government buildings — had proved unable to stop a rampage in a soccer stadium, Abigail Hauslohner (TIME) writes.  TWO AMERICANS KIDNAPPED: Bedouin gunmen intercepted a tourist minivan and snatched two female American tourists and their Egyptian guide at gunpoint Friday near St. Catherine’s Monastery in the Sinai Peninsula, the region’s security chief said, CBS news reports.

SYRIA: US ‘CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC’ OF STRONG SUPPORT FOR NEW UN RESOLUTION ON SYRIA

A senior State Department official said Friday the U.S. is “cautiously optimistic” of strong support for a new U.N. Security Council resolution condemning the violence in Syria and calling for a political transition in the country, AP/Washington Post reports. EMBOLDENED REBELS TEAR AT ASSADS POWER: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad looks increasingly cornered, his authority seriously wounded by rebel raids at the gates of Damascus and his ability to wield superior firepower complicated by political constraints, Reuters reports. ‘FINISH HIM’: Daniel Bynum (Foreign Policy) writes: Without international intervention, there’s a good chance that Syria’s dictator, Bashar al-Assad, could still rule for years.

UNITED STATES: ECONOMIC RECOVERY GAINS STEAM WITH UNEMPLOYMENT AT 3-YEAR LOW

The United States economy gained momentum in January, adding 243,000 jobs, the second straight month of better-than-expected gains. The unemployment rate fell to 8.3percent, giving a cause for optimism as the economy shapes up as the central issue in the presidential election. The Labor Department’s monthly snapshot of the job market uses a different survey, of households rather than employers, to calculate the unemployment rate, Motoko Rich (NYT) reports.

KUWAIT: ISLAMIST GAINS AT EXPENSE OF WOMEN AND LIBERALS

Kuwait has become the fourth Arab country in as many months to see overwhelming gains for Islamists and dismal losses for liberals in parliamentary elections, Gulf News reports.

ISRAEL: UN CHIEF URGES ISRAEL TO HALT SETTLEMENTS

Israel must halt settlement building and present detailed proposals for a border with a future Palestinian state, visiting U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon said Wednesday, as he tried to persuade the Palestinians to continue low-level meetings with Israel that the international community hopes will evolve into serious negotiations, CBS news reports.

Saudi Economy: Jadwa February 2012 Chartbook: SUSRIS

2/1/12

The Jadwa Investment firm in Riyadh introduced the “Saudi Chartbook” to provide a quick, chart-based briefing on the key developments and trends in the Saudi economy and stock market. SUSRIS is pleased to provide the summary from the February Saudi Chartbook and a link to the complete report, rich with illuminating charts and graphs. SUSRIS thanks Jadwa Investment’s Chief Economist, Brad Bourland, Head of Research, Paul Gamble and Associate Research Director Gasim Abdulkarim, for providing this insightful report for your consideration.

Saudi Economy Expected To Grow 3.8% in 2012: ARAB NEWS

2/1/12

Emirates NBD, a leading bank in the region, forecasts a 3.8 percent growth in Saudi GDP in 2012, backed by public sector spending, even as the global economy continues to lose momentum. With the oil sector remaining the main source of revenue for the Kingdom, the price of oil is forecast to remain at above $100 per barrel.

Saudi Arabia May Seek IMF Sway In Exchange For Riches: ARABIAN BUSINESS

Bloomberg | 2/2/12

Saudi Arabia, which has more than $500bn in foreign assets, may demand a greater share of voting rights at the International Monetary Fund in exchange for providing the lender with more money.

Tribalism in the Arabian Peninsula: A Family Affair: JADALIYYA

Sultan Al-Qassemi | 2/2/12

Across the Arabian Peninsula and stretching well into North Africa and Sudan, there is a common bond, perhaps only behind religion and language in importance, that binds Arabic language speakers together. Museums across the Gulf proudly display lineage maps illustrating the family trees of ruling members, linking them through lines and photos from bygone centuries up to the current leader. Major financial institutions in Dubai and Bahrain display in their offices large-scale maps detailing prominent ruling family members of the Gulf States and their marital, government, and business affiliations. Tribalism in modern day Arabia is alive and well. In this article, I highlight recent developments to illustrate how those in power in the Gulf and the Arabian Peninsula use tribalism, and how, sometimes, it is used against them.

Saudi Gold Miner Adds Shine of Different Hue: THE NATIONAL

Hadeel Al Sayegh | 2/2/12

The Saudi mining company Ma’aden yesterday started operations at its Ras Al Khair plant to produce diammonium phosphate. The US$5.6 billion phosphate project is fully operational and the plant, which is 90km north of Jubail in the Eastern Province, will gradually increase its production to its designed capacity of 3 million tonnes a year, the state-run producer said in a filing to the Saudi bourse yesterday.

Saudi Energy Investment at $141b in 5 Years Biggest In MENA Region: SAUDI GAZETTE

2/2/12

Saudi Arabia remained the dominant energy investor in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, with an estimated $141 billion during 2012-2016, data from the Dammam-based Arab Petroleum Investment Corporation (Apicorp), an affiliate of the 10-nation Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries, showed.

Kuwait-Saudi Dorra Gas Work Seen Starting In June: REUTERS

2/2/12

Kuwait and Saudi Arabia are pushing ahead with plans to develop the undisputed part of the offshore Dorra gas field with the front-end engineering and design (FEED) work expected to be completed by June, industry sources said.

Fujitsu Commences Smart Community Development in Saudi Arabia: PRESS RELEASE

2/2/12

Fujitsu signs a MOU with Saudi Arabia as Part of an Overseas Infrastructure Export Initiative of Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

Saudi-Japanese Forum to Open New Horizons: ARAB NEWS

2/2/12

More than 200 prominent businessmen and senior officials of public and private companies and organizations from Saudi Arabia and Japan are participating in the Saudi Japanese Economic Forum that began in Tokyo on Tuesday evening. Minister of Commerce and Industry Tawfiq Al-Rabiah is heading the Saudi delegation taking part in the event, which is discussing various aspects of bilateral business cooperation between the two major trade partners in Asia.

New Saudi Metro to Ease Haj Traffic: GULF NEWS

Aya Lowe | 2/2/12

Saudi Arabia’s new metro system will ease traffic congestion during the annual Haj pilgrimage, a top official has said. The Haramain High Speed Rail project, which is under construction, will be a 449.2km high-speed inter-city system linking Madinah and Makkah.

Saudi Equity Market Cap Surges To SR1.30 Trillion: ARAB NEWS

2/1/12

The Saudi stock market showed a positive march in January after falling over 3 percent in 2011.

Collaboration Forum Set For Saudi Arabia: UPI

2/1/12

A forum to promote collaboration and partnerships between Saudi Arabian industry and Lockheed Martin has been conducted in Riyadh. The forum, which was last Sunday and Monday, featured speakers such as Lockheed Martin President and Chief Operating Officer Chris Kubasik and U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia James B. Smith.

Saudi, Abu Dhabi Osps Awaited: EMIRATES 24|7

Reuters | 2/2/12

The Middle East crude market awaited the Saudi Aramco and the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company’s (Adnoc) official crude selling prices (OSP) to gauge the direction of trade for the new month.

EGYPT: EGYPTIANS INCENSED AFTER 74 DIE IN SOCCER TRAGEDY

Egyptians incensed by the deaths of 74 people in clashes at a soccer stadium staged protests on Thursday as fans and politicians accused the ruling generals of failing to prevent the deadliest incident since Hosni Mubarak was overthrown, Reuters reports. MANY BLAME MILITARY FOR MELEE: The riot on Wednesday night refocused attention on the failure of the transitional government to re-establish a sense of order and stability in the streets and threatened to provoke a new crisis for Egypt’s halting political transition. The deadliest soccer riot anywhere in more than 15 years, the melee also illuminated the potential for savagery among the organized groups of die-hard fans known here as ultras who have added a volatile element to the street protests since Mr. Mubarak’s exit, David D. Kirkpatrick (NYT) reports. MARKET PLUNGES: Egypt’s benchmark stock index fell over 2 percent Thursday, paring an earlier plunge stemming from deadly soccer riots the night before that left 74 dead and rekindled fears of fresh instability akin to the unrest that has battered the country and its economy in the year since the ouster of Hosni Mubarak, Tarek El-Tablawy (ABC) reports. PORT SAID OFFICIALS SACKED: Senior officials in the Egyptian city of Port Said and the Egyptian football association have been sacked in the wake of riots on Wednesday in which at least 74 people were killed, BBC reports.

BAHRAIN: NATION BOILS LEADING UP TO ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF PROTESTS

A year ago this month, Bahrain’s majority Shiites took inspiration from the Arab Spring to sharpen long-standing grievances against the Sunni monarchy, accused by Shiites of relegating them to second-class status in the Western-allied nation. Within days of the first protest march, Bahrain was sliding into a crisis that would bring more than two months of martial law, more than 40 deaths, hundreds of arrests and ongoing clashes so disruptive that the U.S. Embassy last month relocated workers into safe haven neighborhoods, Reem Khalifa and Brian Murphy (Boston Globe) report.

AFGHANISTAN: PANETTA SETS TIMETABLE OF 2013 FOR END OF COMBAT MISSION

The secretary general of NATO echoed Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta on Thursday and said that the United States and its allies would step back from a combat role in Afghanistan in mid-2013, leaving Afghan forces in the lead to defend their own country, Elisabeth Bumiller (NYT) reports. TALIBAN RETURN SEEN AS UNLIKELY: Among the snippets in a secret NATO report detailing the hopes of jailed Taliban militants to retake Afghanistan was news the Islamist movement had set up telephone hotlines for Afghans to report anonymously on failures of its shadow government, Rob Taylor (Reuters) reports.

SYRIA: ANNIVERARY OF HOMS MASSACRE MARKED

Syrian security forces fanned out in Hama on Thursday as protesters splashed red paint symbolizing blood in the streets to mark the 30th anniversary of a notorious massacre carried out by President Bashar Assad’s father and predecessor, Fox News reports. TREATY WILL PUT PRESSURE ON SYRIA: Even a watered-down U.N. Security Council resolution will put pressure on the Syrian government, Arab League Secretary General Nabil Elaraby told CNN Thursday, ahead of renewed talks at the United Nations, CNN reports.

ISRAEL: SUSPECTED SITES REMAIN VULNERABLE, DEPUTY PM SAYS

Israel’s deputy prime minister says Iran’s suspected nuclear weapons sites remain vulnerable to possible military strikes, suggesting that underground bunkers do not offer sufficient protection, AP reports. ISRAEL SAYS IRAN HAS MATERIAL FOR 4 ATOMIC WEAPONS: Israel estimated on Thursday that Iran could make four atomic bombs by further enriching uranium it has already stockpiled, and could produce its first within a year of deciding to build one, Reuters reports.

PALESTINE: CITIZENS TRY TO BLOCK UN CHIEF FROM ENTERING GAZA, THROW SHOES

Palestinians tried to block the U.N. chief from entering the Gaza Strip and flung shoes at his armored convoy on Thursday, the second day of Ban Ki-moon’s mission to the region to keep informal peace talks alive, MSNBC/AP reports.

PAKISTAN: COURT TO CHARGE GILANI WITH CONTEMPT

Pakistan’s Supreme Court is to charge Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani with contempt for failing to reopen corruption cases against the president, BBC reports.

Saudi Arabia Cautious On Possible Afghan Talks: REUTERS

Angus McDowall | 1/31/12

Saudi Arabia is reluctant to host talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban without concessions from the Islamist movement including renouncing its ties to al Qaeda, sources in Riyadh and Kabul said on Tuesday. TALIBAN DENIES TALKS: The Afghan Taliban have denied planning to hold preliminary peace talks with representatives from the Afghan government in Saudi Arabia. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said media reports about an upcoming meeting in the kingdom were “not true,” BBC reports.

Top US Spy Warns Saudi Plot Shows Iran Willing To Attack The US On Its Own Soil: THE HILL

Jordy Yager | 1/31/12

Director of National Intelligence James Clapper warned a Senate panel that a 2011 plot to assassinate Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the United States, which U.S. officials say was hatched in Iran, indicates that Iran Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and his government are willing to launch attacks in the United States.

CIA Chief Says Appears Saudi Oil “Ramping Up”: REUTERS

1/31/12

Saudi Arabia’s oil production appears to be “ramping up” and can fill some of the demand shortfalls caused by sanctions on Iranian exports, CIA Director David Petraeus said on Tuesday.

US Ambassador Hosts Art Exhibition: ARAB NEWS

Abdul Hannan Tago  | 2/1/12

US Ambassador to Riyadh James B. Smith and his wife Dr. Janet Breslin-Smith hosted on Sunday night at their Riyadh residence the “ART in Embassies” exhibition dubbed “Connecting Families,” which was attended by media and both Saudi and American artists.

“Pearl Diving In the Gulf – 1938″ – Part 2 of Video Series “Distant Arabia”: ARAMCO EXPATS

1/31/12

Part 2 of the 12 part Distant Arabia video series courtesy of Selwa Press. The majority of the film clips posted on the Selwa Video You Tube channel are comprised of films taken in Saudi Arabia between 1937 and 1940 by Tom Barger, Les Snyder and Jerry Harriss. They are among the few moving pictures that record that critical and brief moment in the country’s history when an ancient pastoral way of life was coming to an abrupt end, to be replaced by an industrial society. Many of the Bedouin depicted had never seen an automobile let alone a movie camera before these men arrived. The herds of camels, once the lifeblood of Bedouin life, would become irrelevant. The dhows of the Gulf replaced by motor launches, the date oases, the very anchor of the Al Hasa economy, would become all but insignificant. All that remains of those days are these flickering images from a time before oil.

Saudi Mulls Labour, Financial, Legal Reforms: KHALEEJ TIMES

2/1/12

In a cavernous exhibition hall on the outskirts of Riyadh, dozens of young Saudi women, clad in full-length black abayas and veils, stroll between corporate booths in search of jobs.

Each has completed a 3-1/2 hour aptitude test that gives her scores for 10 behavioral characteristics and two types of cognitive ability. The results are shown to as many as 81 potential employers which schedule job interviews using a centralized, online system.

Saudi Arabia Nominates Al-Moneef as Next OPEC Head, Reuters Says: BLOOMBERG

Ayesha Daya | 2/1/12

Saudi Arabia has nominated Majid al- Moneef to become the next secretary-general of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, Reuters reported, citing an unidentified Gulf official.

Lockheed Martin Hosts Industry Collaboration Forum in Saudi Arabia: PRESS RELEASE

Lockheed Martin held its first Industry Collaboration Forum Jan. 29-30 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, launching an effort geared toward strengthening relationships with local industry and creating opportunities for new partnerships.

ABB Wins $250 Million Power Orders In Saudi Arabia: NASDAQ

2/1/12

Electrical engineering company ABB Ltd Wednesday said it has won orders worth more than $250 million from the Saudi Electricity Company (5110.SA) to construct new substations and reinforce existing ones in the country to address its growing demand for electricity.

Saudi Claims To Hack Syria President’s Email: EMIRATES 24|7

2/1/12

A hacker based out of Saudi Arabia, identified as Salman Al Anzi, claims to have hacked the private email account of Syrian president Bashar Al Assad, Saudi-based Arabic newspaper Al Madina reported. The hacker also claimed to have hacked into several Syrian ministries, including the Ministry of Information.

IRAN: UN NUKE INSPECTORS HAIL ‘GOOD’ TALKS WITH IRAN

The leader of a United Nations nuclear inspection team said Wednesday that their visit to Iran had been a “good trip,” and announced plans to revisit Tehran “in the very near future.”

The remarks by mission leader Herman Nackaerts indicated some progress on the team’s quest to wrest information from Iran about allegations that it is secretly working on an atomic arms program, MSNBC reports. OPINION: WEANING INDIAN OFF IRAN: How should India respond to U.S.-led efforts to halt Iran’s suspected rogue nuclear weapons program? An India that uses its oil purchases and diplomatic clout to create breathing room for Iran risks scuppering the notion New Delhi has benefited from for more than a decade: that India’s rise is beneficial to the West, WSJ reports.  CHINA LOOKS BOTH WAYS ON IRAN OIL: China’s response to calls from the West to join an oil embargo penalizing Iran for its nuclear program so far has been to choose the middle course typical of its non-interfering foreign policy of the last 30 years – denouncing sanctions on one hand yet working to protect its national interests on many fronts, Al Jazeera reports.

AFGHANISTAN: TALIBAN POISED TO TAKE BACK COUNTRY AFTER NATO LEAVES, THE US MILITARY SAYS

The U.S. military said in a secret report that the Taliban, backed by Pakistan, are set to retake control of Afghanistan after NATO-led forces withdraw, raising the prospect of a major failure of Western policy after a costly war, Hamid Shalizi and Mirwais Harooni (Reuters) reports.

SYRIA: PRESSURE AT UN ON RUSSIA AFTER REFUSAL TO CONDEMN SYRIA

The battle over Syria moved to the United Nations on Tuesday with Western powers and much of the Arab world confronting Russia and its allies in the Security Council over their refusal to condemn the Syrian government for its violent suppression of popular protests, Neil Macfarquhar (NYT) reports. WHY NO WORLD UPROAR?: Grainy videos depict the violence that has killed at least 6,000 Syrians, but the prospects for international intervention appear dim. Is the world inured to the ubiquitous images? CSM reports.

EUROPE: LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE BOMB PLOT ADMITTED BY FOUR MEN

Four men inspired by al-Qaeda have admitted planning to detonate a bomb at the London Stock Exchange, BBC reports.

ISRAEL: NETANYAHU WINS LIKUD CHAIRMANSHIP

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was victorious in the Likud Party chairmanship race, though his only challenger garnered about 24 percent of the vote, JTA reports.

PAKISTAN: ANTHRAX SENT TO PREMIER’S OFFICE

A university professor sent a packet containing anthrax to the office of Pakistan’s prime minister in October last year, his spokesman said Wednesday, an incident that will fuel security concerns in a country that is home to top al-Qaida leaders and other extremists, the AP reports.

TURKEY: WARNINGS FOR EUROPE OVER MOUNTING RACISM, ISLAMOPHOBIA

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday warned of rising racism and Islamophobia in Europe as he once again denounced a recent French bill outlawing denial of Armenian genocide, the Daily Star reports.

Connecting Interest With Business Opportunity: A Conversation With Khaled Al-Seif: SUSRIS

1/30/12

The 2nd US-Saudi Business Opportunities Forum in Atlanta last month brought together a high level delegation of over 200 Saudi officials and business people with over 1000 Americans to explore the $1 trillion-plus commercial openings available in the coming decade in the Kingdom. The response to the Forum – and what it means for American investment and partnerships in Saudi Arabia – was something distinguished businessman Khaled Al-Seif has been working to see for years. Since at least as far back as 2005, when he helped lead a multi-city trade mission to Atlanta, he has been a steadfast champion of the business-to-business relationship between Saudis and Americans.

Saudis Push Young People, Including Women, Into Jobs: WALL STREET JOURNAL

1/31/12

With eyes darting over racks of sales items, 28-year-old Haya Murzouq worked the counter at her new job at one of Riyadh’s busier lingerie boutiques in December. With one hand, she checked a tag for a female customer. With the other, the Saudi woman hoisted the trailing end of her black head scarf over her face, draping it for modesty as she spotted male customers.

Few mall shoppers gave the shop a second glance, and a passing patrol of Saudi religious police didn’t bother to stop in, but Ms. Murzouq and her co-workers, all of whom are Saudi women, are doing things long unseen in the capital and much of the rest of the kingdom: staking out sales racks and scrubbing shop floors for all to see. JOBS FOR WOMEN NOW A CONCERN: Women in the western workplace sometimes complain of the glass ceiling. In Saudi Arabia it is often a glass wall that separates them from the men. So it should not have been surprising that the most interesting question to be posed to the kingdom’s labour minister at an international gathering of global business leaders in Riyadh last week came from behind such a glass wall, The National reports.

An Oil Minister, Plugging Renewables?: NEW YORK TIMES

Clifford Krauss | ‘Green’ Blog | 1/30/12

When you think of proponents of green energy, the Saudi oil minister may not be the first person who comes to mind. But in a speech on Monday in London, Ali al-Naimi, the minister from OPEC’s leading member nation, had a lot to say about renewable energy and global warming.

Saudi Bourse at Six-Month High; Egypt’s Index Ends Rally: BUSINESS RECORDER

1/31/12

The Saudi bourse hit a six-month high in active trading on Monday after a state-run fund said it would buy more shares, while Egyptian stocks snapped their rally ahead of talks on political transition.

Net Profitability for Saudi Firms Increases to SR94.8bn: ARAB NEWS

1/31/12

Profitability for the Saudi market in 2011 showed strong growth with market net income up 22 percent to SR94.8 billion from SR78.1 billion in 2010, NCB Capital, Saudi Arabia’s leading wealth manager, has said in a new report.

Zain Careers Beckon Saudi Youth: ARAB NEWS

1/31/12

Zain Saudi Arabia, ranked “excellent” in the Nitaqat scheme, has revealed plans to attract more talented Saudi nationals.

Saudi Tribalism Lingers For Kingdom’s Settled Bedouin: ARABIAN BUSINESS

1/31/12

The kingdom’s Bedouin might have forsaken a desert lifestyle that brought more hardship than riches, but their tribal identity retains a lingering influence in modern Saudi life and one that some Saudis believe may be enjoying a revival. 

Saudi Arabia Issues Oil-Supply Assurance: THE DAILY STAR

Reuters | 1/31/12

Saudi Arabia can meet any future world oil shortages thanks to massive investment, and its rising gas output will mean crude exports will not be affected by booming domestic energy demand, Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi said Monday.

Growing tension between Iran and the West over the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program has led to fears of a disruption in oil supplies from the Middle East Gulf.

Saudi Officials Walk Out in Protest at Iran Comments, Mehr Says: BLOOMBERG

1/31/12

A Saudi Arabian delegation walked out of a conference in protest after a former Iranian parliament speaker criticized the kingdom’s policies, the state-run Mehr news agency reported without citing anyone.

Saudis Want Swap For Imprisoned Royals: UPI

1/30/12

Saudi Arabia is seeking a prisoner swap for six Saudis, including three royal family members, reported to be on death row in Iraq, officials said.

Twitter Is A Platform For Lies: Saudi Grand Mufti: EMIRATES 24|7

1/29/12

Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti (religious chief) has launched a virulent attack on the social networking site Twitter, saying it has become a platform for promoting lies, newspapers in the Gulf Kingdom reported on Sunday.

Banks Probe Hacked Credit Cards: SAUDI GAZETTE

1/31/12

Customers at some local banks have withdrawn their money and closed their accounts in the wake of reports that hackers have accessed some credit card accounts. Banks have now employed teams of information technology experts to close the loopholes in their systems.

Saudi Docs Sue U Of Ottawa For $100M: CANADA NEWS

Kelly Roche | 1/31/12

Three doctors from Saudi Arabia are suing the University of Ottawa and several of its officials for more than $100 million.

Saudi Arabia: A Kingdom On The Move: THE DRUM

Ben Rich | 1/31/12

Saudi Arabia. The name evokes a visceral reaction in many people, conjuring visions of oppressed women swathed in black, hedonistic princes gliding across suntanned dune landscapes in cherry red Ferraris and a society subjected to a an ultra-conservative interpretation of Islam, Wahhabism, by a cynical Monarchy and a corrupt clerical establishment.

Indeed, the Western media has long promoted this view of the Kingdom and its occupants; an approach that has been reinvigorated in recent times by the various revolutions sparked across the Middle East.  There is incontestable truth in each of these images, but there is also a tendency towards simplicity in their presentation and an almost obsessive focus upon them as wholly descriptive of the Saudi experience.  This obscures the important cases of grass roots liberalisation occurring within the Kingdom on a daily basis, many of which are encouraged by the current ruler, King Abdullah.

AFGHANISTAN: AFGHAN OFFICIALS CONSIDER OWN TALKS WITH TALIBAN

Concerned that it is being left out of potential peace talks between the United States and the Taliban, the Afghan government is pushing to open its own direct negotiations with the insurgent group in Saudi Arabia, Afghan officials said on Monday, NYT reports. TALIBAN, US BEGINS TALKS WITH QATAR: Afghan Taliban negotiators are meeting with U.S. officials in Qatar for a series of discussions aimed at building trust between the two sides ahead of the upcoming peace talks, VOA reports.

SYRIA: DRAFT RESOLUTION TO UN CALLS FOR SYRIA’S ASSAD TO STEP DOWN

A draft resolution on Syria to be presented to the UN security council calls on President Bashar al-Assad to step aside or face “further measures” in 15 days’ time, but it stresses that any punitive measures would be peaceful, The Guardian reports.  LANDIS SAYS ASSAD WILL LAST: Audie Cornish talks with Joshua Landis, director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma. He says the Assad regime is likely to hang on far longer than anyone could have predicted when the uprising began last March, NPR reports. RUSSIA OPPOSES: Much of the attention focused on Russia, which stoutly opposes an Arab League proposal, backed by Western and Arab diplomats, that calls for Mr. Assad to cede power as part of a transition to democracy, NYT reports.

YEMEN: DRONE STRIKE KILLS 13

At least 13 people have been killed in air strikes on militants from al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula in southern Yemen, residents and officials say, BBC reports.

UNITED STATES: OBAMA OFFERS DEFENSE OF DRONE STRIKES: President Obama offered a vigorous defense of using unmanned aircraft to kill Al Qaeda operatives and other militants in Pakistan’s tribal areas and, in the process, officially acknowledged the highly classified CIA drone program that U.S. officials had refused to discuss in public until now.

RELIGION: CITING ATTACKS, CHRISTIANS FEAR LOSING FREEDOMS IN ARAB SPRING

The Arab Spring uprisings that have toppled secular dictatorships in the Middle East and North Africa have unleashed long-suppressed freedoms that have allowed Islamic parties to gain a share of political power they have been denied for decades. Their rise is creating near-panic among ancient Christian communities that dot the Muslim world and predate Islam by centuries, USA Today reports.

PAKISTAN: CLASHES KILL 50

Pakistani officials say at least 50 people have been killed in fighting between the military and Taliban in the country’s northwest, VOA reports.

ISRAEL: UN LEADER CALLS FOR GOODWILL GESTURES FROM ISRAEL

UN leader Ban Ki-moon called on Tuesday for “goodwill gestures” by Israel to encourage the Palestinians to revive the Middle East peace process, ahead of talks with leaders from the two sides, AFP reports.

Saudi Arabia’s Central Bank Eyes Bigger Role: ARABIAN BUSINESS

Reuters | 1/29/12

Saudi Arabia’s central bank will play a bigger role in the supervision of the country’s financial sector as the kingdom weighs opening up its stock market to direct investments by foreigners.

Saudi Bourse Opening To Boost Foreign Share of Stocks, RBS Says: BLOOMBERG

Arif Sharif | 1/30/12

Foreign investors’ share of trades on Saudi Arabia’s stock market, the Arab world’s biggest, may increase fivefold in two years after the bourse allows direct purchases, a banker at Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc said. SAUDI ARABIA’S CENBANK, CMA TO COORDINATE SUPERVISION: Saudi Arabia’s central bank will play a bigger role in the supervision of the country’s financial sector as the kingdom weighs opening up its stock market to direct investments by foreigners, Business Recorder reports.

Saudi Arabia to Remain Reliable Supplier of Crude Oil to Markets: PLATTS

1/30/12

Saudi Arabia’s growing domestic energy consumption will have no impact on Saudi oil exports “now or in the future” and the kingdom will continue to be a reliable supplier of oil to world markets with capacity to handle future supply shortages, Saudi Oil Minister Ali Naimi said Monday.

Nitaqat Generates 300,000 Jobs: ARAB NEWS

1/28/12

The Nitaqat Saudization program was instrumental in generating more than 300,000 job opportunities in the private sector, according to Ibrahim Al-Moaiqel, director general of the Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF).

Saudi Arabian Inflation to Average 4.3% This Year, Al Rajhi Says: BLOOMBERG

Wael Mahdi | 1/29/12

Saudi Arabian inflation will average 4.3 percent this year as global commodity prices fall, Al Rajhi Capital, the investment arm of the country’s largest lender by market value, said today in an e-mailed report.

Economic Imperatives – Prince Turki: SUSRIS

William Ryan | 1/29/12

This week the 6th Annual Global Competitiveness Forum in Riyadh addressed the theme, “The Entrepreneurship Imperative.” Organized by the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA), the GCM2012 featured a keynote address by Prince Turki Al Faisal on the second day of the three day event.  In his remarks he touched on entrepreneurship including the implications of risk and failure and a comprehensive examination of the Saudi and global economic environments.

Pilgrim’s Progress: Journey To the Heart of Islam: INDEPENDENT

Arifa Akbar | 1/30/12

Hajj: Journey to the Heart of Islam at the British Museum attempts to distil a spiritual experience into an art exhibition. Arifa Akbar, who has travelled to Mecca, is impressed.

Afghan govt, Taliban to hold talks in Saudi Arabia: Diplomat: PAKISTAN TRIBUNE

1/30/12

Afghan government officials and representatives of the country’s former Taliban rulers are to hold peace talks in Saudi Arabia, a Riyadh-based Afghan diplomat said on Monday.

Report: Saudi Women Will Be Allowed To Attend Soccer Matches In 2014 In New Stadium: WASHINGTON POST

1/28/12

A government-run Saudi Arabian newspaper reports that for the first time in the conservative Muslim country, women will be allowed to attend soccer matches in one of the country’s stadiums.

Charity Begins At Home For Saudi Arabia: FINANCIAL TIMES

Roula Khalaf | 1/30/12

Executives from around the world descended on Riyadh last week, days before they moved on to the main January event in Davos. Saudi Arabia’s annual Global Competitiveness Forum has become a necessary stop for those hoping to cash in on an economy flush with oil revenues at a time of financial turmoil in the west.

Saudi Warns Of Mideast Nuclear Race: ASHARQ ALAWSAT

1/26/12

An influential member of the Saudi royal family warned Wednesday that unless the Middle East becomes a nuclear weapon-free zone, a nuclear arms race is inevitable and could include his own country, Iraq, Egypt and even Turkey. Prince Turki Al Faisal said the five permanent U.N. Security Council members should guarantee a nuclear security umbrella for Mideast countries that join a nuclear-free zone — and impose “military sanctions” against countries seen to be developing nuclear weapons.

Saudi Shura Council Asks to Oversee Aramco Income, Riyadh Says: BLOOMBERG

Wael Mahdi | 1/30/12

Saudi Arabia’s consultative body, the Shura Council, voted yesterday seek the right to oversee and review the income and activities of Saudi Arabian Oil Co., al- Riyadh newspaper said, citing members of the council.

Aramco to Host CSR Forum on Feb. 1: ARAB NEWS

1/30/12

Saudi Aramco will host and organize the first corporate social responsibility (CSR) forum in Dhahran on Wednesday.

Kingdom, Iraq Not To Execute Each Other’s Prisoners: ARAB NEWS

1/28/12

Saudi Arabia and Iraq have agreed in principle to put on hold execution of prisoners on death row in the two countries for at least two months until a final agreement to swap prisoners is reached.

OBG Report Focuses On Saudi Developments: TRADE ARABIA

1/30/12

The massive investment Saudi Arabia is making in major developments across the sectors of its economy, including housing, transport and oil refinery projects, is given wide-ranging coverage in a new report published by Oxford Business Group (OBG).

IRAN: WILL ISRAEL REALLY ATTACK IRAN?

The real answer is no, they will not. But you would never figure that out by reading the New York Times. The sensationalist article in the Sunday New York Times Magazine (Jan. 29) adds to the hysteria surrounding U.S. and Israeli relations with Iran. Ronen Bergman, a columnist with the leading Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, concludes that Israel will probably attack Iran this year, Gary Sick (Gary’s Choices) writes. GROWING ELITE OPPOSITION TO STRIKE IRAN: Like the imminent prospect of one’s hanging, to paraphrase the 18th century British essayist Dr (Samuel) Johnson, the suddenly looming possibility of war can concentrate the mind wonderfully. If that aphorism didn’t apply in the run-up to the United States invasion of Iraq nearly 10 years ago, it appears to be the case now for key sectors of the US foreign-policy elite – notably, liberal hawks who supported the Iraq war – with regard to the sharp rise in tensions between Iran and both the US and Israel earlier this month, Jim Lobe (Asia Times) writes. ATTACK COULD CAUSE GREAT RECESSION: This week renowned economist Nouriel Roubini told the Associated Press that a military conflict with Iran could lead to a global recession. Roubini was interviewed at the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Jasmin Ramsey (Lobelog) writes.

SYRIA: ASSAD TROOPS FIGHT BACK AGAINST SYRIA REBELS

Street battles raged at the gates of the Syrian capital on Monday as President Bashar al-Assad’s troops sought to consolidate their grip on suburbs that rebel fighters had taken only a few miles from the center of government power, Reuters reports.  END OF OBSERVER MISSION OPENS DOOR TO MORE CONFLICTS: Just a day after the Arab League suspended its monitoring mission to Syria, the nation has erupted into what some observers have called the “fiercest violence” in months, CSM reports. EU LEADERS PRESS FOR UN RESOLUTION ON SYRIA: British and French foreign ministers say they are heading to New York to press for a United Nations resolution aimed at halting Syria’s violent crackdown, USA Today reports.

IRAQ: SUNNI-BACKED LAWMAKERS END PARLIAMENT BAN

An official with Iraq’s Sunni-backed political alliance says its leaders have decided to end a parliament boycott, but the bloc’s ministers will stay away from Cabinet meetings to protest arrests and prosecution of Sunni officials, Asharq Alawsat reports. DOZENS KILLED IN ATTACK ON FUNERAL PROCESSION: Dozens of people were killed and wounded when a suicide car bomber attacked a funeral procession in Baghdad on Friday, days after an al Qaeda-linked insurgent group warned it would step up its fight against Iraq’s government, security forces and Shiite majority, WSJ reports.

AFGHANISTAN: ANOTHER TIFF BETWEEN US, KARZAI?

News of the meeting in Saudi Arabia comes weeks after the Taliban agreed to open an office in Qatar and has raised some concern that Karzai could create the appearance of a disjointed negotiation effort that could undermine peace efforts and threaten relations between the Afghans and the West, Tom A Peter (CSM) writes. AFGHANISTAN TO PRESS PAKISTAN FOR ACCESS: Afghanistan will press Pakistan for access to Taliban leaders during a one-day visit to Kabul by Pakistan’s foreign minister, with Afghan officials hoping to ease cross-border strains and lay the ground for peace negotiations with the insurgents, Reuters reports.

EGYPT: CONSENSUS UNLIKELY ON EARLY POWER TRANSFER

The head of Egypt’s Islamist Nour party, whose bloc came second in parliamentary elections, said he doubts political groups will united behind calls for the ruling generals to cede power earlier than a June deadline, Bloomberg reports.

PALESTINE: PA SUSPENDS PLANS TO RAISE TAXES

The Palestinian Authority announced on Sunday it was suspending plans to raise income tax that have sparked widespread protests but said it was still seeking ways to cut costs in 2012 to plug a gap resulting from lower-than-expected foreign aid revenues, Reuters reports. LEADER OF HAMAS MAKES RARE TRIP TO JORDAN: Khaled Meshal, the leader of Hamas, made a rare and pointedly low-key visit to Jordan on Sunday, days after Hamas officials signaled that he had effectively abandoned the group’s base in Damascus, the Syrian capital, Stephen Farrell (NYT) reports.

EUROPE: EXTREMIST JAILED FOR PLANNING ATTACKS ON NEWSPAPER

Two men accused of plotting to attack a Danish newspaper that published cartoons depicting the prophet Muhammad have been found guilty in the first convictions under Norway’s anti-terror laws, The Guardian reports.

Obama: U.S. ‘Saudi Arabia of Natural Gas’: US NEWS

1/27/12

President Obama called America the “Saudi Arabia of natural gas” Thursday and said the country should start using natural gas to power more cars and trucks.

Boeing hails Saudi deal amid $1.4bn Q4 profit:  ARABIAN BUSINESS

Andy Sambidge | 1/27/12

US plane maker Boeing has highlighted a $29.4bn agreement to deliver fighter jets to Saudi Arabia as one of its key deals of 2011.

DAVOS: Saudi Finance Minister Sees GDP At 6.8% In 2012: WALL STREET JOURNAL

1/26/12

Saudi Arabia’s economy, the largest in the Arab world, is likely to maintain its gross domestic product growth rate of 6.8% this year due to the kingdom’s expansionary budget, which will play a vital role in supporting the economy, the nation’s finance minister said Thursday. OIL MARKET SUPPLY ADEQUATE: Finance Minister Ibrahim Al-Assaf said on Thursday that supply to global oil markets was “adequate” and that he was comfortable with oil prices at their current level at DAVOS, Arab News reports.

New Saudi Minister of Commerce and Industry HE Tawfiq al-Rabiah Active in New Role: ARABIANOMICS

Lucien Zeigler | 1/27/12

His Excellency Tawfiq al-Rabiah, the recently appointed Saudi Minister of Commerce and Industry has been active in his new role with the Saudi Government. Minister al-Rabiah, who was appointed to the position in December of 2011, has already led delegations from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to India and Geneva, and has met with US Trade Representative Ron Malone.

Saudi Arabia’s Prince Turki Calls Reform ‘Work in Progress’: BLOOMBERG

1/26/12

Saudi Arabian modernization is “a work in progress” and the country needs to expand education and employment for its youth as it diversifies the economy, Prince Turki Al-Faisal said.

Saudi to Recognize Syrian National Council: KHALEEJ TIMES

AFP | 1/27/12

Saudi Arabia will recognize the Syrian National Council as the “official representative” of the Syrian people, a senior member of the opposition group said in remarks published on Friday.

Expo On Rare Arabian Relics Opens In Berlin: SAUDI GAZETTE

1/27/12

Prince Sultan Bin Salman Bin Abdul Aziz, President of Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA), and Klaus Wowereit, Berlin Mayor, opened here Wednesday the Exhibition entitled “The Saudi Archeological Masterpieces through the Ages”.

Mighty Wins Coveted Contract With Saudi Arabia: AFTERMARKETNEWS.COM

1/27/12

Top executives from Mighty Distributing System of America (Mighty Auto Parts) recently returned from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where they signed a Master Distributorship Agreement with Petromin Corp., which is headquartered there.

ISRAEL: WORLD PRESSES ON ISRAEL, PALESTINIANS TO EXTEND EXPLORATORY TALKS

The International community urged Israel and the Palestinians to keep their exploratory Jordanian- sponsored meetings after the Palestinians announced that the time- out for these talks had finished on Thursday, a well-informed Palestinians source said, Xinhua reports.

SYRIA: RUSSIA CRITICIZES ARAB-WESTERN DRAFT RESOLUTION

Russia says it cannot support the current version of a joint Arab-Western draft U.N. resolution on Syria because it “does not take into account” Moscow’s positions on how to end the 10-month-old political crisis, VOA reports.

IRAN: LEADERS MULLING PRE-EMPTIVE EMBARGO

Iran said Thursday it was considering pre-empting a European Union oil embargo and called on the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries to intervene against a Saudi pledge to fill the supply gap, as its strongest response to date to the EU ban drove oil prices higher, Wall Street Journal reports.

IRAQ: SUICIDE BOMBER KILLS 31

A suicide bomber detonated his explosive-filled taxi near a funeral procession in Baghdad on Friday, killing 31 people in the latest attack in a Shi’ite neighborhood amid rising violence since an Iraqi political crisis erupted in December, Reuters reports. AL QAEDA LEADER GUNNED DOWN: A senior leader of Awakening Council group in Iraq was shot dead in western Baghdad by unidentified gunmen, an Interior Ministry source told Xinhua on Wednesday, Xinhua reports.

BAHRAIN: THE CULTURAL PEARL IN THE GULF

Bahrain is the only island state in the Middle East and the smallest Gulf member. We have heard a lot about Bahrain recently, but where is it exactly? Bahrain is actually a chain of 33 islands in the Arabian Gulf and is situated between Saudi Arabia’s east coast and Qatar peninsula. Bahrain is the largest of the islands and is about 48 km long, ETurboNews writes, in a summary of the country’s travel sector.

ISLAM: NYPD USED ANTI-MUSLIM TRAINING VIDEO

The New York Police Department is in hot water for showing some 1,400 of its officers a film during their training that depicts American Muslims as covert extremists, a controversial decision and one that directly contradicts previous statements by NYPD officials that greatly understated their use of the feature-length film, Abby Olheiser (Slate) writes.

PAKISTAN: MILITARY ACADEMY ATTACKED NEAR BIN LADEN HOUSE

The attack damaged a wall of the training centre but no-one was hurt, according to local officials and police, Telegraph reports.

OIL: CHINA, UAE DITCH DOLLAR, WILL USE YUAN FOR TRADE: REPORT

The US dollar is fast losing out its reserve currency status with China aggressively replacing the dollar with the Yuan as a currency for bi-lateral trade. The latest is an agreement signed between the China and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which will use the Yuan for oil trade, Commodity Online reports.

OPINION: WHAT SHELDON’S MONEY BUYS

It is safe to say that without multi-billionaire Sheldon Adelson’s help the chances of Newt Gingrich becoming the Republican nominee for president would be zero — and consequently the race itself, going into Florida at the moment, would not be the competitive, drag-out fight it has become. Adelson, the hotel and casino magnate, has kept Gingrich alive, first through an infusion of $5 million into a super PAC, which allowed the former speaker to defend himself against attacks by Mitt Romney and led to Gingrich’s thumping victory in South Carolina. And now we know that Adelson’s wife, Miriam, has committed another $5 million to the cause of Newt, writes Gal Beckerman (Jewish Daily Forward).

Saudi Arabia Issues Its First Sovereign Islamic Bond: NEW YORK TIMES

Sara Hamdan | 1/25/12

Saudi Arabia issued its first government-backed Islamic bond this week, for its aviation agency, setting a benchmark for pricing of conventional and Islamic bond issues this year because of its size. At 15 billion riyals, or $4 billion, it was the largest Islamic bond, or sukuk, ever issued within the kingdom. The sukuk, guaranteed by the Saudi Ministry of Finance, was oversubscribed three times, and the Saudi General Authority for Civil Aviation will use the proceeds to finance the expansion of King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jidda, the second-largest city in Saudi Arabia, after Riyadh.

Al-Rabiah Starts Discussions In Trade Policy Review Meeting In Geneva: ARAB NEWS

1/26/12

Minister of Commerce and Industry Tawfiq Al-Rabiah began detailed discussions on the Kingdom’s Trade Policy Review at the headquarters of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva on Wednesday. Al-Rabiah is heading the Saudi delegation participating in the policy review meetings. U.S. STATEMENT ON THE TRADE POLICY REVIEW OF SAUDI ARABIA:  Participating in Saudi Arabia’s first Trade Policy Review since the Kingdom joined the WTO in 2005, Ambassador Michael Punke, Deputy U.S. Trade Representative and U.S. Permanent Representative to the WTO, provides an overview of the U.S.-Saudi trade relationship.

AP Interview: Saudi Warns Of Mideast Nuclear Race: BOSTON GLOBE

AP | 1/25/12

An influential member of the Saudi royal family warned Wednesday that unless the Middle East becomes a nuclear weapon-free zone, a nuclear arms race is inevitable and could include his own country, Iraq, Egypt and even Turkey. Prince Turki Al Faisal said the five permanent U.N. Security Council members should guarantee a nuclear security umbrella for Mideast countries that join a nuclear-free zone — and impose “military sanctions’’ against countries seen to be developing nuclear weapons.

Jerusalem Concerned: Saudi Air Force To Outnumber Israel’s Advanced US Jet Fleet: DEBKA FILE

1/25/12

With its latest acquisitions from Washington and Europe, the Saudi Air Force will have more fighter-bombers of more advanced models that the Israeli Air Force. Deep concern over this was recently relayed by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak to President Barack Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defense Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta.

Saudi Aramco Moves Ahead With $7 Billion Jazan Plant, MEED Says: BLOOMBERG

Ayesha Daya | 1/26/12

Saudi Arabian Oil Co. will invite contractors this month to prequalify to bid to build the $7 billion Jazan refinery in the Red Sea province, the Middle East Economic Digest reported, citing contractors it didn’t identify. The plant will have a 400,000 barrel-a-day capacity.

Saudi Oil 30-Year Output High Amid Gulf Tensions: SUSRIS BLOG

William Ryan | 1/24/12

Saudi Arabia’s monthly crude oil production jumped 7.3% in November topping 10.04 million barrels per day, a 30-year high mark, according to data compiled by JODI. The output numbers “came with an increase in exports and a decrease in domestic consumption,” according to Bloomberg Television’s Lara Setrakian who added, “it reflects OPEC as a whole.”

Saudi Hospital Wins Global Recognition for IT: TRADE ARABIA

1/25/12

King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center (KFSH&RC) in Riyadh and Jeddah has achieved Stage 6 on the Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model (EMRAM), which scores hospitals on the use of IT. CLEVELAND CLINIC TRAINING PROVIDERS IN SAUDI ARABIA: Cleveland Clinic has signed an affiliation agreement with professional managed healthcare company Healthcare Development Holding Co. to provide medical education and training to healthcare providers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, reports Fierce Healthcare.

Nine Held in Qatif as Police Raid Hide-Out: ARAB NEWS

1/25/12

Police have arrested nine suspects involved in recent shoot-outs with security patrols in the Qatif governorate in the Eastern Province.

Kingdom Wants Prisoner Swap Accord With Iraq: ARAB NEWS

1/26/12

Saudi Arabia has asked Iraq to sign a bilateral agreement to exchange prisoners, local Arabic daily Al-Eqtisadiah reported Wednesday, quoting an official source at the Iraqi Embassy in Riyadh.

Entrepreneurs, Saudi Arabia and Mobile Apps: YBI

Andrew Davenport | 1/26/12

For me, a first time attendee and speaker at the annual Global Competitiveness Forum in Riyadh, it has been a fascinating event with real insights into entrepreneurship in the Middle East. While having a strong international (mostly US) flavor, it was established by the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority as an unashamed attempt to bring a profile and focus to attempts to raise the competitiveness of this resource rich middle income economy.

Academic Partner to Support SAGIA’s ‘Entrepreneurship Village’: ARAB NEWS

1/25/12

The Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) launched a new initiative – dubbed the “Entrepreneurship Village” – on the final day of the Sixth Global Competitiveness Forum in Riyadh.

Abraaj May Invest in Egyptian, Saudi Arabian Companies: BUSINESSWEEK

1/25/12

Abraaj Capital Ltd., the Middle East’s biggest private-equity company, is in “advanced stages” of investing $20 million in small and medium-sized Egyptian companies and is also targeting investments in Saudi Arabia.

SOMALIA: U.S. SPECIAL FORCES FREE TWO AMERICAN HOSTAGES IN RAID

U.S. special operations forces swooped into Somalia on Wednesday and rescued two hostage aid workers after killing their nine kidnappers, a rare and daring raid in the Horn of Africa nation to free foreign captives. American Jessica Buchanan, 32, and Poul Hagen Thisted, 60, of Denmark, humanitarian aid workers for a Danish demining group, were rescued three months after they were kidnapped on October 25 in the town of Galkayo in the semi-autonomous Galmudug region of the Horn of Africa country, Reuters reports.

UNITED STATES: THE FUTURE OF MILITARY: MORE DRONES, FEWER TROOPS

The Pentagon plans to expand its global network of drones and special-operations bases in a fundamental realignment meant to project U.S. power even as it cuts back conventional forces.

The plan, to be unveiled by Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on Thursday and in budget documents next month, calls for a 30% increase in the U.S. fleet of armed unmanned aircraft in the coming years, defense officials said. It also foresees the deployment of more special-operations teams at a growing number of small “lily pad” bases across the globe where they can mentor local allies and launch missions, the Wall Street Journal reports.

EGYPT: COUNTRY BARS SAM LAHOOD FROM LEAVING

Officials of the group, the International Republican Institute, said the Egyptian authorities had blocked its Cairo chief, Sam LaHood, from boarding a flight at the airport several days ago. His father is Ray LaHood, the transportation secretary and a former Republican congressman from Illinois. Officials of the group said Egyptian legal authorities told them four others, including two other Americans, had been barred from travel outside the country as well. COUNTRY PROTESTERS PLAN SIT IN UNTIL ARMY LEAVES: Egyptian youths camped out on Thursday in Cairo’s Tahrir Square and vowed to stay put until the army hands power to civilians, a day after a mass demonstration marked a year since an uprising which brought down Hosni Mubarak, Arab News reports.

PAKISTAN: CLOSURE OF SUPPLY ROUTES COSTS US 6 TIMES MORE PER ROUTE

The U.S. is paying six times as much to send war supplies to troops in Afghanistan through alternate routes after Pakistan’s punitive decision in November to close border crossings to NATO convoys, the Associated Press has learned. ‘NEW NORMAL UNCLEAR’ FOR US AND PAK: With Pakistani disapproval of U.S. leadership soaring to an all-time high of 85% last year, hopes for achieving some normalcy between the nations appear somewhat grim. But Gallup data also show a sizable percentage of Pakistanis (43%) believe it is very important for Western and Muslim societies to get along — suggesting this hope is not completely dead, Gallup reports.

TURKEY: GCC-TURKEY MEET WILL BOLSTER TIES

Prince Saud Al-Faisal, foreign minister, will co-chair the ministerial meeting between the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Turkey in Istanbul on Saturday, Arab News reports.

QATAR: RESEARCHERS FIND POTENTIAL NEW OVARIAN CANCER TREATMENT

A medical college in Qatar said that its researchers have made a possible breakthrough in the way ovarian cancer is treated, Gulf News reports.

ENERGY: IN STATE OF THE UNION, A GOOD START

The very fact that energy played a prominent role in the president’s framing of key measures to help build an “America built to last” is important and correct. Affordable and reliable energy has always been a staple of American economic growth and will continue to be so for the foreseeable future. With all of the other issues plaguing government right now, energy could easily have been downgraded to a lesser priority, but it wasn’t, CSIS writes.

OPINION: HOW THE ARAB SPRING CAN SAVE SYRIA

The Arab League observer mission to Syria—sent under an agreement with the Syrian government to withdraw forces from the cities, release all political prisoners and allow monitors and journalists free movement throughout the country—has utterly failed and should not be extended, Kate Seelye (National Interest) writes.

Saudi Oil Can Replace Large Part of Iranian Exports, EIU Says: BLOOMBERG

1/25/12

Saudi Arabia has enough spare crude capacity to replace much of the heavy oil exported by Iran, which faces a European Union import ban, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit.

Saudi IT Market To Hit $5bn by 2015: TRADE ARABIA

1/25/12

Saudi Arabia’s lucrative IT sector – currently the biggest in the Gulf region – is expected to grow into a $4.9 billion market by 2015, said experts ahead of a major information and communications technologies (ICT) event in Riyadh.

Saudi Arabia, UAE Lead The World In Consumption Of Water: AL ARABIYA

1/23/12

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates consume more water per capita than the global average, according to new report which claimed that Gulf residents “disregard the consequences of their water usage.”

Gulf Monitors Leave Syria, League Seeks U.N. Support: REUTERS

1/25/12

Observers from Gulf Arab states left Syria on Wednesday after their governments said they were “certain the bloodshed and killing of innocents would continue,” and the Arab League pursued U.N. support for a plan to end President Bashar al-Assad’s rule.

Saudi Prince: Why Iran Won’t Shut Strait of Hormuz: CNN

1/25/12

In the halls of the GCF, executives expressed deep concerns about potential conflict with Iran and the impact such a move would have. As he does with some of his investments, Prince Alwaleed took a contrarian view. “I don’t believe war is inevitable,” he said. “I don’t believe the Strait of Hormuz will ever be closed because Iran knows this is suicide.”

Saudi Artists Test Limits Of Expression In Rare Show: REUTERS

1/25/12

In addressing last year’s political turmoil through his work, the Saudi artist is testing the boundaries of self expression in a kingdom where direct criticism of the authorities is not tolerated, cinema and theatre are banned and art and media are censored.

Saudi Police Chief Raises Hope Of Social Freedoms: AFP

Mohammed Hawari | 1/24/12

The appointment of a moderate to head the feared Saudi religious police has raised hopes that a more lenient force will ease draconian social constraints in the kingdom, but human rights activists remain skeptical.

Saudi King Calls Hariri to Check on His Health: DAILY STAR

1/24/12

Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri received Tuesday a call from Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz to check on his health after the surgery he underwent at the American hospital in Paris, according to a statement released by Hariri’s press office.

Porsche Saudi Arabia, Mobil 1 Renew Links: ARAB NEWS

1/24/12

Following a successful relationship for many years, the renewal contract for the strategic partnership between Samaco, the dealer of Porsche cars in Saudi Arabia, and the Arabian Petroleum Supply Company Ltd., (Apsco), dealer and producer of Mobil 1 lubricants, was signed at a special event.

In New York Dailies, Three Very Different Rape Trials: ATLANTIC WIRE

Adam Martin | 1/24/12

Three New York daily newspapers carrying three different accounts of the rape trial of a Saudi prince’s friend on Monday posted stories so varied you’d be forgiven if you didn’t realize they were all about the same thing. The New York Post, the New York Daily News, and The New York Times all covered the testimony of a woman who says 60-year-old Mustapha Ouanes, a member of the traveling entourage of an unnamed Saudi prince, raped her in the Plaza Hotel in January 2010. The student says Ouanes had sex with her while she was unconscious in his hotel room, having passed out after a night of drinking. Ouanes says the sex was consensual, and that he’s the victim of a shakedown because of his ties to Saudi royalty.

IRAQ: NEWT, MITT AND REPUBLICANS FORGET IRAQ MISTAKE IN PUSH FOR WAR WITH IRAN

Gingrich, Romney and Santorum pushed for the Iraq War. Now the media should make them explain what they’ve learned from being wrong and why we should trust their eagerness to bomb Iran, writes Peter Beinart (Daily Beast) in an analysis.

IRAN: CAN EUROPE’S BOYCOTT SINK IRAN?

Although a European boycott of Iranian oil will increase the cost of doing business for Iran, will hurt the Iranian public, and is already harming the value of the Iranian currency, it is highly unlikely to cut Iran off from exporting to the world market or to put so much pressure on the government that it will change its policies, Juan Cole (CNN) writes.

UNITED STATES: OBAMA DELIVERS STATE OF THE UNION

By using his State of the Union speech to draw sharp contrasts with Republicans on such high-profile issues as taxes and the housing market, President Obama opened an election-year debate on the role of government that could be more intense than any in decades, writes the LAT in a news analysis.

EGYPT: IN POLL, EGYPTIANS EXPECT TRANSFER OF POWER

As Egyptians mark the first anniversary of the revolution that toppled their last president, 82% believe that the military will relinquish power to a civilian government after they elect their next president, a Gallup poll finds. TAHRIR SQUARE PACKED: Thousands of Egyptians flooded into Tahrir Square, the center of Egypt’s revolt, on Wednesday to mark the first anniversary of a revolution that began on this date in 2011, Leila Fadel (WaPo) reports.

AFGHANISTAN: THE AFGHAN WAR, CAUSE AND EFFECT

More than half of Americans want the U.S. to pull its remaining 90,000 troops out of Afghanistan “as soon as possible,” according to a Pew survey released Monday. That continues a sharp reversal that has existed since last summer. It’s interesting to compare the two lines in the Pew chart with the U.S. casualty toll detailed in a new Congressional Research Service report, also released Monday, by Steven Aftergood of the Federation of American Scientists’ Secrecy Project (you pay for them, but Congress won’t let you see them, so Aftergood gets them somehow and posts them for taxpayers). MENTAL TRAUMA TAKES HUGE TOLL: The intensity of the shock experienced by people as their lives change in an instant was captured in a powerful image by AFP Kabul photographer Massoud Hossaini, who was at the shrine when the explosion happened. His photograph showing a girl dressed in green screaming in horror, surrounded by dead and wounded relatives, featured on newspaper front-pages around the world and has become one of the emblematic images of the Afghan war, AFP reports.

YEMEN: CLASHES KILL 6

Fresh clashes in southern Yemen have killed six al-Qaida militants and injured 10 soldiers, military officials said Wednesday, AP reports.

SUDAN: SPECIAL FORCES FREE 2 HOSTAGES FROM SOMALI PIRATES

American commandos raced into Somalia early Wednesday and rescued two aid workers, an American woman and a Danish man, after a shootout with Somali pirates who had been holding them captive for months, NYT reports.

PALESTINE: POLICE HELP FREE WOMAN HELD FOR 9 YEARS IN ROOM BY FATHER

A Palestinian woman was imprisoned for nine years in a bathroom by her father, beaten, barely fed and only let out at night, a social worker and police said Monday, Gulf News reports.

She was given only a blanket, a radio, and a razor blade by her father, who encouraged her to kill herself, said the social worker, Hala Shreim.

Investments are Engine of KSA’s Development: King Abdullah: SAUDI GAZETTE

1/24/12

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud has stressed the need to increase investment opportunities in the Kingdom. Inaugurating the sixth Global Competitiveness Forum (GCF) in Riyadh on Saturday night, King Abdullah described investments as Saudi Arabia’s engine of development. The King’s inaugural address was delivered by Dr. Tawfiq Al-Rabiah, Saudi Minister of Commerce and Industry, at the Four Seasons Hotel at the Kingdom Tower.

Boeing Delivers Two 777-300ERs to Saudi Arabian Airlines: PRESS RELEASE

1/24/12

Boeing reached a major milestone with Saudi Arabian Airlines when it delivered the airline’s first two 777-300ERs (extended range), marking another step forward in Boeing’s historic and enduring relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Sees $66bn Worth of Projects Signed In 2011: ARABIAN BUSINESS

1/23/12

The total value of contracts awarded in Saudi Arabia reached $66bn in 2011, a six percent increase on the previous year, according to new research.

No Cash to West until KSA Given More Clout: ARAB NEWS

1/23/12

Big emerging economies such as Saudi Arabia, India and China will not aid the West in its financial crisis unless they are given more influence in running the global economy, Prince Turki Al-Faisal, Saudi ex-envoy to US and UK, said on Monday. “The financial crisis and great recession were born in the West, developed in the West yet hit hard throughout the world,” he said while addressing the Global Competitiveness Forum (GCF).

Why Won’t Saudi Arabia Write Down Its Laws?: FOREIGN POLICY

Nathan J. Brown | 1/23/12

In 2007 and 2009 Saudi King Abdullah capped a decade of legal and judicial reforms in his country by reorganizing the judiciary and ordering that Saudi Arabia follow the step that virtually all other states in the region did long ago by codifying its laws — committing to paper a comprehensive compendium of the operative laws in the kingdom. Since that date, however, his order has been neither challenged nor implemented. Why is codification of law seen as such a dramatic step in Saudi Arabia? And why does the king seem incapable of making it happen?

Will 2012 Be A Year of Opening for Saudi Arabia?: ARABIANOMICS

Lucien Zeigler | 1/23/12

The investment, aviation, and tourism sectors are all set for major changes to the status quo in 2012 after years of anticipation by foreigners to break into these lucrative markets in Saudi Arabia. Perhaps the most significant and highly anticipated of these openings is in the opening of Saudi Arabia’s stock market.

Saudi Interior Ministry: Authorities Detain 9 Accused Of Instigating Riots In Shiite City: WASHINGTON POST

1/24/12

A Saudi official says police have detained nine men accused of instigating riots in the eastern city of Qatif, home to the country’s Shiite minority.

Saudi Cabinet Approves Expansion Of Oil, Gas Relations With China: SPA: PLATTS

1/24/12

The Saudi cabinet has mandated Oil Minister Ali Naimi to enter into negotiations with China in line with a protocol signed between the two sides to expand cooperation in the oil, gas and minerals sectors, official news agency SPA reported Monday.

Saudi to Introduce Bank Wage System for Expats: EMIRATES 24|7

1/24/12

Saudi Arabia will join the UAE in forcing its private sector employers to transfer salaries of their workers to banks to protect their rights and ensure they get their wages on time, newspapers said on Tuesday.

Hundreds Of Child Smugglers Nabbed: ARAB NEWS

1/24/12

A total of 448 people involved in smuggling children from Yemen to the Kingdom along the southern borders were caught last year, Al-Eqtisadiah reported Monday. The local daily was quoting the commander of the Saudi Border Guards Gen. Zameem Al-Sawwat.

50 Job Centers To Be Set Up For Women Soon: Labor Minister: ARAB NEWS

1/23/12

Labor Minister Adel Fakeih said on Monday his ministry plans to set up 50 job centers for Saudi women throughout the Kingdom to enable them to find employment opportunities in various sectors.

Cabinet Okays Pension For All GCC Citizens: SAUDI GAZETTE

1/24/12

The Council of Ministers has approved the Unified System for the Extension of Insurance Protection for all Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) citizens working in this country. The system provides pension coverage for GCC citizens in all member states.

IRAN: HOW TOUGH ARE THE SANCTIONS?

The sanctions, agreed upon yesterday in Brussels but not to be implemented until July, comes with possible unintended consequences ranging from oil market disarray at a time of economic crisis to further brinkmanship by the Islamic Republic. Yet some experts feel that the EU’s advertised toughness is less than meets the eye, and that the EU may have quietly kicked the can down the road, or at least left open the door for changes that could decrease pressure on Tehran, CSM writes.  NEGOTIATIONS CAN RESOLVE STANDOFF, IRAN SAYS: Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman said only negotiations and not sanctions can resolve the standoff over the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program, Bloomberg reports. BACKGROUND: EU TRADE WITH IRAN:  Iran provides a notable, but not decisive, quantity of oil to the European Union. Of the 896 million barrels of crude imported to the 27 EU member states in the first quarter of 2011, just 4.4 per cent came from Iran, Monsters and Critics writes.

SYRIA: GULF ARAB STATES QUIT MISSION

Saudi Arabia’s Gulf allies joined Riyadh on Tuesday in pulling out of an Arab League monitoring team to Syria, risking the collapse of a mission whose presence has not halted more than 10 months of violence, Reuters reports. BASHAR’S RUSSIAN PALS: Bashar Assad is feeling lonely, though not yet lonely enough. First the Turks, Americans and Europeans de-friended him. Now formerly fraternal leaders at the Arab League want him deposed. The Syrian strongman’s forces have killed more than 5,400 people in 10 months and turned a peaceful protest movement into a virtual civil war. But he still has a few friends in low places, opines the Wall Street Journal.

UNITED STATES: OBAMA TO DELIVER STATE OF THE UNION SPEECH TONIGHT

President Barack Obama will pitch new initiatives on jobs, taxes and housing in an election-year State of the Union address on Tuesday, making a sweeping case for a second term, Reuters reports.

EGYPT: FIRST PARLIAMENT IN POST-MUBARAK ERA HELD

Egypt’s military rulers said they handed legislative powers to the country’s lower house of parliament on Monday — the first day the parliament convened since former President Hosni Mubarak’s ouster last year, CNN reports.

TURKEY: GENOCIDE LAW SUBJECT OF ROW WITH FRANCE

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan attacked the French parliament on Tuesday for passing a “discriminatory and racist” bill which makes it illegal to deny that the mass killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks nearly a century ago was genocide, Reuters reports.

LIBYA: GADDAFI LOYALISTS SEIZE TOWN

Moammar Gadhafi loyalists have seized control of a Libyan town and raised the ousted regime’s green flag, an official and commander said Tuesday, AP reports.

IRAQ: CAR BOMBS KILL 14

A wave of car bombings today hit the Iraq capital, killing 14 people and wounding more than 70 as violence surges in the country amid an escalating political crisis a month after the US military withdrawal, AP reports.

YEMEN: 750,000 CHILDREN MALNOURISHED

A year of Yemen’s turmoil has exacerbated the number of malnourished children under the age of five to around 750,000, UNICEF said Tuesday, appealing to the government and the international community to help develop the country’s infrastructure to tackle the problem, AP reports.

AFGHANISTAN: 16 INSURGENTS KILLED

Sixteen insurgents have been killed in a series of operations conducted by Afghan and NATO-led coalition forces over the past 24 hours, the Afghan Interior Ministry said on Sunday, Xinhua reports.

Change and Reform: A Conversation with Khaled Al-Seif: SUSRIS

1/22/12

Last month on the sidelines of the very successful US-Saudi Business Opportunity Forum in Atlanta Engineer Khaled Al-Seif talked with SUSRIS about the current state of the trade, investment and partnership openings for Americans working with Saudis. The exclusive interview also covered his insightful perspective on the scope and pace of changes being experienced in the Kingdom, especially social reform in the area of women’s empowerment.

Interfaith Dialogue Presents Opportunities: ARAB NEWS

Samar Fatany | 1/22/12

Let us establish business partnerships and support joint projects between faith-based organizations. Exploring what the Abrahamic faiths have in common was the theme of an interfaith dialogue held in Atlanta’s All Saints Episcopal Church on the sidelines of the recent US-Saudi Business Opportunities Forum. The Saudi Committee of International Trade (CIT) and the Saudi-US Trade Group organized the event. The discussion was moderated by Nick Stuart, president of Odyssey Networks, America’s largest interfaith media organization. The American panelists were prominent religious leaders in Atlanta; the southeast regional director of Anti-Defamation League, president of the Concerned Black Clergy, president of the Alliance for Christian Media, and dean of the Chapel and Religious Life at Emory University. Saudi participants included senior members of the CIT.

110,000 Saudis Applied For US Visas in 2011: ASHARQ ALAWSAT

1/22/12

The US embassy in Riyadh revealed that 110,000 Saudi nationals applied for a visa to visit the US in 2011, an increase of 25,000 from the previous year. The embassy also revealed that 93 percent of these visa applications were approved, and 75 percent of visa application approvals were issued within one week.

Saudi Arabia Withdraws Monitors from Syria: ATLANTIC SENTINEL

Nick Ottens | 1/22/12

Saudi Arabia on Sunday said it would withdraw its members from an Arab League monitoring mission in Syria as the regime there continued to deploy violence against protesters. In Cairo, Prince Saud bin Faisal, the kingdom’s foreign minister, also called on the international community “to bear its responsibility” and increase pressure on Damascus.

Saudi Arabia Foreign Shares Listing Rules May Boost Gulf Markets: BLOOMBERG

1/23/12

Saudi Arabia’s decision to allow foreign companies to list securities in the Arab world’s biggest bourse may help the region’s equity markets lure investors and boost trading volumes.

China’s Dec Saudi Crude Imports 4th Highest On Record: REUTERS

1/21/12

China’s crude oil imports from Saudi Arabia rose to 1.12 million barrels per day in December, the fourth-highest on record on a daily basis, Chinese customs data showed, as the world’s top oil exporter pumped just under the 10 million bpd mark.

OPEC Consensus on $100/Barrel Oil Broadened By Saudi Comments: BUSINESS WORLD ONLINE

1/23/12

Saudi Arabia’s endorsement of an oil price of $100 a barrel increases OPEC unity over a triple-digit price aspiration, making agreement on policy easier and adding support for the market. $100 CRUDE THE NEW NORMAL: Saudi Arabia sent a crystal clear message last week to the oil market: $100 a barrel is the new normal.

For some, it is a green light to bid up forward-dated crude oil futures, FT writes.

Terror Crimes Declining In The Kingdom: Al-Isa: ARAB NEWS

1/20/12

Saudi Justice Minister Muhammad Al-Isa said terror crimes are on the wane in the Kingdom and he said the decline is largely due to the rehab programs, increased security and a fair judiciary system.

Saudi Cleric Says Nothing Wrong With Genders Mixing, Listening To Music: AL ARABIYA

1/23/12

Saudi cleric and former president of the commission for the promotion of virtue and prevention of vice branch in Makkah, Sheikh Ahmed bin Qassim al-Ghamdi, has challenged those who oppose his opinions on permitting the mixing of genders, listening to music and for saying that Islam doesn’t restrict Muslims to pray in group.

Saudi Typhoon Storms Ahead: ARABIAN AEROSPACE

1/23/12

Saudi Arabia has faced challenges introducing the Eurofighter Typhoon into service, not least in establishing local production – which has yet to start.

AC Milan Park Opens In Najran: ARAB NEWS

1/20/12

Najran Province Gov. Prince Mishaal bin Abdullah welcomed Italian Consul General Simone Petroni on the occasion of his four-day visit to Najran (Jan. 17-20) for the inauguration of the first AC Milan Park in the Middle East.

Saudi Arabia/Islam: Child Beggars Make Big Bucks By Begging: IINA

1/21/12

Children, who have been smuggled into the Kingdom from neighboring countries, are making a lot of money through begging and do not want to leave Saudi Arabia, local daily Al-Eqtisadiah said Friday in an investigative report about the phenomenon.

IRAN: EUROPE AGREES TO EMBARGO

European Union nations have agreed to place an oil embargo against Iranian oil exports, VOA reports.

SYRIA: ARABS IN AGREEMENT ON PLAN AS BODY URGES UN SUPPORT
Arab foreign ministers agreed on Sunday a new political roadmap for Syria that sees President Bashar Assad delegating power to a deputy and setting up a unity government as a prelude to early parliamentary and presidential elections, Arab News reports.

CONFRONTING IRAN IN A YEAR OF ELECTIONS: Think of the multipolar chess President Obama is now playing. Every country involved in the dispute over Iran’s possibly acquiring nuclear weapons is calculating how the American presidential election plays to its agenda. The politics of soaring oil prices loom over any threat of military conflict, even a brief skirmish in the Strait of Hormuz. And with global economic turmoil a reality and leadership changes possible or certain this year in the United States, Russia, China and France, the game gets even more complex, David E. Sanger (NYT) writes. IRAN WARNS ARAB NEIGHBORS: Iran’s foreign minister has warned Arab neighbours not to put themselves in a “dangerous position” by aligning themselves too closely with the US in the escalating dispute over Tehran’s nuclear activity, the Guardian reports.

OPINION: WHO WANTS WAR WITH IRAN?

What we do know is that “Bibi” Netanyahu is desperate to have the United States launch air and missile strikes to stop Teheran from becoming the world’s ninth nuclear power. And he is echoed not only by U.S. neocons, but GOP candidates save Ron Paul. Nor should we be surprised, writes Pat Buchanan, a leading conservative voice in the U.S. … Before some agent provocateur pushes us into war with Iran, Congress should debate the wisdom of authorizing President Obama, or anyone else, to take America into her fifth war in a generation in the Middle and Near East, writes Pat Buchanon (Townhall.com).

UNITED STATES: UPROAR AS JEWISH NEWSPAPER EDITOR CALLS FOR OBAMA ASSASSINATION

The owner and publisher of the Atlanta Jewish Times, Andrew Adler, has suggested that Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu consider ordering a Mossad hit team to assassinate U.S. President Barack Obama so that his successor will defend Israel against Iran, Haaretz writes.

YEMEN: SALEH GRANTED IMMUNITY
Yemen’s parliament approved a controversial law Saturday that ensures President Ali Abdullah Saleh complete immunity from prosecution, CNN reports.

EGYPT: SALAFISTS TAKE A QUARTER OF EGYPT’S LOWER HOUSE

Followers of a puritanical form of Islam will fill about a quarter of the seats in the lower house of the new Egyptian parliament on Monday, underscoring the political power being wielded by Islamists in the wake of the Arab spring, Leila Fadel (Washington Post) reports.

PALESTINE: HAMAS CALLS FOR END TO PEACE FEELERS AFTER ARRESTS

The Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas urged President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday to suspend exploratory peace talks with Israel following Israel’s arrest of two Hamas legislators, and to stop his cooperation on West Bank security with the Israelis, Reuters/Arab News reports.

Iran Confronts Saudis on Oil Offer: WALL STREET JOURNAL

Benoît Faucon, Rakesh Sharma and Se Young Lee | 1/18/12

Iran warned Saudi Arabia against delivering additional oil to world markets to compensate for a drop in Iranian oil exports if they are hit by sanctions, as the U.S. continued to have mixed success in convincing Iran’s major oil customers to reduce their purchases of Iranian oil.

C.Bank Chief: Saudi To Keep Oil Price Stable: REUTERS

1/20/12

Saudi Arabia’s central bank chief said on Friday that his country would offer excess oil production capacity if needed to balance oil prices, and that he expected prices to stay stable.

Sino Saudi Gas To Boost Exploration: GULF NEWS

1/19/12

Sino Saudi Gas plans to drill again in Saudi Arabia’s Empty Quarter in September but gas prices are still too low for companies exploring there, the chief executive of Saudi Aramco said. The joint venture between China’s Sinopec and state-run Aramco has been prospecting for natural gas for years, but what little they have found has not been exploited largely because industrial gas prices are fixed far below international market prices. SAUDI PIVOTS TOWARD ASIA: Saudi Arabia’s future lies in Asia. That was the subtext of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao’s recent visit to Riyadh. That future might arrive a lot quicker than people think, if BP is to be believed, Peter Lee (Asia Times) writes. WEN CONCLUDES TRIP:  Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has concluded his six-day visit to the Middle East, which brought him to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. During his visit, the Chinese premier met with leaders from the three countries as well as from regional organizations. He also attended and addressed the fifth World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi, Xinhua reports.

KSA Nonoil Exports Rise To SR13bn: ARAB NEWS

1/20/12

Saudi nonoil exports rose in Nov. 2011 to SR13 billion against SR11.49 billion in the same period the previous year, an increase of 13 percent, the Saudi Press Agency reported quoting an official statistical report on Thursday.

Saudi Arabia: King Tells New Vice Chief To Be Lenient With People: ARAB NEWS

1/20/12

The newly appointed general president of the Commission for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (Haia) Sheikh Abdullatif Al-Asheikh said Thursday that Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah had ordered him and his fellow colleagues to be lenient when dealing with people and to show good will and respect to them.

Power Hungry: SAUDI GAZETTE

Amal Al-Sibai

The excess consumption of electricity by residents and citizens of the Kingdom is a cause for concern.

In Saudi Arabia, 7 Of Their 10 Most Beloved Brands Are Non-Islamic: BUSINESS INSIDER

Jim Edwards | 1/19/12

Only three of the 10 best-liked brands in the country are Arab or Islamic brands. The rest are Western or Asian — a reflection of the nation’s imported consumer goods culture (and its own failure to create a domestic manufacturing base).

No Ladies Room In Saudi Ministry: UPI

1/19/12

A U.S. Congressional group on a fact-finding trip to Saudi Arabia discovered one hard fact — the ministry of defense has no women’s bathrooms.

The group included four women. Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., told Bikyamasr.com that he and other men in the delegation offered to guard the men’s bathroom while women used the facilities, but Saudi officials would not allow that.

British Airways Launches Challenging SME Initiative In Kingdom: ARAB NEWS

Roger Harrison | 1/19/12

British Airways has launched a challenging new business initiative in the Saudi small and medium enterprise (SME) arena.

30-Day Jeddah Shopping Festival Launched: SAUDI GAZETTE

1/20/12

Hayya Jeddah Shopping Festival being launched at the Red Sea Mall in Jeddah Wednesday. (Right) A Saudi man performs during the inauguration ceremony.

Why The Saudis Want $100-A-Barrel Oil: WASHINGTON POST

Brad Plumer | 1/17/12

In 2008, Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah called $75-a-barrel oil a “fair price.” But the price of fairness seems to be rising fast: According to the Financial Times, the Saudis now prefer to keep oil prices at about $100 per barrel. What’s changed?

In a word, spending.

IRAN: TURKEY WORKS TO CUT DEPENDENCE ON IRANIAN OIL

Turkish refiner Tupras plans to cut its dependence on imports of Iranian oil and will meet Saudi Arabian authorities this month, industry sources familiar with the company’s strategy said on Thursday, as Western powers crack down on Iran’s oil sales, Reuters reports. UNITED STATES ‘FULLY PREPARED’ TO KEEP HORMUZ OPEN: The U.S. military is now “fully prepared” to deal with any Iranian effort to close the Strait of Hormuz, a vital Persian Gulf avenue for international oil shipments, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Wednesday.

At a Pentagon news conference, Panetta was asked whether, in light of Iran’s threat to close the strait in retaliation for stronger international economic sanctions, Washington is adjusting U.S. forces in the region, AP/Washington Post reports.

UAE: ONE OF EMIRATES’ OLDEST HOTELS TO CLOSE

One of the emirate’s oldest hotels, the Metropolitan, is to be demolished to make way for a glitzy hospitality complex and a Las Vegas-style theatre valued at Dh4.87 billion, Gulf News reports.

ISRAEL: FORCES ARREST TWO PALESTINIAN POLITICIANS

Hamas condemned Friday the arrests of two Palestinian lawmakers and called for a halt to recent peace talks, CNN reports. PALESTINIANS CONDEMN ARREST: The Palestinian Authority has condemned Israel’s arrest of Hamas politician Aziz Dweik, speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council. Hamas said the arrest was intended to undermine its recent attempts at reconciliation with the Fatah movement, BBC reports. DEMPSEY IN ISRAEL FOR TALKS: US military chief General Martin Dempsey on Friday urged Israel to keep the channels of communication open amid concerns the Jewish state could launch a military strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities, AFP reports.

GUANTANAMO: AL QAEDA MAGAZINE DELIVERED TO INMATES

A copy of an al Qaeda-linked magazine was delivered to the Guantanamo detention camp for suspected terrorists, a military prosecutor revealed on Wednesday during a courtroom discussion of mail security, Jane Sutton (Reuters) reports.

SYRIA: THOUSANDS PROTEST AS OBSERVERS SAY MISSION TO BE EXTENDED

Buoyed by the opposition’s control of a town near the Syrian capital, thousands of people held anti-government protests Friday, chanting for the downfall of the regime. At least eight people were killed by security forces across the country, activists said.

In Egypt, two Arab League officials said the organization is likely to extend its observer mission in Syria, despite complaints from the Syrian opposition that it has failed to curb the bloodshed in the country, the AP reports.

PAKISTAN: GILANI CONTEMPT CASE RIVETS NATION

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani appeared Thursday before a Supreme Court panel to defend himself in contempt-of-court proceedings, staving off an immediate ruling in a high-stakes case that could lead to his ouster and jeopardize his party’s hold on government, the LAT reports.
The high court initiated contempt proceedings against Gilani this week, contending that he had deliberately ignored its frequent demands to pursue long-standing corruption allegations against his boss, President Asif Ali Zardari.

AFGHANISTAN: FRANCE HALTS TRAINING, THREATENS TO WITHDRAW

France suspended its training operations in Afghanistan and threatened to withdraw its entire force from the country early, after an Afghan wearing an army uniform shot and killed four French troops Friday and wounded others, CBS News reports.

EGYPT: FRUSTRATION AS TOURISTS STAY AWAY

The upshot, revealed Abdel Nour on Saturday, has been a £2.5bn decrease fall in tourism revenue alongside 32% fewer visitors, with the capital – which has played host to most of the street fighting in recent months – taking the brunt. “We are living through an unprecedented crisis in the history of this sector,” said the minister, a long-time liberal political grandee. “We have faced tourism crises before following one-off events [such as the 1997 Luxor massacre in which terrorists shot dead 62 holidaymakers at an ancient Egyptian temple], but this is different because [the revolution] is a continuous state of affairs,” the Guardian reports.

Saudi Arabia’s November Oil Output, Exports Rise to 30-Year High: BLOOMBERG

Wael Mahdi | 1/18/12

Saudi Arabia, OPEC’s largest crude producer, increased output and exports in November to the highest levels in more than 30 years, according to the Joint Organization Data Initiative.

The country pumped 10.047 million barrels a day of crude, up from 9.36 million in October, statistics posted today on JODI’s website show. The kingdom’s exports increased by 721,000 barrels a day, more than 10 percent, to 7.8 million barrels a day, according to the figures, which include condensates and exclude natural-gas liquids.

IS SAUDI REALLY ‘TARGETING’ $100 CRUDE?: Some analysts are questioning media reports that Saudi Arabia is really ‘targeting’ a $100 price for oil, noting that Saudi’s current breakeven price for its budget in 2012 is about $70 a barrel, Arabianomics.com writes.

CHINA LOOKS TO SAUDI TO QUENCH THIRST FOR FUEL: China is thirsty for oil to fuel its economic boom – and it’s increasingly looking to Saudi Arabia to help quench that thirst… Aramco CEO Khalid Al Falih told CNN’s John Defterios: “China … is the engine of the global economy; they are growing, their population is urbanizing and there is a thirst for energy.” He added: “We need China as much as China needs us.”

Business Forum: Delivery of Medical Services – Dr. Rabeeah: SUSRIS

1/17/12

Among the sectors represented at panels were: energy and renewables, information technology, petrochemical and plastics, infrastructure, agriculture, education, healthcare, transportation and logistics, and water and electricity. One area where tremendous commercial opportunities for cooperation between Saudi and American business people was apparent is the health and medical services sector. Leading the Saudi delegation in that area was Minister of Health, Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, who opened the plenary session titled, “Health and Medical Services: Delivering Top Quality Care.”

Calls Grow To Halt Brain Drain from Govt Hospitals: ARAB NEWS

1/19/12

The number of doctors from government-run hospitals crossing over to the private sector is on the rise despite the Ministry of Health’s relentless efforts to encourage specialist Saudi doctors and consultants to continue serving the public health sector with attractive salary packages and incentives, health sector officials and experts say.

Rep. Peter Welch: Gulf Allies Expressed ‘Great Reservation and Caution’ About Attacking Iran: THINK PROGRESS

Eli Clifton | 1/18/12

Returning from a congressional trip to France, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates, Deputy House Whip Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT) is bringing back two clear messages from the U.S.’s Gulf allies.

China to Help Saudis with Novel Nuke Power: GREEN PROPHET

1/19/12

In the wake of a 6-day trip by China’s Premier Win Jiabao to Saudi Arabia, China and Saudi Arabia have forged an alliance on developing nuclear power. Saudi Arabia has signed an agreement with China for assistance in the development of nuclear power.

Saudi Business Trade Missions to Visit US: ARAB NEWS

1/19/12

Refrigeration, heating, construction, and defense sectors will be the focus of attention of three Saudi business trade missions consisting of leading Saudi companies in those fields.

They are being sponsored by the US Commercial Service in Riyadh.

Rosenbauer Lands Largest Order in Company History: FOREST LAKE TIMES

1/18/12

Rosenbauer of Wyoming recently received the largest order for fire fighting vehicles in the company and industry’s history. The order comes from the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Interior, and is worth approximately $320 million. 1The order includes 1,125 vehicles, comprised of pumpers, tankers, rescue trucks, aerials, fire fighting boats and other civil defense vehicles.

Saudi Electricity’s Lack of Spark Disappoints: THE NATIONAL

Hadeel al Sayegh | 1/19/12

Saudi Electricity disappointed analysts yesterday when the state-controlled producer said fourth-quarter losses had widened amid higher energy costs.

Saudi Official Denies ID Cards Tracks People’s Movements: ASHARQ ALAWSAT

1/18/12

Saudi Arabia’s Interior Ministry Undersecretary for Civil Affairs, Major General Abdulrahman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Fada strongly denied that the new National ID card contained a microchip to track the movements of Saudi citizens. Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, he asserted that this microchip records and stores information in the same manner as credit cards. He revealed that Saudi citizens will be able to use the new National ID cards – and the electronic information they contain –in future transactions, in the government and private sectors. He also stressed that the date contained on these cards would only be utilized with the consent of the cardholder.

Anti-Graft Officials Bust Gang Stealing Medicines From Govt Warehouses: ARAB NEWS

1/18/12

The National Anti-Corruption Commission has busted a gang which was involved in stealing vaccines, serums and equipment worth millions of riyals from the warehouses of the health affairs directorate, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday quoting a senior official.

‘I want to harm Israel,’ Saudi hacker tells ‘Post’: JERUSALEM POST

1/19/12

An Arab hacker who has been at the forefront of the recent wave of Internet attacks on Israel told The Jerusalem Post on Monday he would continue to strike key Israeli websites until the government “apologizes for their genocide in Palestine and Gaza.”

Contemporary Artists Rock the Boat Gently in Saudi Arabia: NEW YORK TIMES

Vinita Bharadwaj | 1/18/12

“Saudi artists want to talk,” Ahmed Mater says. “I think the world should listen.”

SYRIA: WORLD INACTION FUELS ARMED REVOLT

Growing indications that a deeply divided international community is either unable or unwilling to intervene to halt the violence in Syria are fueling an armed rebellion that risks plunging the country, and perhaps the region, into a wider war, Liz Sly (Washington Post) reports. NEW BID TO STIFLE AID FROM IRAN: U.S. officials have uncovered an effort by Iran to help Syria mask its oil exports and evade an American and European embargo, in a potent new sign of Tehran’s campaign to bolster Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as his regime cracks down on public opposition, Jay Solomon and Alan Cullison (WSJ) report. ARAB LEAGUE CONSIDERS EXTENSION OF MISSION: Arab League foreign ministers will consider extending the League’s observer mission in Syria in a meeting next week, officials said Thursday, AP reports.

EGYPT: MUBARAK LAWYER SAYS ARMY RESPONSIBLE FOR DEATHS

Hosni Mubarak’s lawyer has said the Egyptian army was in charge of security when protesters were killed during the uprising that led to his overthrow. Farid al-Deeb said the former president had imposed a curfew on the afternoon of 28 January and transferred responsibility to the head of the army, BBC reports.

IRAN: 5 WAYS TO AVOID WAR

Do the drumbeaters calling for ‘war with Iran’ never learn from history? It is tempting to dismiss their hot air as an attempt to score political points, but its sheer volume is worrying. Two former US hostages in Iran say Obama must ignore the war talk, and keep in mind these five key points, L. Bruce Laingen and John Limbert (CSM) write. COULD ISRAEL LIVE WITH A NUCLEAR IRAN?: Three months before the recent upsurge in tension with Tehran over its nuclear program, an Israeli think tank simulated fallout from what many here consider the unthinkable: an Iranian nuclear explosive test. The results of the simulation, published this week, are not the Middle East doomsday that some here have warned of, Joshua Mitnick (CSM) writes. THREE WAYS TO STIFLE IRAN’S PROGRAM WITHOUT WAR: Partly by design and partly by happenstance, a three-pronged US strategy for checking Iran’s nuclear program and the regime in Tehran is emerging: an unprecedented combination of sanctions, covert action, and a Syria-inspired protest movement within Iran, Leonard Spector (CSM) writes.

ISRAEL: CLASH OF CIVILIZATIONS

In Israel, which gave the world a very special woman leader in Golda Meir, and where young women are drafted like their male counterparts, and women played a significant role in the success of early Zionist settlements, the rise of the ultra-Orthodox is posing a huge challenge at the very core of society. Moshe Halbertal, a professor of Jewish philosophy at Hebrew University, says that whereas a century ago secular nationalism and socialism challenged the religious establishment, “today the issue is feminism.’” Rabbis are losing sleep over this, he added, just as the Islamic world – particularly post-Arab spring – ponders the place of women, Alison Smale (IHT) writes.

MIDDLE EAST: FAST FOOD CHAINS ON THE GROW

Arabianbusiness.com provides a slideshow documenting the growth of fast food chains in the Middle East.

YEMEN: AL QAEDA MILITANTS TIGHTEN GRIP ON YEMEN TOWN

Islamist militants raised their flag over the citadel at Radda and pledged allegiance to al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahri after seizing the Yemeni town southeast of the capital Sanaa, residents said on Monday, Alsharq/Reuters reports.

AFGHANISTAN: SUICIDE ATTACK KILLS 7

At least seven civilians have died in a suicide attack at an airport used by international forces in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar, BBC reports.

ANALYSIS: IRAN IS FINDING FEWER BUYERS FOR ITS OIL

The squeeze is already beginning on Iran’s oil exports — and guess which nation quietly reduced its purchases from Tehran this month. Why, that would be China, Iran’s supposed protector, David Ignatius (Washington Post) writes. Iran’s reduced sales to its biggest oil customer resulted from a dispute over payment terms… But it’s an early sign of what may be significant reductions in Iranian exports to Europe and Asia, as buyers there hedge against the likelihood of tighter sanctions.

SUSRIS Project Now on iPhone: SUSRIS

1/17/12

As many of our readers know, SUSRIS is a sister site to SUSTG and part of a family of sites that provide unparalleled resources for those interested in Saudi Arabia, the region and U.S.-Saudi relations.  SUSRIS has launched an iPhone App available in iTunes. The App will deliver SUSRIS articles, interviews, special reports and much more from a variety of sources to the palm of your hand wherever you travel. Look for a SUSTG iPhone App in the near future.

Saudi Ex-Spy Chief Says ‘All’ Options Open On Iran: AFP

1/18/12

Saudi Arabia will use “all available options” to defend itself against Iranian “threats” that might trigger “unwanted military confrontation,” its former intelligence chief told a Gulf security conference.

OIL CLIMBS PAST $100: Oil leaped above $100 a barrel Tuesday due to renewed tensions over Iran and after Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest exporter of the commodity, indicated it thinks prices should be kept around that level…Oil prices rose after Saudi Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi told CNN that Saudi Arabia wanted to stabilize prices at $100 a barrel this year and was ready to pump more oil if needed.  IRAN WARNS SAUDIS NOT TO USE SPARE OIL CAPACITY: Iran warned Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to rethink an offer to make up for oil lost to world markets as a result of threatened curbs on its exports, as diplomats said an EU embargo may be in force by July, AFP reports. SAUDI CAPABLE OF MEETING CUSTOMER NEEDS- AL-NAIMI:  Asharq Alawsat reports, In a statement to Asharq Al-Awsat, Saudi Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Ali Al-Naimi dismissed doubts regarding the kingdom’s ability to produce at full capacity. Al-Naimi spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat at the launching of the Red Sea Refinery project YASREF.

Pakistan: Saudi Arabia Intervenes To Heal Rift between Army and Government: GLOBAL POST

1/18/12

Saudi Arabia is playing a behind-the-scenes role to defuse tensions between Pakistan’s powerful military and its embattled civilian government, which some fear could be near collapse.

Kingdom, China Vow To Rid Mideast Of Nuke Arms: SAUDI GAZETTE

1/17/12

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and China Sunday stressed the importance of preventing proliferation of weapons of mass destruction of all kinds. The two sides also expressed their support for making the Middle East, a zone free of weapons of mass destruction including nuclear weapons, in accordance with international resolutions in this regard.

Saudi Basic Fourth-Quarter Profit Drops 10% On Pricing, Misses Estimates: BLOOMBERG

Glen Carey | 1/17/12

Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (SABIC), the world’s biggest petrochemicals maker, said fourth-quarter profit dropped 10 percent, missing analysts’ estimates.  Net income fell to 5.24 billion riyals ($1.4 billion) from 5.81 billion riyals a year earlier, the Riyadh-based company known as Sabic said in a statement today.

Saudis Deny Stock Exchange Website Infiltrated By Israeli Hackers: HAARETZ

1/18/12

Saudi Arabian authorities on Wednesday denied claims that Israeli hackers had crippled the website of the oil-rich country’s capital market, saying the system was operating normally.

ISRAEL SAYS CYBER WAR DID NOT HARM VITAL SYSTEMS: None of Israel’s vital online systems were compromised in the recent series of cyber-attacks on Israeli websites, Israel’s Shin Bet sources told Ynet news website on Monday as the Saudi hacker vowed “stronger” attacks.  The statements came after hackers disrupted online access to the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, El Al Airlines and three banks on Monday in what the government described as a cyber-offensive against Israel, Al Arabiya reports.

Saudi Arabia, Turkey And UAE Drive Trade Growth: ARAB NEWS

1/18/12

Emerging market growth remained lackluster in the fourth quarter as an improved rate of expansion in service activity only marginally outweighed a further decline in output from manufacturers, the HSBC Emerging Markets Index (EMI) shows.  Markets in Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the UAE recorded growth in the fourth quarter. A press release received here also says that the EMI edged slightly higher to 52.2, from 52.0 in Q3, reflecting a subdued rate of economic expansion as world trade declined during 2011, following its peak earlier in the year.

Tesco Signs Saudi Franchise for F&F Clothes: TRADE ARABIA

1/17/12

Tesco, the world’s No.3 retailer, announced a franchise deal with Fawaz Abdulaziz Al Hokair & Co, the largest owner of shopping malls in Saudi Arabia, as part of a drive to transform its F&F clothing range into an international fashion brand.

Hai’a No Longer Needs Volunteers: Al-Sheikh: SAUDI GAZETTE

Hazim Al-Mutairi |1/17/12

The new chief of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (the Hai’a) has said that non-Hai’a volunteers will no longer be allowed to serve in the force.

Cabinet Okays Restructuring Of Military Service Council: SAUDI GAZETTE

1/17/12

The Cabinet on Monday approved the restructuring of the Military Service Council (MSC) under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister, the King.  The MSC deputy chairman will be the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior.

Prince Alwaleed Warned Over Wife’s Media Appearances: EMIRATES 24|7

1/18/12

The elder brother of Prince AlWaleed bin Talal slammed the famous Saudi billionaire over the repeated appearance of his wife in the media and warned him of a “severe” response if he does not stop her.  In a surprise statement carried by the so-called Logainat website, Prince Khalid bin Talal bin Abdul Aziz said he had advised his younger brother to stop such practices which “violate our family, religion and Saudi values.”

ISRAEL: “VERY FAR” FROM DECISION TO ATTACK IRAN

Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Wednesday any decision about an Israeli attack on Iran was “very far off.” Barak was speaking on Israel’s Army Radio before a planned visit Thursday by U.S. armed forces chief General Martin Dempsey that has triggered speculation Washington will press Israel to delay any action against Tehran’s nuclear program, Reuters reports. KEEPING STRAIT OPEN TO BECOME MORE DIFFICULT OVER TIME: The U.S. and its allies would be able to reverse any Iranian attempt to block oil traffic through the Strait of Hormuz within weeks, according to the authors of a report on Persian Gulf strategy. Reopening the shipping lanes may prove harder in future years, they found, Bloomberg reports.  OIL EMBARGO GAINS STEAM IN ASIA, EUROPE: U.S. allies in Asia and Europe voiced support for Washington’s drive to cut Iran’s oil exports, although fear of self-inflicted pain is curbing enthusiasm for an embargo that Tehran says will not halt its nuclear program, Asharq Alawsat/Reuters reports. HEARING BEGINS FOR FAR-RIGHT FOREIGN MINISTER: Israel’s state prosecutors began a hearing on Tuesday to decide whether to indict Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman on charges of fraud, breach of trust and money laundering, a move that could shake up Israeli politics and lead to early elections, Ethan Bronner (NYT) reports.

EGYPT: TRANSITION GETS MESSY

Reform leader Mohammed ElBaradei’s surprise pullout from the presidential race has laid bare the messiness of Egypt’s transition to democracy with less than six months left for the ruling generals to hand over power. In less than two weeks on Jan. 25, Egyptians will mark a year since the start of the popular uprising that forced Hosni Mubarak out of office. But there is no longer much talk about the revolution’s lofty goals of bringing democracy, freedom and social justice, AP reports.

SYRIA: VIOLENCE SURGES, 34 KILLED, MONITORS UNABLE TO QUELL VIOLENCE

Violence surged in Syria on Tuesday as activists reported that at least 34 people had been killed in several towns and cities across the country, including six soldiers who had defected and three members of the security forces, Nada Bakri (NYT) reports. OPINION: SENDING ARAB TROOPS TO SYRIA

Are we now facing the crystallization of an international position towards the situation in Syria?

I think so, especially as there are several indications of this, including the moves by some stakeholders in our region, especially with the Arab visits to Washington, or the international visits to Middle Eastern capitals, particularly those actively involved [in the Syrian crisis]. Above all this, there are the developments in Syria and al-Assad’s recent speech, which suggested the man was detached from reality, Tariq Alhomayed (Asharq Alawsat) writes.

TURKEY: ANGRY RESPONSE AFTER INSENSITIVE, OFFENSIVE REMARKS BY GOP CANDIDATE

Turkey’s foreign ministry condemned Texas Gov. Rick Perry Tuesday for saying that Turkey was a “country that is being ruled by what many would perceive to be Islamic terrorists.” Perry made the statement during a spirited debated between Republican presidential candidates in South Carolina Monday night, CNN remarks.

PAKISTAN: OFFER FOR US ENVOY VISIT DECLINED

Pakistan’s government, embroiled in tensions between civilian and military leaders, has declined a visit from a U.S. envoy, a senior Pakistani government official told CNN.

JORDAN: WHITE HOUSE DESCRIBES PROGRESS IN TALKS

The Obama administration heralded progress in Israeli-Palestinian talks held under Jordanian auspices, JTA reports.

QATAR: A POWERFUL PUNCH?

From its startling winning bid to host the 2022 soccer World Cup and mediating roles in Middle East and African conflicts to its role leading Arab efforts to isolate Syria, tiny Qatar is aspiring to an ambitious role: global powerbroker, Reuters writes.

Saudi Aramco to Invest $200 Billion in Refining, Exploration: BLOOMBERG

Wael Mahdi | 1/17/12

Saudi Arabian Oil Co. plans to build refineries in China and Indonesia as part of a $200 billion spending program to double refining capacity and explore for oil and natural gas during the next decade.

Oil Rises to Three-Day High as Saudis Seen Targeting $100 Crude: BLOOMBERG

1/17/12

Oil rose to the highest level in three days as France sought to limit delays for a ban on Iranian imports and Saudi Arabia’s energy minister said the world’s biggest crude exporter wants prices at $100 a barrel.

SABIC, Sinopec Ink Riyadh Deal To Foster Petchem Investments: ARAB NEWS

1/17/12

The Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) and the China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation (Sinopec) have signed a protocol of cooperation in Riyadh to explore new business opportunities.

SAGIA Sets 3-Month Deadline For Companies ‘In Red’: ARAB NEWS

1/17/12

The Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) has announced companies in the red category of the Nitaqat program will have to sign an undertaking to ensure they continue to receive the authority’s services, at least for the short-term.

Minister of Commerce and Industry Dr. Tawfiq Al-Rabiah Meets with USTR Daniel Malone: SAUDI PRESS AGENCY

During the meeting, they discussed trade and industrial relations between the two friendly countries and means of bolstering cooperation as well as taking advantage of available opportunities and benefits.

Saudi Arabia Remains Indispensable U.S. Ally, Argues New CFR Book: COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS

1/13/12

As the United States confronts a volatile Middle East, Saudi Arabia is “a central player—sometimes in accord with U.S. policy, sometimes not—in Arab-Israeli peace negotiations, in the quest for stability in Iraq, in Persian Gulf regional security issues focusing on Iran, and in the global struggle to promote a peaceful vision of Islam over jihadist violence,” writes Thomas Lippman in a new book, Saudi Arabia on the Edge: The Uncertain Future of an American Ally.

Israeli Hackers Bring Down Saudi Stock Exchange Website: JERUSALEM POST

1/17/12

Hackers post in forum that attack is a response to “lame” Saudi attack on Israelis, including TA Stock Exchange and El Al websites; add that if Saudi attacks continue, they will hit back harder.

Officials From Saudi Arabian University Visiting GNTC: ROME NEWS TRIBUNE

1/17/12

Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC) will host a delegation of five officials from King Faisal University in Saudi Arabia on Thursday, January 19.

EP Beaches Now Free Of Gulf War Pollution, Says PME: ARAB NEWS

1/14/12

President of Meteorology and Environment Protection (PME) Prince Turki bin Nasser said beaches in the in Eastern province have been cleaned of all pollutions caused by the Gulf War.

Citizen Hands Over Antique To SCTA: ARAB NEWS

1/15/12

A Saudi citizen has handed over a pre-Islamic antique piece that was in his possession to the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA).

Two Saudis Bag King Faisal Prize: SAUDI GAZETTE

1/16/12

Two Saudi nationals, two Egyptians and three Americans bagged the King Faisal International Prizes for the year 2012 (1433H), it was announced here Monday.

Donald Rumsfeld’s Doctrine And The Few Proud Marines: ARAB NEWS

Abdulateef Al-Mulhim | 1/17/12

So, what has changed in the past few years with regard to the conduct of the American military? And what do the American military commanders teach their soldiers?

EGYPT: ‘REVOLUTIONS ARE PROCESSES…IT WILL TAKE TIME’ SAYS FORMER GOOGLE EXEC

It’s been nearly a year since Google executive Wael Ghonim became one of the faces of the Arab Spring as his online organizing efforts and his arrest helped draw people and attention to the demands by many Egyptians for reform — a movement that led to the toppling of President Hosni Mubarak’s regime. On Morning Edition today, host Steve Inskeep spoke with Ghonim about what has happened in Egypt since then and whether there’s a sense of disappointment there that reforms aren’t coming faster. EGPYT ASKS IMF FOR $3.2B IN AID: Egypt has asked the International Monetary Fund for $3.2 billion in support, a government minister said on Monday, as the country’s interim cabinet seeks to fill a budget gap, Trade Arabia reports.

IRAN: ISLAMIC REPUBLIC BANS FOREIGN CURRENCY TRADING ON STREET

The deputy governor of Iran’s central bank says trading in foreign currency outside of banks or licensed money changing operations is forbidden, Daily Star reports. IRAN WILL GIVE MODEL DRONE TO US: Iranian state radio says Tehran will give the United States a model of the American surveillance drone captured by the Islamic Republic, Arab News reports.

GCC: GDP GROWTH SLOWING DOWN

Real and nominal GDP growth rates in the GCC are expected to slow down in 2012 because oil production and price are not expected to be higher than last year, according to a leading economist, Trade Arabia writes.

MIDDLE EAST: THE FUTURE OF E-COMMERCE?

The Middle East isn’t renowned for having many big names in the world of online retail.

That may be about to change. At the moment customers in the region spend around $1.1 billion through the internet. By 2016, it will double to $2.2 billion, according to research by Euromonitor.

That means it is growing at one of the fastest rates in the world, BBC reports.

JORDAN: JUST WHAT DOES JORDAN’S ABDULLAH UNDERSTAND?

Jordan’s population is much smaller than Syria’s and, superficial appearances notwithstanding, still largely based in tribal structure. In such a setting, the state cannot get away with the use of deadly force, particularly not against an opposition which to date is overwhelmingly composed of Transjordanians, not Jordanians of Palestinian origin. Hence, recent regime behavior raises many questions. Who within it supports Prime Minister Khasawneh’s attempts at reform? Who feels most threatened by demonstrations calling for an end to corruption? Who is making the decisions to send in the thugs, and how long will it take before someone with an ounce of wisdom realizes that such crude attempts at repression, generally by Transjordanians against other Transjordanians, have serious potential to spin out of control?  Laurie A. Brand and Fayez Y. Hammad (Middle East Channel) write.

PAKISTAN: SUPREME COURT ORDERS PM TO FACE CONTEMPT HEARING

Pakistan’s Supreme Court has ordered Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to face a contempt of court hearing this week, officials said, setting up a potential showdown between the nation’s judicial and political leaders, CNN reports.

LEBANON: FATAL BUILDING COLLAPSE IN BEIRUT

At least 25 people died when a five-storey building collapsed in the Lebanese capital Beirut.

Rescuers are continuing their search of the site in the Ashrafiyeh district for a further 16 people believed to be buried beneath the rubble, BBC reports.

ANALYSIS: LEAKS ON DELAYED U.S.-ISRAEL WAR-GAME REVEAL FISSURES

Because the decision to postpone the war games leaked first in Israel, plans for a joint statement didn’t materialize Sunday, and rumors subsequently abounded about what explained it. Was the United States distancing itself from Israel’s hawkish stance towards Iran, some Iran watchers wondered? Is it plausible that Israeli budget cuts could explain why the massive exercise–to involve thousands of American and Israeli troops–was being postponed from April until the second half of 2012–since it would seemingly cost just as much to conduct the drill a few months later? Laura Rozen (Yahoo!) writes.

Saudi Oil Refinery Deal Shows Close Ties: CHINA DAILY

1/16/12

In what Riyadh calls ”the largest expansion by any oil company in the world, Sinopec’s deal on Saturday with Saudi Aramco will allow a major oil refinery to become operation in the Red Sea port of Yanbu by 2014. ARAMCO CAPACITY TO GROW 8MBPD: Saudi Aramco will increase its refining capacity to 8 million barrels per day in the next decade through expansion both at home and abroad, its chief executive Khalid al-Falih said Saturday, Marketwatch reports. CHANGE IN POLICY BY CHINA: “Some experts find the trip notable for a different reason: It comes as China’s strategic alliance with Iran is less certain than before, the NYT reports.

Reformist Cleric Named to Enforce Saudi Morals: WALL STREET JOURNAL

1/14/12

Saudi Arabia’s king replaced the hard-line chief of the country’s morality police with a more liberal cleric who has encouraged greater women’s rights, a change welcomed by activists as a sign that the monarchy would continue to pursue cautious social reforms in the face of political upheaval in the Middle East.

Saudi Forces Clash With Protesters In Qatif: AL JAZEERA

1/13/12

Saudi security forces have clashed with protesters in the country’s Eastern Province, home to a large Shia minority, killing one person, the interior ministry and activists reported. SAUDI SECURITY MAN SHOT IN SHIITE AREA: Saudi Arabia said a member of its security forces was shot and injured on Saturday evening while patrolling in Eastern Province, home to its oil reserves and its Shi’ite Muslim minority, days after a protester was shot dead, Angus McDowall (Retuers) reports.

Hackers Disrupt Websites Of Israel’s Stock Exchange, National Air Carrier: WASHINGTON POST

1/16/12

A hacker network that claims to be based in Saudi Arabia paralyzed the websites of Israel’s stock exchange and national airline on Monday, escalating an international cyber war that has jolted this security-obsessed country.

Saudi 2011 Inflation At Lowest In 4 Years: GULF TIMES

Reuters | 1/16/12

Saudi Arabia’s inflation slowed to a four-year low of 5% on average last year despite record government spending, data showed yesterday.

15% Slide Expected In Expat Remittances: ARAB NEWS

1/15/12

Saudi economic experts have predicted a 15 percent decrease in the volume of money transferred by foreigners within the next six months following the ban on foreign salesmen in lingerie shops, Al-Eqtisadiah newspaper reported on Saturday.

Saudi, Spain Ink $8.22 Bn Deal For Pilgrim Railway: IC PUBLICATIONS

1/16/12

Saudi Arabia has inked an $8.22 billion (6.48 bn euros) deal with a Spanish consortium to build a high-speed railway on the Muslim pilgrim route between Mecca and Medina, the state news agency SPA reported Saturday.

Saudi Aviation Authority Said to Sell 15 Billion Riyal Debt: BUSINESSWEEK

1/16/12

Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation raised 15 billion riyals ($4 billion) from the sale of Islamic bonds, said a banker familiar with the transaction.

Journey Of Faith: THE ECONOMIST

1/14/12

Mr MacGregor and Venetia Porter, the BM’s keeper of Islamic art, spoke to the chairman of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities, Prince Sultan bin Salman (known locally as the “astronaut prince” for being the only Saudi to have travelled in space). They also met Princess Adila bint Abdullah, a daughter of the king and one of the few princesses with a public role in Saudi Arabia, and her husband, Prince Faisal bin Abdullah, the new minister of education. At each meeting they outlined in detail the BM’s ambition: to put on the West’s first big show about the haj, the annual holy pilgrimage to Mecca.

French, Saudi Warplanes Collide In Saudi: AFP

1/15/12

A French Mirage and a Saudi F-15 collided in the kingdom’s northern region of Tabuk without causing casualties, state news agency SPA quoted a military official as saying on Saturday.

Naif Approves Amendments To Citizenship Regulations: SAUDI GAZETTE

1/16/12

Crown Prince Naif Bin Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier and Minister of Interior, has approved amendments to two articles of the executive regulations for Saudi Arabian nationality.

IRAN: EU WILL ADOPT OIL SANCTIONS

Britain’s foreign secretary said Sunday that European nations will intensify pressure on Iran over its nuclear program, but insisted the West wasn’t pressing for military action, AP reports.

ISRAEL-US WAR GAMES POSTPONED: The Israeli and U.S. militaries have postponed large-scale war games, in part to avoid aggravating mounting tensions between the international community and Iran over its disputed nuclear program, Israeli defense officials said Monday, CBS News reports.  REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE LAUDS MURDERS OF SCIENTISTS: “On occasion scientists working on the nuclear program in Iran turn up dead. I think that’s a wonderful thing, candidly,” said Rick Santorum at a recent campaign stop in Greenville, South Carolina.

But it isn’t just dead Iranian scientists that gladden Santorum’s heart. CAN US END THE STANDOFF? With continued pressure mounting, the idea of a negotiation between parties has yet to be fully considered. Ironically, it is exactly what needs to happen. Negotiation will yield a better result than the combative tactics that the U.S., EU, and the Iranians are currently pursuing, Ken Jensen (Forbes) writes.

SYRIA: QATAR CALLS FOR ARABS TO SEND IN TROOPS

The ruler of the Gulf state of Qatar has said Arab countries should send troops into Syria to stop government forces killing civilians there. Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani told US television channel CBS “some troops should go to stop the killing,” BBC reports. FEAR OF CIVIL WAR MOUNTS:  The failure of an Arab League mission to stanch violence in Syria, an international community with little leverage and a government as defiant as its opposition is in disarray have left Syria descending into a protracted, chaotic and perhaps unnegotiable conflict, Anthony Shadid (NYT) reports.

ISRAEL: SEISMIC RIFT OVER ROLE OF WOMEN

In the three months since the Israeli Health Ministry awarded a prize to a pediatrics professor for her book on hereditary diseases common to Jews, her experience at the awards ceremony has become a rallying cry, NYT reports.

TUNISIA: 1^ST ANNIVERSARY OF ARAB SPRING MARKED

Thousands of Tunisians marched in peaceful triumph Saturday to mark the one-year anniversary of the revolution that ended the dictatorship of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali— and sparked uprisings around the Arab world, AP reports.

ENERGY: WHY OIL PRICES WILL STAY HIGH

People drive less in the winter. The American economy is slow. The Euro Zone has stalled. China and India are slowing down. So demand for oil worldwide is low. So why is oil trading high at $113 a barrel, more than twice the price it was trading at five years ago when the global economy was booming? What in the world is going on?

There’s a school of thought that suggests the global economy is doing better than we think, Fareed Zakaria writes. SOLAR CAPACITY SURGES IN 2011: New solar capacity around the world increased 54 percent to about 28 gigawatts last year driven by record installations in Germany and Italy, Bloomberg New Energy Finance data shows.

IRAQ: DEADLY WEEKEND
A bomb in northern Iraq killed at least eight people on Monday morning, the latest in a string of sectarian-tinged attacks there since the last US troops withdrew from the country in December,

The blast struck a housing development for displaced Iraqis outside of the ethnically- and religiously-mixed city of Mosul. More than 140 people have died in attacks across Iraq since the last US forces left Iraq on Dec. 18, raising concerns that Iraq may be facing a sectarian conflict as Sunni insurgents challenge the Shiite-dominated government, CSM reports.

OPINION: FALSE FLAG STORY AND PROVOCATIONS

By now, I’m sure most readers of this blog are informed about Mark Perry’s blockbuster story Friday on foreignpolilcy.com that describes how Israeli Mossad agents posed as U.S. spies to recruit and use members of the Jundallah group to carry out what the State Department and others have called a campaign of terror against Iran focused in particular on the largely Sunni province of Sistan va Balochistan…I think that these two forms of terrorism — support for Jundallah and possibly other terrorist groups, and the assassination of scientists associated with Iran’s nuclear program — share the same goal. (Killing a handful of scientists will not stop Iran’s nuclear program, and Jundallah is essentially a ragtag group with no hope of seriously destabilizing the regime.) The primary aim of these programs, therefore, appears to be provocation, Jim Lobe (LobeLog) writes.

Business Forum: A Stable Global Financial System – Al Jasser: SUSRIS

1/10/12

At the Forum HE Mohammed al Jasser led a key panel titled, “Maintaining a Stable Global Financial System: Shared Responsibility,” and shared insights only possible from the vantage point of a Group of Twenty (G-20) member nation central bank chief. A week after the Atlanta Forum Dr. Al-Jasser was named by King Abdullah as the next Minister of Economy and Planning.  Governor Al-Jasser was introduced following remarks from Hutham Olayan, President and CEO, Olayan America, who set the scene for the panel discussion of the global financial system.

China’s Wen to Juggle Iran Oil Need With Saudi Ties on Persian Gulf Trip: BLOOMBERG

Glen Carey and Anthony DiPaola | 1/13/12

China’s Wen Jiabao must balance his country’s need for Iranian crude with its budding energy partnership with Saudi Arabia on his first visit to the Gulf kingdom, a U.S.-based specialist in Middle East security said.

Gulf Nations Aid U.S. Push to Choke off Iran Oil Sales: NEW YORK TIMES

Mark Landler and Clifford Krauss | 1/12/12

Pressure on Iran mounted on Thursday, with the United States saying it was determined to isolate the country’s central bank, and three of Iran’s largest oil customers — Japan, South Korea and China — getting assurances that Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf producers would help make up any gap in supplies if they curtailed oil purchases from Iran. Q AND A: IRAN SANCTIONS AND OIL MARKET IMPLICATIONS: With tensions escalating between Iran and the West as both the United States and Europe prepare to impose additional sanctions, Iranian threats to close the Strait of Hormuz have driven up oil prices and sent purchasers scurrying to find replacement barrels. What is the likelihood of Iran following through on the threat, and what are the implications for the oil market? CSIS writes.

Saudi Forces Shoot Dead Shiite Protester: AFP

1/13/12

Saudi security forces clashed with Shiite protesters in the kingdom’s oil-rich east killing one person and wounding three, the interior ministry and witnesses said Friday.

Israeli, Saudi Hackers in Confusing Credit Card Publishing War: WASHINGTON POST

Elizabeth Flock | 1/12/12

A hacker believed to be Saudi Arabian has retaliated against a hacker believed to be Israeli who was retaliating against the same Saudi one. So many credit card details have now been illegally hacked and published it’s hard to keep track.

Al Arabiya Inquiry Reveals How Tunisia’s Ben Ali Escaped To Saudi Arabia: AL ARABIYA

1/13/12

The story takes place in Tunis, the capital, and in many other Tunisian cities but its events mainly occur in the authority’s decision making headquarters: the Presidential Palace in Carthage, the former president’s residence in Sidi Bou Said, the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Defense, al-Habib Bourkiba avenue in the Capital, the Tunis-Carthage International Airport and the military barracks of Ouainia where is located the military airbase and the governmental palace in El Kasba.

British Premier Visits Kingdom Today To Bolster Bilateral Ties: ARAB NEWS

1/13/12

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah will hold talks on key bilateral and regional issues with British Prime Minister David Cameron, who is scheduled to arrive in the Saudi capital on Friday. The focus of Cameron’s visit will also be on reinforcing the Saudi-British partnership for attaining the goals of accelerated business ties and exploring new areas of cooperation in different sectors.

Saudi Arabia to Launch Weather Channel: RAPIDTVNEWS

1/12/12

A weather forecast channel is to be launched by Saudi Arabia’s Presidency of Meteorology and Environment (PME) to promote environmental awareness and help the public tackle flash floods and other natural disasters.

City Streets A Haven For Mentally Ill People: ARAB NEWS

Badea Abu Al-Naja | 1/6/12

An increasing number of people with severe psychiatric illnesses and abandoned elderly have made the streets of the holy city of Makkah their habitat. While citizens cry out to express their dismay, authorities remain silent.

IRAN: US TELLS IRAN THAT CLOSING STRAIT IS A RED LINE

The Obama administration is relying on a secret channel of communication to warn Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, that closing the Strait of Hormuz is a “red line” that would provoke an American response, according to United States government officials, the NYT reports.  EU OIL EMBARGO LIKELY DELAYED 6 MONTHS: A European Union embargo on imports of Iranian (OPCRIRAN) oil will probably be delayed for six months to let countries such as Greece, Italy and Spain find alternative supplies, two EU officials with knowledge of the talks said, Bloomberg reports.  The embargo, which would need to be accepted by the 27- nation bloc’s foreign ministers on Jan. 23, is also likely to include an exemption for Italy, so crude can be sold to pay off debts to Rome-based Eni SpA (ENI), Italy’s largest oil company, according to the officials, who declined to be identified because the talks are private. IRAN CLERICS URGE UNITY AS NUCLEAR SCIENTIST BURIED: The Tehran funeral on Friday of a nuclear scientist blown up by a hitman saw the ruling clergy urge Iranians to rally behind it at a forthcoming election and face down Western threats against Iran’s nuclear program, Reuters reports. IRANIANS JEER US, ISRAEL: Thousands of mourners chanted “Death to Israel” and “Death to America” on Friday during the funeral of a slain nuclear expert whom Iranian officials accuse the two nations of killing in a bomb blast this week as part of a secret operation to stop Iran’s nuclear program, USA Today reports.

SYRIA: ACTIVISTS CALL FOR NATIONWIDE RALLIES

Syrian activists are calling for nationwide protests Friday in support of the armed rebel group, the Free Syrian Army. The calls came a day after opposition leader Burhan Ghalioun met with the leader of the rebels, Colonel Riad al-Assad. Reports say the two leaders discussed the situation on the ground and the needs of the group, made up of army defectors, VOA reports. PARIS PROSECUTOR PROBES DEATH OF REPORTER: Paris prosecutors said Friday they have launched a preliminary murder investigation over the death of a French TV journalist in Syria, with his network raising questions about a suspect military escort, AP reports.

ISRAEL/PALESTINE: LEADERS STICK WITH DEADLINE FOR TALKS

Palestinian negotiators are sticking to an end of January deadline in talks with Israel despite U.S. calls for flexibility, a Palestinian official said Friday. The Palestinians say they want to hold Israel to a schedule that might pressure it to come forward with proposals, but the tight time frame could prevent the nascent talks from getting off the ground, Tia Goldenberg (AP) writes. HIGH COURT UPHOLDS CITIZENSHIP LAW: Israel’s Supreme Court has ruled that Palestinians will not be able to acquire Israeli citizenship through marriage, LAT reports.

THAILAND: HEZBOLLAH MAN ARRESTED

Police in Thailand are questioning a suspected Hezbollah member, as the US embassy warned American nationals of the threat of a terrorist attack in the country, The Guardian reports.

ENERGY: Q AND A: FRACKING AND SEISMIC ACTIVITY

CSIS explores questions related to Hydraulic Fracturing, also known as “fracking,” and the implications of this new technology to change the energy landscape in the United States and beyond.

OPINION: TIME TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE TALIBAN

As American officials scramble to contain the fallout from an appalling video showing Marines urinating on dead Taliban fighters, news that the Obama administration is carrying out secret negotiations with the Taliban has barely registered on the American political landscape. The lack of interest in the talks – and public outrage at the video – reflects how little Americans apparently care about the conflict, despite its staggering human and fiscal cost, David Rhode (The Atlantic) writes.

Saudi Economy: Jadwa January 2012 Chartbook: SUSRIS

1/10/12

The Jadwa Investment firm in Riyadh produces the “Saudi Chartbook” as a quick, chart-based briefing on the key developments and trends in the Saudi economy and stock market for the previous month.

Saudi Binladen Group Wins Dismissal of Six 9/11 Lawsuits: BLOOMBERG BUSINESSWEEK

Patricia Hurtado | 1/11/12

Saudi Binladen Group, Saudi Arabia’s largest construction company which was co-founded by Osama Bin Laden’s father, won dismissal of lawsuits in which it was accused of supporting the 2001 terrorist attacks.

Saudi Spending Boom ‘Raises Inflation Risk’: TRADE ARABIA

1/11/12

Inflation is set to rise in Saudi Arabia this year as the government unleashes another bumper budget, but it is unlikely to spur the central bank into action unless bank lending or other domestic pressures surprise on the upside, say analysts.

World-Class Safety Measures Protect Saudi Banks From Fraud: Official: ARAB NEWS

Khalil Hanware | 1/12/12

Banks in Saudi Arabia apply the “most known and acceptable international security measures” to safeguard the transactions of credit card users and other account holders, a top official says.  Talat Hafiz, secretary-general of Media and Banking Awareness Committee of Saudi Banks, was reacting to recent reports that Israeli hackers had obtained credit card and bank account details of Saudi cardholders in retaliation for an alleged attack on Israeli credit card accounts. BATTLE ESCALATES BETWEEN HACKERS: A war of words and website hacks is escalating in Israel over the purported hack of credit card data by a hacker from Saudi Arabia, Information Week reports.

Saudi Arabia To Continue Fuel Donation To Yemen: GULF NEWS

1/12/12

Saudi Aram-co will continue to donate fuel to Yemen in February, industry sources said, as the company has been seeking to buy at least two cargoes of petrol with at least one to be delivered into Yemen.

The impoverished southern neighbour of Saudi Arabia is reliant on fuel imports from abroad and donations as its main refinery has been shut for almost two months after consecutive blasts on its oil pipeline halted the crude flow.

China Gets Cheaper Iran Oil as U.S. Pays Tab for Hormuz Patrols: BLOOMBERG

Indira A.R. Lakshmanan and Gopal Ratnam | 1/12/12

China stands to be the biggest beneficiary of U.S. and European plans for sanctions on Iran’s oil sales in an effort to pressure the regime to abandon its nuclear program.

Aramco Trading To Spur Global Petroleum Product Sales: ARAB NEWS

1/12/12

Aramco Trading, a wholly-owned company subsidiary, geared up and began commercial operations Jan. 1, 2012, as Saudi Aramco’s downstream investment portfolio expands in-Kingdom and overseas.  A statement on the company’s website said the new entity, formally established as Saudi Aramco Products Trading Company, will replace the Product Sales and Marketing Department (PSMD) in importing and exporting refined petroleum products, commonly known in the industry as “system balancing” of refined petroleum products.

GCC Plans $142bn in Road, Rail and Bridge Projects: ARAB NEWS

1/12/12

The GCC has US $142 billion worth of road and bridge projects underway, or in the planning stages, according to figures released by market analysts Ventures Middle East; Saudi Arabia accounts for a third of this amount.

Saudi’s First Solar Rooftop Plant For KAFD: CONSTRUCTION WEEK ONLINE

1/12/12

The first solar rooftop in Saudi Arabia is to be installed at Parcels 5.07 and 5.08 at the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD). At close to 200kW, the solar plant will not only be the first, but also the largest, rooftop plant in Riyadh. In collaboration with local partner Modern Times Technical Systems (MTTS), Conergy will be installing over 800 Conergy PowerPlus 230M modules on 1.7km of Conergy SunTop III mounting systems over a surface of 1,300m2.

Saudi Arabia Steps In To Curb Dramatic Increase in Cement Price: STEEL GURU

1/12/12

Al Eqtisadiah business daily reported that the Ministry of Commerce and Industry has stepped in to curb dramatic increases in cement prices in the western region.

Saudi Arabia Prince-Owned Frankel Is Best Horse In The World: THE NATIONAL

Geoffery Riddle | 1/12/12

Frankel was officially declared the best horse in the world today when the World Thoroughbred Rankings were published.

The four-year-old colt, owned by Prince Khalid Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, was given a rating of 136, four pounds clear of Black Caviar, Australia’s unbeaten sprinter.

IRAN: NUCLEAR ARMS CHARGE AGAINST IRAN IS NO SLAM DUNK

It’s accepted that Iran at one time had a nuclear-weapons program. The country’s enormous investment in a secret underground uranium-enrichment complex in the city of Natanz is essentially proof of clandestine intentions. The military plutonium-production reactor in Arak is yet another indicator.

However, it must be remembered that in the 2007 National Intelligence Estimate, U.S. agencies concluded that Iran halted its nuclear-arms program in 2003 under international pressure….So the issue is not whether there is evidence of such a program, but whether there is evidence that it was restarted after being shut down in 2003. ANOTHER NUCLEAR SCIENTIST KILLED, IS THIS PART OF A ‘COVERT WAR’?: The Islamic Republic sought to portray the killing of Roshan as part of a broader clandestine effort to undermine the regime and its nuclear program, which Iran claims is aimed only at nuclear power production, not weapons. But some Iran experts say it is too early to make conclusions, Scott Peterson (CSM) writes. INDEPENDENT FILM GROUP SHUT DOWN: Brushing aside protests by Iranian filmmakers and rights activists, Iran’s Culture Ministry on Wednesday formally dissolved the House of Cinema, the only domestic organization that supports independent film, and moved to replace it with a committee that would not deviate from strict Islamic guidelines and politically permissible topics, Rick Gladstone and Artin Afkhami (NYT) report. WEBSITE LINKED TO REGIME SAYS RESPONSE WILL BE CROSS-BORDER: Iran’s response to the assassination of a nuclear scientist in Iran Wednesday will be harsh and reach beyond borders, a website aligned with the regime in Tehran quoted a senior security source as saying Thursday, JPOST reports.

SYRIA: SUSPECTED SYRIA MUNITIONS BOAT TO LEAVE CYPRUS

A ship reportedly carrying ammunition to Syria will be allowed to leave Cyprus after giving authorities assurances it will change its destination, a government official said Wednesday.  Media reports said the cargo ship was carrying up to 60 tonnes of ammunition and was heading to the Syrian port city of Latakia. It docked off Cyprus Tuesday amid rough seas. EXPAT ACTIVISTS RETURN TO BORDER: Syrian expatriates from Europe, North America and the Arab world set off from Turkey in a protest convoy on Thursday, headed for the Syrian border to draw attention to the plight of people in their strife-torn homeland, MSNBC reports.

PAKISTAN: US DRONE STRIKES AGAIN, IS PAKISTAN MILITART ANGLING FOR A FAVOR?

Does the resumption of US drone strikes inside Pakistan this week, after a hiatus of nearly two months, mean the two wary and fractious allies have mended fences? CSM reports. COUP FEARS RESURFACE: Pakistan army on Wednesday warned of “grievous consequences” over accusations by the country’s prime minister that the top military brass had violated the constitution. Yousaf Raza Gilani also sacked the defence secretary, considered close to the military, in an apparent tit-for-tat move that worsened ties between the wobbly civilian government of Asif Ali Zardari and the powerful military that has ruled Pakistan for more than half of its existence, Times of India writes.

AFGHANISTAN: KARZAI BLASTS VIDEO OF MARINES URINATING ON AFGHAN CORPSES

Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Thursday condemned as “completely inhumane” a video that purports to depict four U.S. Marines urinating on the corpses of Taliban fighters. Pentagon officials said commanders believe they have identified the men’s unit and that it is back in the United States, USA Today reports.

EGYPT: MILITARY LIKELY TO RETAIN SOME POLITICAL POWERS

Former President Jimmy Carter said Wednesday that after meeting with Egypt’s military rulers he doubted they would fully submit to the authority of the civilian democracy they had promised to install, David Kirkpatrick (NYT) reports.

Obama Meets Saudi Foreign Minister At White House: AFP

1/10/12

US President Barack Obama on Tuesday met Saudi Foreign Minister Saud Al-Faisal for talks, as the allies face a nuclear showdown with Iran, a political crisis in Yemen and other key issues.

“The President and Prince Saud affirmed the strong partnership between the United States and Saudi Arabia and discussed recent developments on key regional issues of mutual interest,” a White House statement said.

US House Leader Meets With Saudi Oil Minister: AP

1/11/12

The U.S. Congress’ House majority leader has met with Saudi Arabia’s oil minister, marking the latest stop by an official from a major oil importing nation to the OPEC kingpin since Iran threatened to shutter the vital Strait of Hormuz. A statement released Wednesday by the Saudi Oil Ministry says Ali Al-Naimi and Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Virginia, discussed the importance of coordination between oil exporters and importers to stabilize oil markets.

China’s Wen To Discuss Arab Spring With Leaders On Trip To Saudi Arabia, UAE And Qatar: WASHINGTON POST

1/11/12

China’s premier will discuss the Arab Spring with leaders of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar during a visit to those countries later this month, a Chinese official said Wednesday. Wen Jiabao’s visit from Jan. 14-19 will be the first by a Chinese premier to Saudi Arabia in 20 years and to the other two Gulf countries since diplomatic relations were established in the 1980s. CHINA DEFENDS IRAN OIL TRADE DESPITE U.S. PUSH: Lucy Hornby and Chris Buckley (Reuters) report that, “China gave no hint on Wednesday of giving ground to U.S. demands to curb Iran’s oil revenues, rejecting Washington’s sanctions on Tehran as overstepping even as Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner lobbied for Beijing’s support. Geithner met Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Wednesday, before Wen’s trip starting on Saturday to top oil supplier Saudi Arabia, whose output could be important if China turns elsewhere for crude it would otherwise buy from Iran.”

Business Forum: Education – Investing in Human Capital: Prince Faisal: SUSRIS

1/9/12

The Saudi delegation also included among the leadership HH Prince Faisal Bin Abdullah Al-Saud, Minister of Education who provided an overview of the Kingdom’s education efforts in the first plenary session. Saudi Arabia, as Commerce Minister Alireza told the Forum, is “a knowledge-based economy, [where] what you earn depends on what you learn. The real wealth of any nation is its people. And Saudi Arabia is proud to be investing in this asset.” Today we are pleased to bring you the remarks of Minister of Education, Prince Faisal, with his introduction by moderator Steve Clemons, of the New America Foundation.

E-Commerce Lures Mideast Shoppers: MEDIA LINE

1/10/12

It’s not just Facebook and Twitter that have enjoyed surging on-line activity in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) in the past year. E-commerce is growing, too, analysts say as more and more people in the Arab world use the Internet and take out credit cards.

Saudi Oil Output Nearing Capacity Limit: REUTERS

1/10/12

Top oil exporter Saudi Arabia is nearing its comfortable operational production limits and may struggle to do much to make up for shortages that arise from new sanctions imposed on Iran by the West, Gulf-based sources said. ARAMCO STARTS OIL PRODUCTS TRADING FIRM: A new Saudi Aramco subsidiary for trading refined products started commercial operations on Jan. 1, the state oil giant said on Wednesday. Saudi Aramco Products Trading Co (Aramco Trading) will replace the Product Sales and Marketing Department (PSMD) in importing and exporting refined petroleum products, it said in a statement posted on its website, Reuters reports.

Shuaa to Expand Credit Finance Unit into Saudi Arabia: KIPP REPORT

1/11/12

Dubai-based investment bank Shuaa Capital is expanding its profitable credit finance business, Gulf Finance Corp (GFC), into Saudi Arabia and may offer a stake in the unit to new investors, is chief executive said.

“It is the only business that makes money,” CEO Michael Philipp said in an interview on Tuesday.

Report: Israeli Hacker Posts Info about Saudis and Others in Retaliatory Attack: WASHINGTON POST

AP | 1/11/12

An Israeli hacker has posted information online about hundreds of Saudis, Egyptians, Syrians and others — a new salvo in the cyber war launched by an alleged Saudi hacker who leaked details about thousands of Israelis last week, an Israeli newspaper reported Wednesday.

Slow Moe: Saudi Rapper With A Positive Message: ARAB NEWS

1/10/12

Better try while you’re still alive, because there ain’t no second try,” says Moe Mohalhel, aka Slow Moe. He comes alive in his rap and play on words as he tries to engage the meaning and impact of religion in our daily lives. Blending his own style with his endeavor to leave a message behind, Slow Moe takes pride in being a Saudi who raps for a social cause. “I am the first Saudi rapper who raps in English. I am the first Saudi who actually reached out to the world with deep words like in my first official track ‘Arab Pride,’” he told Arab News.

Saudi Arabia’s New Generation Visits Ankara: TODAY’S ZAMAN

Hasan Kanbolat | 1/10/12

Saudi Arabian Prince Abdul-Aziz bin Talal bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud made an official visit to Ankara on Monday. This isn’t the first time that Ankara has hosted a Saudi prince. This trip was particularly significant as, unlike previous visits, its purpose was not a routine official engagement or vacation. Moreover, he visited Ankara, not Istanbul.

Al Harthy’s Saudi Challenge: THE WEEK

1/11/12

Oman’s driving sensation Ahmad al Harthy will be looking to get his season back on track at the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East when the race returns to Saudi Arabia next month, according to a press release.

SYRIA: PRESIDENT’S DENUNCIATION EXPOSES MIDEAST POWER STRUGGLE

Syrian President Bashar Assad’s condemnation of fellow Arab leaders exposes the power struggle running through a region where he, and his father before him, helped lead the cause of Arab nationalism. In his first address to his country since June, a defiant Assad vowed to crush a 10-month-old popular revolt against him. But he also raged at what he regards as the Arab League’s betrayal of Damascus, singling out the Persian Gulf nations that have risen in stature as traditional powers Syria and Egypt have faded, Jeffery Fleishman (LAT) writes.

FACT CHECKING THOMAS FRIEDMAN IN CAIRO: Because Mr. Friedman is enormously influential, with a cabinet full of Pulitzer prizes, it’s important to set the record straight when he gets some facts wrong – as he did in a speech Monday at the American University in Cairo (AUC), writes Dan Murphy (CSM).

IRAN: PUBLIC IRE ONE GOAL FOR IRAN SANCTIONS

The Obama administration sees economic sanctions against Iran as building public discontent that will help compel the government to abandon an alleged nuclear weapons program, according to a senior U.S. intelligence official, the Washington Post reports. NUCLEAR SCIENTIST KILLED IN CAR BOMB BLAST: A nuclear scientist was killed in a blast in a Tehran neighborhood Wednesday morning, an Iranian news agency reported, the latest in a string of attacks against such scientists that Iran has blamed on Israel, CNN reports. CHINA DEFENDS IRAN OIL TRADE DESPITE U.S. PUSH: China gave no hint on Wednesday of giving ground to U.S. demands to curb Iran’s oil revenues, rejecting Washington’s sanctions on Tehran as overstepping even as Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner lobbied for Beijing’s support, Reuters reports.

PAKISTAN: DEFENSE MINISTER FIRED, ARMY WARNS OF TURMOIL

Pakistan’s government fired the defense secretary Wednesday and the army warned of “grievous consequences” for the country, escalating a political and legal crisis that some believe could end in the dismissal of government, AP reports. LULL IN DRONE STRIKES OVER: A two-month lull in drone strikes in Pakistan ended yesterday with a strike in North Waziristan. The temporary halt was widely believed to be an attempt by the US to prevent an irreparable break in an already fragile relationship after a mistaken US attack killed two dozen Pakistani soldiers – although it’s unclear whether ties have sufficiently mended, CSM reports.

UNITED STATES: HOW ROMNEY MIGHT ATTACK OBAMA ON FOREIGN POLICY

While the U.S. president is probably most vulnerable to attacks on his handling of the economy, foreign policy is sure to come up as well. But the Obama entering this race is a very different national security candidate from the man who ran against John McCain in 2008. Here are five key areas where Romney is likely to go after the president, Joshua E. Keating (FP) writes.

GITMO: CLOSURE HOPES FADE AS PRISON TURNS 10

Open for 10 years on Wednesday, the prison seems more established than ever. The deadline set by President Obama to close Guantanamo came and went two years ago. No detainee has left in a year because of restrictions on transfers, and indefinite military detention is now enshrined in U.S. law, CBS reports.

China Premier Wen to Visit Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar This Month: WALL STREET JOURNAL

1/10/12

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao will visit Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar Jan. 14-19.Wen will meet with leaders from the three countries to discuss bilateral relations and international and regional issues of shared concern

UAE Is Saudi’s 2nd Largest Market: EMIRATES 24|7

1/10/12

The UAE has boosted its commercial links with neighbouring Saudi Arabia over the past years to become the Gulf Kingdom’s second largest market, according to the country’s largest bank.

Market Cap Of GCC Stock Markets Falls 7% To $697.4bn: ARAB NEWS

1/10/12

Stock markets worldwide had a turbulent time in the year 2011. GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) markets were no different, as they plunged due to weakness of international economic environments. In addition to that, the political tension that spread throughout the Middle East, added to the markets’ woes. Consequently, all GCC bourses ended 2011 on a lower note, barring the Qatari market which managed to eke out marginal gains, according to a report by Global Investment House (Global).

‘Tortured’ Guantanamo Bay Prisoner Seeks Release Of Secret Videos: MSNBC

Jeff Black | 1/10/12

A new lawsuit seeks to force the U.S. government to make public “extremely disturbing” videotapes of a Saudi national whose abuse at the Guantanamo Bay prison has been called “torture” by a former Bush administration official.

A Saudi-Israeli-Palestinian Negotiation Table: ARAB NEWS

1/10/12

Saudi Arabia had always mastered the art of negotiations. Once given, Saudi words and promises are kept. And it is Saudi Arabia who has the ability to influence the big powers to solve the Palestinian issue. After the Arab Spring, it is obvious that Egypt, Iraq, Libya, Yemen, Tunisia, Algeria, Lebanon, Sudan and Syria are sidelined, and the Palestinians have Riyadh to really rely on for support. And the negotiation table will be enough for three people, a Saudi, an Israeli and a Palestinian.

Analysis: Selling Arms To The Gulf: BBC NEWS

Bill Law | 1/9/12

A huge new arms deal between the United States and Saudi Arabia may signal a push towards a unified military force in the Gulf. In a deal that was announced in Washington on Christmas Eve, the Americans are shipping US $60 billion worth of fighter jets, helicopters and upgrades to the Saudis.

Saudi Cement Production Increases 13% in 2011, Yamamah Data Show: BLOOMBERG

Mourad Haroutunian | 1/10/12

Cement production in Saudi Arabia, the Arab world’s largest economy, grew 13 percent in 2011.

Many Indonesians Repatriated From Saudi Arabia in 2011: JAKARTA POST

1/9/12

The Indonesian Consulate General in Jeddah repatriated a total of 18,675 Indonesian citizens from Saudi Arabia last year for overstaying their permits.

Israel Vows To Go After Saudi Teen Hacker: CBS NEWS

1/9/12

A hacker claiming to be a 19-year-old Saudi posted thousands of Israeli credit card numbers and other personal data online earlier this week — the hacker’s second politically motivated attack this year. SAUDI BANKING OFFICIAL DENIES ISRAELI HACK: A top Saudi banking official on Tuesday denied an Israeli media report that hackers from Israel obtained credit card and bank account details of thousands of Saudi citizens, retaliating for an attack on Israeli accounts, Fox News reports.

Saudi HSBC Unit Has Sole Mandate for Saudi Civil Aviation Sukuk: BLOOMBERG

1/10/12

Saudi British Bank, which is 40 percent owned by HSBC Holdings Plc, has the sole mandate to manage the sale of Islamic bonds by the General Authority of Civil Aviation, according to two bankers familiar with the deal.

Saudi Preacher Calls for Drug, Alcohol Testing for International Students: AL ARABIYA

1/10/12

Statements by a Saudi preacher, Mohamed al-Areefi, about the consumption of alcohol and drugs by international students and his calls that they be subjected to tests at the airport upon returning home stirred much controversy, especially among academics, who rejected what they regarded as a sweeping statement with no scientific basis.

UAE, Saudi among Top 5 Markets for Rolls-Royce: ARABIAN BUSINESS

Andy Sambidge | /9/12

The UAE and Saudi Arabia were the fourth and fifth biggest markets for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars in 2011, the luxury vehicle maker said on Monday.

QATAR: ALCOHOL BAN CREATES TRADE SLUMP FOR RESTAURANTS

Restaurants and bars on Qatar’s flagship Pearl development have seen revenues slump by more than 50 percent in the wake of a new ruling banning the sale of alcohol to customers. Outlets on the manmade island off the coast of Doha were told on Dec 12 they could no longer serve booze to guests in what is seen as a display of tension between Qatar’s Muslim culture and its largely expatriate population, Arabian Business reports.  HOW ‘QATAR TV’ BECAME AL JAZEERA, THE EYES AND EARS OF THE ARAB SPRING: How did so unlikely an enterprise, funded by a minor Arab potentate, come to occupy such a stellar position? And what sort of information product is it dispensing to its growing millions of viewers? Aram Bakshian Jr. (The Atlantic) writes.

EGYPT: LIBERAL PARTY TO BOYCOTT ELECTIONS

The liberal Egyptian party co-founded by Egypt’s wealthiest businessman, mobile phone and media tycoon Naguib Sawiris, has announced it will boycott elections to the upper house claiming “hundreds” of violations by the Islamist parties who have dominated voting thus far, The Guardian reports. SALAFI LEADER: ARMY A SAFE EXIT: There was a time when Islamist lawyer Hazem Salah Abu Ismail’s toughest challenge was brokering business deals and marriages. Now he is trying to bring his conflict resolution skills to the power struggle playing out in the new Egypt, Reuters reports.

AFGHANISTAN: KARZAI AND THE TALIBAN IN A TIZZY OVER NEWS OF SECRET PEACE TALKS

Nothing stirs up a conflict more effectively than the first feeble glimmers of peace. Anyone who doubts it can just look at Afghanistan, where news of preliminary peace talks has provoked President Hamid Karzai to issue yet another ultimatum to his U.S. partners—and where Taliban fighters are feeling betrayed by their leaders’ sudden willingness to negotiate, The Daily Beast writes.

ISRAEL: CHARGES FOR 5 SETTLERS IN W BANK ARMY BASE CLASH

Israeli prosecutors on Sunday charged five radical Jewish settlers with tracking troop movements in the West Bank and organizing a raid on an Israeli Army base there last month, NYT reports.

SYRIA: ARAB LEAGUE PRESSES ON WITH MISSION

Turkey, which has openly called for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down, meanwhile, called on the opposition to keep up its resistance through “peaceful means.” The opposition Muslim Brotherhood slammed the League after the pan-Arab organisation decided on Sunday to extend its observer mission, The Telegraph reports. DON’T WRITE OFF ARAB LEAGUE MISSION YET: While the observers may be failing in their stated goal — to help ensure that the Syrian army halts attacks on civilians — they have already played a significant role in underlining the brutality and untrustworthiness of the Syrian regime, Richard Gowan (Middle East Channel) writes.

IRAN: UN AGENCY CONFIRMS IRAN NUKE WORK AT BUNKER

The U.N. nuclear agency on Monday confirmed that Iran has begun enriching uranium at an underground bunker to a level that can be upgraded more quickly for use in a nuclear weapon than the nation’s main enriched stockpile, George Jahn (AP) reports.

LIBYA: NO RESPONSE’ ON GADDAFI SON AS DEADLINE NEARS

A deadline has nearly elapsed for Libya to give the International Criminal Court information about the health and status of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi. The former Libyan leader’s son was captured in southern Libya in November, BBC reports.

OPINION: TO AVOID ALL-OUT WAR, GIVE IRAN ONE MORE CHANCE, SAYS CONSERVATIVE

Republicans who still call Obama soft on Tehran are either delusional or cynical. His administration has moved a long way from engagement. In fact, it now appears to be moving inexorably toward war… A war with Iran could be a disaster for everyone involved, and even those uninvolved. A last attempt at dialogue — a last attempt to build an offramp for the Iranians — seems to have fewer downsides than a rush to war, Jeffery Goldberg (The Atlantic) writes. COUNTERPRODUCTIVE SANCTIONS?: Tehran has a penchant for signaling just enough interest in negotiations to retain a measure of goodwill among some segments of the international community — particularly countries in Asia that are increasingly vital for Iran’s economic stability. Tehran also might calculate that a show of receptivity could undermine the fragile consensus between the hawkish Americans and the Europeans, who are moving forward with their own ban on Iranian crude, and their more sanctions-averse partners in Moscow and Beijing. There is also, of course, Iran’s well-honed capacity for sanctions-busting and evasion, which will blunt the impact of these new sanctions, Suzanne Maloney (Foreign Affairs) writes.

ANALYSIS: THE WAR ON TERROR IS OVER

Historians may look back at 2011 as the year that the war on terror finally ended. Counterterrorism was not removed from America’s security policy tool box but it no longer serves as a strategic priority and no longer guides how the US structures its relations with nations around the world or thinks and plans for conflict, Magnus Nordenman (The Atlantic) writes.

Saudi Fiscal Surplus to Widen In 2012: EMIRATES 24|7

1/9/12

Saudi Arabia’s fiscal surplus could rocket by more than seven times in 2012 as revenue will likely be far higher than the level projected by the world’s oil powerhouse, according to a key Saudi investment firm. The Gulf Kingdom, the largest Arab economy, forecast a budget surplus of SR12 billion when it announced last week its highest ever expenditure of SR690 billion for 2012 and projected revenue at SR702 billion.

Exclusive: West readies oil plan in case of Iran crisis: REUTERS

Peg Mackey and Richard Mably | 1/6/12

Western powers this week readied a contingency plan to tap a record volume from emergency stockpiles to replace nearly all the Gulf oil that would be lost if Iran blocks the Strait of Hormuz, industry sources and diplomats told Reuters. They said senior executives of the International Energy Agency (IEA), which advises 28 oil consuming countries, discussed on Thursday an existing plan to release up to 14 million barrels per day (bpd) of government-owned oil stored in the United States, Europe, Japan and other importers. Action on this scale would be more than five times the size of the biggest release in the agency’s history — made in response to Iraq’s 1990 invasion of Kuwait.

Saudi Arabia signs $613m contracts for rail project: ARABIAN BUSINESS

Andy Sambidge | 1/7/12

Saudi Arabia said on Saturday it has signed contracts worth more than SR2.3bn ($613m) for the country’s North-South Railway project. In total, the North-South Railway project will stretch for 2,400km and carry both passengers and freight. It will start in Riyadh, in the northwest of the country, and stretch to Al Haditha, near the border with Jordan. The North-South Railway line is being built as a part of 3,900km rail expansion plans.

Mobily Lifts Saudi Stocks To 5-Month High: ARAB NEWS

1/8/12

Dubai’s index led losses among Gulf peers on Sunday as investors stayed on the sidelines awaiting earnings reports, while Saudi shares bulked the regional trend to end at a five-month high.

Foreign Investments in Tadawul to Bring In More Innovative Products: Bakheet Chairman: ARAB NEWS

1/8/12

There were a number of factors that were responsible for a rather subdued Saudi stock market last year. Most of them were related to the international happenings such as the euro zone debt crisis, regional turmoil and extreme uncertainty about the global economy.

Saudi Arabia’s Automotive Aspirations: THE MEDIA LINE

1/8/12

Not content with oil, the kingdom wants to make cars as well; skeptics abound. Fayez Al-Sharef, chemical project director for Saudi Aramco, told Bloomberg News in October that he expects the nascent Saudi automotive industry to eventually create 100,000 jobs and produce a half-million cars every year. If the vision of self-sufficiency through diversification sounds familiar, it’s because Saudi Arabia has been down that road before and failed.

Could Saudi Arabia Become the Next Solar Market Hotspot?: CLEAN TECHNICA

1/9/12

Located within the equatorial “Sun Belt,” where more solar radiation hits the earth than any other part of the globe, best available measurements are that Saudi Arabia receives an average 2,200 thermal kilowatt hours (kWh) of solar energy per square meter of land area every day. That’s an abundant amount of freely available solar energy just waiting to be harnessed.

Al-Qaeda Members Gripe over Cash Crunch as U.S. Targets Funding: BLOOMBERG

Ian Katz and John Walcott | 1/9/12

The Saudi session brought together regional officials involved in countering money laundering and terrorism. Conducted with the help of officials from the Treasury and other U.S. agencies, the conference provided training in financial investigative techniques. Like the Saudi meeting, many of the efforts to obstruct terrorist financing draw little public notice, particularly because it is difficult to show that they may have helped prevent attacks. Still, less money has been flowing from wealthy Persian Gulf sympathizers to the terrorist group’s remaining leaders in Pakistan since the Saudis got serious about terrorism financing in recent years, said a senior U.S. intelligence official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because intelligence issues are classified. Saudi Arabia tries 16 suspected al Qaeda members: News Daily carries a Reuters report saying, “Saudi Arabia has begun the trial of 16 suspected al Qaeda members accused of killing a policeman and plotting attacks on government officials and military weapons facilities.”

Saudi Growth Forecast to Slow: THE NATIONAL

Tom Arnold | 1/9/12

Saudi Arabia’s economic expansion is forecast to slow by half this year as oil production drops and growth in public spending eases.

Productivity of Saudi Workforce ‘Must Match Global Standards’: ARAB NEWS

1/8/12

Ihsan Ali Bu-Hulaiga, a former Shourah member and chairman of Joatha Center for Investment, expressed concern Sunday over growing unemployment among Saudi nationals.

Saudis: We Do Not Fear Israeli Cyber Attack: YNETNEWS

1/9/12

Talat Hafiz, who is in charge of media relations for Saudi banks, said the Arab country does not fear an Israeli cyber attack that would lead to the publication of its citizens’ credit card details, the Al Arabiya network reported Monday.

Saudis, Turkey in Talks on Last Sabic Dumping Claim, Prince Says: BLOOMEBRG

Wael Mahdi | 1/8/12

Saudi Arabia and Turkey are in talks over a claim that Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (SABIC), the world’s largest petrochemical maker, is dumping exports in the Turkish market, a Saudi oil ministry official said. SAUDI-TURKEY TIES STRENGTHENED: An official trade delegation headed by Turkish Economy Minister Zafer Calayan recently paid a visit to Saudi Arabia, Zaman reported. Saudis attached great importance to this visit as evident in the royal treatment given to the Turkish delegation from landing at the airport to meetings with high-level Saudi officials, New Europe reports.

Saudi: ‘Internal’ Matter If Japan Buys Iran Oil: CBS NEWS

1/9/12

A Saudi Oil Ministry official says whether Japan or other countries buy Iranian oil is an “internal matter.” Japan is particularly dependent on imported oil and natural gas after last year’s tsunami forced the shutdown of nuclear reactors in the country. The sanctions could severely limit Tokyo’s ability to buy Iranian oil without running afoul of the punitive measures.

Number of Smokers Increasing In Saudi Arabia: ARAB NEWS

1/8/12

A head and neck oncology conference, organized by the otolaryngology and oncology departments of King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, was recently held at Jeddah Hilton Hotel.

Getting your kicks in the Kingdom: ARAB NEWS

Vaughan Phillips | 1/8/12

English may be the lingua franca of our age but football has created a parallel system of rituals, symbols and movements that people all over the world can share and bond over. Even words such as “Barcelona,” “Messi” and “Goal” can make a total stranger who does not speak your language smile. By creating this common space, football has become much more than just a sport. In view of this, it would be appropriate to recall Bill Shankly’s hyperbolic remark: “Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I can assure them it is more much serious than that.”

Our Ambassador Leena Nasser: ARAB NEWS

Abdullah Al-Alami | 1/9/12

I received an e-mail from a 21-year-old Saudi female university student from Alkhobar currently studying politics in the US. She said she has a dream, simply put, to plan a short trip for students in her anthropology class to Saudi Arabia. Leena Nasser is planning a three-week visit next May, such that students and faculty at Bates College would be able to focus on one specific subject and explore it through research and study of the country.

The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation Presents a Symposium of Coral Reef Conservation in the Red Sea: SACRAMENTO BEE

1/8/12

On January 8th to 11th 2012, the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation will lead a three day symposium of coral reef conservation in the Red Sea, taking place at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, (KAUST) in Thuwal, Saudi Arabia. The symposium marks the conclusion of four years of Red Sea research by the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation, working primarily in collaboration with the Saudi Wildlife Authority (SWA) and the U.S. National Coral Reef Institute (NCRI). Between 2006 and 2009, the Foundation conducted extensive reef surveys along the Saudi Arabian Red Sea coast. Researchers have now combined field data from their SCUBA assessments of corals and fishes with information from satellite imagery and field sensors to create detailed coral reef habitat maps of the Red Sea reefs of Saudi Arabia.

IRAN: US MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR SPYING

An Iranian court has convicted an American man of working for the CIA and sentenced him to death, state radio reported Monday, in a case adding to the accelerating tension between the United States and Iran, AP reports. FAMILY DENIES EX-MARINE WAS a SPY: The family of an American man sentenced to death in Iran for allegedly being a CIA agent said Monday he was visiting relatives there and not spying. Behnaz Hekmati, mother of Amir Mirzaei Hekmati, said in an email to The Associated Press that she and her husband Ali are “shocked and terrified” that their son has been sentenced to death. She said the verdict is “the result of a process that was neither transparent nor fair,” AP reports. IRAN WELCOMES US NAVY OPERATION: Iran’s Foreign Ministry on Saturday welcomed the U.S. Navy’s rescue of 13 Iranian fishermen held captive by pirates, just days after it had warned all U.S. ships to leave the region, Washington Post reports.

SYRIA: ARAB LEAGUE MONITORS BUYING TIME FOR ASSAD, OPPOSITION SAYS

Arab League monitors are only giving Syrian authorities more time to crack down on opponents, opposition figures said on Monday after the League opted to keep the mission in place despite Syria’s failure to comply fully with an Arab peace plan, Allistair Lyon (Reuters) reports. ARAB LEAGUE CALLS TO END VIOLENCE: The Arab League called again on Sunday for Syrian security forces and armed groups to immediately halt the violence in the country, and urged the Syrian government to comply with the terms of a peace deal to end months of bloodshed, Mayy El Sheikh and Nada Bakri (NYT) report. GOVERNMENT CRITICISES ARAB LEAGUE WORDS: Syria’s representative to the Arab League says comments by the head of the group’s committee on Syria, show a “biased stance” toward the crisis in the country, VOA reports.

IRAQ: SUFFERING HIGHEST SINCE 2008, GALLUP POLL FINDS

The percentage of Iraqis who rate their lives poorly enough to be considered “suffering” rose from 14% in October 2010 to 25% in September 2011. This is a reversal of the positive trend between 2008 and 2010, Gallup finds.

PAKISTAN: WHY MUSHARRAF IS RISKING RETURN

Former Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf has said he will return to the country to contest elections, despite an announcement by prosecutors that he will be arrested for the killing of former premier Benazir Bhutto upon arrival, Issam Ahmed (CSM) writes. FORMER US ENVOY DENIES LINK TO COUP MEMO TO COMMISSION PROBING AFFAIR: Pakistan’s ex-envoy to the United States formally rejected allegations he was behind a memo sent to Washington that sought its help in preventing a purported army coup. He testified Monday before to a Supreme Court commission beginning its investigation into the affair, AP/Washington Post reports.

YEMEN: CABINET APPROVES AMNESTY LAW FOR SALEH

The Yemeni cabinet has approved the draft of a law that will give President Ali Abdullah Saleh and his aides immunity from prosecution, CNN reports.

BAHRAIN: GOVERNMENT OVERTURNS DEATH SENTENCES FOR 2 PROTESTERS

A civilian court in Bahrain overturned death sentences Monday for two protesters convicted of murdering two policemen during a wave of anti-government demonstrations last year, AP reports.

VIDEO: IRAN DISCUSSED BY JAVENDEFAR, SLAVIN

Meir Javedanfar and Barbara Slavin discuss Iran. Watch here on bloggingheads.tv.

Saudi Aircraft Deal Creates Jobs in Georgia: GLOBAL ATLANTA

Trevor Williams | 1/5/12

Less than a month after a major Saudi Arabian business conference in Atlanta, the Middle Eastern nation announced a $29.4 billion aircraft purchase that will send ripples across Georgia.

Gulf Equity Markets Could Get Boost From Saudi Opening: WALL STREET JOURNAL

1/5/12

An uncertain global economic recovery and geopolitical tensions in the Middle East will likely weigh on regional equity markets in 2012, but Saudi Arabia could emerge as a key catalyst to reinvigorate investor interest if the world’s largest oil exporter opens up its stock market to foreign investment, analysts say.

Reem Assad: Hero Of Saudi Women: SAUDI GAZETTE

Doha Ghouth | 1/6/12

Reem Assad, an investment analyst at Saudi Fransi Capital with over eight years of experience in investment management, was one of the first in 2008 to initiate the elimination of male staff from the female intimate clothing sector. “Social media should be thanked for resolving so many of the issues we face today because, it spreads everywhere and cannot be ignored,” Assad said.
In her opinion, it is a great way to get the abilities of young women recognized by society.

Alleged Saudi Hacker Posts More Israeli Credit Card Numbers: ASSOCIATED PRESS

1/6/12

A hacker claiming to be a 19-year-old Saudi posted thousands of Israeli credit card numbers and other personal data online — the hacker’s second politically motivated attack this week.

The hacker released the details of some 6,000 active accounts late Thursday, on top of the 15,000 made public earlier in the week, said Yoram Hacohen, the head of Israel’s data protection agency. ISRAELI CONCERNS OF CYBER ATTACK:  Israeli officials said on Friday they were concerned the country may be under cyber attack after a wave of credit card code thefts in the past week by a hacker who claims to be operating out of Saudi Arabia, Reuters reports.

UN Alarmed At Jump In Saudi Executions: AFP

1/6/12

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on Friday said it was alarmed at the almost threefold increase in the use of the death penalty in Saudi Arabia last year.

Saudi Arabia And India To Boost Energy Ties: ARAB NEWS

Ghazanfar Ali Khan | 1/5/12

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh held talks with Minister of Commerce and Industry Tawfiq Al-Rabiah in New Delhi and invited greater cooperation from Saudi Arabia in all fields, describing the Kingdom as a “valued partner.”

Flydubai Adds New Route To Saudi Arabia: AME INFO

1/5/12

Low-cost carrier Flydubai has announced that it is launching a new service to the city of Taif in Saudi Arabia and increasing the frequency of flights to other localities in the kingdom.

Trading Oil On Iran: Untangling Rhetoric From Reality: REUTERS

Dmitry Zhdannikov and Simon Falush | 1/6/12

How does an oil trader play the market when Iran threatens to shut the Strait of Hormuz and strangle Middle East oil supplies? “Buy!” some would say. But “Sell!” could come from cooler heads, the grizzled veterans who can cut through the bellicose rhetoric and who remember the 1980s Gulf “tanker war” in the Iran-Iraq conflict.

OPINION: IRAN’S GROWING STATE OF DESPERATION

In fact, the real story is that Iran is weak and getting weaker. Sanctions have pushed its economy into a nose-dive. The political system is fractured and fragmenting. Abroad, its closest ally and the regime of which it is almost the sole supporter — Syria — is itself crumbling. The Persian Gulf monarchies have banded together against Iran and shored up their relations with Washington. Last week, Saudi Arabia closed its largest-ever purchase of U.S. weaponry. Meanwhile, Europe is close to approving even more intense sanctions against Tehran.

The simplest measure of Iran’s strength is its currency. When Barack Obama became president, you could buy 9,700 rials with one dollar. Since then, the dollar has appreciated 60 percent against the rial, meaning you can buy 15,600 rials, Fareed Zakaria (Washington Post) writes.

UAE: 3G SUBSCRIBERS WILL OVERTAKE GSM IN UAE

The UAE is set to become the second country after Saudi Arabia where the 3G subscriber base will overtake the Global Sysyem of Mobile (GSM) subscriber base this year, industry experts said, Gulf News reports.

SYRIA: UP TO 25 KILLED IN DAMASCUS BLAST

An explosion ripped through a busy intersection in the Syrian capital Friday, hitting a police bus and killing up to 25 people in what Syrian authorities said was the second suicide attack in as many weeks, USA Today reports.

IRAQ: POLITICAL CRISIS DEEPENS WITH CONTINUED EXPLOSIONS

Insurgents unleashed a fierce string of bombings against Iraq’s Shiites on Thursday, attacking pilgrims marching through the desert and neighborhoods in Baghdad, in an attempt to stir sectarian violence. The attacks come amid a political crisis that has brought the government to a halt less than three weeks after American troops withdrew, NYT reports.

TURKEY: FORMER MILITARY CHIEF ARRESTED OVER ALLEGED ANTI-GOVERNMENT PLOT

A former Turkish military chief suspected of leading an Internet campaign to stir revolt was jailed Friday in a sweeping investigation of alleged conspiracies to topple a civilian government that has stripped the armed forces of political clout, the AP reports.

PAKISTAN: FORMER ENVOY TO US CAUGHT IN SCANDAL

Pakistan’s former envoy to the United States, Husain Haqqani, is no stranger to intrigue. But even he didn’t anticipate finding himself effectively imprisoned amid a scandal involving a shady memo, a businessman with unclear motives and allegations of treason. He is caught up in a tense stand-off between Pakistan’s civilian leaders and its generals over a memo that accused the army of plotting a coup after the U.S. raid that killed Osama bin Laden last May, Reuters reports. THE TALIBAN’S NEW WAR PLAN: In a major development on the war on terror front, Pakistani and Afghan Taliban have reportedly pledged to focus on fighting the American and Nato forces inside Afghanistan. The newspaper story elaborating the point says that the Taliban inside both the countries would not be attacking their own national security forces but instead would target the American and NATO forces, an editorial in the Nation of Pakistan writes. PAKISTANI SENTENCED IN U.S. OVER TALIBAN SMUGGLING PLOT: A Pakistani man has been sentenced to more than four years in jail in the United States for trying to smuggle into the country someone he thought was a member of the Pakistani Taliban, Radio Free Europe reports.

AFGHANISTAN: KARZAI DEMANDS RETURN OF BAGRAM DETENTION CENTER

Afghan President Hamid Karzai demanded today that the U.S. detention center at Bagram Air Base be handed over to his country’s control in the next month, Chris Parsons (Daily Mail) reports.

Saudi Oil Dilemma Should Worry Consumers: THE SOURCE

James Herron | 1/4/12

Domestic energy consumption in the world’s largest oil exporter, Saudi Arabia, is growing so fast that it threatens the country’s ability to adequately supply world oil markets, London think tank Chatham House warned Wednesday. SAUDI READY TO FILL SUPPLY GAP: Saudi Arabia is ready to fill any oil supply gaps in the market if needed, a Saudi source told Reuters on Thursday following news of European governments’ agreement to ban imports of Iranian crude, Reuters reports.

Saudi Spending To Exceed 2012 Budget, But Surplus Likely: AL ARABIYA

Reuters | 1/5/12

Spending by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2012 will likely be higher than budgeted, but the country will still run a fiscal surplus of 4 percent of GDP, says Fitch Ratings.
Spending growth will moderate in 2012 compared with last year. In 2011, spending growth reached 24 percent, the highest in a decade. The government raised public sector wages, created government jobs, injected capital into state-owned lenders and pledged more resources for housing. Capital spending – mainly on infrastructure – exceeded 12 percent of GDP.

Kuwait, Saudi Protest Against Iranian Remarks Over Disputed Gas Field: XINHUA

1/5/12

Kuwait and Saudi Arabia protested against remarks by an Iranian oil official that Tehran plans to unilaterally develop a disputed gas field, the official KUNA news agency reported Wednesday.

BAE To Get $780m Cash Boost From Saudi Order: ARABIAN BUSINESS

1/5/12

BAE Systems, Europe’s largest defense company, is poised to receive a cash boost of about £500m ($780m) once an agreement is reached with Saudi Arabia on pricing for Eurofighter aircraft, UBS analysts said in a note.

Saudis Ask India to Reconsider Duty on Caustic Soda, Watan Says: BLOOMBERG

1/5/12

Saudi Arabia asked India to reconsider the anti-dumping duty it imposed on imports of caustic soda from the kingdom, Tawfiq al-Rabiah, minister of trade and industry said in a visit to New Delhi yesterday, al- Watan newspaper reported.

Sen. McCaskill Praises Sale of Fighter Jets to Saudi Arabia: ST. LOUIS AMERICAN

1/5/12

U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill said the announced sale of nearly $30 billion worth of Boeing’s F-15 fighter jets—produced in St. Louis—to Saudi Arabia will support jobs in the region.

Female Passport Officers At Border Checkpoints Soon: SAUDI GAZETTE

1/5/12

Female Saudi personnel will soon be deployed at the Kingdom’s borders to process the passports of those who enter and exit the country, according to Col. Badr Al-Malik, spokesman of the General Directorate of Passports.

Saudi Hacker Reveals List Of 11 Thousand Additional Israeli Credit Cards: HAARETZ

1/5/12

The Saudi hacker who managed to steal 15 thousand Israeli credit cards revealed another 11 thousand stolen numbers on Thursday, and threatened to release one million total stolen numbers.

Women Only To Work In Saudi Arabia Lingerie Shops: BBC

Emily Buchanan | 1/5/12

“It’s about time, it’s been a long struggle and the authorities have finally come to their senses,” says Radio Jeddah journalist Samar Fatany.

IRAN: EUROPE TAKES BOLD STEP TOWARD A BAN ON IRANIAN OIL

European countries have taken their boldest step so far in the increasingly tense standoff with Iran over its nuclear program, agreeing in principle to impose an embargo on Iranian oil, French and European diplomats said on Wednesday, the NYT reports. ANALYSIS: WAR OF WORDS CALCULATED TO AVOID ACTUAL CONFLICT: The recent escalation in Iranian threats to blockade oil shipments and attack U.S. Navy vessels are meant to push up the price of oil and divert domestic opinion from an economic crisis but are not likely to lead to a war in the Persian Gulf, in the view of Iran experts, Barbara Slavin (IPS) writes. ANALYSIS: WHO IS AFRAID OF THE AYATOLLAHS?: “Just how worried should we be about Iran? How much harm can Iran actually do to us? This question is important since, despite all the scare talk, the United States and its allies are actually conducting their relations with Iran as if they were entirely immune to any retaliation.  Such policies include the use of drones for both reconnaissance and attack; covert (or officially deniable) actions, such as the Stuxnet worm introduced into the Iranian nuclear infrastructure and/or assassinations of suspect individuals; displays of military force; and destructive unilateral sanctions, Gary Sick (Gary’s Choices) writes. EDITORIAL: GO FOR THE ‘OIL’ JUGULAR: The Editorial Board of the Chicago Tribune writes, “Mounting tensions in the gulf usually prompt frantic diplomatic efforts to calm the waters. Not this time. Iran’s shrill pronouncements are powerful evidence that Tehran feels the economic squeeze of U.S. and EU sanctions, aimed at halting Iran’s rogue nuclear program. More evidence: Iran’s currency has plunged by 40 percent against the dollar in a month. Desperate Iranians swamp banks and currency exchanges, scrambling to buy dollars as a hedge. The mullahs are spooked — for good reason.”

BAHRAIN: THE REVOLUTION THAT WASN’T

Arab revolts against secular leaders have been much more successful over the past year than those against monarchs. The one monarchy that faced a serious threat was the tiny Persian Gulf island of Bahrain. But after weeks of protests, troops from Saudi Arabia rolled into the country, the Bahraini regime imposed martial law, and a government crackdown followed. Kelly McEvers made several trips to Bahrain this past year and filed this report as part of NPR’s series looking at the Arab Spring and where it stands today.

IRAQ: BOMBINGS KILL SCORES, TENSIONS GROW

At least 68 people are reported to have been killed in bomb attacks in southern Iraq and in the capital Baghdad. Officials said 44 people died in a suicide attack targeting Shia pilgrims in the city of Nasiriya, BBC reports.

EGYPT: RESERVES PLUNGED 50% IN 2011, FUELING CURRENCY CONCERN

Egypt’s international reserves fell for a 12th month in December, sending bond yields to a record high and fueling investor concerns about a currency devaluation, Bloomberg reports.

SYRIA: 500 DETAINEES RELEASED ACCORDING TO STATE MEDIA

The move follows the release last week of 755 detainees, part of a peace plan that Syria signed with the Arab League in December. The deal calls for the withdrawal of troops from cities, dialogue with the opposition and the release of thousands of detainees, CSM reports.

TURKEY: ‘WE WONT ALLOW STRIKES ON IRAN’ FROM TURKISH SOIL

In a joint press conference with Iranian counterpart, the Turkish foreign minister says Ankara won’t allow its territory to be used for Iran strike, YNETNEWS reports.

AFGHANISTAN: KARZAI APPEARS TO ENDORSE US-TALIBAN TALKS

Afghan President Hamid Karzai appeared to endorse talks between the United States and the Taliban that could lead to the opening of a Taliban liaison office in Qatar. Karzai’s announcement Wednesday followed news a day earlier from the Taliban that it tentatively agreed to open an office in Qatar’s capital city of Doha to facilitate talks on the Afghan conflict, CNN reports. IRAN INCREASES EFFORTS TO INFLUENCE IN AFGHANISTAN: Worried that U.S. troops could stay in Afghanistan beyond 2014, Iran is mounting an aggressive campaign to fuel anti-American sentiment here and convince Afghan leaders that a robust, long-term security partnership with Washington would be counterproductive, Afghan officials and analysts say, Washington Post reports.

PAKISTAN: TALIBAN KILLS 15 ABDUCTED SECURITY OFFICERS

The Pakistani Taliban said Thursday that it has killed 15 paramilitary soldiers who were abducted late last month along the country’s restive border with Afghanistan. A Taliban spokesperson told reporters that the Pakistani troops were shot and dumped in the border tribal region of North Waziristan. Local officials say they have recovered the bodies, which show signs of torture and gunshot wounds, VOA reports.

Saudi Economy Is Guarded By Massive Assets: EMIRATES 24|7

1/4/12

Saudi Arabia’s economy is not vulnerable to fresh global financial crisis as its foreign assets climb to their highest ever level on the back of strong oil prices, the Gulf Kingdom’s largest bank said on Tuesday.

Strait Of Hormuz And Iranian Threats: ARAB NEWS

Abdulateef Al-Mulhim | 1/3/12

Every five years, the Iranians would threaten the whole world that they would close the Strait of Hormuz. They never did. They simply can’t do it and they are not capable of doing it even if they wanted to do it.

Saudi Poets Slam ‘Plague’ Of Extremism And Poverty In Million’s Poet: THE NATIONAL

Rym Ghazal | 1/4/12

Two Saudi poets, described by judges as “daring”, made it through to the next round at last night’s premiere of the fifth season of the Million’s Poet TV programme in Abu Dhabi.
Saqqar Al Ouni and Mansour Faheed took on sensitive issues in their opening poems, slamming the “plague” of extremism and poverty in parts of the region.

E-Gate Coming To Kingdom’s Airports: SAUDI GAZETTE

1/4/12

Saudis and expatriates can soon use their magnetic identity and iqama cards to enter and exit the Kingdom, instead of having to show their passports at the country’s airports.

Saudi Arabian Private-Sector Activity Eases Off: THE NATIONAL

Tom Arnold | 1/4/12

The rate of private-sector business expansion in Saudi Arabia eased slightly last month as new orders declined, a survey released yesterday shows.

Job Market For Saudi Youths Opens: ARAB NEWS

1/4/12

A leading private sector establishment in the capital will provide a job market for thousands of Saudi jobseekers and prospective employers at its first ever exhibition to be held at the InterContinental Hotel in Riyadh on Wednesday.

Saudi Arabia Sees ‘Huge Potential’ For Trade With India: TIMES OF INDIA

1/4/12

Against economic troubles in Europe and uncertainty in the US, Saudi Arabia on Wednesday said it sees “huge potential” for stepping up commercial engagement with India. However, Saudi Arabia which is home to two million Indian workforce, asked the Indian government to relax visa rules to boost bilateral trade and investment. “We are eager to do more trade with India. Huge potential is present in both the nations as both are emerging economies,” said Saudi commerce and industry minister Tawfeeq Al Rabea.

Saudis Use More Oil; Exporter Status Threatened: MARKETWATCH

James Herron | 1/4/12

Growing domestic energy consumption in the world’s largest oil exporter, Saudi Arabia, threatens its ability to adequately supply world markets, said a report from London-based think tank Chatham House.

Tunisia Says Saudi Silent On Requests To Extradite Ex-Leader: AL MASRY AL YOUM

1/4/12

Saudi Arabia has ignored Tunisia’s request to hand over ex-president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali to be tried for a brutal clampdown on protests, the head of the Tunis military tribunal said Tuesday.

Sabic Faces Anti-Dumping Case in Turkey, al-Watan Reports: BLOOMBERG

1/4/12

Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (SABIC), the world’s biggest petrochemical maker, faces an anti-dumping case brought by the Turkish government against its exports of monoethylene glycol, Chief Executive Officer Mohamed al-Mady told the newspaper al-Watan.

Did Saudi Prince Inspire Rupert Murdoch to Tweet?: FORBES

1/3/12

I’m told it had also something to do with the $300 million investment in Twitter last month by Prince Alwaleed bin Talal’s Kingdom Holding. That deal, which reportedly valued the service at more than $8 billion, was big enough to grab the attention of a man whose interest in new technologies — think of his recent obsession with the iPad, or, before that, MySpace — tends to be intense but ephemeral.

LIBYA: NATION NAMES HEAD OF ARMED FORCES, WHILE MILITIAS CLASH

Libya on Tuesday named Yousef al-Manqoush, a retired general from the anti-Gaddafi bastion of Misrata, as head of the armed forces in the first significant move to build a new Libyan military.

The appointment was announced as four fighters were killed in a gun battle between rival militias in Tripoli, underlining the interim government’s difficulties in controlling the increasingly fractious groups who toppled Muammar Gaddafi, Asharq Alawsat/Reuters reports. RISKS OF CIVIL WAR IF MILITIAS ARE NOT CONTROLLED: Libya risks sliding into civil war unless it brings under control the rival militias which filled the vacuum left by Muammar Gaddafi’s downfall, the head of the interim administration said after an outbreak of violence in the capital, REUTERS reports.

AFGHANISTAN: TALIBAN EXPRESSES INTEREST IN NEGOTIATING

The Taliban on Tuesday for the first time publicly expressed interest in negotiating with Washington, outlining a vision for talks with U.S. officials in Qatar that conspicuously excluded a role for the Afghan government, Ernesto Londono (Washington Post) reports.

EGYPT: ISLAMISTS EYE MAJORITY IN FINAL LEG OF VOTE

The Islamist Muslim Brotherhood looks set for a dominant role in Egypt’s first free parliament in decades and is promising rivals a role in writing a new constitution as military generals face growing pressure to hand power to civilians, Reuters reports. OVERTURES TO ISLAMISTS A FIRST FOR US POLICY IN EGYPT: With the Muslim Brotherhood pulling within reach of an outright majority in Egypt’s new Parliament, the Obama administration has begun to reverse decades of mistrust and hostility as it seeks to forge closer ties with an organization once viewed as irreconcilably opposed to United States interests, NYT reports.

ISRAEL: HAMAS CALLS ISRAEL-PALESTINIAN MEETING A FARCE

The Palestinian group Hamas said on Wednesday that the first face-to-face meeting in 16 months between Israeli and Palestinian negotiators to try to restart stalled peace talks was a “farce” and a “waste of time, ” Haaretz.

PAKISTAN: 3 IRANIAN GUARDS FACE MURDER CHARGES

A Pakistani official says three Iranian border guards held here face murder charges after fatally shooting a man inside Pakistan’s territory while chasing smugglers, AP reports.

IRAQ: SERIES OF ATTACKS KILL 4, WOUND 9

A series of attacks in Iraq on Wednesday targeting the homes of police officers and a member of a government-allied militia killed four people, including two children, officials said, AP reports.

IRAN: WHY CURRENCY HAS DROPPED

Washington’s new financial legislation against Tehran will sanction foreign firms that purchase Iranian oil – by far the chief source of Iranian government revenue – and penalize banks engaging in financial transactions with Iran. The legislation won’t be enacted for another six months, in order for the White House to prepare for any potential fallout on global oil prices, and the rial strengthened today somewhat to 16,200 rials to the dollar. But the psychological impact on ordinary Iranians, who see a strong rial as a sign of national strength amid the Islamic Republic’s growing international isolation, has been huge, Christian Science Monitor writes.

KUWAIT: MASSIVE BUDGET SURPLUS

Kuwait’s budget surplus reached 11.6 billion dinars ($41.6 billion) in the first eight months of its 2011-12 fiscal year, double than a year ago on higher than expected oil revenue and lower spending, finance ministry data showed on Tuesday, Trade Arabia reports.

OPINION: HAWKS WHO LEARNED NOTHING

It’s worth noting that a lot of people got various things wrong about Iraq at various times. This writer is no exception. But the following critics are particularly notable not only because they were completely and catastrophically wrong about the costs and benefits of the Iraq War, and more generally about the capacity of American military power to determine outcomes, but also because they tended to go about it in the most condescending way possible. They have also suffered no apparent penalty for it. Going forward, our country will be safer and more secure in inverse proportion to the amount of influence these people have, writes Matt Duss (Salon).

SAMA’s Reserve Assets Reach SR1.97 Trillion: ARAB NEWS

1/1/12

Saudi Arabia has posted a large budget surplus of SR306 billion despite sharp jump in expenditure in 2011. Revenue reached to SR1.11 trillion and expenditure touched SR804 billion in the year. Government proposed an increase in both revenue and expenditure in 2012 compared to what was estimated for the current year. It estimates real GDP growth at 6.8 percent and nominal GDP growth at 28 percent for the year 2011. Trade surplus is estimated to have reached record level of SR915 billion whereas current account surplus touched SR598 billion in 2011. Public debt has been estimated to come down to just SR135.5 billion, 6.3 percent of GDP in 2011. REPORT SAYS GROWTH MAY FALL IN 2012: Saudi Arabia’s economic growth is expected to fall to 3.1 percent in 2012, from 6.8 percent in 2011 as the kingdom’s oil production is forecast to drop after a large rise in 2011, a report said, Trade Arabia reports.

Eighth National Dialogue on Reform, Development: ARAB NEWS

Dr. Mona S. Almunajjed | 1/3/11

There is no satisfactory alternative to open dialogue in any society, and its success depends on how far it achieves its goals and objectives and on its impact on people. The Eighth National Dialogue on Reform and Development, the latest in a series of national dialogues established through the King Abdul Aziz National Dialogue Center, took place in Riyadh on Nov. 29-30, 2011 and provided a civil and sophisticated forum for exchanging views and decision-making.

India Lifts Duty On Saudi Exports Amid Worries Over Iran’s Oil: BLOOMBERG

1/3/12

India lifted an anti-dumping duty on Saudi Arabian polypropylene amid escalating concerns that international sanctions on Iran may disrupt oil shipments from the Persian Gulf nation.

Business, NGO Leaders to Focus on Entrepreneurship at Global Meet: PRESS RELEASE

1/2/12

Hundreds of business and NGO leaders, intellectuals and media persons will converge in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from January 21 to 24 to participate in the Sixth Global Competitiveness Forum (GCF). The event is expected to offer insight on the continuing economic and financial problems affecting the world as well as positive ideas to address the most pressing global challenges.

Four New Business Activities Added To Nitaqat: SAUDI GAZETTE

1/3/12

The Ministry of Labor has added new four business activities to the Nitaqat Program — kindergartens, bakeries, ready-mix concrete, and information technology.

Saudi Healthcare Grads Snub Private Sector Jobs: ARABIAN BUSINESS

1/3/12

Thousands of healthcare graduates in Saudi Arabia gathered outside government offices this week in protest at state plans to employ some 14,000 doctors and nurses in private hospitals.

Saudi Polymers to Start Propylene & PP Plants in Q1: FIBRE2FASHION

1/3/12

Saudi Polymers based in Saudi Arabia plans to begin commercial production of its newly built propylene and polypropylene (PP) plants in the first quarter of 2012.

Russia Passes Saudi Arabia: BARENTS OBSERVER

1/3/12

With reference to the Ministry of Energy, Bloomberg reports that Russia’s average daily output reached 10,27 million barrels per day in average last year. The year-to-year growth was 1,25 percent. The production in November and December 2011 was even higher, reaching 10,35 and 10.32 million barrels per day for the two last months of the year.

Saudi Hackers Publish Israeli Credit Card Numbers on the Internet: LA TIMES

1/3/12

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently increased the sum Israelis could spend on Internet goods purchased abroad and imported without paying customs. The reason for expanding Israelis’ eBay and other web-shopping options was to encourage competitive prices in Israel and make a dent in the cost of living. But Israelis won’t be in a hurry to cyber shop this week, as thousands woke up horrified Tuesday to find their credit card numbers along with their personal details published online. Overnight, Saudi hackers named Group-XP claimed they broke into a leading Israeli sports site, redirecting surfers to a page where they could download a file containing the sensitive information.

Saudi Basic Industries Corporation: Crown Prince honors SABIC for supporting scientific research in the Kingdom: 4-TRADERS

1/3/12

Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, honored SABIC for supporting the Scientific Research Chairs Program of the Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University and extending financial assistance to establish the SABIC Chair for Islamic Finance Market Studies at the university. Mohamed Al-Mady, SABIC Vice Chairman and CEO, received a trophy in recognition of this support at the opening ceremony of a seminar on “Salafism: A Shariah Approach and National Demand” held at the university in Riyadh on December 27.

IRAN: WARNINGS FROM MILITARY OVER U.S. AIRCRAFT CARRIER PRESENCE

“Iran advises, recommends and warns them [the US] not to move its carrier back to the previous area in the Gulf because Iran is not used to repeating its warnings and warns just once,” the semi-official Fars news agency quoted Maj Gen Salehi as saying, the FT reports. DAUGHTER OF FORMER IRANIAN PRESIDENT SENTENCED TO JAIL: The daughter of former Iranian president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani has been sentenced to six months in jail after being found guilty of “spreading propaganda” against the country’s regime, the Guardian reports. FRENCH FM URGES TOUGH SANCTIONS: French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe on Tuesday asked the European community to impose further tough sanctions against Iran after its recent threat to block the strategic oil passage of Strait of Hormuz, Xinhua reports.

SYRIA: REBEL LEADER THREATENS TO ESCALATE ATTACKS

The commander of Syria’s armed rebels threatened on Tuesday to step up attacks on President Bashar al-Assad’s forces, saying he was frustrated with Arab League monitors’ lack of progress in ending a government crackdown on protests, Dominic Evans and Erika Solomon (Reuters) report. FRANCE SAYS REGIME COMMITTING MASSACRES: French President Nicolas Sarkozy accused Syrian leader Bashar Assad of “barbarous repression” Tuesday and demanded that he step down, saying the regime is massacring its own people, AP reports.

AFGHANISTAN: TALIBAN WILL OPEN OFFICE IN QATAR IN BOOST TO PEACE TALKS

Afghanistan’s Taliban guerrilla movement said it has reached an initial agreement with Qatar to open a liaison office in the Gulf state to facilitate peace talks with the international community, Bloomberg reports. $30 BILLION GEAR DILEMMA: As the drawdown of U.S. troops from Afghanistan steps up in 2012, NATO military planners are trying to figure out the logistics of how to ship out the massive quantities of alliance vehicles, weapons and other equipment from the mountainous landlocked country, AP reports.

PAKISTAN: PAK TALIBAN ‘AT EACH OTHERS THROATS’

Al Qaeda, the Afghan Taliban and Pakistani militants have held a series of meetings aimed at containing what could soon be open warfare between the two most powerful Pakistani Taliban leaders, militant sources have said. Hakimullah Mehsud, the head of the Pakistani Taliban, also known as the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and his deputy, Wali-ur-Rehman, were at each other’s throats, the sources said, Reuters reports.

EGYPT: CONSTITUTION TO BE DRAFTED BEFORE PRES ELECTIONS

Judge Mohamed Attia, minister of parliamentary affairs, stated on Sunday to the Arabic Ahram daily newspaper that presidential nominations will begin in April. He added that the presidential elections will not take place before the new constitution is drafted and approved via a national referendum, Ahram Online reports.

TUNISIA: TRIAL FOR BEN ALI OVER KILLINGS

Tunisian authorities are trying former President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali in absentia Tuesday for his alleged role in the death of protesters in January 2011, CNN reports.

QATAR: EUROPE’S TALLEST SKYSCRAPER SYMBOL OF QATAR FINANCIAL MUSCLE?

Slicing through the air above the dank and dripping Victorian tunnels by London Bridge is a new symbol of extraordinary confidence. But how does all this, rising beside some of the poorest wards in the country, add up in Britain’s listing economy? It is notable that so far no office tenants have signed up, although the developers say they are in talks with several and are being selective. The answer may lie in its ownership – the Shard owes its existence to a power play by a gas-rich kingdom more than 4,000 miles away. From spring 2009, when construction began, Qatari wealth poured into the project. As the global economic crisis forced builders to down tools on sites across the UK, around £1.5bn – mostly from the Gulf – bankrolled the Shard, the Independent reports.

Business Forum: Economy Overview and Modon – Dr. Rabiah: SUSRIS

12/31/11

Dr. Tawfiq Al-Rabiah, since named Saudi Minister of Commerce and Industry, spoke at the recent U.S.-Saudi Business Opportunities Forum in his capacity as chief of Modon, in which he touched on growth in the economy, the Saudi industrial strategy and the role of Modon. Please open the embedded slides from Dr. Rabiah’s brief to further illuminate these topics as you review his comments. Also included is the video recording of his presentation.

SEC Signs 11 Power Contracts Worth SR2bn: ZAWYA

Arab News | 12/31/11

Saudi Electricity Company announced Friday that it has signed 11 contracts worth SR2 billion to set up power transport lines, gas-powered generating units and transformers in different parts of the country to beef up supply to meet growing demand.

Saudi F-15s Tip Of $123B Gulf Arms Plan: SPACE WAR

12/30/11

The $30 billion sale of 84 advanced Boeing F-15SA fighters and upgrades for 70 older models is a major component of a far wider U.S. arms deal with Saudi Arabia that’s worth $63 billion and aimed at countering Iran. But even that mega-deal is dwarfed by what the Financial Times calls “one of the largest re-armament exercises in peacetime history” — the sale of advanced weapons worth $122.88 billion to the Arab monarchies of the Persian Gulf, all to smother Iran’s expansionist aims.

Kingdom, UAE Dominate Turkish-GCC Trade: ARAB NEWS

1/1/12

Turkish trade with the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council), in spite of considerable positive progress in recent years, is lagging far behind its potential. Negotiations for a free trade agreement between Turkey and the GCC were launched in November 2005 but are still ongoing and are expected to conclude soon. The delays appear to have been linked above all to the global economic crisis with the talks suspended for a while in 2008-2009, according to a report “Turkey and the GCC: A strengthening Relationship” issued by the National Commercial Bank (NCB).

Saudi Arabia, Asia Set to Dominate Sukuk Market in 2012: ARAB NEWS

Mushtak Parker | 1/1/12

Asia and Saudi Arabia are inevitably set to dominate the sukuk market in 2012 with high quality quasi-sovereign issuers taking the lead, especially to fund infrastructure and projects in the oil, gas, petrochemicals and transport sectors.

Saudi Arabia To Lead GCC In Economic Growth In 2012: AL ARABIYA

1/2/12

In reviewing measures of economic performance in Saudi Arabia, the budget of SR690 billion ($184bn) is expected to create a large number of jobs in the kingdom this year; indeed, recruitment experts are predicting that the country will add more jobs than any other nation in the region.

Saudi Arabia Seeks Arrest of 23 Shi’ites for Unrest: REUTERS

1/2/12

Saudi Arabia is seeking the arrest of 23 Shi’ite Muslims in the kingdom’s Eastern Province who it says were responsible for unrest that has led to shootings and protests in recent weeks, state television said on Monday.

Saudi, Libya Agree To Exchange Ambassadors And Restore Full Ties After Gadhafi’s Ouster: WASHINGTON POST

Associated Press | 1/2/12

Saudi Arabia and Libya have agreed to restore full diplomatic ties and exchange ambassadors now that longtime Libyan ruler Moammar Gadhafi is no longer in power. The Saudi Press Agency said Sunday that ties between Riyadh and Tripoli would be restored and that the Saudi Embassy in Libya would be reopened.

Saudi Women Jostle for Jobs as Lingerie Clerks: ARABIAN BUSINESS

1/1/12

More than 28,000 Saudi women have come forward to take up jobs as sales clerks in lingerie and accessory shops following a government push to force stores to hire female staff, it was reported Sunday.  ONLY WOMEN IN SHOPS: Saudi Arabia says starting Thursday, only females can work in women’s lingerie stores, AP reports.

Saudi Diesel Grant Covers Two Months-Yemen Oilmin: KIPP REPORT

1/1/12

Yemen’s oil minister said on Saturday a grant of diesel from Saudi Arabia would be enough to cover the country’s needs for two months.

Mobily Chairman: Broadband Is Horizon of Growth: ARAB NEWS

Walaa Hawari | 1/1/12

Abdulaziz Saleh Al-Saghyir, chairman of the board of directors of Etihad Etisalat (Mobily), rates the Saudi telecommunication and IT sector as the most competitive and most developed sector for many years to come.

Hafiz Program Kicks Off: ARAB NEWS

Abdul Hannan Tago | 1/1/12

Saudi Arabia authorities started releasing financial assistance on Saturday to the Saudi unemployed from the SR1.11 billion earmarked for that purpose.

Have We Become A Nation Of Idlers?: ARAB NEWS

Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg | 1/1/12

Have we become a nation of idlers? That’s what official statistics seem to indicate. According to a report by the Central Statistics and Information Department (CSID), there are about 11.8 million Saudis of working age, but only 3.8 million are actually working. That leaves eight million Saudi citizens, or two out of three, who are not working during a period of high growth and prosperity. In economic terms, these figures translate into a 32 percent “labor force participation rate,” which is extremely low by international standards.

Saudi Jumping Team Makes Olympic Cut: HORSETALK

1/1/12

Saudi Arabia has secured the final qualifying slot for the jumping competition at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

UAE: UNITED STATES SELLS 3.5 BILLION MISSILE SHIELD TO UAE

The United States has signed a $3.5 billion sale of an advanced antimissile interception system to the United Arab Emirates, part of an accelerating military buildup of its friends and allies near Iran, Reuters reports.

IRAN: SANCTIONS BITE AS IRANIAN RIYAL HITS RECORD LOW

Iran’s currency hit a new record low to the U.S. dollar on Monday, two days after President Barack Obama signed into law a bill targeting Iran’s central bank as part of the West’s efforts to pressure Tehran over its nuclear program, Washington Post reports.

SYRIA:  ARAB LEAGUE WANTS TO PULL MONITORS DUE TO ASSAD VIOLENCE

A pan-Arab body called Sunday for the immediate withdrawal of Arab League monitors in Syria, because President Bashar al-Assad’s government has continued to kill opponents, despite the monitors’ presence. The recommendation of the group, the 88-member Arab Parliament, is nonbinding. The group said that Arabs are angered by the Syrian government’s continuing killings while there are nearly 100 monitors in the country. The monitors are supposed to be ensuring that Syria complies with terms of the Arab League’s plan to end Syria’s bloody nine-month crackdown on dissent — a plan the Syrian government agreed to on Dec. 19, NYT/AP reports. ARAB LEAGUE WARNS OF CONTINUED VIOLENCE FROM SNIPERS:

Gunfire is continuing and snipers are still a threat in Syria, the Arab League secretary general has said, BBC reports.  The Syrian military has withdrawn heavy weapons from residential areas and is on the outskirts of cities, Nabil al-Arabi added.

EGYPT: MUBARAK PROSECTION SET TO BEGIN

Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, accused of ordering protesters killed, could face a verdict before the end of the month, a lawyer involved in the trial said Monday, CNN reports.

ISRAEL: HAMAS CONDEMNS PA FOR AGREEING TO SPEAK WITH ISRAEL

Hamas leaders in Gaza on Monday called on the Palestinian Authority to cancel a meeting with Israeli negotiators set to take place in Amman on Tuesday, China’s official Xinhua news agency reported. On Sunday, the Jordanian Foreign Ministry announced that Israeli and Palestinian negotiators will meet in Jordan for direct talks. This will be the first public direct meeting between the sides in more than a year, Haaretz reports.

IRAQ: OFFICIAL WARNS OF SECURITY FORCES ABUSE

Iraq’s parliament speaker warned Monday that human rights violations are putting the country’s fragile democracy at risk, the latest pronouncement in a rapidly developing sectarian spat that threatens to destabilize the country after U.S. troops pulled out, AP reports.

OPINION: MILITARY ACTION IS NOT THE ONLY SOLUTION IN IRAN

Military action is becoming the seemingly fail-safe solution for the United States to deal with real and imagined security problems. The uncertain and intellectually demanding ways of diplomacy are seen as “unmanly” and tedious — likely to involve compromise or even “appeasement.” President Obama made efforts to engage Iranian leaders his first year in office but, when rebuffed, turned in a different direction. Since then, our most effective diplomacy regarding Iran has been to muster support worldwide for an unprecedented series of sanctions and ostracization, William H. Luers and Thomas R. Pickering (Washington Post) writes.

US-Saudi Arms Package Moves Forward: SUSRIS

12/30/11

The United States and Saudi Arabia edged closer to delivery of 84 advanced F-15 fighter aircraft and upgrades to 70 F-15s already in the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) inventory, a defense package worth $29.4 billion, with the conclusion of an agreement this week. According to Pentagon officials the letter of offer and acceptance was signed over the weekend between the parties. US ARMS SALE SENDS MESSAGE TO IRAN: Although the White House said the deal had not been accelerated to respond to threats by Iranian officials in recent days to shut off the Strait of Hormuz, its timing is laden with significance, as tensions with Iran have deepened and the US has withdrawn its last soldiers from Iraq. ”This sale will send a strong message to countries in the region that the United States is committed to stability in the gulf and the broader Middle East,” said Andrew Shapiro, the Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs. ”It will enhance Saudi Arabia’s ability to deter and defend against external threats to its sovereignty.” STATEMENT FROM BOEING: “For Boeing, this agreement represents the continuation of an enduring partnership between the company and the Kingdom that dates back to 1945 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt presented a DC-3 Dakota airplane to King Abdulaziz Al-Saud, the founder of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” said McNerney. “We appreciate the efforts of the Obama Administration and the trust of King Abdullah’s government in finalizing the agreement, which will support tens of thousands of American jobs and help the Kingdom enhance its defense capabilities and diversify its workforce,” said Boeing President and CEO Jim McNerney. SAUDI DEAL OFFERS SECURITY FOR THOUSANDS OF ST. LOUIS WORKERS: St. Louis and national Boeing officials joined the White House Thursday in hailing a $30 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia that promises job security through at least 2020 to about 2,000 Boeing production workers here, STLToday.com reports. ABOUT THOSE F-15s: Cancelling the deal with Saudi Arabia would have been a tremendous blow to both Boeing and the people of St. Louis. I am not among those who argue we should keep U.S. defense spending high in order to support the U.S. economy, but in this case, I think it is naive to assume U.S. domestic politics did not play at least a small role in this sale. I’m sure the congressional delegation of Missouri, for example, is enjoying a late Christmas present today,” writes Abu Muqawama Blog.

Note: the president barely lost Missouri in 2008.”

New Island Forms in Red Sea off Yemen, Says NASA: AL ARABIYA

12/28/11

A new island has appeared off the west coast of Yemen following a volcanic eruption, NASA said Friday. The U.S. space agency’s Earth Observatory posted satellite photos showing a plume of white smoke rising from the ocean near the Zubair group of islands in the Red Sea on December 23.

Aramco Tanker Rescues 32 Egyptians From Sinking Boat: ARAB NEWS

P.K. Abdul Ghafour | 12/30/11

Saudi authorities have saved 32 Egyptian fishermen after their boat sunk in the Red Sea, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday quoting a statement by the spokesman of the Border Guards.

Saudi Shares Drop Most in 2 Weeks on Speculation Gains Overdone: BLOOMBERG

12/30/11

Saudi Arabia’s benchmark stock index retreated the most in two weeks amid speculation gains this month prompted by optimism the world’s biggest oil exporter will increase spending in 2012 was overdone.

Saudi Textbooks Cause Anger: UPI

12/30/11

Textbooks teaching Saudi Arabian students that hands and feet should be cut off for crimes are creating anger in the international community, experts say.

A Life Alone For Saudis Born Out Of Wedlock: JERUSALEM POST

Rob Wagner | The Media Line | 12/29/11

Ahmed is a precocious seven-year-old boy who idolizes his father and has a knack for mastering electronic games before any adult in the family. His home in the Saudi city of Medina is filled with cousins ranging in ages from one to 16. Whenever the aunts gather at the end of the day, they often speculate about whom the kids should marry when they come of age. Ahmed’s name never comes up. The boy was born out of wedlock and adopted by his loving family. The unspoken truth in the household is that Ahmed’s ability to find a wife is in doubt. Few Saudi families have an interest in marrying their daughters off to a man considered the “seed of the devil.” For Ahmed, he carries the sins of his parents. And in Saudi society, so will his children. “Someday he will wonder why his future is never discussed like his cousins’,” his aunt, Umm Sultan, told The Media Line. “That’s the day he will know that he is different.”

When Surreal Turns Real: SAUDI GAZETTE

Mohannad Sharawiand Doha Ghouth | 12/30/11

Some experts and researchers believe that video games can be educational and develop certain skills. Dr. Walid Al-Sharif, a Saudi social researcher, said that banning these games is not the best solution and might be difficult and impractical.

Palaces To Be Turned Into Cultural Centers: ARAB NEWS

Md Humaidan | 12/30/11

The palaces of King Abdul Aziz will be made into cultural centers and will house pictures and documents depicting the unification of Saudi Arabia, chairman of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities Prince Sultan bin Salman announced.

Young Saudis Invent Ploys to Enter Family-Only Malls: ARAB NEWS

Nadia Al-Fawaz | 12/30/11

Entering malls and shopping centers have become a real challenge for young Saudi men, who have innovated many ways and means to force themselves inside. Under the prevailing rules, only women and families are allowed to enter malls. The young men are barred from malls because of fears that they may disturb families. The young men have considered this a challenge that they have to defeat and deal with one way or another.

YEMEN: US TRIP GIVES SALEH NEITHER IMMUNITY NOR EXILE

Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s request to be let into the United States shows he may now be resigned to surrendering power after months of protests, but gives him no guarantee of the immunity from prosecution that he seeks in exchange for stepping down, Reuters reports. US DOUBTS INTELLIGENCE THAT LED TO STRIKE: Top U.S. military leaders who oversaw missile strikes last year against al Qaeda targets in Yemen suspect they were fed misleading intelligence by the country’s government and were duped into killing a local political leader whose relationship with the president’s family had soured, the WSJ reports.

IRAN: MORE BLUSTER OVER STRAIT OF HORMUZ

A senior Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander said on Thursday the United States was not in a position to tell Tehran “what to do in the Strait of Hormuz,” state television reported, after the U.S. said it would preserve oil shipments in the Gulf, Asharq Alawsat reports. ISLAMIC REPUBLIC JAILS OPPOSITION LEADER: Iranian opposition activist Ebrahim Yazdi, who served briefly as foreign minister following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, has been sentenced to eight years in prison, his lawyer told RFE/RL’s Radio Farda,

IRAQ: WEAPON SALES MOVE FORWARD DESPITE U.S. WORRIES

The Obama administration is moving ahead with the sale of nearly $11 billion worth of arms and training for the Iraqi military despite concerns that Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki is seeking to consolidate authority, create a one-party Shiite-dominated state and abandon the American-backed power-sharing government, NYT reports.

ISRAEL: EU ENVOY SAYS ISRAEL SHOULD NOT FEAR ISLAMIST RISE

The European Union’s special envoy to the Southern Mediterranean, Bernardino Leon, on a lightening visit to Israel Thursday, told Haaretz that he does not believe Israel need fear the rise of Islamist governments in Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco. “It is much more difficult to have wars with democracies,” Leon said, Haaretz reports.

EGYPT: NGO OFFICES RAIDED IN CAIRO

Egyptian soldiers and police have raided the offices of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Cairo. At least 17 US-based and local groups receiving foreign funding were targeted, according to activists and Egyptian state media, BBC reports.

BAHRAIN: 5 POLICE TO BE PUT ON TRIAL

Five police officers will be put on trial in connection with the alleged torture of a detainee who later died in custody, the country’s Information Affairs Authority said Friday, AP/Washington Post reports.

SYRIA: CLASHES AS MONITORS EMBOLDEN PROTESTERS

Syrian security forces have reportedly clashed with protesters, leaving at least 10 dead, as tens of thousands took to the streets across the country, BBC News reports.

AFGHANISTAN: U.S. MULLS TRANSFER OF TALIBAN PRISONER IN PEACE BID

The Obama administration is considering transferring to Afghan custody a senior Taliban official suspected of major human rights abuses as part of a long-shot bid to improve the prospects of a peace deal in Afghanistan, Reuters has learned.

OPINION: 2011 IN ARAB HISTORY

“As a historian, I recognize the hubris in the title of this post, since we can only speculate what the immediate consequences of these uprisings might be, much less what will stand out about them after decades or a century. At most, we can say that these events will continue to be contested in political rhetoric, secondary education classrooms, and public history displays, as politicians and various social forces strive to shape their legacy and place themselves within it. Nonetheless, it seems worthwhile to offer some thoughts about aspects of these ongoing events that, to me at least, seem early candidates for consideration,” Brain Ulrich writes as he offers thoughts on the 2011 Arab Spring and implications for the region this year and beyond.