SAUDIGROK Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports/Provided as a service from the Saudi-US Trade Group, Washington, DC/

7.22.11 EDITION

GCC Construction Projects to Reach $915bn By 2013: CONSTRUCTION WEEK ONLINE

Gavin Davids | 7/22/11

An estimated $915bn worth of construction projects are expected to be undertaken in the GCC over the next two years, with Saudi Arabia and the UAE expected to account for more than 75% of that figure, a recent study by Ventures Middle East has found.

Oil Consumers Decide Against New Stocks Release: REUTERS

Osamu Tsukimori and Muriel Boselli | 7/21/11

“The world’s top oil consuming countries on Thursday decided against releasing more stocks into the market even though high prices still weigh on the global economy, saying they believed producers have started pumping more.”  OIL RISES TO ONE-MONTH HIGH ON MANUFACTURING INDEX, EUROPE DEBT OPTIMISM: Mark Shenk (Bloomberg) reports that, “Crude oil rose to a one-month high in New York after manufacturing in the Philadelphia area rebounded and on reports European Union officials have come up with a plan for the region’s debt crisis, bolstering the euro.”  IRAN HALTS OIL SUPPLY, BUT INDIA SEES NO SHORTAGE: “India has a back-up plan to cope with a halt to crude supplies from Iran, its oil minister said, as Tehran upped the ante in an oil payments row and Indian refiners rushed to secure alternative supplies, including from Saudi Arabia,” writes Nidhi Verma (Reuters).

Saudi Predicament In Yemen: KHALEEJ TIMES

Mustafa Alani | 7/19/11

“There is an old proverb in Saudi Arabia which goes: “All good things come from Yemen.”…

However, the current political crisis in Yemen has exposed the limitations of Saudi influence, even as it has presented major and multiple challenges to Saudi decision-makers. For many decades, Saudi Arabia adopted ‘dollar diplomacy’ as a main instrument to influence developments inside Yemen. Considering the complexities of Yemen as a state and society, the Saudis could not develop a credible alternative to this instrument.”

How Saudi Arabia and Qatar Became Friends Again: FOREIGN POLICY

Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi | 7/21/11

“In the spring of 2006, Qatar’s then energy minister broke his silence on a stalled, multibillion-dollar project to supply Qatari gas to Kuwait.  ‘We have received no clearance from Saudi Arabia’ he said. ‘Hence it is not feasible.’ Fast-forward five years and things couldn’t look more different… Despite the rapprochement between Qatar and Saudi Arabia, the two states have reacted differently to the Arab Spring.”

Idle Kingdom: FOREIGN POLICY

Ellen Knickmeyer | 7/19/2011

“Saudi Arabia’s youth unemployment woes go far deeper than most realize: In the wide stretch of the Middle East bypassed by revolution, Arab spring turned to Arab summer peacefully but not altogether promisingly for the Arab world’s largest-ever surge of young people. In Saudi Arabia, more than half-a-million proud high school and college seniors crossed the stage at graduation ceremonies. The new graduates step into a job market featuring the highest regional youth unemployment rate in the world.”

Ramadan Costs Family of Six Persons SR7,730: SAUDI GAZETTE

Ibtissam Elmershedi | 7/21/11

A survey of 300 Saudi and non-Saudi homemakers has shown families spend a great deal more in Ramadan than during other months. A Saudi family of six spends SR7,730 – an increase of about 42 percent, whereas a non-Saudi family spends about 27 percent more than normal.

Prices Likely To Drop After King’s Subsidy: SAUDI GAZETTE

Nasier al-Maghamasi | 7/22/11

“The prices of poultry, meat and dairy products are expected to drop after King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, ordered a 50 percent increase in the subsidy for fodder, said traders and farmers Thursday. A positive impact of the Royal Order will be felt within three weeks, said the traders.”

King Approves Benefits For Saudi Workers: SAUDI GAZETTE

7/21/11

“King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, has approved six regulatory decisions issued by the Council of Civil Service. These will see a number of payments made to civil servants across various government departments.”

Foreigners Dominate Agricultural Jobs: ARAB NEWS

7/21/11

“The Nitaqat program revealed that a total of 8,880 Saudis work in the agriculture and fisheries sector, compared to 483,000 foreigners, according to Al-Eqtisadiah daily. In a report on Wednesday, the newspaper said the Saudization of jobs in this sector was only 1.8 percent, while it should not be less than 30 percent under the Nitaqat program.”

Nationalisation of Workforce In Saudi Arabia: An Employer’s Obligation: BI-ME

Abdulaziz Al-Bosaily and Sara Khoja | 7/21/11

“In the past two months the Ministry of Labour in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has announced the introduction of a new regulatory regime called the ‘Nitaqat’ programme.  Nitaqat is designed to enhance the employment of Saudi nationals in the private sector and employers have been given three months within which to comply with the new system.  Nitaqat is part of a wider programme which will see further regulations regarding recruitment, enforcement of salary payment, health insurance and the establishment of a call centre to provide advice to individuals with employment advice.”

Saudi Banking Net Profits Up 10%: GULF NEWS

Abdul Nabi Shaheen | 7/22/11

“Saudi banks posted an increase of 10 per cent in net profits during the first half of 2011, reaching 16 billion Saudi riyals (Dh15.66 billion) against 14.4 billion riyals during the same period last year.”

Major Expansion of Jeddah Medical Centre Planned: TRADE ARABIA

7/21/11

A major expansion project of the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSH&RC) in Jeddah has been announced. The goal of the expansion is to position KFSH&RC-Jeddah as the pre-eminent regional specialist hospital, said a statement.

Amnesty: Saudi Terror Law ‘Would Strangle Protest’: BBC NEWS

7/22/11

A secret new anti-terror law being drawn up by the Saudi authorities would “strangle peaceful protest”, Amnesty International has said. The BBC has been shown a classified copy of the draft law showing a number of measures Amnesty said would severely restrict human rights.

Nafisa Shams Academy Starts Training Program for Saleswomen: ARAB NEWS

7/21/11

“Nafisa Shams Academy for Arts and Crafts has launched several training courses to qualify women to find jobs in shops catering to women customers.”

UAE Crackdown Lands 21 Saudi Drivers In Jail: ARAB NEWS

7/21/11

“The number of Saudi drivers busted in United Arab Emirates (UAE) has increased to 21.

Abu Dhabi Traffic Department continues its campaign to arrest drivers who speed, cover their license plates, or paint the front of their cars.”

Anti-Dumping Row Not to Strain Saudi-India Ties: ARAB NEWS

Ghazanfar Ali Khan | 7/20/11

“Indian Ambassador Talmiz Ahmad has said that the controversy over anti-dumping duties (ADD) imposed by India on Saudi polypropylene will not affect growing strategic relations between the two countries.”

EGYPT: FIRST BOND SALE SINCE UPRISING MAY CUSHION DEBT CRISIS

“Egypt’s first bond sale since the popular uprising that ousted its president in February may help cushion the country against higher borrowing costs after the year-end elections should political instability persist,” Ahmed Namatalla (Bloomberg) reports.

BAHRAIN: BITTER DIVIDES PERSIST BELOW CALM SURFACE

“When Bahraini ambassador Houda Ezra Nonoo arrived in Washington three years ago, she was greeted as the representative of a close U.S. ally with a reputation for more openness and tolerance than most Gulf nations,” Barbara Slavin (IPS) writes.

TUNISIA: FRESH TRIALS FOR BEN ALI

“A Tunisian court on Thursday opened and quickly adjourned two more trials of ousted president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, now living in exile in Saudi Arabia, accusing him of corruption and property fraud,” AFP reports.

IRAN: CIA ANALYST SAYS ‘DON’T BET ON IRAN STRIKE’ DESPITE HIS SPECULATION

“To paraphrase Ronald Reagan, I wonder what the Ten Commandments would have looked like if Moses had first discussed them on talk radio. Having found myself at the center of a bizarre series of stories claiming that Israel is planning to attack Iran in September as a result of some speculative answers to a talk-show host’s questions, I think I now know,” Robert Baer (Time) writes. FEAR-MONGERING ON IRAN PERSISTS: “Alarmist editorializing about Iran, its regional influence, and its nuclear energy program has picked up considerably in the past few weeks. In the wake of the latest IAEA report this past Spring which revealed no evidence of an Iranian nuclear weapons program, a hefty Sy Hersh article confirming that all 16 American intelligence agencies still stand by their 2007 assessment that Iran has no nuclear weapons program, and the potential for a large-scale U.S. withdrawal from Iraq at the end of the year, career fear-mongers have been hard at work trying to re-raise the Iranian threat level from mild khaki to frantic crimson,” writes Nima Shirazi (Wide Asleep in America Blog).

LIBYA: IN U.N. PLAN FOR POST-GADDAFI GOVERNMENT, NO GADDAFI, BUT UNITY AND POWER SHARING

“A U.N. envoy will seek to persuade warring parties in Libya to accept a plan that envisages a ceasefire and a power-sharing government – but with no role for Muammar Gaddafi, a European diplomat said,” Reuters reports.

SYRIA: THOUSANDS PROTEST DESPITE SECURITY PRESENCE

“Tens of thousands of Syrians defied a massive security crackdown and flooded the streets of Damascus and other cities Friday, insisting their protest movement was united and demanding the downfall of President Bashar Assad’s regime,” AP reports.

YEMEN: ‘ON THE BRINK OF HELL’

Robert F. Worth, in the New York Times Magazine, writes, “The massacre in Taiz received little attention in the West, blending in with the larger chaos and violence enveloping the Arab world. In Syria, tanks were rolling through the streets of several cities, as months of protest evolved into a bloody national insurrection. In Libya, the civil war was festering into a grim status quo, with NATO airstrikes unable to dislodge Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi from his Tripoli stronghold. Even Egypt and Tunisia seemed endangered, with fresh violence breaking out and their economies in tatters. Yet the events in Taiz took on a tragic dimension that went beyond the numbers of dead and wounded. Taiz is Yemen’s least tribal city, home to the highest number of educated people, professionals and traders. The city was “the heart of the revolution,” in one popular refrain, and its protesters were less politicized and more rigorously nonviolent than elsewhere in Yemen. The attack on May 29, with its deliberate cruelty and excess, confirmed what many Yemenis feared: that Saleh sees the democratic uprising as a greater threat to his power than Al Qaeda.”

/The daily news is provided as a service of the Saudi-US Trade Group, Washington, DC. Visit www.SUSTG.org for more information and to get a free email subscription to the News Review./</h4></div>

SAUDIGROK Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
/Provided as a service from the Saudi-US Trade Group, Washington, DC/

12.31.2010 EDITION

A Good Year: ARAB NEWS

Editorial | 12/31/10

“As 2010 comes to an end, the assessment for Saudi Arabia is that it has been an extremely good one. While much of the rest of the world is still coping with the fallout of economic crisis two years ago, the Saudi economy has prospered and grown. Growth in 2010 was 3.8 percent – an achievement that many industrialized economies must envy.”

Nine dead in Egypt, Saudi flooding: YAHOO! NEWS

12/30/10

“Flash flooding killed a man and three children in the Mecca region of Saudi Arabia on Thursday, as waste-high water snarled traffic in the nearby Red Sea port of Jeddah, where 123 people died in flooding last year.”

Saudi Arabian Transport Sector Seen Growing At 10pct Annually: STEEL GURU

12/31/10

“The transport sector in Saudi Arabia is estimated to be growing by 6% to 10% annually, driven by aggressive construction of new roads, railways and integrated community development projects across the Kingdom.”

Arab Stocks End Year Upbeat Over Surging Oil Prices, Earnings: MONSTERS AND CRITICS

12/31/10

“Arab stock markets ended 2010 on an optimistic note, with investors upbeat over rising oil prices and predictions of good annual earnings by listed firms, financial analysts said Friday.”

‘Govt Hospitals Come Under The Microscope’: SAUDI GAZETTE

Nawaf Afit | 12/31/10

“The Ministry of Health is monitoring a wide range of mistakes, security lapses and medical errors in government hospitals, Dr. Muhammad Al-Kheshaim, the ministry’s undersecretary for Planning and Development, said Wednesday.”

Shanghai Keeps Five Foreign Expo Pavilions: AFP

12/31/10

“The pavilions of France, Italy, Russia, Spain and Saudi Arabia have been donated to the city and will soon reopen to the public, the Oriental Morning Post reported, citing Expo officials.”

“Exploratory drilling off Israel’s northern coast this week has confirmed the existence of a major natural gas field — one of the world’s largest offshore gas finds of the past decade — leading the country’s infrastructure minister to call it “the most important energy news since the founding of the state,” Ethan Bronner (NYT) reports.

“While many US and European leaders are focused on curbing Iran’s nuclear program in 2011, in Tehran the emphasis is more on domestic challenges such as economic reform,” writes Scott Peterson (CSM).

Robert S. Ford is the first US ambassador to Syria since 2005 and represents the Obama Administration’s “belief in engagement over isolation,” Robert F. Worth (NYT) reports, but “few hold out much hope that Mr. Ford’s arrival in Damascus will change much.”

The latest series of bombings in Baghdad on Tuesday night targeted Christians in at least six coordinated attacks, Aaron C. Davis (Washington Post) reports. “The attacks began after dark with two near-simultaneous explosions and continued for about two hours. The deadliest blast occurred in central Baghdad in an area where some of the city’s last remaining Christians are known to live.”

Yemen is releasing hundreds of jailed insurgents after the president’s directive to free 500 detainees under a new peace deal, CNN reports.

The Economist magazine publishes a review of US policy and strategy in the Middle East, asking: Has America’s obsession with this region been worth it?

/The daily news is provided as a service of the Saudi-US Trade Group, Washington, DC. Visit www.SUSTG.org for more information and to get a free email subscription to the News Review./

SAUDIGROK Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
/Provided as a service from the Saudi-US Trade Group, Washington, DC/

12.30.2010 EDITION

Saudi Contemporary Art In Istanbul: ARAB NEWS

Geoffery King | 12/29/10

“The Edge of Arabia Istanbul: Transition  is the latest international exhibition by Saudi Arabian artists… The Transition in the Edge of Arabia exhibition title reflects the complex effects of change that permeate the works of these Saudi artists.”

Is the Peak Oil Debate Really Dead?: SEEKING ALPHA

James Picerno | 12/30/10

“In 2005, John Tierney of The New York Times bet $5,000 with peak-oil supporter Matt Simmons (the late energy investment banker and author of Twilight in the Desert: The Coming Saudi Oil Shock and the World Economy) on the future price of oil. Simmons predicted that the average price of oil this year would be $200 or higher; Tierney bet it would fall short.”

Saudi Arabia To Raise Water Price For Non Residential Users: STEEL GURU

12/30/10

“NCB Capital said in a report that Saudi Arabia wants to raise prices to encourage water conservation. The kingdom needs SAR 124.9 billion in investments in desalination and water recycling plants to meet water demand.”

Saudi Media Accused Of Fostering Specific Views: ARAB NEWS

Fatima Sidiya | 12/30/10

“Participants on the second day of a national dialogue forum in Jeddah on Wednesday spoke about how labeling people according to their ideological perspectives is improper, affects their image in society and could also prevent them from getting their national rights.”

No Side Deal On STL, Lebanon Claims: UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL

12/30/10

“Reports that Saudi Arabia and Syria had persuaded Lebanese leaders to reject an assassination tribunal’s findings are baseless, a lawmaker said.”

New Look for Mecca: Gargantuan and Gaudy: NEW YORK TIMES

Nicolai Ouroussoff | 12/29/10

“Saudi officials say that the construction boom — and the demolition that comes with it — is necessary to accommodate the ever-growing numbers of people who make the pilgrimage to Mecca, a figure that has risen to almost three million this past year.”

Former President Moshe Katsav of Israel was “convicted of two counts of rape by a Tel Aviv court on Thursday, capping a four-year spectacle that began with accusations of sexual misconduct against him while he was still in office,” Isabel Kershner (NYT) reports.

Nearly 4,000 Iraqi civilians, police and soldiers died through violence in 2010, making it the least deadly year since the war began, the Web site Iraq Body Count said Thursday in its latest report. AFGHANISTAN: But in Afghanistan, deaths are on the rise, Dan Murphy (CSM) reports. “Almost as many Afghan civilians died in the first half of 2010 alone.”

As unrest continues in Tunisia, President Zine el Abidine ben Ali has shuffled cabinet members and warned protesters, Amro Hassan (Babylon and Beyond) reports.

In Iraq, the history textbooks in public schools “now abruptly end in 1958, making no mention of the revolutions in 1963 and 1968 that propelled Saddam’s Arab nationalist Baath party to power. In fact, teachers say, the words ‘Saddam’ and ‘Baath’ aren’t mentioned once,” Shashank Bengali (McClatchy) reports. But efforts are underway to open old relics from the Saddam era to the public in 2011.

Palestinians “plan to ask the U.N. Security Council in the coming days to declare Israeli settlements illegal and demand a halt to their construction, officials said Wednesday, in a high stakes gamble aimed at increasing pressure on Israel,” Josef Federman (AP) reports.

/The daily news is provided as a service of the Saudi-US Trade Group, Washington, DC. Visit www.SUSTG.org for more information and to get a free email subscription to the News Review./

SAUDIGROK Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
/Provided as a service from the Saudi-US Trade Group, Washington, DC/

12.29.2010 EDITION

Conquering The Last Degree: ARAB NEWS

Roger Harrison | 12/29/10

“The flag of Saudi Arabia has been carried into outer space, unfurled on Mount Everest and now flies at one of the last milestone destinations reachable by human intrepidity, the South Pole. An expedition led by Waleed Yusuf Zahid, accompanied by his sons Haytham and Mohamed reached the geographic South Pole on Dec. 10, 2010, the conclusion of a grueling trek across the harshest environment on Earth. They are believed to be the first Saudi team to complete the challenge.”

National Dialogue Tackles Tribalism and Regionalism Impact on National Unity: SUSRIS BLOG

Pat Ryan | 12/28/10

“The National Dialogue process…has addressed a broad range of issues in the Kingdom apart from countering fanaticism. Among the topics of the national meetings have been: national unity; women’s rights; young people’s expectations; world cultures dialogue; education reform; work and employment; health services and, most recently, tribalism and regionalism.”

Oil Industry Cranks Up Spending: WALL STREET JOURNAL

Russell Gold | 12/29/10

“The global oil industry—far from chastened by the catastrophic U.S. Gulf of Mexico spill—is planning record spending next year, including a large amount for deep-water development.”

Saudi Money Supply Growth Steady: SAUDI GAZETTE

12/29/10

“Saudi money supply growth was steady at 3.7 percent on the year in November compared with the previous month, and the central bank’s foreign assets increased 11.5 percent year on year, data from the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA) showed Tuesday.”

Saudi SABIC Unit Awards Deals To CTCI, Sinopec: REUTERS

Reem Shamseddine | 12/28/10

Arabian Industrial Fibers Co (Ibn Rushd), an affiliate of Saudi Basic Industries Corp (SABIC), signed contracts with Taiwan’s CTCI and China’s Sinopec Engineering to expand its capacity, SABIC said.

All Saudi Pilots Soon On National Carrier: SAUDI GAZETTE

Mohammed Al-Kinani | 12/29/10

Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAA) expects that Saudis will soon fill all the pilot and co-pilot positions on its aircraft.

Energy: Can We Run Out of Oil and Other Natural Resources?: TIME BLOGS

Bryan Walsh | 12/28/10

“Even as the global economy and global population continues to grow, scientists and businesses find new sources of energy, new deposits of old energy and ways to make the resources we have stretch further…”

India has joined US and EU efforts to stifle international trade with Iran, Jay Solomon and Subhadip Sircar (Wall Street Journal) report. “The Reserve Bank of India instructed the country’s lenders Monday to stop processing current-account transactions with Iran using the ACU (Asian Clearing Union). Last Friday, the central bank said Indian firms can’t use the ACU mechanism when making payments for the import of oil or gas. While the earlier order didn’t explicitly mention Iran, the Islamic republic is the only major crude exporter in the ACU.”

The size of Israel’s ultra-orthodox population known in Hebrew as “heredim” stands at 10 percent but is growing rapidly, writes Isabel Kershner (New York Times) as many in the nation are questioning government benefits for them.

Denmark’s intelligence service on Wednesday arrested four people suspected of planning an “imminent” terror attack against a newspaper that printed the controversial Prophet Muhammad cartoons, Jan M. Olsen (AP) reports.

Huge gas fields discovered recently under the Mediterranean seabed have “raised high hopes in Israel, a small, high-consumption country seeking alternative energy resources and a greater degree of independence from imports,” Batsheva Sobelman (Los Angeles Times) reports, but Israel’s neighbors are “watching cautiously.”

Aid groups in Afghanistan are questioning the US assertion that military efforts there are dealing setbacks to the Taliban, Dion Nissenbaum (McClatchy) reports.

/The daily news is provided as a service of the Saudi-US Trade Group, Washington, DC. Visit www.SUSTG.org for more information and to get a free email subscription to the News Review./

SAUDIGROKDaily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
/Provided as a service from the Saudi-US Trade Group, Washington, DC/

12.28.2010 EDITION

Saudi Petchem Exports Up 32% In Third Quarter: SAUDI GAZETTE

12/28/10

“Saudi Arabian petrochemical exports rose 32 percent in value in the third quarter from the year-ago period as prices rebounded amid strong demand from Asia and European Union, the Department of Statistics and Information said on its website Sunday.”

Saudi To Increase Number Of Industrial Cities To 30 In 5 Yrs: ZAWYA

12/28/10

Saudi Arabia, the Middle East’s largest economy, plans to increase the number of its industrial cities to 30 from 14 in five years, state-run Saudi Press Agency, or SPA, reports Tuesday citing a senior official at the Saudi Industrial Property Authority, or Modon.

Saudi Cleric Blasts Al-Qaida Practices: UPI

12/27/10

“Dressing up like a woman to sneak past security in Saudi Arabia is what gives Muslims a bad name, a leading cleric said from Mecca following an al-Qaida raid. Security authorities last week killed an alleged member of al-Qaida disguised as a woman after he opened fire at a security checkpoint.”

Saudi Aramco’s 400,000 Barrel-a-Day Yanbu Refinery to Start Output in 2014: BLOOMBERG

Wael Mahdi | 12/28/10

“Saudi Aramco, the world’s largest state-owned oil company, said its planned refinery in the industrial city of Yanbu will start production in 2014.”

Muslim Women Gain Higher Profile in U.S.: NEW YORK TIMES

Brian Knowlton | 12/27/10

Soumaya Khalifa is “one of a type now found in most sizable U.S. cities: vocal Muslim women wary of the predominantly male leadership of their community and increasingly weary of suspicions of non-Muslims about Islam.”

UAE Asks For Action Over Saudi Loans: FINANCIAL TIMES

Simeon Kerr | 12/27/10

“United Arab Emirates’ central bank has asked banks to raise provisions against loans to the Saudi family owned groups Ahmad Hamad Algosaibi and Brothers (Ahab) and Saad Group from 50 per cent to 80 per cent.”

Maaden Steps Up Exploration To Boost Gold: REUTERS

Reem Shamseddine | 12/27/10

“Saudi Arabian Mining Co. (Maaden) will boost exploration in the vast Arabian Shield region and develop new mines in a bid to double gold resources to 20 million ounces by 2020, its chairman said.”

Saudi In Dire Need Of Mortgage Reform – Report: ARABIAN BUSINESS

Ed Attwood | 12/28/10

Saudi Arabia’s “growing population is in dire need of an active mortgage market, with $320m in financing demand expected over the next decade,” new research by NCB Capital has found.

Unrest has gripped parts of Tunisia as economic “frustration and despair” felt by the country’s youth continues to plague the nation, Lahcen Achy (Babylon and Beyond) writes.

Israel’s fences are not yet mended with Turkey as talks between the government of Israel and Turkey have fallen short, Reuters reports.

14 have been killed in a bombing at a government compound in Iraq’s Anbar Province, John Leland (NYT) reports.  ‘US MUST LEAVE ON TIME’: “Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki ruled out the presence of any U.S. troops in Iraq after the end of 2011, saying his new government and the country’s security forces were capable of confronting any remaining threats to Iraq’s security, sovereignty and unity,” Sam Dagher (WSJ) reports.

Why is Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad dismissing high-level officials in the Islamic Republic? Scott Peterson (CSM) writes that “many critics say a number of personnel changes by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad have to do with the growing influence of one of his closest aides, Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaei.”

Iran has hanged a man convicted of spying for Israel, Nasser Karimi (Chicago Tribune) reports.

/The daily news is provided as a service of the Saudi-US Trade Group, Washington, DC. Visit www.SUSTG.org for more information and to get a free email subscription to the News Review./

SAUDIGROK Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
/Provided as a service from the Saudi-US Trade Group, Washington, DC/

12.27.2010 EDITION

Obama Extends Well Wishes To Saudi King: WALL STREET JOURNAL

Associated Press | 12/26/10

“President Barack Obama called Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah on Sunday to wish him well as he recovers from two recent back surgeries…. The White House says the king congratulated Obama on the Senate’s recent ratification of the New START treaty with Russia.”

Saudi Identify Slain Man As Al-Qaida Operative: WASHINGTON POST

12/27/10

“A man killed in a shootout with Saudi police last week has been identified as al-Qaida operative.”

Saudi To Keep Dollar Peg In 2011: EMIRATES 24|7

Nadim Kawach | 12/27/10

“Saudi Arabia is set to keep its currency the riyal pegged to the US dollar as it is expected to remain on the same track as in 2010 while inflation will remain relatively high, a key investment centre in the Gulf Kingdom said on Monday.”

Saudi Arabia To Open Road Link With Oman In 2012: ARABIAN BUSINESS

Ed Attwood | 12/27/10

“Saudi Arabia has completed 89 percent of its first road link with Oman, according to the kingdom’s transport minister.”

Saudi Eyes Other Gulf States For Teaching Jobs: EMIRATES 24|7

12/27/10

“Saudi Arabia is urging its graduates seeking teaching jobs to head for neighbouring Gulf countries, saying it can no longer accommodate them…”

Saudi Electricity’s Clients to Increase to 7.9 Million by the End of 2016: BLOOMBERG

Zahraa Alkhalisi and Mourad Haroutunian | 12/27/10

“Saudi Electricity Co., a state- controlled utility, expects to have a customer base of 7.9 million by the end of 2016 as it seeks to meet rising demand for power in the Persian Gulf’s largest Arab country by population.”

Over 200 Firms Take Part In Jeddah Car Show: ARAB NEWS

Roger Harrison | 12/26/10

“Familiar names at the show include Nissan, Honda Hyundai and Kia with major distributors in the Kingdom adding to the mix. Significant by their absence are Toyota, Mercedes and BMW and most of the exotic cars, with the exception of Lotus.”

US missiles killed 18 in Pakistan today in the 110^th such attack this year in the country – twice last year’s total, the AP reports.

Eight Americans were killed in Egypt on Sunday morning in a bus crash that also left 21 injured, the New York Times reports.

Security in Afghanistan is worsening, according to internal United Nations maps, the Wall Street Journal reports. The maps show a “marked deterioration” despite President Obama’s “optimistic assessments of military progress since the surge of additional American forces began a year ago.”

Resentment is building in Iran over the recent hike in fuel prices, Thomas Erdbrink and Kay Armin Serjoie (Washington Post) report. “Nearly a week after President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad launched a plan to overhaul a long-standing system of state subsidies, Iranians are reeling from drastic government-ordered price increases for staples such as fuel and bread amid signs of growing frustration and anger.”

The Obama administration “acknowledged Sunday that it has no new timetable for closure of the prison camps at Guantánamo, while reiterating a White House talking point that the controversial detention center is an al Qaeda ‘recruiting tool,’” Carol Rosenberg (McClatchy) reports.

Ali Gharib (Lobelog) argues for a fuel-swap deal with Iran in the Turkey talks this month.

/The daily news is provided as a service of the Saudi-US Trade Group, Washington, DC. Visit www.SUSTG.org for more information and to get a free email subscription to the News Review./

SAUDIGROK Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
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12.24.2010 EDITION

U.S. Oks Return Of Diplomatic Families To Saudi Arabia: CNN

12/23/10

“Citing a continued improvement in the security climate in Saudi Arabia, the United States has authorized the return of all family members to U.S. diplomatic outposts” in Saudi Arabia. “

Travel Postcard: 48 hours in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: REUTERS

Asma Alsharif | 12/24/10

“Saudi Arabia’s second largest city, located on the Red Sea coast and dubbed the “bride of the Red Sea,” is a growing city of over 3 million and a gateway to Islam’s holiest sites in Mecca and Medina…Reuters correspondents with local knowledge help visitors get the most out of a visit. The weekend in Saudi Arabia is on Thursday and Friday. Shops close during prayer times, and on Friday only open after five in the afternoon.”

Prospects For Sukuk Market Brighter: SAUDI GAZETTE

Querubin Minas | 12/24/10

“Global total Sukuk issuance increased to $27.9 billion in the first nine months of 2010, 62.3 percent higher than the $17.2 billion raised in the same period last year and surpassed full issuance of $24.7 billion in 2009, KFH Research Ltd said in its latest report on the Islamic Sukuk market.”

Al Qaeda Sympathizers Threatening Saudi Imams: ASHARQ ALAWSAT

Turki Al-Saheil | 12/24/10

“Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Islamic Affairs has reaffirmed that it takes all threats issued against its Imams by the Al Qaeda organization “seriously” and that it will pass on any such threats to the security authorities.”

Boosting Tourism: ARAB NEWS

Editorial | 12/23/10

“A couple of days ago, the governor of Makkah, Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, unveiled plans to develop tourism in two port towns on the Red Sea, Qunfuda and Al-Lith. At the same time, Prince Sultan bin Salman, the chairman of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities, announced a new SR 120-million tourist project in the resort city of Taif.”

Saudi Oil Min: No Need For OPEC To Meet Again Before June: NASDAQ

Dow Jones Newswires | 12/24/10

“Saudi Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi reiterated Friday that the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries doesn’t need to meet again before June.”

GCC Monetary Council To Create Executive Body: EMIRATES 24|7

12/23/10

“The central bank governors from six Gulf Arab nations ended their sixth meeting in Riyadh late Wednesday with an agreement to pursue plans to set up an executive body ahead of the creation of the region’s first central bank.”

Pakistan’s Prime Minister stated that he would not allow the head of the country’s powerful spy agency to obey a summons requesting his appearance before a court in the United States relating to the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks, Salman Masood (NYT) reports.

Ali Akbar Salehi, Iran’s former head of the Iranian Atomic Energy Council, made his first international appearance as Iran’s foreign minister on Wednesday at an economic summit meeting in Istanbul, Sebnem Arsu (NYT) reports.

“A potential attack against the U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan appeared to be thwarted Friday as a joint Afghan and international military patrol killed two men during an operation in Kabul, according to an International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) statement,” CNN reports. PAKISTAN: “Some 150 militants attacked five security posts in Pakistan’s tribal area near the Afghan border overnight, sparking a clash that killed 11 soldiers and 24 insurgents, officials said Friday,” MSNBC reports.

“Given the disastrous consequences of neoconservative foreign policy ideas regarding Iraq and other Middle Eastern issues in recent years, those ideas and the people who framed them should have been discredited and should now be marginalized—meaning, not taken seriously—in future policy debates,” write Flynt and Hillary Mann Leverett (Race for Iran). “But that is clearly not the case.  The neoconservatives and their particular approach to American foreign policy in the Middle East are back in force, and the current focus of their advocacy and activism is pushing the United States into a military confrontation with Iran.”

/The daily news is provided as a service of the Saudi-US Trade Group, Washington, DC. Visit www.SUSTG.org for more information and to get a free email subscription to the News Review./

SAUDIGROK Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
/Provided as a service from the Saudi-US Trade Group, Washington, DC/

12.23.2010 EDITION

All is Sunny in Saudi: KIPP REPORT

Eva Fernandes | 12/23/10

“With oil prices on the rise, a promising real estate market and an impressive budget, things are looking good for the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”

Saudi Budget Reflects Focus On Long-Term Development: ARAB NEWS

12/23/10

“Expenditures hit a new record as the government continued its commitment to increase economic capacity through spending on social and physical infrastructure projects, according to the National Commercial Bank’s (NCB’s) special budget report “Fiscal Policy: Toward Sustainable Growth” released here on Tuesday.”

Saudi Mortgage Law To Take Time: EMIRATES 24/7

Nadim Kawach | 12/23/10

“A long-awaited mortgage law in Saudi Arabia is expected to be delayed further as it still faces obstacles in the appointed parliament after nearly two years of debate, a key bank in the Gulf Kingdom has said.”

Banks Seen Driving More Saudi Index Gains In 2011: REUTERS

Marwa Rashad | 12/22/10

“The Saudi stock market will see more gains in 2011 after outperforming most Gulf markets this year as companies benefit from high oil prices, a record budget and global recovery, analysts and investors said.”

Founder Of AQAP’s Media Arm Killed In Clash In Yemen: LONG WAR JOURNAL

Bill Roggio | 12/22/10

“Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) announced the death of Nayef bin Mohammed bin Said al Kudri Qahtani, who is better known as Abu Hammam Qahtani, in a statement released on jihadist websites.”

Author Uses Saudi Experience To Fuel First Novel: EMC NEWS

Charelle Evelyn | 12/23/10

“The mystique and mystery surrounding a gem which disappeared in the Middle East has inspired one east-end man to make his dream of becoming a published author a reality.”

Saudi Royal Buys Landmark Crillon Hotel In Paris: BBC NEWS

12/23/10

The identity of the new buyer has not been disclosed although Groupe du Louvre, the Starwood subsidiary that runs the Crillon, said in a statement that it was an “eminent member of the Saudi royal family.”

Austerity measures by Iran’s government in the face of sanctions are “generating work stoppages and emboldening the political opposition,” Ramin Mostaghim and Borzou Daragahi (LAT) report. “Critics contend that the price increases hurt those with modest incomes while leaving the wealthy unscathed.” ‘NEW ARTERIES’ : As sanctions squeeze Iran, the country looks for different trade arteries, Peter Kenyon (NPR) reports. “The U.S. bans American companies from selling most products to Iran. But the United Arab Emirates, which includes Dubai, is a huge importer of American goods, and much gets redirected to Iran. But analysts are seeing signs that tougher sanctions and better enforcement are making inroads, even in this notoriously hard-to-police port.”

Settlement construction is “booming” in the West Bank after the end of Israel’s settlement construction freeze, Ethan Bronner (NYT) reports. The end of the freeze, which caused Palestinians to withdraw from peace talks, “means that if negotiations ever get back on track, there will be thousands more Israeli settlers who will have to relocate into Israel, posing new problems over how to accommodate them while creating a Palestinian state on the land where many of them are living now.”

Gaza militants fired 15 mortars or rockets into Israel on Monday and Tuesday in an unexpected flare-up two years after Israel’s devastating offensive on the Hamas-controlled coastal strip, Joshua Mitnick (CSM) reports.

There is “one institution in the Iraqi political system which will soon take on an unmistakably new look: the Council of Representatives,” writes Sean Kane (FP – Middle East Channel). “With some 213 out of 275 members losing their seats in March, Iraq’s Parliament now offers the best hope for political change and progress towards the consolidation of Iraq’s fledgling democracy.”

/The daily news is provided as a service of the Saudi-US Trade Group, Washington, DC. Visit www.SUSTG.org for more information and to get a free email subscription to the News Review./

SAUDIGROK Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
/Provided as a service from the Saudi-US Trade Group, Washington, DC/

12.22.2010 EDITION

Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah Leaves NY Hospital in Good Health: AOL NEWS

Lisa Flam | 12/22/10

“Saudi Arabia’s 86-year-old King Abdullah has been discharged from a New York City hospital in good health after two back operations, according to an official statement.”

Ready to Roll: 2011 Saudi Budget – Sfakianakis: SUSRIS

12/21/10

The Saudi Arabian Council of Ministers endorsed the 2011 budget yesterday demonstrating a commitment to continued “stimulatory spending to develop the economy” according to Dr. John Sfakianakis of Banque Saudi Fransi (BSF). In an email discussing the budget he noted, “the government is committed to continue raising expenditures at a healthy pace while reducing its debt burden.”

Saudi Electricity Eyes More Private Participation: REUTERS

12/21/10

Saudi Electricity Company “may involve private firms in building more power plants to feed big consumers” such as Saudi Aramco, according to comments made by SEC’s chief executive on Tuesday. RELATED: “ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, has won a $39 million order from the Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) for supply and installation of 13.8 kV capacitor banks,” Saudi Gazette reports.

Giant Projects To Woo SR1 Trillion Investments: ARAB NEWS

P.K. Abdul Ghafour | 12/21/10

“Saudi Arabia is expected to witness the implementation of a large number of giant economic, educational and industrial projects in 2011 following the announcement of a SR580-billion budget for the year, the largest in the Kingdom’s history.”

Saudi Democracy Group Cancels Public Sit-In After Permit Refused: BLOOMBERG

Glen Carey | 12/22/10

“A Saudi democracy advocate group canceled a sit-in planned for tomorrow to promote political change in the Middle East’s least democratic country after being denied a permit by the kingdom’s Interior Ministry.”

Political Activists Charged With Terror In Saudi Arabia: GLOBAL POST

Caryle Murphy | 12/22/10

“Saudi prosecutors have secretly filed charges of supporting terrorism and attempting to overthrow the government against 16 Jeddah residents widely known for peacefully demanding political reforms, most of whom remain detained nearly four years after their arrest, according to three sources familiar with the case.”

Iraq’s Parliament formally approved of a new government for the war-battered country after nearly a year of debate, Ned Parker (LAT) reports. “Prime Minister Nouri Maliki leaves some posts unfilled, including the ministers of interior and defense and the minister of state for national security.” STARK CHALLENGES: Maliki faces “stark challenges” in leading Iraq forward, Lara Jakes (AP) writes. “Despite tortuous negotiations that threatened to unravel the country’s tenuous democratic gains, the public face of the new government will look remarkably like the outgoing one. The prime minister, president and foreign minister will remain the same. The outcome was a huge victory for al-Maliki, who has made more than his share of enemies as prime minister since May 2006. Parliament originally tapped al-Maliki as a compromise candidate to lead Iraq following tumultuous elections in December 2005 during the height of the war.”

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel will officially and publicly appeal to President Obama in the coming days for the release of Jonathan Jay Pollard, the American serving a life term in a North Carolina prison for spying for Israel,” Isabel Kershner (NYT) reports.

“Over 20,000 camels and their owners from across the Gulf have converged on Abu-Dhabi’s Western Region to participate in the Al-Mazayin camel beauty competition in the desert town of Dhafra,” David E. Miller (Media Line) reports.

Lebanon is “bristling with nervous tension as it awaits the announcement by the UN special tribunal investigating the death of Rafik Hariri that could spark a new round of civil strife or even another war with Israel, but disaster may not be as imminent as many fear,” Meris Lutz and Borzou Daragahi (LAT) report.

The Obama administration yesterday imposed new sanctions on Iran, “serving notice that it will not ease the pressure on Tehran just because it has begun talking again with the West about its nuclear program,” Mark Landler (NYT) reports. SMOG: Iran’s government and citizens are reeling from a major smog problem, William Yong reports. “After initially issuing flat denials of a problem and then blaming a typical winter temperature inversion — despite above average temperatures throughout November and early December — the Iranian government has since resorted to drastic compensatory measures like sudden two-day public holidays and harsh traffic-control directives.”

Former US President Jimmy Carter and Archbishop Desmond Tutu write in an editorial for the USA Today that “we urge a renewed effort, firmly based in international law and respect for human rights that first aims to define boundaries between Israel and a new Palestinian state and address security issues. Without such focus, we will see the possibility of a two-state solution slipping even further away.”

/The daily news is provided as a service of the Saudi-US Trade Group, Washington, DC. Visit www.SUSTG.org for more information and to get a free email subscription to the News Review./

SAUDIGROK Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
/Provided as a service from the Saudi-US Trade Group, Washington, DC/

12.21.2010 EDITION

High Oil Prices Underpin Strong Saudi Spending, Surplus: AFP

Paul Handley | 12/20/10

Higher salaries and huge infrastructure projects sent Saudi spending soaring in 2010 but high crude prices ensured a solid 17-percent surplus for the oil giant, the finance ministry said Monday. The government scored a 108.5 billion riyal (28.9 billion dollar) surplus in 2010 despite much higher expenditures than planned and an anticipated shortfall, the ministry said. ‘BIGGEST BUDGET EVER’: The Saudi Gazette has more on the budgetary figures, and notes that it is the biggest budget in Saudi history.

Saudi Trading Links Revived By US Groups: FINANCIAL TIMES

Abeer Allam | 12/20/10

“US companies have won a series of high-profile deals in Saudi Arabia during the past six months, underlining the confident return of US business to the kingdom.”

Saudi Arabia Says It’s Not Involved In NYC Ground Zero Mosque: WALL STREET JOURNAL

Summer Said | 12/20/10

“The kingdom ‘has no involvement, either directly or indirectly, with Park 51, formerly known as Cordoba House, in New York City, nor is it involved –in anyway–in talks that may be taking place to relocate the proposed community center,’ the country’s embassy in Washington said in an emailed statement.”

Saudi Girls’ Schools Probed Over Sports Meet: Report: AFP

12/21/10

Private Saudi girls’ high schools are being investigated by the education ministry for holding an “illegal” sports tournament, the Arab News reported Tuesday.

Saudi Retail Sector Seen Hitting $74bn By 2014: TRADE ARABIA

12/21/10

“The Saudi Arabian retail sector continues to be fuelled by favourable demographics, improving education and changing lifestyles, which will see the market reach SR276 billion ($74 billion) by 2014 from SR226 billion in 2009, said a report.”

Saudi Aramco LPG Exports To Fall 24% In 2011 To 6.5 Million Mt: PLATTS

12/21/10

“Saudi Aramco’s LPG export for 2011 will slump 23.5% to anywhere between 6 million mt and 6.5 million mt as it diverts product to meet local demand, term customers and trade sources said Tuesday. LPG — a major cracking feedstock — usage in the Arabian kingdom’s local petrochemical industry will rise to close to 11.5 million mt next year, or by 21% from the near 9.5 million mt that found use in the sector this year. “

Senators Drop Tax Item Affecting Foreign Companies: BLOOMBERG

Richard Rubin and Sophia Yan | 12/20/10

“One company that has lobbied Congress on the bill is SABIC Innovative Plastics LLC, according to congressional disclosure records. The petrochemical firm, which makes resins used in medical devices, automobiles and toys, is owned by Saudi Basic Industries Corp.”

Police in Israel are investigating the mysterious death of a US tourist, Batsheva Sobeman (Babylon and Beyond) reports. “Many people are convinced this was a terrorist attack; other people say things don’t add up. Police are investigating all options.”

Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi was sentenced to 6 years in prison after making a controversial film about Iran’s social problems, Borzou Daragahi (LAT) reports. He “is also barred from making films for 20 years.” EARTHQUAKE: At least 7 died yesterday after an earthquake shook Iran, Reuters reports.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki “set forward the skeleton of his new government on Monday night, proposing ministers to fill a majority of cabinet seats and bringing a bitter nine-month impasse one faltering step closer to resolution,” John Leland (NYT) reports.

Despite the soaring gas prices in Iran as a result of a dramatic cut in gas subsidies, drivers are “seemingly unaffected” by the sharp increase, William Yong (NYT) reports. “Government subsidies, which had kept the basic price of gas at about 38 cents a gallon, were drastically cut, quadrupling the rationed fuel price overnight and pushing the “free” price, at which motorists can purchase an unlimited amount, to $2.55 a gallon — a staggering price for Iranians, who on average make little more than one-fifth of what Americans earn. But Iranians took to the streets as if nothing had changed.”

PA President Mahmoud Abbas hosted “two busloads of Israeli parliament members and public figures for lunch in Ramallah,” Joshua Mitnick (CSM) reports. “Over a four-course banquet featuring lamb, stuffed grape leaves, and Hebrew-speaking waiters, he appealed directly to the Israeli public to back a peace treaty over the status quo of steady Israeli settlement expansion.” GAZA: “Despite recent moves by Israel to ease construction in the Gaza Strip, restrictions on building materials are hampering international humanitarian efforts while doing little to impede the Hamas-led government they are designed to weaken,” Janine Zacharia (Washington Post) reports, citing Aid groups.

/The daily news is provided as a service of the Saudi-US Trade Group, Washington, DC. Visit www.SUSTG.org for more information and to get a free email subscription to the News Review./