Saudi Arabia’s ruler named Defense Minister Prince Salman bin Abdul-Aziz is the country’s new crown prince Monday — an expected nod that leaves power still within an aging and shrinking circle of leaders in one of the West’s most critical Middle East allies….
In addition to naming Pr Salman as the new Crown Prince, King Abdullah named Pr Ahmed bin Abdulaziz, the last of the Sudairi brothers, as Minister of Interior. He has held the position of Deputy Minister of Interior since 1975. Pr Ahmed has been busy, but his activities have been low profile …
There are two areas where Saudi Arabia will keenly feel Nayef’s loss. First, his relationship with the kingdom’s powerful religious hierarchy was critical: His ties to the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, more commonly known as the haia, allowed him to monitor …
As we all know, Prince Nayef has had a tremendous impact on internal Saudi security needs mainly fighting Al-Qaeda supporters. His passing will likely mean that Prince Ahmed Al-Saud will likely takeover the MOI. He has been a Deputy Interior Minister since 1975. Prince Ahmed is also operational …
This does not appear to be a particularly difficult transition, from the perspective of an outsider like me. Prince Salman was given the Defense Ministry, after his long career as governor of Riyadh, to some extent to give him cabinet and security responsibilities as a precursor to his move …
The GCC countries have around 235 companies operating in the various industries within telecommunications sector, according to a report by Kuwait and Middle East Financial Investment Company (KMEFIC). The GCC industry houses a wide range of sub-industries ranging from simple retailers of …
In the midst of financial and political turmoil throughout Europe, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) met last Thursday in Vienna, Austria, to discuss the future of oil production. The verdict? Production levels will remain at 30 million barrels per day (bpd.) Some …
Saudi Arabia kept more oil in storage in April than at any other time in a decade as OPEC’s biggest producer pumped at the highest level for at least 31 years, official data show. The world’s largest crude exporter stored 284 million barrels inside the country in April, 3.8 percent more than in …
Both Egyptian presidential candidates claimed victory Monday, even though ballots were still being tallied and the extent of the victor’s power remained unclear after a bold assertion of control by Egypt’s military generals. At an early morning news conference, Muslim Brotherhood candidate …
In Moscow today, Iran and world powers began to ‘engage’ in detail about Iran’s nuclear program for the first time, though fundamental differences could prove unbridgeable tomorrow. Such an impasse could jeopardize the diplomatic track and eventually risk another Middle East …
‘We were made aware of the allegations that the Alaed was carrying munitions destined for Syria,’ the company said in a statement. ‘We have already informed the ship owner that their insurance cover ceased automatically in view of the nature of the voyage.’ British security officials confirmed …
Pakistan’s top court has disqualified Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani from holding office, two months after convicting him of contempt of court. The Supreme Court ruled he had ‘ceased to be the prime minister of Pakistan’. In April, the Supreme Court convicted Mr Gilani of failing to …
Afghan authorities say two men have been charged in connection with a suicide bombing that killed 56 worshippers and wounded more than 160 others last year outside a Shiite shrine in Kabul. The massive attack on Dec. 6, which left behind a grisly scene of bodies and blood, was Afghanistan’s …
The Tadawul All-Share Index (TASI) while reflecting a typical trough-peak combination continued marching its way higher to close in the green at 6,807.51 points yesterday. The index advanced over 53.27 points or 0.79 percent for the entire day. Micro cap surged 2.97 percent among the market …
The catering unit of Saudi Arabian Airlines is seeking to raise 1.3 billion riyals ($350 million) by floating 30 percent of its shares, the prospectus showed as the initial public offer opened to retail investors on Monday. The sale of shares in Saudi Airlines Catering Co has been keenly …
Saudi Arabia’s Jabal Omar Development Co has signed a 5 billion riyals ($1.3 billion) loan agreement with a group of local banks to refinance an upcoming bridge loan maturity and fund the development of hotels and shops in Mecca. The loan runs for 12 years, with a four-year grace period on …
Achieving sustainable health care infrastructure requires big challenges to unify ecological and economical demands of health care sector, says Prof Tawfik Khoja, director general of the Executive Board of the GCC Health Ministers’ Council. He was speaking at the MEDEXPO forum in Jeddah. More …
The problem isn’t the leaks, it’s the policy. It’s the assertion of a presidential prerogative that the administration can target for death people it decides are terrorists — even American citizens — anywhere in the world, at any time, on secret evidence with no review. It is a policy driven …
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