SUSRIS Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here]

OIC Condemns Freedom Flotilla Attacks  [May 31]
“The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) on Monday condemned the violent actions of Israeli soldiers against civilians onboard the Freedom Flotilla heading to Palestine.  The OIC said it condemned the uncalled for actions of Israeli troops against Freedom Flotilla civilians delivering humanitarian aid and for their solidarity to the Palestinian people in Gaza.  Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Secretary-General of the OIC, said in a statement that Israel should be held fully responsible for the wellbeing and safety of all people on the ship, adding that such a crime is a deliberate violation of international laws and human values.  He also said that Israel must lift the siege it is imposing on Gaza, which debilitated the economy and worsened the living conditions in Gaza..”  [Complete Report]

US-Saudi Security Cooperation ‘Very Strong’: Napolitano  [May 31]
“US Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Monday the US and Saudi Arabia were cooperating closely on security, and both shared a deep concern about Yemeni militant activities.  ‘We all share a concern about terrorist activity emanating from Yemen. Actions of the US in Yemen are with the consent (and) cooperation of the government of Yemen,’ Napolitano said after meetings with King Abdullah and other top Saudi officials.  She told journalists Washington was helping Saudi Arabia develop security along the rugged, porous Saudi-Yemen border, across which militants smuggle weapons and operatives into Saudi Arabia. ‘It is a very rough border very difficult to protect from illegal crossings so many of our discussions were about how to protect a very tough, geological, topographical border from illegal crossings,’ she said.. ..’The security coordination is very strong with Saudi Arabia,” Napolitano said, adding the two sides discussed at length programmes to counter the Islamic radicalisation that feeds Al-Qaeda, as well as efforts to prevent militant attacks’..”  [Complete Report]

Prince Salman Accorded Warm Welcome in Berlin  [May 31]
“Riyadh Gov. Prince Salman arrived in Berlin on an official visit to Germany at the invitation of Germany’s Vice Chancellor and Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle on Sunday. Prince Salman was received by the Speaker of the Berlin House of Representatives Walter Momper, Saudi Ambassador to Germany Osama Shobokshi and a number of senior officials at Tegel Airport.  Prince Salman is being accompanied by an official delegation including the Chairman of the Saudi Research and Marketing Group Prince Faisal bin Salman, the Saudi Press Agency reported.  ‘During the visit, the prince will explore ways for the growth of German investments in the Kingdom apart from discussing ways to achieve closer political relations,’..”  [Complete Report]

Bombardier Wins Riyadh Deal  [May 31]
“Bombardier Inc. has been awarded a $241-million contract to supply a monorail system for the Saudi capital city’s new financial district.  Engineering and design work on the monorail will be done in eastern Ontario, in Kingston, while manufacturing of the 12 cars will be done in Pittsburgh, Pa.  Bombardier says the monorail will stretch about 3.6 kilometres through the King Abdullah Financial District being build in Riyadh.  The monorail system is scheduled for completion in 2012..”  [Complete Report]

Al-Jasser Says European Debt Crisis Will Be Contained  [May 31]
“Saudi Arabian central bank Governor Muhammad Al-Jasser said the European sovereign debt crisis is not affecting the economies of the Gulf Arab region and the euro will overcome its difficulties.  ‘My guess is that they will maintain the system, they will overcome the problems,’ al-Jasser told reporters today in Seoul, where he is attending a forum hosted by the Bank of Korea. ‘The impact will be more sluggish growth in Europe and maybe some new measures on the resolution of such fiscal problems. This is going to be the challenge for Europe going forward.’  Al-Jasser, who is leading efforts to form a single currency between four Gulf Arab states, said May 24 that the problems facing the euro had not changed his strategy toward forming a regional central bank..”  [Complete Report]

Saudi Arabia to Privatise Ports  [May 31]
“Saudi Arabia plans to create an independent firm that will manage the kingdom’s eight ports under a gradual privatisation process, the state-run Saudi Ports Authority said on Monday.  The authority has completed privatisation studies of the ports, which will lead to the inception of the independent managing entity, its head Khaled Bubshait said in remarks carried by the official SPA news agency.  While Bubshait did not say when this entity would be set up, his remarks reactivate a process that has been frozen since late-1997.  A royal decree in 1997 allowed private firms to operate and maintain berths and equipment owned by the Ports Authority on a commercial basis, while keeping the ports and their facilities under government ownership. The move was aimed at raising efficiency and creating more jobs for Saudi nationals..”  [Complete Report]

Saudi Arabia to Stick to 2010 Budget Spending  [May 31]
” Saudi Arabia will not push spending beyond its 2010 plan to keep inflation under control and plans to cut its debt before any new bond issues may be considered, the Kingdom’s finance minister said on Sunday.  The world’s top oil exporter ramped up spending to help its crude-reliant economy sail through the global crisis, launching a $400 billion five-year plan in 2008, the largest stimulus relative to gross domestic product among 20 leading nations.. ..Analysts polled by Reuters expected a fiscal surplus of Saudi Arabia, which does not release monthly budget updates, to reach 4.8 percent of GDP this year.  Al-Assaf also said that spending within its $400 billion plan, that ends in 2013, was ‘either on time or ahead of time” and that the government would have to review before it is completed whether to keep the stimulus or reduce it’..”  [Complete Report]

Saudi Rehab Center Studies Oldest US Addiction Treatment  [May 31]
“Mohammed Al-Turaiki left his traditional Saudi headdress behind in favor of a blazer and sweater as he made the rounds at one of the United States’ oldest addiction treatment centers.  He had traveled 7,000 miles (11,265 km) to Michigan in hope of finding answers to a problem so taboo in the Kingdom that no official statistics exist: alcohol and drug addiction.  Alcohol is illegal in Saudi Arabia. For those who suffer from alcohol and drug abuse, treatment is scarce and the stigma so great that most never talk about their addiction, even to close family members.  Al-Turaiki, the chief executive of the Riyadh-based Saudi Care for Rehabilitation and Health Care, is trying to change the negative image of addiction by creating a network of treatment facilities in the Kingdom. He came to Brighton Hospital earlier this year to check out the facility and its treatment programs that have long have included the Detroit region’s large Arab and Muslim population..”  [Complete Report]

SUSRIS Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here]

Abdullah Receives Qaboos  [May 30]
“King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, received Sultan Qaboos Bin Said of Oman at King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Jeddah, Saturday. The King hosted a luncheon in honor of Sultan Qaboos, who is here on a two-day official visit. Later, the two discussed various regional and international issues..”  [Complete Report]

No New Wanted Terror List: Prince Ahmad  [May 30]
” Deputy Interior Minister Prince Ahmad denied that the Kingdom had a new list of militants wanted for security reasons.  Prince Ahmad made this statement after attending the graduation ceremony at the General Security Training City in Makkah on Saturday.  The prince also stressed the need for increased number of qualified security personnel and commended the ministry’s efforts to form new security forces in light of the incidents and developments in the Kingdom, the Saudi Press Agency reported.  The prince also affirmed the need for pre-emptive security operations to root out terror. ‘The Kingdom’s efforts to fight terror have been appreciated by all countries in the world. There are countries that have benefited from the experience of the Kingdom in fighting terror,’..”  [Complete Report]

Plan to Recruit Domestic Help From Cambodia, Ivory Coast, Mali  [May 30]
“In the wake of a hike in the cost of recruitment from Indonesia, the National Committee for Recruitment at the Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry, has left for Cambodia to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to hire domestic workers from that country.  It is also plans to sign another MoU in this regard with the Ivory Coast.  Saad Al-Baddah, Chairman of the National Committee for Recruitment, added that the committee has received an invitation from Mali for a visit yet to be determined.  This is also to discuss recruitment of workers, especially house helpers. He said there was no reason for the increase in recruitment fees from Indonesia.  He accused brokers, who bring laborers to the Indonesian recruitment agents, of raising prices..”  [Complete Report]

Saudis Invest Heavily in Ethiopian Farm Sector  [May 30]
“Saudi trade and investment in Ethiopia is expanding. ‘The investment increase is particularly seen in the agricultural sector and is in line with Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah’s initiative to provide food security for the Kingdom. Agricultural lands being leased by Saudis have been increasing by the day in Ethiopia,’ Ethiopian Consul General Tekleab Kebede told the community at the country’s national day celebrations at the consulate over the weekend.  Kebede said many Saudis and local companies had been signing contracts with landowners across Ethiopia to produce grains and other agricultural products. ‘Rice produced by a prominent Saudi company was presented to the king recently,’ he said.  Saudis are allowed 100 percent investment in projects in Ethiopia..”  [Complete Report]

Kingdom-Born Foreigners Demand Citizenship  [May 30]
” A group of non-Saudi nationals who were born in the Kingdom have come together to launch a new Internet site to demand citizenship or permanent iqamas and express their love and loyalty to the Kingdom.  ‘Our commitment to the Kingdom is eternal. We have become part of the Saudi social fabric,’ say the founders of www.Mawaleed.net.  The youngsters say they consider themselves “an integral part of Saudi society,” speak fluent Arabic and have adopted local culture and customs. “What ties us to the Kingdom is more stronger than what ties us to our original homes from which our fathers and grandfathers came,” said the founders in a statement on the site.  The founders describe their forum as ‘a tree’ under which they meet to express their love and commitment to Saudi Arabia, the country where they were born, grew up in and studied..”  [Complete Report]

Demand For Small Cars Shifts to High Gear in Saudi Arabia [May 30]
“Market for small car segment in Saudi Arabia is starting to grow, with increasing competition among car manufacturers.  In recent years, the sale of vehicles with four-cylinder engines has witnessed noticeable improvement. This trend toward quality built-smaller cars and smaller engines with high feature content and loads of character looks bright.  Industry leaders forecast an upturn in demand for small cars in Saudi Arabia, which represents only 6-8 percent of the total car market in the Kingdom at present.  Though larger cars and multi-utility vehicles (MUVs) are popular owing to dominance of large families and relatively low fuel prices, yet industry analysts said the preference for small cars is dictated by economic considerations..”  [Complete Report]

SUSRIS Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here]

Concerted Efforts to Counter Terror Needed  [May 29]
“Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah highlighted the efforts of Saudi Arabia to foster peace and end clashes in the world in the Alliance of Civilizations conference currently being held in Rio de Janeiro.  Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva opened the two-day conference of the Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), an offshoot of the United Nation, in Rio on Friday.. ..On behalf of King Abdullah, Foreign Minister Saud Al-Faisal headed the Saudi delegation to the conference and read out the king’s speech.  ‘This third forum of UNAOC has a special significance in the light of the ongoing crises and conflicts in the world. It needs our concerted efforts to counter the violence and terror caused by extremist groups who raise a language of hatred,’ King Abdullah said in the speech read out by Prince Saud.  Saudi Arabia has been consistently promoting a policy of dialogue of civilizations in order to strengthen peaceful coexistence and understanding in the world. It strives to spread humanitarian values. It seeks to replace confrontation with harmony as a means to defuse tension and achieve peace, the king’s speech said..”  [Complete Report]

Fingerprints to be Required For All Services  [May 29]
“The Passports Department has said that foreign residents in the Kingdom will soon have to be registered in the fingerprint system if they wish to avail themselves of the various government services.  ‘Fingerprints will be a basic requirement to obtain these services soon,’ said Passports chief Salim Al-Bulaihid.  ‘The system will help us provide better services through secure electronic channels and save both time and effort, allowing the Ministry of Interior and other ministries to make use of the database.’ According to Al-Bulaihid, fingerprinting needs only be done once and requires no updating.  ‘It will help curb forgery and impersonation, which have caused significant problems, and allow the verification of the identities of nationals and foreigners alike,’ he said, adding that the system is currently being introduced for Saudi nationals at Civil Affairs..”  [Complete Report]

Turkey Creates Legal Basis for Military Hardware Cooperation With Saudis  [May 29]
“Turkey and Saudi Arabia have signed a military as well as technical and scientific cooperation agreement that has created the legal basis for Turkey to enter the Saudi defense market, which relies heavily on off-the-shelf arms bought mainly from Western countries.  Turkey has been making vigorous efforts to boost its still poor defense industry market through joint manufacturing projects and to increase the ability of its domestic defense market to manufacture its own products.  Turkey and Saudi Arabia signed the agreement on May 24 in Ankara to cooperate in military training as well as in technical and scientific fields. Turkish Defense Minister Vecdi Gönül said he was pleased the two countries had signed a military agreement after a long period of negotiation..”  [Complete Report]

SUSRIS Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here]

Yemen Al Qaeda Video Announces a New Leader  [May 28]
“A fugitive Saudi Arabian man, who was once detained at the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo, was named as a senior member of Al Qaeda’s Yemen wing, according to a tape by the group shown on al Arabiya television on Friday.. ..Othman Ahmed al-Ghamdi, the 31-year-old man named as a leading Al Qaeda operative on Friday, had been added to a list of 85 most wanted people by Saudi Arabia 15 months ago, al-Arabiya said.  He spent four years in Guantanamo prison after he was captured in Afghanistan. He was released in 2006..”  [Complete Report]

Muslim Leaders Urged to Back Palestinians  [May 28]
“A Saudi committee comprising influential scholars that is responsible for issuing fatwas has called on Muslim leaders to support Palestinians in their fight to stop the atrocities of Israel in their lands, the Saudi Press Agency has reported.  ‘Muslim rulers should stand by their Palestinian brothers and help them in their efforts to prevent the Jews from carrying out their hostile acts and transgression against the Al-Aqsa Mosque and to end the occupation,’ said the statement from the Permanent Committee for Scholarly Studies and Ifta.Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh chairs the permanent committee.. ..The committee called on Palestinians to end their differences and close ranks so that they are better equipped to counter Israeli aggression.  Besides the Grand Mufti, the signatories to the statement are: Ahmad bin Ali Al-Mubaraki, Saleh bin Fouzan Al-Fouzan, Muhammad bin Hassan Al-Asheikh, Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Khanin and Abdullah bin Muhammad Al-Mutlaq..”  [Complete Report]

Saudi Royalty Attends Opening of Multimillion-Dollar Kentucky Horse Park Exhibit  [May 28]
“Lexington became an oasis of Arabian horse culture Thursday.  Saudi royalty arrived to formally open a multimillion-dollar Kentucky Horse Park exhibit, A Gift from the Desert, with Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear and first lady Jane Beshear.  ‘Saudi Arabia and Kentucky are separated by half a globe but linked by a mutual fascination by the power, the grace and the beauty of the horse,’ Beshear said.  The royal tour of the exhibit was broadcast live to Saudi television and covered by Arab media, whose members shot photo after photo of the delegation admiring everything from ancient petroglyphs to T.E. Lawrence’s gold-embroidered robe.. ..A former Saudi Arabian ambassador to the United States and the United Kingdom and Ireland, Prince Turki said the point of the exhibit is “to let people know who we are, where we come from, and that we do share values.”  Princess Adila bint Abdullah, the daughter of Saudi ruler King Abdullah, also admired the effort it took to bring together works from 28 museums around the world..”  [Complete Report]

Women Will Not Drive Cars in Saudi Arabia!  [May 28]
“Repeated appeals to the official authorities in Saudi Arabia to put an end to the ban on women being allowed to drive have been to no avail. Women will not be sitting in the driver’s seat anytime soon, despite a huge number of text messages and emails calling for this by those who advocate women being permitted to drive.  All campaigns to remedy this situation have failed.. ..Perhaps the mistake lies in the 40-year delay in issuing the decision recognizing a woman’s right to drive as back then this was neither an issue nor a demand however it gradually became a custom then a law.  Despite this, today there are more than a few clerics who acknowledge the right of women to drive. There is also a growing proportion of society that supports this idea; however there is a large percentage of Saudi Arabians who are still concerned, scared, sceptical, and oppose change. The ban on women driving has become something of a symbol for them, and the government is attempting to take the middle path, as it does not want to impose change from above..” [Complete Report]

Saudi Society Blamed For Rising Unemployment Among Women  [May 28]
“Saudi women who have recently graduated face long-term unemployment due to limited choice of careers available on the job market. In fact, the rate of unemployed Saudi women is increasing.. ..The Ministry of Labor, Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Human Resources Fund should not be blamed for this problem, says Dr. Aisha Netto, CEO of the Eye-to-Eye optical company and member of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI).  ‘In Saudi Arabia, most job opportunities are available only for men. This increases the unemployment rate among Saudi women. Officials in governmental bodies are trying their best to create job opportunities for Saudi women. Unfortunately Saudi society still insists on objecting to these opportunities,’..”  [Complete Report]

GE, Saudi University Launch Fuel Diversification Research Initiative  [May 28]
“King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) and GE today announced an agreement to establish a new fuel research center to be located on the University grounds in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.  The GE Energy Fuel Research Center will focus on furthering the understanding of alternative fuels produced in Saudi Arabia and identify ways to overcome technical barriers and promote the use and distribution of these fuels. The program is expected to further the region’s capabilities for maximizing the utilization of alternative fuels and increase fuel efficiency for power plant and refinery applications. Increasing power generation efficiency and decreasing fuel consumption are vital steps to promoting energy sustainability and supporting the Kingdom’s national development strategy..” [Complete Report]

Vietnam, Saudi Arabia Boost Trade and Investment Cooperation [May 28]
” Speeding up multi-faceted cooperation with Saudi Arabia, especially in oil and gas, agriculture, investment, trade and labour, is one of Vietnam’s priorities in its foreign policy towards the Middle East.  The statement was made by the President of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), Vu Tien Loc, at the Vietnam-Saudi Arabia Business Forum held in Hanoi on May 27.  In the coming time, through the Inter-governmental Cooperation Committee, the two countries will create a favourable legal foundation for their businesses to expand trade and investment activities and increase information exchanges, Mr Loc said.  The Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Vietnam Salal Ahmed Sarhan and President of the Saudi Arabia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mahak Tolal A.Mirza, said the trade and investment cooperation between the two countries remains modest so a Saudi Arabian business delegation’s visit to Vietnam is expected to pave the way for enterprises of the two sides to explore each other’s potential and exchange views on bilateral cooperation in industry, trade and investment..”  [Complete Report]

SUSRIS Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here]

Saudi Diplomats Receive Death Threats in Sudan  [May 27]
“Staff at the Kingdom’s embassy in Sudan say they are continuing to receive death threats from unknown persons, with the latest recipient in recent days being Vice Consul Wajih Masoud.  ‘I received a text message on my mobile phone saying ‘we will assassinate you before you leave Khartoum’,’ Masoud told Okaz. ‘I approached the Sudanese government as soon as I received the message and they have given me protection at home but not during travel to the embassy. The Sudanese government is investigating the number from which the threatening message came.’  Masoud said that his staff had become concerned at the repeated nature of the threats..”  [Complete Report]

Security, Religion Block Saudi Rights Progress—Amnesty International  [May 27]
“Saudi Arabia has made minor progress on its dismal human rights record but the powerful state security apparatus and the conservative religious regime continue to block real change, Amnesty International said Wednesday.  Despite recently formed human rights bodies and reforms to the justice system, prisoners still face secret and summary justice, women are frequently abused, and faiths other than Sunni Muslim are still unable to worship freely in the country, Amnesty said in its annual report for 2010.. ..It cited the ongoing practice of detention without charge or trial of people suspected of links to what the Saudis brand as ‘terrorist’ activities.  Amnesty said “thousands” of people arrested in recent years on terror-related allegations remained in prison without charge, trial or access to legal advice, with “hundreds” more arrested in 2009..”  [Complete Report]

GE Reaches Deal With Saudi Aramco  [May 27]
“General Electric said Wednesday that it has signed a deal with the national oil company of Saudi Arabia that establishes a framework for the supply of GE turbomachinery equipment and services to support oil and gas production in the country.  The deal between GE and Saudi Aramco is designed to cut costs and lead to shorter cycle times for Saudi Aramco projects. It also builds on initiatives to maximize the performance of Saudi Aramco’s fleet of turbomachinery equipment, which includes more than 60 gas turbines, 90 compressors and more than 100 pumps.  No financial terms for the deal were included in the announcement..”  [Complete Report]

Saudi Diplomat Urges Government to Stop Hiring Indonesians  [May 27]
“A senior Saudi diplomat has backed the demand to halt the recruitment of Indonesian labor. The demand has been made by the National Committee for Recruitment as well as the recruitment offices in Saudi Arabia.  Abdul Aziz Al-Roqabi, consul at the Saudi Embassy in Jakarta, recently urged the Saudi authorities to stop issuing labor visas for Indonesia until the country’s recruitment offices comply with agreements signed with their Saudi counterparts.. ..There are about 1.5 million Indonesians currently working in the Kingdom, and they contribute more than one-third of the East Asian country’s foreign remittance annually.  Speaking to Al-Riyadh Arabic daily, the consul reaffirmed that bilateral relations between Saudi Arabia and Indonesia are strong and excellent, and that the Indonesian government has nothing to do with the current recruitment stand off.  ‘It is the Federation of Indonesia Workers and recruitment offices in that country which are primarily responsible for the crisis. Unfortunately, the recruitment offices in Indonesia, not exceeding five, are owned by Saudis and Arabs, and they earn a major chunk of the exorbitant amount of money collected through the recruitment of Indonesian labor’..”  [Complete Report]

Salman’s Visit Expected to Bolster Norway Ties  [May 27]
“Riyadh Gov. Prince Salman on Wednesday began a visit to Oslo, which is expected to take Saudi-Norwegian relations to new heights. He will also visit Germany on May 30.. ..’Saudi Arabia and Norway are active members of the international community and have been contributing to promote world peace and stability. We also coordinate to tackle major issues such as the Palestinian issue,’ the Norwegian minister said.  Støre noted the two oil-producing countries’ efforts to stabilize world market. Welcoming Prince Salman to Norway, he said: ‘We have been looking forward to this visit for quite a long time and we are happy to see his royal highness amongst us.’.. ..Saudi Arabia and Norway established diplomatic relations in 1961. Five years later Norway opened its embassy in Jeddah, which was moved to the Diplomatic Quarter in Riyadh in 1984..”  [Complete Report]

Australia, Saudi Arabia Sign University Pact  [May 27]
“Student exchanges and research collaboration will be encouraged under a new education agreement signed by Australia and Saudi Arabia.  Education Minister Julia Gillard met her Saudi counterpart Dr Khalid bin Mohammed Al Ankary in Canberra on Thursday.  The pair signed a memorandum of cooperation which Ms Gillard said built on the ties the two nations already shared. Dr Ankary and Ms Gillard discussed their commitment to sharing information and resources between Saudi Arabian and Australian high education institutions at the meeting.  Their memorandum will encourage research cooperation, the exchange of academic staff, researchers and students and support international scholarships.  It also fosters the translation of both nations’ distinguished research, to allow expertise to be shared beyond language barriers.  Dr Ankary is at the end of his week-long visit to Australia, where he led a delegation of 26 senior Saudi officials..”  [Complete Report]

Harvard Students Visit Effat University  [May 27]
“Effat University hosted on Saturday a meeting between students from Harvard and Effat universities. “The meeting was a major success. Both sides shared their opinion about politics, religion, education and many more,” said Amal Al-Refai, public relations manager at Effat University.  ‘What made this meeting even more interesting was that our students gave them a presentation at the beginning of the meeting explaining how a Saudi student spends her day between home and school. With that they started their discussion.’ The meeting was organized by the Saudi Ministry of Higher Education jointly coordinated with the Royal Embassy in Washington..”  [Complete Report]

SUSRIS Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here]

US to Expand Covert Ops in Mideast [May 26]
“The top American commander in the Middle East has ordered a broad expansion of clandestine military activity in an effort to disrupt militant groups or counter threats in Iran, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and other countries in the region, according to defense officials and military documents. The secret directive, signed in September by Gen David Petraeus, authorizes the sending of American Special Operations troops to both friendly and hostile nations in the Middle East, Central Asia and the Horn of Africa to gather intelligence and build ties with local forces. Officials said the order also permits reconnaissance that could pave the way for possible military strikes in Iran if tensions over its nuclear ambitions escalate..”  [Complete Report]

Merkel Seeks to Boost Trade With Gulf [May 26]
“German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who arrived in Jeddah Tuesday evening, pledged to boost trade across the Gulf region, even as the euro zone struggles with its most serious economic crisis. She was received by Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Foreign Minister, at King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Jeddah. Merkel visited the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Thuwal where she was received by KAUST President Professor Choon Fong Shih. Later in the evening, King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, hosted a banquet in her honor.. ..Merkel tried to keep the focus on bolstering economic links with the region — repeatedly noting Germany’s interest in expanding the estimated 60 billion euros ($74 billion) in two-way trade between Germany and the entire Middle East. ‘While political ties and initiatives are important, it ultimately comes down to creating investment opportunities,’..”  [Complete Report]

First Women’s Sports and Entertainment Club Opens [May 26]
“A new all-women sports, health, and entertainment club was launched Tuesday in Jeddah at the Princess Fawziah Center for Women and Children. The club is the first of its type in the Kingdom.. ..Earlier this year, health authorities in Jeddah shut down an ‘illegal’ women’s fitness center attached to a hospital, closing one of the few venues where women are able to exercise. However, a number of stand-alone women’s gyms, some attached to, or inside hospital premises, continue to function..”  [Complete Report]

Saudi Foreign Assets Decline on Stimulus [May 26]
“Saudi Arabia’s foreign assets edged down slightly in April for the first time in eight months over spending to stimulate economy, official statistics revealed. While investments in securities grew by around 1.3 percent, deposits with banks abroad by the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA), the Kingdom’s central bank, dipped by nearly SR24 billion at the end of April, compared to the previous month, it said in its April bulletin. In its latest note, Banque Saudi Fransi (BSF) said the Saudi government continues to take the role as primary financier for strategic projects in the country as private sector firms linger on the sidelines.. ..despite all of the ‘ingredients for a perfect recipe’ of bank credit revival appearing to be in place, lending continues to be listless apart from a pick up in April. It said two key reasons for the slow credit are that banks are implementing tighter conditions on relationship lending and private-sector firms are not seeking loans as they focus instead on reducing their debt positions..”  [Complete Report]

Honorary French Consulate in EP [May 26]
“France recently opened an honorary consulate in the Eastern Province and named prominent Saudi businessman Samir Ahmad Albinali as its head. At the inauguration ceremony in Alkhobar, French Ambassador Bertrand Besancenot said he was delighted at the opening of the new consulate in the Eastern Province. ‘We realized it was important to open this office because of the increasing economic, cultural and social activities in this region,’ he said. ‘And since around 200 French citizens are working in this province with various companies, this consulate will come as a great relief to them.’ Besancenot said the new office will act as a bridge between French nationals and Saudis. ‘I believe the consulate here in Alkhobar will link the French community with the French Embassy in Riyadh and bring together the trade missions of both countries,’ he said. ‘The new consulate will also support and promote cultural events.’..”  [Complete Report]

Qatar Frees Saudi Prisoners [May 26]
“Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah received here Tuesday Ali bin Saleh Abulailah, head of the Ghafran tribe from Al-Murrah, and Saudi prisoners released by Qatar. Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani issued an amnesty on Tuesday to release the prisoners who were arrested in February 1996 for taking part in a coup attempt, which was foiled by the Qatari forces. According to a statement issued by the Qatari Foreign Ministry, the prisoners were released at King Abdullah’s request. The prisoners returned to the Kingdom with Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, deputy commander of the National Guard. King Abdullah thanked Sheikh Hamad for his gesture. Qatar sentenced 19 of the accused in the coup attempt to capital punishment and 20 to life imprisonment while 29 suspects were set free, according to a report posted at Al Arabiya satellite television’s website..”  [Complete Report]

SUSRIS Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here]

Saudi Arabia in Need of Positive Spin [May 25]
“Saudis must work harder to improve their image to the rest of the world, according to former Saudi intelligence chief and Saudi ambassador to the US, Prince Turki Al Faisal Bin Abdul Aziz said. Speaking at a lecture entitled “Moderateness” at King Abdul Aziz University in Jeddah on Sunday night, Prince Turki described Saudi Arabia’s negative reputation as “eternal and deep-rooted”, recognising that it is very difficult to change. ‘All of us are responsible for spreading our culture and moderateness in the world. This should not be limited to government bodies,’ he said. Saudi mass media has only been partially successful in polishing Saudi Arabia’s image, he explained..” [Complete Report]

Cabinet OK’s 12,600 New Administrative Positions in Girls’ Schools [May 25]
“The Cabinet approved on Monday the creation of 12,600 new school administrative positions at the Ministry of Education’s Girls’ Education Department. The new fourth-rank education posts are designed to address the situation of graduates from women teacher institutes who have remained unemployed for over 15 years since becoming qualified. The posts are to be approved by the Ministry of Finance over three years beginning in the fiscal year of 1432 (2011), with the ministry to approve 4,200 positions per year. The Cabinet said that priority in appointments would be given based on grade and date of graduation, and appointments will take into account place of residence and the needs of schools in each city or region..” [Complete Report]

Canada to Give 5-Year Multiple-Entry Visas to Saudis [May 25]
“The Canadian government has decided to give five-year multiple-entry visas to Saudis intending to visit the country, an official statement said. Canadian Ambassador David Chatterson said the decision covered those Saudis who visit the country for study and business. However, he pointed out that the visa period would not exceed 18 months. He said there are 8,200 Saudi students in Canada and expected 2,000 more students to join Canadian universities and colleges this year. Saudi Arabia is the second largest trading partner of Canada in the Middle East. Chatterson hoped that the new visa rules would strengthen Saudi-Canadian relations..” [Complete Report]

Emory U Forms Partnership With Saudi Arabia [May 25]
“Emory University’s public health school is forming a partnership with Saudi Arabia’s health ministry. The move will provide opportunities for Emory students and students studying public health in Saudi Arabia to travel overseas. It also will allow scientists in both the U.S. and Saudi Arabia to do public health research together. And it provides slots for students from Saudi Arabia to study public health at Emory through scholarships from the Mideast country. The first class of students will start at Emory next year. The private university is set to sign the partnership with officials from Saudi Arabia Tuesday in Atlanta..” [Complete Report]

Saudi’s Arriyadh Eyes New $3.5 Bln City Project [May 25]
“Saudi Arabia’s Arriyadh Development Company expects to receive government approval for a project worth more than 13 billion riyals ($3.47 billion) in the country’s capital Riyadh, its chief executive said on Tuesday. The project, part of the redevelopment plan for downtown Riyadh, will be funded largely by the government and members of a consortium, Khalid al-Dughaither told reporters on the sidelines of a MEED conference. The project, called Duhairah District, will be constructed in nine stages over 15 years, and includes residential, retail and tourism components, he said. The eight-partner consortium will include Saudi Arabia’s Dar al-Arkan 4300.SE, Saudi Real Estate Co 4020.SE and Lebanon’s Solidere (SOLA.BY), he said..”  [Complete Report]

Saudi Shares Slide Most in 18-Months on Oil, Europe Debt Crisis [May 25]
“Saudi shares lost the most in 18 months, leading a drop in the oil-rich Gulf, as crude and global stock markets slumped on concern Europe’s debt crisis will spread and as tensions grew in the Korean peninsula. Saudi Basic Industries Corp., the world’s largest petrochemical maker known as Sabic, sank 10 percent, the most since October 2008. National Industrialization Co. slid to the lowest in seven months. The Tadawul All Share Index plunged 6.8 percent, the biggest drop since November 2008, to 5,760.33. The region’s Bloomberg GCC 200 Index fell 5.5 percent. Dubai’s index lost 4.6 percent as the International Monetary Fund said the emirate’s economy will contract this year.  ‘Investors are reacting to the drop in oil prices, coupled with the global slump and the European crisis,’..”  [Complete Report]

Saudi Mission Plans to Provide $100 Million For IDPs [May 25]
“As the humanitarian community is struggling to narrow the funding gap of the Pakistan Humanitarian Response Plan (PHRP) for assisting the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), a Saudi mission has arrived to finalise proposals for injecting a $100 million support pledged earlier this year. ‘The experts are here for a week to finalise the projects for which the grant will be disbursed,’ said Manuel Bessler, head of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Pakistan. Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) will examine various proposals made by UN agencies for the allocation of $100 million. Once the funds are committed, it will become the largest contribution for PHRP, which currently has only 28 percent funds against the $537 million requested in the plan. The funds appeal for PHRP would then be brought up to almost 50 percent..”  [Complete Report]

SUSRIS Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here]

King, Merkel to Discuss Mideast, Bilateral Ties  [May 24]
“King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, is scheduled to discuss with German Chancellor Angela Merkel Monday a range of issues topped by the Middle East following the beginning of indirect Palestinian-Israeli talks. The discussions are also expected to address means of strengthening Saudi-European relations and Riyadh-Berlin political, economic and trade ties.  Speaking ahead of the chancellor’s visit, German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said the Kingdom had a ‘pioneering’ role in achieving peace in the Middle East.  ‘Riyadh has been and still is keen to ensure security in the region,’ Westerwelle told Okaz. ‘There is no alternative to the option of the two states of Palestine and Israel.’  According to Westerwelle, the Palestinians ‘have the right to live in a workable independent state’..”  [Complete Report]

GCC Backs Efforts to Solve Iran N-Issue  [May 24]
“The six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on Sunday supported the efforts of Turkey and Brazil to find a peaceful solution to Iran’s nuclear standoff with the West. It also emphasized the right of countries in the region to use nuclear power for peaceful purposes within the framework of international agreements.  In a final communiqué issued by GCC foreign ministers following their meeting in Jeddah, the group emphasized the need to keep the Middle East – including Israel – free of nuclear and mass destructive weapons.  ‘The ministers praised the efforts of Turkey and Brazil to help reach a peaceful solution to the Iranian nuclear program within the framework of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and related UN Security Council resolutions,’ the communiqué said..”  [Complete Report]

$350m Bahrain-Saudi Pipeline Plan on Track  [May 24]
“The design and route of a massive new pipeline to bring crude oil from Saudi Arabia to Bahrain will be completed later this year, Oil and Gas Affairs Minister and National Oil and Gas Authority (Noga) chairman Dr Abdulhussain Mirza said yesterday.  The $350 million project, which is expected to be completed within a year, will ensure that the Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco) refinery in Sitra receives around 350,000 barrels of oil a day, said Dr Mirza. Speaking after opening the Middle East Petrotech 2010 at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre (BIEC), he said the project is being undertaken to expand and replace the existing capacity and an old pipeline. ‘The 114-km pipeline will use a safer route that avoids going through inhabited areas and will also use state-of-the-art technology.’..” [Complete Report]

Saudi Central Bank Sees No Change to Gulf Money Union Strategy  [May 24]
“Four Gulf states planning a single currency will not change their strategy because of the Greek debt crisis facing the euro, Saudi Arabia’s central bank governor Muhammad al-Jasser said today.  ‘There’s not been a change in our strategy as scenarios such as the Greek crisis have already been factored in,’ al- Jasser, who is also chairman of the Monetary Council, said in an interview today..”  [Complete Report]

Fluor to Book $3 Billion in Work From Saudi Aluminum Project  [May 24]
” Fluor Corp. said it will book some $3 billion in work this quarter from contracts won as part of a $10.8 billion project to help a Saudi Arabia mining joint venture develop an aluminum complex.  Saudi Arabian Mining Co. and Alcoa Inc. are creating the facility, which will include a bauxite mine with an annual capacity of 4 million tons, a 1.8 million tons-per-year refinery as well as a smelter and rolling mill. Fluor’s part in the project will include engineering, procurement and construction management.  ‘The mining and metals sector continues to be a bright spot for Fluor and the commencement of this significant project in a key region of the world is another sign of the strengthening global economic recovery,’ said David Seaton, chief operating officer of the engineering and construction firm.  Fluor said two weeks ago its first-quarter profit fell 33% as revenue decreased amid weakness in the oil-and-gas sector..”  [Complete Report]

Demand for Saudi Organic Food Grows in Europe, Asia  [May 24]
“As Saudi Arabia’s investments in organic food sector reached $267 million last year, the demand for this natural Saudi product is growing in Europe and Asia.  Taking a cue from Saudi Arabia other GCC countries have also announced initiatives to increase the region’s share in the $220 billion global organic food market.  Saudi Arabia has been leading regional efforts to grow the organic foods business further.  The country’s private sector has already established a Saudi Organic Farming Association in cooperation with the Gtz, the German Embassy’s cooperative arm to oversee the development of organic food, using a SR15 million seed fund.. ..The Gulf’s own market is estimated at around $300 million, with Saudi Arabia, the area’s largest food consumer, representing almost 90 percent of the sector..”  [Complete Report]

Saudi Cleric Says Sport Corrupting Women  [May 24]
“A leading Saudi cleric has urged the government to uphold a ban on allowing women’s sports in the kingdom, it has been reported.  Sheikh Abdul Karim al-Khudhair, a member of the Council of Senior Scholars, said sports were ‘corrupting’ and ‘satanic’ for women and they should stay at home instead, the Associated Press reports.  The news agency said Al-Khudair’s comments come amid increasing calls for restrictions to be eased to help address the country’s growing obesity problem.  The Saudi government had previously chosen to turn a blind eye to unlicensed women’s gyms in order to avoid criticism from religious scholars.  It is still illegal for women’s gyms or fitness centres to operate in the country, but many underground venues exist and these are becoming increasingly popular..”  [Complete Report]

SUSRIS Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here]

Asharq Al-Awsat Talks to Senior Ulema Council SecGen Dr. Fahd al-Majid [May 23]
“..The decision to criminalize the funding of terrorism that the Council of Senior Ulema reached was not the first in the context of criminalizing terrorist acts in general. But it was considered the first since the Al-Qaeda organization launched its activities in Saudi Arabia on 12 May 2003. In an exclusive interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, the secretary general of the Council of Senior Ulema praised the way that the political leadership used to manage the terrorism issue. He said: “Had it not been for the successes that God Almighty provided us and had it not been for the wisdom of the leadership in dealing with the issue of terrorism, our situation would have been different from what it is now.. ..Following is the text of the interview:..”  [Complete Report]

Promoting Moderation Everyone’s Responsibility, Says Prince Turki [May 23]
“Prince Turki Al-Faisal, former ambassador to the US, said Saturday in a speech at Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz University that extremism should be fought by the entire society working to promote moderation. ‘It is a joint responsibility with society and individuals,’ he said. Prince Turki, who is chairman of King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, explained how King Abdul Aziz contained extremism during the formation of Saudi Arabia. He said the founder of the Kingdom had asked extremists in power to step down and select someone else from their families or tribes to replace them. He pointed out that Saudi Arabia has been negligent in realizing the importance of presenting its true face to others in the world. ‘The Kingdom has been facing this problem since its formation,’ he said. ‘There are some reasons for that. Firstly, we don’t boast before others about our achievements.’ He emphasized the need to master the art of presenting ‘ourselves to others.’..”  [Complete Report]

Ban on Nestle Products [May 23]
” The Kingdom has imposed a ban on the sale of Nescafe Collections instant coffee (100 gram jar only) as they might contain tiny pieces of glass, the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) announced on Saturday. SFDA warned consumers, restaurants, food outlets and factories not to use the range’s 100 gram jars, which includes Alta Rica, Alta Rica Decaff, Cap Colombie, Suraya and Espresso, as they are susceptible to break during shipment and delivery. All ‘best before’ dates and all batch codes are affected. SFDA said it would coordinate with the authorities to enforce the ban on the sale and import of the coffee..”  [Complete Report]

Saudi Economy Forecast to Grow 4% in 2010 [May 23]
“Saudi Arabia is projected to record a four-percent growth this year on the back of government spending and higher oil production, says the Business Optimism Index (BOI) released here on Saturday by the National Commercial Bank (NCB), in association with Dun and Bradstreet South Asia Middle East Ltd. (D&B). Releasing the BOI for the second quarter of 2010, Said Al-Shaikh, senior vice president and chief economist of NCB, said that the latest findings revealed that even though business sentiments were not as high as the previous quarter due to the uneven pace of global economic recovery, they were almost as strong, indicating continued recovery in Saudi Arabia. ‘The results of the survey for the BOI confirm our forecasts that the Saudi economy will expand by 3.5 percent in 2010 from the low 0.15 percent in 2009, with the nonoil sector GDP projected to register a faster growth of 3.8 percent’..”  [Complete Report]

Virtue Squads Toning Down Shows of Power in Saudi Arabia [May 23]
“Mersal Village on entertainment nights was once a magnet for members of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (known locally as Hay’ah or Mutaween), who roamed the parking lot and front gate to remind guests they were being watched. In recent months, they have been virtually invisible. Dating couples still take precautions by arriving at the park in separate cars, but the days of power displays like the 2004 incident at the Junoon rock concert – when the Hay’ah swept through the audience, upending chairs, tossing sound equipment and chasing teens around the stage ¬– appear to be in the past. At least for now.. ..The commission’s top brass has come under withering criticism from the Saudi media for its excessive use of force and its lack of accountability.
The criticism has become so vocal in recent months that an all out war of words has erupted between Saudi journalists and the commission’s leadership..”  [Complete Report]

SUSRIS Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here]

Saudi KEC to Start IPO to Raise $272 Million  [May 22]
“Saudi’s Knowledge Economic City will start an initial public offering on Monday to raise 1.02 billion riyals ($272 million), the firm’s chief executive said on Saturday.  The IPO, which will offer 30 percent of the company through issuing 102 million shares, will help raise the firm’s capital to 3.4 billion riyals.  KEC is based in the holy Muslim city of Medina and is one of four economic cities the Gulf Arab country is building to diversify its economy away from oil and to provide job opportunities for its growing population of over 25 million.  The location of the city within Medina, as a continuation to an existing economy and existing infrastructure, it will be different from the other economic cities,” said CEO Tahir Bawazir..”  [Complete Report]

Saudi Stocks Fall to Lowest Since February on Oil, Global Drop  [May 22]
“Saudi Arabian stocks fell to the lowest level in three months, led by petrochemical companies, as oil closed near the lowest this year and European shares declined on concern economic growth may slow.  Saudi Basic Industries Corp., the world’s largest petrochemical maker known as Sabic, sank to the lowest since March 3. National Industrialization Co. lost 2.6 percent and National Shipping Co. retreated to the lowest since February as it cancelled an order for two vessels. The Saudi Tadawul All Share Index fell 1.3 percent to 6,315.46, the lowest level since Feb. 14. The measure has lost 8 percent this month..”  [Complete Report]

Abu Dhabi Woos Saudi Vacationers  [May 22]
“With the first quarter of 2010 marking a 23-percent increase in Saudi visitors to Abu Dhabi compared to the same period last year, the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) is expecting many more Saudi families to enjoy their vacation in the coming summer.  ‘We have chalked out an elaborate summer program for our visitors from Saudi Arabia and other parts of the GCC,’ ADTA’s Domestic Promotion Section Head Ati Al-Dhaheri told a press conference at the Westin Jeddah on Saturday.  ‘The Saudi guests who stayed in Abu Dhabi hotels during the first quarter of the year numbered 9,083, which is a 23 percent increase over the same period last year.’..”  [Complete Report]

Saudis’ Business Confidence Springs Back  [May 22]
“The global financial recovery is leading to an increase in business confidence across the world, including the Middle East.  In Saudi Arabia it is thought confidence is almost back to where it was before the crash, but the UAE is still finding its feet again.  Regional Co-Head of Global Banking at HSBC Tim Reid spoke to Nima Abu Wardeh about the region’s prospects and expectations in the near future..” [Complete Report]

Parliament-Shura Joint Delegation Heads to Saudi Arabia  [May 22]
“Parliament chairman Khalifa Al Dhahrani today started an official visit to Saudi Arabia at the invitation of the Saudi Shura Council president to hold talks on economic and political issues.  He is heading a delegation comprising Shura Council members Abdulrahman Jamsheer, Ali Al Asfoor, Mohammed Baqer Radhi and Mps Jassim Al Saedi, Khamis Al Romaihi, Ibrahim Al Hadi, Hassan Al Dosary, Abdulla Al Aa’li and Abdul Hussain Al Matghawi. He stressed the strong ties bonding Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, led by His Majesty King Hamad and Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdulla bin Abdulaziz Al Saud..” [Complete Report]

Saudi Scholar’s Fatwa Wades Into Controversy  [May 22]
“A Saudi scholar has waded into controversy after he said that women could give their milk to men to establish a degree of maternal relations and get around a strict religious ban on mixing between unrelated men and women.. ..Exactly three years ago, on May 22, 2007, an Egyptian scholar was disciplined by Al Azhar University, one of Islam’s most prestigious institutions, after he issued a fatwa calling upon women to breastfeed their male colleagues.  Dr Izzat Attiyah said that his fatwa offered a way around mixing of the sexes in the work place since breast-feeding established a maternal relation even if the beneficiary was not the woman’s biological son or daughter.  However, following Islamic scholars’ fierce denunciation of the fatwa as defamatory to Islam, Izzat retracted it..”  [Complete Report]

SUSRIS Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here]

Lockheed Martin Signs $40 Million Saudi Deal  [May 21]
“Defense contractor Lockheed Martin said Thursday it signed a $40 million contract to deliver more Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods to the Royal Saudi Air Force.  The pods provide weapons-targeting for several fixed and moving targets. They will be used to improve precision targeting, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities for the air force’s F-15S aircraft.  Lockheed Martin said in a statement that deliveries on an initial contract for the pods were finished ahead of schedule.  The U.S. Air Force uses the pods on several aircraft..”  [Complete Report]

CITC: Nothing To Do With Facebook Boycott  [May 21]
“The Communication and Information Technology Commission (CITC) in the Kingdom has ‘nothing to do with the campaign to boycott Facebook’, an official said here Thursday.  Talking to Saudi Gazette, Sultan Malik, CITC media representative, said: ‘We take action only when the ministry asks us, and we have not received any such directives.’ The CITC is the Kingdom’s regulatory body for information technology.  A number of Facebook users across the world marked Thursday as the ‘Boycott Facebook Day’ appealing to Muslims to stay away from the popular networking site in response to its online competition to draw sketches of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).  Facebook users in the Kingdom gave a mixed reaction to the boycott appeal..”  [Complete Report]

Controversial Facebook Page Blocked  [May 21]
“The Communications and Information Technology Commission has blocked a controversial Facebook page that lampoons the Islamic ban on depicting the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).  Facebook as well as groups protesting the page and calling for a Facebook boycott remain accessible in the Kingdom.  The page — entitled ‘Everybody Draw Muhammad Day!’ — is based on a cartoon by Seattle-based illustrator Molly Norris.. ..On Thursday, the artist’s webpage offered a link to the “Against Everybody Draw Muhammad Day” Facebook page, which is accessible inside the Kingdom..”  [Complete Report]

Women to Teach Boys at Primary Level  [May 21]
“Education Minister Prince Faisal bin Abdullah has said that women would be employed to teach boys at the public primary school level but that the Kingdom would not introduce mixed classrooms.  ‘Female teachers can do a better job in teaching primary students as they can understand these children better than male teachers,’ the minister said while speaking on Saudi Television’s “Good Morning” program on Wednesday.  Up until the early 80s primary schools employed women to teach boys. Currently public school classrooms are mixed at the preschool level using women teachers. Prince Faisal did not say when women would be appointed to teach boys, but he did say his ministry hopes to introduce physical education courses at girls public schools ‘in the near future.’  Currently, only boys have physical education and sporting clubs in Saudi public schools. The minister said he hopes to change that by introducing sports clubs in girls schools..” [Complete Report]

Saudi-Syrian Relations Excellent: Syrian Foreign Minister  [May 21]
“Tajkistan: Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Al-Moallem said that Saudi-Syrian relations were excellent.  Al-Moallem told the Saudi Press Agency after the conclusion of the 37th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Conference on Thursday that the two countries with a shared history were improving relations from good to excellent thanks to the ongoing contacts between Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad and Custodian of the Two Holy Mosque King Abdullah..” [Complete Report]

SUSRIS Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here]

Muslims Outraged at Facebook Profanity  [May 20]
“Muslims across the world have expressed their outrage at a Facebook group and website marking May 20 as ‘Everybody Draw Muhammad Day.’  The Facebook page encourages users to post images of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) on Thursday to protest threats against the creators of ‘South Park’ for an offensive depiction of the Last Prophet during an episode earlier this year.  A US cartoonist, Molly Norris, designated the day to show support to the animated American sitcom. Norris, however, later regretted her action and said in an interview that she is against it ‘becoming a reality.’  Her idea has also created conflict between Facebook users who stand on two extremes: One defending the right to freedom of speech against others, mainly Muslims, calling for the page to be closed and the drawings stopped..”  [Complete Report]

National Geographic to Air Program on Sultan bin Salman’s Space Travel [May 20]
“National Geographic Channel Abu Dhabi will celebrate the achievements of Prince Sultan bin Salman as the first Arab Muslim and the first member of royalty to travel into space by screening an exclusive interview with him alongside the airing of three episodes of the new series ‘Known Universe.’  Excerpts from Prince Sultan’s interview will also be aired throughout National Geographic Space Month, reaching almost 50 million households in the Middle East and North Africa region through the Arabic, free-to-air documentary channel.. ..The prince will also share an inspirational message to the people of the region, especially young people that are interested in a career in science..”  [Complete Report]

Gag Order Irks PR Officials, Media  [May 20]
“Officials from the government’s public relations departments have slammed gag orders banning them from speaking to the media.  Most ministries have told their PR departments to refrain from making statements either to the print or electronic media. Only spokesmen at the ministries’ headquarters in Riyadh are authorized to speak to the media. ‘This arbitrary decision would prevent us from executing our duties properly,’ one official told Arab News, on condition of anonymity.  ‘The directive is the result of untrue and reckless statements made by some public relations officials in the past. However, this move would aggravate such tendencies rather than put an end to them. It will increase the risk of stories based on damaging leaks appearing in the media.’ The government decision has also angered journalists…”  [Complete Report]

Kingdom’s Project Finance Hinges on Bank Credit Growth  [May 20]
“The importance of project finance in steering bank credit revival is once again highlighted as key to credit recovery. In a new report prepared by Banque Saudi Fransi (BSF) economic research team, it said however, that financing mandates will only pick up momentum towards the end of 2010 and 2011, later than initially expected, due partly to project delays and renegotiations. The depth of the project finance pipeline over the next two years will then act as a crucial gauge as to when domestic bank credit growth is unlocked, Dr. John Sfakianakis, BSF chief economist said in the report.  For the sake of cost efficiency and ease, the government has been extending billions of riyals in interest-free loans to state-linked entities in order to keep strategic projects – such as the Al Haramain high-speed railway and electricity expansion projects – on track..”  [Complete Report]

Cartoons Mocking Vice Police on the Rise  [May 20]
“There has been an increase in the number of newspaper cartoons satirizing the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (Haia) lately with at least four controversial ones appearing in one month.  The cartoons have attracted criticisms from Haia members as well as conservative members of society who say they portray a wrong and negative image, one that the agency has been working hard to dispel.  Turki Al-Sudairi, editor in chief of Al-Riyadh newspaper, one of the dailies that have been publishing caricatures about the Haia, defended his newspaper, saying that it is the newspaper’s editorial policy not to deliberately target the commission.  Al-Sudairi said Al-Riyadh considers the Haia to be a government body that cannot avoid public scrutiny. He said the commission’s performance has improved following criticisms in the media.  He added that Al-Riyadh’s readers continue to be loyal because they know that the newspaper does not aim at maligning the commission but engages in constructive criticism by publishing both positive and negative opinions..”  [Complete Report]

Scholarship for Saudis Studying in Four Countries  [May 20]
“Saudi students pursuing higher studies in US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand on their own expense can now also benefit from the King Abdullah Foreign Scholarship Program, Higher Education Minister Khaled Al-Anqari said Wednesday.  “Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah has approved a proposal allowing these regular Saudi private students to join the foreign scholarship program,” the minister said, welcoming the king’s gesture.  King Abdullah’s directive will benefit thousands of Saudi students in the four Western countries, said Dr. Yassir Bahadur, consultant oncologist at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center in Jeddah.  ‘The royal gesture reflects the government’s strategy to invest more in manpower in order to prepare qualified people to take up important positions,’ he said.  Ali bin Sulaiman Al-Attiyah, deputy minister of higher education, commended King Abdullah’s continuous gestures toward Saudi students abroad..”  [Complete Report]

SUSRIS Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here]

Official Denies Reports of Mixed Education in Saudi Schools [May 19]
“An official source has denied reports that the Ministry of Education allowed private schools for girls to register boys for the preliminary grade levels in the coming academic year.  The Arabic Al Riyadh newspaper quoted the source which was described as close to the Deputy Minister of Education Noura Al Fayez as saying that the report published in this respect was false.  The source affirmed that the Ministry had never issued a circular allowing any kind of mixed education in Saudi schools, particularly in private schools.  However, the source affirmed that the Ministry of Education approved requests from some Saudi parents to enroll their sons or daughters in international schools where mixed education is allowed..”  [Complete Report]

Saudi Approves Over $10.6B in New Projects  [May 19]
“Saudi Arabia has approved over $10.6 billion in projects in the first four months of the year, the OPEC kingpin’s foreign minister said Tuesday.  The approvals of some 652 projects valued at 40 billion riyals ($10.67 billion) underscores that the oil rich nation is continuing a policy of spending heavily on infrastructure projects to cushion its economy from the effects of the global economic crisis.  Last year, the kingdom spent $33.83 billion in project investment, an amount it is now on track to surpass.  Officials have said $400 billion in mostly infrastructure investment are slated through 2013.  The increase in investment on infrastructure, industry and other services ‘will major new opportunities for the private sector,’ Finance Minister Ibrahim al-Assaf said at the start of an economic conference in the capital..” [Complete Report]

Filipino Workers Stranded in Saudi Arabia  [May 19]
“A Filipino migrant workers group says it is seeking help for stranded workers and their children living in a makeshift refugee camp in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.  The workers, most of them women, are hoping that the local immigration police will eventually deport them but so far that hasn’t happened, the Philippine Daily Inquirer reported Wednesday.  Migrante-Mideast says its chapter in Jeddah has received requests for assistance from 22 Filipinos.  Riyadh-based regional coordinator John Leonard Monterona is calling on the Philippine consulate in Jeddah to take charge of the stranded workers.  In late 2009 the number of stranded Filipinos living under the bridge in Jeddah rose to 300..” [Complete Report]

Saudi Arabia Hopes For Renewables Regulations in 2011  [May 19]
“Top oil exporter Saudi Arabia hopes to approve a regulatory framework for investment in renewable energy in 2011, a top government official said on Wednesday.  The framework should set out the conditions of government funding and incentives for the sector, said Adullah al Shehri, governor of the Saudi Electricity and Cogeneration Authority (ECRA). Without them, the renewables sector would not progress in the kingdom, he said.  Shehri said: ‘We developed the policy and we were ready as regulators to submit to our board for approval and then take it to the council of ministers.’.. ..The kingdom announced in April it would set up a scientific centre called King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy. The centre would be in charge of promoting research and sealing future deals..”  [Complete Report]

Sri Lanka Urges Saudi to Issue 8000 Visas For Hajj Pilgrims [May 19]
“The official delegation sent to Mecca and Medina to make the necessary arrangements to increase this year’s visa quota for Sri Lankan to participate in the forthcoming Hajj Pilgrimage met with Minister Dr Fouad Bin Abdulsalam Al-Farsi, Saudi Arabia’s Minister for Hajj.. ..Saudi expects a minimum of 3 million Hajj pilgrims this year and due to so many concerns they are trying to downsize the intake of pilgrims from many countries.  The Governor of the Western Province speaking to Asian Tribune said that for the last year Hajj pilgrimage Sri Lanka received 5500 visas. He added that for this year they have requested to increase Hajj pilgrims visa to at least 8000.  Alavi Moulana was optimistic and said Saudi Arabia might consider their request favorably..”  [Complete Report]

SUSRIS Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here]

Boys to Attend Private Schools For Girls in Riyadh  [May 18]
“Boys will be allowed to attend private schools for girls for the preliminary grade levels in the coming academic year.  According to Al Watan newspaper, Deputy Minister of Education for Girls Education Noura Fayez sent a memo to private schools that registration will commence for young boys.  The memo explained that young boys could be taught by female teachers, provided that they are in separate classrooms.  The memo settled an ongoing debate about whether or not boys will be allowed to register in girl schools.  Samira Al Hakran, the dean of Al Ferdos private school for girls, said that she expects a massive rush of young boys to register in the coming academic year.  Schedules for the boys and girls would have to be structured so that the two sexes remained separate and there would be no overlap. A Saudi cleric had issued a fatwa in February stating that those who promote co-education should be executed..”  [Complete Report]

‘Derision of West Misguided’ [May 18]
“A popular Saudi author and religious scholar has raised some questions about governmental and societal practices across the Arab world and asserts that the United States is more in alignment with many Islamic values than many countries represented as Muslim states.  Aaidh ibn Abdullah Al-Qarni, whose self-help book ‘Don’t Be Sad’ sells briskly both in English and Arabic, made the remarks in two recent columns published in Asharq Al-Awsat.. ..’The US deals with its subjects through systems that look like they were based on Islamic teachings while Muslims fail to implement such systems,’ Al-Qarni wrote in his column about domestic violence, which focused on a family that moved to the US while the husband was working on a university degree.. ..This is at a time when, in the West, they discuss their affairs calmly, solve their crises with dialogue and govern their subjects with justice,’ he wrote.  He suggests the Arab world needs to take a long look at itself..”  [Complete Report]

Women Jobless Figure Scandalous’  [May 18]
“Abdul Wahid Al-Humayyed, Deputy Minister of Labor, has said that the rate of women’s unemployment is 28.4 percent compared to 6.9 percent for males, a figure he described as “scandalous” in country “employing millions of workers from abroad”.  Speaking at an open dialogue session at Princess Noura University, Al-Humayyed said that when unemployment in America reached 25 percent ‘it became known as the ‘Great Depression’’.  When asked how high unemployment could correlate with a country witnessing growth across the board, Al-Humayyed noted that 78 percent of unemployed women were university graduates, compared to 17 percent of males.  ‘The most significant obstacle to women working is the social factor,’..”  [Complete Report]

Saudi Arabia Frees 2 German Children Kidnapped in Yemen  [May 18]
“Saudi security forces have freed two German children kidnapped in Yemen last year.  Saudi Arabia’s Interior Ministry says the two German girls were recovered from an area near the two countries’ border.  Germany said the girls were in good health and would be flown home on Wednesday.  The girls were a part of German family of five – a couple and their three children – kidnapped along with four others last June in Yemen’s northern mountains.  Two German women and a South Korean woman who disappeared with the group were later found dead.  There has been no word on the fate of the remaining hostages.. ..The two Chinese workers, kidnapped on Sunday, were employed by an oil company in Shabwa.  The French news agency reports that four Yemeni government employees also were kidnapped..”  [Complete Report]

Saudi Finance Minister Not Worried About Oil Price  [May 18]
” Saudi Arabia, the world’s biggest crude exporter, is not worried about oil prices, which have fallen 17 percent this month, Minister of Finance Ibrahim Al- Assaf.  ‘I’m not worried right now and we will push through with the development of projects that we committed to,’ Al-Assaf said at the Euromoney conference in Riyadh today.  Crude oil futures traded in New York fell as low as $69.27 a barrel yesterday and closed 2.1 percent down at $70.08, the lowest settlement for a contract nearest to expiration since Dec. 14. Oil ministers from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries have said in the past few months that they favor prices between $70 and $90.  OPEC agreed in March to uphold output quotas for a fifth time. The group slashed production quotas at a meeting in December 2008, after energy demand fell during the worst recession since World War II..”  [Complete Report]

Sinopec Wary of High Cost of Saudi Refinery Investment  [May 18]
“China’s Sinopec Corp said on Tuesday it has not yet entered formal discussions with Saudi Aramco over investing in the giant Yanbu refinery in Saudi Arabia, due to concerns about the high investment cost there.  ‘A 400,000 bpd (barrels per day) refinery costs around 30 billion yuan ($4.4 billion) in China, but would require 50 billion yuan investment in Saudi Arabia. We are concerned about the returns on investment,’ Sinopec Corp Chairman Su Shulin told reporters.  ‘We are monitoring the projet, but have not entered formal talks.’  Top management of Saudi Aramco and Sinopec Corp met last month in Beijing and the topic of jointly financing and building the 400,000 bpd Yanbu refinery may have been part of the discussions, industry sources have said.  Aramco has approached firms that could replace Conocophillips as partners for the project after the US firm’s decision last month to pull out..”  [Complete Report]

Brazil’s Petrobras In Pact For CPC Plant In Saudi Arabia  [May 18]
“Brazilian state-run energy giant Petroleo Brasileiro SA (PBR, PETR4.BR) signed a preliminary agreement to invest in Saudi Arabia, in partnership with Saudi company Modern Mining Holding, Petrobras said late Monday in a statement.  In 2009, both companies signed a memorandum of understanding with the intention of building a green petroleum coke calcining plant.  ‘The Preliminary Agreement aims to undertake a further study to analyze the feasibility of developing, funding, building, and operating a calcined petroleum coke (CPC) plant in Saudi Arabia,’ Petrobras said. ‘Under the terms of the agreement, it is expected that the plant be built in Jubail or Raz az Zawra and that it produce up to 700,000 tons of CPC a year, with green coke provided by Petrobras. The estimated investments for the project are approximately $450 million, with equal shares between the partners and the possibility of funding from government and financial institutions,’..”  [Complete Report]

Al-Assaf to Open Euromoney Conference in Riyadh  [May 18]
“Speakers from 16 countries are participating in the Euromoney Saudi Arabia Conference, which will be inaugurated by Finance Minister Ibrahim Al-Assaf in Riyadh on Tuesday.  The highly anticipated conference opens its doors in light of the latest economic turmoil triggered by Greece’s financial crisis.  ‘Euromoney Saudi Arabia 2010 takes place at a crucial time,’ conference director Richard Banks told a press conference at Riyadh’s Faisaliah Hotel on Monday. ‘While the global economy in 2010 was set on course for slow recovery, recent events highlighted the fragility of this process. The conference will provide a forum for more than 1,200 delegates to discuss possible spill-over effects affecting the region.’  He added that half of the delegates are from countries other than the Kingdom, while the rest are from local banks, private sector establishments and financial houses..”  [Complete Report]

RBS Stake in Saudi Hollandi May be Sold to Public  [May 18]
“A stake in Saudi Hollandi Bank held by a consortium led by Royal Bank of Scotland could be sold through a public share offering, the chairman of the Saudi lender said on Tuesday.  ‘We are studying many options. Either we find a long-term strategic partner or we reach an agreement with the central bank to find another way to offer these shares in (a public offering),’ Mubarak al-Khafrah told Reuters on the sidelines of a conference.  Saudi Hollandi Bank would only consider international partners, not local counterparts, to replace the consortium, Khafrah said.  ‘There are many options, but the partnership does not mean a local partnership. We do not need local partnerships,’ he said. Khafrah also said a team at Saudi Hollandi was looking into options for the stake sale.  ‘The board has created a team to study the various options and to look at international banks as well. Talks are ongoing, and hopefully the result will be out by the end of the third quarter,’..”  [Complete Report]

SUSRIS Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here]

Shoura Approves Changes to Nuclear Safety Convention  [May 17]
“The Shoura Council approved Sunday amendments to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material with a majority of votes.  Sunday’s session of the Shoura Council was held under the chairmanship of its Chairman Abdullah Al-Asheikh.  Speaking to reporters, Mohamed Al-Ghamdi, secretary-general of the council, said the amendments moved at the session were to ensure total security and technical protection for nuclear installations that provide energy for peaceful purposes.  The secretary-general said that the amendment was moved with a clear majority at the Sunday’s session. He pointed out that the amendments were considered in the light of the other international conventions against the proliferation of nuclear weapons.. ..The Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material, signed in 1980, is the only internationally binding undertaking in the area of physical protection of nuclear material..”  [Complete Report]

GE Wins $300M Deal To Supply Steam Turbines For Saudi SEC Plant [May 17]
“-General Electric Co. (GE) said Monday it won a contract worth nearly $300 million to supply five steam turbines for a major expansion of the Saudi Electricity Co.’s Qurayyah Open Cycle Power Plant in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province. The five steam turbines will join 15 GE F-technology gas turbines already operating at the site, converting the plant to combined-cycle operation to help Saudi Arabia meet its goals for greater power generation capacity and efficiency, the company said in an emailed statement.  When the power plant conversion is completed, scheduled for the second quarter of 2012, the site’s power output will increase from 1,907 to 3,148 megawatts–a boost of 1,241 megawatts, equivalent to 10% of the SEC installed capacity in the Eastern Province, the statement said..”  [Complete Report]

Saudi Inflation Hits 10-Month High in April  [May 17]
“Saudi inflation climbed to a 10-month peak of 4.9 percent in April, data showed on Sunday, as global harvest concerns kept food prices up in the import-reliant Kingdom.  Price pressures are seen rising again this year as oil exporters recover but inflation is expected to stay in low single digits across the Gulf.  Inflation in the Kingdom stood at 4.7 percent year-on-year in March, down from a record high of 11.1 percent in July 2008. Analysts polled by Reuters expected an average inflation of 4.4 percent this year.  Month-on-month, the cost of living in the world’s largest oil exporter edged up 0.3 percent, after a 0.5 percent rise in March, state news agency SPA said, quoting the government data. ‘We were expecting a lower year-on-year inflation for April but there is a gradual build up,’ said John Sfakianakis, chief economist at Banque Saudi Fransi..”  [Complete Report]

Saudi’s SABIC Capital Plans Benchmark Bond in Q2  [May 17]
“SABIC Capital, affiliated to petrochemicals giant Saudi Basic Industries Corp (2010.SE) (SABIC), plans a benchmark dollar bond issue before the end of June, a senior executive told Reuters on Monday.  Ratings agency Moody’s assigned the bond an A+ rating on Monday and said it understood it would be used to refinance or repay debt at SABIC Innovative Plastics Holding, the renamed GE Plastics.  SABIC Innovative Plastics raised $1.5 billion from a bond issue in August 2007.  ‘The benchmark bond is for general corporate purposes. The roadshow starts on May 20 in London and if we like the prices we will go ahead with it,’ SABIC’s chief financial officer Mutlaq al-Morished said.  The bond will be registered in London..”  [Complete Report]

Al-Gosaibi Gets Japan’s Top Honor  [May 17]
“The Japanese government has conferred a prestigious national decoration on Khaled Al-Gosaibi, minister of economy and planning, in recognition of his contributions to the improvement of goodwill and mutual understanding between Japan and Saudi Arabia.  Speaking on behalf of the Japanese government, Ambassador Shigeru Endo said, ‘Al-Gosaibi has significantly contributed to the growth of bilateral relations over the past 12 years since he became a minister.’ Ambassador Endo said that the ‘Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun’ (Kyokujitsu Daijusho) was Japan’s oldest decoration and one of the highest honors that could be conferred on a foreign national. The decoration was presented to Al-Gosaibi at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo by the Japanese emperor early this week, said Endo..”  [Complete Report]

OPEC’s Comfort Zone Threatened by Oil’s Dip Below $70  [May 17]
“Oil prices fell below OPEC’s comfort zone as crude futures in New York dipped below $70 a barrel for the first time since February.  Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries Secretary- General Abdalla El-Badri has repeatedly said prices between $70 and $90 are reasonable to encourage producers to expand exploration, and Saudi Arabian Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi, representing the group’s biggest exporter, said on March 30 he hoped prices would remain in a $70 to $80 a barrel range.  Oil below $70 ‘does not give them an incentive to invest’ in deepwater production, Qatari Energy Minister Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah said today at a forum in Doha. Prices near $75 would be ‘reasonable,’ al-Attiyah said, adding that OPEC does not have any official price target..” [Complete Report]

Mirwaiz to Offer Saudi Mediator Role  [May 17]
“With China visit already on cards, moderate Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq will soon be leading a delegation to Saudi Arabia. His mission: to consolidate on the recent visit of the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to the country early this year by urging the Saudi government to mediate in the resolution of Kashmir dispute.  The visit, Mirwaiz said, will also be about creating awareness in the country of the Kashmiri dimension of the Indo-Pak dispute over the state. And to do this, Hurriyat is enlisting the services of OIC office in Jeddah, The Muslim World League and World Assembly of Muslim Youth.  ‘Saudi Arabia has to come forward as a friend, especially because King Abdullah has shown his keenness to play a role in the resolution of disputes between India and Pakistan,’..”  [Complete Report]

Hariri Meets Saudi Monarch For Talks on Bilateral Ties  [May 17]
“Prime Minister Saad Hariri met with Saudi King Abdullah Sunday evening after arriving in Riyadh on an official visit to discuss bilateral ties.  Hariri left Beirut to Saudi Arabia Sunday and arrived in Riyadh the same day.  Hariri met with King Abdullah and the two figures discussed bilateral relations between the two countries and regional and international issues of common interest.  As The Daily Star went to press on Sunday, no statement about the talks was issued.  Hariri is scheduled to visit Damascus on Tuesday and he will continue his tour of Arab countries, which will lead him to Turkey..”  [Complete Report]

SUSRIS Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here]

Al Turki Blasts US on Policy in Afghanistan  [May 16]
“An ‘inept United States cannot fix Afghanistan’s problems and should simply focus on ‘chasing the terrorists’ there, former Saudi intelligence chief Prince Turki Al Faisal said on Saturday.  In a speech to a Riyadh audience that included diplomats, Al Turki said the US-led Nato troop presence in Afghanistan has irrevocably alienated the Afghan people.  ‘What Afghanistan needs now is a shift from nation-building to effectively countering terrorists,’ Al Turki said at the Arab News one-day media conference.  US President Barack Obama ‘should not be misdirected into believing that he can fix Afghanistan’s ills by military means’.  ‘Hunt down the terrorists on both sides of the Afghan-Pakistan border, arrest them or kill them, and get out, and let the Afghan people deal with their problems. As long as GI boots remain on Afghan soil, they remain targets of resistance for the Afghan people and ideological mercenaries,’..”  [Complete Report]

Saudi Editor Resigns After Article Criticising Salafism  [May 16]
“Prominent Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi resigned suddenly on Sunday from the helm of Al-Watan days after the newspaper published a controversial column criticising Salafism.  Al-Watan announced that Khashoggi, 52, was stepping down as editor-in-chief ‘to focus on his personal projects,’ in a statement published on its website and in its Sunday edition.  The statement from Prince Bandar bin Khaled al-Faisal, chief executive of the company which owns Al-Watan, praised Khashoggi as ‘a loyal son … who left a clear mark on its progress.’  Prince Bandar named deputy editor Sulayman al-Aquili as interim editor-in-chief.  The resignation, which came hours after Khashoggi celebrated his third marriage Saturday, was unexpected, and Saudi journalists said they believed it was the result of pressure from high levels of the government.  It followed a year of tensions with authorities and religious conservatives over numerous articles and columns viewed as critical of the ultra-conservative Wahhabi Islam which dominates Saudi life. Last June Khashoggi narrowly avoided being forced out after one of his columnists clashed with Interior Minister Prince Nayef bin Abdul Aziz over critical coverage of the religious police..”  [Complete Report]

Women Driving Issue Resurfaces  [May 16]
“The issue of whether Saudi women should be allowed to drive came to the surface once more during a television program broadcast on the Al-Arabiya news channel.. ..Sheikh Abdul Aziz, who supports women driving, said the reasons behind stopping women from driving no longer exists. He added that a fatwa on the matter, issued by the Council of Senior Islamic Scholars, was given in a particular context in the early 1990s, a time when there was much upheaval in the region, including the Gulf War, Saddam’s invasion of Kuwait and the arrival of US forces, something that some conservatives described as an American invasion.. ..Al-Zulfa said religious institutes tolerate women mixing or being in khalwa with their drivers but stop short of allowing women to drive. “It is a cultural and social issue rather than a religious one,” he said, adding that it is a political decision and should be dealt with by the government..”  [Complete Report]

Fatah Delegation Arrives in Saudi Arabia  [May 16]
“A delegation representing the Fatah movement arrived Thursday night in Riyadh for an official visit to Saudi Arabia. The delegation comprises Fatah Central Committee members Abbas Zaki, Muhammad Shtayya and Jamal Muheisin in addition to Amin Maqboul, the secretary-general of the movement’s Revolutionary Council.  The visitors will meet Saudi Foreign Minister Saud Al-Faysal and discuss with him the latest developments in the region and the situation in Palestine..” [Complete Report]

Gulf Markets See Red As EU Concerns, Oil Drag  [May 16]
“Gulf stocks closed in the red Sunday as investors followed a sharp drop in global equities and oil prices late last week amid concern the euro-zone’s fiscal problems may derail economic recovery.  For the petrodollar economies of the Persian Gulf ‘uncertainty about the direction of oil prices is the most potent risk related to the European debt crisis. Gulf equities are coupled on the downside with global markets,’.. ..Shares in Saudi Arabia, the Gulf’s largest market, closed down for the second consecutive say, dropping 0.2% to 6526.45, after falling 2.3% Saturday..” [Complete Report]

SUSRIS Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here]

Maliki ‘Hijacking’ Iraq Elections: Top Saudi Prince  [May 15]
“Former Saudi intelligence chief Prince Turki al-Faisal accused Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Saturday of trying to ‘hijack’ the results of the general election held in Iraq in March.  ‘Adding to the brutal mayhem taking place there, we are watching a deliberate effort on the part of the incumbent prime minister, Mr al-Maliki, to hijack the results of the election and deny the Iraqi people their legitimately elected government,’ he said.. ..Unpopular with Riyadh, Maliki and his State of Law Alliance won 89 parliamentary seats, two less than the Iraqiya bloc of former prime minister Iyad Allawi, who is well-regarded by the Saudi government.. ..Prince Turki, who has no official position but is believed to often reflect high-level Saudi thinking, also called for a UN Security Council guarantee of Iraq’s integrity, warning that both internal and external groups seek to carve up the country..” [Complete Report]

Saudi Researcher Warns Against Internet, Electronic Games  [May 15]
“A Saudi intellectual security researcher has warned against the negative effects of modern technology, especially the Internet and electronic games, which he described as a main factor for spread of deviation and extremism in the Saudi society.  In a press statement, Dr. Fahd Bin Abdul Aziz Gufaili stressed that this kind of technology could easily lead users in a conservative society to give up their moral values and run after some misleading concepts which promote for modernisation.  He called for imposing strict controls on the use of Internet, particularly by young children, to avoid the possibility of being attracted to terrorist groups.  He said that unless such controls were in place many children would fall prey to the attempts by the extremist groups which use the Internet to recruit new members..” [Complete Report]

Riyadh Cuts Reliance on Foreigners  [May 15]
” In a renewed move to cut dependence on foreign workers, Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf states are planning to reduce the number of work visas issued every year, train their own nationals more intensively for jobs in different sectors and reward private companies hiring local workers.  ‘The Kingdom has already taken several measures including a substantial reduction in the number of work visas,’ the Ministry of Labor said in a statement.  ‘The Kingdom reduced the number of work visas by 15 percent in 2009 compared to a year before,’ said the statement quoting Abdullah Al-Ajlan, an official at the Ministry of Labor.. ..But, in the private sector the situation is far from satisfactory. Employers in private sector are said to prefer non-Saudis because they work for much lower salaries, can be easily fired and have a reputation for working harder than their Saudi counterparts at same positions..”  [Complete Report]

Saudi Investments in Organic Food Reach Around USD 267 million in 2009  [May 15]
“GCC countries are announcing new initiatives to increase the region’s share in the USD 220 billion global organic food market. The Gulf’s own market is estimated at around USD 300 million, with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the area’s largest food consumer, representing almost 90 per cent of the sector.  There are currently over 3,000 outlets dedicated to organic and natural products across the Gulf, with rising regional prioritization of health and safety expected to boost this figure within the next few years. Saudi Arabia has been leading regional efforts to further grow the organic foods business. The country’s private sector has already established a Saudi Organic Farming Association to oversee the development of organic food..” [Complete Report]

SUSRIS Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here]

Israeli FM Has Saudi Arabia in Sights  [May 14]
” The rightist Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has launched a global campaign against Saudi Arabia, the Hebrew daily Maariv revealed on Thursday.  The report said that Lieberman’s decision has been kept secret until now. According to Maariv, the campaign, if launched, will include ‘the use of various means of leverage and lobbies in the United States, Europe and other places around the world, raising the issue of human rights and the status of women in the US Congress, the European Parliament and other venues, a public relations campaign and even lodging complaints with international courts.’  The report said that Lieberman’s plan calls for Israel to convey a strenuous message in the next number of days to the US that will include information about Saudi Arabia’s involvement in the above-cited activities.. ..The report said that Lieberman’s decision was made in the wake of a conclusion that was drawn by Israeli Foreign Ministry officials that Saudi Arabia was the principal force behind the global campaign to de-legitimize Israel..” [Complete Report]

Free Middle East of WMDs: Saud  [May 14]
“Saudi Arabia renewed its call on Thursday to free the Middle East from all weapons of mass destruction.  ‘I reiterate the Arab stand to make the entire Middle East, including the Gulf region, free from all kinds of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) without exception,’ said Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal, who is leading a Saudi delegation at the two-day China-Arab Cooperation Forum in Tianjin, China.  Prince Saud reaffirmed the support of Saudi Arabia in solving the Iranian nuclear issue peacefully and guaranteeing the rights of all countries in the region to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. The prince also called on Iran to make its nuclear programs transparent..”  [Complete Report]

China Vows to Upgrade Ties With Arab States  [May 14]
“China opened a conference with Arab countries Thursday, hoping to upgrading relationship to a strategic level and release an action plan for a cooperation blueprint in the next two years.  The two-day China-Arab Cooperation Forum in Tianjin brings together 22 leaders from Arab states to discuss strengthening political, cultural and economic cooperation.. ..’China has more say now. For instance, the country is playing a pivotal role in the world economic recovery. Regarding enhanced strategic cooperation, the Arab states will benefit from it, but China also is very willing to engage as it is in line with its all-directional diplomacy,’ said Sheng Bin, an expert on world economy in Tianjin-based Nankai University.  ‘Closer relations are very important for long-term development of ties as well as the restructuring of the international political and economic order,’ Sheng told Xinhua..”  [Complete Report]

King Greets New British PM  [May 14]
“Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah congratulated new British Prime Minister David Cameron on his new appointment. The king wished the Conservative leader success in his office.  ‘We are pleased on this occasion to commend the historically strong relations existing between our two countries and our aspiration to achieve peaceful and just solutions, including security and stability in the Middle East and all other parts of the world. We also stress our keenness to continue strengthening relations between our two countries in all spheres,’ the king said in his message. Crown Prince Sultan, deputy premier and minister of defense and aviation, also congratulated Cameron on the occasion, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday..”  [Complete Report]

Saudi Group Injects Rs3.2bn in Samba Bank  [May 14]
“Samba Financial Group (SFG), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has injected Rs3.2 billion as the second portion of capital to fulfill its underwriting commitment for the subscription of right shares issuance, a statement said on Thursday. The injection of Rs3.2 billion would strengthen the capital base of Samba Bank Limited in Pakistan, it said.  The SFG had injected, in advance, the first portion of shareholding of the right share issuance of SBL to comply with the State Bank of Pakistan’s minimum capital requirement.  With the new capital injection, Samba Bank’s capital, net of losses and discount, has touched Rs7.98 billion and SFGís shareholding in the bank has increased from 68.42 per cent to 80.68 per cent..”  [Complete Report]

SUSRIS Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here]

GCC Sends Clear Message to Iran For First Time  [May 13]
“A number of Saudi political analysts say that Tuesday’s GCC consultative summit was the first time the GCC states sent a clear message to Iran, speaking clearly of a red line which it must not cross.  ‘We are deeply hopeful that this would happen and would pave the way for the GCC countries to live peacefully with Iran,’ Dr Mohammad Al Zulfa, former member of the Shura Council said.  Hamad Al Qah’tani, a university lecturer and political analyst said that the summit made it difficult for Iran to ignore the peaceful calls made by GCC leaders to solve all pending issues.  ‘It may be too late for Iran to maintain its own security if it doesn’t cooperate,’ he said.. ..’It is in the interest of Iran to cooperate with the GCC states to escape possible attacks against its nuclear facilities by the Western powers,’ he said.  ‘I am afraid that a stand-off between Iran and the West could lead to a regional conflict and therefore I advise Iran to listen to the calls of the GCC leaders to make us avoid such a crisis,’..”  [Complete Report]

Electricity Expo in Riyadh on May 24  [May 13]
“The Saudi Electricity Exhibition 2010 will open on May 24 with over 100 local and international companies exhibiting the latest technology, products and specialist services in the generation and distribution of electricity.  The Kingdom is projected to increase its volume of electricity generation by 79.4 percent between 2009 and 2019, an estimate contributing to an expected international presence at the exhibition of 45 percent.  ‘The growing population and the notable rise in industrial activity in the Kingdom require more efficient and advanced solutions in the generation and distribution of electricity,’ said Khaled Dhaw of Riyadh Exhibitions Company.  ‘The exhibition is the perfect opportunity for local and international investors to learn about the giant projects being carried out in the Kingdom and discuss deals and long-term business opportunities.’..” [Complete Report]

GACA Says Open-Sky Policy Cause of Row With Egypt  [May 13]
“The dispute between Saudi and Egyptian aviation authorities over airlines from both countries landing at their airports is a disagreement over the open sky policy, said GACA spokesman Khaled Al-Khaibari.  Al-Khaibari made the comments while responding to an article published in a local newspaper on Sunday about disagreements between the Saudi Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA) and the Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority (ECAA).  He said disagreements between the two bodies had not reached a crisis stage.. ..GACA, said Al-Khaibari, is seeking to apply the open sky policy between the two countries to benefit both Saudis and Egyptians, especially people with limited income. He added that this would increase travel between the two countries, reflect positively on the tourism sector and create new jobs..”  [Complete Report]

30 Saudi Students Taking Part in Intel Show in US  [May 13]
“Thirty talented Saudi students will participate in the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISSF), to be held in San Jose, California, from May 9 to 14.  Intel ISEF is considered the world’s largest pre-college science and engineering competition.  The event typically brings together 1,500 young scientists and engineers from up to 50 countries annually. The participants showcase their cutting-edge science and engineering projects and compete for nearly $4 million in awards and scholarships.  The Society for Science & the Public (SSP), a non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C., has owned and administered the fair since its inception in 1950..”  [Complete Report]

Canada Seeks Full Access to Saudi Beef Market  [May 13]
“Canada, which lost millions of dollars in beef trade opportunities with Saudi Arabia following the outbreak of mad-cow disease, is now seeking full access to this lucrative Saudi market.  The ban was partially lifted a few months back, but the Saudi side only allowed imports of boneless beef products from Canada, a major beef exporting country that has put in place stringent BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) prevention and control measures.  This was disclosed by Luis Levesque, Canadian deputy minister of international trade, following his talks with senior Saudi officials.. ..Referring to the beef exports to the Kingdom after his talks with SFD chief, he said that that Canada’s BSE prevention and control systems have been developed in accordance with the recommendations made by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). Saudi Arabia was Canada’s sixth-largest market for exports of beef prior to a BSE-related ban imposed in 2003. The Canada Beef Export Federation estimates that full market access to Saudi Arabia would allow Canadian beef exporters to re-establish previous export levels worth nearly $6 million..”  [Complete Report]

SUSRIS Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here]

GCC Backs Mideast Peace Talks  [May 12]
“A consultative meeting of the heads of state of the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) pledged Tuesday to extend all support to Palestinian-Israeli peace talks and vowed to work in unison to boost regional security.. ..The GCC leaders supported the US-brokered peace negotiations that broke down a year before. US President Barack Obama’s Mideast envoy, George Mitchell is shuttling between Jerusalem and Ramallah to play the role of mediator in the peace talks.  The GCC heads of state, who expressed hopes of a full-fledged revival of the peace process, also called on Israel to halt settlements in Palestinian territories. The summit urged the international community to exert pressure on Israel to speed up the peace process that will lead to the peaceful coexistence of two states side by side..” [Complete Report]

Saudia Resumes US Flights  [May 12]
“Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAA) announced Tuesday the resumption of its flights to the US after a two-day suspension because of weather conditions.  Abdullah Al-Ajhar, SAA Assistant Director for Public Relations, said the first flight left Washington at noon Tuesday to Jeddah en route to Riyadh after weather conditions improved.  All other scheduled flights would also resume..  ..On Monday, SAA announced the suspension of all its flights to and from the United States due to the impact of clouds of volcanic ash on the Middle East and US route.  However, the operation of other airlines to the US from Saudi Arabia was unaffected.  ‘According to our system everything is smooth and all flights are on schedule,’..”  [Complete Report]

Indonesia Govt Supports Saudi`s Halt in Recruiting TKIs  [May 12]
“The Malang Manpower and Transmigration Agency, East Java, supported the Saudi government`s intention to stop recruiting Indonesian migrant workers (TKI).  ‘I always agree if Saudi Arabia stopped recruiting TKIs, because both the Indonesian and Saudi governments failed to guarantee the safety and protection of TKIs,’ head of the Malang manpower and transmigration agency Djaka Ritamtama said Wednesday.  He said the Saudis are aloof, placing the Indonesian migrant workers in a difficult position.  Another important thing in need for serious attention is the great number of illegal TKIs in that country, producing a TKI black market and improper TKI living quarters, which had also been posing a problem in Saudi Arabia.  With the increasing TKI problems in that country, he said, its government became practically helpless in facing the TKI problem eventually decided to stop recruiting TKIs.  ‘I fully agree if the Saudi government realized the `threat`. The decision also served as a protection for the TKIs,’..”  [Complete Report]

Mobily of Saudi Arabia Is Rasmala’s ‘Top Pick’ in MENA Telcos  [May 12]
“Etihad Etisalat Co., Saudi Arabia’s second-largest mobile-phone company known as Mobily, is Rasmala Investments’ ‘top pick’ as the United Arab Emirates-based company initiates coverage of the Middle East and North African telecommunications industry.  ‘We like Mobily for its data-centric strategy and the continued strengthening of its brand name as the leading mobile broadband player in the Saudi market,’ analyst Shrouk Diab wrote in a note to investors. He rated Mobily a ‘buy’ with a price estimate of 75.36 riyals.  Rasmala initiated nine telecommunications companies, six with a ‘buy,’ two with a ‘hold’ and one with a ‘sell’ recommendation. ‘The Middle East has one of the fastest-growing economies,’ the report said. ‘More than 60% of the region’s population is below 30 years, further supporting its attractive demographics.’..”  [Complete Report]

Arab World Grapples With Pending Food Shortage  [May 12]
“ARAB countries need to invest some $144 billion in agriculture over the next 20 years to meet the food demands of the growing population, an Arab agricultural organization has said.  Tareq A-Zadjali, director general of the Arab Organization for Agriculture Development, said much of the funding for agricultural expansion needs to be secured from private Arab investors.  ‘We have an annual food security gap of between 27 and 29 billion dollars,’ he told The Media Line. ‘We want to reduce this gap.’ The population in the Middle East, currently numbering around 335 million, is projected to reach some 545 million by the year 2030, creating what A-Zadjali claimed will be a deficit of $71 billion should investment not be secured.  The organization is working on a program that will increase food security, with a focus on wheat, rice, sugar and oil..” [Complete Report]

Saudi Ports Register 3.43% Growth in Q1  [May 12]
” Saudi ports handled 33.5 million tons of cargo in the first quarter of 2010, a growth of 3.4 percent over the same period in 2009.  According to a report on the Saudi Ports Authority’s website on Monday, imports during the period increased by 24.7 percent during the first quarter, while exports decreased 8.3 percent.. ..The Saudi Press Agency quoted Dr. Khaled bin Ahmed Bubshait, president of the Saudi Ports Authority, as saying that Saudi ports are expected to register a 10 to 12 percent growth this year..”  [Complete Report]

Mideast Talks, Security to Dominate GCC Summit [May 11]
“The 12th GCC consultative summit in Riyadh Wednesday, led by King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, will look at political, economic and security issues, with Palestinian-Israeli talks, Iraq’s elections and Iran’s nuclear plans prominent among them.  King Abdullah received the Secretary General of the GCC, Abdul Rahman Al-Attiyah, Sunday ahead of the gathering, which although it has no set agenda will seek to achieve greater cohesion and cooperation between GCC states in a variety of areas.   Gulf official said that particular focus would be given to the Mideast peace process following the renewal of indirect negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis and the efforts of the US administration to push the process forward..”  [Complete Report]

Naif OKs Anti-Terror Strategy  [May 11]
“Second Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Prince Naif approved on Monday a plan prepared by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowment, Call and Guidance to combat terror.  ‘Imams and preachers in mosques have a significant role in creating awareness among citizens and expatriates against ideological and religious extremism,’ Prince Naif said while approving the plan.. ..’The programs aim at elevating the level of interaction of imams and preachers in combating terror and achieving ideological security apart from boosting patriotism,’ the source said.  The first program involves organizing monthly seminars for imams and preachers to promote moderation and equip them to counter ideological deviations particularly extremist and takfir (branding opponents as infidels) tendencies and strengthening the ties between the ministry and preachers..”  [Complete Report]

SAA Suspends All US Flights  [May 11]
“Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAA) announced Monday the suspension of all its flights to and from the United States due to the impact of clouds of volcanic ash on the Middle East and US route.  Assistant Director General of SAA for Public Relation Abdullah Al-Ajhar said the Saudi national carrier took the decision for the safety of passengers.  SAA operates seven flights every week to the US: three from Jeddah to New York, one from Riyadh to New York, one from Jeddah to Washington and two from Riyadh to Washington.  Sunday’s flight from Washington to Jeddah was canceled as was the Jeddah-New York flight scheduled for Monday.. ..Al-Ajhar had no idea when the flights to the US will resume..”  [Complete report]

King Orders Prosecution in Jeddah Flood Disaster  [May 11]
“Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah has ordered the cases of all those accused of complicity in the November floods in Jeddah referred to the watchdog for government employees and the national prosecution body.  A royal decree issued by the king also ordered a hazardous sewage lake in Jeddah, locally known as the Musk Lake, emptied within a year.  ‘All the accused in this case are to be referred to the Control and Investigation Board and the Prosecution and Investigation Commission according to the nature of the crime they have been accused of. This should happen after the urgent completion of procedures during criminal investigations,’ King Abdullah said.  The floods killed at least 123 people and destroyed thousands of homes and vehicles.. ..The investigating committee examined all projects implemented in Jeddah since 1950 for financial and administrative irregularities and corruption..”  [Complete Report]

OPEC Increases 2010 Oil Demand Forecast on Outlook for China  [May 11]
“The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries raised estimates for global oil demand in 2010 on optimistic outlook for economic growth in China.  OPEC, responsible for about 40 percent of the world’s oil, boosted its forecast for worldwide crude consumption this year by 180,000 barrels a day, or 0.2 percent, to 85.38 million barrels per day. It also raised projections for supplies from outside the organization.  ‘The recovery in the world economy appears to be continuing at a steady pace,’ the Vienna-based secretariat said in a monthly report today. ‘China has been among the main drivers behind oil demand growth so far this year, which should continue for the rest of the year.’  OPEC, which announced a record series of supply cuts in late 2008 as demand crumpled, is unlikely to alter output quotas this year..”  [Complete Report]

Non-Muslims Make Small Steps into Medina  [May 11]
“Saudi Arabia plans to build a new neighborhood on the outskirts of Medina where non-Muslims may be permitted to take up residency.  The ‘Knowledge Economic City’, set to be located three miles from Medina’s central mosque, will be Saudi Arabia’s first so called smart city, as all the buildings in the area will be connected via data, video and voice links.. ..Both the cities of Mecca and Medina are considered Haram, or forbidden, for non-Muslims in Saudi Arabia. Currently, only the Medina train station is open to non-Muslims.  Paffier indicated, however, that there would be flexibility on the issue regarding the new neighborhood.  ‘We are negotiations withy the government to move the Haram boundary so that more of the city will be outside it,’ he said.  While Medina is well known as the burial site of the Prophet Mohammed, the founder of Islam, over the last decade it has evolved into a knowledge-based university town. The Medina Knowledge Economic City is one of six being planned across the kingdom..”  [Complete Report]

Arab Areas Key to Global Oil Supplies: Saudi Minister  [May 11]
“The Arab region enjoys great international importance because of its huge oil and gas reserves and will continue to occupy a special place in the global oil industry for many more decades, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Ali bin Ibrahim al-Naimi has said.  Addressing the Arab Energy Conference in Doha on Monday, he said: ‘In 2008, the Arab region accounted for about 58 per cent of the total global oil reserves and 30 per cent of natural gas reserves.’  ‘Fossil fuel is one of the most important sources of energy and will continue to play a key role as a main source of energy for many decades to come.  Out of consideration for the environment, we must all focus on making oil available and environmentally friendly through advanced technologies.’..”  [Complete Report]

US Urged to Probe Saudi Business Spat  [May 11]
“A senior Republican congressman has urged the Department of Justice to examine whether the US banking system was used for money laundering or fraud in connection with a multibillion dollar dispute between two Saudi companies.  Peter King, the senior Republican member of the House of Representatives homeland security committee, said he was concerned about ‘potential lapses in oversight over the national banking system that may allow US financial institutions to perpetuate massive global money laundering originating from persons in the Middle East’.  Mr King expressed his concerns in a letter to Eric Holder, the US attorney general. He was referring to allegations made in a bitter dispute between two family-owned Saudi businesses, Ahmad Hamad Algosaibi and Brothers (AHAB) and Saad Group, owned by the billionaire Maan al-Sanea..”  [Complete Report]

Sasakura, Samsung $1.89 Bln Bid Lowest for Saudi Plant  [May 11]
“Japan’s Sasakura Engineering Co, with South Korea’s Samsung Engineering, have made the lowest bid of $1.892 billion to build a new desalination plant in Saudi Arabia, industry sources said. The plant will produce 1.025 million cubic metres of desalinated water per day and will be integrated with a 2,400 megawatts (MW) power plant, in Ras Azzour, on the Gulf coast.  The project is expected to be the world’s largest when completed in the last quarter of 2013. Saudi-based Arabian Bemco Contracting Co and Italy’s Fisia Italimpianti, owned by Italian builder Impregilo, were second lowest for the water package with a proposal of $1.93 billion, sources said.  South Korea’s Doosan Heavy Industries came third with two bids of $1.937 billion and $2.348 billion using different technologies, one source familiar with the matter said.  France’s Sidem came fourth with a price of $2.45 billion, the source added.  The date for bids for the desalination package closed on May 8..”  [Complete Report]

Saudi-Chinese JV petchem Plant Starts Production  [May 11]
“Saudi Basic Industries Corporation, one of the world’s largest chemical makers, says commercial production has begun it the joint-venture petrochemical complex it operates with China’s SINOPEC.  SABIC said in a statement Tuesday that preproduction operations at the plant in Tianjin, China, began in January. The complex, which has a capacity of 3 million tons per year, was set up as a 50-50 venture with SINOPEC in November 2009.  In January, SABIC said it had secured almost $2.7 billion in financing agreements from Chinese banks and institutions for the project.  The project is one of several between China and the oil-rich Gulf Arab nations. The Asian giant has been increasingly turning to the region for oil to fuel its growth..”  [Complete Report]

SUSRIS Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here]

Energy Policy: Naimi for Joint Arab Stand  [May 10]
“Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Ali Bin Ibrahim Al-Naimi called for joint Arab cooperation on petroleum and energy policies to face challenges as a team.  Addressing the 9th Arab Energy Conference in Doha Sunday, Al-Naimi said Arab countries enjoy great international importance because of the high gas reserves, accounting in 2008 for about 58 percent of the total global oil reserves and 30 percent of natural gas reserves.  ‘We have three main petroleum dimensions to which we must pay special attention at the global, regional, and domestic levels,’.. ..’At the regional level, Arab countries are confronted with a set of similar challenges and issues in the oil industry and policies, and in the field of energy in general. This reality makes it imperative for the Arab states to pursue cooperation and perhaps integration in these fields..”  [Complete Report]

US Discovery Center Ties Up With Saudi Science Oasis  [May 10]
” The US-based McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center has announced that it’s exploring a collaboration with the Prince Salman Science Oasis in hopes of sharing its educational approach, connecting kids to their peers around the world and perhaps attracting new corporate sponsors.  The potential partnership with the Saudi science center was sparked by US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia James Smith, who lives in Salem. After he chose science and technology as the theme for an annual celebration held at the embassy, officials with the Concord discovery center were invited to put together an exhibit on space exploration and traveled to Saudi Arabia in late March to participate.. ..Officials have discussed setting up video conferencing systems so students in both countries could participate in the ‘astronomy bowl’ competitions the discovery center holds..”  [Complete Report]

New Technology to Boost Saudi Recovery Rates  [May 10]
“Top oil exporter Saudi Arabia aims to boost recovery rates at key producing oilfields by up to 70% through new technology, Oil Minister Ali Naimi said. The kingdom pumped around 8.25 million barrels per day in April, according to a Reuters survey.  It has the world’s largest crude production capacity at 12.5 million bpd, and is home to the world’s largest oilfield, Ghawar.  New developments in technology by state oil giant Saudi Aramco that allowed better simulation of oil reservoirs and better understanding of crude distribution in underground rock would help increase recovery rates, Naimi said..”  [Complete Report]

Talaat Moustafa Wins Permit for Saudi Project  [May 10]
“Egypt’s largest listed developer Talaat Moustafa Group said on Monday it had won approval to sell homes off-plan, or before construction, in its Nasamat Al Riyadh project in Saudi Arabia.   Talaat Moustafa has said it would like to expand into the Saudi real estate market to sell homes to the country’s many young, wealthy consumers.  The Riyadh project is a 50-50 joint venture between Talaat Moustafa and the Saudi-owned Al Oula Real Estate Development Company..”  [Complete Report]

Merkel to Visit Kingdom on May 25  [May 10]
“German Chancellor Angela Merkel will be arriving in Riyadh on May 25 on a two-day official visit, according to the Consulate General of Germany in Jeddah.  This will be her second visit to the Kingdom. Merkel visited the Kingdom in February 2007.  Saudi Arabia and Germany enjoy friendly relations, which have been strengthened by the exchange of high-level visits. King Abdullah Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, visited Germany in November, 2007. In February the same year, Merkel visited the Kingdom.. ..The exchange of visits boosted German exports to Saudi Arabia, which went up 15% to EUR 5.33 billion..”  [Complete Report]

Minister Yaacob Ibrahim to visit Saudi Arabia for Haj Ministerial Meeting  [May 10]
” Environment and Water Resources Minister and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, will visit Saudi Arabia from Tuesday till Thursday.  According to the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS), he will attend the Annual Haj Ministerial Meeting with the Kingdom’s Minister of Haj, Dr Fouad Abdulsalam Al-Farsy.  The two ministers will discuss arrangements for Singaporean pilgrims performing the Haj in November this year.  Dr Yaacob will be accompanied by MUIS President, Mohammad Alami Musa.  The Haj pilgrimage, which Muslims are required to make once in their lifetime, involves some two million pilgrims from across the world..”  [Complete Report]

Saudi Fund to Finance University Hospitals  [May 10]
“The Saudi Fund for Development will finance the construction of university hospitals in Indonesia.  According to the State Minister for National Development Planning, Armida Alisjahbana, the funds will be disbursed in stages for four years.  “For hospitals in four universities,” said Armida at the Finance Department Office last week.  The universities include: Universitas Indonesia, Depok, West Java; Universitas Negeri Sebelas Maret, Surakarta, Central Java; and Universitas Andalas, Padang, West Sumatra.  The reason to choose the Saudi Fund for these funds, Armida explained, is that there is a government effort to diversify funding sources.  The government also sees that the requirements proposed are relatively light..”  [Complete Report]

SUSRIS Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here]

Attiyah, King Abdullah Hold Talks Ahead of GCC Meet  [May 9]
“Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud met with GCC Secretary Abdul Rahman Bin Hamad Al Atiyah on Sunday ahead of the GCC ministers meeting in Riyadh on Tuesday.  Attiyah is expected to tour all GCC countries in preparation for the summit.  A number of hot issues are expected to be discussed such as Iran’s nuclear programme and coordination on fighting terrorism.  GCC states have repeatedly called for a nuclear-free Middle East and called upon Israel to join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty..”  [Complete Report]

Saudi Stocks in the Red Amid Concerns  [May 9]
“Saudi stocks continue to descend on Saturday, with the benchmark Tadawul All-Share Index (TASI) registering a 4.42 percent loss at 6,516.71 points – the biggest daily drop in about 15 months – amid traders’ apprehension about the impact of Greek fiscal crisis – fearful that it might spread like a virus.  Though Gulf banks don’t have any specific exposure to Europe, especially not Greece, some analysts believe the regional banks “are always hit first when investors are scared”, a general manager of securities company intimated. ‘Investors are also slightly disappointed over Q1 results,’ he added.  Out of 138-listed companies traded, none recorded any gain. The Saudi stock market is the only GCC market that is open on Saturday.. ..The situation for the investment companies remains tough and continues to put pressure on the market..”  [Complete Report]

65% of Saudi Women Are Unemployed  [May 9]
“Only 35 percent of qualified Saudi women are employed, said Mufrej Al-Haqabani, deputy labor minister for planning and development.  ‘This is a low rate and does not augur well,’ he said.  Presenting a working paper at a forum on human resources here, he said expatriates accounted for 53 percent of the workforce in the private sector in 2009 while Saudis represented 47 percent.  Al-Haqabani emphasized that fighting unemployment among Saudis is a joint responsibility, adding that it does not fall on his ministry alone.  He said the Council of Ministers approved the Kingdom’s employment strategy last year and gave 25 years to fulfill its objectives.  Noura Al-Fayez, deputy education minister for girls affairs, also spoke at the forum. She referred to her ministry’s efforts in human resource development.  ‘The King Abdullah General Education Development Project aims at developing educational curricula, providing orientation courses to teachers and education leaders, improving education atmosphere and developing students’ skills,’ she said..”  [Complete Report]

Saudi TV Presenter Risks Ire of Arab Street For Interview With Israeli Singer  [May 9]
“The Saudi anchor of a program broadcast on the Dubai-based Rotana television channel is once more risking angry protests from across the Arab world after expressing plans to interview a popular Israeli singer for the second time. Ali Al-Olyani, presenter of the Ya Hala program on Rotana, intends to interview a popular Israeli singer called Raheela.. ..’This time I will focus on her views about the plight of Palestinians under Israeli occupation. I think many viewers in the Kingdom and other Arab countries criticized the last program because of her ethnic origin rather than on demerits as an Arab singer,’ he said.  Commenting on the charges against him, Al-Olyani said, ‘I am condemned as a betrayer of the Arabs for hosting a singer who sings Arabic songs and is a better artist than many Arab singers. I wonder why I’ve been singled out when there are several other Arab channels that invite Israeli officials and personalities to discussions.’..”  [Complete Report]

Gulf States to Scrap Steel Duty  [May 9]
“Gulf Arab countries are expected to abolish a 5% steel import duty within one to two months to ease a supply strain mostly felt in Saudi Arabia, an official from a regional Gulf bloc said on Saturday.  Finance ministers from the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) examined the proposed measure at a meeting on Saturday. A final decision is expected at a summit next week.  ‘There is consensus among GCC countries about this proposal. It will be approved without any problem but it will probably take a month or two for it to be implemented,’ an official from the GCC secretariat told Reuters before the meeting. Saudi Arabia and five other Gulf Arab countries including Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait have formed a GCC customs union which imposes a common external tariff for products imported from outside their bloc..”  [Complete Report]

SUSRIS Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here]

King Decries Terror Funding  [May 8]
“Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah said Friday that financing terrorist acts is ‘as bad as terrorist deeds.’  ‘This reprehensible crime is not only as bad as terrorist deeds but also sustains terror, attempts to sabotage our land, destabilizes our security and destroys our resources and our moderate approach,’ the king said in a message to Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh, who is also president of the Council of Senior Islamic Scholars. The council last month condemned terror financing.  The 20-member council said the terror financing was a crime as big as terrorism itself because it empowers and enables sabotage, insecurity, murder and destruction of property.. ..the council decides that financing terror is unlawful and a crime that should be punished legally. The crime also includes participating in any manner in the collection of funds, the fatwa said..”  [Complete Report]

King Orders : Streamline Judicial Procedures  [May 8]
“King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, has ordered the formation of a committee comprising senior Islamic scholars and judges to streamline procedures governing Shariah verdicts and corporal penalties.  This was stated by Abdul Mohsin Bin Nasser Al-Obeikan, Adviser at the Royal Court, on Friday.  He said the committee is aimed at ending the ongoing controversy over the codification of judicial verdicts and to help overcome discrepancies in verdicts issued by different judges in cases of similar nature.. ..Al-Obeikan admitted that a number of current problems were mainly due to the grave mistakes made by previous judicial bodies. He, however, expressed confidence that the current Higher Judicial Council and the various steps taken to streamline the judicial system would resolve these issues..”  [Complete Report]

Recording Bride’s Age Becomes Mandatory  [May 8]
“The Ministry of Justice has established a new marriage rule that would require the age of the bride be recorded, the daily Al-Madinah reported on Thursday.  New forms are being distributed to licensed marriage officials across the Kingdom that will ask for the date of birth of the bride.  The new rule comes at a time when the Kingdom is considering establishing a minimum age of marriage follow a series of highly publicized incidences where old men have married young girls.  The National Society of Human Rights (NSHR) described this as a positive gesture toward establishing a minimum age for marriage of young women.  NSHR head Mufleh Al-Qahtani said the issue of marriage of young girls has become a matter of serious concern on the part of several agencies. Some of these marriages have ended up in courts..”  [Complete Report]

Regulations Set to Invite Foreign Guests For Seminars  [May 8]
“There are new regulations on inviting foreign dignitaries to conferences and seminars in the Kingdom. They were recently approved by the Council of Ministers.  Invitations can only be made by a minister or the official in charge of the event.  ‘Invitations for dignitaries such as present or past heads of state, prime ministers, or heads of international and regional organizations should only be made through ministers or the heads of the body which is holding the conference,’ said a source. ‘The new regulations also stipulate that the request needs to be submitted three months before the event,” he added.  The regulations also state that conferences and forums will only be permitted to be held if there is sufficient justification or need, and that priority would be given to subject matters that are in the Kingdom’s interests and in line with its policies..”  [Complete Report]

Gulf Arab Customs Union Still Faces Snags  [May 8]
“A disagreement over how the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) should distribute custom receipts is threatening the completion of the bloc’s long-awaited customs union, officials said on Saturday.  The GCC’s attempts over the past 29 years to emulate the European Union’s economic integration model have been dogged by delays in a monetary union plan and regional rivalry and mistrust between its two biggest economies, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.  The introduction of a customs union in 2003 had been hailed by officials as a major achievement countering critics claims that the Gulf Arab bloc would be unable to realise economic integration in the world’s biggest oil exporting region.  But differences remain and trucks transporting goods have been held up for days mainly at the border between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, an issue which has cast fresh doubts about the efficiency of the customs union plan..”  [Complete Report]

SUSRIS Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here]

GCC Security Measures Discussed  [May 7]
“Second Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Prince Naif has welcomed proposals from Kuwait to upgrade security cooperation between Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.  The proposals were made at a meeting of GCC interior ministers that wound up in Riyadh on Wednesday, following revelations earlier in the week that Kuwait had dismantled an Iranian spy network.  ‘The security organs in the Gulf countries are currently discussing Kuwait’s breaking up of a spy network operating for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard,’ Prince Naif told the Saudi Press Agency after the meeting.
Kuwaiti media first reported last Saturday that seven people had been arrested in a raid.  Al-Qabas newspaper said the cell included Kuwaitis and other people described as stateless residents in Kuwait..”  [Complete Report]

Saudi Arabia Changing For Better, Says Outgoing British Ambassador  [May 7]
” Sir William Charters Patey is the former UK ambassador to Saudi Arabia who left the Kingdom recently to take up a new post in Afghanistan, emulating the steps of one of his predecessors, Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles.  Just before he left he gave an exclusive interview to Arab News on his second term in Saudi Arabia (his first visit to the country was in 1995 for three years) and his reflections on the changes and challenges in the Kingdom.  ‘When I first came back — (it) seemed much the same place — not changed on the face of it that much. It takes a while to understand that there is quite a bit going on underfoot that have a profound impact on Saudi-UK relations,’ he said.  ‘The main vision (now) is on reforming the economy and how Saudi Arabia does business — making the budget more transparent, more formal, investing in diversifying the economy — all part of the same strategy. Education reform and economic reform are the big movers here.’  He said for the first time in a long period there was a sovereign and group of senior people who were looking long term and could foresee some of the issues Saudi Arabia was likely to face in the next five to 10 years..” [Complete Report]

Japan MP’s Visit to Boost Saudi Ties  [May 7]
“Yoshinobu Achiha, an MP, Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) made a visit to SEHAI last Tuesday as part of the delegation that visited Saudi Arabia from May 1 to further strengthen relationship and friendship between Saudi Arabia and Japan.  He is also one of the prestigious members of Saudi-Japan Parliamentary Friendship League.  The delegation met Saudi VIPs, such as Prince Salman, Governor of Riyadh; and the president of Shoura Council and the Minister of Economy and Planning, among others.  He brought a letter from Yukio Hatoyama, Japanese Prime Minister to King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. The principal purpose of their visit was to expand favorable relationship and friendship between Saudi Arabia and Japan..”  [Complete Report]

Terror Sympathizers Urged To Surrender  [May 7]
“The Ministry of Interior has again called on Al-Qaeda supporters and sympathizers to hand themselves in. The call follows the surrender earlier this week of an Al-Qaeda sympathizer who has not been named.. ..The department expects more terrorism sympathizers to turn themselves in.  ‘The awareness level has been increased among the majority of the sympathizers. They have discovered the truth behind the organization’s deviant ideology and the reality of its activities,’  Al-Turki said. The unidentified man, believed to be in his 20’s, had contacted his family expressing his willingness to return to Saudi Arabia and surrender himself to the authorities. The ministry made arrangements for the man to be reunited with his family after he returned.  Al-Turki’s statement came after Saudi militant and former Al-Qaeda sympathizer Oqail Omaish Al-Mutairy surrendered to security authorities..”  [Complete Report]

Arab Oil Ministers Meet After Price Fall  [May 7]
“Arab oil ministers gathering in Qatar have crude prices where they want them even after a more than 10 percent fall driven by concern other European nations could suffer a debt crisis similar to that of Greece.. .. The conference in Doha from Sunday until Wednesday is not an OPEC gathering, but oil ministers will probably hold informal meetings on the sidelines of the four-day event. Ministers from OPEC members Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Algeria and Libya were expected to attend.  ‘Issues related to OPEC supply will be discussed,’ said one OPEC delegate. ‘But the oil price is not based on fundamentals and is moving on fluctuations in the U.S.  dollar..”  [Complete Report]

Saudi Arabian Treasures to go on Display in Paris  [May 7]
“People visiting Paris this summer will be taken on a fascinating historical journey at the Louvre.  The famous museum will launch an exhibition entitled Roads of Arabia, featuring a selection of archaeological treasures and photographs from Saudi Arabia, on 16 July.  Visitors will be able to see some 300 pieces representing the history and culture of the country, spanning several periods from prehistoric times to the beginning of the modern era.  The exhibits, most of which have never left their country of origin before, represent some of the diverse cultures and societies that have occupied the kingdom over the centuries.  They will be accompanied by photographs of some of the region’s spectacular landscapes and artefacts that highlight Arabia’s significance within the Islamic faith.  Roads of Arabia will run until 27 September this year..”  [Complete Report]

Governor Speaks to Saudis After Reports of Harassment  [May 7]
“Drawing from his own experiences while working in the Middle East, Gov. Brian Schweitzer told a group of Saudi Arabian students at Montana Tech on Thursday that he knows all too well how people can mistreat foreigners living among them.   The governor’s visit came after some Arab students reported being harassed in Butte over the past several months. Four students in particular have reported being repeatedly targeted, and last month a Saudi student reported being punched in the face at a convenience store.  Two of the students who felt targeted are transferring to a different college next year.  On Thursday, Schweitzer told the group that most Montanans are not racist, and he said he hopes the students can speak of their positive experiences when they go home..”  [Complete Report]

SUSRIS Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here]

Saudi Diplomat Attacked in Kenya  [May 6]
” A Saudi diplomat in Kenya, Muhammad Mahmoud bin Muhammad, came under attack on Tuesday from unknown gunmen and has been admitted into the intensive care unit of a hospital in Nairobi.  A source close to Muhammad, who is working as a religious attaché at the Saudi Embassy in the Kenyan capital, told Arab News that four gunmen attacked the diplomat at his home.  The source added that the diplomat’s condition was critical. The Saudi Foreign Ministry did not comment on the shooting when this report went to press..”  [Complete Report]

Kingdom Under ‘Fierce Attack’: Khaled   [May 6]
“Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Emir of Makkah, says that the voices of extremism in the Kingdom are louder than the voices of moderation and that the Kingdom is coming under ‘fierce attack’ from certain ‘media’ organizations and other ‘cultures’ around the world.  Prince Khaled made these comments while attending the signing of two memorandums of understanding between King Abdulaziz University and Imam Muhammad Bin Saud University in Jeddah Wednesday.  The event was also attended by Prince Turki Al-Faisal.. ..The memorandums also include the creation of a joint database on national unity and studies on the authentication of the Saudi moderation method.. ..’We want to advocate this trend to enlighten the youth of our country. We want to go ahead to give our sons and daughters in the Kingdom correct information – about their history, the method and policies of this country, and the values and principles laid down by our ancestors for the unification of this country..’”  [Complete Report]

Gulf Security Not Affected by Iranian Spies: Saudi  [May 6]
“Saudi Interior Minister Prince Nayef bin Abdul Aziz late on Wednesday rejected claims by a Kuwaiti member of parliament that a suspected Iranian spy cell held in the emirate had compromised Gulf security.  ‘The case of Kuwait’s dismantling of a spy network working for Iran’s Revolutionary Guards is being discussed by Gulf security services,’ the official Saudi Press Agency quoted Prince Nayef as saying on the sidelines of a meeting of Gulf interior ministers in the Saudi capital Riyadh.  ‘We absolutely contradict those reports’ that Gulf security has been infiltrated by Iran, he said.  Kuwaiti MP Mohammad Hayef, an outspoken Sunni Islamist opponent of Shiite Iran, charged on Tuesday that a suspected Iranian spy cell uncovered in the oil-rich emirate operated agents in other Gulf states.  ‘Investigations have indicated that the network is active and present in most other Gulf states,’ he said..”  [Complete Report]

Unofficial Vice Fighters ‘Have no Authority’ [May 6]
“Ali Bin Abbas Hakami, a member of the Board of Senior Ulema and the Supreme Judiciary Council, has said that setting up any unofficial bodies to practice ‘ihtisaab’ – promoting virtue and preventing vice – trespasses on the authority of the government.  ‘No individual is entitled to take upon themselves the jurisdiction of the government,’ Hakami said. ‘Only the government has the authority to establish departments and appoint staff, and no individual has the right to tackle vice by force, as this is for those who are granted a certain sort of authority, such as parents over their children.’  Even in the case of parents, Hakami said, forced change could cause ‘greater harm’.  ‘Change is required through speech, and if that also causes greater harm, then the erroneous act should be left to professionals with parents condemning it in their hearts, which is the third level of preventing vice in Islam,’..”  [Complete Report]

Treatment for Citizens Abroad Under Scrutiny  [May 6]
“The ministries of foreign affairs, culture and information and health are looking at ways to provide emergency treatment for citizens traveling abroad who do not have health insurance.  The ministers are also considering measures to enlighten citizens about the advanced standard of health services in the Kingdom and the risk of seeking treatment in countries lacking good medical services.  This comes in the wake of earlier decisions by the Council of Ministers, calling on the Cooperative Health Council to consider making it obligatory for citizens to have health insurance when traveling abroad.  The Council also wants foreigners traveling to the Kingdom to have mandatory health insurance..”  [Complete Report]

SUSRIS Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here]

Abu Mazen Discusses Indirect Talks With Saudi King  [May 5]
“King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz discussed here yesterday with the visiting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas a number of political issues, mainly the latest developments in the Middle East and the strategy of the Palestinian National Authority as regards to the Palestinian-Israeli indirect peace talks.  They also discussed the appropriate means to push forward the peace process and the nature of the Arab move to deal with the Israeli intransigence.  An informed Palestinian diplomatic source who attended the summit said that the two sides reviewed the outcome of the Palestinian dialogue sponsored by Cairo to put an end to the internal division among the Palestinians and to reach a reconciliation agreement.  The talks also dwelt on the means to strengthen the relationship between Riyadh and Ramallah in all political, economic and commercial fields..”  [Complete Report]

Doctorate For King Abdullah  [May 5]
” Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah received on Tuesday an honorary doctorate degree in the service of science and medical education from the Arabian Gulf University in Bahrain.  Dr. Khaled Al-Ouhali, the university’s president, awarded the degree to the king during a ceremony at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh.  In a speech delivered at the ceremony, Dr. Muhammad Al-Bandary, chairman of the university’s board of trustees, thanked King Abdullah for supporting the university. Referring to King Abdullah’s SR1 billion donation to establish a medical city at the university during his visit to Bahrain last month, Al-Bandary said, ‘This donation reflects your keenness for charitable and humanitarian work.’..” [Complete Report]

Female Employment Falls to 11%  [May 5]
“Sources at the Ministry of Labor have said that the employment rate of women in the Kingdom has fallen to 11 percent, and lamented the lack of job opportunities for females.  ‘The number of job applications from women at labor offices in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam has also gone down in recent years,’ the sources said.  According to the sources, the 2006 figure of 10,443 female job applicants, 599 of whom were found employment, fell to 4,285 in 2007, with 529 finding work.  ‘The Ministry of Labor is prepared to open more Women’s Labor Offices if the funds are provided,’ they said..”  [Complete Report]

ANI Forges Food Deal With Saudi Firm  [May 5]
“AgriNurture, Inc. (ANI) has signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with Far Eastern Agricultural Investment Company (FEAICO) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for huge food crop plantations and processing plants in the Philippines.  In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange Wednesday, ANI chief finance officer Kenneth Tan said that, based on the MoA, FEAICO shall pursue projects involving the establishment of a commercial sized pineapple, banana, rice and corn plantations and processing facilities.  It will also jointly work with ANI for all the needed resources such as land, labor, farm technology and systems.  ANI and FEAICO will establish demo plantations initially and grow gradually through contract growing up to a core area of 50,000 hectares total for pineapple, banana, rice and corn.  These plantations will be used for food crops production for local consumption and export to Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and other foreign markets that FEAICO and ANI will jointly agree and  develop..”  [Complete Report]

Welspun to Invest in Saudi Market  [May 5]
“Welspun proposes to invest in the$58 million in Saudi Arabia for stakes in pipe manufacturing firms. In their effort to get a better grip over the Middle Eastern market the capacity of the Indian firm will be 2.3 Million Tonnes.  Welspun Director Akhil Jindal “The promoters of Aziz were looking for someone who could run the company. As we have the expertise, we did this tie-up.” Welspun’s increased profits and sales will be seen at the September Quarter. Once all the final preparations are done, Welspun will begin their manufacturing and distributing in the Saudi.  Welspun told TOI on the 5th of April that they invested in a plant in Saudi Arabia which is fully functional and after a few minor repairs the plant wil be open for business.  Welspun, the Indian pipe manufacturer said they propose to buy the majority of the stakes in the Saudi Arabian Company and expand in the Saudi pipe manufacturing and coating facility. Welspun said they were given the green signal by their board to buy majority of the Saudi company..”  [Complete Report]

GCC Interior Ministers to Discuss Terror, Drug Smuggling  [May 5]
“Interior ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are meeting in Riyadh Wednesday to discuss security issues, among them combating terrorism and drug smuggling. Discussions will also look at organized crime as GCC states seek to achieve a comprehensive security strategy.  Prince Naif Bin Abdul Aziz, Second Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, will deliver a speech at the opening session in which he will address current security issues and security in GCC countries in the light of the recent regional and international developments.  The one-day meeting at Riyadh’s Conference Palace will be presided over by Sheikh Jaber Al-Khaled Al-Sabah, Minister of Interior of Kuwait, which is the current president of the GCC..”  [Complete Report]

SUSRIS Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here]

Abbas in Riyadh Ahead of Expected Peace Talks With Israel [May 4]
“Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas held talks in Middle East oil kingpin Saudi Arabia on Tuesday amid a flurry of diplomacy ahead of an expected resumption of peace talks with Israel.  Abbas was met by intelligence chief Prince Miqrin bin Abdul Aziz and was scheduled to hold talks with King Abdullah, the official Saudi Press Agency reported. “The visit comes as a part of diplomatic coordination ahead of the so-called proximity talks,” a Palestinian diplomat told AFP, referring to the US-brokered indirect negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis.  After meeting Abdullah, Abbas will head to Egypt for talks with President Hosni Mubarak, ahead of a planned meeting on Friday with US Middle East peace envoy George Mitchell, who arrived in the region Tuesday.  Mubarak met in Egypt on Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, where the two discussed the resumption of peace talks, the Israeli leader’s office said.  Saudi Arabia has played a key role in supporting negotiations towards a two-state solution, and in 2002 launched an Arab peace initiative towards this end. Egypt is also a key Arab partner in the negotiations..”  [Complete Report]

‘Modernists’ Should Not Be Backed: Al-Barrak  [May 4]
“Saudi Islamic scholar Abdul Rahman Al-Barrak has urged Minister of Justice Muhammad Al-Eissa and two other leading scholars, Eissa Al-Ghaith and Ahmed Al-Ghamdi, not to support ‘modernists.’  In a statement on Monday, Al-Ghaith denounced Al-Barrak’s arrogant attitude and asked him not to adopt extreme views, make false allegations and provoke people against the Kingdom and its rulers.. ..Earlier, in a letter to the three scholars, Al-Barrak wrote, ‘Don’t be the keys for evil (to pervade) among the Ummah by belittling and underestimating that which the enemies of God … want in terms of changing the condition of this beloved Kingdom.’ He said liberalization of women was one of the major outcomes of the enemies’ plots. ‘This has led to the mingling of sexes in the worst form in work places and educational institutions, and the opening of cinemas, and music and dance clubs,’ he said, citing the situation in some Muslim countries..” [Complete Report]

Saudi Arabia Delays Signing Arms Contract  [May 4]
“Saudi Arabia is waiting for the next British government to take shape before signing a defence contract worth up to £4 billion to the UK economy, The Times has learnt.  The contract concerns weapons for the Eurofighter Typhoon jets sold to Riyadh by BAE Systems under a £20 billion deal signed by the two governments in September 2007. The munitions contract is the last big package of the al-Salam deal still to be signed.  Negotiations are believed to be well advanced but Riyadh is understood to have balked at finalising the agreement because a change of government in Britain looks likely.  The move echoes the Saudi approach when agreeing the original contract to purchase 72 Typhoons at a cost of £4.43 billion four years ago. Although al-Salam — meaning peace in Arabic — was agreed in August 2006, Riyadh resisted signing the deal until September 2007, a few months after Gordon Brown had replaced Tony Blair as Prime Minister..”  [Complete Report]

Saudi School Aims To Save The Planet  [May 4]
” How much would it cost to solve some of the world’s biggest problems? King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia says about $10 billion — that’s the endowment he’s given to the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, or KAUST, a huge research facility devoted to solving some of the major problems facing the planet.  The brand new school — it opened just this past fall — rises from the desert north of Jeddah like the secret research lab in a James Bond movie. The desert blooms here, thanks to a private desalination plant and an army of gardeners. With a private Red Sea beach, knock-your-socks-off architecture and world-class labs, KAUST hopes to lure the world’s brainiest scientists to this Xanadu for nerds..”  [Complete Report]

Tabreed Saudi Unit Wins $480 Mln Aramco Deal  [May 4]
“The Saudi unit of Dubai-listed refrigeration and cooling company Tabreed TABR.DU has won a $480 million contract to build a central cooling station for Saudi Aramco, a newspaper reported on Tuesday.  Saudi Tabreed — a Saudi private sector joint venture company with Tabreed, also known as the National Cooling Co — expects to complete the project in the first quarter of 2012, pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat reported on its website.  The project at Aramco’s headquarters in Dhahran is being financed by Banque Saudi Fransi 1050.SE, the newspaper said..”  [Complete Report]

SUSRIS Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here]

Kingdom, India Plan Mutual Fund   [May 3]
“Faisal Bin Tarad, the Saudi Ambassador to India, has said that the Saudi and Indian governments are planning to set up a mutual fund with capital of between $500 million and $750 million for private sector joint investments.  ‘The Saudi government will provide two thirds of the fund, and India a third,’ Tarad said.  The fund is expected to be operational within a year once all the legal aspects related to its signing have been finalized.. ..’Saudi Arabia is beginning to take more interest in India,’ Tarad said. ‘There are real opportunities for economic cooperation, although Indian investors have been more active than their Saudi counterparts, investing $2.5 billion, a figure far higher than that for Saudi investments in India.’..”  [Complete Report]

Saudi Liberals See Hope as Clerics Argue Over Women  [May 3]
“Divisions among senior Saudi clerics over the legality of gender segregation could mark a new drive by reformers allied to King Abdullah to push social reforms in the puritanical Islamic state.  The divisions came to the open when the kingdom’s morals police, or the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, reversed a decision to sack Ahmad al-Ghamdi, its regional head for the Mecca region.  Saudi analysts and diplomats say the reversal was dictated by King Abdullah’s entourage if not the king himself.  After the kingdom opened its first co-ed university in September — a project sponsored by King Abdullah — Ghamdi published a research paper that questioned the legality in Islam of gender segregation as enforced by the Commission.  ‘The commission was forced to cancel the decision to sack Ghamdi. This will strengthen the state’s role,’ said Khaled al-Dakhil, a prominent Saudi political writer..”  [Complete Report]

E-Health Encyclopedia for Arab World Planned  [May 3]
“Under the instructions of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, the Kingdom is planning to set up a digital electronic encyclopedia on health, President of General Intelligence Prince Muqrin announced in Riyadh on Sunday.  Prince Muqrin, who is also chairman of the Saudi Association for Health Informatics (SAHI), made this announcement while inaugurating the Saudi E-Health 2010 smyposium at the King Faisal Conference Hall.  ‘Such an encyclopedia will provide comprehensive health information to millions of Arabs in the world,’ Prince Muqrin said, adding that the idea is to help everyone in the Arab world keep abreast of the recent advancements in health and provide them with required information and data.. ..Health Minister Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah said the Ministry of Health has already started a strategy for e-health. He added that his ministry will also coordinate with other countries in the region to exchange experience in the relevant field..”  [Complete Report]

Saudi Artists Set for Boom as King Supports Drive to Go Global  [May 3]
“Saudi art, still little known outside the desert kingdom, is starting to get international attention after a group of artists exhibited in London in October 2008 and at last year’s Venice Biennale. More shows are planned this year in Berlin and Istanbul. Inside the country, art galleries are rare because of religious objections to depicting the human form in paintings or sculptures.  The government-supported drive to promote Saudi artists on the global stage, part of a strategy by King Abdullah to rebrand his Islamic state as investor-friendly, comes at a time when prices for artworks from the oil-rich Gulf country remain relatively low.  ‘There is a group of artists in Saudi Arabia, some of whom will probably do quite well in the future,” said William Lawrie, a Dubai-based expert on Middle Eastern art at Christie’s International. The London-based auction house in April 2009 for the first time offered for international auction a collection of Saudi art in Dubai. It sold six Saudi artworks for about $64,000..”  [Complete Report]

Saudi King and Crown Prince Photographed With Women  [May 3]
“The photo may not look remarkable – a Saudi royal posing with roughly 40 women covered in conservative Muslim dress. But the photograph of King Abdullah is being hailed as a landmark for Saudi women and their long struggle for equal rights.. ..Dr. Maha Muneef, a prominent physician and advisor to the governmental Shura council in Riyadh.  ‘This is a picture that sent a message to the people that it is OK to work with women and be side by side with women, and there’s nothing wrong with that.’  Separation of the sexes is at the heart of Saudi Arabia’s conservative social ground rules. Men and women are schooled separately, walk through different doors into most buildings, and sit in gender segregated sections of restaurants and cafes.. ..As King Abdullah’s government has pushed through reform, the conservative clerical establishment has begun to rethink and publicly debate its strict policies on women’s rights, a discussion that would have been unthinkable in the past..” [Complete Report]

Wanted Saudi Militant Turns In   [May 3]
“The Ministry of Interior said Sunday that a wanted Al-Qaeda-linked militant had turned himself in to the authorities.
Spokesman for the ministry Mansour Al-Turki said that Aqil Amish Aqil Al-Mutairi, number 57 on the ministry’s list of wanted terror suspects abroad, arrived in Saudi Arabia last Wednesday after expressing a wish to return to his home country and family.. ..Al-Turki did not reveal which country Al-Mutairi had been living in prior to his return, but Saudi Gazette reported in Feb. 2009 that Al-Mutairi, 31 at the time, had left his home town of Al-Bikairiyah in central Saudi Arabia for Iraq three years earlier.  He was reported as last having had contact with his family in the last months of 2008..”  [Complete Report]

SUSRIS Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here]

People Misunderstood My Views, says Haia Official  [May 2]
“Sheikh Ahmed Al-Ghamdi, director of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (Haia) in the Makkah Province, said many people had misunderstood his views on the mingling of sexes and congregational prayer (Salat Al-Jamaa), and that as a result he and his family are being threatened and verbally abused.. ..He said he has been receiving continuous threats because people have misunderstood his statements. He said he has also received threatening SMS messages on his cell phone with some people calling him an infidel and an atheist. Meanwhile, others have been leaving messages on his car saying they want to kill him. Some other have written  abusive comments on the wall of his home. According to one website, some people have claimed that the Ghamdi tribe had disavowed him. Members of his family, however, say there is no truth in these rumors..”  [Complete Report]

5,000 Saudi Foreign Graduates to Return Home  [May 2]
“Over 5,000 Saudi students on the King Abdullah Foreign Scholarship Program are expected to graduate and return home at the end of this year, said Khaled Al-Anqari, Minister of Higher Education.  Al-Anqari said that about 3,000 students are expected to graduate from American universities, 1,000 from British universities, and 1,000 from Australian universities.. ..The Ministry will introduce the graduates to the business community and work on having more demanding majors for the scholarship program in cooperation with businesses over the next five years..”  [Complete Report]

Saudi Arabian Mining Selects ABB for Smelter Contract  [May 2]
“Saudi Arabian Mining Co., the state- controlled metals producer known as Ma’aden, selected ABB Ltd. for electrical works at an aluminum smelter the company is developing with Alcoa Inc. in Saudi Arabia.  Ma’aden also signed initial engineering and procurement contracts with WorleyParsons Ltd. and Fluor Corp., according to a company statement to the Saudi bourse today. It didn’t give value of the deals..”  [Complete Report]

Saudi Arabia’s Software Solutions Market Aims for 12% Surge Through 2013  [May 2]
“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s software solutions market, the largest in the Middle East, is expected to post 12% growth through 2013. The market was valued at $637m in 2009, with a significant share coming from Business Process Excellence (BPE) solutions. The BPE segment is expected to grow exponentially over the next few years as the Kingdom maintains its status as the region’s largest economy and leading business hub..”  [Complete Report]