ARABIALINK Daily News – UAE – Excerpts from International Media Reports
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US Imports to UAE Worth $12 Billion Last Year [May 31]
“US imports to the UAE topped $12 billion last year – a six-fold increase in the last decade, according to US Assistant Commerce Secretary Suresh Kumar, Zawya.com reported Monday.  The UAE is one of the largest markets for American goods and services imported to the region, Kumar added.  US foreign direct investment in UAE in 2008 was worth more than $3.4 billion, and UAE companies’ foreign direct investment in the US was worth more than $2.7 billion in 2008, he said.  Last year, China surpassed the US as the largest importer of goods into the UAE..”  [Complete Report]

Journalists’ Association Calls for International Intervention  [May 31]
” The UAE Journalists’ Association has called on the International Federation of Journalists and other international organisations to intervene and determine the whereabouts of Gulf News reporter Abbas Al Lawati.  Mohammad Yousuf, chairman, said in a press statement, that he has made extensive calls to Jim Bu Melha, President of the Federation and the General Secretariat in Brussels, urging them to take immediate action to determine the fate of Al Lawati, who has not been in contact since 2am on Monday.  He added that urgent letters have also been sent to international organisations for the protection of journalists, and has called on them to form an international investigative committee to bring those responsible to justice.  The attack was a violation of international laws and flagrant aggression that took place in front of the whole world, Yousuf said..”  [Complete Report]

UAE Condemns Freedom Flotilla Attack [May 31]
“The UAE has condemned Israel’s violent attack on the Freedom Flotilla on Monday.  The attacks against the flotilla lead to the death of at least 19 civilians, and wounded many others.  The UAE condemned this violent act that occurred on international waters and violated international laws by targeting civilians.  Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister, said in a statement made on Monday that he called on the Secretary General of the United Nations (UN) to carry out the necessary investigations on the attack, as well as submitting a clear report of this matter to the UN.  Shaikh Abdullah said that the attack on civilians traversing across the sea to deliver aid to the Palestinian people strongly defied international laws, and is an unprovoked response against an act of humanitarian intentions.  He added that Israel must be held responsible for its actions, calling on the Security Council to arrange an emergency meeting to address this issue and take the necessary procedures..” [Complete Report]

Growing Population Needs Twice as Many Doctors  [May 31]
“The number of doctors and nurses needs to double over the next decade to cope with an ageing and rapidly expanding population, new figures have revealed.  A report from the Health Authority-Abu Dhabi (HAAD) estimated that the capital would need up to 102 per cent more doctors, from the current 5,300 to as many as 10,700. The number of nurses will need to rise by as much as 101 per cent, from 6,900 to 13,900.  The report also pointed to shortfalls in fields including paediatrics, gynaecology and orthopaedics. The transience of the UAE’s expatriate population is an additional hurdle. Some 16 per cent of doctors quit their jobs each year – so to increase numbers by just five per cent hospitals would need to hire more than a fifth of their workforce each year. Some 13 per cent of nurses quit each year. “If churn rates remain at their 2009 level, this will require some 1,600 doctors and almost 1,800 nurses to be recruited annually,” the HAAD Statistics 2009 report stated..”  [Complete Report]

UAE, Hong Kong to Collaborate on Developing Tourism [May 31]
“The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Hong Kong will collaborate on increasing tourist flow in both places, and both governments have agreed to take part in each other’s cultural events.  The Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) and the Hong Kong Special Administration Region (HKSAR) agreed on the collaboration after exchanging tourism data on the performance of their respective tourism sectors in 2009 and 2010.  Tourism in Hong Kong and Abu Dhabi was low in 2009, with the Asian region receiving around 29.5 million visitors, a rise of only 0.3 percent from 2008, while Abu Dhabi recorded only two percent increase in its total number of guests.  Hong Kong authorities said the Gulf region, India and Russia were its top three emerging markets, while the Abu Dhabi authorities said Hong Kong has played a key role in its greater China market development strategy..”  [Complete Report]

ARABIALINK Daily News – QATAR – Excerpts from International Media Reports
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Cagamas, Malaysia Airports, Qatar Islamic: Islamic Bond Alert [May 31]
“The following borrowers are expected to sell Islamic bonds, which use asset returns to pay investors to comply with the religion’s ban on interest.  Global sales of so-called sukuk increased to $20.2 billion last year from $14.1 billion in 2008, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. They climbed 10 percent to $6.1 billion so far this year.  CAGAMAS BHD.: The Malaysian national mortgage company plans to sell as much as 10 billion ringgit ($3.1 billion) of a new type of Islamic bond that would be acceptable to investors in the Middle East, said Chief Executive Officer Steven Choy. Cagamas is developing the new sukuk with Saudi’s Al-Rajhi Bank, which will subscribe to some of the notes to be issued this month, he said..”  [Complete Report]

Qatar Had Talks With Partner Over Stake in Citigroup  [May 31]
“Qatar considered acquiring a stake in Citigroup Inc. and held talks with a partner over buying shares in the U.S. company, the country’s finance minister said.  “It was only just exploring our interest, not more than that,” Finance and Economy Minister Youssef Kamal said at the World Economic Forum Global Redesign Summit in the Qatari capital, Doha, today. He declined to say whether Qatar was still interested in the stake and didn’t name the partner involved in the negotiations.  Qatar, holder of the world’s third-largest natural-gas reserves, seeks to diversify its economy from oil and gas by international investments in other areas.  The Qatar Investment Authority, the country’s sovereign wealth fund, owns stakes in financial institutions including Credit Suisse Group AG and Barclays Plc. The fund bought Harrods Ltd. department store in London this month and a stake in Volkswagen AG last year..”  [Complete Report]

Qatari Watchdog Tells Vodafone to File Complaint [My 31]
“Qatar’s telecom watchdog yesterday told Vodafone Qatar to file a complaint with it if the company had concerns about the entry of Virgin into the market.  The regulator was responding to a threat of legal action from Vodafone Qatar, which believes Virgin’s entrance into the gulf state is a violation of the conditions of its licence – bought at a cost of 7.7bn riyals (£1.5bn). Virgin has signed a partnership with Qatar Telecommunications to launch Virgin Mobile Qatar in a brand licensing deal..”  [Complete Report]

ARABIALINK Daily News – KUWAIT – Excerpts from International Media Reports
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Kuwait to Meet on Israeli Aid Boat Raid  [May 31]
“Kuwait’s cabinet is to hold an emergency meeting on Monday after a deadly Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla carrying 16 Kuwaitis including an MP, the official KUNA news agency reported.  Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad al-Ahmad al-Sabah called the meeting to discuss the latest developments related to the aid convoy, KUNA cited communications minister and government spokesman Mohammad al-Baseeri as saying.  Islamist MP Waleed al-Tabtabai was among 16 Kuwaiti nationals on board one of the six ships carrying aid destined for Palestinians in Gaza Strip, which has been under Israeli siege for four years.  Parliament speaker Jassem al-Khorafi condemned what he called the “heinous Israeli crime against the freedom convoy which was on a peaceful and humanitarian mission..”  [Complete Report]

Kuwait Oil Official: Crude Could Fall to $60  [May 31]
“One of Kuwait’s oil officials believes the price of a barrel of crude oil could fall to $60, reports Maktoob.com.  The website quotes the official speaking to Kuwait daily al-Seyassah. “The drop in prices could continue and reach $60 a barrel and it is an issue correlated to the global economy, ” Nawal al-Fuzaia, Kuwait’s national representative to OPEC, told al-Seyassah.  He went on to say that a range of $70 to $80 was fair for both consumers and producers. Maktoob says that the benchmark US crude futures fell to $73.97 a barrel on Friday, equating to the worst monthly loss since December 2008..”  [Complete Report]

First Iraqi Envoy to Kuwait in 20 Years  [May 31]
” Iraq’s first ambassador to Kuwait since the invasion 20 years ago has arrived amid increasing tension between the two countries over the payment of war reparations.  Mohammed Hussein Bahr al Ulum avoided questions from a swarm of journalists when he flew into Kuwait Airport from Dubai on Sunday. Officials at the Iraqi Embassy said yesterday that the ambassador would arrange a press conference within the next two weeks to address concerns, including what many believe to be an Iraqi attempt to avoid paying money owed to Kuwait by dissolving Iraqi Airways last week.  The Iraqi Embassy in Kuwait opened in temporary quarters in 2005 after the permanent building was wrecked by locals when coalition forces brushed aside Saddam Hussein’s army in 1991..”  [Complete Report]

Yemen, Kuwait Review Media Cooperation  [May 31]
“Chairman of the Yemeni Journalists Syndicate (YJS) Yasin al-Masoudi met on Monday with the Kuwaiti ambassador to Yemen Salem Ghasab al-Zamnan.  During the meeting, the talks focused on media cooperation between media personnel in the two countries as well as means of how to reinforce this kind of cooperation.  Al-Masoudi affirmed the depth of the Yemeni and Kuwait ties and the role played by journalists in the two countries to boost and improve these ties, noting the active role of the Kuwaiti ambassador in preparing cooperation and communication opportunities between Yemen and Kuwait media institutions.  For his part, the ambassador pointed out that the Yemeni and Kuwaiti relations witness a big growth and are always improving to achieve progress in the process of relations development..” [Complete Report]

Kuwait’s May Output for Neutral Zone Reaches 260,000bpd [May 31]
“Kuwait’s oil production from the shared Neutral Zone it shares with Saudi Arabia hit 260,000 barrels per day (bpd) in May, a senior official said on Monday.  While speaking to Reuters on the sidelines of a conference in Manama, Bader al Khashti, managing director, Kuwait Gulf Oil Company, said: “We produced around 260,000 bpd this month, we have four rigs in operation.”  Kuwait said in April that the two countries have boosted output capacity from the shared zone to 610,000 barrels per day from around 550,000 bpd.  But it said they have drawn back from long term plans plans to further boost capacity to 700,000 to 900,000 barrels per day (bpd) by 2030 as the fields in the zone are declining.  Kuwait and Saudi Arabia plan to increase the percentage of oil recovered from the fields with oil major Chevron to maintain onshore output..”  [Complete Report]

Kuwait, Japan Begin Preparatory Talks on Joint Committee  [May 31]
“Kuwait and Japan on Monday began working-level preparatory talks before the first meeting of the Japan-Kuwait Joint Committee due later this week, with the both sides planning to raise their concerns to share and to discuss content of a planned joint statement.  The Kuwaiti participants were to present such issues as the nation’s five-year plan, introduction of nuclear power generation project, needs on renewable energy and energy conservation, as well as regional projects in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states.  The Japanese side was expected to note the importance of early conclusions of a bilateral investment treaty and GCC-Japan free trade agreement (FTA) and to underline promotion of exchanges in line with the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Kuwaiti-Japanese diplomatic ties in 2011..”  [Complete Report]

ARABIALINK Daily News – IRAQ – Excerpts from International Media Reports
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Graveyard in Najaf a Testament to Iraq’s Tragic History  [May 31]
“Pictures of the two brothers stare out, side by side, separated by the gulf of a quarter century.  Rahim Jabr died in 1981, a foot soldier in the bloody eight-year war with Iran, while Naeem was a casualty of the savage sectarian fighting that gripped Baghdad in 2006.  They were reunited in the end, their tombstones placed side by side surrounded by a decorative metal cage in the vast Shiite graveyard of Najaf in southern Iraq.  There is no holier place on earth for Shiites to be buried than this city of the dead, stretching to the horizon from the doorstep of the tomb of Imam Ali, the son-in-law of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).  While Sunnis put their dead in local plots, Shiites for a 1,000 years have been burying their fallen here and everyone has at least one relative in the graveyard.  That has made it a kind of map to Iraq’s history, at least that of its Shiite majority.. ..The violence that has overwhelmed Iraq since 2003, much of it directed against Shiites, fed a massive expansion of the graveyard, swelling it by 40 per cent..”  [Complete Report]

U.S. on Track in Iraq, Casey Says  [May 31]
“The drawdown of U.S. forces in Iraq remains on track, and the military will meet the troop level benchmark laid out by President Obama, according to the Army Chief of Staff.  In an interview with CNN Chief National Correspondent John King, Gen. George Casey said the military is slated to reduce troop levels to 50,000 by the end of August.  “[I]t’s something we’ve been working on with the leadership in Iraq for more than 18 months. We have been gradually moving the extra equipment and things out. There’s a great plan in place and we’re executing that plan right now,” Casey said on CNN’s John King, USA.  The U.S. now has more troops in Afghanistan than Iraq for the first time since 2003.  When asked about the need for additional resources in Afghanistan – beyond the 30,000 additional troops scheduled to be deployed there – Casey said the number should be sufficient..”  [Complete Report]

Iraq Arrests Two Over Baghdad Hotel Bombs  [May 31]
“Iraqi security forces said on Monday they had arrested two suspected al Qaeda militants for the January bombing of three Baghdad hotels in which 36 people died. A spokesman for the Baghdad security command described the two men — Abbas Najim al-Jawari, 26, and Mohammed Nuri al-Abadi, 32 — as leaders of the Sunni al Qaeda network.  Major-General Qassim al-Moussawi said they were accused of “supervising” the bombing of three well-known hotels in Baghdad on January 25. Abadi is also accused of running an assassination squad targeting police officers and government officials.  Jawari was arrested on April 16 and Abadi on May 1 as part of an ongoing operation codenamed “Lion’s Leap,” he said. The operation resulted in the killing last month of al Qaeda’s top two leaders in Iraq, Abu Ayyub al-Masri and Abu Omar al-Baghdadi.  “Operation Lion’s Leap continues to strike a strong blow at the al Qaeda leadership,” Moussawi told a news conference..”  [Complete Report]

Iraq’s Shi’ite Powers Haggle Over Powers of PM [May 31]
“raq’s two main Shi’ite political blocs agreed to unite weeks ago but the merger is hung up on disagreements about how to choose a prime minister and ways to limit his power, officials with the two coalitions said.  Sorting out the disputes may further delay a new government after an inconclusive parliamentary election nearly three months ago, deepening a power vacuum that has opened a door to insurgents determined to attack Iraq’s nascent democracy.  State of Law, headed by Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, and the Iraqi National Alliance (INA), a bloc whose leaders have close ties to Iran, said on May 4 they would join to form a single bloc in parliament..”  [Complete Report]

ARABIALINK Daily News – IRAN – Excerpts from International Media Reports
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U.N. Report Says Iran Has Fuel for 2 Nuclear Weapons  [May 31]
” In their last report before the United Nations Security Council takes up sanctions against Iran, international nuclear inspectors declared on Monday that Iran has now produced a stockpile of nuclear fuel that experts say would be sufficient to make two nuclear weapons.  The report, by the International Atomic Energy Agency, a branch of the United Nations, appears likely to bolster the Obama’s administration’s case for a fourth round of economic sanctions against Iran, and further diminish its interest in a deal, recently revived by Turkey and Brazil, in which Iran would send a portion of its nuclear stockpile out of the country.  When Iran tentatively agreed eight months ago to ship some of its nuclear material out of the country, the White House said the deal would temporarily deprive Iran of enough fuel to make even a single weapon..”  [Complete Report]

Iran Opposition Asks for Anniversary Rally Permit  [May 31]
“An Iranian reformist website says the country’s opposition has formally asked authorities for permission to hold a rally on the anniversary of the disputed June 12 presidential election.  The request indicates the opposition plans to go ahead with the gathering despite earlier warnings by police they will confront any illegal demonstration on that date.  Website Sahamanews on Monday said opposition leaders Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mahdi Karroubi sent a joint letter to the Tehran provincial governor asking for the permit.  The two ran in the 2009 balloting, which the opposition says President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad won through fraud and that Mousavi was the rightful winner. It says 80 demonstrators have died so far in the government crackdown on opposition protests..”  [Complete  Report]

Iranian Ambassador: No Deal on US Hikers  [May 31]
“The Iranian ambassador in Baghdad said the recent release of two Iranians from Iraqi custody is not an indication of any impeding deal to free three Americans held by Tehran on spying charges.  Ambassador Hassan Kazemi Qomi told The Associated Press the fate of the Americans, who have been held since July, is in the hands of the Iranian judiciary and has no connection to the release of two Iranians earlier this month.  “There were no deals,” Qomi said. “They (Americans) are in the custody of the judiciary system.”  The detained Americans — Sarah Shourd, 31; her boyfriend, Shane Bauer, 27; and their friend Josh Fattal, 27 — were arrested along the Iraqi border. Iran has accused them of espionage, but their families say the three were hiking in northern Iraq’s mountainous Kurdish region and if they strayed into Iran, it was unintentional.  In a goodwill gesture by Iran, their mothers were allowed to visit them earlier in May — for the first time since they were taken into Iranian custody..”  [Complete Report]

Iran Seizes on Gaza Ship Raid for New Israel Tirade  [May 31]
“Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said a deadly Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound aid ship on Monday was an “inhuman” act that brought Tehran’s archfoe “closer than ever to its end.”  The Iranian foreign ministry called on Arab and Muslim nations to stand united in protesting against the raid.  “The inhuman action of the Zionist regime against the Palestinian people and preventing the humanitarian aid from reaching Gazans does not show this regime’s strength, but is a sign of its weakness, and all this brings this sinister and fake regime closer than ever to its end,” the official IRNA news agency quoted Ahmadinejad as saying.  The hardliner, who has previously sparked anger around the world for saying that Israel was “doomed to be wiped off the map,” said Monday’s attack was an “insult to human dignity.”  “Today, it is clearly evident that the Palestinian issue is not an Arab or Islamic one, but a world issue. Today, the reason for creating and imposing of the Zionist regime has become evident to all,” he said..” [Complete Report]

ARABIALINK Daily News – SAUDI ARABIA – Excerpts from International Media Reports
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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]

ARABIALINK Daily News – QATAR – Excerpts from International Media Reports
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Al Jazeera Anchorwomen Quit in Clothing Spat [May 30]
“Five female news presenters at the pan-Arab Al Jazeera satellite television channel have resigned over conflicts with management over dress code and other issues, a journalist there said on Sunday.  “This collective resignation is not motivated just by the growing pressure on the presenters concerning their dress code, which was evoked by the media,” said the journalist, who asked not to be identified.  “The conflicts run much deeper,” the journalist added. The news presenters who have reportedly quit are Jumana Namur, Lina Zahr Al Deen, Lona Al Shibel, Julnar Mousa and Nofar Afli.  The Al Hayat newspaper reported on Sunday that they had resigned in the past few days after petitioning management in January over repeated criticism from a top company official for allegedly not being conservative enough in their dress.  Management of the Doha-based channel told AFP it would issue a response later..”  [Complete Report]

Qatar Shares Advance on Optimism Drop Overdone  [May 30]
“Qatar stocks rose, leading Gulf Arab markets higher, on speculation this month’s decline may have been overdone as economic growth picks up and global markets rallied as concerns over Europe’s debt crisis eased.  Industries Qatar, the second-biggest petrochemicals maker in the Middle East, surged the most in more than two months. In Abu Dhabi, Emirates Telecommunications Corp., the phone company known as Etisalat, gained after its long-term corporate credit rating was raised by Standard & Poor’s. Qatar’s QE Index gained 2.1 percent, the most May 10, to 6,825.89, trimming the decline for the month to 9.6 percent. The Bloomberg GCC 200 Index, which tracks 200 equities in the region, lost 0.3 percent. Egypt’s EGX 30 Index surged 2.8 percent to 6,517.43.  “We continue to focus on international markets and oil, which were generally higher over the Thursday to Friday period,” said Ali Khan, head of cash-equity trading at Dubai- based Arqaam Capital Ltd. “Qatar was the worst performing market in the region month-to-date.”..”  [Complete Report]

ARABIALINK Daily News – OMAN – Excerpts from International Media Reports
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Oman Grants Extension to Amnesty Seekers  [May 30]
“Foreign workforce stranded in Oman without legal papers will get a further two-month reprieve as the Manpower Ministry extended their deadline to leave the country without paying fines.  In January, the government gave overstaying expatriates three months to complete all the paperwork and leave the country without paying fines or to regularise their status with the Manpower Ministry.  The deadline was first extended up to May 31.  A large number of overstaying expatriates, mainly blue-collar workers, will have to either regularise their status or leave Oman. “We have had requests from diplomatic missions to give further extension for the partial amnesty and a formal announcement to this effect will be made tomorrow (Monday),” a senior official at the Manpower Ministry told Gulf News on condition of anonymity.  On Saturday, Manpower Minister Shaikh Abdullah Bin Nasser Al Bakri said that the ministry was studying the proposal..”  [Complete Report]

GDF Suez to Build Two Power Plants in Oman  [May 30]
“GDF Suez has won a contract to build and operate two 750MW power plants in Oman at a cost of US$1.82bn.  The plants, with a capacity of 750 megawatts each, are expected to be completed in 2013, and Oman will buy electricity from the company for 15 years and then transfer the ownership to the government, an Omani tender board official told Reuters on Saturday..”  [Complete Report]

ARABIALINK Daily News – UAE – Excerpts from International Media Reports
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Decree Announces UAE’s Official Accession to Revised Kyoto Convention  [May 30]
“President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan has issued a decree on the accession of the UAE to the Revised Kyoto Convention in order to facilitate and coordinate the customs procedures  after the decree has been approved by the members of the Supreme Council and rulers of the emirates.  The decree instructs the Federal Customs Authority Chairman to take the actions required for finalising the accession to, and implementation of, the Convention.  Khalid Ali Al Bustani, Acting General Manager of the Federal Customs Authority, said that joining the Revised Kyoto Convention, with its advanced customs procedures, would enhance trade activities and increase cooperation between the UAE and the world taking into consideration the country’s  status and position on the map of the world trade.  “Joining this Convention will benefit the UAE’s economy since it will facilitate and increase international trade activities and consolidate the efforts currently made to support the country’s  competitiveness in this regard by the application of international security initiatives and making readily- available the data in order to apply standards for specifications of high risk trade deals and the application of secure technical systems,”..”  [Complete Report]

Shaikh Khalifa Pardons 263 Prisoners  [May 30]
“Some 263 prisoners in Abu Dhabi’s correctional and punitive establishments were ordered to be released upon the orders of President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.  Shaikh Khalifa will also pay the prisoners’ financial debts. The prisoners are serving different prison terms.  The president also ordered that work opportunities be made available for the released UAE nationals according to the followed procedures while non-nationals will be deported.  The release order of imprisoned nationals and nationals of other countries comes in line with Shaikh Khalifa’s keenness to give prisoners another chance to start their lives again and to alleviate the suffering of their families.  The decision to release prisoners and to pay their financial debts is a continuation of the route trodden by Shaikh Khalifa on different occasions, which comes to enhance the spirit of forgiveness as a main UAE society trait..”  [Complete Report]

UAE Oil Spill Team on Standby to Assist in Gulf of Mexico Cleanup  [May 30]
“A team of oil spill experts were on standby in the United Arab Emirates, ready to help in the Gulf of Mexico cleanup efforts if called to do so, officials in the Middle Eastern country told CNN Sunday.  “The offer is still on the table to the U.S. government through their embassy here. It is about 30 people we are offering to send; 30 staff. The team is made up of some six Emiratis and the rest are technicians from Egypt, Sudan, Algeria and the Philippines; all of whom are based here for work of course,” said Craig Buckingham of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company.  The United Arab Emirates originally made the offer two weeks ago.  “Basically, it’s an offer made on behalf of the government in recognition of this environmental issue. It is an offer of support,” Buckingham said. “We have people and supplies if they wish it. It’s on the table. We’re ready to go. We’re just waiting for their call.”..”  [Complete Report]

UAE Population Rises to 8.19 mln [May 30]
“The population of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has reached 8.19 million and is continuing to grow despite the global financial crisis, a local English daily reported Sunday.  The UAE population stood at 8.07 million in 2008 and had risen by 125,000 last year, The National said, citing a report released by the National Bureau of Statistics. According to the newspaper, the figure is higher than other previous official figures and projections.  The Report on Economic and Social Dimension 2009 also showed that the majority of the population, 81.9 percent, is in the 15 to 59 age group, while just 1.3 percent are aged 60 or above, it said.  Seventy-nine percent of the expatriate population is ” economically active,” or in work, compared with 45 percent of Emiratis, the report said, adding that nearly 20 percent of the population were voluntarily unemployed while 2.3 percent were looking for jobs..” [Complete Report]

UAE Ports Set For Sharp Rebound in Throughput  [May 30]
“UAE ports will see a sharp rebound in their throughput this year, led by Abu Dhabi’s Mina Zayed Port and Jebel Ali port, helping the country to remain the largest exporter in the Gulf, according to a recent study.  Ports in Dubai will return to growth this year, with throughput jumping more than seven per cent to 149.18 million tonnes this year after an estimated drop of three per cent in throughput to 139.25 million tonnes in the previous year, according to the recent study by Business Monitor International (BMI).  The UAE-based port operator Dubai Ports World (DP World), which manages both of Dubai’s ports – Jebel Ali Port and Sheikh Rashid Port —registered a 46 per cent year-on-year (yoy) slump in profits to $333 million (Dh1.22 billion) in 2009 compared to $621m in the previous year.  “In terms of total tonnage, we expect volumes handled by the Port of Jebel Ali and Port Rashid to return to growth after contracting as a result of the recession in 2009. The Mina Zayad Port in Abu Dhabi is set to experience a much sharper growth, gaining 20.6 per cent to 5.91m tonnes this year,” said the study..”  [Complete Report]

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

Kuwait MP Requests Probe of Prime Minister Over Pollution  [May 30]
“Kuwait’s lawmakers and the government are apparently set for a fresh clash after an opposition MP on Sunday filed for an interrogation of the prime minister over a failure to tackle pollution.  “This is mainly a humanitarian quizzing. I have tried all ways to resolve the pollution issue, but to no avail,” Khalid Al Tahous, MP for the Popular Action Bloc, said after he filed a 19-page request to question Shaikh Nasser Mohammad Al Ahmad Al Sabah. “The grilling is to highlight how the state laws have not been applied and how people who have abused the system and caused the deterioration of living conditions in the Ali Sabah Al Salem area (formerly Um Haiman) have not been held responsible for their acts. I do hope that the MPs would get familiar with the grilling before they issue any judgement,” Al Tahous said.  Al Tahous had often said that he would push for the parliament probe of the government if it did not move to tackle the pollution problem affecting several residential areas in the area, located south of Kuwait City..”  [
Complete Report]

Lawyers Call for Revision of Kuwait Divorce Laws [May 30]
“Lawyers and sociologists in Kuwait have called for rewriting the divorce laws after official figures indicated that 42 per cent of marriages ended in separations in 2009.  “There are many reasons for the alarming increase in divorce rates, but the Kuwaiti law is also to blame,” lawyers said. “Under the law, a divorcee gets a salary, a house, a car and a maid and at the same time, she is free of all marriage commitments,” Kuwaiti newspaper Al Seyassah quoted the lawyers as saying.  Laws and legal texts that do not place family bonds and cohesion at the top of the priorities should be amended as they are often the direct or indirect causes of high divorce rates, the lawyers said.  “The phenomenon is widespread mainly among newly-married couples, which denotes that they were not ready for marriage. Their lack of experience and their inability to appreciate the commitments and responsibilities associated with the marriage are the main cause of this phenomenon,” the lawyers said..”  [Complete Report]

Hamas Praises Kuwait’s Part in Freedom Fleet  [May 30]
“Hamas-led dismissed government in Gaza welcomed here yesterday a Kuwaiti ship’s participation in the Gaza-destined “Freedom Fleet” as a “praiseworthy move”. Speaking to reporters, Ismail Haniya, the prime minister of the dismissed government in Gaza, said: “The presence of the (Kuwaiti) ship shows that the great Kuwaiti people stand beside Gaza and the people of Gaza.  We greet Kuwait’s Amir, people and government. We wish that the Kuwaiti and Algerian ships, together with other ships, could safely reach Gaza.” Earlier in the day, Haniya joined a rally at Gaza harbor as part of underway preparations for receiving the “Freedom Fleet”, which is hoped to break the Israeli blockade on the Gaza Strip.  He urged the international community, mainly the UN and the EU, to pressure Israel to allow the ships to enter the Palestinian territory. The “Freedom Fleet” consists of a cargo ship funded by Kuwait raising the flags of Turkey and Kuwait, a cargo ship funded by Algeria, and a cargo ship funded by Europe from Sweden and Greece, and five vessels to transport passengers..”  [Complete Report]

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

Iraqi Police Recover $1.3 Million From Bank Heist [May 30]
“Police investigating a bank robbery near Najaf in southern Iraq have recovered $1.3 million of the $5.5 million stolen and made one arrest, a local official said on Sunday.  The theft on Thursday evening was the second major Iraqi heist this week, coming just two days after masked gunmen swooped on jewellers in Baghdad in a rampage that left nine dead, including a policeman and one of the assailants.  “We found 1.5 billion Iraqi dinars ($1.3 million) buried near the house of one of the criminals involved in the Meshkhab operation,” said Luay Yassiri, the head of Najaf provincial council’s security committee.  Yassiri added that police had arrested a man in connection with the robbery at state-owned Rafidain bank’s branch at Meshkhab, south of Najaf city, out of six suspected gang members who took part.  The robbery took place after one of the guards at the branch put sleep-inducing drugs into the other guards’ tea and let in the gang, who then entered the bank’s safe and took the money, Yassiri said..” [Complete Report]

US Saves War Memorials in Iraq  [May 30]
“In words etched in stone, painted on concrete barriers, scribbled on hospital walls with magic markers, American troops in Iraq have followed a tradition as old as war itself: honoring their dead.  Now, as the United States prepares to dramatically decrease its military presence in Iraq this summer, American commanders are trying to decide what to do with the vast collection of plaques, street signs, and painted concrete barriers dedicated to the men and women who shed their blood in this desert country.  In the Vietnam War, units brought home their memorabilia and memorials when they rotated out of the country. When the U.S. closed down bases around Germany at the end of the Cold War, the memorabilia was also preserved.  Now, it’s Iraq’s turn. But preserving some of the memorials could prove a difficult task..”  [Complete Report]

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

Iran Says U.S. Not Yet Ready for Nuclear Disarmament  [May 30]
“Iranian Majlis (Parliament) Speaker Ali Larijani criticizes the United States for its refusal to commit to a definite timetable for complete nuclear disarmament at the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference which wrapped up in New York on Friday.  “They (U.S.) were not ready to have a timetable for disarmament and the treaty has been changed into a proposal,” the speaker said in a Saturday press conference held in Tehran.  The 189 signatories to the NPT adopted a detailed plan of nuclear disarmament after a month of negotiations. Under its action plan, the five recognized nuclear-weapon countries — the United States, Russia, Britain, France and China — commit to speeding up arms reductions and taking other steps to diminish the importance of atomic weapons.  The final document also calls for convening a conference in 2012 “on the establishment of a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction.”..”  [Complete Report]

General McChrystal Says Afghan Insurgents Trained in Iran [May 30]
“Afghan insurgents are being trained inside Iran and given weapons to fight security forces, the commander of U.S. and NATO forces said on Sunday, joining a rising drumbeat of criticism of Iran’s role in the country.  General Stanley McChrystal said coalition forces were working to stop Iran from giving material help to the Taliban who have stepped up the campaign to force foreign forces out of Afghanistan in a nine-year conflict.  “The training that we have seen occurs inside Iran with fighters moving inside Iran,” he said at a news conference in response to a question on Iran’s influence. “The weapons that we have received come from Iran into Afghanistan.”  The United States, battling a Taliban insurgency at its worst, has frequently accused Iran of providing some assistance to insurgents in Afghanistan, although Washington says it has not been nearly as important a factor as in Iraq, Iran’s other neighbor, where U.S. troops are waging war..”  [Complete Report]

China Offers Billion-Euro Loan for Iran Projects [May 30]
“Beijing has offered a loan of one billion euros (1.2 billion dollars) to fund projects in Tehran, a report said on Sunday, in a sign of increased Chinese participation in the Iranian economy.  Iran’s Fars news agency, quoting a senior official from Tehran municipality, said the loan would have a repayment period of three to four years.  “The one-billion-euro Chinese funding is materialising,” Hossein Mohammad Pourzarandi said, adding that the loan would be used for several construction projects, including road networks, undertaken by the municipality.  In recent years China has emerged as Iran’s main trading partner, with increased exposures in key economic sectors of the Islamic republic, including oil.  Several Western energy companies have left Iran amid the increasing possibility of a new round of UN sanctions against Tehran for pursuing its controversial nuclear programme of uranium enrichment..”  [Complete Report]

Iran Opposition Not Dead, Mousavi Says Before Vote Anniversary  [May 30]
” Iranian opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi said the country’s opposition movement is not dead and will continue its “fight for freedom and justice,” as Iran nears the one-year anniversary of the disputed re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.  “The Green Movement is a current that will neither be stopped by jailing and threatening nor by killing people,” Mousavi said in a statement late yesterday on his website, Kaleme, referring to the broad coalition born out of the protests that followed the June 12 election, which it claims was rigged.  “This movement takes over the four seasons, it renews and expresses itself in various ways,” said Mousavi, a former prime minister who ran against Ahmadinejad. Mousavi and Mehdi Karrubi, another former presidential candidate and opposition leader, have called on supporters to attend a protest rally on the anniversary should the government grant permission for it..” [Complete Report]

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

Kuwait MP Requests Probe of Prime Minister Over Pollution  [May 30]
“Kuwait’s lawmakers and the government are apparently set for a fresh clash after an opposition MP on Sunday filed for an interrogation of the prime minister over a failure to tackle pollution.  “This is mainly a humanitarian quizzing. I have tried all ways to resolve the pollution issue, but to no avail,” Khalid Al Tahous, MP for the Popular Action Bloc, said after he filed a 19-page request to question Shaikh Nasser Mohammad Al Ahmad Al Sabah.  “The grilling is to highlight how the state laws have not been applied and how people who have abused the system and caused the deterioration of living conditions in the Ali Sabah Al Salem area (formerly Um Haiman) have not been held responsible for their acts. I do hope that the MPs would get familiar with the grilling before they issue any judgement,” Al Tahous said.  Al Tahous had often said that he would push for the parliament probe of the government if it did not move to tackle the pollution problem affecting several residential areas in the area, located south of Kuwait City..”  [Complete Report]

Lawyers Call for Revision of Kuwait Divorce Laws [May 30]
“Lawyers and sociologists in Kuwait have called for rewriting the divorce laws after official figures indicated that 42 per cent of marriages ended in separations in 2009.  “There are many reasons for the alarming increase in divorce rates, but the Kuwaiti law is also to blame,” lawyers said. “Under the law, a divorcee gets a salary, a house, a car and a maid and at the same time, she is free of all marriage commitments,” Kuwaiti newspaper Al Seyassah quoted the lawyers as saying.  Laws and legal texts that do not place family bonds and cohesion at the top of the priorities should be amended as they are often the direct or indirect causes of high divorce rates, the lawyers said.  “The phenomenon is widespread mainly among newly-married couples, which denotes that they were not ready for marriage. Their lack of experience and their inability to appreciate the commitments and responsibilities associated with the marriage are the main cause of this phenomenon,” the lawyers said..”  [Complete Report]

Hamas Praises Kuwait’s Part in Freedom Fleet  [May 30]
“Hamas-led dismissed government in Gaza welcomed here yesterday a Kuwaiti ship’s participation in the Gaza-destined “Freedom Fleet” as a “praiseworthy move”. Speaking to reporters, Ismail Haniya, the prime minister of the dismissed government in Gaza, said: “The presence of the (Kuwaiti) ship shows that the great Kuwaiti people stand beside Gaza and the people of Gaza.  We greet Kuwait’s Amir, people and government. We wish that the Kuwaiti and Algerian ships, together with other ships, could safely reach Gaza.” Earlier in the day, Haniya joined a rally at Gaza harbor as part of underway preparations for receiving the “Freedom Fleet”, which is hoped to break the Israeli blockade on the Gaza Strip.  He urged the international community, mainly the UN and the EU, to pressure Israel to allow the ships to enter the Palestinian territory. The “Freedom Fleet” consists of a cargo ship funded by Kuwait raising the flags of Turkey and Kuwait, a cargo ship funded by Algeria, and a cargo ship funded by Europe from Sweden and Greece, and five vessels to transport passengers..”  [Complete Report]

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

Bahrainis Sentenced to Five Years in Jail for Terror Plot [May 30]
“Two Bahrainis have been sentenced to five years in jail for plotting to attack foreign interests in the country. The duo were found guilty of planning to “carry out acts of terror” against the interests of a foreign country in Bahrain in 2007 and 2008.  They have also been found guilty of smuggling two weapons, a pistol and ammunition without getting a license from the interior ministry, to use in the terrorist acts.  The Bahrainis, aged 22 and 21, were arrested on April 26, 2009 when police seized machine guns, weapons, computer discs, knives, swords and other evidence from their homes in East Riffa, south of Manama.  The interior ministry said at the time that the pair was arrested after they intensified contacts with a terror cell abroad and bought weapons and ammunition from a neighbouring Arab country and then smuggled them into Bahrain..”  [Complete Report]

Bahrain Firm Launched For Women’s Events [May 30]
“A Bahraini woman has launched a company which will organise events exclusively for women, which she says will further empower her gender and address a range of interests.  Reem Ayoob, founder and managing director of Diva Conferences and Exhibition, has created what she describes as the first events co-ordination company in the region that focuses on events that interest women.  Her first event brought together a host of women entrepreneurs with innovative ideas in support of charity and future events will target other sectors, which she says are still in the planning phase.  The 29-year-old had always dreamed of having her own company, but could not decide what it would specialise in.  “I was confused between opening a public relations company and a marketing one,” she said..”  [Complete Report]

Water Output Set to Double [May 30]
“Ambitious plans are underway to almost double Bahrain’s daily water production by 2030 to meet soaring demand. The country is set to implement a series of projects that will enable it to produce 242 million gallons of water per day within the next two decades, said Electricity and Water Authority chief executive Dr Abdulmajid Al Awadhi.  Bahrain is already producing 142m gallons of water daily and generating the additional 100m gallons will be carried out in phases, he said.  The first project will target producing 48m gallons by the summer of next year, at a cost of BD150m.  “Bahrain is planning to secure water in all five governorates and connect water pipes to new houses, malls, shops and other buildings,” said Mr Al Awadhi..”  [Complete Report]

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

Iraqi Police Recover $1.3 Million From Bank Heist [May 30]
“Police investigating a bank robbery near Najaf in southern Iraq have recovered $1.3 million of the $5.5 million stolen and made one arrest, a local official said on Sunday.  The theft on Thursday evening was the second major Iraqi heist this week, coming just two days after masked gunmen swooped on jewellers in Baghdad in a rampage that left nine dead, including a policeman and one of the assailants.  “We found 1.5 billion Iraqi dinars ($1.3 million) buried near the house of one of the criminals involved in the Meshkhab operation,” said Luay Yassiri, the head of Najaf provincial council’s security committee.  Yassiri added that police had arrested a man in connection with the robbery at state-owned Rafidain bank’s branch at Meshkhab, south of Najaf city, out of six suspected gang members who took part.  The robbery took place after one of the guards at the branch put sleep-inducing drugs into the other guards’ tea and let in the gang, who then entered the bank’s safe and took the money, Yassiri said..”  [Complete Report]

US Saves War Memorials in Iraq  [May 30]
“In words etched in stone, painted on concrete barriers, scribbled on hospital walls with magic markers, American troops in Iraq have followed a tradition as old as war itself: honoring their dead.  Now, as the United States prepares to dramatically decrease its military presence in Iraq this summer, American commanders are trying to decide what to do with the vast collection of plaques, street signs, and painted concrete barriers dedicated to the men and women who shed their blood in this desert country.  In the Vietnam War, units brought home their memorabilia and memorials when they rotated out of the country. When the U.S. closed down bases around Germany at the end of the Cold War, the memorabilia was also preserved.  Now, it’s Iraq’s turn. But preserving some of the memorials could prove a difficult task..”  [Complete Report]

ARABIALINK Daily News – SAUDI ARABIA – 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]

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

Israel Rejects Qatari Proposal to Restore Diplomatic Ties [May 29]
“An Israeli newspaper said that the Israeli government has rejected recently two proposals from Qatar to restore diplomatic relations and let Israel reopen an office in the country’s capital, Doha. Qatar and Israel have a recent history of cooperation and the small Gulf Kingdom had believed diplomatic relations would continue their amiable relationship.  According to a Ha’aretz report last week, which quoted a senior source in Jerusalem as saying that in return for renewed diplomatic relations, the Qataris demanded that they be allowed to carry out a series of reconstruction projects in the Gaza Strip and to import the necessary construction materials. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman were unwilling to agree to this, the official reportedly said..”  [Complete Report]

Qatar Patient With its $19bn Jewel  [May 29]
“Royal Dutch Shell and its partner Qatar Petroleum have started commissioning the world’s biggest natural gas project, a gas-to-liquids (GTL) plant valued at US$19 billion (Dh69.73bn) that will mostly produce a type of ultra-clean diesel fuel.  But the expected commercial debut of the huge Pearl GTL project by the end of this year will take place against the backdrop of a world awash with transportation fuels, especially diesel.  The global recession hit just as Middle Eastern and Asian oil refiners were undertaking major capacity expansions geared towards diesel, the fuel that is usually derived from crude oil and powers lorries, trains and the lion’s share of industrial heavy lifting. Where there once were diesel shortages, there is now overabundant supply.  Enter Pearl, apparently on a miscue..”  [Complete Report]

Qatar in talks with Lebanon to supply LNG [May 29]
“According to Lebanon this Week published by Byblos Bank, Qatar’s Energy Ministry indicated that it is in talks to supply Lebanon with 3 million tons of liquefied natural as (LNG).  A study commissioned by the World Bank from consultants Poten & Partners indicated that liquefied natural can offer important support to Lebanon’s energy sector over the medium to long term by significantly reducing power generation costs.  It estimated Lebanon’s needs at 1.5 million to 2 million tons per year by 2020, and encouraged authorities to move quickly to secure LNG supply. It identified Qatar, Algeria, Yemen and Egypt as the key potential LNG sources given their supply availability and geographic proximity to Lebanon.  It said Lebanon could secure long term prices of around $7 per million British Thermal unit in the current surplus market conditions, and that Lebanon would not have to pay an additional country-specific risk premium..”  [Complete Report]

US$100m Doha Cables is Qatar’s First Cable Maker  [May 29]
“Doha Cables LLC, Qatar’s first cable manufacturer, has been launched officially in the Messaieed Industrial City. The company is a subsidiary of Senyar Industries, a 50:50 joint venture between Aamal Company QSC and Elsewedy Cables, an integrated cable and electrical products manufacturer.  Initial contracts are in place to supply a number of new customers, including Kahramaa (Qatar’s general electricity and water corporation), Ashghal (Qatar’s public works authority), Qatar Petroleum, ABB and Siemens.  The new plant is expected to make a material contribution to the future industrialisation of Qatar by helping to meet the increasing demand for cables, driven by the country’s rapid infrastructure development..”  [Complete Report]

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

Brazil’s Vale to Sell Stake in Oman Pellet Plant  [May 29]
“Brazilian mining giant Vale on Saturday said it has agreed to sell a 30 percent stake in an iron pellet plant in Oman with 9 million tonne annual output to the Oman Oil Company (OOC) for $125 million.  Vale (VALE.N)(VALE5.SA), the world’s largest iron ore miner, said the Vale Oman Pelletizing Company is slated to begin production in the second half of 2010.  The plant is part of an industrial logistics center located in the Sohar Industrial Port Complex in Oman, Vale said.  Oman Oil is owned by the government of Oman.  Pellet plants partly refine ore for sale to steelmakers..” [Complete Report]

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

Kuwaiti Lawmaker Calls for Formal Recognition of Kosovo [May 29]
“A Kuwaiti MP has called upon Kuwait to recognise Kosovo as an independent state.  “We urge our government not to wait any longer and recognise diplomatically the state of Kosovo,” Mohammad Al Hayef said.  “Most Gulf Cooperation Council member countries have already recognised Kosovo and Kuwait too should do it. Such a move is necessitated by the right of faith brotherhood and the sense of Islamic identity,” he said.   Kosovo declared its independence on February 17, 2008.  The UAE on October 14, 2008, became the first Arab country to recognise the state, followed by Saudi Arabia on April 20, 2009, Bahrain on May 19, 2009 and Jordan on July 8, 2009.  Other Arab countries that recognised Kosovo are Mauritania on January 12, 2010, Djibouti on May 12, 2010. Somalia on May 19 became the 69th country to recognise Kosovo as an independent state.  The United States, Canada, Australia and 22 out of 27 European Union states recognise Kosovo as independent..”  [Complete Report]

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

Iraq’s Al Maliki Says He is Sole Party PM Nominee [May 29]
“Iraq’s prime minister says he is the only nominee from his political party to lead the next government.  Nouri Al Maliki’s comments appear to rule out any consensus candidate. Other Shiite political groups and religious leaders whose support is key are lukewarm at best about his continued leadership.  Reporters asked Al Maliki on Saturday if his State of Law political coalition would compromise on a candidate.  He replied that there’s “only one nominee to be a prime minister.”  The State of Law coalition has joined up with the religious Shiite Iraqi National Council in hopes of capturing enough seats in parliament to run the next government.  The indecisive result of the March 7 election makes forming a governing coalition necessary..”  [Complete Report]

Baghdad’s Wildlife Trade Runs Wild  [May 29]
“A dozen fluffy white kittens with piercing blue eyes frolic in a wire cage, perched perilously atop a pen containing two African lion cubs. Neighbourhood schoolchildren stop to feed sunflower seeds to a chained monkey, while three red foxes cower in their kerbside enclosure from the street noise.  Iraqis can get just about whatever animals they want, whether as pets, novelties or status symbols or for a private zoo — and as violence subsides many are stocking up at Baghdad’s several pet markets.  The lack of government regulation means animals like lions and crocodiles are going home with people unequipped to take care of them.  “There is no wildlife legislation here in Iraq, and that is what encourages these kinds of dealers to export and import wild species,” said Omar Fadil, of the conservation organisation Nature Iraq..”  [Complete Report]

Instability in Iraq Could Hurt Support for U.S. Withdrawal [May 29]
“Support for President Obama’s planned removal of U.S. troops from Iraq by the end of the August could drop significantly if Iraq cannot solve its current problems in time, according to a new national poll.  A CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey released Saturday indicates that 64 percent of Americans favor the president’s plan to keep just 50,000 U.S. troops in Iraq by the end of the summer, with 35 percent opposed.  But public approval of the plan falls to 51 percent if Iraq does not have a stable government by August and there is widespread violence at that time, with opposition rising to 48 percent..”  [Complete Report]

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

Uranium Enrichment Not Discussed in Iran Deal: Brazil  [May 29]
” Iran’s decision to enrich 20 percent its stock of uranium was never part of the negotiations behind the nuclear fuel swap deal Brazil and Turkey struck with Tehran last week, Brazil’s foreign minister said.  “That was not part — for many good reasons — because that had not happened,” Celso Amorim told reporters asking how Iran’s recent decision would influence world powers seeking more sanctions to curb Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.  “The 20-percent enrichment was not part of the original proposal of the 5+1 (the permanent UN Security Council members Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States, plus Germany) and specially the Vienna Group to Iran, which was meant to build confidence,” Amorim said.  “Iran, actually, had asked the agency (UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA) to get the 20 percent enriched uranium under the form of fuel rods. It?s a right, assured by the NPT,” he added, referring to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty..”  [Complete Report]

Turkish PM Says West Unfair, Insincere in Iran Row: Report  [May 29]
” Turkey’s prime minister Saturday accused Western powers of lacking a “fair and sincere” approach on Iran in a mounting row over a nuclear swap deal with Tehran, Anatolia news agency reported.  Speaking to Turkish journalists during a visit to Brazil, Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated criticism of the West for staying mum on Israel, widely believed to be the Middle East’s sole if undeclared nuclear power, Anatolia reported.  Without naming the Jewish state, he said: “You do not show the same approach here but you stir up the world concerning Iran. I do not see this as a fair, honest and sincere approach.”  Turkey and Brazil, both non-permanent members of the UN Security Council, have been in a deepening confrontation with the United States over its dismissal of a nuclear swap deal the two hammered out with Tehran on May 17.  Washington insists the Security Council should press ahead with fresh sanctions against the Islamic republic, which the West suspects of seeking to develop an atomic bomb under the guise of nuclear energy production..”  [Complete Report]

Pakistan, Iran in Gas Pipeline Agreement  [May 29]
“Pakistan and Iran signed an agreement to supply Iranian gas to Pakistan through a $7.5 billion pipeline to be completed in 2014, officials said.  Under the 25-year supply agreement, Pakistan will import 750 million cubic feet a day with a provision to increase that to 1 billion cubic feet a day, the Dawn newspaper reported.  The imported gas will account for about 20 percent of Pakistan’s current gas production and will be used by the country’s power sector to generate about 5,000 megawatts of electricity, Dawn said.  Pakistan’s section of the pipeline project is estimated to cost $1.65 billion.  Construction of the pipeline would create jobs, vocational training and development for the impoverished Balochistan and Sindh areas, Pakistan’s Petroleum Minister Naveed Qamar said..”  [Complete Report]

Rafsanjani Boosts Pressure on Iran Regime Before Anniversary  [May 29]
“Opposition sympathiser and powerful cleric Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani has ratcheted up the pressure on the Iranian regime ahead of the first anniversary of the disputed presidential election.  The former president’s website has again posted scathing pro-opposition remarks he made last year that criticised both the regime and supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei himself.  The reappearance of Rafsanjani’s comments comes just days before the June 12 anniversary of the presidential poll that returned Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to power and sparked one of the worst internal crises in the Islamic republic’s history.  Iran was rocked by widespread and deadly street unrest immediately after Ahmadinejad’s re-election — a result his opponents said had been rigged.  Thousands of people were jailed amid a crackdown aimed at stifling the opposition protests. The authorities said 36 people were killed in the weeks after the vote, but the opposition said that at least 72 died..”  [Complete Report]

Khamenei to Lead Prayers One Year After Iran Poll  [May 29]
“Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is to lead Muslim prayers next Friday, a year after his decisive sermon in support of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s disputed re-election.  Khamenei’s address will also mark the 21st anniversary of the death of the Islamic republic’s revolutionary founder Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.  “This week’s Friday prayer on 14th of Khordad (June 4) which marks the divine departure of the founder of the Islamic republic will be led by the guardian of all Muslims (Khamenei) in the shrine of the late imam” Khomeini, the official IRNA news agency reported.  It said Ahmadinejad and Hassan Khomeini, grandson of the leader of the 1979 Islamic revolution which toppled the US-backed shah, would also give addresses.  The June 4 address by Khamenei, who succeeded Khomeini as Iran’s supreme guide, will be his first Friday sermon since a June 19 sermon at Tehran University in which he openly defended Ahmadinejad’s re-election..”  [Complete Report]

Iran Hardliners Attack News Corp’s Soaps in Farsi  [May 29]
“News Corp’s Persian-language channel has infuriated Iran hardliners who accuse the broadcaster of promoting “corruption” in the conservative Islamic society, media reports said on Saturday.  News Corp-owned Star broadcaster launched the Farsi1 satellite television channel last summer, airing soaps and sitcoms dubbed into Farsi and targeting a potential 100-million-strong audience in Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan.  “Opinion polls show many viewers of Farsi1 admit that its programmes are corrupting,” the head of Iran’s state-run television Ezatollah Zarghami was quoted as saying by several Tehran newspapers.  “However, why people watch this channel is another question,” he added.  The leading hardline daily Kayhan on Saturday accused Farsi1 of “promoting dysfunctional families and adultery and portraying unmarried relationships and abortion as normal.”  Many Iranians watch satellite television despite it being banned in the Islamic republic, where private TV and radio stations are also forbidden.  Dozens of Persian-language satellite channels based abroad beam a daily dose of politics and entertainment to Iran..”  [Complete Report]

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

Al Zayani’s Nomination Expected to Ease Bahrain-Qatar Tension [May 29]
“Bahrain has named Abdul Lateef Bin Rashid Al Zayani as the next secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The nomination announced late on Thursday is expected to put an end to a long and mostly silent dispute between Bahrain and Qatar, which had threatened to mar their relations and undermine the six-member GCC alliance. “The decision to nominate Al Zayani came in response to a letter His Majesty King Hamad Bin Eisa Al Khalifa received from King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques,” Bahrain News Agency (BNA) said.. ..The nomination announced officially last June was publicly endorsed by Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. However, Qatar objected to the name on the grounds of Al Mutawa’s statements and positions during a bitter border dispute between Doha and Manama that was eventually settled by the International Court of Justice in March 2001..”  [Complete Report]

Bahrain Member of the UN Sport for Development and Peace  [May 29]
“Bahrain has been chosen member of the UN Sport for Development and Peace during a meeting held in Geneva in the presence of officials representing over 24 countries. General Organisation for Youth and Sport president’s advisor Amal Al Dosary attended the meeting.  “This UN honour is in recognition of Bahrain’s status on the international sports arena”, she said. Bahrain represents Asia in the panel’s executive bureau which includes also Ghana, Brazil, Britain, and Australia. The (UNOSDP) aims to promote global peace and deepen understanding between peoples towards achieving the millennium goals..”  [Complete Report]

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

U.A.E. Economy to Expand 3.2% in 2010 With Oil at $85 a Barrel [May 29]
“The United Arab Emirates’ economy may expand as much as 3.2 percent this year with crude oil prices around $85 a barrel, according to Economy Minister Sultan bin Saeed al-Mansouri.  If oil prices are at $75 a barrel, the Arab world’s second- largest economy will grow between 2 and 2.5 percent this year, al-Mansouri said at a press conference in Dubai today. That’s above the International Monetary Fund’s estimate of 1.3 percent for 2010.  The U.A.E.’s economic growth slowed last year to 1.3 percent, according to the U.A.E. government’s annual economic report, as credit conditions tightened, global trade slowed and demand for commodities weakened.  “Given the state of the global economy, the OPEC-mandated contraction in the oil sector and the problems in Dubai, I’m very surprised the economy showed growth last year,”..”  [Complete Report]

Dubai Ruler Launches Arabic Web Address  [May 29]
“The Arabic domain name of the website of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has been launched, WAM, the state news agency, reported yesterday.  The launch comes after the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority won approval from the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers to use the domain name in Arabic, placing the UAE among the first four countries in the world to register domain names in an official language that does not use Roman script, WAM said.  The site can now be reached through either of the following addresses when typed in Arabic script: “sheikh-mohammed-bin-rashid.emarat” or “mohammed-bin-rashid.emarat”.  The site’s address in English is www.sheikhmohammed.co.ae..”  [Complete Report]

Samsung Clinches $1.7bn UAE Petchem Contracts  [May 29]
“Korea’s largest engineering company Samsung Engineering and its JV partner Maire Tecnimont of Italy won two contracts worth $1.7 billion from Abu Dhabi Polymers Company (Borouge) to build petrochemical plants in the emirate.  Samsung said as per the contract, the duo will build a $1.25 billion polyolefin plant and a $400 million low density polyethylene (LDPE) plant for Borouge, a joint venture between Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) and Austria’s Borealis.  Tecnimont, a reputable global player in the EPC industry, was a contractor for the Borouge 2 project and headed Feed for Borouge 3, said a top Samsung official..”  [Complete Report]

ARABIALINK Daily News – SAUDI ARABIA – 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]

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

Al Zayanis Nomination Expected to Ease Bahrain-Qatar Tension [May 28]
“Bahrain has named Abdul Lateef Bin Rashid Al Zayani as the next secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The nomination announced late on Thursday is expected to put an end to a long and mostly silent dispute between Bahrain and Qatar, which had threatened to mar their relations and undermine the six-member GCC alliance. “The decision to nominate Al Zayani came in response to a letter His Majesty King Hamad Bin Eisa Al Khalifa received from King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques,” Bahrain News Agency (BNA) said. “The letter was handed over by Prince Mutib Bin Abdullah Al Saud, deputy commander for executive affairs of the Saudi National Guard. Bahrain highly values King Abdullah’s mediation and efforts to further enhance relations and strengthen mutual co-operation among GCC countries,” the news agency said. Al Zayani, a major-general who heads Bahrain’s public security, is scheduled to succeed incumbent secretary-general Abdul Rahman Al Atiyyah on April 1, 2011. His nomination will be officially confirmed at the next GCC summit in Abu Dhabi, the capital where the alliance was formed in 1981..”  [Complete Report]

Qatar Airlines Challenges SAS routes [May 28]
“Business travellers to Asia can look forward to 5-star treatment if they fly with Qatar Airways, which has just opened a direct route from Copenhagen’s Kastrup Airport to Doha. Qatar spokesman Paul Johannes said the airline was banking on pulling in customers due to the many Scandinavian-owned businesses located in Asia. The airline is hoping its luxury offerings of a separate business class terminal at its new airport in Doha with a spa and massage room, gourmet restaurants and top-notch play and care areas for children will lure non-economy class flyers to choose it over Scandinavian Airlines. Although the new luxury airport will not open until next year, Qatar Airways is making use of the city’s current airport with four weekly flights from Copenhagen..”  [Complete Report]

China, Kingpin in Africa, Turns to Mideast [May 28]
“China is negotiating with the Persian Gulf state of Qatar to sell an additional 10 million tons of liquefied natural gas a year, on top of the 5 million it already buys. This is part of Beijing’s drive to establish strategic energy links with Middle Eastern states as it has done in mineral-rich Africa over the last few years, challenging U.S. dominance of the oil-rich strategic region since World War II. Slowly, China is expanding its political and economic footprint across the region, with deals in Saudi Arabia, which now exports more oil to Asia than it does to the United States, and, among other projects, railroad contracts worth $2 billion in energy-rich Algeria. “China is … forging strong ties with regional powers and gradually challenging U.S.-Israeli dominance,” says Iranian analyst Richard Javad Heydarian..”  [Complete Report]

ARABIALINK Daily News – OMAN – Excerpts from International Media Reports
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BP to Start Production of Oman Tight Gas in August [May 28]
” BP PLC will begin production from two tight gas fields in Oman later this year, according to a senior Omani energy official.  “BP will start producing gas from Khazzan and Makarem fields in August,” said Nasser al-Jashmi, the undersecretary of Oman’s oil and gas ministry.  BP signed a production-sharing agreement with Oman in 2007 for the two gas fields, which lie on Block 61.  Jashmi said he expected production to reach less than 1 million cu m from the early production this year, but he said that the volume is expected to increase in 2011.  In November 2009, BP completed drilling five of eight appraisal wells as part of its development program for the reserves on Block 61.  “BP will drill eight appraisal wells in total by 2011,” according to BP Oman general manager Jonathan Evans, who added, “So far we’ve done five wells, which have provided a lot of useful information on the nature and the scale of the reservoirs.”  In a company report, Evans said, “Our latest test site, Khazzan 5, initially produced about 40 MMcfd of gas and has the highest flow rate of any well we’ve drilled so far.”..” [Complete Report]

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

Daughter of Imprisoned Kuwaiti Activist Pleads to Emir  [May 28]
“The daughter of an imprisoned Kuwaiti activist has made an unprecedented televised emotional appeal to the country’s Emir, urging him to order his release.  Sumaya Al Jasem said on Al Rai television on Thursday evening that she was making the appeal to see her father Mohammad Al Jasem back home because he was innocent and had never attacked the Emir.  “My father has been detained for two weeks now. I want to clarify his positions and to stop those who want to unfairly accuse him of things he never said or wrote,” she said in the live appeal.  “I appeal to the father of all Kuwaitis, His Highness the Emir Shaikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah. I do not know how to begin this plea, but I would like to read out excerpts from what my father had said about the Emir and the Al Sabah family.”  “He said, and I quote ‘I state my views publicly. There are those who support them and those who oppose them. I do not head a political party or a secret organisation. I do not seek to get anybody removed from their chairs or to harm them.’..”  [Complete Report]

ARABIALINK Daily News – IRAQ – Excerpts from International Media Reports
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Iraq War Badly Planned, Poorly Resourced: Bremer  [May 28]
“Planning for the 2003 invasion of Iraq was inadequate and not enough troops were sent to ensure post-conflict security, the former U.S. diplomat who led the civilian occupation authority after the war has told a British inquiry.  Paul Bremer, who governed Iraq’s Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) for 13 months after President Saddam Hussein was toppled, said there had been a serious miscalculation by those responsible for planning the invasion. “It is impossible to exaggerate the difficulties created by the chronic under-resourcing of the CPA’s efforts,” Bremer said in a statement, made public Friday, to an inquiry examining Britain’s role in the war.  “This problem, and the fact that the coalition was unable to provide adequate security for Iraqi citizens, pervaded virtually everything we did, or tried to do, throughout the 14 months of the CPA’s existence.”..”  [Complete Report]

ARABIALINK Daily News – IRAN – Excerpts from International Media Reports
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Senate Panel Votes New Iran Constraints [May 28]
“The Senate Armed Services Committee voted to require Pentagon contractors to certify that they are not doing any banned business with Iran.  The panel, in its version of a defense spending bill for fiscal 2011, also ordered a semi-annual government report on commercial activity in Iran’s oil, gas, and petrochemical sectors.  The legislation continues a push in Congress to tighten U.S. sanctions against Iran over its nuclear work, suspected by the West of being aimed at bomb-making. Iran says its goal is electricity.  The panel voted to require companies to certify for all Defense Department contracts valued above $1 million “that they are not engaging in any activity for which sanctions may be imposed under the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996.”..”  [Complete Report]

As Sanctions Loom, is Tehran Sending Peace Signals to the US? [May 28]
“Iran’s triumphant anti-American rhetoric may have hardly changed.  Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei declared on Monday that countries around the world “thirst” for Iran’s message of “values, humanity and deliverance of nations from the grip of domineering powers.”  President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad recently announced, “Iran is the world’s most powerful country, and they [Western powers] themselves admit this.” He routinely proclaims that the US, West, and its capitalist ways have “collapsed.”  But behind the usual high-pitched pokes from Tehran, analysts say several Iranian actions signal a serious desire to resolve the nuclear standoff — and perhaps even to find a limited rapprochement with arch-enemy America..”  [Complete Report]

Iran Supported Syria-Israel Indirect Peace Talks, Assad Says  [May 28]
“Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said Iran supported his country’s decision to pursue indirect peace talks with Israel two years ago, adding that he’s ready to re-start the negotiations.  “Iran supported our efforts to achieve, to get back our land through the peace negotiations in 2008 when we had indirect negotiations in Turkey,” Assad said in an interview in Damascus on “The Charlie Rose Show,” broadcast last night.  ndirect peace talks between Israel and Syria, mediated by Turkey, broke down in December 2008 when Israel began a three-week military offensive in the Gaza Strip that it said was aimed at stopping militants from firing rockets into southern Israel. The previous round of talks had collapsed in 2000 over the terms for Israel to return the Golan Heights, which it has occupied since 1967. Assad said he is willing to resume the talks with Turkish aid to achieve a comprehensive peace in the Middle East, though he doesn’t see a comparable readiness in Israel..”  [Complete Report]

Iran Signs Agreements on South Pars Field Development  [May 28]
“Iran has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Revolutionary Guards’ construction wing for the development of phases 22 to 24 of the South Pars natural-gas field, the state-run Mehr news agency reported, citing Pars Oil & Gas Co. Managing Director Ali Vakili.  The contract for the development of phases 13 and 14 has been awarded to a consortium of the Guards and some domestic firms, he said..” [Complete Report]

Tbilisi Woos Iran While Washington Watches [May 28]
“After years of jostling among the regional giants, the United States and Russia, officials in Georgia seem intent on recruiting a new player for the regional geopolitical game — Iran.  Georgian and Iranian officials announced a flurry of initiatives in mid-May. Aside from the cancellation of visa requirements for Iranian citizens traveling to Georgia, Tehran has offered investment in a hydropower plant and electricity imports; Tbilisi is also seeking wind-power cooperation. The proposals are currently under discussion with Georgian Prime Minister Nika Gilauri. In addition, Tbilisi extended an invitation to Washington’s bête noire, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, to visit Georgia. Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki may visit Georgia in June to work out specifics of the new cooperation framework..”  [Complete Report]

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

Bahrain Names Al Zayani as Next GCC Chief  [May 28]
“Bahrain has named Abdul Lateef Bin Rashid Al Zayani as the next secretary general of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).  The nomination announced late on Thursday evening is expected to put an end to a long and mostly silent dispute between Bahrain and Qatar over the issue which had threatened to mar their relations and undermine the six-member GCC alliance.  “The decision to nominate Al Zayani came in response to a letter His Majesty King Hamad Bin Eisa Al Khalifa received from King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques,” Bahrain News Agency (BNA) said. “The letter was handed over by Prince Mitab Bin Abdullah Al Saud, Saudi National Guard deputy commander for executive affairs. Bahrain highly values King Abdullah’s mediation and efforts to further enhance relations and strengthen mutual co-operation among GCC countries,” the news agency said..”  [Complete Report]

Bahrain Keen to Bolster Co-operation  [May 28]
“His Majesty King Hamad yesterday asserted Bahrain’s keenness to strengthen joint co-operation with Germany, hailing solid historical Bahraini-German relations.  His Majesty was speaking as he received at the Gudaibiya Palace, in the presence of His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa and His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and the Economic Development Board (EDB) Chairman, German Chancellor Angela Merkel who is on a regional tour.  During the meeting, the King welcomed the German Chancellor and her accompanying delegation, expressing his delight over the visit which, he said, reflected the solid and developed relations binding the two friendly countries and their peoples.  He also expressed hope that the visit will lay the foundation for stronger bilateral political, economic, commercial and investment co-operation between Bahrain and Germany..”  [Complete Report]

Sojitz Faces U.S. Criminal Probe Over Alba Payments [May 28]
“U.S. prosecutors are investigating whether Sojitz Group, a Japanese trading company, paid bribes to employees of Bahrain’s state-owned aluminum producer, according to a court filing in a civil lawsuit.  The Justice Department disclosed the criminal probe yesterday in asking a judge to halt a lawsuit by Aluminum Bahrain BSC, known as Alba, against Sojitz. Alba claims Sojitz, which has offices in New York and Houston, paid more than $14.8 million in kickbacks to Alba managers from 1993 to 2006 to secure discounts on aluminum prices.  “The United States has a direct and substantial interest in this case, as the subject matter giving rise to this case is also the subject of an ongoing criminal investigation,” Adam Safwat, assistant chief of the Justice Department’s fraud section, wrote in a memo filed in federal court in Houston..” [Complete Report]

Bahraini Minister Says Oil Line Figures Into Refining Plans [May 28]
“An improved global financial climate means that the designs and planning for a new oil pipeline to Bahrain from Saudi Arabia will appear later this year after an earlier delay, according to a senior Bahraini official.  “We are today placed in a very inflationary environment but we have taken the challenges head-on and reacted proactively to retain our competitive edge and stay on course for continued growth and earnings in line with market expectations,” said Bahrain’s Oil and Gas Affairs Minister Abdul Hussein Mirza.  Mirza also told delegates at Middle East Petrotech 2010 in Bahrain that the projected pipeline, which is expected to help Bahrain expand its refining operations, will use a safer route than the existing pipeline between the two countries.  Delegates also heard from Mirza that Bahrain is looking at its refining capacity beyond 2012 to help give the country a competitive advantage and make it better positioned to capture future market opportunities..”  [Complete Report]

ARABIALINK Daily News – SAUDI ARABIA – 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]

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

UAE and India to Sign Renewed Labour Agreement [May 28]
” The UAE and India are expected to sign a new labour agreement by the end of the year, a senior Indian official said.  Vayalar Ravi, the Indian Overseas Affairs Minister, met Saqr Gobash Saeed Gobash, the UAE labour minister, on Wednesday to firm up the existing agreement on workers who move between the two countries.  Ravi said Gobash was keen for the existing memorandum of understanding between the two countries about the flow of workers needed to be expanded.  Some of the measures mentioned in the agreement needed to be more effective at the ground level.  He was speaking to reporters at Indian Social Centre in Abu Dhabi after meeting Indian community members.  Ravi said he had agreed and that further discussions on the proposed changes would take place shortly.  Ravi expressed hope that the new MoU could be signed between the two countries in New Delhi before the end of winter..”  [Complete Report]

UAE Minister Launches Tourism Project in Jordan  [May 28]
“Jordan’s biggest real estate and tourism venture, the Marsa Zayed project, was launched by UAE Deputy Prime Minister Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan.  The project, developed by Al Maabar Investments, will be built at a cost of $10 billion.  King Abdullah II of Jordan and UAE deputy prime minister Thursday laid the foundation stone of the project. The project includes a two-kilometer waterfront, high-rise residential towers, retail, recreational and entertainment facilities, business and financial districts and hotels.  In addition, the construction of a state-of-the-art cruise ship terminal would serve as a gateway to Aqaba. The project will be implemented in different phases once the transfer of land ownership is complete..”  [Complete Report]

US Exports to UAE Rose to $12 bn in 2009  [May 28]
“Trade between the US and UAE remains robust despite economic recession, says a report. US exports to the UAE rose from $3.6 billion in 2002 to $12.1 billion in 2009, representing a 237% increase.  The report, released by the US-UAE Business Council Thursday, cites an increasingly diversified UAE economy as a source of the dynamic bilateral trade and investment relationship.  It notes that the UAE economy continues to outperform most other nations, powered largely by increased infrastructure spending, real estate development, investments to expand oil production and growth of government-linked companies in areas including technology and alternative energy..”  [Complete Report]

UAE to Expand Maltese Energy Port  [May 28]
“Emirates National Oil Co. is to expand its oil storage and shipping facilities in Malta.  ENOC subsidiary Horizon is to expand an oil storage terminal in Malta as well as construct a pier for very large crude carriers and two for vessels up to 120,000 deadweight tons, Gulf News reported Friday.  The terminal is near the Marsaxlokk Port. Horizon declined to provide financial details of the project.  Energy information provider Platts Middle East Editor Kate Dourian commented: “The move makes sense geographically and positions Horizon at the gateway into Europe and North Africa. I also think this is part of a longer-term strategy. Demand is flat in Europe at the moment and refineries are either cutting back or shutting down. Horizon will probably stock up on products until the market improves.”..”  [Complete Report]

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

CIA Plotted Faking Saddam Hussain Sex Video  [May 27]
“Kuwaiti bloggers have played down the significance of an allegedly secret attempt by the CIA to flood Iraq in 2003 with a video that depicts Saddam Hussain as gay and having sex with a teenage boy.  According to the report, published by the Washington Post on Wednesday, and quoting two former American intelligence officials, the CIA’s Iraq Operations Group, during the planning for the 2003 invasion of Iraq, looked at a number of ideas for discrediting Saddam Hussain in the eyes of his people.  “One was to create a video purporting to show the Iraqi dictator having sex with a teenage boy. It would look like it was taken by a hidden camera,” said one of the former officials familiar with the project.  “Very grainy, like it was a secret videotaping of a sex session. The idea was to then flood Iraq with the videos.” [Complete Report]

Iraq Vote Results Face Another Possible Delay [May 27]
“Iraq’s Supreme Court asked election officials on Thursday to clear up legal issues surrounding an appeal against a candidate, a move that could further delay the certification of March 7 election results. Tensions have been rising in Iraq after the inconclusive parliamentary election, with a proposed alliance of major Shi’ite electoral blocs raising concern that minority Sunnis could be marginalized.  The high court said it had received the election results for certification on Wednesday but had asked the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) for a clarification due to an appeal by Shi’ite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s State of Law Party against one of the candidates on the 325-seat parliament list..”  [Complete Report]

Biden: U.S. Troops Will Leave Iraq on Deadline  [May 27]
“President Obama called Iraq his predecessor’s war of choice. Now it is his war to exit — and quickly.  The challenge for Obama, whose opposition to the Iraq invasion helped propel him to the presidency, is sticking to his timeline for a U.S. military withdrawal despite a jump in violence and continued wrangling among Iraqi politicians over who will lead the country.  The sensitive departure is being managed by Vice President Biden, who says the U.S. military will reduce troop levels to 50,000 this summer, even if no new Iraqi government takes shape.  “It’s going to be painful; there’s going to be ups and downs,” Biden said in a 40-minute interview in his West Wing office this month. “But I do think the end result is going to be that we’re going to be able to keep our commitment.”..”  [Complete Report]

Pushing The Investment Frontier in Iraq [May 27]
“Fancy investing in Iraqi tourism? It doesn’t sound like an immediate growth area.  But this week two new investment funds which pinpoint hotels in Baghdad as a golden opportunity are being launched in London.  On the plus side for international investors, Iraq is a country under reconstruction, with huge oil reserves and an educated middle class. But as far as the rest of the world is concerned Iraq has a mountain to climb, as far as its business reputation is concerned.  Fow example, while the UK has a top AAA credit rating, the internationally-recognised projection of a country’s credit risk, Iraq has no credit rating at all.  This makes it difficult to attract investment as many see the risks as simply too high.  But to a small section of the financial community, elevated risk signals opportunity..”  [Complete Report]

Arab League Urges Quick Action on Iraqi Cabinet  [May 27]
“Arab nations are warning Iraqi politicians that they need to form a new government soon.  The Arab League said Thursday that Iraq’s political factions need to come to an agreement on a national unity government, warning it is not in the country’s interest to take more time. Iraq held parliamentary elections in March but none of the political groups won enough seats for a clear majority.  Election officials say former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi’s bloc won 91 seats, the most of any political group.  Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s coalition won 89.   But 163 seats are needed for the slimmest majority..”  [Complete Report]

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

Russia Bowing to US Pressure — Iran  [May 27]
“President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said yesterday Russia’s support for new UN sanctions against Iran was unacceptable and called on President Dmitry Medvedev to rethink his backing for the US-led move.  Iran was snubbed by Russia and China last week when, just hours after it offered to ship some of its enriched uranium abroad, Washington announced that all five members of the UN Security Council backed a new sanctions draft.  In an unusually strong criticism of the Russian government, Ahmadinejad used a televised outdoor speech to directly address Medvedev who, he said, had bowed to US pressure to support the squeeze on Iran over its nuclear programme.  “If I were the Russian president, when making decisions about subjects related to a great nation [Iran] … I would act more cautiously, I would think more,” Ahmadinejad said.  “The Iranian nation doesn’t know: are they [the Russians] our friends and neighbours? Are they with us or are they looking for something else?”..”  [Complete Report]

U.N.’s Ban Urges Iran Talks With Security Council [May 27]
“United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday urged Iran to do more to dispel international suspicion that it is trying to build atomic weapons, saying that the Islamic Republic’s enrichment of uranium is sowing mistrust.  Speaking at an event in Rio de Janeiro, Ban also reiterated that a fuel swap deal brokered by Brazil and Turkey could help defuse tensions over Iran’s nuclear program.  But he stressed that Iran must do more to assure the world that it is only enriching uranium for peaceful purposes, as Tehran insists.  “At the heart of this crisis there appears to be a serious lack of trust and confidence in Iran,” Ban told a news conference in Rio, where he was attending the Third Forum of the U.N. Alliance of Civilizations.  “Iran has at the same time declared it will continue the enrichment process … That has caused some serious concerns of the international community,” Ban added..”  [Complete Report]

Iran Film Ban Latest Chapter in Cannes-Tehran Row  [May 27]
“A rumbling censorship row between the Cannes film festival and Iran flared anew Thursday when Tehran banned celebrated director Abbas Kiarostami’s new movie due to star Juliet Binoche’s “attire”.  Already an Oscar-winner, she picked up Cannes’ best actress award last weekend for her role in “Certified Copy”, a tortuous tete-a-tete about love and marriage in which she remains determinedly fully clothed throughout.  “If Juliette Binoche were better clad it could have been screened but due to her attire there will not be a general screening,” Deputy Culture Minister Javad Shamaqdari was quoted as saying by local newspapers, without describing the offensive attire.  Kiarostami’s first film shot outside his country, where his work is rarely seen, features Binoche in western dress, at one point with plunging neckline and at another slapping on make-up and ear-rings.  She does recount how she took off her bra in a church because she felt uncomfortable but that scene is not on screen..”  [Complete Report]

Iran Calls for Immediate Disarmament of Nuclear States  [May 27]
“Iran on Thursday urged all countries to take serious steps to dismantle all nuclear weapons and called for setting a deadline in this regard by the international community.  “We believe that nuclear disarmament and non—proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) are a necessity in today’s world. So a time limit is needed to be set for the elimination of nuclear weapons and this issue has to be incorporated in the final declaration of the Nuclear Non—proliferation Treaty (NPT) conference,” Mohammad Khazaee, Iran’s ambassador to the UN, was quoted as saying by Fars news agency.  Mr. Khazaee said Iran, as one of the first countries to have signed the NPT and which floated the idea of a nuke—free Middle East in 1974, supports global denuclearisation as well as free access to peaceful nuclear technology.  He said Iran calls for removal of all WMD from across the globe..”  [Complete Report]

Merkel Urges Iran to ‘Carefully Consider’ Nuclear Deal  {May 27]
“German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday called on Iran to “carefully consider” an international offer on its nuclear programme, and also expressed concern over instability in Yemen.  “Iran must carefully consider the offer of the international community” on its programme of uranium enrichment, Merkel said in a speech at the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha.  Merkel, who was in the Qatari capital as part of a four-nation Gulf tour, said that “the dispute with Iran must be resolved diplomatically and peacefully, and Germany will contribute to such a settlement.”  “But we believe that Iran will not show the necessary transparency to the International Atomic Energy Agency, which is why we are working to strengthen sanctions in the (UN) Security Council,” Merkel said..”  [Complete Report]

Government Sees “Multiple Means to Isolate Iran, North Korea  [May 27]
“The United States will pursue “multiple means” to isolate Iran and North Korea ifthey ignore their international obligations over their nuclear programs, according to President Barack Obama’s national security strategy unveiled on Thursday.  The wide-ranging document, which is required by law of every president, also stated that Washington was seeking engagement with Iran “without illusion,” a reference to Iranian defiance in response to Obama’s earlier diplomatic outreach..”  [Complete Report]

Pakistan, Iran to Sign Pipeline Deal [May 27]
“Two months after Pakistan and Iran signed a deal for the construction of a pipeline that would allow Iranian gas to be pumped into Balochistan and Sindh, the two countries will sign a sovereign guarantee on Friday for constructing the much delayed project that was envisaged as a “peace pipeline” extending right into India.  The sovereign guarantee for the $ 7.6 billion project will be signed by representatives of the National Iranian Oil Company and Pakistan’s Petroleum Ministry. The two countries had inked the deal on March 17 this year in Turkey as per which a pipeline will connect Iran’s South Pars gas field with Pakistan’s southern Balochistan and Sindh provinces.  As part of the project, gas will be pumped directly into “energy-hungry” Pakistan daily from Iran by the middle of the next decade..”  [Complete Report]

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

US Naval Facility in Bahrain to Double in Size  [May 27]
“The US has launched a $580 million expansion of its naval facilities in Bahrain in a clear indication of its intention to boost its presence in the region.  The military construction project will develop 70 acres on the waterfront to support US and coalition ships and personnel and will include utilities infrastructure, a consolidated port operations and harbour patrol facility, personnel barracks, administrative buildings, dining facility and a flyover bridge connecting Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain to the new port facilities, the Navy said.  The massive project is scheduled to be completed in 2015.  “The presence of the US Navy is important in the region because it provides the needed stability in order for the GCC countries to prosper,” Adam Ereli, the US ambassador to Bahrain, said.  “It’s also important that our presence remains constant in the region in light of existing threats and if anyone suggests that we are afraid or hesitant to place our mark here, they are wrong and they can just look at this project because it symbolises our intent to expand our presence..”  [Complete Report]

HRH Premier and Merkel Hold Official Talks  [May 27]
“His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa today held official talks with the German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the Gudaibiya Palace in the presence of the two countries’ delegations.   During the talks, the Kingdom of Bahrain called for the establishment of a Joint Bahraini-German Committee for economic, trade and technical cooperation and increase of the trade balance between the two countries. The kingdom also called for promoting political dialogue and economic partnership between GCC states and the European Union through carrying on the negotiations aiming to sign a Free Trade Agreement between them. The two sides agreed to coordinate at international gatherings and consolidate diplomatic collaboration..”  [Complete Report]

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

Dolphin Plans U.A.E. Gas Pipeline Work in Mid-June [May 27]
“Dolphin Energy Ltd., the Abu Dhabi state-controlled venture transporting natural gas to the rest of the United Arab Emirates, is planning five days of pipeline maintenance in mid-June, cutting shipments into the country.  The work will cut gas supply from Qatar to the U.A.E. through the pipeline by half to about 1 billion cubic feet a day, Dolphin said in an e-mailed statement today.  The Dolphin pipeline, 51 percent-owned by Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Development Co., imports about 2 billion cubic feet of gas daily under long-term supply contracts with state-run Qatar Petroleum. The U.A.E., which holds about 8 percent of global crude oil reserves, needs to import gas to fire power plants as energy demand grows.  The pipeline work had been planned to start tomorrow and Dolphin delayed the maintenance to “optimize our onshore and offshore shut down operations,” it said in the statement..”  [Complete Report]

UAE to Gain From New Trade Terms  [May 27]
“Dubai’s economic recovery could be quicker than anticipated, Stephen King chief economist at HSBC Holdings said in Dubai on Wednesday.  Speaking to reporters at the Capital Club, King said Dubai, currently going through a debt restructuring, will recover relatively quickly due to the rising oil prices and the good infrastructure it has built over the past few years.  Last week the Institute of International Finance (IIF) said in its regional outlook that Dubai’s debt refinancing challenges are manageable and should be viewed in the context of the global financial crisis.  Dubai’s gross domestic product (GDP) represents 33 per cent of the UAE’s GDP and 55 per cent of the UAE’s non-hydrocarbon GDP. The IIF estimates Dubai’s debt at about $107 billion, equivalent to 136 per cent of its GDP while the UAE’s a net foreign asset position is projected at $280 billion at end-2009, or about 130 per cent of GDP..” [Complete Report]

UAE Humanitarian Convoy Carries 700 Ton of Aid Into Gaza Strip  [May 27]
“A convoy of trucks carrying around 700 tons of emergency humanitarian food and medical aid from the UAE has entered Gaza Strip to help mitigate the humanitarian conditions of Palestinian Gazans.  The UAE’s most recent Gaza relief operation is being carried out by the Red Crescent Authority, or RCA, in coordination with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), a Palestinian Presidential Committee, the UAE Embassy in Cairo, Egyptian Red Crescent Society and Palestinian Red Crescent.  The humanitarian aid convoy has been sent to Gaza upon directives from President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. It receives support from H.H General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, crown prince of Abu Dhabi and deputy supreme commander of the UAE Armed Forces and is being closely followed up on by H.H Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in the Western Region, Chairman of RCA..”  [Complete Report]

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

Prisoner Release Eases Relations  [May 27]
“Observers hope that the Qatari decision to release Saudi prisoners will herald a new chapter in their ties.  Hours after they were released from a Qatari prison where they had been confined for more than 14 years, the former Saudi prisoners sat with King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz in his palace in the Red Sea city of Jeddah.  The ex-detainees, from the Ghufran clan of Al Murrah tribe, wanted to express their deep gratitude to King Abdullah for securing their release, Saudi News Agency said.  “They were received by King Abdullah on the same day when they were allowed to go home following a request for their release from the King to his brother the Emir of Qatar,” the agency said.  In their address to King Abdullah, the ex-detainees paid rich tribute to his “generous and benevolent act that put back smiles on the faces of dozens of Saudi families after 14 years of sadness over the imprisonment of their relatives for more than 14 years.”  Earlier, Saudi Arabia’s king thanked Qatar’s Emir Shaikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani for responding positively to his request to release Saudi citizens who had been held by Doha since 1996 for their alleged role in a failed coup..”  [Complete Report]

Vodafone Takes On Legal Fight Over Virgin in Qatar  [May 27]
“The world’s biggest mobile telecoms company by revenue, Vodafone, has taken ‘legal action’ against Qatar’s telecommunications regulators because of a licence granted to Virgin Mobile Qatar.  Vodafone own 23% of the shares of its Qatar company, with another 23% of shares owned by the Qatar Foundation.  The remaining 54% are publicly traded shares.  The company are arguing that regulators have given Virgin Mobile (who are owned in entirety by Qatar Telecom) the right to commence mobile services this month without issuing the proper licence to do so and this has had a detrimental affect on their shareholders, the bulk of which are ‘individual Qataris’ who total some 82,000 people.   The operator states that its original contract, agreed with the Supreme Council of Information and Communication Technology, had terms which did not allow for another ‘mobile service provider’ to enter the market until a ‘proposed sector review’ had taken place..”  [Complete Report]

Saudi Arabia to Mediate in Bahrain-Qatar Row  [May 27]
“Saudi Arabia has offered to mediate in a row between fellow Gulf states Qatar and Bahrain which has led to arrests of Bahrain-based fishermen by Qatar, a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) official said on Thursday.  Analysts say tension has been high since Bahrain nominated Mohammad al-Mutawa, a former Bahraini information minister said to be disliked by Doha, as the next secretary general of the GCC, a six-member regional bloc.  Saudi King Abdullah has offered to mediate in the nomination dispute, an official at the GCC Secretariat told Reuters, declining to be named. “This is important because it paves the way for Saudi mediation in the issue of the Bahraini sailors held by the Qataris,” he said.  The two countries have long had strained ties despite settling a territorial dispute in 2001. Tensions escalated after Bahrain said Qatar’s coast guard shot and wounded on May 8 a Bahraini fisherman who had entered Qatari waters..”  [Complete Report]

ARABIALINK Daily News – SAUDI ARABIA – 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]

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

Kuwait’s KIA Denies Reducing Euro Exposure  [May 27]
“Kuwait’s sovereign wealth fund, the Kuwait Investment Authority, on Thursday denied a report in a Kuwait newspaper that it planned to reduce its exposure to investments in the euro zone, Reuters reported. “KIA denies local newspaper reports that there is a consideration by (KIA) to reduce its investments and presence in European countries … as a reaction to crises that some European countries are facing,” KIA said in a statement. The Al-Anba newspaper earlier Thursday said the fund planned to reduce euro-zone investments due to worries about Portugal and Spain..”  [Complete Report]

Kuwait’s Zain to Pay Huge Dividend Despite Profit Slump [May 27]
“Kuwait’s Zain telecom, on the verge of closing a 10.7-billion-dollar deal to sell its African operations, decided on Thursday to distribute a huge dividend despite a sharp fall in 2009 profits.  Shareholders approved a board recommendation to distribute dividends equivalent to 170 percent of shares’ nominal value, or 2.26 billion dollars, for 2009 even though net profit slumped 39.4 percent to 677 million dollars.  They overcame objections by leading shareholder Kuwait Investment Authority, the emirate’s sovereign wealth fund, which owns 24.6 percent of the company.  A KIA representative at the shareholders meeting said Zain’s cash position did not allow the payment of huge dividends, especially when the company has short and long-term debt of around 10.7 billion dollars, by coincidence the same value as the sale of its African assets.  “The company is facing difficulties in (repaying) debt, both short and long term … Most of its other assets cannot be made liquid. We need to be cautious,” the representative said.
But Zain chairman Asaad al-Banwan said the company’s financial position is sound and is not likely to have any problems in the future..”  [Complete Report]

Lockheed Martin Gets $245m Kuwaiti Tanker Contract  [May 27]
” Lockheed Martin Corp. said Thursday it won a $245 million contract to sell three tanker aircraft to Kuwait’s air force.  The contract covers three KC-130J aircraft that can provide in-flight refueling to Kuwait’s fleet of F18 jets. Lockheed said the program will be managed by the U.S. Navy.  The first delivery is scheduled for late 2013 and the last in early 2014.  Shares of Maryland-based Lockheed Martin rose 78 cents to $79.88 in afternoon trading..”  [Complete Report]

Kuwait Finance House Not Out of the Woods  [May 27]
“The problems are mounting for the largest Sharia-compliant lender in Kuwait.  The asset quality and profitability of Kuwait Finance House (KFH) has “materially deteriorated”, the ratings agency Standards & Poor’s (S&P) says.  In a note late on Wednesday, S&P placed an “A minus” long-term rating on KFH, “with negative implications”.  “The rating action reflects our view that the material deterioration of asset quality indicators and reduced revenue-generating capability, linked to the bad performance of equity and real estate markets, have negatively affected KFH’s financial profile,” said Nicolas Hardy, a credit analyst with S&P.  Many regional lenders such as KFH invested heavily in local equity markets and had huge direct and indirect exposure to a once red-hot property market through their investment subsidiaries and direct holdings.  But the value of those investments has dropped greatly, putting considerable stress on the banks’ balance sheets..”  [Complete Report]

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

Oman Shipping Report Q3 2010 – New Market Report Published  [May 27]
“The government of Oman and Port of Antwerp International (PAI), a subsidiary of Belgian Antwerp Port Authority (APA), in late March signed an agreement to set up a joint company to manage the planned Omani port of Duqm. The JV will see both partners hold a 50% stake in new company Port of Al Duqm, which will manage the port. We note a trend in the developing Omani port sector of calling upon the expertise of well-established European ports to help in the development of the Sultanate’s ports..”  [Complete Report]

Dubai August Oil Discount Widens to 25 Cents Off Oman [May 27]
“Dubai oil, a Persian Gulf benchmark for Asia, will sell at a wider discount to Omani crude futures in August as the commodity slipped almost 15 percent on global markets this month.  The official selling price for Dubai crude loading in August will be set at a discount of 25 cents to the Oman futures contract for that month, according to an e-mailed statement from the emirate’s Department of Petroleum Affairs today.  The Oman futures contract is the only product traded on the Dubai Mercantile Exchange, which released the differential provided by the Department of Petroleum Affairs. The discount to Omani crude widened from 15 cents for July. Dubai crude sold at 40 cents less than Oman for May and June..”  [Complete Report]

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

Study Launched on Geological Impact of Natural Events  [May 26]
“A geological research project, studying short and long-term changes and potential geo-hazards such as storms and tsunamis along Oman’s coastline was recently launched by the German University of Technology in Oman (GUtech). The research project, led by Associate Prof Dr Gösta Hoffmann of the Department of Applied Geosciences, is carried out in close cooperation with Prof Dr Klaus Reicherter, Department of Geosciences at RWTH Aachen University in Germany, accoridng to a press release from the GUTech today (Wednesday).  “Our research project will study extreme natural events in the long-term coastal evolution,” said Dr Gösta. The impact of natural hazards on sustainable development will be analysed to better predict natural hazards such as storms, tsunamis and earthquakes, and recommend measures to be better prepared.  “This groundbreaking research is set to improve our knowledge about the past and future of Oman’s environment. Our first results suggest a huge potential of this study,” he added..” [Complete Report]

BP to Start Early Oman Tight Gas Output in Aug  [May 26]
“Oil major BP will start early production from tight gas fields in Oman in August, a senior Omani energy official said on Wednesday.  BP signed a concession in 2007 to develop the tight gas, which is in complex formations that are difficult to exploit. It aims to pump gas from appraisal wells to the Omani grid, which is short of gas to meet the demands of power and industry.  Appraisal well gas is typically flared, but BP has said from early stages of the project it would try to pump the fuel to market to help alleviate Oman’s shortage. BP has previously said that output in 2011 could reach 200 million to 300 million cubic feet per day (cfd). The two fields BP is developing are the Khazzan and Makarem fields.  ‘BP will start producing gas from Khazzan and Makarem fields in August,’ Nasser al-Jashmi, the undersecretary of oil and gas ministry told reporters on the sidelines of a Thomson Reuters event in Muscat..”  [Complete Report]

Omani Reaches Top of Everest [May 26]
“As a child, Khalid al Siyabi used to climb sand dunes in the scorching heat of his native Oman, but he never thought that one day he would reach the peak of the mighty Everest and risk frostbite in the severest cold.  Mr al Siyabi broke down in tears when he hoisted the Omani flag on the Everest summit at about 10.15am (UAE time) on Sunday. It marked the culimination of two-months preparation that put him on top of the world, making him the first Omani national to stand there.  He stood admiring the view around him and thought of his days frolicking with his friends three decades ago in a dusty town dreaming of travelling around the world – not climbing to the top of it..”  [Complete Report]

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

Kuwait Court Upholds Death Sentence for Wedding Tent Arsonist [May 26]
“The lawyer of the Kuwaiti woman who allegedly killed 57 women and children in a tent fire said that he would take her case to the Cassation Court to overrule the death sentence verdict confirmed against her on Wednesday. Zaid Al Khabbaz made the pledge after the Court of Appeals confirmed the death sentence against Nasra Al Enezi, 23, pronounced by a lower court in March on charges of “premeditated murder and starting a fire with the intent to kill.” The defendant had denied the charges and her lawyer has consistently urged the court to dismiss her initial confessions and to take into consideration clashes in the witnesses’ testimonies. Nasra who was arrested one day after the August 15 tragedy, the worst on Kuwait’s modern peace time history, initially admitted that she started the fire in revenge against her husband for taking a second wife and against her sisters-in-law for “ruining her married life.” She said that she took a taxi and bought petrol in a bottle before heading to the tent in Al Jahra, north west of Kuwait City, where women and children were waiting for the bride..”  [Complete Report]

Kuwait Asks Teachers to Improve Standards or Face Dismissal [May 26]
“Kuwait has warned local non-performing teachers that they would be sacked if they do not improve their competence levels. The highly unusual decision was taken after giving the teachers ample improvement opportunities, the assistant undersecretary for public education said. “The education ministry has organized special workshops and training sessions to help teachers whose performance was not satisfactory,” Mona Al Loghani said. “Those who have not benefited from such opportunities will not be allowed to teach,” she said, quoted by Kuwaiti daily Al Rai. Options for the dismissed teachers include giving them administrative jobs, the paper said. Unnamed sources said that the ministry could afford to remove the non-performing teachers, explaining that their number was not too high to cause replacement problems..”  [Complete Report]

Asian Man Caught at French Ambassador’s Residence [May 26]
“An Asian man has sparked an alert at the residence of the French ambassador to Kuwait after he was caught sneaking inside the building. “The Asian man was on his way for a secret intimate meeting with an Asian maid working at the ambassador’s residence when he was caught by the French security staff,” Kuwaiti news portal Al Aan reported on Wednesday. “The intruder resisted arrest and caused fracas and loud noise that disturbed the neighbours at around 4.30 am. He was eventually handed over to the Kuwaiti security.” The report did not mention the nationality of the Tuesday morning intruder or the maid. According to the report, Ambassador Jean-René Gehan and his family were not at the residence at the time of the intrusion and arrest..”  [Complete Report]

Iraq Dissolves Iraqi Airways Over Kuwait Dispute [May 26]
“Iraq’s government has dissolved state-owned Iraqi Airways over a decades-old financial dispute dating back to Saddam Hussein’s invasion of his oil-rich neighbor Kuwait, the Transportation Ministry said Wednesday. Kuwait’s national airliner, Kuwait Airways, has long demanded $1.2 billion in reparations from the airliner for alleged theft of 10 airplanes and millions of dollars worth of spare parts during the 1990 invasion. It had sought to freeze the company’s assets worldwide. A lawyer for Kuwait Airways called the Iraqi government’s strategy a “cynical tactic” and said it will not end the dispute because Kuwait will still hold the government accountable for the debt. Iraqi Transportation Ministry spokesman Aqeel Hadi Kawthar told The Associated Press the company will continue to operate until it is fully dismantled, but he did not give any timeframe. Another ministry spokesman, Karim al-Tamimi, said the government made the decision to dismantle the airline on Tuesday. “Iraq’s Cabinet decided to close Iraqi Airways and announced its bankruptcy because the company doesn’t own any airplanes and because of the Kuwaiti government’s cases raised against the company,”..”  [Complete Report]

Oil at $65 Will Draw OPEC’s ’Attention,’ Kuwait Says [May 26]
“Oil’s price slide to $65 a barrel might raise concern among OPEC members that crude is too cheap, Kuwait’s oil minister said, declining to comment on any action that the group might take to buttress prices. “This will draw our attention,” Sheikh Ahmad al-Sabah told reporters today at parliament in Kuwait City. At the same time, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries doesn’t need to consider $65 as a minimum threshold below which it will act to try to lift prices, he said. OPEC must provide a “clear signal” of what it considers a floor price for crude to discourage investors from pulling out of the oil market, JPMorgan Chase & Co. said in a research note yesterday. Oil, which traded as high as $87.15 a barrel on May 3, dropped as low as $64.24 on May 20 as investors sold the commodity on concern that Europe’s debt crisis may spread..”  [Complete Report]

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

Iraqi Airways May Be Disbanded Over Kuwait Row [May 26]
“The Iraqi government is considering dissolving state-owned Iraqi Airways, after a row with neighbouring Kuwait over war reparations.  Baghdad and Kuwait have been locked in a long-running dispute over billions of dollars in reparations from Iraq, including some $1.2 billion related to aircraft and parts seized during former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein’s 1990-91 invasion of Kuwait.  An aide to Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki told Reuters the cabinet, or Council of Ministers, had decided on Tuesday to dissolve the flag-carrier.  But Transport Minister Abdul-Jabbar said the decision was not final and that the cabinet would meet advisers on Wednesday to discuss the issue, adding: “After the meeting we will announce whether or not we will dissolve the company.”  Iraqi Airways has regular flights to Beirut, Dubai, Tehran and other cities. Last month it made its first commercial flight to London in 20 years, only for a lawyer for the Kuwaiti authorities to try to seize the plane on landing..”  [Complete Report]

Iraqi Election Results Closer to Being Certified  [May 26]
“Iraq’s election commission says it’s sending the final results of the March 7 elections to the Supreme Court for certification.  Commission spokesman Qassim al-Aboudi says the results will be sent to the court on Wednesday. He didn’t say when their certification was expected but once they are certified, it will clear a major obstacle to the formation of the new government.  Al-Aboudi says the commission has rejected all appeals of the results by candidates, which paved the way for submitting the tally to the court.  A Sunni-backed bloc won the most seats in the 325-member parliament, but fell far short of a majority.  An alliance of two Shiite blocs — which together are just four seats short of a majority — is now expected to form the next government..”  [Complete Report]

Iraq’s Ex-Oil Chief Criticizes Baghdad Deals  [May 26]
“The former head of Iraq’s largest state-owned oil company and advisor to the country’s oil ministry criticized long-term deals that Baghdad signed with international oil majors to develop some of its biggest fields, saying the country instead should have agreed to short-term technical deals.  “There is no clear national plan on how to develop these huge oil fields,” Jabbar Al Luaiby told Dow Jones Newswires in an interview.  BP PLC, Royal Dutch Shell PLC and Cnooc Ltd., Exxon Mobil Corp. and Italy’s Eni SpA have bagged deals with Iraq to develop fields in the war-torn country, which holds the world’s third-largest proven oil reserves after Saudi Arabia and Iran, according to BP. Mr. Al Luaiby’s remarks could increase pressure on Baghdad to revise contracts awarded to foreign companies. Ayad Allawi’s Iraqiya bloc, which won the most seats in the recent parliamentary election, said it would like to review oil contracts signed with the majors..”  [Complete Report]

Iraq Eyes 8 Foreign Firms for $3bln Metro Project  [May 26]
” Iraq has shortlisted eight foreign firms for the construction of a $3 billion metro rail through the capital Baghdad as it seeks to rebuild infrastructure damaged by decades of war and underinvestment.  Baghdad’s municipality media office said on Wednesday the companies — which include British engineering consultancy firm WS Atkins (ATKW.L) and U.S. project management company Versar (VSR.A) — would have to present their bids to the project consultants, French engineering group Systra.  The other companies shortlisted for the contract are a consortium of British project managers Halcrow Group, German consulting firm Dorsch and Finnish engineering and consulting group Poyry (POY1V.HE); British firms Mott MacDonald and Arup; Italy’s Torno and IECMB; and U.S. firm Parsons Brinckerhoff. “The metro rail will help to solve a big part of the problem in Baghdad’s streets, which suffer from huge traffic jams due to the continuous rise in the number of cars that have entered Iraq (since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion),” the office said in a statement..”  [Complete Report]

Iraq PM Details ‘Several’ Assassination Attempts  [May 26]
“Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki claimed in remarks released Wednesday that he had escaped several assassination attempts, including one where insurgents tried to shoot down his plane.  “There have been several attempts,” Maliki told London-based Arabic newspaper Al-Hayat, according to a transcript of the interview released by his office. One of the alleged attempts “was targeting a plane I was flying in while returning from Mosul (northern Iraq) to Baghdad in 2009, but it failed,” he said.  “A missile was fired against the plane, but thermal decoys diverted it,” he added.  “There have been several attempts like this but they have all failed,” Maliki said.  He also warned of a return to sectarian violence as Iraq languishes without a new government, more than two months after elections in which no group has yet assembled a parliamentary majority..”  [Complete Report]

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

Ahmadinejad Slams Russia’s Stance Against Iran  [May 26]
” Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Wednesday criticized Russia for backing the United States in pushing for a new round of sanctions against Tehran, the local satellite Press TV reported.  Interpreting Russia’s behavior “has become more and more difficult for us,” Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying.  “Our people don’t know if they (Russians) are our friends, on our side or after something different,” the semi-official Fars news agency quoted him as saying. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Tuesday in a Senate hearing that the U.S. and its Western allies had reached an agreement with Russia and China over a draft UN Security Council resolution that would expand sanctions against Iran for its failure to halt its controversial nuclear program.  With the coordination of Brazil and Turkey, Iran agreed earlier this month to deposit 1,200 kg of its 3.5 percent (low-enriched) uranium in Turkey, 120 kg of 20 percent uranium for the need of the Tehran Research Reactor will return to Iran within one year. However, Iran announced later that uranium enrichment will be continued within the country..”  [Complete Report]

Clinton Praises China on Iran Issue  [May 26]
“The United States is pleased with China’s cooperation in the U.N. Security Council on the Iranian nuclear program, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said.  Speaking to reporters Tuesday in Beijing at the end of the two-day China-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogues, Clinton responded to a question on the resolution on Iran by the five Security Council members plus Germany, or P-5+1.  China had agreed to participate in the talks while maintaining its stand on resolving the issue through diplomacy. Iran says its nuclear program is only for peaceful purposes but Western allies say it is designed to make nuclear weapons and are urging tougher U.N. sanctions against Tehran.  “With respect to Iran, we are pleased with the cooperation that we’ve received..” [Complete Report]

Iran’s President Calls Tehran Declaration on Fuel Swap “Last Chance  [May 26]
” Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Wednesday that Tehran’s trilateral nuclear fuel swap declaration is the last opportunity for the West to resolve Iran’s nuclear case, the local satellite Press TV reported.  “There are no excuses left as Tehran declaration is the best opportunity. We have taken important steps,” President Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying as he addressed a crowd in Iran’s central city of Kerman on Wednesday.  Iran, Turkey and Brazil signed an agreement earlier this month in Tehran under which the Iranian low enriched uranium would be shipped to Turkey in exchange for the 20 percent uranium fuel needed for Iran’s Tehran reactor.  U.S. President Barack Obama “should bear in mind that if he does not use this opportunity, Iranians are unlikely to give him a new chance,” said Ahmadinejad.  Tehran is already under three sets of UN sanctions for refusing to halt its uranium enrichment program. Washington states that it has reached an agreement with its Western allies as well as Russia and China for the new round of sanctions on Iran..” [Complete Report]

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

Easy Exit’ Scheme for Illegal Residents in Bahrain  [May 26]
“Foreigners staying illegally in Bahrain have been given a grace period to leave the country without paying their accumulated fines and penalties, the interior ministry has said.  The “Easy Exit” opportunity covering all expatriates who did not renew their residence permits and wanted to go home voluntarily, started on Tuesday, Shaikh Ahmad Bin Eisa Al Khalifa, the assistant undersecretary for nationality, passports and residence, said.  “I call upon all expatriate workers staying illegally to benefit from this scheme by approaching the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) and by arranging with their embassies to rectify their status and leave the Kingdom voluntarily,” Shaikh Ahmad said. “All the other illegal expatriates who entered the kingdom on visit visas should approach the General Directorate for Nationality, Passports and Residence to benefit from this pardon.”  However, Shaikh Ahmad stressed that the exceptional pardon was not an amnesty and that it was limited to the waiving of the fines and penalties accumulated for overstaying in the country..”  [Complete Report]

Qatar Frees Nine Bahraini Men [May 26]
“Qatar has allowed nine Bahraini men to go home after they were detained for allegedly entering Qatari waters illegally during a fishing trip.  Four of the men were taxi drivers and were fishing amateurs who had strayed into the Qatari waters, Bahraini media said amid hope that their release would ease the escalating tension between the neighbouring countries and help the repatriation of dozens of Bahrain-based fishermen currently in Qatari custody. The shooting of a Bahraini fisherman earlier this month has seemingly strained relations between Manama and Doha nine years after they settled a bitter decade-long border dispute through the International Court of Justice.  Qatari coastguards said that they shot the fisherman, Adel Al Taweel, after he refused to comply with their orders to leave Qatar’s waters and did not heed their warning shots. However, Bahrain said that the use of live bullets could have been avoided..” [Complete Report]

Sabic, Bahrain BBK Delay Bond Sales as Yields Soar  [May 26]
“Saudi Basic Industries Corp., the world’s biggest petrochemicals maker, and a Bahrain-based retail lender delayed the sales of dollar-denominated bonds as Europe’s credit crisis prompted investors to demanded higher yields. Sabic Capital, a unit of Sabic, delayed the offer because the spreads were “not what we wanted,” Chief Financial Officer Mutlaq Al-Morished said in a telephone interview today. Bahrain’s BBK was offering investors a spread in the “mid-200” basis-point level above a comparable U.S. benchmark, which was rejected by investors, said a banker with direct knowledge of the plan.  Emerging-market assets have slumped over the past month as the debt crisis in the European Union fueled concern the global economic recovery will stall. The extra yield investors demand to hold debt of developing nations over U.S. Treasuries widened 76 basis points this month to 341 basis points today, according to JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s EMBI+ Index..”  [Complete Report]

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

UAE -  South Korea Deals in Danger  [May 26]
“Coming off a string of multibillion dollar deals, the UAE and South Korea are making beautiful music together. In December last year, a consortium led by Korea Electric Power won a $20 billion deal to construct four nuclear energy plants in the UAE. Samsung, Hyundai, Westinghouse, and Toshiba are other members of the winning consortium. The mega deal was the beginning of a deepening relationship between the two nations, as Samsung Engineering in April took home a $1.5 billion contract from Abu Dhabi Gas Development Company.  With Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed in Seoul this week on a three-day diplomatic and economic visit, talks between Zayed and South Korean president, Lee Myung-bak suggest a deepening relationship that comprises more business and more politics.  “There is no doubt the mutual relationship between the two countries has witnessed great strategic shifts with the winning of the Korean consortium,” Sheikh Mohammed said.  Upon his arrival yesterday, the Crown Prince reiterated the UAE’s aspiration to “develop and deepen our relationship with active world economic powers, with Korea being at the forefront,” the National said.  But as global markets posted sharp declines yesterday, the specter of Korean conflict is an ominous backdrop..”  [Complete Report]

UAE Red Cresent Authority Will Deliver Humanitarian Aid To Gaza  [May 26]
“The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Red Crescent Authority (RCA) will carry out two shipments of humanitarian assistance to Gaza Strip in the coming two days via The Rafah Border Crossing in Egypt to support the humanitarian conditions there, reports Emirates news agency (WAM).  The relief convoy, which is being sent as per directives of UAE President H.H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, will carry 700 tonnes of necessary food Stuff in addition to huge amounts of medical supplies at a total value of Dh3.5 million (US$952,847).  This assistance comes in line with the continued efforts UAE is making to alleviate the humanitarian suffering in Palestine. It comes also as part of the RCA’s ongoing relief and humanitarian programmes to improve living standards and support essential services in Gaza.  An RCA delegation led by Chairman of the Board Ahmed Humaid Al-Mazrouei will head to Cairo Thursday to supervise and facilitate the crossing of the convoy into Gaza..”  [Complete Report]

UAE to Become First Arab Country to Launch Arabic Content Domain Name  [May 26]
“The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) will launch by the end of May a new Arabic content domain (.emarat), becoming the first Arab country to obtain the approval of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers’ (ICANN). (.emarat) (.??????) will be the official Arabic top level domain for the United Arab Emirates. Mohamed Nasser Al Ghanem, Director General of the TRA, told the media today at the Emirates Palace ICANN has chosen the UAE to become the first Arab country to launch its Arabic domain name for the availability of the technical requirements and its ultra-modern telecommunications infrastructure. Rod Beckstrom, ICANN CEO was present at the press conference.  The move is part of TRA’s strategy to support and enhance Arabic content on the Internet and has been made under the new directions of ICANN, the international corporation responsible for managing the assignment of domain names and IP addresses, which allows the use of languages other than English as an equivalent to the domain names for countries. emarat” is the Arabic equivalent for the currently used domain name “.ae”..”   [Complete Report]

UAE Watchdog Denies Banning Sex and The City 2  [May 26]
“A long-awaited movie sequel set in Abu Dhabi opens worldwide today – but not in Abu Dhabi.  The local distributors of Sex and The City 2 never applied for permission to screen the film in the UAE and never submitted it for approval, the National Media Council (NMC) said yesterday.  A spokesman for the NMC said: “The first Sex and the City movie was not shown in the UAE because the local distributor never applied for it to be shown. As for Sex and the City 2, it [the distributor] has also not asked us for permission for the film to be shown. This is something of the distributor’s own choice.”  The NMC oversees all films and media distributed in the country and must approve the film before it hits the screens. But despite reports that it had been banned, an official at the NMC said yesterday that the council was never sent a copy to review. Without seeing the content, NMC officials say, a decision on whether or not the film could be shown could not be made..”  [Complete Report]

UAE Picks Rifles From South Korea  [May 26]
“The United Arab Emirates has placed an order for K11 airburst rifles, becoming South Korea’s first export customer for the weapon, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration said.  The emirates placed the order for 40 K11 infantry rifles during the Special Operations Forces Exhibition Conference 2010 earlier this month in Jordan. “Once a final contract is signed, it will be the first export sale of the K11, possibly making it one of the country’s major export items together with the T-50 supersonic trainer jet and K2 Black Panther main battle tank,” said a statement from the defense acquisition program.  A final signing of the contract is expected by July and the unit price per rifle is estimated at $14,000..”  [Complete Report]

Russia Firm Plans $320 mln UAE Iron Mill  [May 26]
” Metalloinvest, the Russian steel and iron ore firm controlled by billionaire Alisher Usmanov, plans to invest $320 million in five years to build its second mill in the United Arab Emirates, a company executive said on Wednesday. In 2007, Metalloinvest invested around $160 million to build the Hamriyah Steel rebar plant in the northern emirate of Sharjah which has a capacity to produce one million tonnes of rebar per year.  “We have already booked land in Sharjah next to our existing plant there and we are looking at building a new plant which will need an investment of around $320 million,” said Shukhrat Nishanov, general manager of Hamriya Steel.  The new plant will produce direct reduced iron (DRI), which is used to make steel, said Nishanov.  “We will probably be looking for a partner to work with on this project, but for now we are just waiting to the effects of the economic crisis to lessen before we take steps,” he added..” [Complete Report]

Mars Opens New Chocolate Bars Factory in UAE  [May 26]
“Mars GCC, the leading regional manufacturer of chocolate products in the Middle East, today opened its new chocolate bars factory in Dubai. With an investment of over $40m this factory will produce Mars and Snickers bars for the GCC markets.. ..Speaking at the opening, Ahmed Bayoumi, General Manager of Mars GCC, said, “Mars GCC has been experiencing double digit growth year on year since the beginning of the decade. In 2009 Mars GCC net sales exceeded $450m. We are pleased that consumer demand in the Middle East has and continues to generate opportunities for stable long term growth. This has led to the investment of more than $100m in our manufacturing unit since 1998. We are committed to strenghthening our position as the leading chocolate manufacturer in the Middle East and our increased presence in GCC will help us achieve this growth by supporting consumer and customer needs in the region.”..”  [Complete Report]

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

Qatar Said to Mull Treasury’s Citi Shares [May 26]
“The Qatar Investment Authority, a sovereign wealth fund, has displayed interest in acquiring some of the stake in Citigroup owned by the United States Treasury, The Financial Times said, citing people familiar with the matter. The interest the authority is showing in Citi, which received a government bailout after crisis losses of $50 billion, goes against a trend of cash-rich state funds avoiding investments in banks — generally because of past losses in the sector, The FT said. The authority, however, made profitable investments in Credit Suisse and Barclays while the crisis was under way and is looking to purchase a part of the Treasury’s 27 percent stake in Citi, people familiar with the matter told the newspaper..” [Complete Report]

Qatar Negotiating With German Institution Over Partnership [May 26]
“Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheik Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jabor Al Thani said Wednesday the Gulf Arab state was in talks with a German institution over a partnership deal. “We are talking to a German institution to be a partnership,” Al Thani said at a press conference alongside German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is visiting the gas-rich state Wednesday and Thursday on a whistlestop tour of the Gulf this week to promote trade and business relations. The Qatari prime minister said that the Persian Gulf state, which earlier in the month bought flagship London department store Harrods, was also “discussing an opportunity in Europe”, without giving further details. Qatar is pouring its vast hydrocarbon revenues into buying overseas assets to diversify its economy away from oil and gas. Its sovereign wealth fund, the Qatar Investment Authority controls an estimated $60 billion worth of assets and has stakes in the London Stock Exchange and U.K. bank Barclays..” [Complete Report]

Vodafone Qatar Says to Sue Regulator Over Virgin [May 26]
“Cellphone network operator Vodafone Qatar said on Wednesday it is taking legal action against Qatar’s telecoms regulator, after it allowed Virgin Mobile’s entry, saying it represents a third service provider. The firm, a unit of Vodafone, said in a statement it saw Virgin Mobile’s entry as a violation of the conditions to its licence, which cost shareholders 7.7 billion Qatari riyals, and the telecoms law in Qatar. Earlier in May, Virgin Group signed a partnership with Qatar Telecom (Qtel) to launch Virgin Mobile Qatar in a brand licensing agreement to offer a prepaid mobile phone service. “We are taking legal action for the damages this has caused our shareholders,” said Chairman Sheikh Abdulrahman Bin Saud al-Thani in a statement..” [Complete Report]

Qatar-based News Broadcaster Al-Jazeera Arrives in the Balkans [May 26]
“Qatar-based international news broadcaster Al-Jazeera will have a new headquarters in Sarajevo, from where it said it will cover the whole Balkans Peninsula for regional-based news, Bulgarian media reported on May 26 2010. Al-Jazeera representatives will arrive in the Bosnian capital city the week beginning May 31 when they will finalise the takeover of the local television channel Studio 99 and set up their own television network in its place. Studio 99 has been rumoured to be facing closure since the turn of the year. Eventually the takeover became all but imminent, reports said. The Qatar company is said to have completed the deal worth 160 000 euro, according to information, released by local media. For the moment, however, the takeover is not confirmed by the official website of Al-Jazeera itself. Spokespersons for the television network channel have also declined to comment, when approached by Radio Free Europe. Reportedly, the new television channel in southeastern Europe will be called Balkan Al-Jazeera..” [Complete Report]

Qatar Steps Up Arrests of Bahraini Fishermen [May 26]
“Qatar has stepped up arrests of Bahrain-based fishermen in recent weeks and will put dozens of sailors on a mass trial next month, a Bahraini rights group said on Wednesday, as tensions rose between the Gulf Arab neighbours. The two countries have long had strained ties despite settling a territorial dispute in 2001. Tensions escalated after Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior said Qatar’s coast guard shot and wounded on May 8 a Bahraini fisherman who had entered Qatar’s waters. “The arrests became more after May 8. Since then, every two days or so they arrest fishermen,” said Faisal Fulad, the general secretary of the Bahrain Human Rights Watch Society who says he has met the fishermen in Qatari prisons..” [Complete Report]

ARABIALINK Daily News – SAUDI ARABIA – 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]

UAE Launches National Nutrition Strategy  [May 25]
“UAE launched a national nutrition strategy to help fight obesity and its related complications and may force fast food groups to inform people what exactly they are eating.  Unhealthy eating and lack of exercise has given UAE the dubious distinction of being the country with the second-highest incidence of diabetes in the world. A 24 per cent of the population over 20 years of age suffers from the debilitating disease.  The nutrition strategy will include educating people on what to eat to keep healthy, the need to do daily exercise and will promote breastfeeding. The five-year strategy was advised by the World Health Organisation. A WHO official said one of the recommendations is to force fast food groups to list the content of their foods..”  [Complete Report]

Khalifa Confers UAE Order on Kazakhstan Premier [May 25]
“President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Monday received Karim Massimov, Prime Minister of Kazkhstan.  Shaikh Khalifa conferred the ‘Order of Federation’ on Massimov.  The Order, which is usually conferred on presidents and crown princes, was presented to Massimov to emphasise the friendly ties between the UAE and Kazakhstan.  Shaikh Khalifa expressed his wish to further strengthen the friendly relations between the two countries. He also affirmed the UAE’s keenness to boost cooperation with Kazakh-stan by providing several areas of investment and expanding the prospects of joint cooperation.  They discussed ways to bolster bilateral relations across various sectors for the benefit and prosperity of their respective citizens..”  [Complete Report]

IMF May Boost U.A.E. Growth Forecast  [May 25]
“The International Monetary Fund may revise higher its growth forecast for the United Arab Emirates amid expectations that a settlement to Dubai World’s $23.5 billion debt restructuring will boost the second-largest Arab economy, an official said.  “We think its a very positive development,” Masood Ahmed, the IMF’s Middle East and Central Asia director, told Zawya Dow Jones in an interview. “Once it’s implemented and completed it will help restore economic confidence in the market.”  Last week, Dubai World reached a broad agreement to pay off its creditors and reduce its $23.5 billion of debt, lifting a cloud of uncertainty that hung over the emirate’s economy.  According to the IMF, the U.A.E.’s economy will grow 1.3% this year after shrinking 0.7% in 2009 as the global financial crisis hit oil prices, the country’s main source of foreign currency income..”  [Complete Report]

UAE to Plug Holes in the Legal, Financial System  [May 25]
“”The UAE is introducing a wide-ranging programme to address regulatory and legal shortcomings in our financial system,” said Ahmed Humaid Al Tayer, Governor of the Dubai International Financial Centre, speaking at the Menasa forum yesterday. “Although we expect a return to high economic growth, it is critical that we urgently address the deeper risks and challenges that the economic crisis revealed.”  He said this in his welcome address, and added that “in the coming years, fiscal policy measures combined with systemic reform will be vital to ensuring that the recovery becomes firmly entrenched in Menasa and that our growth remains strong, sustainable, and balanced”.  Speaking of the potential of the Menasa region, he said: “The region has a population profile that is creating huge new demand, leading to production growth and greater diversification. The region’s large and mostly young population of 1.6 billion people is expected to grow at a rate of 1.4 per cent over the next decade.”..”  [Complete Report]

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

Doha to Host Turkish Film Festival [May 25]
“A Turkish film festival will be held next week in Qatar in a new indication of the growing interest of the Arab world in drama from its non-Arabic speaking Muslim neighbour.  The films to be screened at the First Doha Turkish Film Festival on June 6-9 will feature actors and actresses popular in the Arab world, organisers said.  Film directors, programmers and producers will also attend the festival and the public will have the opportunity to meet them.  The festival, held with the support of the Turkish government, includes 15 films that include My Father and My Son, The White Angel, Waiting for Heaven, Three Monkeys and Vision Tele.  Panel discussions by experts and commentators will be held on the sideline, Qatari daily Gulf Times reported on Monday.  Turkish drama has since 2008 become popular in the Arab world, due mainly to the use of colloquial Arabic instead of the classical Arabic voice-overs used for Spanish-language soap operas. The names of all the characters were also changed into Arabic..” [Complete Report]

Allawi in Qatar to Discuss Iraq Situation [May 25]
“Head of Al Iraqiya List Iyad Allawi affirmed that Iraq is going through a critical stage noting that his visit to Qatar is aimed to put Arab leaders in the loop of the situation in Iraq.  Efforts to form the new government are ongoing, Allawi said expecting final results after 10 days. That’s when talks will turn into negotiations over the new government, he added.  Turkish Sabah Newspaper revealed meanwhile that Allawi has visited Turkey for the second time in less than a month as he visited Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Ahmad Davudoglu.  Following his visit to Turkey, Allawi said he will meet Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki and ask him to keep Iran out of interference in Iraq.  Iranian interference does not serve the application aimed to form the government, he added..”  [Complete Report]

Bahrain Wants Qatar to Free 107 Fishermen  [May 25]
“Bahrain on Sunday called for the repatriation of 107 Bahraini professional and amateur fishermen held by Qatar. “The ministers of interior and municipalities and agriculture have been tasked by the government to monitor the conditions of the Bahraini fishermen held in Qatar and to coordinate with their counterparts in Doha to ensure their safe return home,” a government spokesman said following the weekly session.  A Bahraini delegation should be formed and sent to Qatar to work with the competent authorities on the issue, the government said.  Both ministries should also ensure that similar incidents should not be repeated.  Ten days ago, Adel Al Taweel, a Bahraini fisherman was shot by Qatari coastguards for allegedly entering Qatari waters illegally. The wounded sailor was subsequently taken to hospital amid promises that he would be allowed to go home in a few days.  However, the authorities later said that they would put him on trial for illegally entering the country..”

http://www.zawya.com/story.cfm/sidGN_24052010_250514

Leading Qatari Firms Featured at New York Mena Conference  [May 25]
“Vodafone Qatar, QNB and Qatar Telecom featured at the third Mena (Middle East and North Africa) investment conference that began yesterday in New York.  “Across the Mena region, around $800bn of investments are currently planned in energy, water, healthcare, transportation, housing, banking and education,” said Beltone Financial, the organiser of the Mena conference. Altogether, these diverse investments would raise the quality of the region’s infrastructure to new levels and offer significant opportunities for the private sector. The Mena region’s power generation capacity will have to double, requiring an investment of around $140bn, it said, adding planned spending on water in the region totalled $46bn..”  [Complete Report]

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

German School to be Built in Kuwait [May 25]
“A German school will be built in Kuwait to cater for the German-speaking community, the Kuwaiti education ministry has said.  The school is part of an accord between the ministry and the German embassy to boost cooperation and help German-speaking children who currently go to international schools that teach British, American or French systems. Under the agreement, Kuwaiti government scholarships will be extended to outstanding Kuwaiti students to allow them to study in German universities.  Moodhi Al Hmood, Kuwait’s education minister, and Michael Worbs, the German ambassador to Kuwait, agreed that the students would be taking courses in engineering and sciences.  Germany has been pushing for the recognition of its universities as commendable places of higher learning by Gulf citizens traditionally attracted by US and British education institutions..”  [Complete Report]

Bosnia’s Franciscan Church Keen on Ties with Kuwaiti Islamic Institutions  [May 25]
“Bosnia’s Franciscan Church is keen on launching cooperation programmes with Islamic institutions in Kuwait, the church leader has said.  Frankica Vuica said that Kuwait was “very well regarded in Bosnia” where its humanitarian role in helping the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina during the war was appreciated.  Vuica told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) in Sarajevo that cooperation between Bosnian and Kuwaiti religious institutions would help foster interfaith dialogue.  The Bosnian clergyman, who hosted a luncheon in honour of the Kuwaiti ambassador, hoped that there would be direct cooperation between the Bosnian church and Kuwaiti religious institutions.  The Bosnian Franciscan Church, the most ancient church in Bosnia and Herzegovina, keeps a copy of an Ottoman decree ordering that religious freedom be ensured and the Bosnian church be protected, he said.  The church also keeps several Ottoman swords on which Arabic words were engraved..”  [Complete Report]

Kuwait Says OPEC ‘Not Yet’ Concerned By Oil Below $70  [May 25]
“OPEC ministers are “not yet” concerned that oil costs less than $70 a barrel, and there is no need for the group to hold an emergency meeting, Kuwait’s oil minister said.  The group needs to provide a “clear signal” of a price floor to avoid investors pulling out of the oil market, JP Morgan Chase & Co said in a research note today.  OPEC is planning to do “nothing” about the 26 percent drop this month in oil prices, Sheikh Ahmad al-Abdullah al-Sabah told reporters in Kuwait today. “We ask for more compliance” by group members with their agreed output limits, he said. Oil, which traded as high as $87.15 a barrel on May 3, dropped as low as $64.24 on May 20 as investors sold the commodity on concern that Europe’s debt crisis might spread. Crude for July delivery fell as much as $3.06, or 4.4 percent, to $67.15 a barrel today on the New York Mercantile Exchange..”  [Complete Report]

China’s Oil Imports From Kuwait Hits New Record [May 25]
“Kuwait’s General Administration of Customs on Tuesday said country’s crude oil exports to China grew 17.8 percent in April to a record high of 1.081 million tons. In a report issued here it said the new figure is equal to 264,000 barrels per day.  Kuwait provided 5.1 percent of China’s total crude oil imports, compared with 5.7 percent in the same month of last year and 4.5 percent in March.  For the first four months of 2010, Kuwait, OPEC’s fourth largest exporter, shipped 3.17 million tons (194,000 bpd).  China’s overall imports of crude jumped 30.9 percent year-on-year to a record of 21.17 million tons (5.17 million bpd) in April.  Angola remained China’s top supplier with its shipments skyrocketing 180.8 percent from a year earlier to 4.29 million tons (1.05 million bpd), followed by Saudi Arabia with 3.09 million tons (755,000 bpd), down 17.1 percent..”  [Complete Report]

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

Gunmen Kill 15 in Baghdad Gold Heist: Police  [May 25]
“Gunmen shot dead 15 people, mainly goldsmiths, and made off with gold and cash in a bustling shopping area of Baghdad on Tuesday, an Interior Ministry source told Reuters.  The brazen daylight heist took place on a long, busy street lined with shops in southwest Baghdad, usually heavily protected by Iraqi security forces.  They set off a roadside bomb near the shops, killing four bystanders and wounding three, city police officials said.  Then they opened fire on 12 shops, killing nine gold shop owners or their workers and two bystanders. They threw percussion grenades into the shop as a distraction, then fled, police said.  A witness said he heard an explosion, and the Interior Ministry source said police had defused a number of bombs left by the gunmen.  “I heard an explosion and then I saw four dead bodies on the ground close to the gold shops,” the witness said..”  [Complete report]

Al-Qaeda Denies World Cup Terror Plot Alleged by Iraq  [May 25]
“Al-Qaeda in Iraq denied it was planning to attack the soccer World Cup in South Africa, a week after officials in Baghdad said they had captured a member of the group who confessed to plotting a terrorist act there.  “We deny this news entirely,” the group said late yesterday in a statement posted on websites used by al-Qaeda. It described the charges as empty allegations and said its “dreams and aspirations” didn’t stretch as far as Johannesburg.  Iraq’s Baghdad Military Command announced in a televised news conference on May 17 the capture of an al-Qaeda member, who it said had worked with Ayman al-Zawahiri, deputy to Osama bin Laden, “to plot terrorist attacks during the World Cup.”  The suspect was identified as Abdullah Azzam Saleh al- Qahtani, a Saudi Arabian national described as chief of the group’s security in Baghdad. The Iraqi military said he was a lieutenant in the Saudi army and had entered Iraq in 2004..”  [Complete Report]

Iraqi Lawmaker Killed in Mosul  [May 25]
“A newly elected lawmaker from a cross-sectarian list that narrowly won March polls was killed in an apparent drive-by shooting at his home in northern Iraq, according to the Iraqi interior ministry.  Bashar Hamid al-Lagaidi was shot on the doorstep of his house in the northern city of Mosul on Monday evening, according to the ministry. He was taken to a hospital in the city, where he was pronounced dead.  Mr. Lagaidi was elected to parliament as part of Iraqiya, the slate of candidates led by former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, which won 91 seats. Iraqiya, which includes a number of high-profile Sunni candidates, narrowly beat a coalition led by Shiite Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, which captured 89 seats.  It’s unclear exactly how the killing might affect the political horse-trading now taking place among Iraq’s various political blocs in the run-up to forming a new government. Mr. Lagaidi would most likely be replaced in parliament by another member of his slate..”  [Complete Report]

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

Iran Film Director Freed on Bail  [May 25]
“Jailed Iranian film director Jafar Panahi, who has been on hunger strike for more than a week, was released on bail of 2 billion rials (about $200,000) on Tuesday, the official Irna news agency reported.  Panahi, winner of many international awards and a supporter of opposition leader Mirhussain Mousavi in last year’s disputed presidential election, was arrested in March along with his wife and daughter. His family was later freed.  Despite his release, the office of Tehran’s prosecutor said his case and the indictment against him would be submitted to the capital’s Revolutionary Court, Irna said, suggesting he may still face trial. It did not give further details.  Panahi’s wife Tahereh Saeedi earlier said the bail had been deposited and that he was expected to be freed on Tuesday evening. He has been held at Tehran’s Evin jail, where human rights groups say many political prisoners are detained..”  [Complete Report]

Iran Police to Confront “Illegal” June Protests [May 25]
” Iranian security forces will confront any “illegal” demonstrations on the June 12 anniversary of last year’s disputed election, Tehran’s police chief was quoted as saying on Tuesday.  Opposition leaders Mirhossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karoubi have called on supporters to take part in peaceful protests to mark the first anniversary of a presidential poll they say was rigged, a reformist website reported in April.  Any anti-government rallies could raise the prospect of new clashes with the security forces, which quelled mass protests that erupted after the vote won by hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.  Hossein Sajedi, the capital’s police chief, said “some media” had called for rallies on June 12, the ILNA news agency reported.  “Police will confront any illegal gatherings … police are vigilant and in charge of public order and security,” he said..”  [Complete Report]

U.S. Bill Takes Aim at Iran Oil Partners [May 25]
“A U.S. House committee has proposed barring the Pentagon from buying fuel from companies that do business with Iran’s energy industry—a stance that is a long shot for becoming law but that underscores U.S. lawmakers’ continuing dissatisfaction with international efforts to slap tough sanctions on Tehran.  An amendment to a defense-spending bill, co-sponsored by a Republican and a Democrat and passed with full support in the House Armed Services Committee, would cost some European oil firms billions of dollars in Pentagon contracts if they buy Iranian oil. It would also dramatically escalate U.S. sanctions against Tehran. “The Secretary of Defense may not enter into any contract with an entity that engages in commercial activity in the energy sector of Iran,” the amendment says, according to a copy reviewed by The Wall Street Journal..” [Complete Report]

India, Iran Discuss Building Underwater Gas Pipeline [May 25]
“India and Iran are discussing building a gas pipeline between the two countries along the bed of the Arabian Sea to bypass Pakistan, a board director of the company developing the project said on Tuesday.  “The carrying capacity of the gas pipeline’s first leg will total 31 billion cu m annually, with the cost of construction estimated at $4 billion,” T.H.P. Pao, a member of the board of directors and head of the supervisory board of South Asia Gas Enterprise Private Ltd. (SAGE), said.  The statement came ahead of a visit by Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov to India.  Pao said India and Iran were discussing the delivery of natural gas produced in Turkmenistan with Indian assistance to north Iran while the Islamic Republic will send natural gas from its southern deposits to Indian consumers.  A diplomatic source confirmed to RIA Novosti that Delhi had discussed the project with Teheran and Ashgabat and received their backing.  Under the project being worked on by SAGE, the gas pipeline will be 1,100 km (684 miles) long. The submersible part of the pipeline will start from the Iranian port city of Chabahar and will deliver gas to consumers in the Indian state of Gujarat..”  [Complete Report]

Clinton: Iran Nuclear Fuel Swap Offer is ‘Ploy’ [May 25]
” U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says an Iranian plan to swap some of its enriched uranium for reactor fuel is a “transparent ploy” to try to avoid new U.N. Security Council sanctions over its suspect nuclear program.  Speaking in the Chinese capital of Beijing, Clinton said Tuesday the swap offer submitted to the U.N. nuclear watchdog has a number of deficiencies and does not address international concerns about Iran’s atomic ambitions.  She said the U.S.-led push for fresh Security Council penalties on Iran would continue.  The U.S. and other Western countries accuse Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons under cover of a civilian atomic energy program. Iran denies the charge but has repeatedly refused to prove that its program is peaceful..”  [Complete Report]

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

Bahrain and Rotana Deny Report on CD  [May 25]
“Bahrain and Arabic music giant Rotana have rejected a media report which claimed that one of the Bahrain king’s sons has produced a CD containing Shiite liturgical lyrics and chants.  Kuwaiti newspaper Al Dar on Tuesday reported in an article on its front page that Shaikh Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa produced the CD Ashura Miracle with the help of a famous composer who provided the music for the lyrics.  Al Dar attributed the report to websites it did not name, but said that Shaikh Nasser wrote the lyrics and performed the chants.  The alleged CD cover featured the picture of Shaikh Nasser wearing a black bandana to tie his long hair and looking confidently ahead.  “Ashura Miracle, written and performed by Shaikh Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa” was written on the cover, which also featured the green Rotana music logo on the top left.  Rotana said that the report was baseless and lacked credibility and that the logo on the alleged CD cover was a fabrication..”  [Complete Report]

Bahrain National Rights Watchdog Calls for End to Misunderstanding With Qatar  [May 25]
“Bahrain Human Rights National Commission on Monday called for an end to the misunderstanding between the kingdom and Qatar over the shooting and detention of a Bahraini fisherman by the Qatari authorities.  Tension between the two countries have flared up in the last 10 days after Adel Al Taweel, a 37-year-old fisherman, was shot in Qatari waters for allegedly failing to heed warnings from the Qatari coastguards.  The victim was taken to a hospital in Doha where he was treated before being detained despite pledges that he would be allowed to go home.  A medical team and a human rights delegation that flew from Bahrain to help Adel and repatriate him were snubbed by Qatar, causing the tension between the two countries to escalate. No official statement was issued by either country, but the Bahraini media strongly condemned the shooting and referred to a high number of Bahraini fishermen being detained in Doha..”  [Complete Report]

Bahrain Wants Qatar to Free 107 Fishermen  [May 25]
“Bahrain on Sunday called for the repatriation of 107 Bahraini professional and amateur fishermen held by Qatar. “The ministers of interior and municipalities and agriculture have been tasked by the government to monitor the conditions of the Bahraini fishermen held in Qatar and to coordinate with their counterparts in Doha to ensure their safe return home,” a government spokesman said following the weekly session.  A Bahraini delegation should be formed and sent to Qatar to work with the competent authorities on the issue, the government said.  Both ministries should also ensure that similar incidents should not be repeated.  Ten days ago, Adel Al Taweel, a Bahraini fisherman was shot by Qatari coastguards for allegedly entering Qatari waters illegally. The wounded sailor was subsequently taken to hospital amid promises that he would be allowed to go home in a few days.  However, the authorities later said that they would put him on trial for illegally entering the country..”  [Complete Report]

Bahrain Plans Refining Push to Tap Markets  [May 25]
“Bahrain is looking at its refining capacity beyond 2012 to help give the country a competitive advantage and make it better positioned to capture future market opportunities, says Oil and Gas Affairs Minister and National Oil and Gas Authority chairman Dr Abdulhussain Mirza.  “Though we remain optimistic about the future of the oil business, our optimism is moderated with caution,” he said after opening an exhibition running parallel to the Middle East Petrotech 2010.  The event, which concludes tomorrow, is being held at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa..”  [Complete Report]

ARABIALINK  Daily News -  Saudi Arabia – 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]

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

Oman’s Blue City Teeters as Bondholders Debate Future  [May 25]
“Oman’s Blue City, a $20 billion real estate project central to the country’s economic transformation, is on the brink of liquidation and its fate may hinge on talks between bondholders trying to salvage their investment.  Owners of $661.5 million worth of Blue City bonds are discussing measures to push the project ahead, including trying to reduce the number of bondholders involved, a person familiar with the talks said. A vote on liquidating the project, proposed by holding company Al Sawadi Investment & Tourism LLC, has been put on hold, the person said.  “If it’s not handled appropriately and transparently, it could tarnish Oman’s image as an investment destination at a time when Oman is trying to diversify and develop its tourism sector,” said John Sfakianakis, Riyadh-based chief economist at Banque Saudi Fransi..”  [Complete Report]

UAE and Oman ‘May Join GCC Monetary Union’ [May 25]
“GCC Secretary-General Abdulrahman Al Attiyah is optimistic that the UAE and Oman will join the GCC monetary union in the future. The UAE and Oman withdrawing from the monetary union does not mean that they will be discounted, Mr Al Attiyah told our sister paper Akhbar Al Khaleej in an exclusive interview, on the eve of the 29th anniversary of the establishment of the council.  The GCC has taken important steps towards launching a common currency, he added. He said that the GCC railway network is expected to be operational by 2017, with the network authority likely to be declared next year.  GCC states stand firmly with Yemen’s unity, security and stability and will continue their economic and political backing of Yemen, he affirmed.  The GCC states have entered a new stage of integrity and unity, said Mr Al Attiyah..”  [Complete Report]

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

UAE Developers Set to Win Iraq Projects  [May 24]
“Negotiations between the Iraqi National Investment Commission (INIC) and several UAE real estate developers and investments companies on “big and giant” projects in different parts in Iraq have reached “advanced stages”, a top Iraqi official said.  Sami Al Araji, chairman of the Iraqi National Investment Commission said the projects under negotiations are worth nearly $70 billion (Dh257 billion) and that the talks are expected to be finalised in the near future.  “The two sides [the INIC and Emirati companies] are serious in their desire for the talks to succeed, and things are going well, and in the right direction ” Al Araji told Gulf News in an exclusive interview from Iraq. Talks have reached “advanced stages”, and “the details are now under discussion”, he added, without giving further details.  Once completed, the total value of these contracts is estimated at $70 billion, Al Araji said..”  [Complete Report]

UAE Aims to Better Manage Debt [May 24]
“The United Arab Emirates plans to set up a federal debt-management office to better regulate borrowing after Dubai’s financial problems endangered growth in the second-largest Arab economy, an official said.  “The government is set to issue a public-debt-management law later this year,” said Sheik Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman of Dubai’s Supreme Fiscal Committee, at a speech given in the emirate Sunday.  Federal authorities are seeking to improve oversight of borrowing after Dubai’s government and its state-owned entities racked up about $100 billion of debt while building infrastructure and buying assets overseas during the boom.  The emirate has been forced to restructure more than $23 billion of debt owed by one of its largest state-controlled companies, Dubai World.  “The measures taken by Dubai in the past few months have created renewed confidence among global financial institutions,”..”  [Complete Report]

Areva T&D: Wins EUR90M UAE Substation Contract  [May 24]
“French nuclear group Areva SA (CEI.FR) Monday said its power transmission and distribution unit, which it is selling, won an order worth around EUR90 million in the United Arab Emirates.. ..Areva is selling its transmission and distribution unit to a French consortium of Alstom SA (ALO.FR) and Schneider Electric (SU.FR), which plans to split it between them, with Alstom taking the transmission part and Schneider the distribution. Areva didn’t say to which of transmission or distribution this new UAE contract corresponds..”  [Complete Report]

U.A.E. Seeks Briton in Hamas Official’s Death  [May 24]
“Officials in the United Arab Emirates have issued an arrest warrant for a British man they are seeking in a probe of the January killing here of a top Hamas official, according to a person familiar with the situation.  The new warrant brings the suspect tally in the case to 33 and adds what Dubai officials believe is the first suspect operating without an alias to the list. Since the January killing of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in a Dubai hotel room, police here have released a series of details about more than two dozen suspects, who officials say used forged or fraudulently issued passports to plan and carry out the killing.  However, Dubai officials believe the new suspect used his real passport, which could make it easier for international authorities to find him, according to the person familiar with the situation..”  [Complete Report]

German Chancellor Arrives in UAE [May 24]
“German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrived in Abu Dhabi today on an official visit to the UAE during which she will hold talks with a number of senior officials on bilateral relations.  Merkel is accompanied by a high-level delegation in her tour of the region. Upon arrival she was received by Minister of Economy Sultan Saeed Al Badi, UAE ambassador to UAE Mohammed Ahmed Al Mahmoud and German ambassador to UAE Klaus-Peter Brandes..”  [Complete Report]

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

Kuwait Establishes National Authority For Academic Accreditation  [May 24]
“Kuwait has established a national authority for academic accreditation and education quality.  The new authority will ensure the highest educational standards for Kuwaiti nationals and will be accrediting overseas academic institutions in which Kuwaiti students are enrolled as well as the private universities and academic programmes in Kuwait, Moodhi Abdul Aziz Al Hmood, the education minister, said on Monday.  The cabinet approved the decree on the establishment of the authority on Sunday evening, the minister told Kuwait News Agency (Kuna)  The decree named a board of directors for the new authority, headed by the education minister. Board members will include representatives of Kuwait University, the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training, the Private universities Council and academics from educational institutions and three representatives from the private sector.  Kuwait has in the last two years stopped recognising several sub-standard universities and colleges. The decision was deeply resisted by MPs whose constituents said that it affected the results of their sons and daughters. However, the minister stood firm and insisted on higher standards..”  [Complete Report]

Kuwaiti Writer Charged With Damage to National Interests  [May 24]
” A top Kuwaiti writer and government critic was on Monday officially charged with harming national interests and undermining the status of the Gulf state’s ruler.  Mohammad Abdul Qader Al Jasem, also a journalist and lawyer, categorically denied the charges, insisting that his trial is purely political.  “It is untrue,” Al Jasem said emphatically when criminal court judge Adul Al Huwaidi read out charges pressed by the public prosecution at the start of the trial.  “This is an entirely political case from start to finish,” said Al Jasem, speaking from a metal cage in a courtroom overcrowded with family members, human rights activists and more than 20 defence lawyers.  The prosecution charged Al Jasem with undermining the status of the Emir, attacking the regime and spreading false news about the internal situation in Kuwait that harmed national interests, for which the penalty is several years in jail..”  [Complete Report]

Kuwait Posts $28.3 Billion Provisional Budget Surplus [May 24]
“Kuwait posted a preliminary fiscal surplus of 8.2 billion dinars ($28.3 billion) in the financial year through March, after oil revenue more than doubled the budget forecast, the Finance Ministry said.  State income was 17.93 billion dinars, or 122 percent above its budget, while spending was 9.75 billion dinars, compared with the 12.1 billion dinars projected for the year, according to data posted on the ministry’s website today. About 10 percent of revenue will go to the Reserve Fund for Future Generations.  Oil revenue was 16.85 billion dinars, compared with the 6.9 billion dinars projected for the year, according to the data. Non-oil revenue was 1.1 billion dinars..”  [Complete Report]

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

Shi’ite Cleric Wants Sunnis in Iraq Government, Allawi Says  [May 24]
“The leader of the Sunni-backed coalition that won the most seats in Iraq’s March election said the country’s most influential Shi’ite cleric assured him in a meeting yesterday that no group would be excluded from the new government.  There are concerns that Sunnis will be largely excluded after the two Shi’ite blocs that came in second and third in the parliamentary vote formed an alliance that probably will lead to another Shi’ite-dominated government, much like the current one. The Iraqiya coalition, led by former prime minister Ayad Allawi, is not part of the alliance.  Allawi met Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani in the holy city of Najaf, where the cleric lives. He said Sistani said the next government should serve without “excluding and marginalizing any group,’’ an apparent reference to minority Sunnis who have felt politically sidelined since 2003..”  [Complete Report]

Iraq Confirms Plans for 4th Mobile Network License  [May 24]
“Iraq’s government has approved plans to offer a fourth mobile operators license, local news media has reported.  Hiam Al Yasiri, an adviser to Iraq’s communications minister, said that 15 firms had expressed interest in the license since it was first proposed last year.  Full details of the tender are still to be announced, although the advisor said that a bidder will own 65% of the company, with the remainder held by the government as part of the deal and that the license would call for full nationwide coverage.  The government has been increasingly frustrated by what it says is poor service from the existing three networks – although they cite the difficult security situation and repeated attacks on their networks as a primary cause..”  [Complete Report]

UAE Developers Set to Win Iraq Projects  [May 24]
“Negotiations between the Iraqi National Investment Commission (INIC) and several UAE real estate developers and investments companies on “big and giant” projects in different parts in Iraq have reached “advanced stages”, a top Iraqi official said.  Sami Al Araji, chairman of the Iraqi National Investment Commission said the projects under negotiations are worth nearly $70 billion (Dh257 billion) and that the talks are expected to be finalised in the near future.  “The two sides [the INIC and Emirati companies] are serious in their desire for the talks to succeed, and things are going well, and in the right direction ” Al Araji told Gulf News in an exclusive interview from Iraq.  Talks have reached “advanced stages”, and “the details are now under discussion”, he added, without giving further details.  Once completed, the total value of these contracts is estimated at $70 billion, Al Araji said..”  [Complete Report]

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

Iran Holy City Ups Fine for Unveiled Women  [May 24]
“Iran’s second biggest city has massively increased the amount it fines for women who fail to observe the Islamic dress code and don’t cover their hair properly, media reported.  Morality police around Iran are beginning their annual spring crackdown on women wearing too much makeup, daring to show their hair or dressing in a way that shows their body contours too clearly.  In the holy city of Masshad, the public prosecutor has increased the fine to 1.3 million tomans, roughly $1,300 – a hefty sum in a country where a teacher’s monthly salary is around $500.  “In the past the penalty for not observing the Islamic dress code was 50,000 tomans along with two months’ imprisonment,” Mashhad’s public and revolutionary prosecutor Mahmoud Zoghi told the semi-official Fars news agency..” [Complete Report]

Iran Submits Nuclear Deal With Turkey to IAEA  [May 24]
“Iran has formally submitted a plan to swap nuclear material in Turkey for reactor fuel to the UN atomic watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency.  It has urged world leaders to agree to their deal.  But the proposal, brokered by Brazil and Turkey a week ago, was followed by a US announcement of a “strong draft” emerging on new sanctions on Iran.  So the plan appears unlikely to deter the US and its allies who believe Iran is trying to obtain a nuclear weapon.  The deal, brokered by Brazil, would see Iran hand over 1,200 kg of low-enriched nuclear material in Turkey.  They would then receive fuel rods for a research reactor in return..”  [Complete Report]

Iranians Shout For Jobs During Ahmadinejad Speech  [May 24]
“Hecklers at an outdoor speech by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Monday shouted their concerns about unemployment, in a rare display of dissent in front of the hardline leader.  While Ahmadinejad addressed a crowd in the port city of Khorramshahr, in a speech marking the anniversary of a key battle in the Iran-Iraq war, several members of the crowd could be heard chanting: “Unemployment! Unemployment!”  The president’s speeches are regularly carried live on Iranian TV where crowds more usually respond with slogans such as “God is Greatest” and “Death to America”.  Ahmadinejad won a second term last June in an election the reformist opposition said was rigged — sparking the biggest anti-government protests since the 1979 Islamic revolution.  The government denied any vote rigging and accused foreign powers of fomenting unrest.  Opposition leaders have applied for permission to hold a rally on the first anniversary of the election, on June 12 where they plan to call for human rights and the release of political prisoners..” [Complete Report]

Iran Executes Brother of Sunni Rebel Leader Rigi  [May 24]
“Iran on Monday executed a brother of the detained leader of a Sunni Muslim rebel group behind the deadliest bomb attack in the Islamic Republic in years, official media reported.  Abdolhamid Rigi, a convicted member of Jundollah (God’s Soldiers), was hanged in a prison in the southeastern city of Zahedan, after his execution was postponed last July and again in December in order to get more information from him.  Predominantly Shi’ite Muslim Iran seized his brother, Jundollah leader Abdolmalek Rigi, in February — four months after the group claimed a bombing which killed dozens of people, including senior officers of the elite Revolutionary Guards.  Iranian officials say Jundollah has links to Sunni Islamist al Qaeda and support from Pakistan, Britain and the United States. London, Washington and Islamabad deny backing it..”  [Complete Report]

Sri Lanka Says Iran May Lend $1.5 Billion to Expand Refinery  [May 24]
“Sri Lanka, which imports all its oil, may get a $1.5 billion loan from Iran to fully fund a project to double capacity at the South Asian island’s only refinery, the petroleum minister said.  “The earlier understanding was for us to come up with 30 percent, but Iran may come in to completely finance the expansion,” Susil Premajayantha said in an interview in the capital Colombo.  Sri Lanka plans to start the two-year construction to increase state-run Ceylon Petroleum Corp. refinery’s processing capacity to 100,000 barrels a day by early 2011, Premajayantha said May 21. China Huanqiu Contracting and Engineering Corp. has submitted a proposal to set up a refinery in Sri Lanka’s southern Hambantota district that would export products, he said.  The end of Sri Lanka’s three-decade civil war last year is attracting overseas aid and investment, stoking an economic recovery..”  [Complete Report]

Iran To Boost Non-Oil Exports To Iraq  [May 24]
“Iran plans to increase its non-oil exports to Iraq to US$7.5 billion annually from the current US$4.8 billion, the secretary-general of Iran-Iraq economic development centre said here Sunday.  “Iran mainly exports foodstuff and construction materials to Iraq,” Mehr News Agency (MNA) quoted Hassan Danaiifar as saying Sunday.  “Currently, over 8,000 tonnes of cement is being exported to Iraq daily,” he added..”  [Complete Report]

ARABIALINK Daily News – SAUDI ARABIA – 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]

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

Bahrain’s BBK Eyes Better Market Conditions for Bond  [May 24]
“Bahraini retail lender BBK BBKB.BH will issue a bond “any time the market permits”, the bank’s chief executive said on Monday, having held investor meetings last week.  The meetings in Asia and Europe were arranged by HSBC (HSBA.L), Deutsche Bank and Citigroup (C.N) with a view to a potential benchmark U.S. dollar Eurobond issue under the bank’s existing euro medium term notes (EMTN) programme.  Benchmark-sized bonds are typically at least $500 million.  ‘We had very good sessions with our investors and we updated them on our status and our financials and then we will find the time when the window is open,’ AbdulKarim Ahmed Bucheery told reporters on the sidelines of a conference..”  [Complete Report]

Progress Made on Bahrain-Saudi Pipeline  [May 24]
“Designs and planning for the route of a new crude oil pipeline from Saudi Arabia to Bahrain are expected later in 2010, a Bahraini official said in Manama.  Bahraini Oil and Gas Affairs Minister Abdul Hussein Mirza told delegates at a petroleum conference in Manama that the $350 million project would increase energy security in the region. The 70-mile pipeline will use a safer route that avoids going through inhabited areas and will also use state-of-the-art technology,” he was quoted in Gulf Daily News as saying.  The planned pipeline is expected to increase Saudi Arabian crude oil exports to Bahrain. The project, the second such project for Bahrain, would help the Persian Gulf kingdom expand operations at its national refineries.  The project was scrapped earlier as the market collapse in 2008 and 2009 wreaked havoc on world economies..”  [Complete Report]

Bahrain Calls for the Repatriation of 107 Fishermen Held by Qatar  [May 24]
“Bahrain on Sunday called for the repatriation of 107 Bahraini professional and amateur fishermen held by Qatar. “The ministers of interior and municipalities and agriculture have been tasked by the government to monitor the conditions of the Bahraini fishermen held in Qatar and to coordinate with their counterparts in Doha to ensure their safe return home,” a government spokesman said following the weekly session.  A Bahraini delegation should be formed and sent to Qatar to work with the competent authorities on the issue, the government said.  Both ministries should also ensure that similar incidents should not be repeated.  Ten days ago, Adel Al Taweel, a Bahraini fisherman was shot by Qatari coastguards for allegedly illegally entering Qatari waters. The wounded sailor was subsequently taken to hospital amid promises that he would be allowed to go home in a matter of days. However, the authorities later said that they would put him on trial for illegally entering the country. The Qataris said that they were forced to shoot after the boat did not comply with the orders to vacate the area alongside six other ships spotted on the Qatari radars..”  [Complete Report]

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

Settlement Found Under Qatar Sand by Lampeter Academic  [May 24]
“A Welsh academic has revealed how he discovered a Middle East settlement buried under sand for about 125 years. Dr Andrew Petersen first became aware of a possible settlement after finding masonry and pottery at Ras Al-Sharig in Qatar.  He thought something might be there after reading sources naming a town called Rubayqa.  “But we certainly weren’t prepared for the scale of the find,” said the expert from the University of Wales, Lampeter.  The haul includes the remains of a fort, a mosque, several industrial and domestic buildings, and 100 kilos of pottery and artefacts..”  [Complete Report]

Qatar May Export Just 6 Million mt/year of LNG to US: Attiyah  [May 24]
“Qatar may end up exporting just 6 million mt/year of LNG to the US after diverting as much as 20 million mt/year to other countries, Qatari oil minister Abdullah al-Attiyah said in an interview published Monday, without giving a firm timeline on when those figures would be reached.     Attiyah said that Qatar “may divert 12-20 million mt/year” away from the  US market. “This means our gas exports to the US would remain in the range of 6 million mt/year,” he said in the interview, published by the Middle East Economic Survey.  To date, Qatari LNG exports to the US have been well below those levels, reaching just 60,000 mt in 2008 and 260,000 mt in 2009. But last year the country commissioned several new LNG production trains, with more to follow this year, and much of that output had been sold under contracts to US buyers..”  [Complete Report]

Qatar Signs $576m Infrastructure Contracts  [May 24]
“Qatar’s Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has signed contracts worth QR2.1bn ($576m) as the Gulf state continues to invest in its infrastructure.  The deals were inked with various companies for a total of five projects including the Doha and Rayyan Sewerage lines phase 1 (Mesaimeer), phase 2 (Ain Khalid), Doha South Sewerage Treatment Works expansion phase 2, Al-Ruwais Port expansion works and renovation of Qatar Radio and Television Corporation Complex. The biggest project to be awarded was the QR781.7m expansion work on the Al Ruwais Port on the northern tip of the peninsula, Gulf Times reported on Monday..”  [Complete Report]

Tourist Arrivals in Qatar Set to Touch 1.8mn by 2014  [May 24]
“Tourist arrivals in Qatar is expected to reach 1.8mn by 2014 with business visits projected to grow at an average 11.9% over 2009-14, according to Euromonitor.  While the global economic crisis saw international tourist nights decline from 1.2mn to 0.95mn from 2007 to 2009; the total number of tourist arrivals to Qatar increased from 0.96mn to 1.1mn over the same period, it said.  “Particularly promising is the growing number of tourists coming from outside the Middle East. Qatar has become a more popular destination for Europeans, who accounted for 16.3% of arrivals in 2004 but represented 33.1% of visitors by 2009,” it said.  Euromonitor also said many large Qatari companies and financing vehicles were looking to invest in the tourism sector, which however, is not a major contributor to the economy as Qatar’s tourist receipts of $0.7bn in 2009 trailed Bahrain and the UAE ($1.1bn and $7.2bn respectively).  However, tourism expenditure is growing and Qatar has attracted tourists in the meeting, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) market, hosting more than 80 events in 2009..”  [Complete Report]

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

Al Siyabi Becomes First Omani to Scale Mount Everest  [May 24]
“Omani adventurer Khalid Bin Sulaiman Al Siyabi has become the first Omani to scale Mount Everest, the highest mountain peak in the world at 8,848 metres above sea level.  After hoisting the Omani flag on Everest Summit, Al Siyabi, 37, said that his two-month-long mission was achieved after a lot of hardship and determination, according to a report by Oman News Agency.  “It was not easy as it posed some risks, including changing weather conditions and severe cold with temperatures sometimes dropping to below 50 degrees Celsius,” he pointed out.  He added that the climb to the Everest was delayed due to strong winds and heavy snowfall. “Lack of Oxygen on top was one of the toughest challenges that I face during this expedition,” he said.  He revealed that some of the members of the team had to drop out due to severe hardship.  However, he added, that he had resolved to reach the peak making the venture his way of commemorating celebrations of Oman’s 40th National Day anniversary..” [Complete Report]

Franklin U. Signs Affiliation With Oman School  [May 24]
“Franklin University’s latest overseas affiliation is taking the Columbus school into another Middle Eastern country. Franklin said it has signed a deal with the Modern College of Business and Science in Oman that will make MBA classes available to students at the school this fall. Classes will be held at the school’s campus in Muscat, Oman’s capital, and be taught in English by Franklin faculty who travel to the country and Modern College faculty.  For Franklin, the deal takes the school deeper into what it calls a rapidly growing market for MBA programs. The affiliation will bring Modern College, an accredited school founded in 1996, its first graduate program..” [Complete Report]

ARABIALINK Daily News – SAUDI ARABIA – 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]

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

Mobile Spam Messages to be Blocked in UAE Soon  [May 23]
“Mobile phone subscribers in the UAE will soon have the choice of blocking unwanted commercial and promotional text messages.  The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) has announced that it has asked telecommunications operators du and etisalat to provide subscribers with information on how to block incoming text messages.  A TRA official told the local Arabic newspaper Emarat El Youm that beginning next June subscribers will be able to block all spam messages.  The TRA has reached an agreement with du and etisalat on the matter and the option to block unwanted promotions text messages will be made available based on the subscriber’s request..” [Complete Report]

Aabar Raises $800 Million Loan Amid Refinancing Needs  [May 23]
“Aabar Investments PJSC raised $800 million loan as the largest shareholder in Daimler AG seeks to expand and meet its refinancing requirements.  “Aabar has nearly 8 billion dirhams in term loans scheduled to mature in 2010 so they are facing significant refinancing pressure,” said Mark Friedenthal, a fund manager at Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank. The three-year club loan with local and international lenders will be used for general corporate purposes, the Abu Dhabi-based company said in a statement to the emirate’s bourse today without giving further details.  Aabar has three loans due this year, including a 1.22 billion-dirham loan used to finance the purchase of a stake in Banco Santander (Brasil) SA, and a $1.6 billion short-term loan for investment financing, the company’s 2009 financial statement shows..”  [Complete Report]

UAE, Kazakhstan to Sign Customs Pact  [May 23]
“The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Kazakhstan will sign a customs agreement that is expected to help stop illegal trade practices and protect economic, social and cultural interests of the two countries.  The UAE’s Federal Customs Authority (FCA) had already signed the final draft accord with Kazakhstan in Astana earlier this month.  However, the official signing of the final pact is scheduled in the next few days upon ratification by the relevant national agencies and the leaderships of both countries.  Head of international relations at FCA, Saud Al-Akroubi said the accord would strengthen economic and trade ties, as well as stop illegal commercial practices and protect economic, social and cultural interests of both the countries.  The agreement provides for exchange of customs data between the two countries, he explained..”  [Complete Report]

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

Qatar Charity Completes Construction of Kosovo’s Second Largest Mosque [May 23]
“Qatar Charity has completed the construction of Kosovo’s second largest mosque at a cost of QR 1.4 million ($385,000).  “The mosque consists of three floors and includes special classes for teaching the Holy Quran and Arabic language,” Mahmoud Abbas, Qatar Charity’s representative in Kosovo said.  “The mosque, built on an area of 800 square meters, can accommodate 9,000 worshippers,” he said.  Charity work also focused on orphan sponsorship, income-generating projects and seasonal projects in partnership with the Kosovo’s Social Association Maqboula (Acceptable), Mahmoud said.  A comprehensive sponsorship of 900 orphans includes covering their health, education, sports and recreational activities.  Under a plan to empower economically the orphans, the charity, in cooperation with Maqboula, assisted 50 families with income-generating projects such as milky cows, groceries and car workshops..”  [Complete Report]

Qatar Stocks Tumble to 2-Month Low on $70 Oil  [May 23]
“Qatari shares tumbled to the lowest level in two months, leading a decline in Gulf Arab markets, as oil prices closed near a low for the year and European stocks fell last week on concern economic growth may slow.  Industries Qatar, the second-biggest petrochemicals maker in the Middle East, dropped to the lowest since August and National Bank of Kuwait also declined. Gulf Finance House EC, a Bahrain-based investment bank, retreated to the lowest in at least six years. Qatar’s gauge lost 1.5 percent to 6,974.96, the lowest since March 15. The Bloomberg GCC 200 Index, which tracks 200 equities in the region, fell 1 percent at 14:48 in Dubai. Kuwait’s Combined Group Contracting Co. advanced.  Crude oil has tumbled 19 percent this month and closed at $70.04 a barrel on May 21..”  [Complete Report]

Qatar’s New Aluminium Smelter Eyes Peak Output on Back of Stable Prices  [May 23]
” With global aluminium prices expected to hold at the $2,000 (Dh7,346) a tonne-plus level through the year, Qatar’s newly commissioned giant smelter is aiming to make a perfect pitch.  It was last month that the $5.7 billion Qatalum plant was formally commissioned with an annual installed capacity of 585,000 metric tonnes of premium quality aluminium ingots.  Since then, shipments have already been made to clients in Europe, Southern Asia and the Far East, as well as to Saudi Arabia.  In fact, Qatalum which expects to touch peak production before the year is out sees a significant buildup in its prospects among a regional clientele over the medium term.  “Certainly, the growth of regional markets especially in the construction industry is fuelling and increasing the appetite for aluminium,” said Jan-Arve Haughan, Qatalum chief executive officer..”  [Complete Report]

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

Indian amnesty seekers in Oman asked to report for finger printing [May 23]
“An Indian social worker in Oman has appealed to amnesty seekers to complete the finger printing formalities by May 31, the deadline given by the Manpower Ministry in Oman for overstaying expatriates to leave the country without paying any penalties. “A total of over 21,000 have registered at the embassy so far,” P M Jabir, Community Welfare Secretary at the Indian Social Club, said in a press release. Jabir is at the forefront in coordinating with the embassy and amnesty seeking blue collar workers. “It is mandatory to complete the fingerprinting before they can exit the country and that would also make the Indian embassy’s task to process each case faster. “We request all concerned people to come forward at the earliest,” he appealed. “Even if we assume some duplication in the registration, the figure would be approximately twenty thousand,” Jabir said..”  [Complete report]

Oman reports large fiscal surplus in Q1 [May 23]
“Strong crude prices along with higher oil production allowed Oman to record a large budget surplus in the first quarter of 2010 despite an increase in investments and other expenditures, official data showed yesterday. Spending during January-March stood at RO1.574 billion (Dh15.04bn) and revenue at RO1.996bn, creating a surplus of RO421.2 million, the Omani Ministry of Economy said in its April bulletin. The surplus is compared to a deficit of about RO16.6m in the first quarter of 2009, according to the report. A breakdown showed the surplus was achieved as a result of a sharp rise in the Gulf country’s oil revenues, which more than doubled to RO1.425bn in the first quarter of this year from nearly RO709.2 million in the first quarter of 2009. Gas revenue edged up by about 2.2 per cent to RO219m from RO215m, while customs revenue surged by about 26 per cent. By contrast, the report showed a 51.7 per cent plunge in corporate income tax and a decline of about 30.5 per cent in capital revenues..” [Complete report]

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

Kuwait Human Rights Association calls for immediate release of Mohammad Al Jassem [May 23]
“Kuwait Human Rights Association has called for the immediate release of Mohammad Al Jasem, the activist detained on charges of insulting the Emir, inciting the overthrow of government, and spreading false news that could affect Kuwait’s national interests, according to his lawyer Jasser Al Jidei. The rights watchdog said upon completing a visit to the detainee on Sunday, Al Jasem should pay a bail and allowed to go home until his case is reviewed. The public prosecutor has given the permission for the visit. “He is a well-known Kuwaiti national and he is easy to find and there is no risk of him running away or trying to influence witnesses or to alter evidence,” the association said. Al Jasem was in high spirits and was receiving adequate medical care despite the low standards of the prison infrastructure..” [Complete report]

Investment Dar Says Agrees on Restructuring Terms With Creditors [May 23]
“Investment Dar Co., the Kuwait-based owner of half of Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd., said the main terms to restructure the companyís debt has been agreed with its creditors. ìAll commercial aspects of the documentation required for the implementation of the restructuring plan have now been agreed with the coordinating committee, the representative group of Investment Darís banks and investors, and its advisors,î the company said in a statement to Nasdaq Dubai today. Investment Dar is in the process of completing a five-year business plan and budgets under the terms of the restructuring plan, which envisages the full repayment of all outstanding obligations. The details of the business plan and budgets will be discussed with the coordinating committee of main creditors in Dubai on May 24, it said..” [Complete report]

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

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki Has Iranian Support [May 23]
“Iran is throwing its weight behind Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki’s bid for a second term, political insiders say, an endorsement that could seal his hold on power. Tehran wields considerable influence over Iraq’s two largest Shiite blocs, which formed an alliance this month after coming in second and third in the March 7 parliamentary election. That alliance has virtually ensured they will form another Shiite-dominated government even though a Sunni-backed party won the most seats. The US is concerned about Iranian attempts to influence Iraq’s political process, a State Department spokesman said on Friday. He reiterated Washington’s call not to exclude minority Sunnis from government something many in Iraq fear could inflame sectarian tensions anew. Shiite coalitions have ruled Iraq since the end of Saddam Hussain’s regime but were pressured by the US into accommodating the Sunnis. Sunni anger over being largely excluded from government fuelled sectarian violence that brought Iraq to the brink of civil war several years ago. The US will no longer have such leverage as its military role fades..” [Complete report]

Top Shiite Cleric Calls for Unity [May 23]
“Iraq’s Sunni-backed coalition that narrowly won the March election says the country’s most influential Shiite cleric has assured them that no group will be excluded from the new government. Ayad Allawi, a secular Shiite, says Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani told him during a meeting Sunday that national unity is crucial and that a new government should be formed as quickly as possible. The cleric also told Iraqiya leaders he has “no veto” on which politicians serve, alliance members said. Allawi’s list won the March 7 vote by two seats over the Shiite prime minister. Neither bloc won a majority to form a government, although al-Maliki has come close by joining forces with another Shiite coalition. Allawi insists his bloc should get the first chance at forming a government..” [Complete report]

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

Iran Takes Up Visa Denial Row With US at UN [May 23]
“Iran has accused the United States of abusing its position as the host of the United Nations by denying a visa to the Islamic Republic’s deputy foreign minister, according to a letter released on Friday. Iran’s letter to the UN Committee on Relations with the Host Country said deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs Mohammad Mahdi Akhondzadeh Basti was repeatedly denied a visa by US authorities. In the letter, Iran’s UN ambassador Mohammad Khazaee said Washington’s refusal to issue an entry visa to Tehran’s top official overseeing its relations with the United Nations kept him from attending events like the review conference held from May 3 to 28 on the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, where Iran’s atomic programme is a key topic of discussion..” [Complete Report]

Iran speaker: Will Ditch Fuel Plan if New Sanctions [May 23]
“Iran will abandon an atomic fuel swap plan brokered by Turkey and Brazil if the United States imposes new sanctions on the Islamic state, Iran’s parliament speaker said on Sunday. In remarks broadcast on state-owned IRIB, Ali Larijani said Tehran could also review its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). “If the Americans want to seek adventure, whether in the U.N Security Council or in (the U.S.) Congress, all the efforts of Turkey and Brazil will be in vain and this path will be abandoned,” said Larijani, an influential conservative. “In this situation parliament will make a different decision over Iran’s cooperation with the IAEA.” Parliament has the power to oblige the government to change its cooperation with the IAEA, as it did in 2006 after the Vienna-based agency voted to report Iran to the Security Council..” [Complete Report]

As Tensions Rise, Israel Launches Air Raid Drill [May 23]
“Israel launched its biggest air raid exercise Sunday to test its preparedness against possible missile strikes from Iranian-sponsored militant groups as international tensions rose over Tehran’s nuclear program. Israel has called for strong economic sanctions against Iran over its nuclear plans but, in a hint of possible military action, has said all options were on the table should diplomacy fail to resolve the dispute. Israeli officials said the exercise, which will include sounding air raid sirens Wednesday, would focus on municipal authorities’ responses to a scenario in which missiles were launched from the Gaza Strip, controlled by Hamas Islamists, and by Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon. Both are allies of Iran. In public remarks at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described Israel’s biggest civil defense exercise as a routine, protective move and said the government sought only “quiet, stability and peace.”..” [Complete Report]

Iran Aims to Become Gasoline Exporter – official [May 23]
“Iran seeks to become self-sufficient in gasoline in two years’ time and then to start exporting the fuel, an official said on Sunday, as some traders and international oil firms cease sales to the Islamic state. The world’s fifth-largest crude exporter imports at least 30 percent of its gasoline needs but says the construction of new refineries will boost domestic output and make it less vulnerable to any future sanctions targeting such trade. “By building new refineries we will become a gasoline exporter,” ISNA news agency quoted Ali Reza Zeighami, managing director of the National Iranian Refining and Oil Products Distribution Company, as saying. “The plan is to become self-sufficient in two years’ time … by implementing the scheme to increase gasoline production in refineries,” Zeighami said..” [Complete Report]

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

Rights group seeks probe into Bahrain shooting incident [May 23]
“Amnesty International has urged Bahrain to investigate whether riot police used excessive force in the shooting of an anti-government protester accused of taking part in riots in a Shiite village. The London-based rights group said the protester, Hassan Ali, was shot on Monday in disputed circumstances the same day that Bahrain’s Attorney General said clashes between villagers and policemen resulted in a police car being set alight. “He is suffering from 12 different gunshot wounds all over his body, including three in his head,” the Bahrain Human Rights Society said, adding that Ali had been moved to a military hospital and demanding he be returned to an intensive care unit. Local media reports said Ali would be remanded in police custody for one month. “The authorities need to establish whether he [Ali] was the victim of excessive force, in which case the police officer who shot him and any others responsible for the use of excessive force should be held to account,” Malcolm Smart, Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Programme Director, said in a statement posted on Amnesty’s website..”  [Complete report]

Bahrain’s Arcapita signs $200 mln loan, sees FY loss [May 23]
“Bahraini investment house Arcapita [ARCAB.UL] on Sunday signed a new $200 million loan, signaling that debt markets are opening up to the troubled sector, and said it expected a sizable loss for this year. Bahrain’s investment houses have been badly hit by the financial crisis and a regional property down-turn, and some of them had to revert to rights issues to shore up their balance sheets as debt capital markets remained largely shut. Arcapita said in a statement it had signed the $200 million loan facility with Standard Chartered (STAN.L), which it would use to strengthen its balance sheet and for general corporate purposes. It did not provide any further details such as the tenor of the facility..” [Complete report]

Bahrain and Sharjah trade rises to $272m [May 23]
“Bahrain’s trade with Sharjah topped one billion UAE dirhams ($272 million) last year, says a report. The kingdom was also ranked fifth largest trading partner of the UAE emirate in the GCC. Sharjah’s foreign trade jumped to 60.5bn dirhams last year. During a presentation of a report on foreign trade activities last year, Sharjah Economic Development Department general manager Ali bin Salem Al Mahmoud said that foreign trade constituted a basic foundation that not only helped increase the emirate’s gross domestic product (GDP), but also improved living standards. In addition, he said, it led to export orientation and replacement of imports, and paved the way for improved economic performance and investor-friendly climate. He added that the replacement of imports had been accorded the highest priority to improve export performance, increase demand and achieve better balance for all economic sectors..” [Complete report]