In Wednesday's Middle East papers

09 April 2008 04:30  [Source: ICIS news]

OMAN TRIBUNE

Front Page

African exports to get preferential treatment
The government will ease access for exports from the world's poorest countries, the prime minister said on Tuesday, as he opened a summit with African leaders with calls for fairer global economic and political representation.

Sadr’s threat to withdraw ceasefire
Cleric Moqtada Al Sadr threatened on Tuesday to end a truce he imposed on his militia last year, raising the prospect of worsening violence as the top US commander in Iraq told Congress he plans to stop US troop withdrawals in July due to fragile security gains in a war update that drew scrutiny from US presidential candidates.

Business

QNB provides $39m loan to Desertline
The Oman branch of Qatar National Bank (QNB) on Tuesday signed a $39m credit facility agreement with the Oman-based Desertline Group of Companies.

CMA seminar highlights role of capital markets
The Capital Market Authority (CMA) on Tuesday organised a seminar to highlight the role played by capital markets in economic development. The seminar was held under the auspices of HE Mohammed Bin Nasser Al Khusaibi, Secretary-General at the Ministry of National Economy.

KHALEEJ TIMES

Front Page

US commander: Iraq too fragile for further troop pullouts
The top US commander in Iraq says in congressional testimony that hard-won gains in the war zone are too fragile to promise any troop pullouts beyond this summer, holding his ground against impatient Democrats and refusing to commit to more withdrawals before President George W Bush leaves office in January.

Iraq’s Sadr threatens to scrap ceasefire
Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr threatened on Tuesday to end a truce he imposed on his militia last year, raising the prospect of worsening violence on a day when top US officials testified on Iraq in Washington.

Business

Al Futtaim buys 88% of Robinson
Leading UAE business conglomerate, Al Futtaim Group, yesterday announced that it has won control of Singapore-based Robinson and Company (RCL), and said it was seeking to increase its stake to 95%.

Shuaa Capital to launch hotel sector fund
Dubai- based Shuaa Capital is launching an investment fund, proceeds of which would be used to develop hotels in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the largest Arab economy.

ARAB TIMES

Front Page

Canadian late for own funeral after coffin misses flight 
A Canadian family's grief turned to outrage Tuesday after a deceased relative missed his own funeral because his coffin was bumped from a flight home to make room for luggage, media said Tuesday.

8 teens charged with beating girl so they could videotape the attack for YouTube 
Eight teenagers have been arrested on charges alleging they beat another teen in an 'animalistic attack' so they could make a videotape to post on YouTube. Seven of them remained in juvenile detention Tuesday, authorities said. A boy who was charged as an adult had been released on bail

Business

UAE backs dollar peg as Gulf pushes for FX union 
The United Arab Emirates backed its Gulf Arab neighbours on Monday in a plan to get a single currency on track, saying it would not change its dirham’s dollar peg as the region prepares for monetary union.

Kuwait, Japan seal $6bnVietnam deal 
Vietnam takes another step to becoming self sufficient in fuel, after sealing a $6bn joint venture deal on Monday for its second refinery with daily capacity of 200,000 barrels that could double in future. 

ARAB NEWS

Front Page

Naif calls for study on providing citizenship to undocumented Saudis
Interior Minister Prince Naif has urged officials of his ministry and the National Society for Human Rights (NSHR) to conduct a study on providing citizenship to undocumented Saudis.

Barghouti urges cease-fire
Jailed senior Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti yesterday called for a comprehensive cease-fire and affirmed his support for a two-state solution in a message to Israelis.

Business

Alwaleed discusses economic issues with Polish delegation
Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal, chairman of Kingdom Holding Company, received at his office a Polish delegation headed by Bogdan Borusewicz, speaker of the Polish Senate on Sunday.

Value of Saudi traded shares falls to Saudi Riyals (SR)705.28bn ($1.8bn)
The Saudi stock market continued to surge yesterday. The Tadawul All-Share Index (TASI) closed 13.40 points higher at 9,423.58 yesterday after gaining 103.11 points on Monday and 227.60 points on Saturday.

TEHRAN TIMES

Front Page

Iran starts installing 6000 new centrifuges
Iran has started installing “6000 new centrifuges” at the Natanz enrichment plant, President Mahmud Ahmadinejad announced after visiting the nuclear enrichment facility on Tuesday.

Iranian poets laud cultural communication of Manama poetry gathering
Arabs are mostly interested in the themes of Persian poetry rather than the language and forms since the play on words of the original is lost in the Arabic translations, poet Sadeq Rahmani told the Mehr News Agency on Thursday.

Business

Iran starts installing 6000 new centrifuges
Iran has started installing “6000 new centrifuges” at the Natanz enrichment plant, President Mahmud Ahmadinejad announced after visiting the nuclear enrichment facility on Tuesday.

Iranian poets laud cultural communication of Manama poetry gathering
Arabs are mostly interested in the themes of Persian poetry rather than the language and forms since the play on words of the original is lost in the Arabic translations, poet Sadeq Rahmani told the Mehr News Agency on Thursday.

ALJAZEERA

Front Page

Petraeus urges halt to Iraq pullout  
The senior US commander in Iraq has called for a suspension in troop withdrawals from the country after July in order to assess last year's so-called troop "surge".

Sadr threatens to end Iraq truce  
Muqtada al-Sadr, the Iraqi Shia leader who has been told to disband his Mahdi army or be barred from politics, has threatened to lift a ceasefire that he put in place last August.

Business

IMF: Sub-prime losses to hit $950bn  
The International Monetary Fund has warned that the sub-prime mortgage crisis could cost the global economy $945bn in financial losses.

EU defeat in banana export row  
The World Trade Organisation (WTO) has confirmed its ruling against European banana import barriers, upholding a complaint by Ecuador.

THE DAILY STAR

Front Page

Siniora hits Riyadh, Abu Dhabi to garner support at new summit
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said on Tuesday that Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri "lacks freedom of movement," accusing him of "closing down Lebanon's Parliament." "Why doesn't Berri open Parliament for dialogue? Why should national dialogue take place outside Parliament?" Kouchner asked reporters during.

Egyptian election: 'The results were known before the voting'
Polls closed with little excitement on Tuesday in Egyptian local elections boycotted by the main opposition group, the Muslim Brotherhood, and overshadowed by wage protests in which one teenager has died. With the victory of the ruling party never in doubt after the disqualification of many opposition candidates, few Egyptians turned out to vote.

Business

Egypt dispatches high-level team to ease strike calls
A high-level government team visited Egypt's Nile Delta city of Mahalla al-Kobra on Tuesday for talks with textile workers after two days of deadly riots over price hikes and low pay.

Azour touts growth of 'close to 4%despite obstacles
Lebanon's economy grew by about 4%last year despite a long-running political crisis and increased sectarian tensions, Finance Minister Jihad Azour said on Monday.

GULF DAILY NEWS

Front Page

Halt Iraq pullout urges Petraeus 
he US general commanding the Iraq war yesterday called for an open-ended suspension of US troop withdrawals in July, saying a rapid withdrawal would jeopardise recent security gains.

Iraq face-off 
White House hopefuls Hillary Rodham Clinton, Barack Obama and John McCain were confronting the two men who are the face of the US-led Iraq war at high-profile congressional hearings yesterday as the unpopular conflict takes centre stage in the tight US presidential race.

Business

GCC and EU trade on the surge 
There are already positive indicators that total trade and investment between the GCC and the European Union is up ahead of the signing of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

FTA 'will be a big boon for small businesses' 
The signing of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the GCC and Europe will be particularly good for small to medium sized businesses.

By: Staff Reporter
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