In Thursday's Middle East papers

28 August 2008 05:30  [Source: ICIS news]

OMAN TRIBUNE

Front Page

Pakistan reappoints eight sacked judges
Eight judges among dozens sacked by Pakistan’s former president Pervez Musharraf were reappointed by the government on Wednesday, a move condemned by many lawyers as a political stunt.

Children display creative skills at Bait Al Baranda
A grand function marked the conclusion of the seven-week art and photography workshop-cum-exhibition by school children in the age group of 5-17 at the Bait Al Baranda Museum here on Wednesday.

Business

Stocks bounce as US durable goods orders show strength
Global shares rose on Wednesday thanks to an oil-powered rally in British stocks and a surprise rise in US durable goods data, which suggested that the world’s largest economy may avoid recession.

Oil rises for third day as Storm Gustav threatens
Oil rose for a third day on Wednesday, boosted by the possibility that Tropical Storm Gustav could threaten Gulf of Mexico oil and gas installations, as well as data showing an unexpected fall in US crude oil stocks.

KHALEEJ TIMES

Front Page

Russia hits out at West over Georgia tensions
Russia lashed out at the West on Wednesday for ratcheting up tensions in the Black Sea with an increased NATO naval presence, and warned against isolating Moscow over the conflict in Georgia.

Gustav kills 22, heads to Cuba and Mexico Gulf
Tropical Storm Gustav churned toward Cuba and the United States Wednesday after lashing Haiti and the Dominican Republic with hurricane force winds and rain that killed 22 people.

Business

Japan seeks UAE’s sovereign investments
Tokyo is looking to attract Sovereign Wealth Funds (SWFs) in the UAE to make long-term investments in Japan, particularly in sectors offering high returns, as both countries stress the importance of human and economic development.

Al Habtoor considers DIFX listing
Al Habtoor Leighton Group, the Dubai-based contractor that’s constructing the Paris Sorbonne University campus in Abu Dhabi, plans to sell as much as 40%of its shares in an initial public offering in May.

ARAB TIMES

Front Page

Striking B’deshis beat up two supervisors over wages 
Tension prevailed at a labour camp in Jleeb Al-Shyoukh after two supervisors of a cleaning company were beaten up by a large number of striking Bangladeshi workers allegedly over unpaid wages, a reliable source told the Arab Times on condition of anonymity.

MoE blacklists four schools for not complying with directives 
General Director of Private Education Department Moha-mmed Al-Dahes in the Ministry of Education (MoE) has advised parents and guardians of 3,500 beneficiaries of a charitable fund sponsoring the education of needy students not to enrol their children in Al-Rawabi, Future Children, Al-Tawafuk and Al-Andalus sch-ools, reports Al-Qabas.

Business

Kuwait inflation still in double digits of 11.1% for May 
In its latest economic brief, National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) reports that consumer price index (CPI) inflation posted further head-turning advances in recent months 11.4% (yoy) in April (a record) and 11.1% in May 2008.

Loans grow by KD84m during July 
Local banks in Kuwaiti had witnessed a significant increase in loans and credit facilities during the month of July despite it being the travel season, increasing KD84.2m to record a total of KD7.23bn.

ARAB NEWS

Front Page

Lawyers vow to fight toxic waste dumping
Lawyers representing 600 Madinah residents who filed a lawsuit against three government departments for failing to stop the dumping of toxic waste in their neighbourhood have pledged to appeal a decision by a judge to throw out the case.

Illegal occupants of a building attack cops
Angry residents in Makkah attacked three police officers who had come to evict them from their homes in the Al-Hijra district of the city.

Business

New strategic investment alliance in Gulf
Due to booming demand in the infrastructure, agriculture and hospitality sectors, a new strategic alliance has been formed between Gulf Finance House (GFH), Ithmaar Bank and Abu Dhabi Investment House (ADIH) to create three visionary initiatives focused on driving market specific innovation across the Middle East, North Africa, south Asia (MENASA) region and beyond.

Kuwaiti firm takes over Saudi retailer Al-Sawani
Kuwait’s Global Investment House has bought a 60% stake in Saudi retail chain Al-Sawani Food and Industrial Supply Company, Global said yesterday.

TEHRAN TIMES

Front Page

Scientific advancement essential for health and wealth of nation: Leader
Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said here on Tuesday that scientific advancement is one of the best means for strengthening the country and boosting the national economy.

IAA spotlights nomad art and culture
The Iranian Academy of Arts (IAA) is holding a seminar on the art and culture of Iran’s nomads that will open at Tehran’s Aseman Cultural Center on Wednesday.

Business

Iran to put 750 industrial plans into operation in Govt. week
Concurrent with the government week (Aug. 23-30), 750 industrial and mining projects will go on stream in Iran with 18,830bn rials ($1.07bn) worth of investment, announced the industries and mines minister here on Tuesday.

INCC allots $13.1m to hand-woven carpet industry
The director of Iran National Carpet Center (INCC) here on Tuesday announced that the INCC has allotted 125bn rials ($13.1m) worth of banking facilities to the investment in the country’s hand-woven carpet industry.

ALJAZEERA

Front Page

Biden accepts Democratic nomination
Joseph Biden has accepted the US Democratic party's vice-presidential nomination, just hours after Barack Obama's selection as presidential candidate was approved at the party's convention in Denver.

Russian warships sent to Abkhazia
Russia has sent a missile cruiser and two other ships to a Georgian port, while a US military ship has docked at another southern port in a show of force amid an escalating standoff with the West over a nation devastated by war with Russia.

Business

China agrees $3bn Iraq oil deal
Iraq and China have agreed the terms of a $3bn oil service contract, Iraq's oil minister says, announcing the first major oil contract with a foreign firm since the fall of Saddam Hussein.

S Korea officials warned off golf
Lee Myung-bak, South Korea's president, has told his officials to stop playing golf, saying it sends the wrong message to people suffering the effects of the country's economic downturn.

THE DAILY STAR

Front Page

Sleiman urges world to open up to Syria
President Michel Sleiman on Wednesday urged the international community to open up to Syria because of its key role in the region.

UNIFIL, Lebanese Army conduct joint maneuvers along border
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) carried out a joint military maneuver along the Lebanese border Wednesday in a bid to "build up the skills of fighting groups and preserve their efficiency," the peacekeeping force said in a statement.

Business

'Lebanese cellular rates can drop three months after privatisation'
Kamal S. Shehadi, the chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority (TRA), said Wednesday the cellular rates in Lebanon will start falling within three months after the privatisation of the mobile networks and TRA issuing broadband licenses.

Kafalat loans totalled $74m in first seven months of 2008
Figures released by the Kafalat Corporation indicate that loans extended to small and medium-sized companies under the guarantee of Kafalat totalled LL111.6bn, or $74m in the first seven months of 2008, up by a noteworthy 56.4% from the same period of the previous year, Bank Audi's Weekly Monitor said.

GULF DAILY NEWS

Front Page

$10bn ideas
A $10bn initiative is being launched out of Bahrain to boost investment in infrastructure, the hospitality industry and agriculture across the Middle East and beyond.

Blueprint major step for women
A decision to include women in Bahrain's national budget for the first time is set to revolutionise the way health, housing and childcare services are provided.

Business

Bahrain to host work boat show 
The Gulf is now a major centre for the work boat industry with multi-billion dollar offshore land reclamation development projects running concurrently with major oil and gas projects.

Expo space to be extended 
Bahrain International Property Exhibition (BIPEX 2008) is being extended by 1,200 sq/m after the initial floor space was sold out. "It is a matter of pride that the entire exhibition area which was initially earmarked, has been sold out two months prior to the opening of BIPEX 2008," said BIPEX organising committee chairman Mohammed Khalil Alsayed.

By: Staff Reporter
+44 20 8652 3214

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