In Monday's Middle East papers

05 January 2009 05:00  [Source: ICIS news]

OMAN TRIBUNE

Front page

Gaza pounded, 42 killed
Israeli troops and tanks split the Gaza Strip and ringed its main city on Sunday in an offensive against Hamas that has killed more than 500 Palestinians, many of them civilians.

Bomber kills 35 in Baghdad
A bomber infiltrated a crowd and blew himself up, killing at least 35 people and wounding at least 79 at a shrine in Baghdad on Sunday, Iraqi officials said.

Business

Brown plays down more bail-outs
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown played down the prospect of injecting more state cash into struggling banks in an interview on Sunday, amid fears that October’s bailout has failed to boost credit flows.

Federal Reserve ‘needs to’ mimic below-zero rates
A grim economic outlook highlights the need for the Federal Reserve to step up quantitative measures to boost growth, with official interest rates already effectively at zero, Charles Evans, president of the Chicago Fed, said late on Saturday.

KHALEEJ TIMES

Front page

Israel presses on with Gaza attack
Israeli forces on Monday pressed on with a deadly ground, sea and air offensive against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip that has cut the territory in two and France spearheaded diplomatic efforts to obtain a truce.

‘Treacherous’ US breaks pacts, Iran tells Iraq
Iran warned Iraq on Sunday an ‘intensely treacherous’ United States habitually broke pacts like one it recently concluded on American troops quitting Iraq by 2011.

Business

IPO possible, but not soon: Nakheel
UAE’s leading property developer, Nakheel said on Sunday that a reported $15bn public issue was one of the options to raise capital, but may not be imminent.

Anchor Marina on Palm Jumeirah set to open
The luxury Anchor Marina, the first operational marina on Palm Jumeirah providing state-of-the-art facilities to yacht owners from all over the world, is set to open in the first quarter of 2009.

ARAB TIMES

Front page

Thousands in Kuwait protest Israeli attacks
"Down with Israel! Down with the US!" Muslims must unite against their only enemy -the Zionist entity! Kuwait supports Hamas, its leaders, and its military division -Al-Kassam," shouted thousands of protesters while marching from the Flag Square to the National Assembly on Saturday.

3 blocs willing to join govt ‘on condition’ tied to grilling
Representatives of three parliamentary blocs, in the recently concluded meeting with the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, allegedly expressed their willingness to participate in the next government provided the premier accepts the principle of grilling erring ministers and prime minister, reports Al-Anba quoting sources.

Business

Opec may meet in Kuwait in Feb, says Iran official
A senior Iranian official said on Saturday OPEC could meet in February in Kuwait to review the oil market’s performance in January, after a newly agreed production cut, but added that no official invitation had been made.

Kuwait crude rises to $39.23
The price of Kuwaiti export crude oil was at $39.23/bbl on Friday after beginning the year with a gain of $6.34, said Kuwait Petroleum Corporation on Saturday.

ARAB NEWS

Front page

King tells Palestinians to stand united
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah called on Palestinian factions to stand united against their common enemy and said that Palestinian unity was essential to stopping Israeli aggression and achieving a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East.

Civilians bear brunt of attack
Dozens of civilians were killed as the Israeli war machine rolled on in the Gaza Strip.

Business

Dubai dream turns sour as job losses mount
Dubai’s rapid expansion in recent years provided jobs for millions. But the global financial meltdown has abruptly ended the dream for many people as more and more firms sack staff to cut costs.

Turkey plans to issue debut sovereign Sukuk
Turkey in its own unique way is bumbling into Islamic capital markets through the planned issuance of its debut sovereign Sukuk (Islamic bond).

TEHRAN TIMES

Front page

Leader tells Iraq PM: US promises should not be trusted
Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei on Sunday expressed concern about a security deal signed between Iraq and the United States, saying Iraq will see no carefree time as long as the US occupies the country.

UNIMA official honoured by Iran’s Theatre Forum
Iran’s Theatre Forum honoured Alain Lecucq, an official of the Union Internationale de la Marionnette (UNIMA), during a ceremony in Tehran on Saturday.

Business

477,000 fast-yielding projects launched since 2006
Deputy Labour and Social Affairs Minister Hamid Haji-Abdolvahab has announced that 477,000 fast-yielding projects came on stream from March 2006 to the end of December 2008.

SAIPA, Iran Khodro post 10% rise in car production in 2008
The giant subsidiaries of the Industrial Development and Renovation Organisation of Iran (IDRO), SAIPA and Iran Khodro, posted a 10% rise in car production in 2008.

ALJAZEERA

Front page

Israel intensifies assault on Gaza
More than 500 Palestinian and four Israeli civilians killed and 2,450 injured so far.

Hamas 'to attend' Cairo truce talks
Diplomatic efforts aimed at getting ceasefire stepped up as Israeli offensive continues.

Business

Data points to further Asian woes
South Korean exports slump on falling demand as figures show Singapore GDP shrivelling.

Gulf states agree on monetary union
Gulf Arab states will maintain their 2010 deadline for a single currency.

THE DAILY STAR

Front page

Beirut sends 20 tonnes of medical supplies to help Gazans
Lebanon dispatched nearly 20 tonnes of medical on Sunday equipment to hospitals in the Gaza Strip which have struggled to cope with a spiralling casualty toll from Israel's nine-day onslaught.

Analysts confident Hizbullah will not be drawn into Israel's war against Gaza
Hizbullah will not rush to open a second front to help rescue Palestinians caught up in Israel's devastating war against the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, analysts said.

Business

Global guidebook takes Lebanese real estate down a peg in terms of cost
The Global Property Guide's annual report on real estate investment trends around the world indicated that Lebanon ranked in 60th place globally, up from 62nd place in 2007, and 4th among 10 markets in the Middle East & North Africa in terms of "roundtrip transaction costs" (RTCs) which reflects all costs of buying.

Statistics show late 2008 surge in Lebanese industrial investment
According to statistics released by the Ministry of Industry, imports of industrial machinery, which mirror the activity of investments made in the industrial sector, amounted to LL231.8bn or $153.8m in the first 10 months of 2008, up by 11.4% from the same period of 2007.

GULF DAILY NEWS

Front page

Stop the genocide!
The Cabinet condemned genocide and racial cleansing of Palestinians at the hands of Israeli forces.

Hospitals ready for Palestinians
Palestinian patients could soon be flown to Bahrain for urgent medical treatment in the wake of sustained Israeli attacks on Gaza, the GDN has learnt.

Business

Causeway to spur growth in region
The Friendship Causeway will strengthen Bahrain's position as a key access point for global firms to develop their business in the region.

Global financial crisis hits IPOs
Funds raised through initial public offerings (IPOs) in the Middle East fell sharply due to poor investor sentiment amid the global downturn.

By: Staff Reporter
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