In Monday's Middle East papers

12 October 2009 05:00  [Source: ICIS news]

OMAN TRIBUNE

Front page

Muscat Expressway to be ready next year
The Muscat Expressway project is expected to be completed in late 2010. Designed in accordance with the highest international standards, the expressway project consists of the construction of a divided dual carriageway, with three lanes in each direction from Al Qurum roundabout to Al Naseem Gardens roundabout.

Sultanate will import only proven H1N1 vaccines
No vaccine will be imported into the Sultanate before it is checked and used in the country where it is being manufactured and before its safety and effectiveness is confirmed internationally, HE Ahmed Bin Mohammed Al Saidi, Undersecretary for Health Affairs at the Ministry of Health, told Oman Tribune.

Business

Gulf economies to report weak growth in ’09: IMF
The international Monetary Fund (IMF) on Sunday said the real GDP growth in 2009 for Gulf countries including Oman would fall from an estimated 6.4%.

Salalah tender panel holds meeting
Salalah Tender Committee held a meeting on Sunday under the chairmanship of Deputy Governor of Dhofar HE Sheikh Abdullah Bin Saif Al Mahrouqi and opened bids for various developmental projects.

KHALEEJ TIMES

Front page

Clinton downplays Pakistan nuke threat
Clinton said the Taliban siege of Pakistan’s army HQ showed extremists are a growing threat in the American ally, but she contended they do not pose a risk to the atomic arsenal.

Afghan vote fraud ‘significant’: UN
The UN special representative to Afghanistan has acknowledged for the first time that the country’s presidential election had been tainted by "significant" and "widespread" fraud.

Business

IMF sees weak Gulf Arab growth in 2009
Gulf Arab oil exporters, facing anaemic growth of 0.7% this year and a more robust 5.2% next year, must keep up public spending in 2010 to help their economies recover from the global downturn, the International Monetary Fund said on Sunday.

Budget airline chiefs to discuss region’s air travel potential
The global financial crisis has made low-cost airlines more accepted in the region and brought new carriers to the UAE, said industry officials ahead of the industry conference Low Cost Airlines World MENA 2009.

ARAB NEWS

Front page

No swine flu cases found in Jeddah schools
No cases of swine flu have been found in any of Jeddah’s schools, Raja Allah Al-Sulami, spokesman of the province’s Education Department, said on Sunday.

Situation in Yemen worrying
Second Deputy Premier and Minister of Interior Prince Naif said on Sunday that Saudi Arabia was deeply concerned with developments in neighbouring Yemen.

Business

IDB plans $1bn investment bank
Establishing an Islamic mega-investment bank with an initial capital of $1bn was discussed at a meeting of prospective investors at the headquarters of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) in Jeddah on Sunday.

KAUST focused on water desal and reuse research
The King Abdullah University of Science and Technology’s (KAUST) Water Desalination and Reuse Center is very much focused on contributing to research and development toward provision of fresh water supplies across the Kingdom.

TEHRAN TIMES

Front page

MPs give initial ok to redirect subsidies
The Majlis has ratified the generalities of the national economic reform plan, the main aim of which is redirecting subsidies.

UN sponsors establishment of art complex in Tehran
The United Nations World Food Programme is sponsoring the establishment of an art complex in Tehran, which will open on 16 October marking World Food Day.

Business

The clouds part but underlying problems remain
The letter W is back on some agendas, and sending tremors through the business community – especially as it seems to be displacing V in the discourse of economy-watchers.

Russian economy to shrink 7.5% in 2009: Medvedev
Russia’s gross domestic product (GDP) will shrink 7.5% in 2009, President Dmitry Medvedev said in an interview released on Sunday, after earlier government predictions of an 8% drop.

ALJAZEERA

Front page

Abbas defends Gaza vote delay
Mahmoud Abbas has defended the decision to delay the endorsement of the Goldstone report on Gaza war crimes at the UN Human Rights Council, saying it was intended to garner adquate votes for its adoption.

Pakistan raid stokes security fears
Pakistani security forces have claimed success in storming the army headquarters in Rawalpindi and rescuing more than three dozen hostages.

Business

No new updates

THE DAILY STAR

Front page

Lebanese say inter-Arab thaw no substitute for domestic accord
The positive regional atmosphere following the outcome of last week’s Syrian-Saudi summit could reflect on deliberations on the distribution of cabinet portfolios to be conducted by Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri later this week.

Berri in Qatar ahead of trip to UAE to discuss expulsions
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri met with senior Qatari figures on Sunday ahead of his scheduled visit to the United Arab Emirates to discuss the on-going issue of expelled Lebanese residents.

Business

Beirut ranks as 33rd most expensive retail rent in world
A survey of the world’s most expensive retail rental locations has ranked Beirut as the 33rd most expensive city worldwide.

Oman to base its 2010 budget on $50 price of oil barrel
Oman will base its 2010 budget on a projected average oil price of $50 a barrel, the national economy ministry said on Sunday, sparking calls for the government to take a less conservative approach given the downturn.

GULF DAILY NEWS

Front page

Work for your nation
Bahrain’s National Assembly reopened yesterday with a call from His Majesty King Hamad to work even harder for the good of the people, the country and the region.

Raid ends HQ bloody siege
Pakistani commandos freed dozens of hostages held by militants at the army’s own headquarters yesterday, ending a bloody, 22-hour drama that embarrassed the nation’s military as it plans a new offensive against Al Qaeda and the Taliban.

Business

NBB third quarter profit surges 20% to $30m
Recovery at the NBB is continuing with the bank announcing third quarter profit up almost 20% to take its earnings for the first nine months ahead of the same period last year.

Gulf Air fleet expansion takes off
Gulf Air yesterday officially began its fleet renewal programme with the arrival of the first of 10 new Airbus A320 aircraft.

 

By: Staff Reporter
+44 20 8652 3214

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