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News Round Up - To keep you all busy...

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew) — Thu, 24 May 2012 05:03:00 +0000

Israel demonstration against African migrants turns violent

Violence broke out as several hundred people demonstrated in Tel Aviv on Wednesday night against the sizeable community of African immigrants in the city, police spokeswoman Luba Samri said. “Following the violence, we arrested five demonstrators,” Samri added. The media reported that people shouted xenophobic slogans, such as “blacks out,” and chided the “bleeding heart leftists” who defend immigrants.
Opposing the New York Public Library - The Daily Beast

Walk into a library in any city and you’ll witness a death match between old and new, a clash deeper than the cracks in the Carrara marble. The preservation of the past bolted to the promise of the future has made libraries ground zero of a vanishing world. The problem is that libraries have tried to accommodate the transition, and spent enormous sums of money doing so, carpetbombing their legacies into oblivion. Libraries across the country have erected architectural trophies and put themselves out of business. Public libraries, whose books have been relegated to wallpaper, have never looked better.
After Protests, Iran Recalls Ambassador From Azerbaijan - NYTimes.com

BAKU, Azerbaijan — Iran has recalled its ambassador from neighboring Azerbaijan, citing a religious insult, in the latest sign of escalating tensions between the countries. Iranian officials said the envoy, Mohammad B. Bahrami, was summoned to Tehran to discuss recent protests outside the Iranian Embassy in Baku, in which demonstrators were said to have insulted symbols of Islam. Mr. Bahrami left on Monday.
BBC News - Kidnap of pilgrims in Syria raises tension in Lebanon

The kidnapping of 13 Lebanese Shia pilgrims in Syria has sparked angry protests in Beirut, adding to fears that Lebanon is being dragged into the unrest afflicting its neighbour.
West shifts stance on Iranian sanctions - FT.com

Western powers are prepared to offer Iran an “oil carrot” that would allow it to continue supplying crude to Asian customers in exchange for guarantees it is not building an atomic bomb.
Dumbing Down of Congress? :Sunlight foundation study finds that Congress speaks at a 10th grade level.

A new study suggests that Congress's level of discourse has dropped roughly one grade level since 1995, a finding that has prompted many to draw obvious parallels between what's perceived to be the legislature's increasingly partisan polarization and a playground fight.
Aramco’s Al-Othman Named Head of Saudi Investment Authority - Bloomberg

Abdullatif A al-Othman, a former executive with Saudi Arabian Oil Co., was appointed head of the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority by King Abdullah, according to a royal decree carried today by the official Saudi Press Agency.
Saudis ban teen smoking - UPI.com

Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs issued a ban this week on the sale of tobacco to youth under 18.
Lebanon dilemma for UAE travellers - The National

The summer holiday plans of hundreds of people may be scuppered after the UAE warned its citizens to stay away from Lebanon. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, alongside its counterparts in Qatar and Bahrain, suggested it was unsafe to travel because of conflict in the north of the country.
Amazon noses into industrial supply chain - FT.com

Yet the US’s biggest industrial suppliers – who provide manufacturers such as General Electric, General Motors, Boeing and Caterpillar with everything from toilet paper to complex electronic components – seem remarkably unruffled by the debut last month of Amazon Supply, a website with more than 500,000 products aimed at grabbing a share of the $160bn market for US industrial supplies.
First Solar Plans Middle East Office to Help Tap Regional Market - Bloomberg

First Solar Inc. (FSLR), the largest maker of thin-film solar panels, plans to open an office in the United Arab Emirates this year to tap growing demand for power in the Middle East. The company is in talks with potential partners to help win contracts and is considering opening a manufacturing plant in the region,
U.S. To Crack Down On China's Solar Panel Trade

The Obama administration on Thursday ordered hefty tariffs on solar panels imported from China, arguing the Chinese goods are sold below fair-market place and are endangering the U.S. clean energy industry.
California Flaming Rocks: Health officials blame phosphorous coating, but puzzled how it got there.

California environmental officials say that they think they have figured out what caused a handful of rocks to burst into flames while in the pocket of a woman who had picked them up off a San Clemente beach last week
Federal Water Tap, May 7: Fracking Fracas | Circle of Blue WaterNews

Under a rule the Obama administration submitted for review on Friday, energy companies using hydraulic fracturing to drill for oil and gas on public lands would be required to disclose the chemicals they use in the process, the New York Times reports. However, owing to industry lobbying, companies will be allowed to wait until drilling is completed to reveal what’s in their fracking fluid.
First India Shale Gas Seen in 4 Years, China Output Nears - Bloomberg

Oil & Natural Gas Corp. (ONGC) of India and competitors may drill for at least four years before producing the first commercial shale gas in the nation as China expects to commence output next month and Australia boosts reserves.
In the Loop contest: Where to put those missiles - The Washington Post

** Clearly Republicans are worried about the budget deficit... ** The House is scheduled this week to take up a bill that would require the Pentagon to start work on a missile defense system to protect the East Coast from Iranian or North Korean long-range nuclear missiles. The bill would require the Defense Department to conduct an environmental-impact statement by the end of next year with an operational site in place “not later than the end of 2015.”
US citizen on hunger strike in Dubai - FT.com

One of Dubai’s highest profile prisoners, US citizen Zack Shahin, has gone on hunger strike to protest a lack of due process after spending more than four years in jail without a conviction. His protest marks a broadening of a three-week hunger strike by other foreigners imprisoned in Dubai on financial charges, shedding an uncomfortable light on the emirate’s judicial system as its economy starts to recover after the financial crisis.
Badly parked submarine on JBR beach attracts fine - The National

As far as parking offences go, police in Dubai thought they had seen it all. Until they ticketed a submarine. Two Emirati officers on patrol near Jumeirah Beach Residence found a two-man vessel seemingly abandoned on the beach in April after its owner became tired from hauling it out of the water, the Dubai Misdemeanour Court heard yesterday.
On the Eve of the NATO Summit, Is Phone Jamming Coming To Chicago? - The Daily Beast

With Chicago hosting the NATO summit this weekend, protesters and police are braced for confrontation. Eight people have already been arrested for storming President Obama’s campaign headquarters. Others have pledged to “shut down” Boeing. And gas-mask sales have been brisk citywide. But much of the cat-and-mouse game will be technological, with people in the streets wielding smartphones to coordinate actions and publicize what’s happening, while law enforcement mulls whether to take the power of those phones away—disrupting service in the name of public safety.
Moonrise Kingdom: Wes Anderson discusses his new film before its Cannes Film Festival Premiere (VIDEO) - Slate Magazine

Wes Anderson’s latest movie Moonrise Kingdom is set to premiere this week as the kickoff for the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. A period piece set in the 1960s, the film tells the story of a 12-year-old couple who runs away from their New England town, leaving the adults scrambling to find them.

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News Round Up - Farms, Fish and Freedom

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew) — Sun, 13 May 2012 05:51:00 +0000

Henry Hitchings on Proper English : The New Yorker

For a long time, many English speakers have felt that the language was going to the dogs. All around them, people were talking about “parameters” and “life styles,” saying “disinterested” when they meant “uninterested,” “fulsome” when they meant “full.” To the pained listeners, it seemed that they were no longer part of this language group. To others, the complainers were fogies and snobs. The usages they objected to were cause not for grief but for celebration. They were pulsings of our linguistic lifeblood, proof that English was large, contained multitudes.
BBC News - Sonic device deployed in London during Olympics

The Ministry of Defence has confirmed a sonic device will be deployed in London during the Olympics. The American-made Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD) can be used to send verbal warnings over a long distance or emit a beam of pain-inducing tones. The equipment was spotted fixed to a landing craft on the Thames at Westminster this week.
Saudi Arabia keen on African farm investments - Banking & Finance - ArabianBusiness.com

Saudi Arabia is encouraging companies to invest in farms in Africa as the kingdom seeks to secure supplies of food imports to replace local production, said Agriculture Minister Fahd Balghunaim.
The Politics Of Spite - The Dish | By Andrew Sullivan - The Daily Beast

Remember how meretricious this assault on gay couples was. They are already banned by state law from marrying. Now their own state constitution bans them from any civil rights as couples whatsoever: no domestic partnerships, no civil unions, nothing. It's an act of pure punishment of citizens who are gay, a deliberate psychological blow to their self-esteem, their sense of citizenship, their core equality as human beings. A 60 percent majority decided that 2 percent of their fellow citizens are and must remain inferior in law
China Expels Al Jazeera English-Language Channel - NYTimes.com

Al Jazeera, the satellite broadcasting network, was forced by the Chinese authorities to close its China news operations of its English-language channel on Monday, the first such action in almost 14 years and the strongest sign yet of fraying relations between the ruling Communist Party and the overseas journalists who cover it.
Self-sufficiency in fish production is the goal - Arab News

The Saudi Agricultural Development Fund (SADF) is leading an initiative with other government and private establishments aimed at attaining self-sufficiency in the production of fish to satisfy local needs and export the surplus during the coming decade, business daily Al-Eqtisadiah reported yesterday quoting an informed source.
No Longer Just ‘Adult-Onset’ - NYTimes.com

A study of diabetes in overweight and obese youngsters bears an ominous warning about future health care trends in this country. It found that Type 2 diabetes, a new scourge among young people, progresses faster and is harder to treat in youngsters than in adults. The toll on their health as they grow older could be devastating.
Israel PM Netanyahu calls for early elections - The National

TEL AVIV // Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, announced yesterday that he would dissolve parliament and called for new elections in September. The ballot would be the first in decades not to focus on pledges and ideas of resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, partly because the peace process has been deadlocked since September 2010, analysts said.

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News Round Up - DEA, Dubai and Delta

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew) — Thu, 03 May 2012 06:15:00 +0000

Student forgotten in cell: DEA apologizes to man who says he was left in cell for five days

The DEA apologized Wednesday to a college student who was picked up during a drug raid last month and then left in a windowless holding cell for four days without access to food or water.
Dubai to build underwater hotels - Travel & Hospitality - ArabianBusiness.com

The shipbuilding arm of Dubai World has announced plans to build a series of underwater hotels in the emirate. In a statement released on Wednesday, Drydocks World said it has signed an agreement with a Swiss contractor to develop the World Discus Hotel, which is partly submerged under the sea.
9 killed in Cairo clashes outside Defense Ministry - Yahoo! News

Clashes erupted on Wednesday between assailants and mostly Islamist protesters gathered outside the Defense Ministry in the Egyptian capital, leaving nine people dead and nearly 50 wounded, security officials said.
Delta Air Lines buys a refinery, estimates it can cut fuel bill by $300 million a year - The Washington Post

Delta Air Lines is buying a refinery in a novel — and some say risky — attempt to slice $300 million a year from its escalating jet fuel bill. The Atlanta airline said Monday that is buying the Trainer, Pennsylvania refinery near Philadelphia for $150 million from Phillips 66, a refining company being spun off from ConocoPhillips. The refinery has struggled to make money, and ConocoPhillips planned to shut it down if it couldn’t find a buyer.
BBC News - Libya ex-Minister Shukri Ghanem dead in Danube river

The body of Libya's former Oil Minister Shukri Ghanem has been found in the River Danube in Vienna, Austrian police say. A spokesman said there were no signs of violence to his body. The former prime minister, 69, worked as a consultant for a Vienna-based company. He apparently left his home early on Sunday, police said.
Centrica considered Qatar gas supply deal - FT.com

Centrica, the owner of British Gas, was prepared to give Qatar a stake in its business and a board seat in return for a 20-year gas supply deal worth up to £30bn, documents seen by the Financial Times reveal. In a sign of the challenges utilities face as they seek to lock in liquefied natural gas supplies amid strong demand from Asia and dwindling North Sea resources, the papers show Centrica spent more than two and a half years trying to seal a long-term deal with state-owned Qatargas.
Saudi closes embassy in Egypt over protests - Middle East - Al Jazeera English

Saudi Arabia has decided to recall its ambassador to Cairo and close its diplomatic missions in Egypt after protests outside its embassy over an arrested Egyptian lawyer, state news agency SPA reported. An official spokesman, quoted by SPA, said on Saturday that the measures were decided in response to demonstrations outside its missions in Egypt and threats following the announcement of the arrest of the Egyptian lawyer in Saudi Arabia.
Experience Porto's exuberance | StarTribune.com

As a friend planned her upcoming Portuguese vacation, I quietly encouraged (OK, tirelessly browbeat) her into taking a side trip from Lisbon to Porto. "I'd only have time to get off at the train station, turn around, and come back," she protested. "That's reason enough to go," I told her.
27 Injured in 4 Blasts in Eastern Ukraine City - ABC News

Opposition lawmakers in Ukraine are suggesting that President Viktor Yanukovych's government may be behind a series of blasts in an eastern city that injured at least 27 people. Four blasts within minutes Friday rocked the center of the Ukrainian city of Dnipropetrovsk in what prosecutors believed was a terrorist attack. Nine children are among the injured.
BBC News - Iran undecided on nuclear bomb - Israel military chief

Chief of Staff Lt Gen Benny Gantz made the statement in an interview with the Israeli newspaper, Haaretz. He said Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had not yet made the final decision whether to build a nuclear bomb.
Israeli prime minister Netanyahu says sanctions on Iran 'better work soon' - CNN.com

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has suggested that time is running out for Western sanctions on Iran to have a meaningful effect on Tehran's nuclear program. The sanctions "are certainly taking a bite out of the Iranian economy," Netanyahu said in an interview broadcast Tuesday on CNN's "OutFront." But "they haven't rolled back the Iranian program -- or even stopped it -- by one iota," he added.
Egyptian Actor Guilty of Insulting Islam in Films - NYTimes.com

A court found Egypt’s most popular comic actor guilty on Tuesday of insulting Islam in roles in films mocking religious hypocrisy, alarming liberal-minded artists and intellectuals already anxious about the growing power of Islamists here after the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak.
Kuwait Grand Mosque 'unlikely to collapse' - Culture & Society - ArabianBusiness.com

The Grand Mosque in Kuwait will not be demolished, despite the appearance of cracks in the building due to land sliding deep under certain parts of the structure. In a report by the Kuwait Times, a local researcher said the mosque was unlikely to collapse and did not need to be torn down.
'60 Minutes,' Israeli Ambassador Clash Over Story About Arab Christians (VIDEO)

"60 Minutes" decided to pull back the curtain on a charged confrontation it had with the government of Israel over a story it reported about Arab Christians in the country.
Israel legalizes 3 settlement outposts, adding more obstacles to Mideast peace

Israeli has legalized the status of three settlement outposts in the West Bank, the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement issued on Tuesday.
Pentagon Forms New Spy Service - The Daily Beast

After years focusing on tactical considerations in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Pentagon is now looking to bolster its espionage work outside the battlefield. The new Defense Clandestine Service will work closely with the CIA to gather intelligence on targets like Iran.
Allen West Ousted From NAACP Event Over Communist Remark

It turns out calling Democratic lawmakers "Communists" has some consequences. Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) was supposed to be the keynote speaker at a fundraiser for his district chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) this past Saturday. But days before the event, the group canceled the gathering and asked West not to come back when they rescheduled. Why?

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Israel Lobby at it again

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 14:22:00 +0000

Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren once again proving how even the Israeli government cannot justify its own policies while trying to claim they want peace with the Palestinians

News Round Up - Food, Finance and Fear

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 06:08:00 +0000

Qatar SWF says it has US$30bn to spend this year - Banking & Finance - ArabianBusiness.com

Qatar's aggressive sovereign wealth fund, the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), has US$30bn to spend this year, executive board member Hussain Al Abdulla said at a conference on Sunday.
Finds that form a bedrock of hope - FT.com

Good piece from the FT on Shale Gas
Eole Uses Wind Power to Make Water From Desert Air | Green Prophet

A revolutionary way to condense water from the desert air, powered by – and housed within – a wind turbine has been tested in the UAE since October of 2011, by French innovation startup Eole Water. The ground-mounted version has proven that it can condense up to 800 litres a day from air with just the 15-20% humidity typical of the region, and the company believes that a tower top turbine will produce levels well over 1,000 litres (264 gallons) a day.
Qatar increases stake in Europe's Total to 3% - Banking & Finance - ArabianBusiness.com

Qatar’s stake in Total, Europe’s third-largest oil company, has risen to three percent, Christophe de Margerie, Total’s chairman and chief executive officer said on Saturday. “It’s a good company, it’s a good investment,” de Margerie said in an interview in Doha.
Emirates boosts US services with JetBlue deal - Transport - ArabianBusiness.com

Emirates Airline customers travelling to the United States will soon enjoy seamless connections to a dozen US cities, after the airline announced the start of a one-way codeshare with JetBlue.
First Solar to close German plants, lay off 2,000 workers - The Washington Post

First Solar, one of the world’s leading solar-panel makers, announced Tuesday that it will close its German manufacturing operations late this year, indefinitely idle four of its 24 production lines in Kulim, Malaysia, on May 1 and lay off 2,000 employees — about 30 percent of its global workforce.
Taliban commander turns self in... for reward on ‘Wanted’ poster - BlogPost - The Washington Post

Mohammad Ashan, a mid-level Taliban commander in Paktika province, strolled toward a police checkpoint in the district of Sar Howza with a wanted poster bearing his own face. He demanded the finder’s fee referenced on the poster: $100.
Saudi food firm posts 46.7% rise in Q1 profit - Retail - ArabianBusiness.com

Saudi food and drink manufacturer Savola Group recorded a 46.7 percent jump in first-quarter net profit, beating forecasts. The firm reported earnings of SR242.2m ($64.6m), up from SR165.2m a year earlier, according to a statement posted on the bourse website.
Obama oil regulation proposal $52 million price tag for increased regulation

President Obama on Tuesday will formally unveil a $52 million plan that would look to address rising oil prices by "cracking down" on oil market manipulation with the help of stronger federal oversight and higher penalties.
Egypt panel definitively bars top 3 presidential candidates from elections - The Washington Post

CAIRO — Egypt’s election commission rejected the appeals of three main contenders for president Tuesday, definitively removing the most polarizing candidates from the race to become the country’s first elected leader since the ouster of Hosni Mubarak.
Mubadala in $1bn deal as supplier to Boeing - The National

Mubadala Aerospace yesterday announced a US$1 billion (Dh3.67bn) contract to build major sections for the Boeing 777 and 787 Dreamliner airliners at its Strata Manufacturing plant in Al Ain.
Saudi Arabia bans ‘emos’ from universities

Saudi authorities on Sunday banned university students from emulating ‘emo’ subculture according to a report in Al Riyadh newspaper on Sunday. Universities across the kingdom have been asked to ban students from sporting ‘emo’ clothing and hairstyles after an investigation cited this culture to be “improper and deviant” reported Al Riyadh.
Newt nipped by zoo penguin, gets Band-Aid | Reuters

Newt was nipped on the finger by a penguin during a private tour of the famous St. Louis zoo on Friday before he spoke to the National Rifle Association convention, zoo officials confirmed on Monday.
German shipping company says no arms on Syria-bound vessel

A German shipping company ordered its vessel Atlantic Cruiser to turn its transponder back on Monday after the ship suspected of smuggling Iranian arms to Syria switched off the tracking system because its crew feared attack, the firm said on Monday.
Man 'did not rape' because his wife's prettier - The National

ABU DHABI //The lawyer of a man charged with rape has requested permission to bring his client's wife to court, claiming she is so beautiful that he has no need for other women. The Filipina maid of RM, a Jordanian, accused him of committing the crime while his wife was at work and his 13-year-old son was playing computer games in his room.
Egyptians in fear of a plot … but which one? - The National

What has emerged is a country ruled by islands of power, each following its own agenda. This has created a debilitating transitional weakness: security has declined, the economy is in tatters and the country often appears on the verge of a nervous breakdown with frequent street protests and scandals. "Egypt's institutions haven't collapsed, whether it's the judiciary, the military, the press, universities or parliament, but they are not working in tandem any more," said Khaled Fahmy, a history professor at the American University of Cairo. "There is no one centre in the country that can force its will and achieve some kind of harmony between these different groups."
Senate Blocks Buffett Rule 30% Tax Floor on Top Earners - Bloomberg

The U.S. Senate blocked the proposed Buffett rule that would set a minimum 30 percent federal tax rate for the highest earners, stopping the legislation for now while an election-year debate on tax policy and income inequality continues.
Activist beaten by IDF officer: Claim protesters were violent is 'a complete lie' - Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News

Andreas Ias, the Danish activist that was hit in the face with an M-16 rifle by senior IDF officer Lt.-Col. Shalom Eisner on Saturday, said on Monday that the officer's claim that the activists were violent is a fabrication. The beating of the pro-Palestinian activist by a senior IDF officer was seen in a film posted

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News Dump - For the Spaniards

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 13:31:00 +0000

Apologies to some for my recent laxity in posting news items. You have thoroughly guilted me in to posting today.

Pro-Palestinian activists detained in Israel - Middle East - Al Jazeera English

More than 40 pro-Palestinian activists have detained by Israeli authorities at Tel Aviv's international airport for taking part in an attempted "fly-in". The Welcome to Palestine campaign, now in its third consecutive year, aims to gather activists from more than 15 countries in Israel from April 15 to 21 to "challenge the Israeli siege of the occupied territories", it says on its website.
‘Implementation of Jordan Red Sea Project to begin early next year’ | The Jordan Times

Implementation of the first phase of the Jordan Red Sea Project (JRSP) will start early next year, Minister of Water and Irrigation Mousa Jamani said on Tuesday. Projected to supply the Kingdom with around one billion cubic metres of water by 2022, the JRSP will be the key to addressing the Kingdom’s water scarcity, Jamani said yesterday.
Azerbaijan seeks to steal Burj Khalifa's crown - Construction - ArabianBusiness.com

Oil revenues have already fuelled a high-profile construction frenzy in the former Soviet state of Azerbaijan, but in an attempt to raise its profile further, the Caspian Sea country is looking to build the tallest building in the world.
Food costs sink after price caps take hold - The National

Food prices have fallen in the UAE this year after the Government tightened its control on suppliers and retailers to contain inflation. Measures introduced in the first three months of the year have helped to lower the prices of basic commodities, according to an analysis by The National.
Soaring Father and Son Skyscraper Could Absorb Cairo’s Crowds | Green Prophet

How to deal with Cairo’s crowds is a complex dilemma that IAMZ Design Studio has approached with this soaring Father and Son Skyscraper. Inspired by the relationship between a father and son, the young Egyptian architect has fused traditional Islamic architecture with modern design in a concept for an 8,000 square meter building that receives its energy from the sun and boasts a series of carbon-sapping green roofs. Read on for more details and then let us know: do you have any ideas for revitalizing a once vibrant downtown Cairo?
Abu Dhabi wealth fund hit by $1.1bn loss - FT.com

Mubadala, the Abu Dhabi government investment company, made a 4.2bn UAE dirham ($1.14bn) loss last year as declining financial and real estate markets led to big writedowns. The sovereign wealth fund, which owns stakes in Carlyle Group and General Electric, is one of the few Gulf state investment vehicles to publish audited financial results. Its disclosure is a rare insight into the performance of one of the region’s most high-profile investors.
Chin Chin workers use dumplings for “penises”: suit - NYPOST.com

Kitchen workers at a celeb-packed Manhattan Chinese restaurant allegedly use a culinary technique they don’t teach at Le Cordon Bleu — making mock penises out of the dumplings before serving them to diners, an ex-bartender claims in a lawsuit filed yesterday.
Abdullah slams Ahmadinejad over 'provocative' trip - The National

The Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed last night strongly condemned yesterday's visit by Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, to the UAE's island of Abu Musa.
Qatar Airways to invest in US clean tech firm - ArabianBusiness.com

Qatar Airways plans to invest in California’s Byogy Renewables to produce cleaner jet fuel from alcohol, curbing carbon output to meet emission goals.
allAfrica.com: Sudan: Saudi Arabia Gets Two Million Acres From Govt for Tax-Free Farming

A prominent Saudi businessman announced last week that the Sudanese government agreed to give his country two million acres of land as a farming investment that would allow the Arab Gulf state to ensure safe and steady food supply.
Syrian Troops Fire into Turkey, Bashar al-Assad's regime demands written agreement

After the peace plan for Syria just about collapsed over the weekend, Syrian forces fired across the Turkish border Monday, wounding at least five people in a refugee camp. The Associated Press reports that the Syrian soldiers were apparently firing at fleeing rebels
Saudi's SABIC plans $100 mln China R&D centre | Reuters

Saudi Basic Industries Corp (SABIC), the world's largest chemical producer by market value, said it was planning to invest $100 million to build a technology research and development centre in China. The facility in the Shanghai region will house a total of about 400 employees when it is completed in 2013, the company said on Friday.
Saudis Increasing Riyadh Water Supply | Crossroads Arabia

With the bulk of Saudi Arabia’s drinking water coming from desalination plants, the country’s sky-rocketing population growth puts enormous demand on water supply. Arab News reports that a new desalination plant in the Eastern Province is gearing up to go online. When it is producing, it will nearly double the amount of water flowing into the capital, Riyadh.
gulfnews : Taqa exits Tesla, invests in Kurdistan

Abu Dhabi: National Energy has sold its 7 per cent stake in Tesla, cashing in on a stock rally that has seen the electric carmaker's shares surge more than 20 per cent over the past year. The move, which netted the company — also known as Taqa — a profit of Dh415 million on the book price, came as the energy giant announced that it has taken a 50 per cent stake in a Kurdistan power plant.
Tipping point as Yemen purges Saleh loyalists - The National

The protracted fight among Yemen's elites spilt into the street - and onto the runway - again yesterday after the country's new president, Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi, tried to sack a number of old-regime officers and officials.
News Desk: Our Men in Iran? : The New Yorker

It was here that the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) conducted training, beginning in 2005, for members of the Mujahideen-e-Khalq, a dissident Iranian opposition group known in the West as the M.E.K. The M.E.K. had its beginnings as a Marxist-Islamist student-led group and, in the nineteen-seventies
UAE says investigating US think tank staffer - ArabianBusiness.com

UAE authorities said on Friday they were investigating an employee of a US pro-democracy group after briefly detaining him as he tried to leave the Gulf state. Slobodan Milic works for the National Democratic Institute which was last week ordered to close its UAE offices. The Serb was detained at Dubai airport on Thursday evening, questioned and then allowed to return to his apartment in Dubai, NDI said.
Palestinians prepared to drop border demand if settlement building ends - The National

Palestinian negotiators are prepared to drop one of two key preconditions for the resumption of peace talks with Israel if the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agrees to halt all settlement construction in the West Bank, a top Palestinian official said yesterday. Nabil Shaath, a member of Fatah's Central Committee, said the Palestinians would give up their demand that any negotiations with Israel take place on the basis of borders that existed prior to the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. In exchange, he said, Mr Netanyahu's government must end settlement building.
Saudi Arabia mulls tax on unused land - Real Estate - ArabianBusiness.com

Saudi Arabia's Shoura Council is considering taxing unused land, al-Eqtisadiah daily reported on Wednesday, in a move that could help uncork a serious housing bottleneck in the world's top oil exporter.
Netanyahu delays eviction of West Bank settler house | Reuters

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu overruled the planned eviction on Tuesday of Jewish settlers from a building in an occupied West Bank city that is flashpoint of tensions with Palestinians. Some 20 settlers moved into the Hebron building last Thursday at night, seeking to expand a settlement of some 500 families in the heart of a biblical city overwhelmingly populated by Palestinians who regard Israelis as interlopers.
Supreme Court OK’s Strip Searches - The Daily Beast

If you get arrested, better have an alibi and a clean pair of underwear. The Supreme Court ruled on Monday that people arrested for any offense may be strip-searched before going to jail.
News from The Associated Press

The tombstone marking the grave of Adolf Hitler's parents, a place of pilgrimage for neo-Nazis, has been removed from an upper Austrian village cemetery at the request of a descendant, and the grave is ready for a new burial, officials said Friday.
Qatar said to freeze $67m French entrepreneur fund - Politics & Economics - ArabianBusiness.com

Qatar has reportedly frozen plans to set up a $67m fund for entrepreneurs from France's often-deprived suburbs to set up businesses. According to reports in France, the Gulf state has put the fund on hold until after the country‘s presidential election.
US says UAE shuts office of pro-democracy group - Politics & Economics - ArabianBusiness.com

The UAE has closed the Dubai office of the National Democratic Institute, a US-funded pro-democracy group that was the subject of a crackdown in Egypt, the U.S. State Department said on Friday.
Germany puzzled as UAE think tank ordered to close - Politics & Economics - ArabianBusiness.com

Germany's Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, a think tank close to Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives which promotes democracy abroad, said on Thursday authorities in Abu Dhabi had ordered it to shut its office there.
Arkansas Court Strikes Teacher-Sex Ban

The Arkansas Supreme Court on Friday overturned a state law that had made it illegal for a teacher to have sex with a student under the age of 21.

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News Round Up 2 - Spike, Syria and Saudi Arabia

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew) — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 08:53:00 +0000

Spike Lee tweets wrong George Zimmerman address in Florida

Spike Lee has apologized for distributing a tweet that provided an inaccurate address for George Zimmerman's whereabouts, forcing an elderly Sanford-area couple to flee their home. The McClains, who have a son named William George Zimmerman, received hate mail, threats, and visits from reporters looking for Zimmerman
Arab leaders endorse Kofi Annan plan for Syria - The National

Arab leaders yesterday formally endorsed the international envoy Kofi Annan's plan to end the bloodshed in Syria, and demanded that it be implemented "immediately and completely" - a sign of Arab League scepticism of the Syrian president Bashar Al Assad's commitment to the plan. "The solution for the crisis is still in the hands of the Syrians as a government and opposition," the Arab League secretary general Nabil Elaraby told the summit gathering in the Iraqi capital, the first here in 20 years.
Most Cities Unprepared for Coming Population Boom: Scientific American

The world's cities are mushrooming at the rate of around 1 million people a week as the planet's population heads toward 9 billion people by 2050 from 7 billion now. Urban areas are set to sprawl over an extra area equivalent to most of Europe within 20 years, yet little is being done to prepare for the major challenges that expansion will bring, scientists said Tuesday.
Complaints spur Dubai inquiry into Groupon Middle East - The National

Dubai authorities have launched an investigation into Groupon Middle East after a slew of protests over poor customer service. The online-deals company has been inundated with complaints from hundreds of dissatisfied customers who have faced delays to orders.
Saudi oil minister wants lower prices - Overheard - WSJ

Ali Naimi is not fond of extremes. The Saudi Arabian petroleum minister is so worried by high oil prices — Brent crude commands about $123 a barrel — he felt compelled to pen an Op-Ed in today’s Financial Times. The last time he took to the newspapers, according to a search of Factiva, was back in February 2009, following oil’s crash from triple digits to less than $40 amid the financial crisis.
Israel’s Secret Staging Ground - By Mark Perry | Foreign Policy

In 2009, the deputy chief of mission of the U.S. embassy in Baku, Donald Lu, sent a cable to the State Department's headquarters in Foggy Bottom titled "Azerbaijan's discreet symbiosis with Israel." The memo, later released by WikiLeaks, quotes Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev as describing his country's relationship with the Jewish state as an iceberg: "nine-tenths of it is below the surface."
Exclusive: Investors press U.S. shale oil drillers to control flaring | Reuters

Investors representing $500 billion in assets are pushing energy companies in the shale oil rush in North Dakota and other states to disclose the amount of natural gas they burn - a practice they see as a wasteful financial risk.
Martin Peretz: The Appalling Crusade To Free Jonathan Pollard; Unhappiness In Jordan; And More | The New Republic

Of course, that’s what the Pollard enthusiasts are saying. Frankly, I find it disgusting that so many Israelis and so many American Jews, too, have the chutzpah to besiege Obama with urgent demands to release Pollard now.
Saudi bans video game over “sexual” sounds - Media - ArabianBusiness.com

Conservative Gulf kingdom Saudi Arabia has banned a video game because its female characters sounded “too sexual”, according to the game’s developer. In the game, called ‘Shoe Wars’, the user controlled character is encouraged to collect as many pairs of expensive designer shoes, while avoiding men by jumping over them.

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

News Round Up 1

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew) — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 08:50:00 +0000

BBC News - Borat anthem stuns Kazakh gold medallist in Kuwait

Kazakhstan's shooting team has been left stunned after a comedy national anthem from the film Borat was played at a medal ceremony at championships in Kuwait instead of the real one. The team asked for an apology and the medal ceremony was later rerun. The team's coach told Kazakh media the organisers had downloaded the parody from the internet by mistake.
BBC News - Japan tsunami 'ghost ship' drifting to Canada

A Japanese fishing vessel swept away by the March 2011 tsunami has been spotted adrift off the west coast of Canada. An aircraft patrolling the seas off British Columbia saw the 15m (50ft) vessel seen floating 275km (170 miles) from the Haida Gwaii islands on Friday. It is believed to be the first large item from the millions of tonnes of tsunami debris to cross the Pacific.
Dubai's GEMS eyes global merger worth $2bn - Education - ArabianBusiness.com

Global Education Management Systems Limited (GEMS), which owns schools in eight countries, is merging its global operations to create a business worth up to $2bn ahead of an overseas initial public offering in 2013, two sources familiar with the matter have said. An IPO by the UAE education company, which appointed former US president Bill Clinton as honorary chairman of its philanthropic arm in December, is one of the most highly anticipated in the region due to its growth prospects and dominance in the highly profitable private education sector.
BBC News - Renegade Mali soldiers announce takeover

Rebel troops have appeared on Malian state TV to announce they have seized control of the country, hours after attacking the presidential palace. The soldiers said a nationwide curfew was in force and that the constitution had been suspended.
Muslim Brotherhood May Offer Presidential Candidate in Egypt - NYTimes.com

Muslim Brotherhood officials said on Wednesday that the group was debating whether to field its own candidate in Egypt’s upcoming presidential contest, after failing to persuade several outside figures to run with the group’s backing. The Brotherhood had previously said it would not nominate a candidate for president, for fear of scaring voters who are wary that it would dominate the political scene or provoke a response by the country’s military rulers.
Syrian peace plan: U.N. Security Council endorses Kofi Annan’s proposal - The Washington Post

The U.N. Security Council on Wednesday endorsed international emissary Kofi Annan’s diplomatic plan to stop violence in Syria, crack open the door to humanitarian relief and prod the Syrian government and opposition into talks on a political settlement. The endorsement constituted a rare show of unity by the Security Council on the crisis in Syria,
Supreme Court appears to side with Secret Service agents who protected Cheney - The Washington Post

The Supreme Court seemed inclined to agree that Secret Service agents protecting the nation’s top officials deserve special protection from lawsuits charging them with being overzealous when they arrest people whom they believe — even wrongly — might be a threat.
Downtown Dubai to get opera house and modern art gallery - The National

The arts received a double boost yesterday with the announcement of two multimillion-dirham projects. The first, a glittering new cultural district in Downtown Dubai, will cater for aficionados of both opera and modern art. The second, the expansion of the blossoming grassroots art scene in Al Quoz industrial area, will provide studio and gallery space for aspiring artists.
Goldman Sachs Can Fix This « Dealbreaker: Wall Street Insider – Financial News, Headlines, Commentary and Analysis – Hedge Funds, Private Equity, Banks

In December of 2000, Nick Paumgarten wrote a Talk of the Town story about Goldman breaking a rather unusual international record: the world’s largest hug. The company hug was initiated by Maynard Holt, a Goldman vice-president in the energy and power group, who e-mailed Guinness World Records, Ltd., expressing an interest in breaking the record at the firm’s annual investment-banking conference, which typically draws about three thousand Goldman employees from around the globe
Hillary Clinton 2016? NY Senator says she'll urge her to run again for president

"I'm going to be one of the first to ask Hillary to run in 2016," Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) told BuzzFeed in a wide-ranging interview about women in politics. "I think she would be incredibly well-poised to be our next Democratic president."

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Btches in Bookshops (based on Jay Z and Kanye West's "Nggas in Paris")

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew) — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 08:25:00 +0000

News Round Up - Tide, Tourism and Threats

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew) — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 12:31:00 +0000

Mortgage law "not panacea” for KSA - SABB MD - Property - ArabianBusiness.com

As the wait for Saudi Arabia’s much-anticipated mortgage law continues, one of the kingdom’s most senior banking officials has claimed that the new legislation will not automatically lead to a flurry of lending from the local banking sector.
Destroy all churches in Gulf, says Saudi Grand Mufti - Culture & Society - ArabianBusiness.com

The Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia has said it is “necessary to destroy all the churches of the region,” following Kuwait’s moves to ban their construction.
Qatar eyes talks over World Cup 2022 alcohol sales - Sport - ArabianBusiness.com

Qatar's top World Cup 2022 official has said he sees no reason for selling alcohol at stadiums hosting matches during the tournament. Hassan Al Thawadi, general secretary of the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee, said in comments published by The Associated Press that it was an issue that will be discussed with FIFA.
The bin Laden plot to kill President Obama - The Washington Post

Before his death, Osama bin Laden boldly commanded his network to organize special cells in Afghanistan and Pakistan to attack the aircraft of President Obama and Gen. David H. Petraeus. “The reason for concentrating on them,” the al-Qaeda leader explained to his top lieutenant, “is that Obama is the head of infidelity and killing him automatically will make [Vice President] Biden take over the presidency. . . . Biden is totally unprepared for that post, which will lead the U.S. into a crisis. As for Petraeus, he is the man of the hour . . . and killing him would alter the war’s path” in Afghanistan.
Somalia Gets a Tourist, Mogadishu Officials Are Baffled | NewsFeed | TIME.com

t’s no wonder Somali immigration officials in Mogadishu thought a 41-year-old man who described himself as a tourist was insane; they hadn’t seen a tourist in the Somali capital since, well, ever. Canadian citizen Mike Spencer Bown is a seasoned traveler having visited more than 150 countries. But when he arrived in Mogadishu as a tourist, he was met with disbelief.
State Department moves to fire diplomat who criticized Iraq reconstruction - The Washington Post

State Department moves to fire diplomat who criticized Iraq reconstruction Text Size PrintE-mailReprints By Lisa Rein, Thursday, March 15, 5:48 AM Peter Van Buren, a foreign service officer who wrote an unflattering book about his year leading two U.S. reconstruction teams in Iraq, was stripped of his security clearance, banned from State Department headquarters for a time and transferred to a telework job that consists of copying Internet addresses into a file. Now the State Department is moving to fire him based on eight charges ranging from linking on his blog to documents on the whistleblowing Web site WikiLeaks to disclosing classified information.
UK paper prints 'private Assad emails' - Middle East - Al Jazeera English

On February 5, the report said, he sent his wife an iTunes file of the US country star Blake Shelton singing ``God Gave Me You.'' Other reported downloads include Walter Isaacson's biography of Apple founder Steve Jobs and songs including ``Don't Talk Just Kiss'' by Right Said Fred, ``Bizarre Love Triangle'' by New Order and ``Sexy and I Know It'' by LMFAO.
US Shocker: What Scares Ex-Vice President Cheney? Canada.

He pulled President George W. Bush's strings for eight years. He put bad guys on waterboards. He single-handedly took down Saddam Hussein. (He didn't go mano-a-mano with Osama bin Laden, but let's skip over that.) He even shot his friend in the face. What could possibly frighten Dick? This can: Former U.S. vice-president Dick Cheney has cancelled an April appearance in Toronto citing concerns Canada is too dangerous.
Thieves Targeting Tide - The Daily Beast

Tide, a criminal currency? Apparently it’s true: the popular laundry detergent has become a recent target by thieves—who are allegedly using it as a type of street currency because the retail price is steadily high.
Kuwait backs big rises in public sector wages - Politics & Economics - ArabianBusiness.com

Kuwait's government, under pressure from labour unions, has announced big rises in public sector wages while ordering measures to head off inflation in the prices of basic goods. Authorities said late on Monday that government workers would get a 25 percent rise in their basic salaries, while pensioners would receive 12.5 percent more.
Top ten media failures in the Iran war debate | Stephen M. Walt

The interview got me thinking about the issue of media coverage of this whole business, and I'm sorry to say that most mainstream news organizations have let us down again. Although failures haven't been as egregious as the New York Times and Washington Post's wholesale swallowing of the Bush administration's sales pitch for war in 2002, on the whole the high-end media coverage has been disappointing. Here are my Top Ten Media Failures in the 2012 Iran War Scare.
Homeless as Wi-Fi Transmitters Creates a Stir in Austin - NYTimes.com

Which product at this year’s South by Southwest technology conference received more attention than perhaps any other? Homeless people as wireless transmitters.
Why Zion Square? - The Daily Beast

Why didn’t Netanyahu tell that part of the story? Why don’t most American Jews know about it? For the same reason the American Jewish establishment doesn’t talk about Ariel: because in official Jewish discourse, the Jewish story begins with victimhood and end with survival. On the one hand, Jews delight in our newfound power. What could be more exhilarating for a people that seven decades ago were impotent to stop the Holocaust than seeing a Jewish state with nuclear weapons and an American Jewish community capable of making politicians pander in the most obsequious of ways? What is the AIPAC Conference if not a celebration of our own Purim-like transformation from terrifying weakness to intoxicating strength?
Louis C.K. withdraws as host of Radio and Television Correspondents’ Association dinner.

Comedian Louis C.K. has withdrawn as host of the Radio and Television Correspondents’ Association annual dinner scheduled for June 8.
GCC official slams Muslim Brotherhood’s UAE threats - Politics & Economics - ArabianBusiness.com

The secretary general of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has condemned statements from a Muslim Brotherhood official, who threatened to “mobilise the entire world” against the UAE.
Former Mossad Chief Meir Dagan Says He Is Opposed to Pre-emptive Strike by Israel on Iran - Arabianomics

Former Mossad Chief Meir Dagan says he is opposed to a pre-emptive strike by Israel on Iran, agreeing with President Obama’s position on the issue. “An attack on Iran before you explore all other approches, is not the right way how to do it,” Meir Dagan said on the popular 60 Minutes program in the United States. Dagan also said that Ahmadinejad is “rational,” albeit not on “Western thinking.”

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Trailer for On the Road

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 17:10:00 +0000

News Round Up - Bin Laden, Saddam and Pornography

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew) — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 09:47:00 +0000

Saudi Arabia fund to roll out new scheme | Real Estate | AMEinfo.com

Saudi Arabia's Real Estate Development Fund (REDF) is set to introduce soon a new mechanism for prioritising the disbursement of real estate loans, Saudi Gazette has reported. The mechanism will help determine who deserves loans from those who applied via electronic registration last year, said the REDF. "The mechanism is being studied now in cooperation with the ministry of housing. Several criteria will be selected, most prominent of which are the applicant's age, number of family members, monthly income and other criteria that aim to grant loans to those who really deserve them," it said.
Analyst: bin Laden betrayed by Al Qaeda - The National

Within two years of the September 11 attacks, Osama bin Laden was an ailing, delusional and irrelevant figure who had been shuffled out of Al Qaeda's leadership and was eventually sold out to the Americans by the organisation. That is the controversial report compiled by Shaukat Qadir, a columnist for The National and a former Pakistan military officer
Utah's Sexual Education Bill Bans Contraception Curriculum

What’s more conservative than abstinence-only education? Utah may soon find out now that lawmakers signed off on a bill this week that bans public schools from teaching students about contraception, human sexuality and homosexuality altogether.
Americans Abroad

The survey found that 78 percent of Americans have visited at least one foreign country, 61 percent have visited multiple countries, and 36 percent have traveled to four or more foreign destinations. The average number of countries visited was more than four. "Our survey puts the old wives’ tale to bed that only 15 percent of Americans own passports," said Dave Madden, GM of LivingSocial Escapes, North America.
Was Osama Bin Laden Really Buried At Sea? WikiLeaks Emails Suggest Al Qaeda Chief's Body Was Flown To US Military Mortuary

Osama Bin Laden was apparently buried in the waters of the north Arabian sea, but internal emails from intelligence service Stratfor, obtained by hacker group Anonymous and posted by WikiLeaks suggest otherwise. But a leaked email from Stratfor vice president for intelligence Fred Burton, sent on 2 May 2011, at 5.26am states: “Reportedly, we took the body with us. Thank goodness.”
5 alleged members of Anonymous hacking group charged - The Washington Post

Five hackers associated with some of the most notorious cybercrimes in recent years were charged Tuesday after a key member of their loose-knit network was turned by the FBI and became a confidential informant, according to federal officials. Federal prosecutors in New York unveiled the charges against five men — two from Britain, two from Ireland and one from Chicago — in connection with a string of cyber-assaults in which hackers stole confidential information from U.S. companies and temporarily shut down government Web sites.
Jordanian blogger stabbed after post that criticized royal family - latimes.com

As blogger Enass Musallam of Jordan was leaving a cafe in the nation's capital last week, a man wearing a mask and gloves grabbed her from behind. "In the name of his royal majesty and the prince," the assailant said as he stabbed Musallam in the stomach, according to a statement by the press freedom group Committee to Protect Journalists, or CPJ. "Next time, you will be slaughtered," he continued and put the knife to her throat before throwing her down a flight of stairs and fleeing.
Saddam Hussain on pornography charge in Dubai court - The National

A Dubai court has found Saddam Hussain guilty of distributing pornography in the Emirates. The Dubai Court of Misdemeanours today sentenced a 26-year-old Bangladeshi namesake of the deceased Iraqi leader to two months in prison for possessing and selling pornographic DVDs.
Portugal prays for rain as drought adds to crisis | Reuters

After Portugal's driest February in 80 years, farmers are praying for a miracle as drought ravages pastures and sparks forest fires, exacerbating the country's economic crisis. Worse still, official forecasters expect the freak weather pattern to prevail at least through the end of March, which would worsen a drought now classified as severe and extreme throughout mainland Portugal.
Polish fracking well probe shows no harm to environment | Reuters

Drilling at Poland's first shale gas exploration well using the controversial technique known as fracking has not harmed the environment, according to a government study published on Friday.
Abu Dhabi takes sole ownership of US chip maker - Technology - ArabianBusiness.com

Abu Dhabi’s Advanced Technology Investment (ATIC), a high-tech investment fund owned by Mubadala, has taken over full ownership of Silicon Valley computer chip maker
Total eyes 200bn unfound oil barrels in Egypt, Libya - Transport - ArabianBusiness.com

Total SA is planning to explore for oil and natural gas off the coasts of Libya and Egypt, a region that may hold as much as 200bn barrels of oil equivalent, a company official said.
Mr Obama must take a stand against Israel over Iran - FT.com

(Aipac). That event offers both men a chance to appeal to some of Israel’s most ardent American supporters. We can therefore expect to hear repeated references to the “common interests”, “unshakeable bonds” and “shared values” of the two countries. This familiar rhetoric is misleading at best and at worst simply wrong. No states have identical interests, and Israel and America are at odds on two vital issues: Iran and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Mr Obama should continue to rebuff Israel’s efforts to push him into military confrontation with Tehran, while reminding Mr Netanyahu the true danger to Israel lies in its refusal to allow a viable Palestinian state.
Relax US visa curbs for UAE citizens - Dubai official - Politics & Economics - ArabianBusiness.com

Citizens of the UAE should be allowed easier entry into the US, a leading Dubai official has claimed, emphasising enhanced relations between the two countries.
Trend Lines | Israel-Azerbaijan Arms Deal Signals Close Ties, While Raising Tensions With Iran

Israeli defense officials confirmed Sunday a deal to sell $1.6 billion in arms, including drones and missile defense systems, to Azerbaijan. The deal reflects the close relationship between Israel, which finds itself increasingly isolated in an increasingly hostile region, and Azerbaijan, which shares a border with Iran and is building up its military capability in the midst of its own dispute with Armenia.
Istanbul’s Main Square To Become Lifeless And Isolated In New Urban Plan, Opponents Warn | Green Prophet

Today, Istanbul’s Taksim Square is a bustling hub of activity, with majestic Gezi Park providing some natural solace — even when the trees are brown in winter, as in the above photo. But a new plan would eliminate most of the greenery in this photo and cut off Taksim from the rest of the city. That’s the argument of the Taksim Platform, a group of concerned citizens, urban planners, lawyers, and academics who have so far collected more than 13,500 signatures against the project. See what the new square would look like after the jump.

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

News Round Up - Everything you wanted to read, but didn't

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew) — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 05:50:00 +0000

Work starts on UAE-funded Seychelles wind farm - Energy - ArabianBusiness.com

The wind farm project is the first major renewable energy project in the Seychelles and will generate 11 percent of electricity on the main island, and will cut down on fossil fuel imports and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Starving Iran Won’t Free It - NYTimes.com

THERE’S an old saying, attributed to the British Foreign Office in colonial days: “Keep the Persians hungry, and the Arabs fat.” For the British — then the stewards of Persian destiny — that was the formula for maintaining calm; it still is for Saudi Arabian leaders, who simply distribute large amounts of cash to their citizens at the first sign of unrest at their doorstep.
Middle East company to rescue German solar maker | SmartPlanet

Microsol, a solar cell and panel supplier based in the United Arab Emirates, has made a binding offer to acquire bankrupt German solar manufacturer Solon, including Solon facilities in the United States.
Israeli Troops Raid Two Palestinian TV Stations in Ramallah - NYTimes.com

The Palestinian Authority replied that it had received no such warnings and that the stations were guilty of no violations. “We are an educational television station, which puts on ‘Sesame Street,’ antismoking programs and broadcasts to help integrate handicapped children into the community,” said Lucy Nusseibeh, director of the Institute of Modern Media at Al-Quds University, which operates the station. “We have all our licenses through the Palestinian Ministry of Communications and are in constant touch with them. I never heard anything about Israeli complaints or warnings.”
Blast in Istanbul Injures 10 Police Officers - NYTimes.com

Ten police officers were injured on Thursday when a booby-trapped motorcycle exploded in front of the headquarters of the Turkish governing party in Istanbul, officials said.
Obama's Most Dangerous GOP Opponent: Netanyahu - The Dish | By Andrew Sullivan - The Daily Beast

A global war which polarizes America and the world is exactly what Netanyahu wants. And it is exactly what the GOP needs to cut through Obama's foreign policy advantage in this election. Because it is only through war, crisis and polarization that extremists can mobilize the emotions that keep them in power. They need war to win. Here's a prediction. Netanyahu, in league and concert with Romney, Santorum and Gingrich, will make his move to get rid of Obama soon. And he will be more lethal to this president than any of his domestic foes.
A boy's death exposes Israel's deliberate fiction - The National

Only by pretending that children are terrorists can the Israelis justify an occupation that murders them. And if Israelis have to lie to themselves, the rest of the world takes even more convincing. A perpetual state of self-deception is essential to justify the brutality that takes place on a daily basis in the Occupied Territory. Through this prism of unaccountability, Israel permits itself to make the most unjustified of claims in the name of national security. This is not some chance misunderstanding. Israel's hasbara, or propaganda, ministry produces regular advertisements, some surprisingly clumsy: last year, one bizarre video clip compared Israel to an abused young woman.
Republicans ill at ease with the world around them - The Washington Post

Romney’s stabs at seeming a regular guy have provided the most painful moments of his campaign. How to come off as a car buff in Michigan? Mention your wife’s Cadillacs. How to be a good ol’ boy at Daytona? Say you’re friends with some of the race car owners. Not since Richard Nixon has a national political leader appeared so excruciatingly ill at ease with the simplest public encounters.
Job creation is MENA's no 1 challenge, says E&Y - Industries - ArabianBusiness.com

Over 15 million young people are expected to enter the workforce in the Middle East and North Africa in the next decade, Ernst & Young said in a report on Tuesday. Its quarterly Rapid-Growth Markets Forecast said the region's greatest challenge "will be to create employment and develop the non-oil economy".
Enough of Rick Santorum’s sermons - The Washington Post

Mullah Rick has spoken. He wants religion returned to “the public square,” is opposed to contraception, premarital sex and abortion under any circumstances, wants children educated in what amounts to little red schoolhouses and called President Obama a “snob” for extolling college or some other kind of post-high school education. This is not a political platform. It’s a fatwa.
Aides: Yemen's Saleh to Seek Exile in Ethiopia - WSJ.com

Aides to Ali Abdullah Saleh said Monday that the ousted Yemeni president plans to go into exile in Ethiopia, as pressures mounted on him to depart the country for fear of sparking new cycles of violence.
Saudi billionaire eyes $3.4bn Ethiopia projects - Banking & Finance - ArabianBusiness.com

Derba Group, an amalgam of three Ethiopian companies owned by Saudi billionaire Mohammed Al Amoudi, said it plans to invest 59bn birr ($3.4bn) in seven industrial projects over the next five years.
Study to explore pan-Arab energy market - Energy - ArabianBusiness.com

The Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development has commissioned a feasibility study for creating a single energy market from Morocco to Oman, the Italy-based consultancy who will conduct it said on Monday. CESI Middle East has been contracted by the Kuwait-based development fund to come up with a plan for integrating by 2030 the loosely connected electricity and natural gas networks of 20 Arab countries across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
CEO of Bahrain's $9bn wealth fund resigns - ArabianBusiness.com

The chief executive of Bahrain's $9bn sovereign wealth fund, Mumtalakat, told Reuters he has resigned to set up a new investment firm in the Gulf Arab island kingdom.
Jeb Bush finds Republican debates ‘a little troubling’ - The Washington Post

“I used to be a conservative and I watch these debates and I’m wondering, I don’t think I’ve changed, but it’s a little troubling sometimes when people are appealing to people’s fears and emotion rather than trying to get them to look over the horizon for a broader perspective and that’s kind of where we are,” former Florida governor Jeb Bush said in a Dallas speech Thursday
Trial is adjourned after Americans fail to appear in Cairo court - CNN.com

The trial of international aid workers -- including 16 Americans -- accused of fraud in Egypt got a brief start Sunday as intense behind-the-scenes diplomatic discussions simmered over the case. Out of the 43 defendants facing fraud charges, only 14 non-American workers showed up to court for a trial unfolding in the wake of the revolution that ousted former President Hosni Mubarak, and increasingly shaky relations with the United States.
WikiLeaks begins disclosing intelligence firm's e-mails - CNN.com

(CNN) -- The website WikiLeaks has begun releasing what it says are 5 million e-mails from the private intelligence company Stratfor, starting with a company "glossary" that features unflattering descriptions of U.S. government agencies.
Selecting a Seatmate to Make Skies Friendlier - NYTimes.com

** Sounds like a terrible idea ** This month, the Dutch carrier KLM began testing a program it calls Meet and Seat, allowing ticket-holders to upload details from their Facebook or LinkedIn profiles and use the data to choose seatmates. The concept is a step beyond the not always successful efforts a few years ago by some airlines — including Air France, Virgin Atlantic and Lufthansa — to build “walled” social networks out of their existing frequent flier memberships.

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Fox news Calls for Annihilation of Iran

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 12:52:00 +0000

Kuwait Avenues Mall Flash Mob

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 04:58:00 +0000

News Round Up - Sunshine, Saudi and SMEs

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew) — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 11:07:00 +0000

GCC food imports may double to $53bn by 2020 - Retail - ArabianBusiness.com

Food imports to the Gulf region may more than double over the decade according to forecasts presented by the UAE's minister of trade, it has been reported.
Arab agriculture investor may build grain silo for Gulf | Transport and Logistics | AMEinfo.com

The Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment and Development (AAID) is studying plans to build a system for storing three to six months of grain reserves for the Gulf region
India May Spend $1 Billion to Map Aquifers, Avert Water Crisis - Bloomberg

India may spend as much as 50 billion rupees ($1 billion) in the next five years to map underground water as indiscriminate sinking of wells by farmers depletes resources in the world’s second-most populous nation.
Du set to launch Apprentice-style TV show - Media - ArabianBusiness.com

Dubai-based telco Du said on Tuesday it is planning to launch a TV show aimed at fostering entrepreneurs in the UAE. The telecom operator said the move to launch The Entrepreneur later this year was "to foster new ideas in business and in line with Du's commitment to the SME sector".
No plans to cut taxis after Dubai Metro success - Transport - ArabianBusiness.com

A total of 346.5 million passengers used public transport in Dubai last year, rising 4.3 percent since 2010.
Franklin Graham: "don't know" if Obama is Christian

Performing a one-man resurrection of the religious right's favorite attacks against Obama's religious beliefs, Franklin Graham—Billy Graham's son and an evangelist himself—attempted to cast some doubt on Obama's Christianity on Monday, echoing Rick Santorum's weekend insinuation that Obama might not be the right kind of Christian.
Saudi Arabia plans $6.9bn mining city project - Industries - ArabianBusiness.com

Saudi Arabia is planning to invest SR26bn ($6.9bn) in a new industrial zone for mining companies in the north of the country.
Germany’s Sunshine Daydream - Bjørn Lomborg - Project Syndicate

One of the world’s biggest green-energy public-policy experiments is coming to a bitter end in Germany, with important lessons for policymakers elsewhere. Germany once prided itself on being the “photovoltaic world champion”, doling out generous subsidies – totaling more than $130 billion, according to research from Germany’s Ruhr University – to citizens to invest in solar energy. But now the German government is vowing to cut the subsidies sooner than planned, and to phase out support over the next five years. What went wrong?
Saudis Yet to Approve Renewable Energy Strategy, Official Says - Bloomberg

Saudi Arabia has yet to approve the country’s renewable energy strategy that aims to reduce crude oil used for domestic power generation and water desalination, an official said today. The strategy which includes new regulations and financial incentives for private investors to develop the country’s renewable energy sources have been submitted to the Cabinet for approval

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Light

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew) — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 09:00:00 +0000

Light from Sunday Paper on Vimeo.

News Round Up - Contraception, Culture Wars and Cyprus

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew) — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 17:45:00 +0000

Foster Friess Apologizes For Suggesting Bayer Aspirin As Contraception Method

Foster Friess, the main donor to a super PAC aligned with Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum, apologized for his comments suggesting Bayer Aspirin as a contraception method.
House of Stone - NYTimes.com

In Arabic, the word “bayt” translates literally as house, but its connotations resonate beyond rooms and walls, summoning longings gathered about family and home. In the Middle East, bayt is sacred. Empires fall. Nations topple. Borders may shift. Old loyalties may dissolve or, without warning, be altered. Home, whether it be structure or familiar ground, is finally the identity that does not fade.
Republicans and the Culture Wars: Why It Won't Work This Year - The Daily Beast

Romney, with his picture-perfect family and squeaky-clean lifestyle, should be a terrific values crusader. Alas, he is Mormon and so must be careful about steering the race toward matters of faith, lest someone push him to have an in-depth chat about the LDS Church’s fondness for baptizing dead Jews. Then there’s Rick Santorum, who, by all rights, should dominate the values battlefield. He’s got the loving wife, the passel of kids, the goofy-dad vibe. And, let’s face it, the man has never met a policy issue he didn’t see through the prism of family values. Tax reform? Regulatory reform? Deficit spending? As Rick tells it, the first step toward addressing any of these problems is to reinstate the ban on sodomy.
Israel gives 'price tag' youth a new West Bank hilltop

This week, a new outpost in the occupied Palestinian territories was offered as part of an exchange deal with settlers from the "price tag" hilltop youth in Migron. The Israeli press has called the approved plot of land the first new settlement in over a decade, despite a decade of unprecedented expansion in existing communities, and the proliferation of illegal outposts.
Saudi construction costs surge as Aramco limits fuel - The National

Saudi construction costs are set to spiral as a government ban on cement exports has failed to keep a lid on prices. The rising price of building materials could increase the cost of new homes and hit a slew of major infrastructure projects planned as part of a US$130 billion (Dh477.5bn) public spending plan.
Analysis: As solar panels eclipsed, installers in limelight | Reuters

A steep decline in solar panel prices is helping solar installers attract new capital, a trend likely to trigger consolidation in the fragmented industry and drive down the cost of putting the renewable energy system on rooftops.
Anthony Shadid Dead: New York Times Correspondent Dies In Syria Of Apparent Asthma Attack At Age 43

New York Times correspondent Anthony Shadid, a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner who strove to capture untold stories in Middle East conflicts from Libya to Iraq, died Thursday in eastern Syria after slipping into the country to report on the uprising against its president.

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Most twisted tech. college video ever

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew) — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 13:54:00 +0000

News Round Up - Shakira, Sea Lion and Syria

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 09:46:00 +0000

Israel finds a new friend in Cyprus - The National

Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday became the first Israeli prime minister to make the 45-minute flight to Cyprus, bolstering a flourishing new relationship spawned mainly by multi-billion dollar gas finds in the sea between the two countries. Talks focused on cooperation in exploiting the hydrocarbon bonanza that, along with the Arab Spring and Israel's ruptured alliance with Turkey, is changing the region's politics in ways yet to crystallise.
Iran War Would Cost Trillions: Will the GOP Pay More Taxes for That? - Steve Clemons - Politics - The Atlantic

Wars cost lots and lots of money -- and if a substantial chunk of the GOP crowd wants these wars and feels that it is in our national interest to have them, then by all means they should start lining up some of the wealthiest in the country who are helping to agitate for these conflicts to pay more in taxes for them.
History could be a deterrent to Iranian aggression - The Washington Post

Now, I am not suggesting that an Israeli attack on Iran would have anything close to these consequences. But I am suggesting that it is profoundly shortsighted to base a major decision — to go to war — on narrow technical considerations like windows of vulnerability. Many in Washington in March 2003 insisted that we could not wait for nuclear inspectors to keep at their work in Iraq because we faced a closing window — the weather was going to get too hot by June and July to send in U.S. forces. As a result, we rushed into a badly planned military invasion and occupation in which soldiers had to endure combat in Iraq for nine long and very hot years.
Erdogan moves to block inquiries - FT.com

Turkey’s parliament is due on Thursday to grant the prime minister powers to block investigations into some officials – the latest in a battle within the state pitting the government against prosecutors. The move is a reaction to a court summons last week for Hakan Fidan, the head of Turkey’s MIT intelligence agency, as a suspect in a long running terrorist investigation. The dispute centres on contacts between the intelligence service and alleged Kurdish terrorists.
World Bank President Will Resign

Word Bank president Robert Zoellick will step down from his high-profile post when his current five-year term comes to an end on June 30.
Why hawks should vote for Obama | Stephen M. Walt

A third danger is imitation. There is every reason to assume that other states, as well as some non-state actors, will decide to follow us down this particular path. The United States used to say that it opposed "targeted assassinations," but now we we are legimitizing this practice and others are bound to get into the act too. Similarly, by paying less and less attention to the old norm of sovereignty, we are making it more difficult to object when other states start interfering in each other's internal affairs. If we can send drones and/or special forces into any country we choose, why can't other states violate national borders in order to advance some policy objective of their own? What are we going to say then?
`Virtual Water' is No Game for Food Importers at Risk - Bloomberg

Desert and drought-prone nations increasingly rely on water from other countries and don’t even know it. That's the conclusion of a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that maps the world's water flow.
Saudi Arabia Halts Cement Exports to Meet Local Market Needs - Businessweek

Saudi Arabia said it halted exports of cement and clinker to prevent shortages of the products and stabilize prices in the Arab world’s largest economy.
Singer Shakira attacked by sea lion while on vacation in South Africa, blames Blackberry - NYPOST.com

Colombian pop singer Shakira has blamed her Blackberry for sparking a sea lion attack -- suggesting the marine mammal mistook the shiny black phone for a fish.
Norquist: Romney Will Do As Told—David Frum - The Daily Beast

They have reconciled themselves to a Romney candidacy because they see Romney as essentially a weak and passive president who will concede leadership to congressional conservatives: All we have to do is replace Obama. ... We are not auditioning for fearless leader. We don't need a president to tell us in what direction to go. We know what direction to go. We want the Ryan budget. ... We just need a president to sign this stuff. We don't need someone to think it up or design it. The leadership now for the modern conservative movement for the next 20 years will be coming out of the House and the Senate.
Jordan Receives Two Bids for Red Sea Water Desalination Project - Bloomberg

Jordan received offers from two groups of companies for a project that would desalinate water from the Red Sea and help replenish the Dead Sea, a spokesman at the Ministry of Water and Irrigation said.
UPDATE 1-Protests hit Moroccan silver mine operations | Reuters

Activists say the protests have been motivated by grievances over depleted water resources in the arid Imider area, damage caused to crops from waste water ejected by the mining plant and complaints over the lack of basic amenities.
Turkey spy linked to Syrian refugees' abduction and return for reward - The National

Five people, including a former member of Turkey's main intelligence service, have been detained for allegedly abducting a former Syrian military officer from a refugee camp in southern Turkey and sending him back to Syria, where he was reportedly executed last month.
Emirates set to target Portugal in Euro push - Transport - ArabianBusiness.com

Emirates Airline said on Monday it is to launch flights to Portugal from July 9 as part of a recent push to improve links to mainland Europe.
Geldof Africa fund raises $200 million | Agricultural Commodities | Reuters

Irish rock star Bob Geldof has raised $200 million for his "8 Mile" African private equity fund, cementing a shift in his global anti-poverty crusade from rich world debt forgiveness to promoting private enterprise.
Dubai to start work on a ‘world class’ zoo - Travel & Hospitality - ArabianBusiness.com

Dubai is to start work on a new Zoo this year in a bid to replace the existing, outdated facility with a new park of “world class” standards, Dubai Municipality has said. Plans for the new animal centre are expected to be signed off in the next two months with the help of special consultants, who will decide a suitable site, the required area as well as the location and grouping of animals, the municipality said.
Obama budget: higher taxes on rich, more spending to contrast with Republicans

When President Obama presents his 2013 budget blueprint to Congress on Monday, he will also be clearly laying out his campaign strategy to win November’s election. Instead of the deficit cuts that were highlighted during last year’s presentation, the White House will now focus on higher taxes for the wealthy and higher spending on popular jobs and infrastructure programs.
Mount Hermon's pure snow can't hide Israel's dark past - Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News

** Gideon Levy as always, telling hard truths that others do not want to hear ** One can be truly impressed not only by the manner in which Israel annexed the Golan Heights - through legislation opposed to international law, and not recognized by even one state in the world - but also by the way we annexed the Golan's past and present. We tell ourselves pretty lies about how most of the "Druze" refuse to accept Israeli citizenship only due to their fear of Syria, otherwise they would all be Zionist Druze, whom we love to love. That concept is adopted without anyone bothering to ask them about their national aspirations. We believe that, thanks to their apple and pita and labane cheese stands, they're in an ideal position just as they are - despite being cut off from their brethren and torn from their families and country.
Police prevent Feiglin from entering Temple ... JPost - Headlines

Police prevented MK Moshe Feiglin (Likud) from entering the Temple Mount Sunday morning, accusing Feiglin and Likud activists of attempting to disrupt the order at the site. Feiglin and three activists had attempted to enter the site, but went to pray at the Western Wall after police prevented them from carrying out their original plan.

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

News Round Up - Saudi, Santorum and Sandusky

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 06:49:00 +0000

Only 38 percent of Saudis own houses - Arab News

Official statistics show that only about 38 percent of Saudis own houses, including the communal ones. Banking sources described this rate as low compared to the other developed countries, where 65 to 75 percent of the population own houses.
Saudi Investing $1.2B | The Manila Bulletin Newspaper Online

A Saudi Arabian agro-industrial firm is investing $1.2 billion to cultivate an initial 2,000 hectares of idle lands in Maguindanao for the production of banana and root crops that are highly in demand in their oil-rich nation.
Report: Saudi Arabia to acquire nuclear weapons if Iran tests bomb | GlobalPost

BEIRUT, Lebanon — Saudi Arabia will "within weeks" seek to purchase nuclear weapons if Iran tests an atomic bomb, according to the British newspaper The Times. The report comes as fears of an Iranian nuclear weapon mount in Israel and the United States.
Obama riled up Republicans on contraception, and then delivers a knock-out punch.

That's the nitty-gritty. The fun part of this is that Obama just pulled a fast one on Republicans. He drew this out for two weeks, letting Republicans work themselves into a frenzy of anti-contraception rhetoric, all thinly disguised as concern for religious liberty, and then created a compromise that addressed their purported concerns but without actually reducing women's access to contraception, which is what this has always been about.
PhotoBlog - World Press Photo of the year awarded to Samuel Aranda

The international jury of the 55th annual World Press Photo Contest announced Friday that it had selected a picture by Samuel Aranda as the World Press Photo of the Year 2011. Jurors said the photo of a veiled woman holding a wounded relative in her arms after a demonstration in Yemen captured multiple facets of the "Arab Spring" uprisings across the Middle East last year. It was taken at a field hospital inside a mosque in Sanaa on October 15.
Santorum: Obama leading Christians to the ‘guillotine’ | The Raw Story

** It is embarrassing that this fear-mongering xenophobe won three primaries last week... *** Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum warned on Wednesday that President Barack Obama and other liberals are leading people of faith down a path that ends at the guillotine.
Romney "Glitter Bomber" Faces $1,000 if Convicted of Misdemeanour

** You've got to be kidding me. Jail time for throwing glitter???? ** A Colorado student is facing the possibility of six months in jail for throwing glitter at Mitt Romney this week in an increasingly popular form of liberal protest known as a "glitter bombing." Peter Lucas Smith, a 20-year-old student at the University of Colorado, staged his sparkly protest after a Romney speech following Tuesday's Colorado caucuses. While the glitter bomb is most associated with vocal supporters of gay marriage, Smith told Reuters that his protest was in response to the GOP front-runner's "general political philosophy."
Manish Bapna: 2012: A Breakthrough for Renewable Energy?

So what is getting investors -- from asset financiers to venture capitalists -- so excited? The answer is simple: wind and solar energy is becoming increasingly cost competitive with coal and natural gas. In the past few years, the costs of PV modules and wind turbines have tumbled, driven mainly by technology innovations and a maturing supply chain. The results are evident in falling clean energy prices around the world.
The Case for Bombing Iran Shows Hawks Wrong All Over Again - The Daily Beast

I don’t want a nuclear-armed Iran any more than Ferguson does. But I also don’t want to be jollied into another war, having just helped as a U.S. taxpayer to spend more than $1 trillion on the biggest fiasco in our foreign-policy history that killed tens of thousands and displaced countless others and brought us a rather long list of problems, on assurances like these. We cannot foreclose the possibility that a strike against Iran might one day be defensible or necessary. But we should be acknowledging that prospect humbly, and with awareness of the certain fact that it will unleash forces that we can’t anticipate or contain, which is a far different thing from a blithe call from Harvard Yard for “creative destruction.” You’d think if our war caucus had learned anything in the past decade, they’d have learned that.
Sky News Arabia on track for spring launch - Media - ArabianBusiness.com

Sky News Arabia said on Wednesday it was on track to launch operations in the spring after moving its news team into new studios in Abu Dhabi. The free-to-air 24-hour Arabic rolling news channel said its editorial and operational teams were now located at the new studio and production facilities in the UAE capital.
Jerry Sandusky House Arrest: Concerns Of School Could Alter Bail Conditions Of Ex-Penn State Coach

Prosecutors asked Tuesday to have Jerry Sandusky kept indoors as part of his bail conditions, citing complaints that the former Penn State assistant football coach was seen outside and watching children in a schoolyard from the back porch of his home, where he remains under house arrest while awaiting trial on child molestation charges.
Bashar al-Assad: Syrian violence escalates, U.S. considers options

CNN reports that the U.S. military has begun what's called a “scoping exercise” to determine what options are on the table for possible military action in the country. Essentially, they're looking at the resources they have available and assessing the risks of various military options.
Porn Scandal in Indian State Assembly Shocks Country - International Business Times

Three government ministers in India resigned on Wednesday after they were caught watching pornography on a cell phone during a session of the state assembly of Karnataka.
Amid domestic woes Tata Power explores overseas opportunities - The Economic Times

Faced with multiple domestic sectoral woes, the country's largest private power producer, Tata Power, is actively exploring overseas opportunities for generation and distribution projects in SAARC nations, Africa, Turkey and the Middle East.
Saudi solar deal signed with German partner | Energy, Oil and Gas | AMEinfo.com

Saudi-based IDEA Polysilicon Co has selected Germany's Centrotherm Photovoltaic to help build a polysilicon plant in Saudi Arabia, Reuters has reported.
Claude Lanzmann, ‘Shoah’ Director, Detained at Israeli Airport - The Daily Beast

A French filmmaker who made a landmark documentary about the Holocaust has been detained at Israel’s Ben-Gurion airport after allegedly making an unwanted advance toward a female security agent, according to sources at the airport. The filmmaker Claude Lanzmann apparently tried to kiss and hug the agent as she accompanied him to the ticket counter after a security check
Saudi Arabia faces rising political peril, says Maplecroft - Politics & Economics - ArabianBusiness.com

Saudi Arabia, the world’s biggest crude exporter, has the most uncertain political environment of 15 major growth economies including China and Russia, according to the founder of risk-assessment consultants Maplecroft. The political peril this year in 12 of those nations is decreasing, while it is rising in Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Vietnam, Alyson Warhurst said at a conference in Dubai on Tuesday.
China deepens ties to Arab Gulf states while rejecting Western curbs on business partner Iran - chicagotribune.com

As the world's biggest energy consumer, China's roaring appetite for stable oil and gas supplies is driving its Gulf push — a relationship made clearer last month when Premier Wen Jiabao traveled to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. In Saudi Arabia, Wen specifically called for the two countries to "deepen their energy partnership" and increase trade in oil and gas.
U.S. Jews Should Heed Top Israeli Soldiers Who Oppose Bombing Iran - The Daily Beast

Some of Israel’s leading soldiers and spies are warning against bombing Iran. American Jews should listen to them rather than accept Netanyahu’s apocalyptic claim that Tehran’s nuclear program is an existential threat to the state
Obama to announce $100 million plan to train new educators - The Washington Post

President Obama will use the backdrop of a White House science fair Tuesday to highlight a nationwide shortage of math and science teachers and unveil a plan to invest $100 million to help train 100,000 new educators over the next decade.

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Debbie Spenditnow

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:45:00 +0000

News Round Up - Ski Saudi, Syria and Solar

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:52:00 +0000

Saudi Begins to Push Transparency in Government | mideastposts.com

Saudi Arabia is beginning to take steps toward government transparency, Arab News reports. The National Anti-Corruption Authority has developed procedures – undefined here – through which government officials with decision-making authority will be required to disclose their financial status. The article suggests, though does not clearly state, that the disclosures will be made to the Authority, not to the general public.
Pharmaceutical code drawn up - Arab News

A code of ethics for those involved in manufacturing and marketing pharmaceutical products will be launched in the Kingdom on Sunday, a senior official from the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) announced in Riyadh Monday.
Falling solar prices good for climate, bad for firms - Arab News

BERLIN: There is a bright side to the plunge in solar panel prices that has brought down some US and German manufacturers which relied too heavily on subsidies for green energy - solar power costs have fallen faster than anyone thought possible.
Solar energy research centre planned for Oman | Energy, Oil and Gas | AMEinfo.com

Oman's Research Council (TRC) plans to establish the Oman National Solar Energy Centre (ONSEC) to conduct research in solar energy and ensure proper and efficient technology transfer by global firms, Muscat Daily has reported
Qatar's QFIB goes nuts for Al Rifai stake - Retail - ArabianBusiness.com

Qatar First Investment Bank (QFIB) said on Monday it has acquired a 15 percent stake in snacks manufacturer Al Rifai International Holding. The deal is QFIB's first investment in the food and beverage manufacturing industry, the company said in a statement, without giving the value of the deal.
Carlyle to focus on Turkey and Saudi Arabia - FT.com

Carlyle Group has installed a leadership pairing at its Middle East and north African arm as the private equity group reframes its investment strategy, focusing on the region’s main growth markets in Turkey and the Gulf. Carlyle has promoted Can Deldag and Firas Nasir to co-heads of its regional franchise, in a move that is set to be unveiled on Monday, said people close to the US buy-out house.
Egypt to prosecute 43 NGO workers, 19 Americans, inlcuding Ray LaHood's son, Sam LaHood

Egyptian prosecutors will put 43 NGO workers, including 19 Americans, on trial, escalating a wide-ranging investigation into pro-democracy and human rights groups, reports the Associated Press. Washington has warned Egypt that its continued crackdown on groups promoting democracy would jeopardize the $1.5 billion in aid it is set to receive this year. Egyptian officials have insisted they can’t interfere with the judiciary.
Saudi developer plans Ski Dubai style project - Retail - ArabianBusiness.com

An agreement has been signed to create the first indoor snow village in Saudi Arabia, similar to the Ski Dubai attraction in the UAE.
BBC says Iran targeting journalists' families - Media - ArabianBusiness.com

Iranian authorities are increasingly arresting and threatening the families of British Broadcasting Corporation journalists to force them to quit its Persian news service, the BBC's head said on Sunday.
After U.N. veto, U.S. floats coalition on Syria – USATODAY.com

The United States proposed an international coalition to support Syria's opposition Sunday after Russia and China blocked a U.N. attempt to end nearly 11 months of bloodshed, raising fears that violence will escalate. Rebel soldiers said force was now the only way to oust President Bashar Assad, while the regime vowed to press its military crackdown.
BBC News - New Virgin Atlantic recruits paying for own criminal checks

Virgin Atlantic is forcing hundreds of new staff each year to pay for their own criminal record checks after referring them to an employment screening firm. New staff at the airline's call centre in Swansea have been asked to pay £25 for the background check.

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

News Round Up - Opec, Fracking and Tribalism

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:19:00 +0000

Digital subscriptions stabilise NY Times revenues - FT.com

Digital subscriptions to the New York Times online edition stabilised revenues at the publisher’s flagship title in the fourth quarter of 2011, but group results were dragged down by a further decline at About.com, its consumer information website.
Fracking Boom Could Finally Cap Myth of Peak Oil: Peter Orszag - Bloomberg

The U.S. oil market could be on the verge of its own fracking revolution, similar to what the natural-gas market is already experiencing. As a result, domestic production is now projected to rise significantly over the coming decades, reducing the relative share of imports in U.S. oil consumption.
Tribalism in the Arabian Peninsula: It's A Family Affair

Today, the ruling dynasties of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Kuwait all belong to the ‘Anazas of central Arabia. The ‘Anaza tribe is amongst the largest and most ancient Arabian tribes. Its members can be traced back to Prophet Mohammed’s companions and its descendants can be found across the Arabian Peninsula, as well as in non-Arab Iran and Turkey.
Saudi nominates Opec governor for top post | Energy, Oil and Gas | AMEinfo.com

Saudi Arabia has nominated its Opec governor, Majid Al-Moneef for the group's next secretary general, in a move that may reignite a quarrel over influence in Opec between Gulf Arab nations and Iran

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Mario Kart Bike Lane, Denver, CO, Feb 2nd 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:47:00 +0000

Stay true to the dreams of thy youth

News Round Up - To keep you all busy...

News Round Up - Farms, Fish and Freedom

News Round Up - DEA, Dubai and Delta

Israel Lobby at it again

News Round Up - Food, Finance and Fear

News Dump - For the Spaniards

News Round Up 2 - Spike, Syria and Saudi Arabia

News Round Up 1

B*tches in Bookshops (based on Jay Z and Kanye West's "N*ggas in Paris")

News Round Up - Tide, Tourism and Threats

Trailer for On the Road

News Round Up - Bin Laden, Saddam and Pornography

News Round Up - Everything you wanted to read, but didn't

Fox news Calls for Annihilation of Iran

Kuwait Avenues Mall Flash Mob

News Round Up - Sunshine, Saudi and SMEs

Light

News Round Up - Contraception, Culture Wars and Cyprus

Most twisted tech. college video ever

News Round Up - Shakira, Sea Lion and Syria

News Round Up - Saudi, Santorum and Sandusky

Debbie Spenditnow

News Round Up - Ski Saudi, Syria and Solar

News Round Up - Opec, Fracking and Tribalism

Mario Kart Bike Lane, Denver, CO, Feb 2nd 2012

Btches in Bookshops (based on Jay Z and Kanye West's "Nggas in Paris")