Middle East back issues from November 2006:
EDITORIAL COMMENT
Nov 01, 2006; ... The issue of veiling has occupied a huge amount of media airtime and column inches in Britain over recent weeks. The debate was sparked by former foreign secretary Jack Straw who revealed he has asked female Muslim constituents to remove their niqabs - the facial covering which exposes only the ...
HEBRON: Under pressure
Nov 01, 2006; ... Israeli settlers in Hebron are hellbent on persecuting the inhabitants of the area, in an effort to drive them out of town. Mel Frykberg reports THE CROWD OF Hebron settlers, 30km south of Jerusalem on the West Bank, were baying for blood as they impatiently waited for the Israeli ...
BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO
Nov 01, 2006; ... President George Bush and his policymakers insist there is no civil war in Iraq; few outside Washington would agree. As Shi'ite, Sunni and Kurd battle for supremacy, as the daily death toll spirals out of control and men like Grand Ayatollah Ali Al Sistani, the most moderate of Iraq's Shi'ite ...
YEMEN: Another Saleh victory
Nov 01, 2006; ... Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh won his country's presidential election in September, to the surprise of nobody at all. How free and fair were the elections and what does the result mean for Yemen's future? Eamonn Gearon reports THE DRAMA THAT was the Yemeni presidential election ...
Taking a shot at war
Nov 01, 2006; ... Who better to take an impartial look at the devastation of the latest Middle Eastern conflict than the photographers who get close to the action? But hardened as they are to devastation, many have been incensed by events, according to Rhys Jones IT is LATE July 2006, roughly halfway ...
AFGHANISTAN: Karzai tries traditional tribal diplomacy
Nov 01, 2006; ... By Adel Darwish. The top British officer in Afghanistan has sounded the alarm: Afghanistan has reached "tipping point" and desperately needs more troops to help speed up reconstruction and development efforts. GENERAL DAVID RICHARDS, the British officer who commands Nato's 32,000 troops ...
LEBANON: Blocking Hizbullah's arms pipeline
Nov 01, 2006; ... Arms shipments are said to be entering Lebanon on a regular basis and some fear this may lead to renewed conflict with Israel, writes Ed Blanche REPORTED EFFORTS BY Iran and Syria to resupply Hizbullah with missiles and other weapons are one of the most explosive issues in the aftermath ...
Strength in numbers
Nov 01, 2006; ... The Arab League, a toothless tiger or the region's last hope for equanimity and equilibrium? By Richard Seymour EVERYONE, IT SEEMS, has a solution to the current crises in the Middle East, whether it's the earnest diplomats of the UN, meeting on occasions too numerous to document to ...
Check but not checkmate
Nov 01, 2006; ... It's tempting for western critics to see Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadjinejad as out of his depth in a political game of chess. But according to Richard Seymour, he should not be underrated. ANYONE FAMILIAR WITH the game of chess will recognise a pattern forming in the Middle East and ...
Condi goes on tour
Nov 01, 2006; ... America's Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice toured five nations in the Middle East last month meeting the leaders and foreign ministers of 10 countries. A senior western diplomat in Cairo summarised her labours as "a cheerleading trip without substance", to The Middle East's Adel ...
PALESTINE: The forgotten refugees
Nov 01, 2006; ... In principle at least all Arab states support the rights of the Palestinian dispossessed. However, in this candid report Pamela Ann Smith looks at the lives of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq and finds that it is not only Israel that treats them as second-class ...
SAUDI ARABIA: PLAYING THE NUMBERS GAME
Nov 01, 2006; ... An ambitious project will boost crude oil production in Saudi Arabia by a third. At the same time, the country is clinging to its role as global oil lynchpin by pledging to increase its production capacity. Stephen Williams and Neil Ford report IN RECENT YEARS, the issue of'peak oil' has ...
BUSINESS&FINANCE: BRIEF
Nov 01, 2006; ... TUNISIAN ECONOMY HEADS REGION The Tunisian economy is the most competitive in Africa and in the Arab world, according to the Global Competitiveness Report 2006-2007 released by The World Economic Forum. Globally, Tunisia ranked 30th, moving up seven places compared to last year ....
The beauty business
Nov 01, 2006; ... Business looks good for the beauty industry in the Middle East, with annual cosmetics and toiletries sales in the region climbing to nearly two billion dollars, reports Rhona Wells. THE REGION'S BEAUTY market has seen unprecedented growth levels of as much as 12% in recent years, with ...
Turning Egyptian fortunes around
Nov 01, 2006; ... EGYPT The Egyptian gas industry is thriving, with exports set to double in the next six years, writes Neil Ford. A few years ago, the prospects for Egypt's hydrocarbons sector looked bleak. Oil output was falling, the gas sector had yet to take off, and it seemed likely Egypt's ...
READY FOR BUSINESS: CAMEROON
Nov 01, 2006; ... Now boasting the most diversified economy in the region, Cameroon has achieved rapid expansion and industrialisation. Political stability and an excellent good business environment have also helped create an extremely attractive investment destination. The recent privatisation ...
WRITING ON THE WALL
Nov 01, 2006; ... WHATEVER YOU WANT to call it - a 'security barrier', or the 'annexation' or 'apartheid' Wall - it is Israel's largest and costliest engineering feat in the nation's 58-year history. The 'internationally recognised' border, or 1949 Armistice line, is 315km long and yet the Wall will stretch some ...
Chemotherapy for the soul
Nov 01, 2006; ... Chemotherapy for the soul Udi Aloni's Forgiveness appeals to both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to acknowledge the other's pain, writes Sally Fitz Harris. NOT SO MUCH chemotherapy, as a drug to exorcise demons: Forgiveness, Udi Aloni's new film, having won acclaim at ...
Iraqi exile voices fears for the future
Nov 01, 2006; ... From exile in Kuwait to pillar of his local Islamic community, Sayed Moustafa Al Qazwini is a descendant of the Prophet who has lived the American dream. But in an interview with Pat McDonnell Twair, he reveals his disenchantment with US involvement in his native land, Iraq. SAYED ...
The Sultans of Swing
Nov 01, 2006; ... John Stevenson reports from Tunisia, where the annual international jazz festival takes place against the sultry backdrop of a Roman amphitheatre. TUNISIA AS MUSIC FESTIVALS go, the Tabarka Jazz Festival is an important fixture on the North African cultural calendar. It ...
GLOBALIZATION AND THE GULF
Nov 01, 2006; ... GLOBALIZATION AND THE GULF Edited by John W Fox, Nada Mourtada-Sabbah, Mohammed Al Mutawa published by Routledge ISBN O 415 77014 9 price £70.00 paperback For centuries, the GuIt has been a crossroads where seafaring people and Bedouins alike travelled great distances transacting ...
7/7: THE LONDON BOMBINGS: ISLAM AND THE IRAQ WAR
Nov 01, 2006; ... 7/7: THE LONDON BOMBINGS ISLAM AND THE IRAQ WAR By Milan Rai published by Pluto Press ISBN O 7453 2563 7 price: £11.99 paperback In Inly 2005, Al Qaeda struck in the heart of London. Despite the British Government's increasingly desperate attempts at denial, polls show that an ...
FIASCO: THE AMERICAN MILITARY ADVENTURE IN IRAQ
Nov 01, 2006; ... FIASCO THE AMERICAN MILITARY ADVENTURE IN IRAQ By Thomas E. Ricks published by Alien Lane ISBN O 713 99953 5 price £25.00 hardback Five years after 9/11, we are in the fourth year of the war in Iraq, with much uncertainty ahead for US and British forces there. The invasion has by any ...
BEYOND THE RIVER: OTTOMAN TRANSJORDAN IN ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPHS
Nov 01, 2006; ... BEYONDTHERIVER OTTOMAN TRANSJORDAN IN ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPHS By RaoLif Sa'd Abujaber and Felicity Cobbing published by Stacey International ISBN 1 900988 82 8 price £21.25 hardback During the 19th and early 20th century, the rugged, mountainous land through which the River Jordan flows was ...
RESCUING AFGHANISTAN
Nov 01, 2006; ... RESCUING AFGHANISTAN By William Maley published by C. HurstS Co ISBN 1 85065 846 3 price £15.00 hardback Compared to post-invasion Iraq, Afghanistan seems a success story; but first impressions can be misleading. Although some key benchmarks have been achieved, Afghanistan continues to ...
OIL TITANS: NATIONAL OIL COMPANIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Nov 01, 2006; ... OIL TITANS NATIONAL OIL COMPANIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST By Valerie Marcel published by Chatham House/Brookings ISBN 0 8157 5473 6 price £11.99 paperback Some 90% of the world's oil reserves are held by state-owned companies. Originally created as political instruments, these national oil ...
THE LAST WORD
Nov 01, 2006; ... Ramadan during the balmy October evenings in London's Edgware Road, the mile-long street that stretches from Marble Arch to Maida Vale, presents a snapshot of real Muslim life in the British capital, a world far removed from the professional political barracking between Muslim and non-Muslim ...
Jordan: Tamleek Real-Estate raises capital to JD 25 Million.
Nov 01, 2006 ... Tamleek Real-Estate's Extraordinary General Assembly agreed during its September meeting to raise the company's capital to JD 25 million. This decision was made in response to the demands dictated by the high scale operations that the firm is handling at the moment. The ...
Europe in pursuit pf petrodollars at Cityscape.(Cityscape Dubai 2006)
Nov 01, 2006 ... Cityscape Dubai 2006, the world's largest international B2B real estate event taking place at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre between 4-6 December, will host exhibitors from some of Europe's major cities. An array of innovative projects will be on show aiming to woo regional ...
Burj Dubai rises to 80 levels.(tower developed by Emaar Properties)
Nov 01, 2006 ... With 2,400 workers daily on-site, Burj Dubai, the super tower developed by Emaar Properties, completed 80 levels today rising to a height of 277 metres. The iconic structure, at the heart of the AED 73 billion (US$20 billion) Downtown Burj Dubai, is billed to be the world's tallest tower ...
Dh1.2b deal signed by Bawadi for 1000-room hotel resort.(Galadari Investments LLC)(Brief article)
Nov 01, 2006 ... A Dh1.2 billion 'Palaces Hotel and Resort' hotel project was recently unveiled by Galadari Investments LLC as part of Dubai's Dh100 billion Bawadi hospitality and tourism project. The Palace will house 1000rooms. Palaces Hotel and Resort project is the third development ...
New Expo City exhibit planned for Sharjah.(Brief article)
Nov 01, 2006 ... A permanent exhibition center in 'New Expo City' in the emirate of Sharjah is being planned by Indian and Sharjah authorities. The New Expo City, which currently features expo centres of Egypt and some CIS countries, is being developed by Sharjah Government along with Sharjah ...
Sorouh Real Estate posts impressive Q3 profits.(Brief article)
Nov 01, 2006 ... Property industry leader Sorouh Real Estate recently announced that it had a cumulative profit of Dh479 million for the period ended September 30, 2006, with earnings per share (EPS) standing at 19 fils. Sorouh's revenues grew by 16 per cent and net profit amounted to Dh156 ...
International Auction House launches in Dubai.(Auction Alliance Middle East)
Nov 01, 2006 ... Boasting 38 offices across North America, Africa, Europe, and Asia Pacific two leading auction groups have combined forces to set up a new entity in Dubai to cater for the growing sales of properties and used capital assets in the Middle East. The new entity is based in Dubai Media City ...
LINKSYS TO EXPAND MIDDLE EAST WIRELESS REACH AT GITEX 2006.(Linksys Group Inc.)
Nov 01, 2006 ... Linksys[R], a division of Cisco Systems, Inc., and the leading global manufacturer of broadband, wireless, and networking hardware for home, Small Office/Home Office (SOHO) and small business environments, will present an exciting new range of wireless networking products for home and ...
Leaders in Dubai Business Forum 2006 - Doing Business in the GCC Survey.(Gulf cooperation Council)
Nov 01, 2006 ... The Leaders in Dubai Business Forum 2006 - Doing Business in the GCC Survey is one of the most comprehensive survey of its kind to be conducted in the GCC region in recent years.Its results reflect the opinions of more than 400 of the regions most senior corporate and public sector leaders ...
Motorola Announces Record Third-Quarter Sales.
Nov 01, 2006 ... Motorola Announces Record Third-Quarter Sales Record quarterly sales of $10.6 billion, up 17 percent versus the year-ago quarter GAAP earnings of $0.39 per share, including income of $0.10 per share from discontinued operations and charges of $0.05 per share from items ...
Specialists Tackle Challenge of Childhood Disorder in the Middle East.(attention deficit hyperactivity disorder )
Nov 01, 2006 ... The wide-scale problem of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and its controversial diagnosis and treatment was examined during a public lecture held at the British University in Dubai (BUiD). ADHD is one of the most common neurobehavioural disorders of ...
AMD DELIVERS INNOVATIVE GAMING EXPERIENCE AT A KNOCKOUT VALUE WITH THE ATI RADEON X1650[R] XT.(Advanced Micro Devices ATI Radeon X1650 XT)
Nov 01, 2006 ... AMD (NYSE: AMD) today introduced an innovative graphics card that makes use of its new native CrossFire(tm) technology, the ATI Radeon[R] X1650 XT. With its incredible image quality features and superb performance, the ATI Radeon X1650 XT delivers enthusiast-class technology at an ...
Amwal Invest applies ESKADENIA[R]CMS.(Content Management System)
Nov 01, 2006 ... Amwal Invest has implemented its IT project in phases, with the objective of building an advanced interactive website that provides informative investment services as well as Business-to-Business (B2B) and Business-to-Customer (B2C) interactions. The Amwal Invest team now have full control ...
Dubai Investments reports net profit of AED 744 million for nine months ended 30 September 2006.(Dubai Investments PJSC)(Brief article)
Nov 01, 2006 ... Dubai Investments PJSC ("DI") reported exceptional results for the nine months ended 30 September 2006 ('the Period"), with consolidated total income of AED 1.45 billion, which is 48 per cent more than the total income of AED 977 million for the nine months ended 30 September 2005 ("same ...
TWIX MIDDLE EAST TO SPONSOR MBC'S AL TAHADI CHALLENGE.(Brief article)
Nov 01, 2006 ... TWIX, the region's biggest biscuit-chocolate brand and the 'thinking consumers' chocolate of choice, announced that it will be sponsoring MBC's latest trivia game show Al Tahadi hosted by George Kordahi. The programme scheduled to debut tonight was a natural tie up for Twix who helped ...
US Ambassador to the UAE and Johns Hopkins Medicine CEO Dr Edward Miller visit Tawam Hospital.(Michele J Sison)
Nov 01, 2006 ... The United States Ambassador to the UAE, Michele J Sison and Dr Edward D Miller, Chief Executive Officer of Johns Hopkins Medicine and Dean of the Medical Faculty of Johns Hopkins University of Medicine visited Tawam Hospital, Abu Dhabi's largest hospital and the Middle East's first ...
Singapore Minister of Trade and Industry supports ADSM's dialogue with SGX.(Rashed Al Baloushi)(Abu Dhabi Securities Market and Singapore Exchange Limited)(Lim Hng Kiang)(Brief article)
Nov 01, 2006 ... Rashed Al Baloushi, Acting Director General of Abu Dhabi Securities Market (ADSM), today called for further ties between the Singapore Exchange Limited (SGX) and Abu Dhabi Securities Market (ADSM). Speaking to Mr Lim Hng Kiang, Singapore Minister of Trade & Industry, at the UAE ...
Siemens launches regional company in Oman.(forming joint venture with Waleed Associates)
Nov 01, 2006 ... Siemens AG, the global electrical engineering and electronics company, recently inaugurated Siemens LLC, its new regional company for Oman formed as a joint venture with Waleed Associates. The announcement came at a ceremony hosted by His Excellency, Dr. Omar bin Abdul Muniem Al ...
PRO TECHnology introduces Electronic News Production System to the Middle East.
Nov 01, 2006 ... PRO TECHnology, the leading integrator of broadcast storage, high availability solutions and the largest Apple reseller in the Middle East, has announced the availability of Electronic News Production System (ENPS), the world's most popular broadcast news production system. ENPS comes as a ...
Packeteer to Showcase Latest Network.(at GITEX Dubai 2006)
Nov 01, 2006 ... Acceleration and Optimization Solutions at GITEX Dubai 2006 Packeteer, the global leader in WAN Application Optimization, today announced that it will utilize this year's GITEX Dubai as a launch pad to increase its product awareness and availability in the Middle East & African ...
OnLine Distribution presents the future of datacentres.(planning for road show)
Nov 01, 2006 ... To help regional companies manage their datacenters, applications, servers and the network from a central point, leading networking distributor Online Distribution is organising a road show across the GCC in December this year. The seven city road show kicks off in Abu Dhabi on ...
FAISAL PRIVATE BANK INVESTS IN IIFF EUROPE.(Faisal Private Bank (Switzerland) SA)(International Islamic Finance Forum Europe)
Nov 01, 2006 ... Faisal Private Bank (Switzerland) SA, the first Islamic private bank in Switzerland has announced its support of the inaugural International Islamic Finance Forum Europe, (IIFF) which is due to take place in Zurich on 13-16 November 2006. Principal shareholder of Faisal Private Bank, ...
Etihad Airways Trebles Muscat - Abu Dhabi Bookings after Only Six Months in Operation.
Nov 01, 2006 ... An increasing number of travellers will be flying to Oman with Etihad Airways this winter thanks to the frequency of the flights between Abu Dhabi and Muscat and Etihad's superior in-flight product. Since launching the daily service, between the UAE and Omani capital, in March ...
Emaar expands into Jordan with luxury master-planned development.
Nov 01, 2006 ... Global real estate major Emaar Properties has expanded into Jordan with a master-planned project that will boost tourism growth, encourage foreign direct investment and generate employment opportunities for the local population. The property developer, now on an international growth drive, ...
Barclays Capital significantly boosts its presence in the Middle East.
Nov 01, 2006 ... Barclays Capital, the investment banking arm of Barclays Bank PLC and one of the leading investment banks in the Middle East, today announced 11 appointments for its Middle East operations. Since spring 2004, Barclays Capital has continued to significantly expand the resources ...
Datamatix Gitex Conferences 2006 to Discuss Next Generation Information Technology Products.
Nov 01, 2006 ... The 2006 edition of the Datamatix Gitex Conferences will be organized on 18-22 November, 2006 at the Dubai World Trade Center, UAE. It will explore the applications and services, IT systems and technologies that are needed to sustain and service the emerging "Service Economy". Specific ...
Nivea for Men 24 Hours.
Nov 01, 2006 ... On November 3-4, the 1.2km Kartdrome CIK certified track at the Dubai Autodrome will host the Nivea For Men 24 Hours of Dubai the second round of the 2006/2007 Endurance Championship. The event has engrossed 22 teams from Russia (2 teams), Italy, France, UK, Pakistan, Seychelles and ...
The Range Rover: Powered to Offer Supreme On- and Off-Road Capability.(Land Rover North America Inc.)
Nov 01, 2006 ... The Range Rover, Land Rover's flagship model and major contributor to the brand's growth and success continues to remain at the forefront of the luxury SUV segment, offering superior on-road luxury and supreme off-road capability. Available with an option of two engine variants, ...
Bahrain's first five star corporate residence on-track for December opening.(SAS Hotels and Resorts)
Nov 01, 2006 ... Radisson SAS Hotels & Resorts, the first-class brand of Brussels based Rezidor Hotel Group, will launch Bahrain's first five-star corporate residence in December and expects occupancy levels of over 70% in its first year of opening. The property will be adjacent to the 246-room ...
Second edition of Global Education and Training Exhibition kicks off in Abu Dhabi on November 24.(Human Resource and Training will focus on emerging trends )
Nov 01, 2006 ... The second edition of GETEX Abu Dhabi (Global Education & Training Exhibition) will bring together some of the world's leading providers of quality education, human resource training and innovative education technology solutions at the Beach Rotana Hotel and Towers, Abu Dhabi from November ...
Dubai to get more jobs and investment.(The Leaders in Dubai Business Forum 2006 - Doing Business in the GCC Survey)
Nov 01, 2006 ... Dubai can expect a major boost in investment and employment over the next 12 months as companies scramble to increase their business in the emirate. The Leaders in Dubai Business Forum 2006 - Doing Business in the GCC Survey is one of the most comprehensive survey of its kind to be ...
AMD DELIVERS INNOVATIVE GAMING EXPERIENCE AT A KNOCKOUT VALUE WITH THE ATI RADEON X1650[R] XT.(Advanced Micro DevicesAdvanced Micro Devices )
Nov 01, 2006 ... AMD (NYSE: AMD) today introduced an innovative graphics card that makes use of its new native CrossFire(tm) technology, the ATI Radeon[R] X1650 XT. With its incredible image quality features and superb performance, the ATI Radeon X1650 XT delivers enthusiast-class technology at an ...
Creative Introduces Small and Trendy DiVi CAM 516 Mini.
Nov 01, 2006 ... Creative Technology Ltd. (NASDAQ: CREAF), a worldwide leader in digital entertainment products, today introduced Creative DiVi CAM 516, a stylish mini digital camcorder offering video recording in the latest MPEG-4 format and video playback on TV in addition to practical functions such as ...
DAMAC'S 'The Courtyard' launched in Jordan.(DAMAC Properties' project The Courtyard)
Nov 01, 2006 ... DAMAC Properties, luxury lifestyle provider and the region's leading private sector developer, has launched its third project - 'The Courtyard', in Jordan at the Abdali master planned development. The company's previous two projects, 'The Heights' and 'The Lofts' out of the company's four ...
Al Raqbani handed key role as Emaar Industries and Investments targets new business avenues.(Mohammed Saeed Al Raqbani)
Nov 01, 2006 ... Emaar Industries and Investments (EII), the diversified manufacturing holding group, today unveiled the next step in the roll-out of its strategy with a move that signals a sharp focus on growing business in the UAE and GCC industrial sectors. EII, which is committed to ...
Air Arabia adds new tourist destination.(Sharjah to Yerevan-Armenia)
Nov 01, 2006 ... Air Arabia LLC, the first low-fares airline in the Middle East and North Africa announced it will fly direct from Sharjah to Yerevan-Armenia, which is one of the latest additions to the Middle East carrier's destinations portfolio. Yerevan is the fifth new destination announced ...
Omniyat Holdings launched with capital of US$250 million.(Omniyat Holdings)(Almasa Holdings)
Nov 01, 2006 ... Almasa Holdings, the Dubai-headquartered conglomerate specialising in information technology and real estate, has unveiled a new company 'Omniyat Holdings' to become the parent organisation for its successful property development arm, Omniyat Properties. Omniyat Holdings has ...
EMIRATES UNVEILS EXCITING DSF PACKAGES.(Dubai Shopping Festival)(Emirates Airline introducing hotel packages )
Nov 01, 2006 ... Dubai's annual shopping and entertainment extravaganza, the Dubai Shopping Festival, is around the corner once again and Emirates, key sponsor and official carrier for the 11th time running, is offering excellent hotel packages for visitors from around the world during the month-long ...