RiyadhVision - Your Gateway to the Heart of Kingdom: June 2014

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Merkel calls Putin again on Ukraine

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Russian President Vladimir Putin talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel as they attend the International 70th D-Day Commemoration Ceremony in Ouistreham June 6, 2014. World leaders and veterans gathered by the beaches of Normandy on Friday to mark the 70th anniversary of the Allied D-Day landings that helped turn the tables in World War Two, with host France hoping the event will bring a thaw in the?Ukraine?crisis.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin for the second time in two days on Thursday to discuss how to help resolve the crisis in eastern Ukraine, the Kremlin said.

The call took place “at the initiative of the German side” and touched on questions of “monitoring observance of the ceasefire between the sides in conflict, the necessity of extending the truce, the establishment of regular work by the contact group and the freeing of people being forcibly detained”, the Kremlin said.

A German government spokesman confirmed that the call had taken place, with the aim of finding a way to prolong the Ukrainian government’s ceasefire, due to expire at 3 p.m. EDT (1900 GMT) on Friday.

Interfax news agency said Ukrainian rebels had agreed to take part in further peace talks in Donetsk on Friday.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said in Paris on Thursday that it was “critical for Russia to show in the next hours, literally, that they’re moving to help disarm the separatists, to encourage them to disarm … and to begin to become part of a legitimate process”.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has suggested that he expected a repeat of a four-way call on Wednesday in which he and French President Francois Hollande joined Merkel and Putin.

Western powers have been pressing Putin to rein in the well-equipped but often disunited Russian-speaking militant groups who have taken up arms against the Kiev government, and have threatened to impose more sanctions if he fails to do so.

Putin strenuously denies equipping or abetting the rebels, but has made clear that he sees himself as the defender of the Russian-speaking minority in the industrial east, many of whom say they have been alienated by a wave of Ukrainian nationalism since Moscow-backed president Viktor Yanukovich was toppled in February.

Putin also drew Merkel’s attention to the worsening humanitarian situation in eastern Ukraine, where some areas have no power or water, and to the flow of refugees to Russian territory – 40,000 of which Russia says have been put into dedicated shelters.

Some of the main rebel groups agreed on Monday to hold their fire until Friday morning, in a meeting attended by former Ukrainian president Leonid Kuchma as well as representatives of Russia and the Organisation on Security and Cooperation in Europe.

However, there has been no indication that this “contact group” has met again, while dozens of breaches of the ceasefire, including the shooting down of a helicopter, have put pressure on Poroshenko to call the ceasefire off.

Kuchma on Thursday pressed for another meeting of the contact group soon, according to Interfax.

“At a time when the three-way contact group is ready to find a way to secure peace, consultations have not begun, no signals have come from the other (rebel) side,” he said.

Sources close to Viktor Medvedchuk, a leader of the pro-Russian lobby in Ukrainian politics who took part in Monday’s talks, said, however, that the “contact group” was likely to meet again on Friday.

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Merkel calls Putin again on Ukraine

Kerry tells Russia to disarm Ukraine separatists 'in hours'

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U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry called on Russia on Thursday to disarm separatists in Ukraine within “the next hours” as the European Union prepared to discuss deeper sanctions against Moscow.

Washington and other Western powers have stepped up pressure on Russia to take concrete action to defuse the conflict in eastern Ukraine, where a ceasefire between Russian-speaking rebels and government forces has appeared to be crumbling.

“We are in full agreement that it is critical for Russia to show in the next hours, literally, that they’re moving to help disarm the separatists, to encourage them to disarm, to call on them to lay down their weapons and to begin to become part of a legitimate process,” Kerry told reporters in Paris.

He added that EU leaders would discuss possible sanctions on Russia at their summit in Belgium on Friday.

Washington has said it also has new sanctions ready to go, but Kerry said the United States would prefer not to be in “sanctions mode” and wanted Russia to take action without pressure.

“We would like to see a cooperative effort between the United States, Europe and Russia and the Ukrainians,” Kerry added.

Separatist rebellions erupted in eastern Ukraine in early April after street protests in Kiev toppled Moscow-backed leader Viktor Yanukovich, and Russia in turn annexed the Crimean peninsula. Eastern rebels have called for union with Russia. Moscow denies Western accusations that it has allowed fighters to cross into Ukraine along with heavy weapons to confront Ukrainian government forces.

The proposed next round of U.S. and EU sanctions would target Russia’s financial, defense and high-tech industries, said U.S. officials.

MIDDLE EAST CONFLICTS

Kerry is on a tour of capitals in the Middle East and Europe to discuss Ukraine, as well as the threat to stability in the Middle East from conflicts in Iraq and Syria.

He will meet foreign ministers from the UAE, Jordan and Saudi Arabia in Paris on Thursday. Earlier he met Lebanon’s former Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri and Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman.

The rapid advance of Sunni militants across Iraq threatens to split the country and bring more turmoil into a region already hit by the civil war in Syria.

Kerry travels to Saudi Arabia on Friday for talks with King Abdullah in Jeddah. The United States and Saudi Arabia have both been alarmed by the success of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, or ISIL, in Iraq.

U.S. officials have said Kerry will also discuss the possibility of disruptions to global oil supplies from the Iraq crisis during his meetings in Paris and Jeddah.

Brent crude held steady near $114 a barrel on Thursday as traders watched for possible oil supply disruptions. Iraq’s southern oilfields, which produce most of the nation’s 3.3 million barrels a day, remain safe although the conflict has hit the Baiji refinery in the north.

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Kerry tells Russia to disarm Ukraine separatists 'in hours'

China says still trying to evacuate workers from Iraq

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China said on Thursday that it was still trying to evacuate a small number of Chinese workers from Iraq, and that it was closely coordinating with the Iraqi government to ensure their safety.

The state-run Beijing Youth Daily, citing unidentified sources, said that more than 1,000 workers for a Chinese machinery company were trapped at a power station and that the Iraqi army had turned some of them away as their bus approached Baghdad.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said it was not true that Iraq was not helping with evacuations, though she declined to confirm or deny the report about the trapped workers.

There are more than 10,000 Chinese workers in Iraq and the “vast majority” are in safe areas, with only a small number in more dangerous parts of the country, Hua told a daily news briefing.

“We are closely coordinating with the Iraqi side to provide security guarantees for the evacuation of these people and ensure that the relevant evacuations can go smoothly,” she said.

“The coordination and communication between China’s embassy in Iraq and the Iraqi government and army is smooth. Our embassy in Iraq is in close touch with the relevant Iraqi bodies to ensure workers at Chinese companies can safety, smoothly and in a timely way be evacuated to safe places,” Hua added.

“Because of security considerations, our first consideration is to ensure these people can be evacuated in a timely manner. I’m sorry but I cannot give any other details.”

PetroChina, the single biggest investor in Iraq’s oil sector, has said that it is pulling some of its staff out of the country but production was unaffected as militant Islamists threaten the unity of OPEC’s second-largest producer.

China is Iraq’s largest oil client, and its state energy firms, which also include Sinopec Group and CNOOC Ltd, together hold more than a fifth of Iraq’s oil projects after securing some of its fields through auctions in 2009.

China has repeatedly expressed concern about the upsurge in violence in Iraq and the march of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, which has seized much of the north of the country as Baghdad’s forces there collapsed.

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China says still trying to evacuate workers from Iraq

Japan's KDDI, SoftBank say NTT's broadband plan risks monopoly revival

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Japan’s KDDI Corp and SoftBank Corp said bigger rival NTT DoCoMo Inc (DoCoMo) could gain too much control of the wireless telecommunications business should DoCoMo’s parent offer its fibre-optic broadband for resale.

Former state monopoly Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp (NTT) in May said it planned to sell its fibre-optic broadband to mobile phone network providers, which can then re-brand the service and sell it together with mobile phone contracts.

At present, NTT sells its fibre-optic broadband independently or in partnership with SoftBank, whereas KDDI offers its own service. Of Japan’s three mobile network providers, only DoCoMo lacks a fibre-optic component.

But NTT selling DoCoMo the service risks reviving the former monopoly of NTT, which is still 36 percent government owned, KDDI and SoftBank said separately. NTT has dismissed the notion.

“The current law doesn’t say anything specifically on wholesale schemes. But one wonders, just because it doesn’t say anything, whether it should be allowed to go ahead,” KDDI Chief Executive Takashi Tanaka said after a news conference on Wednesday.

KDDI earlier this month sent a letter of complaint to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) saying NTT and DoCoMo could end up controlling broadband prices, “leading to a loss of incentives for competitors to invest in infrastructure.”

DoCoMo, 63 percent-owned by NTT, last week said it planned to bundle mobile and NTT broadband services but did not disclose pricing.

Any sales of the package is likely to hurt KDDI as that company’s revenue growth over the past few quarters has been largely driven by its “Smart Value” broadband and mobile bundles, said analyst Peter Milliken of Deutsche Bank in a recent report.

SoftBank said NTT could violate anti-monopoly regulations by offering its fibre-optic broadband for resale without making the terms of any resulting arrangements public.

“The terms of usage should be made clear, so that METI and competitors can check it’s (NTT) not breaking the law,” SoftBank said in a document released earlier this month by METI.

NTT has dismissed any notion of monopolistic practices.

“Of course, we’ll be fair,” Hiroshi Tsujigami, NTT senior vice president of corporate strategy planning, said in a recent interview with Reuters.

“From our position, we want more people to use the fibre network, so we’ll rent it based on the traditional competitive rules.”

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Japan's KDDI, SoftBank say NTT's broadband plan risks monopoly revival

IBM, Lenovo server deal in limbo over security worries: WSJ

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The IBM logo is seen outside the company’s offices in Petah Tikva, near Tel Aviv.

International Business Machines Corp’s proposed $2.3 billion sale of its low-end server business to China’s Lenovo Group is in limbo as the U.S. government investigates national security issues, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

U.S. security officials and members of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) are worried that IBM’s x86 servers used in communications networks and in data centers supporting the Pentagon’s networks could be accessed remotely by Chinese spies or compromised, the newspaper reported.

The long-expected acquisition in January came nearly a decade after Lenovo bought IBM’s money-losing ThinkPad business for $1.75 billion, which had also faced scrutiny.

Government officials are also uneasy about the potential sale of servers that may be clustered together to perform like a powerful computer, the report said.

IBM and Lenovo are trying to address CFIUS concerns about server maintenance and have said that IBM will provide maintenance on Lenovo’s behalf “for an extended period” after the sale, the sources told The Wall Street Journal.

IBM and Lenovo have refiled their application for approval of the deal to buy more time, Bloomberg reported earlier this month.

Chinese companies faced the most scrutiny over their U.S. acquisitions in 2012, according to a CFIUS report issued in December.

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IBM, Lenovo server deal in limbo over security worries: WSJ

Google removes first search results after EU ruling

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A Google logo is seen at the garage where the company was founded on Google’s 15th anniversary in Menlo Park, California.

Google has begun removing some search results to comply with a European Union ruling upholding citizens’ right to have objectionable personal information about them hidden in search engines.

The so-called “right to be forgotten” was upheld by Europe’s top court on May 13 when it ordered Google (GOOGL.O) to remove a link to a 15-year-old newspaper article about a Spanish man’s bankruptcy.

“This week we’re starting to take action on removals requests that we’ve received,” a Google spokesman said on Thursday. “This is a new process for us. Each request has to be assessed individually and we’re working as quickly as possible to get through the queue.”

Google received over 41,000 requests over four days after it put up an online form allowing Europeans to request that search results be removed.

Internet privacy concerns shot up the agenda last year when former U.S. National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden revealed details of mass U.S. surveillance program involving European citizens and some heads of state.

The EU executive has been critical of several major U.S. web companies, such as Facebook and Google, over their handling of swathes of personal data. National governments recently moved towards extending Europe’s strict data protection rules to all companies, not just European ones.

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Google removes first search results after EU ruling

High blood pressure tied to impaired color vision

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Japanese men with higher blood pressure were more likely to have impaired color vision, a new study has found.

Researchers said that for now, it’s not clear what explains the findings.

According to Dr. Saadia Rashid, damage to certain parts of the eye that occurs as a result of high blood pressure could ultimately lead to vision loss. It’s possible that impaired color vision could be a sign of future problems related to high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, said Rashid, an ophthalmologist from Montefiore Medical Center in New York.

But the new study represents just a snapshot in time, and longer-term studies are needed to tease out the relationship, she said.

“It will be great if acquired color vision impairment can be a harbinger of future hypertension-related complications, however it is premature to state that,” Rashid told Reuters Health. She was not involved in the research.

Knowing that high blood pressure has been tied to certain eye diseases, Dr. Takuhei Shoji from Saitama Medical University in Japan and colleagues evaluated the relationship between color vision and eye disease, heart-related risk factors and lifestyle habits.

The researchers recruited men ages 20 to 60 years old who were on active duty in the Japanese Self Defense Force in Kyoto.

Shoji’s team looked at the men’s medical records, measured their blood pressure and gave them two tests to assess how accurately they could see and discriminate different colors. Both tests involve lining up a certain number of caps in order of hue.

Of the 872 men included in the study, 130 failed one test and 31 failed the other.

After the researchers took into consideration other factors such as men’s weight, cholesterol, blood sugar levels and other eye diseases, they found that as blood pressure values rose, the odds of having impaired color vision increased as well.

The researchers note that the study design does not allow them to look at changes in vision or blood pressure over time. The study also can’t prove high blood pressure caused impairments in color vision.

Still, “The data are useful and important for further investigations of many of these associations,” the authors write in the American Journal of Hypertension.

“Color vision testing is a higher order visual function and the authors have suggested looking into it as a future early marker of hypertensive disease,” Rashid said.

She said it’s possible that by lowering their blood pressure people could reverse acquired color vision problems, but more research is necessary to determine that as well.

One concern she has is that tests for color vision function are more complicated than the regular eye tests most people get at the doctor. Color vision tests are time consuming and hard to do because they require specific lighting conditions, so they’re not readily available.

“Future research is needed to popularize this idea, and perhaps come up with simpler ways of checking color vision, on modalities such as home smartphones and devices as a home screening tool,” Rashid said.

“We have to wait for the research to catch up,” Rashid added. In the meantime, she said, controlling high blood pressure is “critical” to prevent vision problems and other complications.

She said people can screen their color vision at home with an online color test challenge, such as the one online. The challenge is similar to the tests used in this study.

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High blood pressure tied to impaired color vision

$2.5bn fund: IDB, Gates declare war on poverty

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The Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and billionaire entrepreneur Bill Gates plan to set up a $2.5 billion fund for the poor.

The fund will start with $500 million, which would be collected as grants from donors and countries, an IDB statement said.

During a meeting with the IDB, Gates emphasized his organization’s desire to establish a partnership, especially to fight malaria and polio.

Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation, gave a presentation on the project during his meeting with the IDB’s board of governors.

Gates also told the media that IDB President Ahmed Mohammed Ali and a host of other partners in the Middle East had been hugely helpful in fighting challenges such as polio and malaria.

“It’s amazing what they’ve (IDB) contributed to global development over the last 40 years and we’re proud to be a partner,” Gates remarked.

He said: “Polio only remains in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria in terms of being rooted there, but there have been outbreaks recently here in the Middle East, in Syria and Iraq. And we’re working to eradicate it with a bunch of great partners from this region.”

He added: “When you look at the picture of children dying across Muslim countries, you find a mixed picture; some countries have made huge gains, but there are others where far too many children are dying, not just from violence that you see most on the news, but often from diseases that we can cure with very little money.”

He said: “That’s a tragedy that we can take positive steps to fix, right now, so my foundations are collaborating with partners across the Middle East to fix these global challenges in health and agriculture, many of which affect the Muslim world particularly.”

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New Jeddah airport to open mid-2015

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The new King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah will open in the middle of 2015 with an increased capacity, a leading official said here on Tuesday.

Abdul Hamid Abul Ora, director of the airport, told Arab News: “The new airport will have a capacity of 30 million passengers in the first phase, 45 million in the second phase, and up to 80 million in the final phase.”

The airport management is currently focusing on completing the first phase on schedule, he said.

Abul Ora said there are penalties stipulated by the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) for those airlines failing to offer proper services for passengers, including adhering to set flight schedules.

Responding to a question, Abul Ora said there are plans to establish an air cargo village after the development of the new airport, to cater for the nearly 20 percent annual growth in cargo. These villages in other parts of the world have been highly profitable, he said.

Commenting on the recurring air-conditioning problems at the South Terminal Lounge, he said a budget has been allocated for upgrades there and at the north terminal lounges.

He said temporary units have been brought in at the south terminal while the work is under way. Each substitute unit has a cooling capacity of 50 tons. They are being installed in departure and arrival halls for a month, he said.

He said a duty-free market would be launched at the new airport.

In response to a question, he said the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus outbreak has not affected the number of passengers at the airport. The Ministry of Health has introduced stringent precautionary measures at the airport, he said.

He confirmed that a hotel would be opened at the airport for pilgrims if flights are canceled or delayed. Companies contracted to GACA would build the facility, which would have 117 rooms and suites, he said.

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New Jeddah airport to open mid-2015

Airliners reassess flights to Pak city over security concerns

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Officials move to an ambulance the body of a woman who was killed when gunmen opened fire on a Pakistan International Airlines flight as it landed at the Bacha Khan International Airport in Peshawar on Tuesday.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates: The Middle East’s biggest airline, Emirates, said Wednesday it is halting flights to and from the Pakistani city of Peshawar because of security concerns a day after a gunman opened fire at a plane landing at the airport.

Other carriers based in the Persian Gulf, a key gateway for travel to Pakistan, were also reassessing their operations to the city. Peshawar is located on the edge of restless tribal regions where militant groups such as Al-Qaeda and the Taleban are based. The area has become a frequent target of bombings and shootings over the years.

A gunman fired on a Pakistan International Airlines flight with a submachine gun or an AK-47 as it was coming in to land Tuesday evening about 300 feet (90 meters) off the ground, according to police. One person was killed and two people were wounded in the attack.

Emirates said Wednesday it was suspending flights from its Dubai hub to Peshawar until further notice, and that is was rebooking affected passengers on alternate flights.

Etihad Airways, based nearby in the United Arab Emirates capital of Abu Dhabi, said it canceled a flight due to leave late Tuesday and that it is currently reviewing the security situation in Peshawar. Its next flight to the city is due to depart Thursday.

Qatar Airways confirmed it was canceling a flight due to leave Doha, Qatar, for Peshawar on Wednesday. It gave no reason for the move. Gulf Air, based in the island nation of Bahrain, does not have any flights leaving to Peshawar until Friday but said it is “actively monitoring the security situation” there.

The Gulf Arab states have close political and economic ties to Pakistan, a fellow Muslim country that is a major supplier of migrant labor to the oil-rich region.

The Peshawar attack came comes just two weeks after gunmen laid siege to the country’s busiest airport in Karachi, raising concerns about the safety of flights operating into Pakistan.

The Peshawar airport has a military and civilian side. In December 2012 suicide bombers armed with rockets attacked the military side of the airport, killing four civilians.

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Airliners reassess flights to Pak city over security concerns

King, Kerry to discuss Iraq, Syria

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John Kerry … peace efforts

US Secretary of State John Kerry will visit Jeddah on Friday to meet Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and discuss the crises in Iraq and Syria, Reuters reported.

Addressing a news conference in Brussels on Wednesday, Kerry said: “President Obama has asked me to travel to Saudi Arabia in order to meet with His Majesty King Abdullah and to discuss regional issues, including the situation in Iraq, and how we can counter the shared threat that is posed by ISIL (the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant), as well as to discuss our support for the moderate opposition in Syria.”

Kerry last visited the world’s top oil exporter in late March alongside US President Barack Obama.

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King, Kerry to discuss Iraq, Syria

Bakeries seek funds for switch-over to kerosene

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A baker removes bread from an oven.

Jeddah’s bakeries are seeking financial support to replace their ovens following a recent decision taken by the Municipal and Rural Affairs Ministry demanding the use of kerosene, a purer type of fuel, instead of diesel.

Several bakery owners have complained that their current equipment is not fit for use using other types of fuel.

Others, however, already operate using environmentally friendly substances.

“I already use gas to operate my bakery even though it is more costly because my bakery is located in a populated neighborhood,” said Abdullah Musa.

“Municipality inspectors have paid us several visits over the past few weeks to ensure that we are not using diesel and to assess the quality of the equipment we use,” he said.

Syed Ahmad, another local baker, agrees with Musa.

“The use of gas in undoubtedly more environmentally friendly and ensures a healthier workplace because it is free of harmful emissions,” he said.

Hussain Belal, a fellow worker, said many bakery owners are nevertheless worried by the high costs associated with maintaining kerosene-powered bakeries.

“We are in need of financial support to help us replace our old equipment,” he said.

Other bakers have stated flat-out that they cannot shoulder the financial burden of replacing their furnaces. “I was shocked by the decision,” said Abdulmunim Mohammed. “I cannot afford this huge unforeseen expense.”

He said some bakeries will face hardship on both personal and financial levels.

“While this will have a positive impact in reducing the city’s pollution levels, the taste and the quality of bread will not change,” he said. “Either the ministry helps us out or we will suffer.”

Fayez Hamada, chairman of the Bakeries Committee in Jeddah, said that an administrative body was recently formed consisting of the Municipal and Rural Affairs minister and the Saudi Food and Drug Authority to discuss various developments within the industry, including the issue of manpower and the SR3,000 fine that will be imposed on bakers who do not adhere to the minimum standard weight during bread production.

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Bakeries seek funds for switch-over to kerosene

Recruitment offices involved in maid black market

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The cost of recruiting housemaids is soaring ahead of Ramadan because of the criminal activity of some brokers and citizens, according to a report in a local newspaper.

The illegal activities include hiring of housemaids as daily wage workers, which is not allowed under current legislation. The collusion sees maids from Asia working for SR150 to SR200 a day and those from Africa for SR100 to SR120, said citizens in the Eastern Province.

In addition, some offices have raised the cost of hiring from SR16,000 to SR20,000 for Kenyan workers, and SR16,000 to SR30,000 for Sri Lankans and Filipinos, they said.

Several citizens also claim that some recruiting offices do not deliver maids to citizens who have hired them, and then hire them out for as much as SR6,000 for the entire month of Ramadan with the help of brokers.

Mohammad Al-Mohammadi, chairman of the recruitment committee at the Eastern Province Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the dearth of housemaids from Indonesia and some Asian countries has forced many Saudi families to look for alternative help from African countries.

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Recruitment offices involved in maid black market

Barbershops near Haram come under government scanner

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The Makkah Municipality is cracking down on public utilities around the Grand Mosque, such as barbershops, in order to ensure their abidance with health regulations.

This comes as part of the municipality’s ongoing campaign targeting the local markets in the holy city and aims to ensure the services offered to the public are consistent with the best health practices and in accordance with the standards set by the local authorities .

Officials told Arab News that the sanitation and hygienic conditions, particularly at barbershops, are of extreme importance and among the municipality’s top priorities, adding that not only is the municipality inspecting razors and shaving tools, but also checking on the premises to make sure the chairs of customers are clean.

“We have confiscated 75 chairs from barbershops in the Haram area” Naif Al Hazmi, head of public health in the Makkah Municipality, said Wednesday.

He said the authorities are checking on other utilities including date shops and eateries to ensure they adhere to health standards in the city, which will be witnessing a significant increase in the number of pilgrims during the holy month of Ramadan.

Moreover, the municipality is conducting a public auction offering spaces to the investors interested in opening barbershops in the Marwah area, which is close to the Grand Mosque and convenient for pilgrims to reach after completing saei.

The auction fetches nearly SR10 million to the Makkah Municipality every year for allocating space for barbers during Ramadan and Haj.

According to officials, Pakistanis dominate the barbershop business with nearly 90 percent of shops operated by Pakistanis.

However, the Labor Ministry aims to Saudize barber jobs and the General Organization of Technical and Vocational Training has embarked on providing training to Saudi youth who wish to learn this profession.

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Barbershops near Haram come under government scanner

Gates seeks local ties to counter global poverty

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Billionaire entrepreneur Bill Gates with Jean-Lou Chameau, president of the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, after talks with university faculty members on Tuesday.

Microsoft founder Bill Gates visited the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) on Tuesday to seek ties on ways to counter global hunger, malnutrition and water scarcity.

The world-renowned technology pioneer, philanthropist and co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, took part in a roundtable discussion with KAUST faculty on agricultural research in arid and harsh conditions.

The participants focused on ideas and opportunities to align KAUST’s research with the Gates Foundation. Following the discussion, Gates toured several KAUST laboratories to see the water-efficient and sustainable systems of food production being developed.

Gates also met with faculty and students addressing global problems in water security and sustainability. During the visit, faculty members and students outlined their research that could help the foundation focus on improving water resources, especially in places such as India and Africa.

“I’m optimistic that the research KAUST is undertaking will help benefit the livelihoods of the world’s poorest women, children and families,” said Gates. He said he was impressed with KAUST’s facilities and the culture of collaboration among faculty and students.

KAUST President Jean-Lou Chameau said Gates “saw first-hand the novel science our talented people are undertaking, empowered with exceptional facilities and a culture that promotes excellence and impact.”

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Gates seeks local ties to counter global poverty

Nawal Hadi: A trailblazing woman entrepreneur

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A Saudi businesswoman who chose to invest in a non-traditional field of business has broken new ground in a male-dominated industry, distinguishing herself as the first Saudi female to invest in improved asphalt products.

Nawal Al-Hadi has converted the Women’s Business Center in the Eastern Province into a mobile workshop between the various industrial countries of the world.

“Saudi women entrepreneurs generally distance themselves from investing in industrial projects compared with other investments fields,” he said. “However, they have proved themselves to be distinct and competitive in the commercial and services sectors in local markets.”

She pointed out that the productive families’ projects that many Saudi women take part in are mostly classified under small enterprises.

“We do not have the exact figures on the proportion of Saudi men and women who invest in the industrial sectors across the Kingdom,” she said. “Nonetheless, it is very clear that the gap is wide, mainly in the giant industrial projects.”

She argued that Saudi businesswomen and entrepreneurs are mostly present in industrial family companies as partners or have a seat on the board of directors, but do not work independently.

“My personal experience in the industry has proven to be successful,” she said. “I am a member on the board of directors of the Sanad Plant for Bitumen Products (Sinopec Technology). I entered into this field with full conviction, while my husband, Ibrahim Badawi, chairman of the Yanbu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, supported and encouraged me. I had the chance to get to know and participate in the meetings that brought together many partners from outside the Kingdom. All this gave me the experience I needed to succeed in my work.”

“The most important form of encouragement came from Madinah Gov. Prince Faisal bin Salman during his last visit to the chamber, where he was the patron and inaugurated the project’s developmental projects and the opening of the women’s project exhibition,” she said.

This visit, she explained, was the main reason behind the increasing number of women projects in the region, which all complied with Islamic laws and values.

“Most of our products focus on the byproducts of petroleum and petrochemicals. Such projects enjoy high comparative advantages in Yanbu and the region itself has developed industrial infrastructure, which gives it an economic comparative edge.”

She said industry nowadays is the pillar of every country’s economy and the reason for its renaissance. “In addition to its geographic location on the Red Sea, our Kingdom has all the factors that guarantee success in every field.”

“We look forward to building a prestigious investment entity that is capable of managing, maintaining and operating the various industrial projects, in addition to the tourism industry, of course, where Saudi women can excel, especially after the completion of the seafront project in Yanbu,” said Hadi.

Saudi businesswomen in the Eastern Province and other regions, where industrial cities are established, are very fortunate because the existing industrial environment is excellent for the growth of industries, she pointed out. “A Saudi woman can choose to invest and work in any industry that matches her abilities and characteristics,” she said.

“Among the many industries that women can choose to invest in are cosmetics, small and medium-sized plastic industries, home appliances and packaging. Such industries have high success rates and are relatively immune to the risks and pitfalls of the market. They also enjoy high marketing opportunities inside and outside the Kingdom.”

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Nawal Hadi: A trailblazing woman entrepreneur

Nahid’s father will sue university for her death

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CCTV footage released by police shows Nahid walking to university shortly before her murder.

The father of Nahid Almanea, a scholarship student who was brutally killed in Colchester on June 17, said he would take legal action against Al-Jouf University for forcing his daughter to study abroad to keep her post of lecturer.

“I will file a lawsuit against those who forced my daughter to study abroad,” said Nasser Al-Zaid in comments published by sabq.org electronic newspaper on Wednesday. “I believe that Al-Jouf University was one of the reasons for Nahid’s death as it imposed an arbitrary system on her.”

Al-Zaid called for the cancellation of the system that lecturers should attend foreign studies to keep their post and that they would be transferred to administrative jobs if they failed to comply with the condition.

“Nahid was an energetic and hardworking student,” said Al-Zaid, adding that her scientific works had been published in the US. Nahid had obtained her master’s degree from Taibah University in Madinah. She had contacted her family in Al-Jouf three days before death.

“When she got the job of a lecturer at Al-Jouf University they insisted that the employment would be on condition of pursuing higher studies abroad. Two years later, we received a letter from the university saying she must go abroad for studies or change to an administrative job,” Al-Zaid said.

He said he had never sought a foreign scholarship for Nahid and agreed to it only after the university threatened that she would be transferred to the administration department. “Nahid was not happy when she received that threatening letter as she had no intention to go abroad for higher studies.”

Asked about the university’s decision to institute an international prize in Nahid’s name, Al-Zaid said: “We have rejected that proposal and asked them to establish an academic chair or dedicate a university hall in her name instead. However, they have said that the academic chair requires financing.”

Meanwhile, detectives continued their investigation to track down Nahid’s killer. They have issued an appeal for a man who may have stalked the student four days before she was stabbed to death to come forward. Essex police said they wanted to speak to a man identified by witnesses as walking behind two women at about 8.45 a.m. on June 13. Witnesses believe that one of these women could have been Nahid.

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Nahid’s father will sue university for her death

UNESCO heritage placard unveiled

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The placard declaring “historical Jeddah” as a UNESCO heritage site is fixed to the wall of a building in the Balad district after being unveiled by Jeddah Gov. Prince Mishaal bin Majed.

Prince Mishaal bin Majed, governor of Jeddah and chairman of the Tourism Development Council in Jeddah, inaugurated the official Jeddah World Heritage Site Placard on Tuesday in the presence of Prince Mishaal bin Abdullah, governor of Makkah, Prince Sultan bin Salman, president of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA), and Abdulaziz Khoja, minister of Information and Culture.

Prince Mishaal bin Majed, on Saturday urged the residents of downtown Jeddah, the owners of the historic buildings, state institutions and relevant authorities to preserve and maintain the area following its recognition as a world heritage site by UNESCO especially in light of the efforts put in by STCA and various government bodies.

He also called for intensifying the efforts of years of hard work and cooperation between the various government agencies to maintain the old city which contains the rich culture and heritage of Hejaz; a region that has also been the gateway of the two holy mosques for centuries and which is a source of pride for Saudi Arabia.

He said that he was delighted that the old city of Jeddah has been recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage site which now doubles the responsibility of maintaining it as a tourist attraction and for those who are interested in the treasures of the heritage and culture of the Kingdom.

“We will need to work continuously to keep up to the standards of UNESCO,” he added, noting that the history of old Jeddah is steeped in civilization evidenced by the construction of Islamic architecture and that it is due to its historical value and urban excellence that “this lovely town of the Kingdom has made it to UNESCO’s world heritage list.”

The historical depth of Jeddah city is concentrated in “historical Jeddah,” which includes a number of monuments, historical buildings and mosques named after Uthman ibn Affan, Al-Shafie, Al-Basha, Ukash, AI-Meamar and Al-Hanafi. There are also several old souqs (markets) such as Al-Nada, AI-Khasequiyyah, Al-Alawi and Al-Saghah and a large number of heritage buildings with a unique architectural style.

The prince stressed the fact that these new responsibilities require integration and coordination between the government, owners of the buildings and institutions and the people who love culture and heritage and want to pass it down to future generations.

Prince Sultan bin Salman said that Jeddah’s historical project is not only developmental or economical but is also a part of culture. “The SCTA has completed all the studies, plans and programs for the project in the coming days,” he said adding that there were many projects already under way and more in the pipeline.

Prince Mashaal bin Abdullah, the Makkah governor, said that the combined efforts of all concerned had brought Jeddah on the world tourism map and that it was a moment of pride for the Kingdom.

The old city of Jeddah was listed as a World Heritage site by UNESCO at its session in Qatar and highlights the prestige of the historical and archaeological sites of Jeddah.

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UNESCO heritage placard unveiled

Filipinos observe national hero’s birth anniversary

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Labor Attaché Rustico S.M. Dela Fuente, seated 4th from left, with fellow Filipinos who celebrated the birth of the late revolutionary Jose P. Rizal. With him are Emmanuel D. Mallari, Jr., 5th from left; Benny M. Quiambao, right; and Cenon “Nonie” C. Sagadal, standing 4th from left.

Filipinos celebrated the 153rd birth anniversary of the country’s freedom-fighting national hero here recently.

Jose P. Rizal, born in Calamba, Laguna, on June 19, 1861, was considered a genius. He spoke 21 languages and studied in various fields. In Spain, he specialized in ophthalmology.

He was one of several Filipino expatriates in the European country who campaigned for freedom from the colonizers. Rizal was executed by firing squad at the Luneta by the Spanish on Dec. 30, 1896.

The Order of the Knights of Rizal-Central Region Chapter (OKOR-CRC) organized the event.

Labor Attaché Rustico S.M. Dela Fuente, who represented the Philippine Embassy, and Emmanuel D.

Mallari Jr., OKOR-CRC outgoing chapter commander, led the wreath-laying ceremony.

Dela Fuente spoke about the teachings and ideas of Rizal. “We’re sacrificing a lot for our families but we continue to be strangers as workers in Saudi Arabia. The irony of it is that we are also strangers in our own country when we go home,” Dela Fuente said.

The labor attaché based his comments on a poem written by Rizal, which deals with Filipino expatriates in European and other countries, and how they are treated when they return home.

Mallari, who will be replaced by Cenon “Nonie” C. Sagadal Jr. as OKOR-CRC commander, said Filipinos in the Kingdom should not rely solely on the government reintegration program to help them adjust to home life.

“We should also do something for ourselves. We should not totally rely on the government. We should in fact help it help us,” said Mallari, who works as an executive secretary at a local telecommunications firm.

The Philippine government, through its reintegration program, helps Filipino workers start businesses when they return home for good.

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Filipinos observe national hero’s birth anniversary

Five new parks to be opened in Madinah

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The Madinah Secretariat has completed construction works on five new parks in different districts of the city covering a total area exceeding 75,000 square meters.

Khalid bin Abdilqadir Tahir, secretary of the Madinah region, said that the five parks are expected to be opened to the public in the second week of Ramadan.

He pointed out that the Madinah Municipality had taken into account the homogenous distribution of the parks’ sites, their geography and the population of the neighborhoods. He added that each residential area would have a garden with a section for youth and one for families.

The secretary revealed that two new contracts will be drawn up for the establishment of more parks on an estimated area of 28,000 square meters in the inner city, in addition to other parks slated to be built throughout the suburbs of Madinah covering an estimated area of 150,000 square meters. He also said that a third contract will be signed for the renovation of a number of existing parks within the region in an area of 176,000 square meters.

The secretary also said that there are plans to build 18 stadiums spread across the municipalities of the provinces on an estimated area of 10,000 square meters at a cost of SR28 million.

He added that 10 new playgrounds would be created in the densely populated neighborhoods of the inner city of Madinah over an estimated 92,000 square meters at a total cost exceeding SR19 million. He also said that 28 playgrounds had been established over an area of 157,000 square meters and at a cost of over SR60 million.

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Five new parks to be opened in Madinah

More Saudi students opting for S. Korea

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The Republic of South Korea is moving toward a new era of co-operation with the Kingdom with the increased flow of Saudi students going there for higher studies, and visitors recording an unprecedented growth in recent years.

According to the South Korean Ministry of Education, the cooperation between the two countries in the education sector is moving toward a new era with Seoul registering a remarkable upsurge in the number of Saudi students in its various institutions of higher learning.

Speaking to Arab News, an official from the Korean Ministry of Education said the number of Saudis studying in Korea has doubled compared to previous years.

As per the official figures, Saudi university students in Korea reached 444 in 2013 compared to 224 in 2012, 133 in 2011, 78 in 2010, 78 in 2009 and 69 in 2008.

He exuded confidence in Korea’s education system expressing hope that the upward trend in the Saudi students preferring Korea for higher studies will continue.

The official said that during his recent visit to Korea, US President Barack Obama also praised the Korean education system and its universities keeping pace with the times.

South Korea, known as the ‘Hermit Kingdom’ was isolated from the world but the republic is now advancing into the digital era. The new minister of Science, ICT and Future Planning said, “Koreans are no longer ‘homo sapiens’ but are now ‘homo digicus.’ He also pointed to the number of people from around the world who are keen to visit Korea.

The number of Saudi visitors to the country has also increased by about 30 percent after the two countries held a series of meaningful events in 2012 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations.

A Tourism Ministry official said that 10,219 Saudi citizens visited the republic in 2013, which is about a 28.2 percent increase in the number compared to 2012, when 7,970 visitors from the Kingdom toured Korea.

Notably, Korea was invited to the Janadriyah Festival in Riyadh and the Kingdom was invited in 2012 to the Seoul International book fair, as ‘guest of honor.’

These events and exchanges have served to strengthen the friendship between the two countries and broaden the horizons of mutual understanding for further cooperation between them and helped also to pave the way to bolster bilateral ties.

The Kingdom and the Republic of Korea are the fourth largest trading partners to each other and focus on enriching cultural and people-to-people exchanges, on the basis of the belief that these exchanges are the most effective means to promote mutual understanding, friendship and solidarity.

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More Saudi students opting for S. Korea

52,828 financial crimes in courts over seven months

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Saudi Arabia’s courts registered 52,828 cases involving various forms of financial crimes over the past seven months, according to sources in the judiciary quoted by local media.

The Eastern Province’s courts had the most cases of dishonesty, illegal transfers of money, embezzlement from non-government agencies, and the sale of liquor. Makkah had the most cases of forgery, cheating, fraud, drug crimes, banditry and stealing.

Al-Jouf and the Eastern Province both recorded five lawsuits involving the illegal transfer of money, while Jazan had the most money laundering cases. Courts in the Eastern Province heard 188 cases involving dishonesty during the seven-month period, followed by Riyadh with 112 cases, Makkah with 103, Asir with 78, and Madinah with 43.

The Eastern Province had 80 cases of embezzlement from non-government agencies, followed by Riyadh with 25, Makkah with 19, Hail with 12 and the Northern Border Province with 11.

Makkah topped the list with 141 cases of cheating and fraud, followed by the Eastern Province with 94, Riyadh with 65, Asir with 36 and Jouf with 31.

Makkah had three forgery cases, Hail two, and one case each in Jazan, Madinah, Qasim and Baha.

Makkah had 9,480 cases involving drugs, Riyadh with 5,228, the Eastern Province with 4,789, Jazan with 4,110 and Asir with 3,933.

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52,828 financial crimes in courts over seven months

Ice cream sellers given health warnings

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With the onset of summer seeing a rise in the demand for ice cream, the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs has warned sellers to abide by health regulations to protect consumers.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the ministry stated that inspectors would be checking on the making, distributing and selling of ice cream at outlets throughout the country.

The ministry stated that penalties for those who violate the law include store closures.

“Other requirements include making sure that the ice cream is stored in a sanitary location, and shops having the required sewerage systems. Stores must have their mixing machines at 4 degrees Celsius, warehouses should be free of humidity with good ventilation, and have pest control systems for insects and rodents.”

The ministry stated that stores must ensure their equipment have no copper, lead, cadmium, or other toxic metals.

“This is in addition to having refrigerators fitted with x-ray lamps for sterilization and preventing the production of microbes.”

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Ice cream sellers given health warnings

Shoura thumbs down to higher education system

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The Shoura Council. (SPA)

Two Shoura Council members have criticized the Kingdom’s higher education system, saying it requires a major overhaul to meet the country’s development requirements.

They also called for bringing technical and vocational training institutes under the Ministry of Higher Education to make them more effective. “Our educational institutions are weak and unsystematic,” said Sultan Al-Sultan, a member of the consultative body, during a session on Tuesday.

He said the Technical and Vocation Training Corporation has proved its failure to bring foreign companies to review the quality of its programs. He said the Higher Education Council was not doing enough to improve the country’s educational level.

Nasser bin Dawood, another member, accused private providers of vocational and technical training services as “sellers of illusion.” He said fake degree holders should not be allowed to conduct training courses.

About 100,000 trainees graduate from private institutes, paying SR100 million.

Khaled Al-Saud, chairman of the education committee, said the Shoura Council does not agree with Al-Sultan’s comments criticizing the Higher Education Council, adding that the HEC has taken steps to tackle the issue of fake certificates.

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Shoura thumbs down to higher education system

Shoura calls on MoH to check infectious diseases

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Acting Health Minister Adel Fakeih holds talks with Shoura Vice President Mohammed Al-Jifry in Riyadh on Wednesday. (SPA)

The Shoura Council on Wednesday met with acting Health Minister Adel Fakeih and other ministry officials to discuss the Kingdom’s preparedness to confront infectious diseases, such as the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and the Rift Valley Fever during the peak Umrah pilgrimage season in Ramadan.

“We would like to ascertain the ministry’s ability to deal with new infectious diseases, especially during the Haj and Umrah seasons,” said a member of the Shoura’s Health Affairs Committee. MERS has so far claimed 292 lives in the Kingdom.

The Shoura members also asked the minister about the construction status of five medical cities ordered by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah at a cost of SR16 billion and the time frame for their implementation.

The committee also asked the minister about the performance of the Kingdom’s health cadre and ministry’s efforts to implement the family health care program and whether it has enough manpower to carry out the program. It advised the ministry to make use of Saudi medical graduates in different regions to improve health services across the country.

Shoura Vice President Mohammed Al-Jifry emphasized the importance of holding meetings with ministers and other government officials while discussing the annual performance of various government departments. “This will reflect on the quality of the Shoura’s decisions and recommendations,” he said.

Fakeih stressed the Health Ministry’s desire to establish continuous contact with the Shoura, especially the health committee, to benefit from their expertise in improving health services in the country. He also answered various queries from committee members on the ministry and its services.

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Shoura calls on MoH to check infectious diseases

Saudi Embassy safe as deadly attack rocks western Beirut

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Policemen and security officials secure the area as smoke rises from Duroy hotel in Raouche, in western Beirut, on Wednesday.

BEIRUT: A suicide bomber killed himself and wounded at least four security officers at a hotel in Beirut close to the Saudi Embassy on Wednesday, Lebanese security sources said. The third blast in Lebanon in less than a week.

The bomber blew himself up when he was approached by security officers near the Duroy hotel, some 20 meters from the embassy in the seaside district of Raouche, the sources said. The embassy was not damaged by the blast.

Television footage showed scores of army officers packing a main street filled with emergency vehicles.

Security services arrested a second suspected militant and are pursuing a third whose nationality was not immediately known, the sources added.

Lebanon has suffered a wave of sectarian violence linked to the conflicts in Syria and Iraq.

On Monday night, a suicide bomber blew up his car near an army checkpoint in the city, killing himself and a security officer. Three days earlier, the head of Lebanon’s General Security service narrowly escaped a suicide bombing near the Syrian border.

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Saudi Embassy safe as deadly attack rocks western Beirut