End occupation, UAE tells Iran
Source: Khaleej Times (Read full story)
The UAE on Thursday stressed the need for solidarity and cooperation among Muslim countries to overcome the current challenges, seize opportunities and urged continuous efforts to secure the Muslim nation’s interests and stature. Addressing the 12th Summit of the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation (OIC), Minister of State for Foreign Affairs (MoFA), Dr Anwar Gargash said the UAE is following with great concern the current situations of Muslim peoples and communities and is eager to bolster ties among Muslim countries.
…
Shoura moves to protect rights of women
Source: Arab News (Read full story)
Women members of the Shoura Council will set up a special committee to protect the rights of women, said Dr. Nuhad Al-Jishi, a member of the consultative body. “Women members will be appointed in all the 13 subsidiary committees of the Shoura and we’ll set up a new committee to protect women’s rights if it was required,” she said. However, she pointed out that the creation of such committees would depend on the Shoura’s rules and regulations.
…
Opposition heading to form broad alliance
Source: Kuwait Times (Read full story)
A large number of opposition activists, former MPs, societies, trade unions and others held a meeting at the house of former opposition MP Musallam Al-Barrak and discussed forming a broad opposition alliance. Former opposition MP Mohammad Al-Dallal said the meeting was very positive and participants agreed to form a preparatory committee from various sides to formulate the alliance draft which will be discussed at a meeting early next week by all sides. Barrak said that the meeting decided to stage a daily nightly sit-in until Feb 12 in the park opposite the Palace of Justice in Kuwait City in solidarity with activists in jail.
…
Qatar’s budget surplus at $26bn in Q2
Source: The Peninsula (Read full story)
…
Qatar’s state budget turned a hefty surplus of QR94.6bn ($26bn) in the second quarter (July to September) of the current fiscal year (2012-13). Preliminary data released by the banking regulator, Qatar Central Bank (QCB), show the fiscal surplus was 53.9 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in the second quarter. Wire agency Reuters calculated the quarterly surplus at QR94.6bn. Qatar’s statistics agency, meanwhile, put the GDP at current prices in the third quarter of 2012 (second quarter of financial year 2012-13 that began on April 1 last year)at 175.29bn.
…
Yemen Seeks Investigation of Seized Arms
Source: The New York Times (Read full story)
…
Yemen’s Defense Ministry said Wednesday that the ship that the Yemeni authorities seized last month was carrying explosives, rockets, surface-to-air missiles, rocket-propelled grenades and large amounts of ammunition. President Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi of Yemen sent a message to his Iranian counterpart, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, last week. In it, Mr. Hadi urged Mr. Ahmadinejad to stop sending arms to Yemen and to stop supporting a southern separatist movement, according to an official in the Yemeni president’s office, who spoke Thursday on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the news media.
…
Sultan Qaboos takes economic policy to people
Source: The Peninsula (Read full story)
…
Oman is approaching an economic crossroads, and the Sultan’s visit to Bahla was a sign of that. The economy is booming on the back of high oil prices, but it has struggled to create enough jobs for a young and growing population, and the state’s oil production may start declining later this decade as Oman’s reserves – not as lavish as those of neighboring Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi – are used up. The solution, government officials say, is to develop a strong non-oil sector of the economy based on private companies that will employ Omani job-seekers. But an entrepreneurial economy would be a major change for Omanis, who have grown accustomed to relying on oil wealth and comfortable jobs in the government or state-linked enterprises.
…