Defense Secretary Hagel Arrived in Riyadh

Source: SUSRIS (Read full story)

 U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel arrived in Riyadh today for the third stop on his travels across the Middle East to confer on bilateral issues and regional challenges.

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A newly announced multi-nation arms deal organized by the United States will be among the topics of discussion with senior Saudi officials. The $10 billion package includes weapons for Israel, the UAE and Saudi Arabia and is on top of an ongoing arms deal with the Kingdom that includes 84 F-15SA Eagle fighter jets. The Saudi portion of the package is said to include advanced precision air to ground missiles and the Hagel visit will help to conclude negotiations on final details.

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Clean energy vital for UAE economy

Source: Khaleej Times (Read full story)

UAE Minister of Energy Suhail bin Mohamed Faraj Fares Al Mazrouei and other senior officials visited Masdar, Abu Dhabi’s multi-faceted renewable energy company, to identify ways the country can reduce its energy demand, adopt renewables and protect its precious hydrocarbon resources. The minister also underscored the important role Masdar — through its renewable energy and technology investments — is playing to support the UAE’s economic and social prosperity.

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 Bahrain arrests ‘terror cell’ with ties to Iran, Iraq and Lebanon

Source: The National (Read full story)

Bahrain has dismantled a “terrorist cell” linked to Iran, Iraq and Lebanon, the interior minister said, slamming what he called “escalation” in the kingdom as the Shiite opposition intensifies its protests. Security services “have, with the help of a brotherly country, arrested the members of a terrorist cell made up of eight Bahraini elements”, the state news agency BNA quoted Sheikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa as saying.

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 H H the Emir of Qatar meets US President Obama

Source: The Peninsula (Read full story)

HH the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani met here this afternoon with US President Barack Obama, at the White House. During the meeting, HH the Emir and the US President discussed bilateral relations between the two countries and ways of enhancing them in various fields. They also discussed a number of regional and international issues of common concern, the latest developments in the region, particularly the situation in Syria. The meeting was attended by HE the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani, and a number of Their Excellencies members of the official delegation accompanying HH the Emir.

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Legal panel vetoes govt plan to increase charges – Lawyers suspend strike after meeting with judiciary

Source: Kuwait times (Read full story)

The National Assembly legal and legislative committee has informed the financial and economic affairs panel that the government-sponsored law to raise charges in public services could be in violation of the constitution. Rapporteur of the legal committee MP Yacoub Al-Sane said a letter was sent to the financial panel, stating that “there is a constitutional suspicion in the government request to raise charges through government decisions rather than through laws passed by the National Assembly”.

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Bahrain blocks visit of UN torture rapporteur

Source: BBC (Read full story)

The Bahraini government has postponed indefinitely a visit by Juan Mendez the UN special rapporteur on torture. According to the country’s official news agency the trip has been called off  “until further notice”. This comes just days after the release of a US State Department report on human rights in Bahrain which spoke of “significant” violations including torture in detention. The Gulf kingdom has been wracked by civil unrest for two years. The violence has left at least 50 people dead.

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