GCC is 13th largest world economy

Source: Emirates 24/7 (Read  full story)

Gulf hydrocarbon producers emerged as the 13th most powerful economy in the world in 2011 while strong oil prices allowed them to become the fifth largest exporter with the highest trade surplus, according to a Bahraini minister. Hassan Fakhru, minister of trade and industry, estimated the combined GDP of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) at around $1.4 trillion in 2011, the 13th largest in the world. He put the global GDP at around $70 trillion in 2011.

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MP draws flak over segregation proposal – ‘Kuwait needs new rules to safeguard tradition’

Source: Kuwait Times (Read full story)

Recently, MP Saad Al-Bous suggested adding a new paragraph to the Criminal Law No 16/0960 that will ban men and women from wearing indecent outfits on the beaches, on the islands and at public places. The proposed paragraph also mandates segregating men and women at sports halls, playing grounds, swimming pools at hotels, public and private sports clubs and health clubs. The MP proposed punishing the violators of this law with up to six months’ imprisonment or fines of up to KD500, or both.

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Qatar’s GDP to grow by 5-6pc: Barclays

Source: The Peninsula (Read full story)

Taking stock of the latest data released about Qatar’s sovereign and banking sector outlook, the Qatari economy is likely to perform “better than expected”. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is expected to grow by 5-6 percent in the next few years, according to the latest Emerging Markets Research by Barclays.

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Dubai workers hold rare strike for more wages

Source: Al Jazeera (Read full story)

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Thousands of workers employed by Dubai’s largest construction company have gone on strike for a second day to back wage demands in a rare labour protest in the Gulf emirate, where trade unions are banned. Blue-collared labourers employed by Arabtec, the company behind projects including the world’s tallest building Burj Khalifa, did not show up for work on Sunday, said a spokesman for the company, UAE’s labour ministry and workers. Employees said the strike began on Saturday and that the workers were determined not to end it without a pay rise.

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Racing against time: Expatriates flock to consulates to rectify status

Source: Saudi Gazette (Read full story)

Most foreign consulates in Jeddah are swamped with applications of their nationals who want to correct their status before the grace period ends. Most workers have been racing against time to get their status rectified and benefit from the decisions issued by the Ministry of Labor last week. A number of applicants have actually fainted while waiting at the Indonesian and Ethiopian consulates and the ambulance had to be called to administer first aid.

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New plan to cut unemployment

Source: Gulf Daily News (Read full story)

Women account for the vast majority of unemployed Bahrainis because conservative families are preventing them accepting work in certain fields, according to a government minister. Labour Minister Jameel Humaidan said that of the 7,718 people registered as jobless in the first quarter, 6,080 (79 per cent) were women, compared to 1,638 men. However, a report he submitted to the Cabinet yesterday details new plans to tackle unemployment, particularly among women.

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