Syria strike: MPs call for emergency session

Source: Kuwait Times (Read full story)

Lawmakers are discussing the possibility of requesting an emergency session within a couple of weeks to discuss the situation in the region in light of developments in Syria and Egypt. According to sources, a number of MPs believe that a request to allocate a session for the topic after the parliament resumes sessions on Oct 29 means that the issue will not be discussed before mid-November; a relatively late date considering reports hint at a potential military strike against Syria over the next few days. The sources indicated that a number of MPs are currently discussing the idea before obtaining signatures of at least 33 lawmakers to hold an emergency session. If the petition comes through, the report will be sent to the parliament’s speaker to start negotiations with the Cabinet to release an Amiri decree to hold the session.

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Egypt turns back on IMF and looks to Gulf for stimulus

Source: The National (Read full story)

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The government has announced approval of a 22.3 billion Egyptian-pound (Dh11.75bn) stimulus package after securing US$12 billion in aid pledges from the Gulf last month. Egypt doesn’t “currently have the desire or the need to ask for assistance from the IMF,” the finance minister Ahmed Galal said. Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait rushed to aid Egypt following the military’s removal of Mohammed Morsi from the presidency last month. Almost three years after Egypt’s 2011 revolt, the country’s economy is struggling with growth at just a third of the 6.2 per cent it averaged in the last five years of former president Hosni Mubarak’s three decades of rule

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Excessive remittances ‘drain GCC economies’

Source: Arab News (Read full story)

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Some economists say excessive remittances are slowly causing damage to the Kingdom’s economy. Economist fear money laundering, fanning terrorism and the infiltration of suspicious transactions.
Some agencies in charge of the country’s banking system ensure the sector is secure given the strictness of the system that prevents the infiltration of illegal or suspicious transactions.
“It is only normal for expatriates to send the money they earned in the Kingdom to their families abroad,” said Talat Hafiz, secretary-general of the Banking Awareness Committee. “

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Saudi Arabia passes historic domestic abuse law

Source: Arabian Business (Read full story)

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Domestic violence awareness is a relatively new concept in Saudi Arabia. The kingdom only published its first advert intended to discourage domestic abuse against women and children in April. The image features a close-up of a woman wearing a niqab with one of her eyes visibly bruised. The advertisement’s text reads: “Some things can’t be covered – fighting women’s abuse together.” Domestic abuse is believed to be common in the kingdom, although not publicly. A 2009 study of women seeking services as primary health centres in Madinah found 25.7 percent of the 689 women surveyed had been victims of physical domestic abuse but only 36.7 percent of them had notified their doctors, Arab News reported.

Government resolute to combat corruption, encourage investments

Source: The Yemen News Agency (Read full story)

Prime Minister Mohamed Salem Basindwa on Thursday stressed that the government is resolute to move forward towards a better future for Yemen via combating corruption and encouraging investments. During his meeting with UK ambassador to Yemen Jane Marriott, the Premier pointed that Yemen has great opportunities for success and overcome difficulties in the current important historical stage.  Basindwa praised the role the UK plays in supporting Yemen, and its economic and development assistances to help Yemen overcome the current difficult conditions.

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Dialogue not terror

Source: Gulf Daily News (Read full story)

Dialogue is the most effective way forward for Bahrain, but it must totally condemn and reject terrorism, said the Premier yesterday. His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa made his remarks when chairing a high-level meeting to review implementation of new National Assembly recommendations. He ordered continued firm implementation of laws, in particular those combating violence and terrorism, against those involved in any acts against security and terror crimes. Also against those organising calls to destabilise security, and to track down those inciting and planing violence from Bahrain and outside it. Basic freedoms must be preserved while implementing the law, particularly freedom of speech, which has been granted by the constitution and to protect human rights, he said.

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