New Details on Social Media in Saudi Arabia

Source: SUSRIS (Read full story)

Information today is ubiquitous, said US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia James Smith at the Arab-US Policymakers Conference in October. He was talking about the influence a government may have, “You cannot control the message any longer.. ..So the real question of the day: does the United States, and do the governments of the region have the necessary tools to be successful in an age of influence?”

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 UAE banking sector top target of cyber attacks

Source: Khaleej Times (Read full story)

Cyber-attacks have mostly targeted the banking sector, including the ATM and internet banking applications, in the UAE, a report published in the January issue of 999 Magazine — the official English monthly of the Ministry of Interior — revealed. The banking sector topped the list of the most eyed target (35 per cent) while the remaining 65 per cent of attacks were launched against the government’s e-services, telecommunication systems, and educational institutions’ systems.

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Amir Meets Speaker As Panel Discusses Debts – Court delays election challenge

Source: Kuwait Times (Read full story)

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Protestors gathered at a roundabout between Sabah Al-Nasser and Firdous before starting their march. Organisers confirmed that the protest would be a peaceful one. “This is a parliament of shame,” said leading opposition figure and former MP Musallam Al-Barrak. Despite an official denial that it will not send any special forces to the protest site, the Ministry of Interior deployed special forces and riot police near the land customs department in Sabah Al-Nasser one hour before the start of the demonstration. The ministry stressed that all necessary legal measures and security plans would be used in accordance to the law.

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SQUABBLING OVER SHARE: Saudi faces battle over oil market share

Source: Kipp Report (Read full story)

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For Saudi policymakers, the question will be how to maintain market share and export revenues amid a host of competing supplies from shale and other unconventional deposits, offshore fields in Latin America and Africa, the Arctic, and rivals within OPEC such as Iraq and Iran. By the end of the decade, worldwide production of crude and condensates will hit 99.7 million barrels per day, according to a reference scenario published late last year by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) (“Annual Energy Outlook 2013″ Early Release Overview).

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Arab Common Exchange launched

Source: Arab News (Read full story)

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A major outcome of the preparatory meetings of the Arab private and public sectors (APSF-2013) is the launch of the Arab Common Exchange (ACE) announced on the opening day of the forum yesterday.
The ACE will be the first Arab joint capital market representing Arab joint stock companies with Bahrain as its headquarters. It will be manned by the private sector in Arab countries.
The announcement was made jointly by Bahrain’s ambassador to Riyadh, Sheikh Hamood bin Abdullah bin Hamad Al-Khalifa, and the project founder, Safar bin Aed Al-Harthi, who is leading a group of Arab businessmen to this forum.

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