Billionaires Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, Bill Gates Team Up to Defeat Polio

Source: Saudi – US Trade Group (Read full story)

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Two of the richest men in the world, and the two richest men in the United States and Saudi Arabia respectively, are teaming up through their foundations to finally eradicate polio, according to a press release. “The Alwaleed Bin Talal Foundation-Global (Registered in Lebanon), chaired by HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud, signed a Memorandum of Collaboration (MOC) in a unique partnership with The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, co-chaired by Mr. Bill Gates to bolster the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.  The Alwaleed Bin Talal Foundation has pledged $30 Million to this critical global effort…

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Peace Envoys From Taliban at Loose Ends in Qatar

Source: The New York Times (Read full story)

When a handful of Taliban emissaries flew into Qatar on an American plane in 2010, the Obama administration hoped they would help negotiate a peace deal that could stabilize Afghanistan and allow the United States a graceful exit. Three years after that secret arrival, the Taliban officials remain idle and their political office here remains unused.“They are just living here enjoying the air-conditioning, driving luxury cars, eating and making babies,” one Afghan diplomat in Qatar said. “It’s all they can do; they have no work to do.”

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Doha conference endorses strategy to rebuild Darfur

Source: Gulf Times (Read full story)

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Representatives of donor countries and aid groups, meeting in Doha, yesterday approved a mechanism to rebuild Sudan’s Darfur region after a decade-long conflict. The total cost  for Darfur’s reconstruction  is estimated at $7.2bn. The Sudanese government is committed to $2bn whereas $5.245bn is expected to be pledged by the donors at the conference. The director of the International Development Department at the Foreign Ministry,  Ahmed bin Mohammed al- Meraikhi, said the mechanism was called the “funding and governance mechanism for the implementation of the Darfur development strategy”.

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Influence of Iran, Brotherhood on GCC states

Source: The Peninsula (Read full story)

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There is confusion among Gulf citizens about the role of Iran and its intervention in their domestic affairs, and the role of Muslim Brotherhood, or what is called political Islam, which is dominating the Arab Spring states.  With the uprising in Syria in its third year, it is clear for any observer that Iran has spread its security and intelligence influence in the Gulf. Recently, the Saudi Ministry of Interior disclosed that it has busted an Iranian spy network comprising of 16 Saudis and two others from Iran and Lebanon. Similarly, Bahrain revealed the arrest of a terrorist cell which was planning to form an armed opposition force under the name “Al Emam Army” with the aim of attacking military bases in the country.

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Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques performs funeral prayer for Prince Badr bin Abdulaziz Al Saud

Source: Arab News (Read full story)

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The funeral prayer was also performed by Sheikh Saeed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Representative of UAE President; former Prime Minister of Lebanon Saad Al-Hariri; a number of princes, ministers, senior civil and military officials; and a group of citizens. The funeral prayer was led by the Kingdom’s Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al Al-Sheikh.
Following the funeral prayer, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud received condolences on the death of Prince Badr bin Abdulaziz.

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Saudi Prince Bader Bin Abdul Aziz dies

Source: Al Bawaba News (Read full story)

The Saudi Royal Court announced on Monday that Prince Bader Bin Abdul Aziz has died. “The funeral prayers will be held on Tuesday at the Imam Turki Mosque in Riyadh,” the court said in a brief statement, according to the Saudi Press Agency. The prince was 81 years old and  the 20th son of King Abdul Aziz Al Saud, who founded the Kingdom. In a long and prestigious career, he served as Minister of communications and more recently as deputy commander of the National Guard until he stepped down in 2010.

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Whither GCC-US Relations?

Source: Gulf Research Center (Read full story)

The US-GCC relationship appears to be at a crossroads. Despite a long history of relations and a clear common and mutual interest in the stability and security of the Gulf region, the GCC states and the United States look as if they are growing apart on an almost daily basis. This is because on basically every issue of strategic importance and concern at the moment, the two sides are taking or have taken different positions. In this environment, the differences are growing rather than shrinking, an ominous development for the coming years.

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Arab summit issues Doha Declaration

Source: The Gulf Today (Read full story)

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It also strongly condemned the Syrian regime’s use of heavy weapons, warplanes and Scud missiles to bomb the crowded residential areas. The declaration welcomed the takeover by the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces to Syria’s seat in the Arab League, its organisations, councils and organs. It emphasised the importance of efforts being taken in order to reach a political solution as a priority for the Syrian crisis, while stressing on the right of each member state, in accordance with its wish, to provide all means of self-defence, including military support to back the steadfastness of the Syrian people and the free army. The declaration also lauded the initiative of the Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah to host an International Donors’ Conference for the Syrian people that was held on Jan.30, 2013.

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