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America's secret plan to arm Libya's rebels - Middle East, World - The Independent

Desperate to avoid US military involvement in Libya in the event of a prolonged struggle between the Gaddafi regime and its opponents, the Americans have asked Saudi Arabia if it can supply weapons to the rebels in Benghazi. The Saudi Kingdom, already facing a "day of rage" from its 10 per cent Shia Muslim community on Friday, with a ban on all demonstrations, has so far failed to respond to Washington's highly classified request, although King Abdullah personally loathes the Libyan leader, who tried to assassinate him just over a year ago.

SAS and MI6 officers released by Libya's rebel commanders | World news | The Guardian

Libya's rebel commanders have freed two MI6 officers and six SAS soldiers captured by farm guards on Thursday morning, after the British government vouched for their identities. The group was immediately flown to the frigate HMS Cumberland, which remains stationed off the coast of Libya. Seven of the group had been inserted by helicopter into farmland near the rebel capital Benghazi on a mission to establish contact with anti-regime forces. The eight Britons had been detained and questioned since Thursday by rebel leaders who had suspected they were mercenaries.

Report: Mubarak's sons received millions of dollars for backing Israeli gas sales - Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News

Gamal and Alaa Mubarak, the two sons of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, received hundreds of millions of dollars in "commissions" from the sale of Egyptian natural gas to Israel, the Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Jarida reported yesterday. Gamal initially demanded a 10% commission but eventually agreed to half of that, while his elder brother and businessman Hussein Salem settled for 2.5% each from the $2.5-billion deal signed in May 2005. Salem, considered to be very close to the Mubarak family, is the the largest shareholder in Eastern Mediterranean Gas, the Egyptian firm that supplied the gas to Israel. Mubarak's sons allegedly backed the controversial gas exports to Israel in return for the payments.

BBC News - Egypt protesters attacked by 'armed civilians' in Cairo

On Sunday, men in plain clothes armed with swords and petrol bombs confronted the pro-democracy activists after soldiers dispersed a Cairo rally they were holding to demand reform of the security services, eyewitnesses say. "The army started firing in the air to disperse us," Mohammed Fahmy told Reuters news agency. "We tried to run away but we were met by 200 thugs in plain clothes carrying sharp weapons."

Michael Moore: America Is Not Broke

Contrary to what those in power would like you to believe so that you'll give up your pension, cut your wages, and settle for the life your great-grandparents had, America is not broke. Not by a long shot. The country is awash in wealth and cash. It's just that it's not in your hands. It has been transferred, in the greatest heist in history, from the workers and consumers to the banks and the portfolios of the uber-rich. Today just 400 Americans have more wealth than half of all Americans combined. Let me say that again. 400 obscenely rich people, most of whom benefited in some way from the multi-trillion dollar taxpayer "bailout" of 2008, now have more loot, stock and property than the assets of 155 million Americans combined. If you can't bring yourself to call that a financial coup d'état, then you are simply not being honest about what you know in your heart to be true.

Arab revolution could trigger foreign investment boom | Al-Masry Al-Youm: Today's News from Egypt

As entrenched monopolies and patronage give way in the Middle East and North Africa, governments in the region could open their markets further and divest some state assets. Wealthy Gulf states such Kuwait and Qatar have little cause to sell, but post-revolutionary states such as Tunisia will likely lower protectionist barriers as they seek to accelerate income redistribution for their restive citizenry.

gulfnews : Missile interceptor successfully test-fired from Orissa defence base

Bhubaneswar: India yesterday successfully tested a ballistic missile interceptor from a defence base in Orissa as part of its endeavour to create a shield against incoming enemy missiles, an official said. The indigenous interceptor "Ballistic Missile Defence System" was fired from Wheeler Island off the Orissa coast near Dhamra in Bhadrak district, about 170 kilometres from here at 9.37am.

gulfnews : Bahrain to build 50,000 new homes for those in need

Manama Bahrain is set to announce on Monday a massive housing project that will help satisfy the demand for government-built houses. Under the 2.5 billion Bahraini Dinars plan, ($6.6 billion or Dh 24.24 billion), 50,000 housing units will be built in three years in partnership with the private sector, Majeed Al Alawi, the newly-appointed housing minister, said in an interview published by Dow Jones on Sunday. Around 45,000 limited-income people who applied to receive a house or a loan to build a house are believed to be on the official waiting list, and the news about the new plan will certainly be highly appreciated.

U.S. exports to the Arab World to reach $ 117 billion by 2013 - reports - Gulf in the Media

In 2010, U.S. exports of goods and services to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region reached an all-time high of nearly $ 68 billion. The next three years hold even more promise. New research conducted by the National U.S.-Arab Chamber of Commerce (NUSACC) indicates that total market demand in the Arab world is expected to exceed one trillion dollars by 2013. The U.S. share of that growing import market is expected to reach $ 117 billion – an unprecedented level of U.S. exports that bodes well for job creation in the United States. This is an increase in the U.S. share of total market demand from 8.9 percent in 2009 to 11.2 percent by 2013.

Union Railway issues tenders ahead of mid-2011 build - Transport - ArabianBusiness.com

Union Railway, which plans to begin construction on the UAE's rail network in mid-2011, said on Sunday it has issued tenders for rolling stock for the Western region railway. The firm plans to complete an $11bn, 1,500 km railway project across the UAE by 2017 that will also connect the UAE to Saudi Arabia and Oman.

Syria's new PPP law aims to attract private investment - Banking & Finance - ArabianBusiness.com

The new PPP law, which is similar to that launched in Kuwait, will maintain a central procurement process for PPP projects whilst providing clearer terms of reference and a more modern legislative framework. Though the legislation is likely to face some opposition, it is hoped that investors – both foreign and domestic – will feel more enticed to do business in the region, free from a number of old constitutional restrictions. Once the law is in place, the government plans to tender developments such as school, hospital and power plant projects as PPPs.