angelburst29
The Living Force
Palaces are among the first contracts awarded for NEOM, a massive investment project northwest of the country.
Saudi Arabia to build five royal palaces in 'city of future' Friday 9 February 2018
http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/saudi-build-five-castles-royals-proposed-business-zone-827858716
The Saudi government has begun to award contracts for the development of a huge business zone in the northwest of the country, asking local construction companies to build five palaces for members of the royal family there, sources close to the matter told Reuters.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced plans for the 26,500sq km zone, known as NEOM and dubbed a city of the future, at an international investment conference in Riyadh last October. Officials said public and private investment in the area was eventually expected to total $500bn.
The palaces for the king, crown prince and other senior royals, to be located on the Red Sea coast about 150 km west of the city of Tabuk, are among the first contracts awarded for NEOM, said the sources who declined to be identified as an official announcement has not yet been made.
Saudi Binladin Group, the country's biggest construction firm, has been mandated to build one of the palaces in a sign that it retains the government's support despite the recent detention of some of its owners in a supposed crackdown on corruption, the sources said.
Binladin chairman Bakr Bin Laden and several family members were held alongside scores of princes, senior officials and businessmen in the purge, announced in November.
Last month, Binladin said some owners of the firm might transfer part of their stakes to the state in a financial settlement of allegations against them, and most or all of the family members have now been released.
MEE reported in November that Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, who was arrested in the purge and released last month, had refused to invest in NEOM before his detention.
Banks have started offering financing facilities to builders of the palaces, one source said. The sources said they could not confirm the cost of the buildings.
A project design document seen by Reuters showed opulent buildings with modern and traditional Moroccan-style architecture featuring Islamic designs and colourful ceramic tiles. The complex of palaces will include helipads, a marina and a golf course.
NEOM, with its own judicial system and legislation designed to attract international investors, is to focus on industries such as energy and water, biotechnology, food, advanced manufacturing and tourism, according to officials.
Some companies, including Japan's Softbank, have said they are prepared to invest in NEOM, but major, concrete business investments have not yet been announced.
However, some have criticised the project as wasteful and ineffective in addressing the problems of the Saudi economy, including unemployment and dependence on oil.
The palaces add to the list of lavish spending by bin Salman, which his opponents say discredits his claims that he is fighting corruption.
In 2015, the crown prince reportedly bought a $300m yacht, and last year he paid more than $400m for a Leonardo da Vinci painting.
Sources: Saudi Arabia government now owns 60% of MBC February 9, 2018
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20180209-sources-saudi-arabia-now-owns-60-of-mbc/
Sources stated that Saudi officials will transfer 60 percent of the group’s ownership to the state and leave the remaining percentage to Al Ibrahim,
according to Al-Quds Al-Arabi.
This action is part of Saudi Arabia’s recent moves to seize assets of businessmen who have been involved in the corruption investigations, and have been held at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel since November, 2017.
Waleed Al Ibrahim and his three brothers Khalid, Majid and Abdul Aziz were among the detainees at the Ritz-Carlton, and were released in late January.
Extortion - On January 26, the Financial Times newspaper revealed that the Saudi crown prince, Mohammad Bin Salman, has been extorting the owner of MBC media group, Waleed Al Ibrahim, to give up his share in the group in exchange for releasing him.
On the 29th of the same month, a senior official in the media group confirmed that Waleed Al Ibrahim would retain his share of it at 40%. He pointed out that Al Ibrahim renewed the allegiance to the ruling family in Saudi Arabia, according to Reuters.
However, estimations confirm that members of Al Ibrahim family owned 50% of the group, while Saleh Kamel, the businessman who was also arrested during the campaign on corruption, owns 10%.
Officials said dozens of suspects had agreed to waive assets worth more than $ 100 billion to the state through financial settlements to the charges against them.
When Waleed Al Ibrahim was released, a senior executive at MBC said the investigations proved his innocence of any wrongdoings.
The scenario - In its January 26 report, the Financial Times reported what it said was a scenario for what happened between Mohammad bin Salman and the head of the group, Waleed Al Ibrahim. It stressed that “Bin Salman has long been interested in MBC.
The newspaper added that people close to the crown prince have held discussions with Al Ibrahim to take over his share for almost two years. However, the group’s owner objected to the amount they offered him ($ 2.5 billion), and insisted on a higher price ($ 3/3.5 billion).
The newspaper stated that “Al Ibrahim boarded his jet to Riyadh, days before the start of the arrest campaign, following the invitation of Mohammad bin Salman, to complete the talks on the acquisition deal.”
It continued: “When the meeting was canceled, Al Ibrahim decided to return back to Dubai, where the headquarters of his media group is located, but officials at Riyadh airport told him the flight has been cancelled and stopped his plane.”
It went on by saying: “On the evening of the same day, the name of Al Ibrahim was spread on social media websites; the Saudis speculated that he was one of the detainees on charges of corruption. In the morning of the following day, his meeting with Mohammad bin Salman was reaffirmed. He was rather arrested instead of discussing the acquisition deal.”
Observers considered that MBC was a clear goal for the young Saudi crown prince, who seeks to “ensure positive media coverage of his ambitious plans.” They pointed out that the rise of bin Salman to power was accompanied by further restrictions on media outlets in the country and less tolerance against the opponents, according to the Financial Times.
About two weeks ago, Saudi blogger Mujtahidd revealed that MBC would be part of the Saudi Research and Marketing Group owned by Bin Salman.
At the end of December, 2017, Al-Quds Al-Arabi quoted sources as saying that MBC and Saudi Arabian channel Al Arabiya had become fully managed by Saudi journalist Turki Aldakhil and his assistant, Nasser bin Hazzam, who both work under Bin Salman.
Previous deal - The news came following the announcement of 6.6 billion Saudi riyals ($ 1.8 billion) deal between Saudi Telecom Company and the General Sport Authority, under which the company will be granted exclusive rights to broadcast Saudi football matches for 10 years.
Broadcasting rights were owned by MBC, which signed in July 2014 a 4.1 billion-riyal deal to own them for 10 years.
One of the exporters said the broadcasting rights of matches have been granted – without bidding – to the Saudi Telecom Company 70 per cent of which is owned by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund.
Prominent Saudi columnist jailed for accusing Royal Court of corruption February 9, 2018
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20180209-prominent-saudi-columnist-jailed-for-accusing-royal-court-of-corruption/
State-linked Saudi newspaper, Okaz, reported yesterday that a specialised criminal court had sentenced Saleh Al-Shehi for “insulting the royal court”.
Al-Shehi, who is a columnist for Arabic-language daily Al-Watan was awaiting the courts verdict following his arrest in January over comments he had made on TV. The arrest was heavily criticised by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) who demanded his release.
Saudi royals appear to have been deeply offended by Al-Shehi’s comments over Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman’s “anti –corruption” clampdown. The popular commentator with nearly 1.2 million followers on Twitter, had accused the Royal Court of being “one of the institutions that reinforced corruption” in the country, citing examples such as granting plots of land to citizens based on personal connections.
According to the Financial Times, Al-Shehi had said “if we want to end financial corruption then we must first shutter the windows for administrative corruption.” He went on to say that “there are in the Royal Court many windows from which people can enter.”
Al-Shehi was implying that any Saudi citizen who has a contact within the Royal Court automatically has an advantage in buying strategically located land unavailable to the public.
The CPJ who previously demanded Al-Shehi’s release denounced the verdict. “The emerging leadership’s promises of openness and reform in Saudi Arabia seem to end where critical reporting and independent journalism begin,” said CPJ Middle East and North Africa Program Coordinator Sherif Mansour, in Washington, D.C. “Saudi authorities should free Saleh Al-Shehi immediately and stop going after journalists who report inconvenient news.”
The campaigner for press freedom worldwide also reported that Saudi authorities were holding at least seven journalists behind bars as of 1 December 2017.
Saudi Arabia ranks 168 out of 180 countries for free expression, according to the 2017 World Press Freedom Index.
Saudi Arabia to build five royal palaces in 'city of future' Friday 9 February 2018
http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/saudi-build-five-castles-royals-proposed-business-zone-827858716
The Saudi government has begun to award contracts for the development of a huge business zone in the northwest of the country, asking local construction companies to build five palaces for members of the royal family there, sources close to the matter told Reuters.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced plans for the 26,500sq km zone, known as NEOM and dubbed a city of the future, at an international investment conference in Riyadh last October. Officials said public and private investment in the area was eventually expected to total $500bn.
The palaces for the king, crown prince and other senior royals, to be located on the Red Sea coast about 150 km west of the city of Tabuk, are among the first contracts awarded for NEOM, said the sources who declined to be identified as an official announcement has not yet been made.
Saudi Binladin Group, the country's biggest construction firm, has been mandated to build one of the palaces in a sign that it retains the government's support despite the recent detention of some of its owners in a supposed crackdown on corruption, the sources said.
Binladin chairman Bakr Bin Laden and several family members were held alongside scores of princes, senior officials and businessmen in the purge, announced in November.
Last month, Binladin said some owners of the firm might transfer part of their stakes to the state in a financial settlement of allegations against them, and most or all of the family members have now been released.
MEE reported in November that Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, who was arrested in the purge and released last month, had refused to invest in NEOM before his detention.
Banks have started offering financing facilities to builders of the palaces, one source said. The sources said they could not confirm the cost of the buildings.
A project design document seen by Reuters showed opulent buildings with modern and traditional Moroccan-style architecture featuring Islamic designs and colourful ceramic tiles. The complex of palaces will include helipads, a marina and a golf course.
NEOM, with its own judicial system and legislation designed to attract international investors, is to focus on industries such as energy and water, biotechnology, food, advanced manufacturing and tourism, according to officials.
Some companies, including Japan's Softbank, have said they are prepared to invest in NEOM, but major, concrete business investments have not yet been announced.
However, some have criticised the project as wasteful and ineffective in addressing the problems of the Saudi economy, including unemployment and dependence on oil.
The palaces add to the list of lavish spending by bin Salman, which his opponents say discredits his claims that he is fighting corruption.
In 2015, the crown prince reportedly bought a $300m yacht, and last year he paid more than $400m for a Leonardo da Vinci painting.
Sources: Saudi Arabia government now owns 60% of MBC February 9, 2018
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20180209-sources-saudi-arabia-now-owns-60-of-mbc/
Sources stated that Saudi officials will transfer 60 percent of the group’s ownership to the state and leave the remaining percentage to Al Ibrahim,
according to Al-Quds Al-Arabi.
This action is part of Saudi Arabia’s recent moves to seize assets of businessmen who have been involved in the corruption investigations, and have been held at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel since November, 2017.
Waleed Al Ibrahim and his three brothers Khalid, Majid and Abdul Aziz were among the detainees at the Ritz-Carlton, and were released in late January.
Extortion - On January 26, the Financial Times newspaper revealed that the Saudi crown prince, Mohammad Bin Salman, has been extorting the owner of MBC media group, Waleed Al Ibrahim, to give up his share in the group in exchange for releasing him.
On the 29th of the same month, a senior official in the media group confirmed that Waleed Al Ibrahim would retain his share of it at 40%. He pointed out that Al Ibrahim renewed the allegiance to the ruling family in Saudi Arabia, according to Reuters.
However, estimations confirm that members of Al Ibrahim family owned 50% of the group, while Saleh Kamel, the businessman who was also arrested during the campaign on corruption, owns 10%.
Officials said dozens of suspects had agreed to waive assets worth more than $ 100 billion to the state through financial settlements to the charges against them.
When Waleed Al Ibrahim was released, a senior executive at MBC said the investigations proved his innocence of any wrongdoings.
The scenario - In its January 26 report, the Financial Times reported what it said was a scenario for what happened between Mohammad bin Salman and the head of the group, Waleed Al Ibrahim. It stressed that “Bin Salman has long been interested in MBC.
The newspaper added that people close to the crown prince have held discussions with Al Ibrahim to take over his share for almost two years. However, the group’s owner objected to the amount they offered him ($ 2.5 billion), and insisted on a higher price ($ 3/3.5 billion).
The newspaper stated that “Al Ibrahim boarded his jet to Riyadh, days before the start of the arrest campaign, following the invitation of Mohammad bin Salman, to complete the talks on the acquisition deal.”
It continued: “When the meeting was canceled, Al Ibrahim decided to return back to Dubai, where the headquarters of his media group is located, but officials at Riyadh airport told him the flight has been cancelled and stopped his plane.”
It went on by saying: “On the evening of the same day, the name of Al Ibrahim was spread on social media websites; the Saudis speculated that he was one of the detainees on charges of corruption. In the morning of the following day, his meeting with Mohammad bin Salman was reaffirmed. He was rather arrested instead of discussing the acquisition deal.”
Observers considered that MBC was a clear goal for the young Saudi crown prince, who seeks to “ensure positive media coverage of his ambitious plans.” They pointed out that the rise of bin Salman to power was accompanied by further restrictions on media outlets in the country and less tolerance against the opponents, according to the Financial Times.
About two weeks ago, Saudi blogger Mujtahidd revealed that MBC would be part of the Saudi Research and Marketing Group owned by Bin Salman.
At the end of December, 2017, Al-Quds Al-Arabi quoted sources as saying that MBC and Saudi Arabian channel Al Arabiya had become fully managed by Saudi journalist Turki Aldakhil and his assistant, Nasser bin Hazzam, who both work under Bin Salman.
Previous deal - The news came following the announcement of 6.6 billion Saudi riyals ($ 1.8 billion) deal between Saudi Telecom Company and the General Sport Authority, under which the company will be granted exclusive rights to broadcast Saudi football matches for 10 years.
Broadcasting rights were owned by MBC, which signed in July 2014 a 4.1 billion-riyal deal to own them for 10 years.
One of the exporters said the broadcasting rights of matches have been granted – without bidding – to the Saudi Telecom Company 70 per cent of which is owned by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund.
Prominent Saudi columnist jailed for accusing Royal Court of corruption February 9, 2018
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20180209-prominent-saudi-columnist-jailed-for-accusing-royal-court-of-corruption/
State-linked Saudi newspaper, Okaz, reported yesterday that a specialised criminal court had sentenced Saleh Al-Shehi for “insulting the royal court”.
Al-Shehi, who is a columnist for Arabic-language daily Al-Watan was awaiting the courts verdict following his arrest in January over comments he had made on TV. The arrest was heavily criticised by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) who demanded his release.
Saudi royals appear to have been deeply offended by Al-Shehi’s comments over Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman’s “anti –corruption” clampdown. The popular commentator with nearly 1.2 million followers on Twitter, had accused the Royal Court of being “one of the institutions that reinforced corruption” in the country, citing examples such as granting plots of land to citizens based on personal connections.
According to the Financial Times, Al-Shehi had said “if we want to end financial corruption then we must first shutter the windows for administrative corruption.” He went on to say that “there are in the Royal Court many windows from which people can enter.”
Al-Shehi was implying that any Saudi citizen who has a contact within the Royal Court automatically has an advantage in buying strategically located land unavailable to the public.
The CPJ who previously demanded Al-Shehi’s release denounced the verdict. “The emerging leadership’s promises of openness and reform in Saudi Arabia seem to end where critical reporting and independent journalism begin,” said CPJ Middle East and North Africa Program Coordinator Sherif Mansour, in Washington, D.C. “Saudi authorities should free Saleh Al-Shehi immediately and stop going after journalists who report inconvenient news.”
The campaigner for press freedom worldwide also reported that Saudi authorities were holding at least seven journalists behind bars as of 1 December 2017.
Saudi Arabia ranks 168 out of 180 countries for free expression, according to the 2017 World Press Freedom Index.
Did something actually happen and that's the cover story, or are they that idiotic?
