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Feature Article

By Senior Analyst Talal Kapoor

King Abdallah bin Abd al-Aziz, now on a visit to Morocco, is clearly not as incapacitated as has been rumored, despite his absence from official duties lately. Before his departure, he announced that the Saudi Arabian National Guard, headed by his son Mit'ab, was to become a Ministry, another in a series of unprecedented moves devolving more power to the younger generation.
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Royal Family News
Prince Sultan bin Salman In Pittsburgh
MOON TWP. -- A space-faring prince is landing on the Moon -- township, that is. Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abd al-Aziz of Saudi Arabia will tour Robert Morris University on Thursday, according to a press release from the school. The campusâ?? large Saudi student population -- about 150 students hail from the country -- and a strong international curriculum were two reasons that Pittsburghâ??s American Middle East Institute recommended a visit to the school.
Prince's Luxury Jet Sale Focus Of London Trial
Ten years after Saudi Arabia's Prince al-Walid bin Talal bin Abd al-Aziz sold his customised Airbus A340 - fitted with a double bed, silver leather sofas and a whirlpool bath - to Colonel Gaddafi for $120m, a row over the commission paid will touch down in a British court.
Jazan Governor Returns Home
Prince Muhammad bin Nasir bin Abd al-Aziz, Governor of Jazan Region, arrived here today after conducting a successful surgery at Saudi Armed Forces Hospital in Riyadh. At King Abdallah bin Abd al-Aziz Airport, Prince Muhammad was received by a number of officials
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Saudi Business News
Accor aims to raise Saudi women employment in hospitality sector to 35%
Saudi Arabia: According to a study by French hotel group, Accor, women in senior managerial positions in hotels in Saudi Arabia only account for 27% of positions as director general and 13% in positions such as director of operations, even though the number of female graduates is more than their male counterparts, Arab News has reported. The study aims to launch an empowerment initiative that will lead to a 50% increase in the number of female employees in upper management and leadership positions in hotels around the world, the company said. The initiative also seeks to raise the employment rate of women to 35% by 2015. "Saudi women have proven to be successful in their quest to work in a variety of positions across various sectors, in particular the tourism sector," said the general director of Accor Middle East, Christophe Landis.
LG unveils 84-inch Ultra HD TV in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: LG Electronics has launched in Saudi Arabia the world's first 84" Ultra High Definition (HD) 3D TV, Saudi Gazette has reported. The kingdom was the second Arab country after the UAE to witness the launch of the new TV set, said LG Electronics marketing manager, Dae Yun Lee. "According to our policy, we did not want to launch it here earlier until we were sure that the product is on electronic dealer shelves at the launch time," he said. The new TV boasts a picture processing technology that creates images comprising eight million pixels per frame; four times the resolution (3840x2160) of full HD TV panels, the manufacturer said.
Jeddah chamber to launch new TV channel
Saudi Arabia: The Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) has announced the launch of a specialised economic TV channel to provide interactive communication with subscribers, the chamber, and the business and trade community in the city, Arab News has reported. To be available on Nilesat in the first quarter of this year, the Al-Diwan channel is currently in talks to seal exclusive collaboration deals with CNN, BBC and World channels, as well as organisations including Germany's Deutsche Welle and Reuters.
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Islamic Community News
Four million perform hassle-free Umrah
The Haj Ministry has issued 4,727,960 Umrah visas, of which 4,068,387 foreign pilgrims have already arrived in the Kingdom. Mohammad Al-Bijawi, director of Madinah branch of the ministry, said they are monitoring arrival of the pilgrims at Madinah airport and Yanbu Port round the clock.
World-class Madinah pilgrim city to house 200,000 faithful
A state-of-the-art pilgrim city will be established in Madinah on an area of 1.6 million square meters along Hijrah Road with modern facilities and public transport systems to house 200,000 faithful who come for Haj and Umrah.
Umrah visa's validity limited to two weeks
he Haj Ministry has decided to limit the validity of Umrah visas to only 14 days because of the ongoing work to expand the mataf - the circumambulation area. According to a circular sent to Umrah agencies in the Kingdom and Saudi missions abroad two days ago, the new rule becomes effective Monday.
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Commentary
Stacking The Deck: Advantage For The House

The replacement of the Kingdom's Deputy Defense Minister has triggered speculation that successison planning is once again in turmoil. In fact, the recent reshuffle not only confirms that plans are already securely in place, but suggests that an even more aggressive restructuring is quietly taking shape.
Succession Moves - Delays, Or Strategic Thinking?

Amid ongoing anxiety over the succession, the recent elevation of more junior royals to important posts is an attempt to alleviate concerns over transition and show that the family has a way forward in a time of uncertainty.
al-Sudayri - A Spent Force?

For decades, discussion of royal family politics has revolved around the Sudayri faction and the prospect that their status as primus inter pares would eventually lead to a parallel line of succession. Now that few of the brothers remain, will Sudayri dominance fade from view, or will the younger generation take up the mantle?
"The King Is Dead, Long Live The King" - Snapshots From The Propaganda Wars

After famously creating a scandal with sensational (and false) reports of the violent death of Prince Bandar bin Sultan in a terror attack, Iranian media ups the ante with claims that King Abdallah's death, after he supposedly fell into a coma and died after a recent back surgery, was being stage-managed for public consumption .
Twitter Activism And Dissent: Echoes Of The Past?

The use of new forms of social media such as Twitter is said to have transformed the dynamic of political activism in the Kingdom, but is it really a game-changer?
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