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JEDDAH – In line with its special corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives for Ramadan, Al Rabie Saudi Foods Co. Ltd., a pioneering producer of dairy products and juices in Saudi Arabia and the largest juice manufacturer in the Middle East, is supporting the Iftar program arranged by the Kingdoms various charitable organizations and mosques for the holy month.

“Each day during Ramadan, Muslims throughout the country break their fast by taking part in the Iftar meal at mosques and charitable institutions. We were keen on making a small yet meaningful contribution during the holy month by including our juices in this special meal. After all, this is the season of giving and sharing,” said Monther Al Harthi, chief executive officer, Al Rabie Saudi Foods Co. Ltd.

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JEDDAH – Petrochemicals sent Saudi Arabias stock benchmark Tadawul All Share Index (TASI) to a two-week high on Wednesday, rising 0.86 percent to 6,158.99 points, tracking rising oil prices. But volumes may be too low for these gains to signal the start of a more sustained rally.

Benchmark US crude oil futures for October rose $1.99, or about 2.8 percent to settle at $73.91 a barrel.

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MOSCOW – Foreign professionals living in Russia and the Middle East are financially the most well off, while expatriates in Europe are benefiting the least from having moved abroad to work, a survey by HSBC Holdings Plc showed.

Russia topped a list of 25 countries of the best places for expats to live in terms of personal finances, followed by Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, HSBC said on Wednesday in a survey of 4,127 people who dont live in their home nation. European countries made up the bottom six nations of the survey.

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JEDDAH – Total value of mergers & acquisitions (M&A) in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region in the first half of 2010 dropped by approximately 15 percent to $18.5 billion, compared to deals worth $21.7 billion announced in H1 2009, Ernst & Young said on Tuesday.

Compared to the previous quarter (Q1 2010), Q2 2010 saw an increase of 85 percent in total announced deal value which is up from S$6.5 billion to $12 billion. In terms of total number of deals, there was a 12 percent decline between quarters, from 76 deals in Q1 2010 to 67 deals in Q2 2010.

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TEHRAN – Iran has discovered 13 new oil and gas fields with in-place reserves of 14 billion barrels of oil and 45 trillion cubic feet of natural gas within the past 12 months.

The Islamic Republic has also exported around 2,200,600 barrels of oil per day in the past year, according to a report published on the Oil Ministrys Shana news agency. The report added that Irans revenue from oil exports during the past year reached $69.1 billion.

Earlier this year, National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) director of exploration Mahmoud Mohaddes announced plans to explore new reserves of 500 million barrels of oil and 5 trillion cubic feet of gas per year during a five year plan.

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KHAN BANI SAAD, Iraq – A $100 million waste water treatment system in Fallujah has cost three times more than projected, yet sewage still runs through the streets. A $40 million prison sits in the north of Baghdad, empty. A $165 million childrens hospital goes unused in the south.

As the US draws down in Iraq, it is leaving behind hundreds of abandoned or incomplete projects. More than $5 billion in US taxpayer funds has been wasted on these projects – more than 10 percent of the $53.7 billion the US has spent on reconstruction in Iraq, according to audits from a US watchdog agency.

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BERLIN – The head of Germanys employers federation for metalworkers Sunday rejected calls by the countrys top union for a six-percent pay rise for 85,000 workers in the sector, saying the recovery was still shaky.

“After the deepest and most brutal slump in recent economic history, the recovery is still on wobbly legs,” Martin Kannegiesser wrote in the Bild am Sonntag weekly.

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A Sabya Municipality employee looks at the rubble of his house on Tuesday, which was demolished by the Encroachment Committee of the municipality. The committee claimed the house was built on government land. Kamal Muhammad Jumaimi, whose house in Akash District was razed, said he has official documents proving that he owns the land. Engineer Abu Bakr Mutahar, head of Sabya Municipality, said Jumaimi should have set an example by not building a house on government property. – Okaz photo and report by Abdul Rahman Shaar

JEDDAH – To highlight old traditions in the Historical Area, Jeddah Municipality has prepared various night activities for Ramadan at Naseef House in the downtown Al-Balad District.

The activities began Aug. 21 and will end on Aug. 30. The ten days of activities include performances of the traditional chants at weddings, presentations about the historical area, cultural contests, displays of traditional schools and weddings, Ramadan games for boys, and a demonstration by the mesaharaty, the traditional caller who wakes people for Suhoor, the early morning meal before fasting.

“The activities are sponsored by Saudi Aramco every year and we aim through them to renew the old traditions of the historical districts of Al-Balad during Ramadan,” said Sami Nawar, head of the Historical Area Municipality.

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DAMMAM – A unified approach involving parents, schools, government agencies, and sports organizations to address the problem of obesity among Saudi children was launched here by the Saudi Diabetes & Endocrine Association (SDEA).
The launch was spearheaded by Professor Abdulaziz Al-Mulhim, head of the SDEA scientific committee. Addressing the Ramadan meeting of SDEA, which was attended by parents, schoolteachers, government representatives and managers of sports clubs, Al-Mulhim said a concerted drive to arrest the problem of child obesity should now be taken seriously.
“We have to invest our time and resources for the benefit of our children’s health and wellness by addressing the problem of obesity which has now created many health, social, psychological and economic problems,” Al-Mulhim said. He said the Kingdom already has a growing number of obese adults, stressing that the next generation should be healthy and not follow in the footsteps of those who are already overweight.
Al-Mulhim said parents are the “first line of offense” in instituting a wellness regime for their children. “It is a simple matter of adopting a healthier lifestyle and diet with moderate exercise, and at the same time being a role model for your children to follow,” he said.
“Our culture of filling our children’s plates with lots of food and insisting that they have to finish it all does not lead to a moderate and balanced diet for our children. Parents should consider this point seriously,” Al-Mulhim said.
He said parents should also discourage their children from watching television and at the same time eating snacks and junk food. He added that parents should limit the amount of time their children watch TV.
School teachers play a major role in preventing obesity among Saudi youngsters, Al-Mulhim said. “All Saudi schools must make children aware of the negative aspects of obesity and educate children about advertisements that encourage the over consumption of fatty and sugary food and drinks.”
School canteens should always make available safe, low-fat food items, such as fruits, vegetables, low-fat milk, yogurt, and whole wheat bread, he stressed.
Al-Mulhim said parents and teachers should refer children who are obese to doctors and family physicians. “I advise parents to consult physicians once they have noticed that their children’s weight has increased, and not to wait too long to do so,” he said.
All sports clubs and recreational facilities across the Kingdom should find ways to encourage children to exercise, such as by providing them with reduced prices for engaging in sports and athletic activities. He said government participation is crucial in addressing the problem of obesity among children, adding that government institutions, including those in health services, education, and sports should closely collaborate with the private sector and other non-government agencies to fight child obesity. – SG
A study conducted by Dr. Khaled A. Madani, Consultant Nutritionist at the Directorate of Health Affairs in the
Ministry of Health, revealed an increase in obesity among Saudi youngsters including children less than six years of age, an indication that those prone to obesity are getting younger. – SG