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SO, what news of our tourists abroad? It has so happened that in recent times Ive had the chance to go to a fair few of the countries and cities popular with Saudi tourists, particularly in Europe, so, if youll permit me, Id like to offer you the following report on what they are getting up to in three popular locations in Europe.

In Paris:

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Workers from Indonesias state utility firm PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) maintain a power plant station in Jakarta on Wednesday. Indonesia is looking into infrastructure and green bonds, a senior advisor to the government said on Thursday, as the biggest economy in Southeast Asia is in need of billions of dollars for the sectors development. Indonesia will need $140 billion over the next five years in infrastructure development ranging from paving roads and highways to providing more power and water supplies nationwide. – AFP

LONDON/BEIJING – Manufacturing in China, India and Russia powered ahead in August while growth slowed in European factories, emphasizing a growing divide in the pace of recovery between the rich and emerging worlds.

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BANGALORE/NEW YORK – Rowan Cos Inc signed contracts with Saudi Aramco for two of its Gulf of Mexico-based rigs for higher dayrates, on track with its plans to move those rigs overseas, sending its shares up 9 percent.

In July, the offshore rig contractor said it was in talks to move two high-end shallow-water rigs out of the Gulf of Mexico due to demand elsewhere.

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JEDDAH – Nabatt, an exhibition of over 130 works by 23 Saudi contemporary artists will be held from Sept. 11 to Oct. 31 in Shanghai sponsored by the Saudi Arabian Pavilion at Shanghai 2010, the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture at Saudi Aramco and supported by the Saudi Ministry of Culture and Information.

The grand opening of the exhibition will be held on Sept. 10 at the Shanghai Duolun Museum of Modern Art, the first professional modern museum of contemporary art in China, which serves as a platform for the international exchange of contemporary art.

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DHAKA – Beximco, the largest private sector industrial conglomerate in Bangladesh, said it has set up a joint venture with a Saudi firm to invest nearly $1 billion for upgradation of Bangladeshs sole oil refinery.

“Beximco and Marasel Company of Saudi Arabia will jointly submit interest for funding an upgradation project of the Eastern Refinery Limited,” a statement from Beximco said.

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JEDDAH – Saudi Arabian shares rose the most in a month, after US and European markets advanced and oil prices rallied on a pledge by Fed Chairman Ben S. Bernanke to maintain the US economic recovery.

The stock benchmark Tadawul All Share Index rose 0.9 percent to close at 6,055.54 points on Saturday, biggest gain since July 27.

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LONDON – Chinese investors are expected to replace Russian buyers as major players in the prime central London property market as the number of super-wealthy individuals continues to grow rapidly in the country, new research from CB Richard Ellis showed.

Buyers with foreign currency are still enjoying attractive discounts on prime central London property as Sterling continues to remain weak.

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KUALA LUMPUR – Yields on Asias dollar Islamic bonds have slumped to the lowest levels in three months relative to local-currency debt on evidence that the US economic recovery is flagging as growth accelerates across the region.

The difference between the yield on the Malaysian governments 3.928 percent five-year dollar Sukuk and the similar-maturity 3.86 percent ringgit Islamic note widened five basis points this month to 67, prices from Bursa Malaysia and Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc show. The gap grew 52 basis points in July and reached 76 on Aug. 19, the most since the dollar bonds were sold in May.

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LONDON – The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries will reduce crude shipments by 0.3 percent to the middle of next month as refiners cut imports while they conduct maintenance, tanker-tracker Oil Movements said.

OPEC, which supplies about 40 percent of the worlds crude oil, will ship 23.38 million barrels a day in the four weeks to Sept. 11, down from 23.45 million barrels a day in the month to Aug. 14, the Halifax, England-based consultant said on Friday in a report. The data exclude Ecuador and Angola.

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LONDON – Britains economy grew at its fastest pace for nine years in the second quarter, an unexpected revision to official data showed on Friday, but economists said a sharp slowdown was still on the cards.

Strong construction activity caused the Office for National Statistics to boost its initial estimate of 1.1 percent GDP growth for the three months to June to 1.2 percent, against expectations for an unchanged reading.

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