Saudi Arabia imposes ban on all protests

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Saudi Arabia imposes ban on all protests




Saudi officials are aware of protests - sometimes focused at their country - building across the region



All protests and marches are to be banned in Saudi Arabia, the interior ministry has announced on state TV.
Its statement said security forces would use all measures to prevent any attempt to disrupt public order.
The announcement follows a series of protests by the kingdom's Shia minority in the oil-producing eastern province.
Last month, King Abdullah unveiled a series of benefits in an apparent bid to protect the kingdom from the revolts spreading throughout many Arab states.
"Regulations in the kingdom forbid categorically all sorts of demonstrations, marches and sit-ins, as they contradict Islamic Sharia law and the values and traditions of Saudi society," the Saudi interior ministry statement said.
It added that police were "authorised by law to take all measures needed against those who try to break the law".
The protests in the Eastern Province - where much of the country's crude oil is sourced - have been demanding the release of prisoners who demonstrators say have been held without trial.
The announcement of the crackdown on protests follows the return, last week, of King Abdullah to the capital after an absence of several months due to illness.
He unveiled an additional $37bn (£22.7bn) in benefits for citizens, including a 15% pay rise for state employees, as well as extra funds for housing, studying abroad and social security.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12656744

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Now if Saudi were to go the same way as Libya then most of world would grind to a halt very quickly.

We have seen the effect on Petrol/diesel prices that Libya has had and they only provide 2% of the world's oil. Albeit they are Europe's biggest source of supply.

Saudi has upped it's supply to compensate but that could all easily be kicked into touch if there were to be an uprising.

The only person to gain from this and sit back rubbing his hands would be Ahmadinejad and his religious nutters.

We have to question if Gaddafi is so clearly off the mark when he points the finger at Al qaeda. Just look at what Iranian finance has done to Syria and Lebanon.

Are all of these Middle East uprisings part of a bigger plot by Iran/Al qaeda ?

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Petrol prices could double, minister warns


Soaring petrol prices could reach £2 a litre if the situation in Libya and other oil-producing nations in the region worsens, the Overseas Development Minister has warned.
Alan Duncan fears the record $147-a-barrel price reached for oil in 2008 will be smashed unless calm returns to the Middle East and North Africa in the coming months.
The minister, a former oil trader, said that $200 a barrel is quite possible, and if oil-producing nations are hit by co-ordinated terrorist action on top of the revolutionary unrest, the price could reach $250 a barrel, which would see the advent of the £2 litre.
He said in a newspaper interview: "I've been saying in government for two months that if this does go wrong, £1.30 at the pump could look like a luxury. $200 is on the cards.
"It could be very serious. If crude oil doubles, you're going to have a serious spike [in prices]. Try living without it for a week."
His comments came as the Government tried to sidestep some of the heavy criticism it has been facing for doing little to alleviate the problems caused by rises in petrol prices to businesses and to individuals, especially those in rural areas without easy access to public transport.
In an effort to ease some of the pressure, the Government confirms that island and remote communities are to be granted a 5p reduction in fuel duty. A planned rise in fuel duty is widely expected to be scrapped in the forthcoming Budget.
The suggestion that oil prices could reach $200 a barrel prompted renewed warnings that it could lead to a double-dip recession because of the increased pressure on household income.
A survey by Theos, a think tank, suggested that fuel price rises combined with cuts in public services are the issues most likely to bring widespread protests in Britain.


http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk...s-2233128.html

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Exhibit at Oil & Gas Libya 2011 to reach Libya's vibrant oil and gas market






Libya has the largest proven oil reserves in Africa with 42 billion barrels of oil and over 1.3 trillion cubic metres of gas. With only 25% of Libya’s surface territory explored to date there is every chance that actual reserves could see this figure dwarfed in coming years. As Europe’s single largest oil supplier, the second largest oil producer in Africa and the continent’s fourth largest gas supplier, Libya dominates the petroleum sector in the Southern Mediterranean area and has ambitious plans for the future.
More than 50 international oil companies are present in the market and together with subsidiaries of the Libyan National Oil Corporation (NOC) are contributing to the country’s current production capacity of 2m b/d. NOC plans oilfield investment of some $10bn over the coming three years to increase potential production.
Top level NOC support is the key to success for Oil & Gas Libya

Oil & Gas Libya enjoys the full support and patronage of the Libyan National Oil Corporation (NOC). Chairman, Dr Shokri Ghanem,in his letter pledging NOC support for the show, welcomes participants and recognises the benefits of the exhibition and conference to all those working in Libya’s oil and gas sector.
NOC will play a leading role in the formation of the conference programme and in providing key speakers as well as occupying a prominent stand at the exhibition.
View our letter of patronage from the National Oil Corporation in English or Arabic.

http://www.oilandgaslibya.com/

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Does Britain really have a vested interest in seeing Gaddafi toppled or would they prefer to see him stay ?


Bigger things are being played out here than the average person is aware of at the first look.

[Zippeyrude]

you'd have thought that th west would have learnt by now not to meddle in other peoples affairs

the principle of defending human rights and intervening is bollocks, there are far worse dictators and the west ignores those.

its all about what the west thinks will be better for them. unfortunately they are naive to believe that this unrest will result in a west friendly leadership. chances are that the resulting government will be islamic and anti west, then all that lovely aid money and assistance in removing the old dictator will have counted for nothing, infact it will have worked against the west in that they would have assisted in creating a 'new enemy'

cant they see that somethings are better left untouched, and noses kept clear.

fecking retards.

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you'd have thought that th west would have learnt by now not to meddle in other peoples affairs

the principle of defending human rights and intervening is bollocks, there are far worse dictators and the west ignores those.

its all about what the west thinks will be better for them. unfortunately they are naive to believe that this unrest will result in a west friendly leadership. chances are that the resulting government will be islamic and anti west, then all that lovely aid money and assistance in removing the old dictator will have counted for nothing, infact it will have worked against the west in that they would have assisted in creating a 'new enemy'

cant they see that somethings are better left untouched, and noses kept clear.

fecking retards.

I couldn't agree more.

Actually (shouldn't really say this) but I think the average person in the West would be far better off with Gaddafi still in power.

That may not be PC but I feel it is reality.

[pumpman]

This will be interesting to see what Hilary Clinton will have to say about this, given they are very supportive of Saudi Arabia yet she supports regime change in the middle east for the sake of democracy . She supports the action in Libya so they can have the right of protest, will she support the right of protest in Saudi Arabia.
I have also yet to see a link between protests in the UK where protesters are kettled and filmed, I certainly would not feel safe going on a protest march in London.

[super mike]

Actually (shouldn't really say this) but I think the average person in the West would be far better off with Gaddafi still in power.

That may not be PC but I feel it is reality.

You couldn't be closer to the truth. In that sentence I feel Gaddafi's and Saddam's names are interchangeable.

Also if we do put a large military presence into Libya it will be just as much as a cock up as Iraq.