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Saudi King Boosts Spending, Returns to Country

   VOA News  February 23, 2011
   Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah speaks to Saudi media upon his arrival at
   Riyadh airport. King Abdullah unveiled a series of benefits for Saudis
   estimated  to  be  worth  $35  billion  on his return home after three
   months abroad for medical treatment, February 23

Photo: Reuters

   Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah speaks to Saudi media upon his arrival at
   Riyadh airport. King Abdullah unveiled a series of benefits for Saudis
   estimated  to  be  worth  $35  billion  on his return home after three
   months abroad for medical treatment, February 23, 2011

   Saudi  Arabia's  King  Abdullah  has  increased spending on a range of
   social  programs, as he returned to his country amid a wave of popular
   protests across the Arab world.
   The  benefits  unveiled  Wednesday  include  nearly $11 billion in new
   funding for housing loans, and billions of dollars for social services
   like utility bills, housing repairs and education.
   King Abdullah also ordered a 15 percent pay raise for state employees.
   King  Abdullah  arrived  in  Saudi  Arabia on Wednesday after spending
   three months abroad for medical treatment.
   The  Saudi king is in his mid-80s.  In November, he underwent surgery
   in New York for a herniated disc complicated by a blood clot.  He had
   a second procedure in New York in December.

   Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.
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