Desert Report: Brad Pitt and Angelina buy private Dubai island

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have reportedly bought their own private island within Dubai's "The World" exclusive off shore development.

Dubai-based celebrity and society web site Ahlanlive (www.ahlanlive.com) reported today that the film stars have bought an island with a view to turning it into a showpiece for environmental issues with the hope that it will encourage people to live a "greener life," the web site said.

The World is a cluster of 300 islands that collectively form a map of the world's continents and countries.

Celebrities are a key target market for Nakheel as they try to sell the islands. Owners are assured perfect privacy as the plots are only accessible by boat. They can also be developed to their own personal requirements.

Saudi rights group studies inflation

A government-sponsored Saudi human rights body is studying the impact of rising prices on poor people in the latest sign of pressure on authorities to tackle inflation at decade highs. The Saudi central bank is hamstrung in its efforts to curb prices by an exchange rate pegged to the dollar, which forces it to track US monetary policy. Inflation hit a 10 year-high in September of 4.89%.

Officials at the meeting had agreed that wages were inadequate and that the authority would make recommendations to King Abdullah.

Prices have become a political issue in Saudi Arabia, unlike neighbouring Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, where even higher inflation has had relatively little impact on smaller, wealthier populations consisting primarily of expatriates.

Prince Alwaleed buys A380 as private jet



Airbus on Monday named His Royal Highness Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Al Saud as the first private buyer of an A380 superjumbo, the world's largest passenger airliner. A purchase price was not disclosed, but airlines are typically paying around $320 million for the aircraft.

The Saudi billionaire, whose interests span Kingdom Holding to Euro Disney, hotels and banking, has ordered a VIP version of the A380 dubbed the Flying Palace, the European planemaker said.

The buyer's identity had been one of the biggest mysteries in aviation for months. Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich recently denied reports that he had bought a A380, whose ordinary passenger edition sells for over $300 million.

Arab Richest


01. Carlos Slim Helu
02. Prince Alwaleed bin Talal al Saud
03. The Al Rajhi Family
04. The Hariri Family
05. Nasser Al Kharafi
06. Abdulaziz Al Ghurair
07. The Bin Laden Family
08. Mohammad Amoudi
09. The Olayan Family
10. The Kanoo Family
11. Said Khoury
12. The Sawiris Family
13. Saleh Kamel
14. The Gargash Family
15. The Al Shaya Family
16. Hasib Sabbagh
17. Mahdi Al-Tajir
18. Abdullah Al Futtaim
19. Khalaf Al Habtoor
20. Majed Al Futtaim
21. The Algosaibi Family
22. Khalid bin Mahfouz
23. Mohamed Abdul Latif Jameel
24. Nadhmi Auchi
25. Nicholas Hayek
26. Faisal Al Ayyar
27. Mohamed Bin Issa Al Jabber
28. Hussein Sajwani
29. Majid Saif Al Ghurair
30. Schwan Al Mulla
31. Simon Halabi
32. Bassam Yusuf Al Ghanim
33. The Al Zamil Family
34. Munib Masri
35. Najib Mikati
36. Wafic Said
37. The Boodai Family
38. Maan Al-Sanea
39. Al Tayer Family
40. The Al Rostamani Family
41. Mohamed Al Bahar
42. Nemir Kirdar
43. Mohamed Al Fayed
44. The Dabbagh Family
45. The Galadari Family
46. Adnan Kashoggi
47. The Shoman Family
48. Mohammed Al Suwaidi
49. Rashid Al Habtoor
50. Iskandar Safa