SUSRIS Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here]
Aramco Extends Yanbu Bid Process After Conoco Exit [Apr 22]
“State oil giant Saudi Aramco has asked for more time from bidders for deals to build its Yanbu refinery after partner ConocoPhillips (COP.N) pulled out, industry sources said on Thursday. Aramco indicated on Wednesday it would build the 400,000 barrels per day (bpd) plant despite Conoco’s withdrawal, and industry sources said the Saudi firm was already talking to new partners. Aramco sent a letter to contractors stating that it or a wholly-owned Aramco subsidiary would proceed with the project, an industry source said on Thursday. The state giant asked engineering firms to extend the validity by 60 days of bids they submitted in January in a tender for contracts for the Yanbu project, the sources said. ‘They need more time to assign the contracts, they need to be sure the proposals are still valid with the same conditions, the same prices,’..” [Complete Report]
SAA Resumes London Flights [Apr 22]
“Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAA) has resumed four flights to London Thursday after some European countries decided to lift flight restrictions as Iceland’s volcano lost its fury. ‘Priority will be given for passengers with reservations,’ said Ahmad Madani of Saudia’s Public Relations Department. The national carrier has also confirmed that it will give priority, in its seat reservations, to the elderly and students with disabilities who are stranded in Europe.. ..Authorities in several countries have deemed the dispersion of ash from the Icelandic volcano sufficient to permit air traffic and Saudia is expected to soon be operating all its 22 flights to Europe from Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam. Around 79 flights were canceled due to the restrictions. Madani said that no extra flights were planned, but larger aircraft may be drafted in to cope with the numbers of Saudis stranded across Europe..” [Complete Report]
Drugs Cache Linked to Al-Qaeda Network [Apr 22]
“The 14 smuggling operations worth SR3.2 billion foiled by Saudi security agencies recently are connected to Al-Qaeda, new information revealed Wednesday. On Tuesday authorities announced the arrest of 195 people over the past four months and the seizure of massive quantities of drugs. It is learnt that the terrorist organization used smugglers to bring drugs from Afghanistan to the Kingdom through the borders of a major country in the region.. ..Security experts believe that the drug seizures mean that Al-Qaeda will not have access to a large amount of money for their operations. They believe that the Kingdom’s security and infrastructure is still being targeted by the terrorist organization. Sources said that the Kingdom’s strict regulations regarding drug smuggling has created a situation where drug dealers can ask for more money for the drugs and so make huge profits. Al-Qaeda was turning to drug smuggling because other sources of funding have dried up, said the sources..” [Complete Report]
Saudis Not to Behead Lebanese Psychic [Apr 22]
“A Lebanese TV psychic, who was condemned to death for witchcraft by a Saudi court while visiting the country, will not be beheaded, his lawyer said Wednesday. May al-Khansa told The Associated Press that the Saudi ambassador in Beirut informed the Lebanese justice minister that the execution of Ali Sibat would not take place. ‘He confirmed to me that there will be no execution,’ al-Khansa said about her conversation with Ibrahim Najjar, Lebanon’s justice minister. She refused to go into details but said ‘matters are going in the right direction.’ ‘We have faith in Saudi Arabia’s judicial system,’ she added, noting that Sibat’s actions are not considered a crime in Lebanon. Sibat is one of scores of people reported arrested every year in the kingdom on charges of practicing sorcery, witchcraft, black magic and fortunetelling, which are considered to be polytheism by the country’s ultraconservative judiciary..” [Complete Report]
Saudi Official Sees Looming Oil Demand Peak [Apr 22]
“Oil use will probably peak in emerging markets by early next decade, a senior adviser to Saudi Arabia’s oil minister said on Thursday in a further sign the concept of peak demand has crept into the industry mainstream. Interest in the view oil demand may soon reach a high point and then fall back has grown following a drop in global oil use last year caused by the economic crisis, as well as efforts to combat climate change and use fuel more efficiently. ‘I think that peak demand will come before peak of supply,’ said Ibrahim Al-Muhanna, advisor to Saudi Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi, in answer to questions at a conference in Paris. ‘The demand in emerging economies will take time to peak but definitely it will peak maybe this decade or early next decade,’ he said..” [Complete Report]
