SUSRIS Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here]
Iconic Cultural Center Taking Shape in Dhahran [Sep 9]
“The development of an iconic cultural landmark passed a major milestone this week when the first concrete was poured for the King Abdul Aziz Center for World Culture. Saudi Oger, the main construction contractor for the unique project, began the foundations after several months of site excavation and preparation work. An advanced technology contract was recently awarded to South Korea-based global technology leader Samsung, with a scope covering design of integrated applications, a data center, intelligent building management system and technology-intensive exhibits to be designed with Atelier Bruckner of Germany.Located near the Saudi Aramco Exhibit grounds in Dhahran, the center is a forward-looking Saudi Aramco initiative scheduled to be completed by 2012.. .. The center’s museum is envisioned to showcase the rich history and legacy of Saudi Arabia..” [Complete Report]
Arabic Institutes For Non-Arabs Approved [Sep 9]
“Two Arabic-language institutes will be established at King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah and Princess Nourah bint Abdul Rahman University in Riyadh for non-Arabic speakers, Higher Education Minister Khaled Al-Anqari announced Wednesday. He said Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, who is chairman of the Higher Education Council (HEC), approved the project. He said the king has also endorsed the rules and regulations for satellite transmission of academic programs. The plan to establish two more Arabic institutes for men and women is a good news for expatriates in Saudi Arabia, especially diplomats and executives who want to learn the language. At present there are four such institutes at King Saud University, Imam Muhammad bin Saud University in Riyadh, Umm Al-Qura University in Makkah and Madinah Islamic University..” [Complete Report]
Al-Oudah Blocks Fatwa Site [Sep 9]
“The IslamToday website of prominent Saudi scholar Sheikh Salman Al-Oudah has blocked its fatwa section that contains 500,000 religious edicts in order to avoid the closure of the website by Saudi authorities. “We apologize that we cannot receive any requests for fatwas until further notice,” the administrator said in a statement posted on the website. The move came after the Telecommunications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) blocked some websites such as “Islam: Question and Answer” and Qadinet. The ban is likely to extend to a long list of fatwa websites in response to a Royal Decree issued by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah.. .. Earlier, Royal Court adviser Sheikh Abdul Mohsen Al-Obaikan has been stopped from presenting his daily morning radio show. Another live daily program from Sheikh Abdullah Al-Rukban, a former member of the CSIS, was also taken off air..” [Complete Report]
Doosan Wins Major Saudi Plant Deal [Sep 9]
“Doosan Heavy and Construction said it has signed a 4 trillion won ($3.42 billion) agreement to build a power plant in Saudi Arabia, which it says represents its biggest plant deal ever. The Seoul-based company has landed 11 trillion won worth of orders so far this year, which is already an annual record, as it continues to exploit opportunities in the global energy market. Just days earlier, Doosan won a 1.7 trillion won deal to build a desalination plant in the Middle Eastern country. Doosan announced Thursday that it received the final letter of confirmation from the state-owned Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) for the power plant project..” [Complete Report]
Saudi Urged to Sack One Million Expatriates [Sep 9]
“Saudi Arabia believes it could eliminate its festering unemployment problem by sacking one million expatriate workers although they are favoured by Saudi employers, local newspapers reported Thursday. The papers quoted Saudi deputy Interior Minister Prince Ahmed bin Abdul Aziz as saying the Gulf Kingdom’s new Labour Minister should give priority to tackling the joblessness problem caused by a rapid population growth, unstable economic growth due to volatile oil exports and preference of foreigners. The Prince said Saudi employers prefer expatriate labourers for lower salaries and other factors and called for measures to encourage them to change that attitude. He proposed a “blacklist” of national workers who quit their jobs in the private sectors within government attempts to encourage them to stay.. .. “I believe that in case we manage to dispose of one million foreign workers and the Saudis who will replace them can do their jobs properly, then the Kingdom will be able to shut the unemployment file completely.”..” [Complete Report]
OPEC August Oil Output Dropped 0.4% to 29.11 Million B/D [Sep 9]
“The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries reduced oil production by 0.4 percent in August, according to a survey by Platts. OPEC, which supplies about 40 percent of the world’s crude, produced 29.11 million barrels a day in August, down 110,000 barrels from July, Platts said yesterday, citing a survey of analysts and industry officials. Output from the 11 members bound by quotas, all except Iraq, dropped 30,000 barrels a day to 26.79 million in August, according to Platts, a unit of McGraw-Hill Cos. OPEC crude-oil production in August fell 75,000 barrels, or 0.3 percent, to an average 29.15 million barrels a day, the lowest level since January, according to a Bloomberg News survey released last month. Output by members with quotas dropped 5,000 barrels to 26.805 million, 1.96 million above their target, the survey showed..” [Complete Report]
