|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NEW CASES OF
RVF ARE REPORTED |
|
10/7/00 10:25:03 AM |
RIYADH, OCT 7 , SPA --SIX NEW CASES OF
RIFT VALLEY FEVER (RVF) WERE REPORTED FROM THURSDAY EVENING UP TO FRIDAY
EVENING THEY INCLUDED 5 CASES IN JIZAN REGION AND ONE CASE IN QUNFUZA.
ONE OF THE PATIENTS DIED IN JIZAN REGION , ACCORDING TO A STATEMENT
ISSUED HERE ON FRIDAY NIGHT BY THE MEDIA DEPARTMENT AT THE MINISTRY OF
HEALTH.
THE STATEMENT NOTED THAT THE TOTAL NUMBER OF THE REPORTED CASES OF THE
DISEASE UP TO FRIDAY EVENING, OCT 6, EVER SINCE THE APPEARANCE OF RVF
REACHED 264 . 94 PERSONS WERE RECOVERED WHILE 58 PATIENTS DIED.
THE DEPARTMENT EXHORTED THE CITIZENS AND RESIDENTS IN JIZAN REGION TO
TAKE THE APPROPRIATE PREVENTIVE MEASURES INCLUDING AVOIDANCE OF THE BITE
OF MOSQUITOES AND DIRECT CONTACT WITH ANIMALS --SPA
Source: SPA |
|
|
|
The
Kingdom studies more investment bids |
|
Cairo, 2nd October 2000 |
|
Prince Abdullah bin Faisal bin Turki Al
Saud, Governor of the General Investment Authority of the Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia, was today quoted as saying his authority was studying more
bids for foreign investment in the fields of gas, oil, services and
minerals.
In an interview with al-Ahram Daily
published here today, the Prince said the Authority was endeavoring to
create the conditions that would make the investment climate in the
Kingdom more attractive and better able to compete at the regional and
international levels. He said the fields of investment are not only the
traditional fields of oil, petrochemicals and gas. They include mineral,
productive and service activities, adding that the Authority is
currently embarked on studying investment applications in these fields
in addition to the fields of operation and maintenance of computer and
telecommunications, in accordance with the new Foreign Investment Act in
the Kingdom.
The size of joint foreign investments
in the Kingdom amounted to about 50 billion by the end of 1999, he told
al-Ahram. He gave an account on the privileges and incentives provided
by the Kingdom to foreign investors, including provision of land lots
for notional prices, guarantees of intellectual property rights, freedom
of movement for capital and interest, rights of ownership of real
estate, rights of litigation whenever disputes arise, embargo on
confiscation except by judicial order. In addition, there is the
reduction of the tax maximum rate from 45 percent to 30 per cent and
transfer of losses for unlimited periods, and the right to receive loans
from the Saudi Industrial Development Fund for projects owned by
non-Saudis.
He said the investment regulations
stipulated that the minimum capital for agricultural investment is SR25
million and for industrial investments is SR5 million. It should not be
less than SR2 million for other non-industrial investment fields.
Source: SPA |
|
|
|
Rift Valley
Fever situation |
|
Riyadh, 1st October 2000 |
|
The Department of Health Information and
Publication at the Ministry of Health said ten cases of Rift Valley
Fever (RVF) were reported from 7 pm on Saturday, 30th September 2000, up
to 7 pm on Sunday, 1st October 2000.
One case was reported in Riyadh, one in
Asir region and eight cases in Jizan. The statement noted that six of
the patients died, five in Jizan and one in Riyadh region.
It noted that ten patients were
discharged from the hospital after recovery; six in the Jizan region and
four in the Asir region.
Since the appearance of the disease up
to 7pm on Sunday, 1st October, 223 cases had been reported; 62 patients
have since recovered, while 52 patients have died.
Source: SPA |
Rift
Valley fever (RVF) Information and Facts
|
|
World bank
approves Saudi railway expansion plans |
|
Dammam, 1st October 2000 |
|
The World Bank (WB) has given its green
light to the expansion of the Saudi Railways Organization (SRO), paving
the way for the privatization of the Kingdom's railway system, according
to Communications Minister Dr Nasser bin Muhammad Al-Salloum.
'The recommendation of the WB is very
encouraging: the railway expansion is now under study by the Ministerial
committee on privatization,' said Dr Salloum in a statement published
today by the Jeddah-based Saudi Gazette.
He said a sub-committee on the railway privatization
would be created soon to go into the details of the privatization
process. Dr Salloum noted that the privatization of SRO follows the
government commitment to handing over the ownership and management of
services and infrastructure to the private sector.
The Minister said the expansion and privatization
of SRO have been thoroughly evaluated by the WB and the Saudi investment
bank. Dr Salloum expressed hope that the SRO expansion will be
implemented by the year 2001.
The SRO expansion will cover the
following routes in the south and central regions: from Jeddah port to
the Dammam port via Riyadh: from Riyadh to Qasim, Hail, al-Jouf up to
Jordan.
In the eastern region, the expansion is
expected to cover from the Dammam port to Jubail ports and on to
al-Khafji area near the border with Kuwait. Railway arteries in the
region will also connect several loops linking Jubail industrial city
and King Fahd international airport where massive urbanization and
settlement are planned.
On Saturday, Salloum chaired the
monthly meeting of the SRO board, which recommended a new budget it will
submit to the Ministry of Finance and National Economy for approval. He
said the new budget will cover upgrading, operational expenditures and
creating more jobs for Saudis required in the expansion.
Source: SPA |
|
|
|
Saudi
Arabia's first satellite in orbit |
|
Byknur, Kazakistan, 26th September, 2000 |
|
A Russian military rocket, adjusted for
civil purposes, was today successfully launched from Byknur space base
in Kazakistan, to put five satellites, including two for Saudi Arabia
and one for Malaysia, into orbit.
The heavy rocket SS-18 named Satan was
launched at 10:5 GMT. The short-range ballistic rocket was part of the
soviet union's air arsenal and currently being transferred to civil
purposes according to a Russian/Ukrainian joint project.
The Saudi satellites, to be affiliated
to the Saudi Space Studies Institute, were put into orbit at 650kms.
The mission was previously scheduled to
take place last August but was postponed due to technical problem in the
rocket's engine.
Source: SPA |
|
Archives
|
|
|
|
