RIYADH, 13 April 2004 — Some 180 travel agencies face possible closure unless they submit details of all their staff before a new April 18 deadline. The new date was announced here yesterday evening following a meeting of a special task force of the Supreme Commission for Tourism (SCT) convened to discuss the lackluster response from travel agencies to the original April 5 deadline.
RIYADH, 2 April 2004 — Saudi Arabia, which boasts to have a number of world-class soccer fields and golf courses, can now use new technology called “Koro Systems” for the maintenence of tuff disclosed David Murphy, general manager of Delta Irrigation & Agricultural Services Company, here yesterday. The new system will maintain turf grass, repair the wear and tear of fields, and correct the compaction levels of the grass surface.
RIYADH-Growing concerns in the Gulf over depleting water resources have prompted Turkey to explore reviving an old scheme to export water to the Gulf. Studies suggest that water levels in Saudi Arabia have dropped dramatically. “We believe it would bring the two countries closer,” said Turkish Ambassador Ugur Dogan.
RIYADH, 29 March 2004 — A branch of India’s prestigious Delhi Public School (DPS) is planned for Riyadh. Addressing a press conference after the announcement at the Riyadh Palace Hotel, Dr. Ibrahim H. Al-Qauayid and Sultan Salman Al-Terais Al-Harbi, promoters of the project, said, “DPS Riyadh will be a world-class institution. The courses will include science, art, culture, heritage, environment and sports. The idea for the institution arose from a need to focus on educational excellence.”
RIYADH, 26 March 2003 — Saudi Arabia’s telephone revenues are expected to soar following a 25 percent increase in international calls since the war on Iraq broke out. National calls increased by 20 percent. A large number of expatriates and some Saudis have been calling their friends and relatives outside the Kingdom to assure them that they have not been affected by the war.
RIYADH/BURAIDAH, 23 March 2004 — Saudi Arabia yesterday denounced Israel’s assassination of Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and called for international protection for Palestinians. “The Kingdom strongly condemns this criminal act, which flouts all international and humanitarian norms,” said a Cabinet statement.
Ireland, the current holder of the European Union’s rotating presidency, fully supports the Kingdom’s bid to join the WTO and is committed to a comprehensive peace in the Middle East, according to Frank Fahey, Ireland’s minister of labor, trade and enterprise, who is on a short visit to the Kingdom.
RIYADH, 16 March 2004 — A team of 26 senior Saudi doctors together with more than 24 paramedics are to perform a rare operation to separate Filipino Siamese twins on March 20. This follows instructions from Crown Prince Abdullah, deputy premier and commander of the National Guard. It is the eighth such operation to be conducted in Saudi Arabia and is likely to be broadcast live on the Net to millions of viewers.
RIYADH, 3 December 2004 — Seven people including three journalists, who were detained while covering the opening of the trial of three Saudi activists, were released from police custody Thursday. Two of the nine arrested Wednesday are still in detention for further questioning, according to journalists, who were allowed to leave Deira Police Station in Riyadh today after producing letters of introduction from their companies.
RIYADH – The offices of foreign airline say they have not been affected be the Saudization a 9 drive that has thrown the local travel industry into turmoil. But many of the city’s other travel outlets have either pulled down their shutters or are working with a skeleton Saudi staff on the front desk.