In Brief [Archives:2009/1223/Local News]

HUDAIDA

– Construction of first steel plant in Hudaida begins

The Chinese-Yemeni Steel Company ' Star' has already started the construction of the first steel plant in the industrialized zone in Hudaida province.

The project which would be implemented in three phases will cost $ 75 million.

The company started in November implementation of the first phase of the project which included the setting up of concretes of the plant and residential complex that covers 194 thousand square meters, director of the Industrial Zone in Hudaida Abdullah al-Bukari said.

The cost of the first phase is estimated at $ 25 million and the plant will produce during his phase 200 thousand tons of steel a year.

The project would be launched officially in May providing jobs for 300 Yemenis and 100 foreigners.

The 13 megawatt-electricity station which would be used to operate the plant will arrive in Yemen during this month.

At the second phase of the project, the plant will produce 400 thousand tons of steel a year and by 2010 after the three phases of the project complete the plant is expected to produce 1 million tons annually.

As we find the project shows success, other Yemeni-Chinese companies would be set up that will produce foods, phones and electronics, Chinese executive director of the project Yang Shumen said.

The Yemeni-Chinese Steel Company, in which China holds 80 percent, obtained in July a license to establish the plant at the Industrial Zone in Hudaida province.

SANA'A

– New historical site unearthed

A new historical site has been discovered in Jabal al-Jar of Sanhan district- close to Sana'a capital, chairman of the general organization for antiquities and museums Abdullah BaWazir told 26sep.net on Sunday.

BaWazir said that the side dated back to the Bronze Age.

He made it clear that a commander of the Special Guards Brigadier Tariq Mohammed Abdullah Saleh informed the GOAM that the discovery happened during open of a road in the region which looks like an ancient housing settlement.

Animals such gazelles had been drawn on the rocks of the settlement, he added.

– Date set for trial of Israel-linked spy ring

The Specialized Penal Court is to start next Saturday the trial of three members of a spy network accused of working for the Israel's Mossad intelligence agency.

After investigations with the accused during which three of the six-member network confessed to working for Israel through communication with the office of Israeli PM Ehud Olmert and Mossad, Prosecution handed over the case file to the court in prelude for trial.

During investigations Basam al-Haidari, Emad al-Raimi and Ali Mahfal said they told Israelis they were ready to transfer information about Yemen, an offer which was welcomed by the Israeli side.

Israelis then told them they wanted them to conduct spy operations at the regional level.

Three will go on trial; however, three other members of the terrorist network, arrested in October, were set free for lack of evidence.

A security source earlier said the six-member ring was a jihadist network and had threatened to attack foreign and Arab missions in the country including the embassies of Saudi Arabia, Britain and the United Arab Emirates.

During the raid on the network's hideout, security forces found items including a computer set, which revealed there was contact between the network and an Israeli intelligence service.

During the correspondence, the network asked for help to carry out terrorist activities inside Yemen, the security source said.

– Nine stores found selling weapons and munitions

Governmental field committees entrusted with monitoring prices have found 9 stores in Sana'a selling weapons and ammunitions.

A report by the committees noted that while on a mission to monitor prices at stores throughout the capital, they found nine shops in the Arhab district selling light rifles, pistols and grenades as well as munitions.

The committees urged security authorities to immediately take necessary measures and close the stores as the trade of weapons affect national security.

First batch of UAE assistance of wheat to be distributed

Minister of Industry and Trade Yahya al-Mutawakel said on Tuesday that the first batch of the UAE wheat assistance arrived at al-Salif seaport of Hodeidah governorate.

It would be distributed in accordance with mechanisms approved by the cabinet via the Yemeni Economic Corporation starting from next Thursday.

In his statement to Saba, the minister said that the 65,800 tons of wheat arrived in the port and would be distributed to around million beneficiaries of the Social Welfare Fund under sponsorship of the local councils.

The assistance would be distributed transparently within determined timetable to these beneficiaries, the minister said.

He criticized some media outlets, which doubted on honestly of the distribution for the UAE assistance of wheat, saying such reports are kind of political and partisan spites.

He expressed thanks of the Yemeni government for the gift presented by the President of the United Arab Emirates Khalifa Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, highlighting level of the bilateral relations between Yemen and UAE.

Last May, the UAE president ordered to send 500,000 tons of wheat to Yemen as gift from the Emirates people to the Yemeni people.

– Workshop on population issues held

The National Council is to organize on Tuesday a workshop on sharing with the local authorities in implementing the goals of the National Population Strategy.

The two-day workshop aims at defining population issues as well as the ways to share the local councils in the strategy of population.

Speaking to althawra.net, secretary general of the National Population Council Ahmed Borgi highlighted that the 30 participates will discuss four work papers regarding population issues and the role of local councils in population and family planning awareness .

HADRMOUT

– Scientific symposium on addressing flood post-disaster to be held

Specialized scientific symposium will be held on Thursday under the title “Together to Address the Flood Post-Disaster.””

The four-day symposium is organized by the Center for Studying of creativity and Cultural Heritage Service and Wadi Hadrmout forums