[New York Times] Jad Mouawad - More than 38,000 workers from China, India, Turkey and beyond have been toiling for two years at Rabigh, Saudi Arabia, to complete one of the world's largest petrochemical plants in record time. The plant is part of a $500 billion investment program to build new cities, create millions of jobs and diversify the Saudi economy. Persian Gulf countries earned $1.5 trillion in oil revenue from 2002 to 2006, twice as much as in the previous five-year period, according to the Institute of International Finance in Washington. As the top exporter, Saudi Arabia has been the main beneficiary. Riyadh is teeming with shopping malls, electronics stores and luxury boutiques.
2008-01-22 01:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive