Archive: saudi arabia
22nd April 2010
Today's Arab News reports another horror story of child marriage from Saudi Arabia. It concerns a 10-year-old girl and an 80-year-old man who abandoned her after six months of marriage. It was not until 10 years later that she discovered he had actually divorced her but had failed to inform her.… Read more
14th April 2010
Al-Riyadh newspaper reports (in Arabic) on the case of a 65-year-old man in Saudi Arabia who went for a health screening test in preparation for his marriage to an 11-year-old girl. The man was found to be infected with hepatitis B.
The Saudi Jeans blog comments:
"The staff at the hospital were… Read more
13th April 2010
An unnamed domestic worker died when she fell from the third floor of a residential building in Mecca. Her body was found in the street below on Sunday, Arab News reports.
The woman, whose nationality has not been disclosed, had arrived in Saudi Arabia two months earlier.
A police spokesman said: “… Read more
11th April 2010
This video clip is causing a stir in Saudi Arabia. It shows Sheikh Muhammad al-Nujaimi, chairman of the interior ministry's religious advisers, laughing and joking with a woman. Not only that, but the woman – horror of horrors – isn't even wearing hijab and the neckline of her dress is alarmingly… Read more
11th April 2010
When foreign domestic workers fall out with their employers in Arab countries, it's not uncommon for the employers to falsely accuse them of crimes. It's not uncommon, either, for police to believe the employers rather than the foreign workers.
Writing about the problems of housemaids in Lebanon… Read more
8th April 2010
In "Million's Poet", the TV talent contest for Arab poets that has been gripping millions of viewers in the Middle East, Nasser al Ajami, a 30-year-old Kuwaiti, walked away last night with the top prize of $1.36m.
Hissa Hilal, the controversial Saudi woman who recited her poems covered from head to… Read more
5th April 2010
I have received an email giving more information about the Saudi writer who is facing prosecution – and possible execution – for describing a Hadith of the Prophet as "barbaric". I reported the case here last month, but only the scantiest details were available at the time.
The writer concerned is… Read more
4th April 2010
Rather belatedly, the emo phenomenon has reached Saudi Arabia's eastern province and come to the attention of the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (aka the religious police). The authorities seem rather bemused by it – though obviously it's the work of the devil.
Al-… Read more
3rd April 2010
Saudi Arabia's Shura Council has won some sort of award from the Arab League for having the best "parliamentary" website among the league's member countries. The kingdom is to be "feted" at a presentation ceremony shortly.
Arab News says:
"The Shoura Council is currently implementing an e-… Read more
2nd April 2010
King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has called on his subjects topray for rain on Monday:
"All people should increase their repentance, seeking forgiveness and helping others, as well as increasing pious deeds such as giving to charities, performing prayers, remembrance of Allah and relieving the… Read more
ARAB ART ONLINE: Susan Hefuna: Al Sabr Gamil (Patience is Beautiful) 2007. Ink stained on wood 140 x 170 cm. More information | Click to enlarge
