Saudis

The controversy surrounding the Islamic Saudi Academy of Virginia continues to grow. Rep. Frank Wolf, the ranking Republican of the appropriations subcommittee with jurisdiction over the State Department, wrote Secretary of State Rice (Acrobat file of the letter) to express his serious concern. "It is well known that Saudi Arabia promotes the radical Wahhabi interpretation of Islam within its own

Now that world opinion about oil is becoming more passionate by the day, world leaders and world consumers have to blame someone for the high prices of gas.... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Deciding they don’t like the new phenomenon of slumping U.S. demand, the Saudis are finally upping crude oil production: While they are reaping record profits, the Saudis are concerned that today’s record prices might eventually dampen economic growth and lead to lower oil demand, as is already happening in the United States and other developed [...]

Saudi Arabia will call for a summit between oil producing countries and consumer states to discuss soaring energy prices, Information and Culture Minister Iyad Madani said Monday.The kingdom will work to ensure there will be no "unwarranted and unnatural oil price hikes that could affect international economies, especially those of developing countries," said Madani. More...

Saudi Arabia will increase oil production by 300,000 barrels a day, a significant jump. The price of crude should drop sharply when the market opens. According... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Saudi Arabia has pulled its typical "we're friends with you but screw off" nonsense again. After an appeal to Saudi leaders by President Bush to up oil output in order to try to stem increasingly high oil prices, Saudi Arabia replied with a token gesture that raised production by a laughable amount in line with the amount they increase output by every summer. Apparently, they feel there is no grea

From the World Tribune : At least 200 Syrians have reportedly been sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia. Human rights groups said nearly half of all executions in Saudi Arabia during the past year were of foreigners. Some 158 people were executed in 2007. On April 17, Saudi Arabia beheaded two Syrians in Tabouk prison. Both men, identified as Feras Al Aghbar and Feras Al Maktabi, were accused of

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — It’s probably as revolutionary and groundbreaking as Mozart gets these days. A German-based quartet staged Saudi Arabia’s first-ever performance of European classical music in a public venue before a mixed gender audience. The concert, held at a government-run cultural center, broke many taboos in a country where public music is banned [...]

Justice Carries a Pair of Scissors “Ready for that Haircut now, you treacherous flirtatious Man-Whore?” Journey for a moment to the Magic Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where the women get flogged for flirting and men–get a haircut? The figure of blindfolded Justice had better not run in the Kingdom, not because she’s blindfolded, but because she now carries [...]

Sri Lankan maids on their way to the Middle East. Saudi Labor Minister Ghazi Al-Gosaibi, who has the thankless task of trying to get Saudis employed, wants to see Saudi women work as maids. Good luck with that. His point is that there are plenty of needy or low-income Saudi women who could use a job, and rather than import Southeast Asian maids, why not hire a Saudi who can do the job just as well for the same pay. Most Saudi families abhor the idea of allowing their daughters, sisters and wives to work in such a menial job, but I bet there are plenty who think that a monthly living wage outweighs the pride factor. And truth be told, some Saudis are warming up to the idea of blue collar jobs. I recall walking into a McDonald's restaurant in Jeddah with a Saudi friend. Behind the counter

Fouad Al-FarhanHere is the underlying message from the Saudi government: We will separate you from your friends and famly for five months if you persist in criticizing the government. We do not need a reason and we don't have to explain ourselves. Let this be a lesson to you and a warning to other bloggers. Saudi bloggers are not talking about this aspect of the Fouad Al-Farhan case, but I imagine that Al-Farhan's incarceration in a Jeddah jail will have a chilling effect on bloggers who use their real names to criticize the Saudi government.Saudi Blogger Farhan Freed From Prison By Ebtihal Mubarak Arab News JEDDAH, 27 April 2008 — The wife of Saudi blogger Fouad Al-Farhan confirmed yesterday that her husband, who has been detained for nearly five months without charges for comments ma

The Prophet Muhammed's residence for 28 yearrs. One of the great mysteries of Saudi Arabia is why the religious establishment and the government treat the Kingdom's historical sites so shabbily. Either through willful destruction or neglect, many of the historic treasures of Madinah, Makkah, Jeddah and in the Empty Quarter are now gone. Ancient mosques, the Prophet's residence in Makkah, old railroads and desert communities have disappeared under frenzied construction of new projects or simple neglect. I often asked Saudis why these historic sites are not protected and I've never received a clear response. Much of it has to do with the religious fundamentalists who insist that historic buildings or places must not be venerated or held as an object of worship. Religious leaders are especi

Extremism in academia follows millions in donations April 14, 2008 By Gordon Thomas Reposted from the G2 Bulletin with permission - The G2 Bulletin is a subscription only news source. Jonathan Evans LONDON — Jonathan Evans, the director-general of MI5, has warned the government that donations of hundreds of millions of pounds from Saudi Arabia and powerful Muslim organizations in [...]

What a man, what a very fine man. For taking a stand against the oh *sniff* so *sniff* infantile Saudis. Saudi Arabia: Swiss soccer ref stands by his ‘crusader’ whistle Riyadh, 2 April (AKI) - Swiss football referee Massimo Busacca vowed he would wear a whistle with the Swiss Cross symbol on it during of the Saudi [...]

Prophet's Mosque in Madinah.There seems to be a lot of news coming out of Saudi Arabia that indicates that King Abdullah is serious about initiating reform. Now there are efforts underway to hold an Islamic conference to combat extremism. After King Abdullah assumed the throne in August 2005 there was great hope among Saudis that reform would be significant. But that hope turned to frustration with so little accomplished since then. But it looks like the King is beginning to make some headway with his visit to the Vatican, his calls for an interfaith conference, retraining imams on issues of tolerance and extremism and now this week the announcement of relaxing gender segregation laws. Still, rethinking the male guardianship laws and terror financing are trickier issues that have not been

Granted, it's not as sexy as the mutawwa harassing hapless couples or Saudis financing the construction of mosques in Western countries, but the Western media lose out on the bigger story of Saudis making serious inroads in building a high-quality higher education system. Why is this the true sexy story from Saudi Arabia? Because education is the foundation for reform. A new generation of Saudis attending high-ranking Saudi universities or being sent abroad to study in Western universities will eventually effect changes in Saudi Arabia that the international community is so insistent upon. Perhaps the most significant development, other than the new university under construction in Jeddah, is the partnerships Saudi Arabia is signing with various US and European universities to bring the be

The Arab News reports that Saudi women will be allowed to staff reception centers to provide legal assistance in the Kingdom's judicial system. This strikes me as a Band-Aid approach to solving the severe discrimination women face in Saudi courts. Female lawyers still will not be permitted to represent their clients in the courtroom and women in civil and criminal cases continue to be denied the right to equal representation. But like all things when it comes to making significant changes in Saudi Arabia, perhaps this is the first step to relaxing the rigid segregation of men and women in the judicial system. We'll see.Women to Work in Saudi Courts: Justice Minister By Raid Qusti Arab News RIYADH — Saudi women are to be employed in soon-to-be-established reception centers at courts, Mini

Anti-religious bans are unworkable in democratic countries, so why pass a law doomed to failure? But then Shoura Council member Khalil Al-Khalil rejects the recommendation to the Shoura Council on these grounds: "The concept of religions varies from one country to the other and from one culture to the other. Buddhism and Bahaism are considered religions in some countries, but must Muslims respect these sects and not condemn them." Well, yes, you should respect Buddhism and Bahaism and not condemn them. By the way, the writer (or his editor) of this article demonstrates his ignorance of Saudi Arabia by identifying the Shoura Council as a parliament. Saudis Reject International Agreement to Forbid Anti-Religious Ordinances By Yaniv Berman The Media Line The Saudi Arabian Parliament Monday

John Hooper reports for The Guardian that discussions between Saudis and the Vatican have been held that could lead to churches being built in Saudi Arabia. Churches in the Kingdom? I don't think this so. It's true that during the time of the Prophet Muhammad Christians lived in Madinah and Jews lived nearby, but I think it's highly unlikely that today's Saudis – whether conservative, moderate or militant – would stand for a church to be built in the Land of the Two Holy Mosques. To the average Saudi, the Kingdom has become synonymous with Islam and represents all things Islamic. Millions of Muslims throughout the world look to Saudi Arabia for guidance in Islamic matters. There is no room for a church. Although it's difficult for Saudis to argue with the fact that Muslims can practi

Saudi and Bahrain journalists attend a human rights seminar at the British Embassy in Riyadh in 2006.The Khaleej Times' headline is a little misleading. There will be no debate between Saudi officials and Human Rights Watch over reforms, but an exchange of information and discussion about what Saudis are doing to make improvements. Saudi Arabia up until recently has not taken human rights groups too seriously. But this meeting signals a shift by Kingdom officials to attempt to make good on their promises for reform. Saudi Arabia still has a long road to hoe, but this is an encouraging sign.Saudi Invites HRW Team to Debate Human Rights IssueKhaleej Times Saudi Arabia, which is strengthening human rights and initiating appropriate reforms and regulations, has invited members of the Human R

Saudi Arabia is sick of the big sovereign funds in China and Abu Dhabi kicking sand in its face. The country plans to put a fund in place that will "dwarf Abu... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

I just heard the most predictable factoid: 41% of Al Qaeda fighters in Iraq are Saudi Arabians. Apparently record keeping by some Al Qaeda higher-ups has been captured by the U.S. military and careful records have revealed a detailed accounting of the social and regional makeup of the Al Qaeda operatives inside Iraq. Many of these Islamic terrorists are being recruited directly off of Islamic college campuses across the Middle East and around the world. This, again, is quite predictable. Islam demands this sort of sacrifice and its followers anticipate rewards in Paradise. How can we continue to act as if this is just a symptom of “radical” Islam and still look ourselves in the mirror? I certainly gave up that notion years ago, so I’m not surprised by any of these revelations. Similar Posts:Al-Sadr Must Be Eliminated Al Qaeda in Iraq leader al-Masri killed U.S. forces tracking Iranians in Iraq; Bush Administration waffling British Diplomats Claim Saudi Officia

YouTube is proving to be a popular medium of expression for young men in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Alongside videos of drunken women doing the unmentionable are now posted clips of Saudi youths behaving like, well … brats. Racing on the streets of Riyadh in Porsches and BMWs which happens to be the “in” thing to do right now in Riyadh, is the main theme of many of these videos. In Riyadh, where petrol is dirt cheap and it's normal for a male child to receive a brand new Porsche for his 16th birthday, racing along the wide avenues sometimes with friends hanging over the open doors seems to be the only way a guy can let his head scarf down. Saudi Arabia strictly prohibits intermingling between the sexes, and the ensuing utter boredom of male youths is clear in these clips. Another pastime is throwing eggs at girls who ignore them, which in Saudi Arabia where a girl was recently sentenced a hundred lashes for being in the same car as an unrelated male, is just abo

The Philippine Nurses Association (PNA) was ecstatic about the report that Saudi Arabia is hiring least 5000 Filipino nursesread more | digg storyhttp://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/FESA http://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/nAuu

From an official report collected by IC Publications, this has to be sorted under the “one more reason why our leaders are idiots” category: The United States is readying a major arms package for Saudi Arabia with an eye to countering a changing threat from Iran, a senior US defense official said Friday. Defense Secretary Robert Gates is expected to discuss the US recommendations with the Saudis next week in a visit to the kingdom with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, the official said. “We’ve been working very hard on the Saudi arms package, which we believe is critical to the overarching architecture that we believe we are going to need … to deal with the changing strategic threat from Iran and other forces,” the official said. The official who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity said discussions with Congress on the arms package have just begun and that no announcements were expected during Gates’ visit to Saudi Arabia. “W

During a high-level meeting in Riyadh in January, Saudi officials confronted a top American envoy with documents that seemed to suggest that Iraq's prime minister could not be trusted. One purported to be an early alert from the prime minister, Nuri Kamal al-Maliki, to the radical Shiite cleric Moktada al-Sadr warning him to lie low during the coming American troop increase, which was aimed in part at Mr. Sadr's militia. Another document purported to offer proof that Mr. Maliki was an agent of Iran.The American envoy, Zalmay Khalilzad, immediately protested to King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, contending that the documents were forged. But, said administration officials who provided an account of the exchange, the Saudis remained skeptical, adding to the deep rift between America's most powerful Sunni Arab ally, Saudi Arabia, and its Shiite neighbor, Iraq.Now, Bush administration officials are voicing increasing anger at what they say has been Saudi Arabia's counterproductive role in

By MICHAEL FREUNDJerusalem Post25 May 2007Saudi officials have arrested a man in Mecca for being a Christian, saying that the city, which Muslims consider to be holy, is off-limits to non-Muslims. Nirosh Kamanda, a Sri Lankan Christian, was detained by the Saudi Expatriates Monitoring Committee last week after he started to sell goods outside Mecca’s Great Mosque. After running his

by Maher Chmaytelli Saudi Arabia aims to increase crude- oil reserves by 76 percent and gas reserves by 40 percent, to retain its position as the world's biggest petroleum exporter. Saudi Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi said today the country plans to add 200 billion barrels of oil reserves to the 264 billion barrels it currently holds. It wants to lift gas reserves by 100 trillion cubic feet, or TCF

Yesterday, MSNBC/NBC News reported that the Saudis will send forces to Iraq if the situation continues to deteriorate, citing skepticism that the plan to add 21,500 more U.S. forces will quell the violence. Saudi Arabia believes the Iraqi government is not up to the challenge and has told the United States that it is prepared to move its own forces into Iraq should the violence there degenerate into chaos, a senior U.S. official told NBC News on Tuesday. On the homefront, Senator Chuck Hagel (R-Nebraska) plans to push legislation with Senate Democrats Joe Biden (Delaware) and Carl Levin (Michigan) on a resolution opposing Bush’s recently outlined policy, dubbed the “McCain Doctrine.” Steve Soto notes that the White House and allies on the Hill are trying to frame Hagel’s position on Iraq as laying the groundwork for a 2008 presidential bid as the GOP anti-war candidate. Most of the more formidible Republican candidates have backed the escalation proposal. But, i

Qatar Living talks about how a Saudi-owned bookstore and distributors blotted out the sight of Piglet from some books of Winnie-the-Pooh. Here's a sample picture:Virtually every copy of the book had Piglet totally erased from sight. Put another way, this is a case of Islamic censorship being performed in the Mideast. It's very sad.

Yeah, that sucks. But hey, they're banking billions while they count worry beads. And increasing production by half a million barrels of crude per day won't exactly hurt Saudi income. PLUS it wins the Saudis friends in the U.S., which still has a couple of aircraft carrier groups here and there. The New York Times reports that the reported increase comes on top of another reported increas