King orders SR1.12bn aid for the poor

JEDDAH: Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah on Wednesday ordered the distribution of SR1.12 billion in emergency aid among the Kingdom’s poor to support them during the fasting month of Ramadan and the Eid Al-Fitr festival. The number of Saudi families living in extreme poverty is estimated at 35,000, or 1.63 percent of the total Saudi population. They live on less than SR1,700 a month.

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Saudi Arabia tops in flood aid to Pakistan

JEDDAH: Second Deputy Premier and Minister of Interior Prince Naif met with Secretary-General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu at his office here Tuesday and highlighted Saudi Arabia’s efforts to send relief for Pakistan’s flood victims.

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Little hope of peace as talks begin in US

WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama vowed on Wednesday that a deadly Hamas attack in the West Bank “is not going to stop us” in the quest for Middle East peace as he opened a Washington summit to relaunch face-to-face Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.

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Editorial: Qaddafi’s remarks

In the 41 years since Muammar Qaddafi seized power in Libya, he has earned himself a reputation for political views that range from the eccentric to the downright unpalatable and for a mercurial behavior to go with them. That is still very much the case. This past week he has been in Rome as the guest of another political leader often accused of holding unacceptable political views, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

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The challenge of religious speech in the Kingdom

NOWADAYS, or at any point in the near future, the Saudi religious institution is expected to face a big challenge: Whether to continue with its usual solemnity and prestige gained over the past decades or to lose much of its former credibility, acceptance and influence over Saudi citizens. This discussion of such a sensitive and critical issue requires an objective and systematic methodology by identifying the problem, its reasons, and exploring potential solutions.

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Lankan maid’s torture charges baseless: Saudi officials

Saudi officials have refuted claims that a sponsor in Riyadh hammered nails into the body of his Sri Lankan housemaid as punishment, saying the allegations are baseless.

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Missing teen girl located at Makkah hospital

ALKHOBAR: The teen girl from Jubail who went missing in Makkah on Saturday was located on Wednesday evening in medical care.

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Nerves fray, tempers fly in the month of forgiveness

JEDDAH: Despite Ramadan being a month of giving, caring and forgiving, people are doing exactly the opposite.

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Salman highlights role of reconciliation committees

RIYADH: Riyadh Gov. Prince Salman on Wednesday emphasized the role of reconciliation committees in the Kingdom's various provinces to settle social disputes.

Libya frees 37 militants including Bin Laden driver

TRIPOLI: Libya late Tuesday released 37 militants, including a former driver of Osama Bin Laden and members of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG).

Lebanon sends warrant for suspected spy to Interpol

BEIRUT: Lebanon's chief prosecutor on Wednesday sent an arrest warrant against a suspected spy for Israel to international police agency Interpol, after reports the suspect, who fled the country last year, may be in France.

Muslim backpack program expands in US, abroad

WASHINGTON: A Chicago-area Muslim charitable organization is partnering with police departments and social welfare groups to ensure that needy children have what many others take for granted: School supplies.

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Palestinians crack down on Hamas after shooting

RAMALLAH, West Bank: Palestinian security forces arrested more than 150 Hamas members in an overnight sweep throughout the West Bank after the militant group claimed responsibility for shooting dead four Israelis on the eve of new Mideast peace talks.

62 die as jets pound Taleban hide-outs

PESHAWAR: Pakistani government air raids have killed up to 62 militants, their family members and other civilians with no ties to the fighters, officials said on Wednesday.

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4 killed in Algeria suicide attack, 20 wounded

ALGIERS: An Algerian security official says a suicide attack on a military convoy in the north of the country killed at least four people and wounded 20.

Video: Captured Mexican drug lord knew top capos

MEXICO CITY: A former Texas high school football player and petty street dealer who allegedly rose to become one of Mexico's most savage assassins says he personally knew the country's top drug lords and shipped cocaine from Colombia through Panama.

Philippine massacre trial adjourned again

MANILA: The trial of a former mayor accused of masterminding the massacre of 57 people in the southern Philippines last November was adjourned again for a week on Wednesday, frustrating state lawyers and families of victims.

Damas compensates Saudi firm with 20 million shares

DUBAI: Saudi private equity firm Amwal Al-Khaleej has received 20 million shares of Damas International as part of a settlement deal with the company’s founder Abdullah Brothers and Damas Investments, revealed the Dubai-based jewelry retailer.

Hundreds of thousands of Umrah pilgrims perform the tawaf (circumambulation of the Holy Kaaba) at the Grand Mosque in Makkah on Tuesday. Millions of Muslim faithful from within the Kingdom and abroad visit the Grand Mosque in the last 10 days of Ramadan to perform Umrah and offer special prayers. The Saudi government has made special arrangements to welcome large crowds of worshippers. (AN photo by Thamer Al-Faraj)

Mobile ringtones, camera flashes disturb Grand Mosque tranquility

MAKKAH: As hundreds of thousands of pilgrims throng the Grand Mosque in pursuit of blessings in the last 10 days of Ramadan, the growing phenomenon of irritating mobile phones is disturbing the worshippers.

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Men run as angry protesters burn a vehicle during reaction over after bomb attack during a Shi'ite Muslim procession in Lahore, Pakistan, on Wednesday. At least 18 people were killed and over 100 wounded as three bombs exploded at a Shi'ite procession in the city. (Reuters)

30 killed as bombers wreak havoc in Lahore

LAHORE: At least 30 people were killed and over 200 injured as three suicide bombers targeted a Shiite mourning procession in Pakistan’s eastern city of Lahore on Wednesday evening.

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Montgomery County police officers cordon off the area near the Discovery Channel headquarters building during a hostage situation in Silver Spring, Maryland, on Wednesday. (Reuters)

Police kill gunman who held 3 at Discovery Channel

SILVER SPRING, Maryland: A man who railed against the Discovery Channel's environmental programming for years burst into the company's headquarters with at least one explosive device strapped to his body Wednesday and took three people hostage at gunpoint before police shot him to death, officials said.

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Deal signed for industrial city in Taif

RIYADH: In a move to boost the process of industrialization and to cope with the growing demand for industrial lands across the country, Saudi Arabia has set up a new industrial city in Taif covering an area of 11 million square meters with all necessary facilities. This was announced by Tawfig Fawzan Alrabiah, director general of the Saudi Industrial Property Authority (Modon), here on Wednesday.

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Players of the US and Iran shake hands after their FIBA Basketball World Championship game in Istanbul on Wednesday. (Reuters)

US wins first meeting with Iran in basketball worlds

ISTANBUL: The United States eased its way to a top seed in the knockout round of the world championship, beating Iran 88-51 on Wednesday in the first meeting between the longtime political rivals.

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Iraq’s New Dawn?

The change in Iraq from a US military-led effort to a joint Iraqi-US political-diplomatic enterprise is one of the most complex transitions in history. Those involved confront a myriad security, economic and political challenges. But if it succeeds, the transition could result in a major improvement in the lives of the Iraqi people, as well as an end to the historically confrontational relationship between the governments in Baghdad and Washington.

A Green Gulf?

Some of the most ambitious clean energy projects in the world are taking place in the Gulf. Capital that Europeans can only dream of is being ploughed into “green” cities and centers for low-carbon innovation. Gulf governments are declaring themselves “global leaders in sustainability.” Does this signal the end of the petro-state, or is it mere greenwash and vanity projects?

Healing the Scars of the Past

With diplomatic relations interrupted since the First Gulf War, Kuwait and Iraq have been regaining each other’s trust based on the idea that both share important economic and political interests in healing the scars of the past. The appointments of Kuwaiti ambassador to Iraq in 2008 and Iraqi ambassador to Kuwait last May could signify a new era for bilateral relations between the two countries.

Yemen’s Summer of Discontent

Pas de nouvelles, bonne nouvelles, goes the French popular saying. From Yemen, however, in the last few months no news has not meant good news, quite the opposite. This summer has seen the secessionist movement in the south gaining momentum; Al-Qaeda on the offensive; and a sporadic return to hostilities with the Houthis in the north.

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A view of the Map Ta Phut industrial estate is seen in Rayong province, eastern Thailand, on August 31,2010. Thailand's Cabinet has approved a list of industrial activities deemed harmful to the environment, a step toward ending a dispute that has frozen the activities of scores of plants at the world's eighth-largest petrochemical hub. The plants at the Map Ta Phut estate, home to the world's eighth-largest petrochemicals hub, have been idle for a year, with construction halted at some, because companies failed to carry out environmental and health assessments. (Reuters)

Blessing in disguise: 10 days in ‘etikaf’

BURAIDAH: A judge in Buraidah sentenced three Saudi in their 20s to “etikaf” and dedicated study of the Qur’an instead of a custodial and lashing sentence, Al-Jazirah reported.

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Vuvuzelas banned from Euro 2012, Champions League

GENEVA: The honking plastic horns that caused such an uproar at the World Cup have been shut out of Champions League and European Championship qualifying matches.

Yanbu becomes major tourist attraction

Yanbu Industrial City is being additionally transformed into a tourist destination. A visit to Yanbu revealed several new projects that are being implemented to make it attractive for tourists as well.

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A performance of a traditional Hejazi wedding in a play at Al-Balad, Jeddah. (AN photo by Rima Al-Mukhtar)

Ramadan of Al-Balad: The annual spectacle of food and sights in Jeddah’s old city

The historic center of Jeddah city is the place to be in Ramadan. There you will find all sorts of entertainment, food and shop-till-you-drop experience. You will see people from all around the world strolling past the food stalls, candy stores, gold merchants and cafes of scenic Qabil Street, the most frequented street during this holy month.

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