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Saudi official denies Sri Lankan maid had nails driven into her by her Saudi employer Topix.net | 1st September 2010: A Saudi official has denied a Sri Lankan maid's allegations that the couple she worked for in the Arab kingdom hammered nails and needles into her body.

Saudi eyes BBC World | 10th August 2010: Women photographers from Saudi Arabia exhibit in the US

Saudi gives Blackberry reprieve BBC World | 10th August 2010: Saudi Arabia's telecommunications regulator says it will allow Blackberry services to temporarily continue in the kingdom.

Six daughters want to sue Saudi dad over marriage NDTV | 30th August 2010: In an unusual legal fight, six Saudi sisters have decided to file a lawsuit against their father for repeatedly having turned down their suitors and not allowing them to get married. The women, all in their 30s, have written a letter to Sultan Bin Zahem, chairman of Saudi Arabia's Advocacy Committee, demanding that they be given the authority to get married.

BlackBerry ban lifted in Saudi Arabia Guardian | 10th August 2010: BlackBerry Messenger ban gets temporary reprieve after RIM meets requirements imposed by SaudisThe threat of a ban on certain BlackBerry functions has been temporarily lifted in Saudi Arabia, a government regulator revealed today.Saudi Arabia's Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) said BlackBerry manufacturer Research In Motion (RIM) had successfully completed part of the regulatory requirements over the weekend, allowing a temporary reprieve to the ongoing threat of a blockage to services including email and web browsing on the company's handsets.Authorities in Saudi Arabia had said some BlackBerry Messenger services would be blocked from Friday, 6 August, citing security fears about the way the Canadian technology firm encrypts personal data on its devices. RIM transmits data through servers based outside of the Middle East, making government monitoring of customer content difficult.In light of the positive developments toward addressing some of the organisational requirements by the providers, the commission decided to allow BlackBerry Messenger service to continue, the Saudi regulator said in a statement, adding that it would continue working with the service providers to complete the rest of the regulatory requirements.A CITC official said on Sunday that RIM and other Saudi mobile firms were testing domestic servers transmitting data in addition to RIM's server in Canada. Mobile phone service providers in the country ? including RIM ? had been given a 48-hour extension ending Monday night to address security concerns, according to Reuters.US State Department officials reportedly met with RIM officials yesterday to discuss the deal with the Saudi authorities.An RIM spokeswoman declined to comment.The manufacturer had earlier said that any claims we provide, or have ever provided, something unique to the government of one country that we have not offered to the governments of all countries, are unfounded.Negotiations are thought to be underway with a number of governments in the Middle East ? including the United Arab Emirates, India and Saudi Arabia ? with a view to coming to a compromise that would suit the authorities and RIM.The UAE has said BlackBerry services will be switched off from 11 October in the country if negotiations break down.BlackBerryCensorshipSaudi ArabiaMobile phonesJosh Hallidayguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Saudi website for fatwas closes BBC World | 9th September 2010: The popular Islam Today website, run by the Saudi cleric Salman al-Awdah, has closed its section offering thousands of Islamic religious rulings.

Saudi Arabia delays BlackBerry ban CNN | 9th August 2010: Read full story for latest details.

Amnesty says Saudi may paralyze man as punishment Reuters | 22nd August 2010: JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) - A court in Saudi Arabia is considering deliberately paralyzing a man as punishment after he was convicted of severing the spinal cord of another person with a cleaver during a fight, Amnesty International said on Sunday.

Saudi crown prince on leave abroad Reuters | 28th August 2010: RIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz, who was for much of last year out of the country for medical treatment and rest, went abroad on Saturday for vacation, state news agency SPA said.

Saudi Arabia's pre-Islamic treasures come to the Louvre Guardian | 10th August 2010: Artefacts reveal the archaeology and history of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from prehistoric times to the modern eraAlmost nothing is known about the anthropomorphic stele of Saudi Arabia that Béatrice André-Salvini, head of the oriental antiquities department at the Louvre, refers to as the Suffering Man on account of his look of resigned pain. The only certainty is that it dates from the fourth millennium BC, was found near Ha'il in the north and has never been exhibited. That is true of two-thirds of the 320 items on show at the Louvre. With good reason. The official history of the country starts in the seventh century with the coming of Islam. The Suffering Man and two similar stelae, regarded as representations of the idols the Prophet destroyed, are a revelation.The exhibition (until 27 September), reflects the wish to establish closer cultural, political but also financial links between France, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf emirates, exemplified by the Abu Dhabi branch of the Louvre, due to open in 2013. Cultural exchanges started when President Chirac visited the kingdom in 2004. It is the result, says André-Salvini, of an understanding between Henri Loyrette, the head of the Louvre, and Prince Sultan, the nephew of King Abdullah, who heads the Saudi commission for tourism and antiquities.They put the seal on the partnership in 2005 when Prince al-Waleed donated $23m to the Louvre's department of Islamic art. An exhibition at the National Museum in Riyadh followed in 2006 featuring 150 masterpieces from the Louvre's Islamic collection.The Louvre has cleaned, restored and mounted all the artefacts loaned to France. Three polished red-sandstone colossuses standing 2.5 metres high are among the works that have regained their former glory ? sandalled feet in one case, its head in another. With an Egyptian-style head-dress and a loincloth, the most elegant figure is a king belonging to the Lihyan dynasty, which ruled three or four centuries ago. The statues were recently recovered after an earthquake at the old town of Dedan, near al-Ula.Two jars and an astonishing frieze originated in Mada'in Saleh, the Hegra of ancient times, 18km to the north of al-Ula. The frieze, perhaps a minimalist reference to the Corinthian style, was part of a tomb in the vast Nabatean burial ground, which was added to the Unesco World Heritage list in 2008. Mada'in Saleh is coming back to life thanks to a Franco-Saudi dig, partly funded by Total.About 140 tombs carved out of the hillside are scattered over 175 hectares of sand, with sculpted cornices and pediments reflecting the various influences adopted by local artists. Mesopotamian suns, Greek Gorgons, Nabatean eagles symbolising the god Dushara, and Babylonian lions happily coexist on the lintels.A flourishing trade route crossed the desert controlled by the Nabateans at the beginning of our era. At the foot of sandstone citadels shaped by the wind one may easily imagine caravans of several hundred dromedaries carrying incense and myrrh, precious stones and spices from India. They stopped here to sell their goods and stock up with water and food. At the intersection of several routes Mada'in Saleh connected the Mediterranean world and the Orient, Egypt, Greece, Persia, Mesopotamia and India.In April Béatrice André-Salvini and Françoise Demange, the exhibition's joint curators, made one last trip to the most remarkable sites to settle the final list of exhibits. At Tayma, an oasis ringed by fortifications from the third millennium BC, they selected several remarkable stelae with cuneiform characters. One represents Nabonidus, the last king of the Neo-Babylonian kingdom, with his headdress and sceptre. He spent 10 years at Tayma.The exhibition is illustrated with panoramic views of the desert and maps, taking us on a chronological tour, from the first hewn stones of the early stone age to the establishment of a unified Saudi kingdom in 1932. Much of the show is devoted to antiquity but it also focuses on the Islamic period: the pilgrim trails follow old trading routes to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.The exhibition's highlight is a monumental door from the Ka'ba, made of silver embossed with gold, the gift of an Ottoman sultan, which guarded the entrance to the sanctuary in Mecca for three centuries. The sanctuary contains a black stone set in silver, believed to be the remains of the sacred enclosure given by the Almighty to Adam to protect him from the flood. It is a powerful reminder that the Arabian peninsula is the birthplace of Islam.This article originally appeared in Le MondeExhibitionsSaudi ArabiaFranceLe Mondeguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Saudi solidarity and the 'Ground Zero mosque' | Ali al-Ahmed Guardian | 29th August 2010: Saudi Arabia could show its vaunted friendship with President Obama now by granting the religious freedoms US citizens enjoyAt a recent Iftar dinner in the White House two weeks ago, President Obama reaffirmed America's commitment to religious freedom and protection for all citizens, regardless of their faith, when he defended the right of American Muslims to build a mosque near Ground Zero in New York City. The president should be commended for the courageous stand that he took in the face of so much opposition fueled by past tragedy, fear and sometimes plain bigotry.Yet there is more the president could do to uphold the values of religious freedom, lift his slipping approval ratings and protect valuable votes in the November midterm elections. He can take his conviction and courage to the international arena and embarass his adversaries by calling on the America's allies to provide similar rights and freedoms for their citizenry. And no nation's policies on religious freedom and tolerance today stands in starker contrast with America's than those practised in Saudi Arabia ? the country that President Obama recently described as one of America's closest and trusted allies. The only religion that can be openly practised in the kingdom is Sunni Islam in the Wahhabi/Salafi tradition ? an austere Muslim sect that views non-Muslims and non-Wahhabi Muslims as heretics with very few rights. Millions of non-Muslim visitors and guest workers in Saudi Arabia, including thousands of Americans, are banned from public worship or celebration of their religious rituals and cultural festivals. The kingdom is the only Arab and Muslim country that has no churches. In addition, houses of worship for its Shia and Sufi Muslim citizens are often suppressed or function under dismal conditions; in fact, a dozen Shia mosques were recently closed. The country's public education system indoctrinates Saudi children with hatred and intolerance by teaching them that Jews and Christians are eternal enemies of Islam.President Obama's close relationship with King Abdullah was reflected in the mutual statement of praise from the two leaders. I have been struck by his [King Abdullah's] wisdom and his graciousness, said the president. The king responded by saying, Obama is an honourable and a good man.If these words are true, then Obama should call on his trusted and wise friend King Abdullah to implement more tolerant and inclusive policies towards non-Muslim residents of Saudi Arabia, especially the American communities in the desert kingdom. These communities trace their history back to the 1940s and have contributed much to the welfare and prosperity of Saudi Arabia and to the security of the monarchy itself.There is no reason why the kingdom cannot follow the example of other Middle East countries like Kuwait, Bahrain and even Iran, all of which have churches and synagogues and allow non-Muslims to worship openly.Assuming the Ground Zero mosque goes ahead, it will stand as a testament to freedom of worship and tolerance extended to all American citizens even in the toughest of times. The president should use this example of American commitment to freedom of worship to call on the Saudi Monarch to support similar freedoms and protection to non-Muslims in Saudi Arabia. Obama is tasked with protecting the freedoms of Americans here and around the world, including in Saudi Arabia.As a Saudi dissident living in the United States since 1991 and awarded political asylum in 1998 on religious freedom grounds, I feel a special duty to advocate for the rights of Americans living in my country to practise their religion as freely and openly as I do in their land. I want for Americans in Saudi Arabia the freedom of religion I have had here for the past 20 years.Barack ObamaReligionSaudi ArabiaUS foreign policyFreedom of religionCivil liberties - internationalIslamUnited StatesMiddle EastAli al-Ahmedguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Saudi judge considers punishment by paralysis MSNBC | 21st August 2010: Amnesty International has spoken out against a Saudi judge who, earlier this week, asked hospitals in the country whether they cut the spinal cord of a man who was convicted of paralyzing another man in a fight

Saudi official: Paralysis not considered as punishment CNN | 24th August 2010: Saudi authorities backed away Monday from reports last week that a court was preparing to order a man paralyzed as punishment for paralyzing another man, allegedly in a fight.

Saudi needs younger faces to avoid gerontocracy DNA | 7th September 2010: Ageing Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz needs to bring more fresh blood into his government to help dispel the image of gerontocracy and temper intense rivalry inside the ruling family.

Saudi Hospitals Asked to Maim Man as Punishment The New York Times | 20th August 2010: A Saudi Arabian judge has asked several hospitals whether they could damage a man?s spinal cord as punishment for his attacking another man with a cleaver and paralyzing him.

Officials: Saudi Man Tortured Maid With Nails FOX News | 25th August 2010

Saudi judge considers paralysis punishment Yahoo - World | 19th August 2010: AP - A Saudi judge has asked several hospitals in the country whether they could damage a man's spinal cord as punishment after he was convicted of attacking another man with a cleaver and paralyzing him, the brother of the victim said Thursday.

Saudi Arabia urged not to use paralysis as punishment CNN | 21st August 2010: Amnesty International on Friday urged Saudi Arabian authorities not to paralyze a man as punishment for his having paralyzed someone else, allegedly during a fight.

Saudi Royal Backs Imam and Fox News The New York Times | 26th August 2010: In an awkward moment on Fox News this week, a pundit suggested that a Saudi stakeholder in the channel's parent company funds radical madrasas all over the world.

Saudi Judge Weighs Paralysis As Punishment Topix.net | 19th August 2010: A Saudi judge has asked several hospitals in the country whether they could damage a man's spinal cord as punishment after he was convicted of attacking another man with a cleaver and paralyzing him, local newspapers reported on Thursday.

Not all can issue fatwas, decrees Saudi King The Hindu | 13th August 2010

Al-Qaida threatens to topple Saudi government NDTV | 11th August 2010: Terror outfit Al-Qaida's Yemeni wing has threatened to overthrow the Saudi government for its participation in the US-led crusade against Islam.

Pakistan floods: Saudi Arabia pledges $100m Guardian | 18th August 2010: Oil-rich country overtakes US as main aid donor as second wave of flooding hits new areas in southern provinces Saudi Arabia has overtaken the US as the largest donor to Pakistan's flood relief effort, following criticism that Muslim countries were not giving enough for victims of the disaster.The oil-rich country is to give $105m (£67m) in aid, according to Pakistan's National Disaster Management Authority, though just $5m of this is in cash, with the rest in the form of relief goods. The Saudi public has separately raised $19m.The pledge was made as a spurt of other money came in for the still sluggish fundraising drive. The European Union increased its contribution, by ?30m (£24m) to ?70m, and the UN said that its appeal was now half funded.The flooding is still inundating new areas, with two or more weeks of the monsoon season yet to run, while the threat of disease means the crisis could grow much worse.A second wave of flooding has hit new areas of the southern provinces of Sindh and Balochistan.In Britain, the Disasters Emergency Committee expressed grave concern today that cholera cases had been confirmed.Until now, the US had been the leading contributor towards relief efforts, and its generosity was seen as a way for Washington to improve its image in Pakistan. Muslim countries, meanwhile, had been slow to give and may have been stung into donating by criticism in the Pakistani media.Saudi Arabia has strong links with Pakistan, with many Saudi charities promoting its brand of conservative Islam in the country for decades, including the funding of religious seminaries often accused of promoting Islamist extremism.The US is giving $76m in cash but says its contribution is worth $87m, including aid-in-kind. In addition, the US has 19 helicopters operating in northern Pakistan, ferrying supplies and people.Last week, Richard Holbrooke, the US special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, said: The people of Pakistan will see that when the crisis hits, it's not the Chinese. It's not the Iranians. It's not other countries. It's not the EU It's the US that always leads.In total $466m has been pledged in aid so far, including contributions to the UN and non-governmental organisations. An appeal by the Pakistani prime minister, Yousaf Raza Gillani, attracted less than £1m at the start of this week.TodayThe cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan launched a challenge to the government by starting his own flood appeal, saying the Pakistani public did not trust giving to the state.Britain is giving £31m, said the international development secretary, Andrew Mitchell, who was today visiting flood-hit areas in Pakistan on .The people of Pakistan need help and they need it now, said Mitchell. It is difficult to comprehend the extent of this tragedy. Nothing could have prepared me for the horrific scenes of destruction and devastation I have seen today. But the worst could still be to come.According to Oxfam, within the first 10 days after the Haitian earthquake, donors had committed $742m and pledged a further $920m. For Pakistan, the figures over the same period were $45m and $91m.The money already donated is for the immediate relief of the 20 million people affected by flooding.A vast area slicing through the middle of Pakistan, running from the mountains of the north to the desert areas of Sindh province in the south, has been affected. It is estimated that billions of dollars will be needed to rehabilitate the ravaged areas, rebuilding infrastructure and the economy.The UN appealed last week for $460m to cover the first 90 days of the emergency. It said today that half the target had been reached, but warned that it was able to reach less than a quarter of the 6 million people in urgent need for food and clean drinking water. The cost of providing clean water alone is about $2m a day.? To make a donation to the DEC Pakistan appeal, call the 24-hour hotline on 0370 60 60 900, visit dec.org.uk, donate over the counter at any post office or high street bank, or send a cheque. People can also donate by texting the word GIVE to 70707.Pakistan floodPakistanSaudi ArabiaInternational aid and developmentSaeed Shahguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Saudi Judge Considers Damaging Man's Spine ABC News | 20th August 2010: Saudi judge asks hospital if it can damage convict's spine as punishment for paralyzing man Saudi Arabia - Middle East - Sharia - Spinal cord - Business and Economy

Saudi official denies Sri Lankan maid was abused Yahoo - World | 1st September 2010: AP - A Saudi official has denied a Sri Lankan maid's allegations that the couple she worked for in the Arab kingdom hammered nails and needles into her body.

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