RIYADH, 19 May 2005 — The United States has dropped yesterday a year-old warning it issued to its citizens to leave Saudi Arabia but said that they should still “defer non-essential” travel to the Kingdom because of security concerns and possible terrorist attacks. The language used in the current advisory notice differs significantly from that of the April 2004 advisory, which said: “The Department of State warns US citizens to defer travel to Saudi Arabia. Private American citizens currently in Saudi Arabia are strongly urged to depart.”
RIYADH, 17 May 2005 — Saudi police have detained a suspected drug trafficker after recovering 440,000 tablets of the banned stimulant fenethylline (commonly known under the trade name Captagon) with an estimated street value of SR23 million. This seizure follows a major search exercise conducted by the Saudi security officials to apprehend drug traffickers and criminals, who have been operating drug, crime and porno dens in the capital city.
RIYADH, 14 May 2005 — The Supreme Commission for Tourism (SCT) has finalized plans to publish a comprehensive tourism services guide. It will contain detailed information and advertisements about travel and tourism companies operating in the country together with attractions and facilities available for tourists in all 13 provinces of the Kingdom.
RIYADH, 8 May 2005 — Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal will lead a high-level Saudi delegation to Brazil to participate in the first summit of Arab and South American leaders. The visit was announced by senior Saudi and Brazilian officials here yesterday. The conference seeks to bring the two regions closer in the domains of politics, culture and commerce.
RIYADH, 4 April 2005 — Crown Prince Abdullah has instructed health officials to transfer Indonesian maid Nour Miyati to King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center (KFSH & RC) for further treatment. Health Minister Dr. Hamad Al-Manie visited Riyadh Medical Complex (Shumaisi Hospital) yesterday and conveyed the instructions. Miyati was admitted there for treatment of severe injuries caused by her Saudi employer.
RIYADH, 27 March 2005 — Security officials have unearthed a number of drug, liquor and pornography dens during their raids here yesterday. “A total of 37 expatriates, mostly Asians, have been detained on charges of drug-trafficking alone,” a security official said. A Pakistani in possession of six kg of heroine and an Indian with 3.5 kg of hashish have been taken into custody, while five expatriates, including three Filipinos, have been arrested for sodomy.
RIYADH, 24 March 2005 — A series of raids on commercial and residential premises in downtown Riyadh have led to the arrest of at least 172 people, mostly expatriates, allegedly involved in running gambling dens and selling or renting out fake and pornographic CDs. The raids also uneartherd two warehouses used for gambling by two different gangs besides a number of cozy rooms and shops used for illegal businesses like unlicensed telephone booths.
RIYADH, 18 February 2005 — The local Security Forces Hospital (SFH) has won a prestigious award for its international partnership in healthcare and for its use of highly innovative telemedicine services offered by WorldCare Saudi Arabia. The award for the “Best Use of International Healthcare Partnership was presented to Dr. Adnan B. Mofti, deputy director general of the Security Forces Hospital by Tarik Abdulaziz Al-Khereiji, executive manager of WorldCare Saudi Arabia on behalf of the Arab Health Exhibition and Congress 2005, which concluded in Dubai recently.
RIYADH, 14 February 2005 — Interior Minister Prince Naif has rejected moves to classify Saudis into Islamists and non-Islamists. He was referring to media reports that Islamists had won Riyadh Municipal Council elections. “I strongly object to the media for focusing on this issue. We don’t accept such classifications, because we are all Muslims and citizens. The elections were held in the right manner. It has been proved that they (the winners) followed the law and did not create any problem,” he told reporters.
RIYADH, 11 February 2005 — An estimated 82 percent of registered voters cast their ballots yesterday as historic polling began on a moderate note at 73 polling stations across this sprawling capital city, election officials and voters said. A large number of voters were seen queuing up at the polling booths in different districts of the city in the historic elections that have considerable significance for this region in general and the world in particular.