RIYADH, 19 November 2004 — Saudi Arabia will host an AIDS workshop on International AIDS Day on Dec. 1 as part of efforts to increase public awareness about the disease and to ensure more care and dignity for patients suffering from it. This will be the first workshop of its kind in the Kingdom to discuss various aspects of the disease in an open forum, a change of approach on the part of the state-owned health institutions.
RIYADH – Pakistanis living in Riyadh celebrated Eid Al-Fitr in a traditional way, despite the changes in lifestyle brought about by modern trends. Most Pakistani expatriates preferred to wear traditional dresses, colorful bangles and henna patterns during the celebration. Scores of men, young and old, were seen chewing betel quids, picnicking in the desert and holding gossip sessions.
RIYADH, 17 November 2004 — Firework displays on Sunday night as part of the Eid celebrations illuminated the sky with a sparkling rainbow colors. A huge crowd of men, women and children assembled at Malaz Stadium and at two other places in Riyadh to watch the fireworks. The firework shows began at about 9 in the evening at Malaz Stadium and also at locations in the Suwedi and Oraiza districts of the city. The entry to the displays and to other events such as traditional dances and dramas were organized by the Riyadh governorate and municipality and are free to all.
RIYADH, 15 November 2004 — Highlighting the capital city’s Eid festivities are the performances of several young daredevils. The spotlight has been turned full force on an incredible bungy jumping show and a series of breathtaking stunt driving displays by young Saudis. These feats of derring-do amazed a capacity crowd of some 20,000 visitors at a sprawling recreation complex on the Ring Road between Exit 10 and 11 in Riyadh. The entertainment is part of the 10-day long Eid program organized by Riyadh municipality and supported by the city’s mayoralty.
RIYADH- With the US election fever gripping the world, Saudi Arabia was no different. The US Ambassador James Oberwetter held a party combining the elections with a Ramadan Suhoor party. The invitees to the party at the ambassador’s residence included members of the Shoura Council, Saudi businessmen, senior diplomats and journalists.
RIYADH – Does cyber romance last only for the time you are online? Not so, according to the findings from a recent survey conducted by Arab News. Three Internet marriages have taken place recently after boys living in Riyadh met their prospective brides online and this eventually led them to tie the conjugal knot.
RIYADH, 9 November 2004 — A broad-based coalition of prominent Saudi women has renewed the call for removing the ban on driving, urging government agencies to review the issue on priority basis. The women are hopeful that the reform process initiated by the Saudi government in different sectors also will cover the subject of driving, and this reform process, while touching the sensitive issue, will eventually change Saudi society’s attitude to women behind the wheel.
RIYADH/JEDDAH, 2 November 2004 — The number of foreigners recruited to work in the Kingdom has dropped by more than 50 percent last month compared to the same period last year, according to figures just released by the Ministry of Labor. Regional labor offices last month issued 31,965 work visas for foreigners to come and work in the Kingdom compared to 65,096 visas issued in the same period last year, said Dr. Abdul Wahid Al-Humaid, deputy minister of labor for planning and development. This is a 51 percent drop over the same period and is the result of the ministry’s policy to curb recruitment of foreign workers as part of the Saudization drive.
RIYADH, 27 October 2004 — Car rental companies have cautioned customers about a new trend in automobile thefts. In one incident, Budget Rent-a-Car Company lost a brand-new Lumina driven by a customer only a few days ago when thieves adopted a novel technique to steal it. Budget alone lost three vehicles in one day. Similar incidents have been reported by other car rental companies.
RIYADH, 24 October 2004 — Saudi Arabia will expand its network of earthquake monitoring centers by adding three high-powered digital seismic stations within six months. The Riyadh-based King Abdul Aziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), the central scientific organization to monitor seismic activities with a mandate to report any tremor or aftershocks directly to the Saudi government, is working on the expansion project.