Source : Gulf-Times / 17 Mar 2014

Saudi authorities have banned hundreds of books, including works by renowned Palestinian poet Mahmud Darwish, as part of a crackdown on publications deemed threatening to the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The local Okaz daily reported yesterday that organisers at the Riyadh International Book Fair had confiscated “more than 10,000 copies of 420 books” during the exhibition.

Source : Arab news / 17 Mar 2014

Government officials and social welfare organizations in Alkhobar called on the Ministry of Education to activate the recommendations filed six years ago about banning unhealthy meals such as chips and soft drinks in school cafeterias in efforts to curb obesity and limit the risks of children contracting diabetes.

Source : IINA / 17 Mar 2014

President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed, in his capacity as ruler of Abu Dhabi, has appointed the first female member of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council.

Dr Amal Al Qubaisi is a Federal National Council member and also the new general manager of Adec, the Abu Dhabi Education Council. An architect by profession, she was the first woman to be elected to the FNC and the first woman to chair one of its meetings. Three other new members appointed to the Executive Council are Saeed Al Ghafli, Mohammed Al Rumaithi and Ali Al Mansouri.

Source : Arab news / 14 Mar 2014

Work on phase two of the massive King Abdullah International Gardens project has started in Riyadh, which includes plant and animal sections, and a water park.

Prince Mansour bin Miteb, minister of municipal and rural affairs, formally launched the second phase last Thursday. He also toured the Prince Salman bin Abdul Aziz Wild Park in Banban, which Riyadh Municipality is overseeing.

Source : Gulf news / 14 Mar 2014

Saudi Arabia’s interior ministry has banned 50 given names including “foreign” names, names related to royalty and those it considers to be blasphemous.

Saudis will no longer be able to give their children names such as Amir (prince), Linda or Abdul Nabi (Slave of the Prophet) after the civil affairs department at the ministry issued the list, according to Saudi news sites.

Source : Saudi Gazette / 13 Mar 2014

Foreigners from non-Arab countries attending Friday prayers at the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah can now listen to the sermons in English and other languages.

Emir of Madinah Prince Faisal Bin Salman on Wednesday formally launched a program for simultaneous translation of Friday sermons at the Prophet’s Mosque, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Source : Islam.ru with WTJSC.com / 12 Mar 2014

In 2013 in Russia with the use of the high-end technology the Moscow Mint of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation issued a collection of 40 replica stamps made of 999 fine silver and dedicated it to the Holy City of Mecca.

Source : World Bulletin / 12 Mar 2014 

Saudi Arabia's religious authorities have angered both locals and archeologists alike after they removed gravestones from a 3,000-year-old burial site in the city of al-Baha.

According to a report in the Al-Hayat newspaper on Monday, the Zinat graveyard was levelled by the Commission of the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice.

Source : NY Daily News / 11 Mar 2014

Saudi Arabia is planning to develop a women-only industrial city aimed at giving females greater independence while still abiding by Sharia law.

The development, which will be built in the Eastern Province city of Hofuf, is set to open next year, according to The Guardian.

Source : Okaz with Saudi Gazette / 05 Mar 2014

Female lawyers and specialists in law and Shariah said they supported the suggestion of the National Society for Human Rights (NSHR) to appoint them as investigators in the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution (BIP).

They told Okaz/Saudi Gazette that some of them graduated from university with excellent grades.