07.23.08
Blood Drive in Jeddah, Riyaadh & Dammaam
Blood Drive in Jeddah, Riyaadh & Dammaam
An FYI on making hijrah, living in KSA & some other things in between.
Blood Drive in Jeddah, Riyaadh & Dammaam
Jeddah, Asharq Al Awsat - Recently discovered archaeological remains are indicating that Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, is home to an undiscovered and historical city buried under modern-day Jeddah.
Researchers, who argue this point, have drawn evidence from discoveries that were made when some inhabitants and architects found old ruins and tools whilst digging in certain areas. Sources revealed to Asharq Al-Awsat that talks are being held with a number of house owners in the Ain Faraj vicinity in an attempt to gain permission to excavate beneath their houses, since it is clear that the spring of Ain Faraj extends below in an area that has previously gone undiscovered.
One source said: “It is apparent that a deeper history lies beneath this historical city in which we live,” and confirmed that “there is definitely another history to the city.”
Sami Nawar, who heads Jeddah’s Tourism and Culture Department, told Asharq Al-Awsat: “Many discoveries have been made to support this claim. For example, a resident of Al Mazloom Quarter was digging for a water reservoir at six meters deep when he found three hand mills, amongst other items.” Numerous other discoveries have been made in this region since.
For his part, writer and expert in the affairs of Jeddah’s old city, Abdul Wahab Abu Zanada, related a similar story stating that when he was excavating the Malika building, located in Al Balad region, he found a number of rusty canons and undetonated bombs, as well some other archaeological remains.
Abu Zanada cited many historical facts that support the claim that there is a buried city underneath modern-day Jeddah: “What is noticeable is that when you pass by Al Meamar Mosque, you would see that the southern side of the mosque is four meters high. But coming from the northern entrance of the mosque, one would find that it is at a higher level indicating that it was built on a hill, that is, the northern Jeddah plateau that extends to Al Atiq Mosque.”
Abu Zanada stated that there are indications that this hill, the area of which covers approximately two kilometres, is the location of the original city upon which the present city was built. It is the area that is bordered by Al Mazloom quarter and the north-eastern part of Al Sham quarter.
If we add to that the fact that the Qudaa’ah tribe once inhabited Jeddah, it confirms that Jeddah was known of in the second century.”
Abu Zanada continued, “When the Persian city of Siraf was attacked, some of its residents moved to Jeddah where they settled and built two fortresses around the city, one made of stone and the other of water (water canals that enclosed the city). In 568, they built a four-meter deep water tank.” He added, “I do not think that anything remains of it.”
| Scholars want action against extremists Arab News |
| JEDDAH: Reacting to the recent disclosure by the Interior Ministry that terrorist organizations were exploiting Haj and Umrah facilities to bring in foreign Al-Qaeda cadres into the Kingdom, several religious scholars have stressed the need to deal firmly with extremists.
“The Saudi government tries its best to ensure excellent facilities to Haj and Umrah pilgrims and so it is the duty of all pilgrims not to violate the sanctity of the holy cities and not to create law and order problem. Any act or ideology that aims to disrupt law and order in the Kingdom, which is the home to Makkah and Madinah, is an unpardonable crime,” said Ibrahim Al-Khodairy, member of the Cassation Court in Riyadh. The imam and khatib at the Grand Mosque, Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais, said that some youths were attracted to the extremist ideologies because of weak family control or the failure of schools and mosques to pass the right message to them. “Terror is the bane of the modern age, a cancerous growth that should be removed,” Al-Sudais said. Ahmad Al-Muwarrae, imam and khatib of a Makkah mosque, said that the extremists send messages to the young people with the aim of recruiting them to perform criminal acts. “Their aim is to destroy the peaceful life enjoyed by the people in the country,” Al-Muwarrae said. A lecturer at the Prophet’s Mosque and former professor at the Islamic University in Madinah, Saleh Al-Sehaimi, said that it’s wrong to blame unemployment for these activities, as some scholars think. “There are certain issue that many of our scholars admit do exist in the society but they could be resolved without resorting to destructive activities,” Al-Sehaimi said. |
Harrah Rahat to Become Eco-Tourism Center
Yousuf Mohammad, Arab News
MADINAH — The Supreme Commission for Tourism plans to make the Harrah Rahat (Rahat Volcano) an eco-tourism center.
Harrah Rahat on the 916-meter high Jabal Lamsa plateau near Madinah is a volcano crate with an enormous surrounding licorice-black lava field.
“Harrah Rahat is one of the most spectacular natural sites in the Kingdom,” said Yusuf Al-Mozaini, head of the tourism department in Madinah. “In terms of volcanic studies the site is immensely significant.”
The tourism department, local municipality and the Saudi Geological Survey are currently working to preserve the natural features of the Harrah, Al-Mozaini told Arab News.
The volcano first erupted in this part of Arabia two million years ago and remained active until 1256 AD when it last erupted. Then, the fiery eruptions lasted nearly two months and spewed lava and ash from a massive fissure southeast of Madinah, throwing up six cones of cinders. The lava flowed a distance of 23 km from the crater.
According to ancient historians, the depth of the lava flow was a long spear’s length, around three meters and it flowed like a red-blue boiling river, carrying in its way gravels, stones and trees, with a noise-like thunder.
The volcanic cinders have consumer uses as well. Glowing a pleasant red at 1000 degrees Centigrade, volcanic cinders are ideal for lining gas barbecues. As firewood becomes scarcer in the region, kebab restaurants and grills increasingly turn to volcanic stone placed over gas fires.
A visitor to the top of the mountain can view the city of Madinah in its full glory sprawling around the Prophet’s Mosque.
| As Temperatures Rise, Water Lines Grow Hasan Hatrash, Arab News |
||||||
|
JEDDAH, 10 June 2008 — The summertime in Jeddah means at least two things: summer vacation and water shortages. And as the temperature rises, the lines at the city’s main water distribution centers grow. Yesterday hundreds of people were seen queued up in front of the Al-Aziziah and Guaizah water distribution plants. Water supplies have been cut in various districts around the city for the last five days. “I have been standing in this queue for more than seven hours and still I didn’t reach my turn in getting a water tanker,” said Salman Al-Harthi, a resident of Al-Aziziah district. He said that the water supply is cut and there are not enough water tankers to buy. “This is a crisis,” he said. “We live next to the sea and we are suffering from a lack of water.” Ahmad Kabir, a Pakistani working as a building supervisor (a “haris”) complained that the distribution plant did not allow expatriates to buy water. He said that after waiting for nine hours, he arrived to the counter only to realize that priority of selling the water was for Saudi citizens. “I have collected the water tanker’s price, which is SR114 from the residents of the building I work for, and now I’m stuck because they won’t sell me water,” he said. Water distribution centers giving preferential treatment to Saudis was reported last summer, especially during the peak consumption month of Ramadan. The massive traffic jams and large queues of people have even prevented the movement of water tankers that was leaving the plant’s yard for their destinations. Black market water dealers were dwelling near the water distribution plant offering their payload for exaggerated prices that reached over SR400 for a large tanker truck. (The actual price is SR114.) “I can’t pay SR400 for a water tanker,” said Abu Saleh, a retired Saudi government employee in his 60s who has been without water at home for three days. “I can hardly afford the normal price and here I am, stuck for many hours without going anywhere.” Jeddah has municipal water lines, but they serve different parts of the city at different times and at different frequencies. A building in one part of the city may only receive water from municipal lines once a month. In another part of the city, a building may receive water twice per week. When the water comes, building managers fill reservoirs. But when those reservoirs become empty, water must be obtained via delivery trucks from the distribution centers. Some building managers are more responsible than others when it comes to arranging for the water-truck delivery. The best building managers ensure a constant flow of water, even if it means collecting extra money from tenants to order the water truck. Some managers can leave residents high and dry for days, or even weeks, with dry taps. When searching for housing in Jeddah, it is highly recommended that you investigate the water situation in the district (to check for the frequency of water delivery via municipal pipes) as well as in the building — to check on the responsibility of the management and the haris to ensuring a constant flow of delivered water). |
Horseback Riding
Equestrian Council of Jeddah is currently under construction on the Corniche, south of the Inter-continental which promises to be impressive in its size and facilities. Arabic speakers call 671 8975 / 670 3685 / 671 8714 for further information.
The Arabian Horse Centre is a private stable, 15 minutes from the Briman Junction on the Makkah/Madeenah expressway, which offers riding instruction by qualified instructors for families and children. Livery with personal attention is also available and cross country rides and desert riding are available on request. Eng. speakers call 691 8810 ext #172 or 055 671934 for further information.
Mersal Village has an equestrian club and can arrange riding lessons by appointment. Telephone 225 0003.
Trio Ranch Country Club offers private individual lessons, half private (two riders), group (three riders and more), riding without instructor and pony rides. Payment of an annual membership fee allows unlimited access to all facilities, including training ring, other arenas, golf course and tennis courts at reduced rates. There is also a clubhouse and lounge where refreshments are served. Telephone 669 5129 or Fax 669 4896.
| Women Outnumber Men Who Memorized Qur’an in Asyah Khaled Al-Awadh, Arab News |
| BURAIDAH, 8 June 2008 — Twenty Holy Qur’an memorizers were honored at a special function held in a mosque in Al-Asyah, 65 kilometers east of Buraidah, recently. The event was sponsored by Al-Asyah Philanthropic Society.
For the first time in the history of Al-Asyah Society for Memorizing the Holy Qur’an, women graduates outnumbered men graduates: 11 women memorized the entire Qur’an this year against nine men. The graduates received cash prizes and certificates from Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University. There are 12 Qur’an schools for women run by the Al-Asyah Philanthropic Society. “In Buraidah, there are more than 30 schools for women,” said Ali ibn Mohammad Al-Ajlan, general director of the Ministry of Islamic Affairs’ branch in the city. Citing the criticism of some writers on the role of Qur’an memorization societies, Sulaiman ibn Abdulrahman Al-Rubei, the head of Qassim Holy Qur’an Philanthropic Society played down such propaganda and described the Qur’an memorization societies as “strong, solid and clean.” Al-Rubei pointed out that the number of graduates of these societies reached 2,300 in Qassim alone. “Qur’an schools for girls have reached 130 schools in the region,” he added. The number of students at Al-Asyah Society alone has reached about 1,600. They belong to 94 groups in different mosques in Al-Asyah. More than 150 students have memorized the Qur’an and now lead prayers in local mosques or work as teachers. The society has established 12 centers for women with more than 530 students. Among the graduates honored is Amanullah Wali Al-Rahman Khan, a 12-year-old Indian student who memorized the entire Qur’an. Amanullah’s sister, Asmaa, is one of the 11 women graduates who were honored at the function. “I thank God for helping me to memorize the Holy Qur’an at this young age. It is a great pride and at the same time a big responsibility. I thank everyone who has helped me to achieve this goal, including my parents and teachers,” the boy said. |
| Kingdom Approves UN Convention on Rights of Special Needs People Nuha Adlan, Arab News |
| RIYADH, 3 June 2008 — Social workers, officials and special needs people alike welcomed the government’s recent decision to adopt the first international convention on the rights of persons with disabilities.
Following instructions from Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and recommendations of the Shoura Council, the Saudi Cabinet last week decided to adopt the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The convention, which is to be signed in the near future, will result in the Kingdom abiding by all of its articles. Prior to giving its approval, the Council of Ministers thoroughly studied the Shoura Council’s decision in this regard last January. The convention was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on Dec. 13, 2006, and was opened for signature and ratification on March 30, 2007. The 50-article convention asserts the rights to education, health, work, adequate living conditions, freedom of movement, freedom from exploitation and equal recognition before the law for persons with disabilities. It also addresses the need for persons with disabilities to have access to public transport, buildings and other facilities and recognizes their capacity to make decisions for themselves. Dr. Naser Al-Mousa, educational consultant for educational services at the Ministry of Education, who is also disabled, believes the convention will better the plight of disabled people in Saudi Arabia. “The Council of Ministers’ approval is a good step. … Signing the convention and joining other countries will hopefully be the next step,” he said. “The articles of the convention are comprehensive and tackle every matter in their life… I am so happy about adopting the convention. I am eager to see the implementation of Article 24, which deals with education. We will fight hard to apply it,” Al-Mousa added. Omar Al-Abdan, 30, is unemployed and uses a wheelchair. He told Arab News that he was thrilled by the news. He added that he has been unable to find a job, as he was unable to find a working environment that accommodates his needs. “I am really happy to know about this, especially since there are many articles that talk about employment and education,” he added. “To begin with, the idea of giving support to people with disabilities is originally derived from Islam, which has always urged people to support and cooperate with those who need help,”Al-Abdan said. “I wonder if I will be able to work in a place that suits my disability.” Despite all the promises of a better tomorrow, some disabled people are concerned that they would not be able to enjoy the rights listed in the convention. Muhammad Al-Qasim, a 20-year-old wheelchair user, said he was disappointed by the current situation faced by disabled people and did not see any hope in the future. “I think the problem cannot be solved by signing an agreement. The real problem lies in the minds of people who underestimate the disabled,” he said. “I do not want to jump to conclusions. Who can guarantee me that the agreement will make my life better?” he asked. “I know that the government is doing a tremendous effort to support us. However, people have a preconception that disabled people are incapable… If anyone is able to change an attitude then I am up for change,” he added. Integration of the disabled in the social and educational life has been among the Kingdom’s main priorities for the past 15 years. |
| Ministry Bans Advertising Breast-Milk Substitutes Arab News |
| JEDDAH, 25 May 2008 — Hospitals and clinics will no longer be allowed to offer new mothers promotional samples of baby milk powder starting Tuesday, following a new law issued by Minister of Health Dr. Hamad Al-Manie.
“The initiative aims to promote breastfeeding,” said Dr. Manal Khorshid, coordinator of the breastfeeding program at the Jeddah Directorate of Health. The law includes 28 articles regarding the marketing of baby milk, food substitutes, baby bottles and pacifiers. It also bans the advertising and the promotion of baby milk and food substitutes, including the offering of free samples at hospitals and clinics. “Even TV advertisements must be stopped,” said Khorshid. “Mothers should breastfeed their newborns the moment they deliver them. It is not true that the colostrum milk that the mother produces when she delivers is not enough for the baby. Newborns cannot have more than five to seven milliliters. Their stomach then grows to hold from 27 to 30 milliliters,” she added. Mothers begin to produce prolactin hormones when they enter their seventh month of pregnancy. “All mothers have these changes but some of them lose their milk because of the wrong methods they use to nurse their babies,” she said. Hospitals, manufacturers, importers and distributors who break the law would face fines of between SR5,000 and SR150,000, and closure for 180 days. Some hospitals that are baby-friendly do not allow the distribution of such promotional products. But others, including government hospitals, hand out free samples and feed babies ready-to-drink milk as soon as they are born, rather than giving mothers the chance to breastfeed. Some mothers lack knowledge of the importance of breastfeeding and the immunity this provides their babies. The Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Commerce and other related bodies will oversee the implementation of the new law. Baby products will also be checked to see if they meet standards set by the Saudi Arabian Standards Organization. The ministry issued an executive bylaw last February for implementing the new law by the end of this month. |
| Waei Launches Program to Help Married Couples Arab News |
| RIYADH, 22 March 2008 — The Social Enlightenment and Rehabilitation Society (Waei) launched in Riyadh on Thursday a program called The Family Leadership License Project with the aim of training young men and women intending to marry and helping recently married couples on how to make their family life a success.The program would educate the participants on how to solve the common psychological, financial, legal, and sexual problems faced by newly married people. It would enlighten them on the factors that would help them lead a normal family life. The chairman of the society, Ata Allah Al-Rohaily, said while addressing the third general body meeting of the society that he felt it was necessary to launch the project because of the increasing number of divorces and serious family problems among the newly married.
“The project aims to train 3,000 young people in 60 programs annually at different regions in the Kingdom. The society would issue certificates called ‘the license for family leadership’ on the successful completion of the course to each participant, Al-Watan daily quoted Al-Rohaily as saying. The society would work in concert with other governmental and private organizations with the aim of helping people build a healthy family life. Social experts in the society and volunteers from outside will supervise the program, he said. In another development, Prince Faisal bin Salman, president of the executive committee of the Charitable Society for Orphan Care in Riyadh (Insan), will open today a branch of the society in Aflaj, according to Saleh Al-Yusuf, director general of the Insan society, the Saudi Press Agency reported. “Since the founding of the society it has been striving to extend its services to all deserving orphans under a 10-point program and it is with this aim four branches are being opened in the Riyadh region,” Al-Yusuf said. The first branch of the Insan society was opened in Al-Kharj three years ago. Later the society decided to open three more branches at Al-Zulfa, Aflaj and Dawadmi. The opening function with the participation of the dignitaries from the Aflaj governorate aims at outlining the branch’s activities in the Aflaj governorate. The director general appealed to philanthropists to support the numerous charitable and humanitarian activities of the society covering education, recreation, training, employment, aid — both in kind and cash. |
| Breast Cancer Cases on the Rise Arab News |
| JEDDAH, 8 March 2008 — Breast cancer tops the list of various types of cancers that Saudi women suffering from, accounting for 19 percent of the total, the National Registry for Cancer said.The registry pointed out that about nine percent of women in the world suffer from cancer. About a million new cancer cases appear every year worldwide and nearly 400,000 women die of breast cancer.
The registry’s findings come three days before a conference on women’s health in Jeddah. Princess Al-Anoud bint Abdullah, the wife of Makkah governor, will open the conference on Monday. More than 300 women doctors and specialists are expected to participate in the four-day conference to be held at Lailaty Hall. Organized by King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center in Jeddah, the conference will include awareness programs on breast cancer, heart diseases, AIDS and family violence. It will also offer free diagnosis for breast cancer, blood pressure, cholesterol, and hepatitis-B, organizers said. |