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Wednesday, August 05, 2009 RIYADH: A Sri Lankan man and a Saudi teenager suffering from a heart defect have died from swine flu, raising the country's flu death toll to six, the Saudi health ministry said on Tuesday. The Sri Lankan man, 32, was found dead in his hotel room on Monday, while the 15-year-old Saudi failed to respond to treatment and died in hospital. On Friday the ministry said total A(H1N1) flu infections had reached nearly 600, and the government said it was doubling surveillance efforts as the peak season approached for umrah, the Islamic minor pilgrimage, to Mecca and Medina. Hundreds of thousands of people from around the world are expected to undertake the umrah during the month of Ramadan beginning in late August, heightening the threat of the disease spreading. Another two million or more are expected for the hajj full pilgrimage beginning at the end of November.

Saturday, August 01, 2009 WASHINGTON: Saudi Arabia on Friday bluntly rejected U.S. appeals for improved relations with Israel as a way to help restart Middle East peace talks, saying the Jewish state is not interested in a deal.After talks with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal said his country will not consider steps suggested by U.S. Mideast peace envoy George Mitchell until Israel accepts Arab demands to withdraw from all occupied Palestinian territories."Incrementalism and a step-by-step approach, has not and, we believe, will not lead to peace," Saud said as Clinton looked on at a joint State Department news conference. "Temporary security and confidence building measures will also not bring peace.""What is required is a comprehensive approach that defines the final outcome at the outset and launches into negotiations over final status issues," the prince said, referring to the borders of a future...

Saturday, August 01, 2009 RIYADH: The Ministry of Health, for the second consecutive day, announced on Friday two more swine flu deaths among Saudis in the Kingdom, bringing the total number of fatalities to four.The first victim was identified only as Abdullah, a 32-year-old Saudi nurse, who died at the Al-Nafi government hospital, located 100 km from Al-Ras in Qassim province. Abdullah was working in a hospital in Taif and was transferred to the region on his request three weeks ago. He developed high fever and was admitted to the hospital on Wednesday following complaints of breathing difficulties.The second victim was a 25-year-old Saudi youth, who died at the Al-Namas government hospital, 30 km from Abha, the capital of Asir province. He was admitted Tuesday to the hospital for a severe sore throat and a chest infection. He was reportedly a chain smoker with bronchitis, which doctors say could have played a role in his death.The other two patients who succumbed to swine flu includ...

Wednesday, July 29, 2009 RIYADH: Regional powerhouse Saudi Arabia will not recognise Israel until it withdraws from occupied Arab land and makes committed steps toward a lasting two-state solution, a senior official said on Wednesday. Foreign ministry spokesman Osama Nugali also called Israeli policy "schizophrenic" and said it was jeopardising attempts to revive Middle East peace talks aimed at creating an independent Palestinian state. "Our position is well known. It is Israel that has to move seriously towards the peace process," Nugali said. "As we all know, Israel is continuing to take unilateral measures by changing the geographic and demographic facts on the ground, by building settlements and expanding the existing ones," he said. "The Arab peace initiative is very clear," he said, referring to a 2002 Saudi-inspired Middle East peace blueprint. "That Israel should withdraw from the Arab lands and put an end to its occupation and res...

Saturday, July 25, 2009 RIYADH: Saudi beauty queen Aya Ali al-Mulla trounced 274 rivals to win a crown, jewellery, cash and a trip to Malaysia, and all without showing her face, Saudi media reported on Friday.With her face and body completely covered by the black head-to-toe abaya mandatory in the conservative Muslim kingdom, 18-year-old Mullah was named "Queen of Beautiful Morals" late on Thursday, newspapers said.There was none of the swimsuit and evening gown competitions and heavy media coverage of beauty pageants elsewhere when the contest was decided in the eastern city of Safwa.Instead, the winner and the two runner-up princesses had to undergo a three-month test of their dutifulness to their parents and family, and their service to society.This included a battery of personal, cultural, social and psychological tests, Al-Watan reported.It was unclear exactly what Mullah did to pip her rivals in the huge field, but Al-Watan reported that the high school graduate had go...