Saudi Arabia

By John Terrett in Americas on December 8th, 2011
Test models performed well in the laboratory, but the farm's real turbines will need to stand up to the region's bleak weather
Maine, a northeastern US state known more for its lobster than renewable energy, is pushing to become a world leader in deep sea wind power.

While Europe has over one hundred off-shore wind farms - some fixed to the seabed and some floating - the United States, perhaps surprisingly, has none at all. That's right: none, zero, nada.

By Kamal Hyder in Asia on May 12th, 2011

Within years after Russian forces invaded Afghanistan in 1979, the US and Saudi Arabia sent in billions of dollars to help the mujahideen, or holy warriors, in their uphill struggle against Russian forces. As the battles for control of Afghanistan got under way, thousands of Arab and other foreign volunteers made a beeline for Pakistan to join the Afghan mujahideen and cross into Afghanistan to wage jihad against the brutal occupation of Afghanistan.

By Al Jazeera Staff in Middle East on March 17th, 2011
Photo by AFP

The latest news, photos and videos from Bahrain, where security forces have arrested several opposition figures hours after they dispersed pro-democracy protesters from Manama centre.

(All times are local in Bahrain, GMT +3)

By Nick Clark in Americas on February 27th, 2011
Photo by EPA

From Oscar fever to Lady Gaga's pyrotechnic two piece (yes, fireworks detonating from her midriff), the Sunday papers make an interesting read in Washington DC, to say the least. So as people walk the empty weekend streets to their traditional brunch spots, there's plenty on the menu to chew on.

Whether or not it matters that top films like The King's Speech do not stick to historical truth, to the transluscent rubber dress Lady Gaga wore. 

Perhaps some will move more seriously, to the ever developing situation in Libya.

And as the rebels look to Tripoli, the Washington Post ponders this question:

"It can't happen in Saudi Arabia. Right?"

(http://wapo.st/fTCGhL)

A Facebook page is calling for a "day of rage" protest in Saudi on March 11.

By Al Jazeera Staff in Middle East on February 16th, 2011
[Photo: AFP]

From our headquarters in Doha, we keep you updated with reports from our staff across the country and further afield. 

AJE Live Stream - Bahrain forces fire on protesters - Country profile: Bahrain

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By Al Jazeera Staff in Middle East on January 30th, 2011
Sleeping protester at Tahrir Sq. with signs: "people decide for themselves" and "down with the head of the gang" [Reuters]

From our headquarters in Doha, we keep you updated on all things Egypt, with reporting from Al Jazeera staff in Cairo, Alexandria, and Suez.  Live Blog: Jan28 - Jan29 - Jan30 - Jan31 - Feb1 - Feb2 - Feb3<

By Imran Garda in Middle East on November 19th, 2010
Photo by Fadi El Binni

The Pakistani and the Saudi

It's 1am and we’re on our bus drive from the tent city of Mina to Arafat , where pilgrims spend the daylight hours at the plains surrounding Mount Arafat, before moving on.

It was a sight that had a post-apocalyptic aura about it and made me swallow the moisture in my mouth.

For 4km, lining the street like jagged stitches on an otherwise neat garment, were tens of thousands of pilgrims, clad in ihram, most of them deep in sleep ahead of the momentous day ahead.

A day so significant the Prophet Muhammad stated, "Hajj IS Arafat". Muslims believe that any prayer a pilgrim makes with utmost sincerity at Arafat will be accepted.

By Sohail Rahman in Middle East on November 15th, 2010
Photo by Al Jazeera's Fadi El Binni

More than two million Muslims are on their way to the plain of Arafat in Saudi Arabia, having moved now from Mina as the Hajj rituals swing into full gear.

The tented city of Mina is where pilgrims will be at one with God and where they will return to stone the representation of the devil depicted as huge stone slabs in a ritual in the coming days.

This comes as the pilgrims begin their journey to attain the vital steps towards the status as Hajjis.

Part of that is to sacrifice an animal to commemorate the prophet Abraham’s willingness to give up his son Ismail as an offering to God.

At the last second, Muslims believe God  - seeing Abraham’s devotion to him - swapped Ismail with a sheep, hence the slaughtering of animals as part of Hajj.

This all happens at Mina and up to 750,000 camels, cows, sheep and goats are being prepared for sacrifice.

By Imran Garda in Middle East on November 9th, 2010
LP Ariyawathie

Away from our Hajj coverage, for which we are currently filming some feature reports to be released in the next week, I thought I would share something I came across in a leading English language Saudi daily The Saudi Gazette entitled 'Magic Maids'.

This is how it opened:

"We must face up to the threats from some maids and servants and their satanic games of witchcraft and sorcery, their robbery, murder, entrapment of husbands, corruption of children and other countless stories of crime that have been highlighted by both experts and victims of these crimes."

As I checked to see whether this was a The Onion-type satirical column I recalled the recent appeal by Amnesty International for Saudi King Abdullah to commute the death sentences of Lebanese national Ali Hussain Sibat and Sudanese national Abdul Hamid bin Hussain bin Moustafa al-Fakki.

The men were convicted to death for sorcery.

By John Terrett in Americas on October 21st, 2010
Photo by EPA
The Obama administration announced on Wednesday potentially the largest overseas arms sale in US history.

Saudi Arabia has been given the green light to buy up to $60bn of weaponry from key US arms manufacturers.

On the Saudi shopping list is 84 new Boeing F-15 fighter jets, widely used in Iraq and Afghanistan, plus upgrades for the 70 they already own. The F-15 is not the newest fighter out there but the Saudis will get the same specification as recent US sales of similar aircraft to South Korea and Singapore.

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