Here is a good Why Do They Hate Us? piece by Jacob G. Hornberger. “What would be wrong with ending the U.S. government’s role as world policeman, intervenor, meddler, and interloper, not only in the Middle East but also in the rest of the world?”

Maan Al-Sanei, one of the well-known Saudi businessmen, has already donated to pay the complete and full treatment expenses for 60 cases of kidney failure for those who cannot afford to pay the expenses. The expenses will include kidney transplant in Saad Specialized Hospital in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. The Hospital has, so far, received 4 cases only.

If you know poor patients suffering a kidney failure, please tell them. You can contact the hospital via phone: Saad Specialized Hospital, Dammam, Khobar. Tel +966 3 8826666. UPDATE: I apologize. I think this was circulating since the end of May but I don’t know why I just received it now. I don’t know if they are still have space for more cases; so if you were interested please do call the above mentioned phone number. Sorry, again.

Earlier this year I wrote about religious tourism opportunities in Saudi Arabia. Next month, an international forum on tourism in Islamic countries will take place in Jeddah.

Subscribers to Al Jawal mobile service can now check if they have traffic tickets or fines via SMS. Just send your ID or Iqama number to 88993, and you will receive a text message whether or not you have tickets.

According to Havocscope, which is a disruption tracking service that captures the uncertainty of disruptions around the world, Saudi Arabia counterfeit US$ 10m worth of books. I wonder about the accuracy of this number. I’m no expert on this, but I know for sure that reading is not such a favorite pastime in this part of the world, and therefore I find this number hard to believe. (thx b)

“In Saudi Arabia, every one is watching you,” a young female reporter told Reuters in a recent interview. The story takes on the hurdles Saudi women journalists have to overcome to prove themselves and make their voice heard.