DiDi was kind enough to call Saad Specialized Hospital, and they told her they still have places in the free kidney treatment program that I posted about earlier. Some conditions, however, apply: 1) person already has a donor (a first or second degree relative), 2) priority is for those living in the Eastern Province as that would be easier for them due to the need of repeated visits to the hospital, 3) the hospital covers the expenses of the transplant surgery, and all the tests and so which should be done before the surgery. Being a Saudi is not a requirement. For applying and more information, please call +966 3 8826666. Thanks, DiDi.

Al Arabiya Net, the website of Al Arabiya satellite news channel, have launched their vedio portal which they have been advertising on their screen for months. Ahmed Humeid about this wrote about this last month. The videos available now are categorized into four groups: short documentaries, video journalism, personal videos, and mobilephone videos. The homepage features what looks like “editors’ pick” video on top, followed by the latest videos, and then different videos from the four categories. They also offer some short tutorials for shooting and editing videos.

Looking at the website, you don’t get the impression that they are going after competing with the likes of YouTube and Google Video, but it is nonetheless an interesting move by a TV network in the Arab World to adopt citizen journalism. How other mainstram media players in the region react to this move is something to watch over the coming months. There is one issue here though: the mainstream media don’t enjoy the trust of people in this part of the world because it is either controlled by governments or much influnced by them, so how the people are supposed to trust the mainstream media with their own content?

Mahmood Ahmadinejad is blogging now.

As if the ban on women driving have not already brought enough embarrassment to this country, now five members of the European Parliament are backing a bizarre campaign to ban Saudi men from driving in the EU. These five MEPs argue that a move to ban male Saudi nationals from driving in the EU would help the Saudi authorities to understand the very strong condemnation evoked in Europe by the ban on women drivers. One of these members is Roger Helmer, a British conservative who said, “the nationals of authoritarian countries assume that they can come to the West and enjoy our freedoms, while maintaining discrimination and denying basic human rights at home.” If at least half of the 316 members sign the motion, it will become a formal resolution of the parliament. Now, what are we going to do about this? Do we really want to be banned from driving in Europe?

Please join theUNcampaign.org.

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.