By Mohammed Al-Kinani
JEDDAH - The Saudi Under-19 national team started its qualifying round of the AFC U-19 Championship 2010 with a 5-1 victory over Afghanistan at the Franso Hariri Stadium in Erbil, Iraq, Thursday.
The two-time title champion (1986 and 1992) Saudis were keen to score as many goals as it could since the group includes other strong teams like Kuwait, Iraq, Oman and India.
Midfielder Yehiya Deghriri put the Saudis in the lead in the 22nd minute. Some 12 minutes later, the scorer was brought down in the area. Abdullah Otaif scored from the spot in the 36th minute.
Afghanistan scored through Mohammed Siddiq two minutes after the break.
In the 60th minute, Muhanned Al-Farsi scored the third goal for the Saudi team. Ten minutes later, Yasser Al-Fehmi benefited from a defender’s mistake to make it 4-1. From a foul outside the area, Al-Fehmi sent the ball to the left corner of the Afghani goalkeeper to seal the win.
Nasr to face Ahli in final
For the second consecutive year in the competition’s new edition, Al-Nasr and Al-Ahli qualified to the final of the Saudi Federation Youth Cup, after defeating Al-Ittifaq and Al-Hilal respectively in the semifinals Thursday.
At Abdullah Al-Dabl Stadium, Al-Nasr edged host Al-Ittifaq 3-2 while Al-Ahli defeated its guest Al-Hilal 2-0 at Prince Sultan Bin Fahd Stadium in Al-Ahli Club Jeddah.
The final will be played next Thursday (Nov.12) at Al-Nasr Stadium in Riyadh.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Conference on family planning opens today
By Mohammed Al-Kinani
JEDDAH – King Abdul Aziz Hospital and Oncology Center is holding a two-day conference and workshop on birth control and family planning which will be inaugurated by Dr. Sami Badawood, Director of Jeddah Health Affairs, on Saturday.
The conference will discuss religious rulings on the issue of birth control, recent medical methods to control pregnancy and how different methods can be suitable for different women depending on their physical health and their history of disease.
Dr. Entisar Al-Taylouni, a gynecology consultant at King Abdul Aziz Hospital and Oncology Center (KAAHOC), told Saudi Gazette that doctors have noticed that many women are not aware of the medical issues related to birth control.
“For this reason, we think that family medicine doctors are our main target as any family planning program must involve these doctors who are in direct contact with families,” Dr. Al-Taylouni said.
He added that family medicine doctors should always update their knowledge of how pregnancy control methods can be used and what side effects can occur when a woman uses a method which is not suitable for her.
Prominent speakers from different local health institutes will take part in the conference.
“We have invited a number of maternity and gynecology consultants from King Abdul Aziz University, National Guard Hospital, King Faisal Hospital in Al-Khobar and King Abdul Aziz Hospital and Oncology Center,” he added.
Al-Taylouni pointed out that there was no need to invite speakers from international health institutes because of the sensitivity of the issue in Saudi society.
“We believe this is an especially sensitive issue in our society, and one that we should discuss in light of our religion, culture and traditions,” he said.
According to Dr. Al-Taylouni, Dr. Mohammed Ali Al-Bar, an eminent Islamic medicine researcher, will give a lecture on family planning from a religious point of view.
“We will gather many professionals to discuss ways to help families live happily by changing their conceptions and opinions towards pregnancy and pregnancy control methods,” he added.
He denied that the conference was meant to be a campaign to decrease pregnancy cases and said, “We are all Muslims and we would never discuss what may contradict our beliefs. We want to make couples aware of the effectiveness and risks of birth control methods, such as, contraceptive and intrauterine devices, and how family planning can reduce many risks.”
He pointed out that mothers under 15 and over 40 are at higher risk, especially if they are diabetics, suffer from osteoporosis, high blood pressure or anemia.
“So, it is important to discuss such things to come up with recommendations that will help save lives,” he said.
JEDDAH – King Abdul Aziz Hospital and Oncology Center is holding a two-day conference and workshop on birth control and family planning which will be inaugurated by Dr. Sami Badawood, Director of Jeddah Health Affairs, on Saturday.
The conference will discuss religious rulings on the issue of birth control, recent medical methods to control pregnancy and how different methods can be suitable for different women depending on their physical health and their history of disease.
Dr. Entisar Al-Taylouni, a gynecology consultant at King Abdul Aziz Hospital and Oncology Center (KAAHOC), told Saudi Gazette that doctors have noticed that many women are not aware of the medical issues related to birth control.
“For this reason, we think that family medicine doctors are our main target as any family planning program must involve these doctors who are in direct contact with families,” Dr. Al-Taylouni said.
He added that family medicine doctors should always update their knowledge of how pregnancy control methods can be used and what side effects can occur when a woman uses a method which is not suitable for her.
Prominent speakers from different local health institutes will take part in the conference.
“We have invited a number of maternity and gynecology consultants from King Abdul Aziz University, National Guard Hospital, King Faisal Hospital in Al-Khobar and King Abdul Aziz Hospital and Oncology Center,” he added.
Al-Taylouni pointed out that there was no need to invite speakers from international health institutes because of the sensitivity of the issue in Saudi society.
“We believe this is an especially sensitive issue in our society, and one that we should discuss in light of our religion, culture and traditions,” he said.
According to Dr. Al-Taylouni, Dr. Mohammed Ali Al-Bar, an eminent Islamic medicine researcher, will give a lecture on family planning from a religious point of view.
“We will gather many professionals to discuss ways to help families live happily by changing their conceptions and opinions towards pregnancy and pregnancy control methods,” he added.
He denied that the conference was meant to be a campaign to decrease pregnancy cases and said, “We are all Muslims and we would never discuss what may contradict our beliefs. We want to make couples aware of the effectiveness and risks of birth control methods, such as, contraceptive and intrauterine devices, and how family planning can reduce many risks.”
He pointed out that mothers under 15 and over 40 are at higher risk, especially if they are diabetics, suffer from osteoporosis, high blood pressure or anemia.
“So, it is important to discuss such things to come up with recommendations that will help save lives,” he said.
11-man terror cell busted
By Mohammed Al-Kinani
JEDDAH – The Interior ministry said Tuesday Saudi security forces have smashed an 11-member terrorist cell planning attacks, hostage-taking and armed robberies.
“This was quite clear from the hoarded food supplies, guns, cameras and miscellaneous equipment which were found in their hide-out,” Interior Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen.Mansour Al-Turki told Saudi Gazette.
The men had hidden themselves in a cave in a mountainous area near the border with Yemen, the interior ministry said in a statement.
The gang, all Saudis, was planning to attack security men, stage kidnappings, hold “some figures hostage”, and undertake robberies to finance their operations, the ministry statement said.
Al-Turki said the 11 cell members had not been captured as a group.
“After precise security work for long days and nights, our security men were able to hit this cell before it could harm the country,” Al-Turki said.
“They were not arrested at once, but taken one by one, until we were certain we had all of them.”
The group had buried weapons and ammunition in different places and investigations are continuing, the ministry statement said.
None of the 11 is in the list of the Kingdom’s 85 most wanted militants living abroad, Al-Turki said. However, they have contacts with deviant elements outside the Kingdom, he added.
In February the ministry released a list of 83 Saudis and two Yemenis wanted for ties to Al-Qaeda or other militant groups. Three people on the list, which was handed over to Interpol, have since been captured.
JEDDAH – The Interior ministry said Tuesday Saudi security forces have smashed an 11-member terrorist cell planning attacks, hostage-taking and armed robberies.
“This was quite clear from the hoarded food supplies, guns, cameras and miscellaneous equipment which were found in their hide-out,” Interior Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen.Mansour Al-Turki told Saudi Gazette.
The men had hidden themselves in a cave in a mountainous area near the border with Yemen, the interior ministry said in a statement.
The gang, all Saudis, was planning to attack security men, stage kidnappings, hold “some figures hostage”, and undertake robberies to finance their operations, the ministry statement said.
Al-Turki said the 11 cell members had not been captured as a group.
“After precise security work for long days and nights, our security men were able to hit this cell before it could harm the country,” Al-Turki said.
“They were not arrested at once, but taken one by one, until we were certain we had all of them.”
The group had buried weapons and ammunition in different places and investigations are continuing, the ministry statement said.
None of the 11 is in the list of the Kingdom’s 85 most wanted militants living abroad, Al-Turki said. However, they have contacts with deviant elements outside the Kingdom, he added.
In February the ministry released a list of 83 Saudis and two Yemenis wanted for ties to Al-Qaeda or other militant groups. Three people on the list, which was handed over to Interpol, have since been captured.
‘Memory of Stones’ to keep Palestine issue alive
By Mohammed Al-Kinani
JEDDAH – “Young people won’t forget no matter how many old people have died.” That is the message that a group of young Saudis want to send out to the world in reply to the first Israeli prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, who once said that the elderly were about to die, and the new generation would forget.
A group of enthusiastic young Saudi men and women, mostly college students, are intensifying their efforts to keep the Palestinian issue alive in the minds of the younger generation. “Since the Palestinian issue will always be one of our priorities, we are organizing ‘Memories of Stones 61,’” Hidayah Munir Abbas, a campaign organizer in her early 20s, told Saudi Gazette.
According to Abbas, who is a student at Dar Al-Hekma College, the campaign was established on the 60th anniversary of the Catastrophe of the year 1948, called “Al-Nakba” in Arabic, when the declaration of the “so-called state of Israel” was announced.
Abbas pointed out that the campaign started last year and that it would not stop until the Palestinians regain their full rights. She also emphasized that the group is taking advantage of modern technology to take the campaign to the whole world.
She gave the reasons why the group of young people started the campaign saying that they noticed that many people nowadays seem to be unaware of the Palestinian issue. “We decided to start an educational campaign about the history and situation of the Palestinian people.
The campaign is a reply to the first Israeli prime minister who claimed that in time we would forget our main issue,” Abbas said.
As for the name of the campaign (Memories of Stones), she said that the organizers of the campaign wanted to say that their new generation is of a sharp mind and cannot easily forget.
The Memories of Stones Campaign includes a gallery that shows different aspects of the Palestinian issue, an oral presentation about Palestine, the famous documentary, ‘Occupation 101’ and Palestinian traditional goods and books about the issue that are sold to finance the campaign to ensure continuity.
“We work under the umbrella of the World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY), and get our financial support from a number of businessmen,” Abbas said.
She added that their main policy is to objectively illustrate all the facts about the Palestinian issue. “We want to educate not only young people but all of society about the important stages that the Palestinian issue has gone through,” she said.
JEDDAH – “Young people won’t forget no matter how many old people have died.” That is the message that a group of young Saudis want to send out to the world in reply to the first Israeli prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, who once said that the elderly were about to die, and the new generation would forget.
A group of enthusiastic young Saudi men and women, mostly college students, are intensifying their efforts to keep the Palestinian issue alive in the minds of the younger generation. “Since the Palestinian issue will always be one of our priorities, we are organizing ‘Memories of Stones 61,’” Hidayah Munir Abbas, a campaign organizer in her early 20s, told Saudi Gazette.
According to Abbas, who is a student at Dar Al-Hekma College, the campaign was established on the 60th anniversary of the Catastrophe of the year 1948, called “Al-Nakba” in Arabic, when the declaration of the “so-called state of Israel” was announced.
Abbas pointed out that the campaign started last year and that it would not stop until the Palestinians regain their full rights. She also emphasized that the group is taking advantage of modern technology to take the campaign to the whole world.
She gave the reasons why the group of young people started the campaign saying that they noticed that many people nowadays seem to be unaware of the Palestinian issue. “We decided to start an educational campaign about the history and situation of the Palestinian people.
The campaign is a reply to the first Israeli prime minister who claimed that in time we would forget our main issue,” Abbas said.
As for the name of the campaign (Memories of Stones), she said that the organizers of the campaign wanted to say that their new generation is of a sharp mind and cannot easily forget.
The Memories of Stones Campaign includes a gallery that shows different aspects of the Palestinian issue, an oral presentation about Palestine, the famous documentary, ‘Occupation 101’ and Palestinian traditional goods and books about the issue that are sold to finance the campaign to ensure continuity.
“We work under the umbrella of the World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY), and get our financial support from a number of businessmen,” Abbas said.
She added that their main policy is to objectively illustrate all the facts about the Palestinian issue. “We want to educate not only young people but all of society about the important stages that the Palestinian issue has gone through,” she said.
2 young Saudis take upon themselves to end racism
By Mohammed Al-Kinani
JEDDAH¬ – Two young Saudis, Ali Al-Hamzan and Hussein Al-Mansour, have begun a tour of the 13 regions of the country on the noble mission of spreading awareness of the importance of the call of Prince Mishal Bin Abdul Aziz, Chairman of the Allegiance (Pledge) Commission, to eliminate racism and tribal discrimination in the Kingdom.
Inspired by the words of King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Emir of the Makkah Region, the two young men decided that “it was time for us to do something for our country,” Al-Hamzan told Saudi Gazette.
“Prince Mishal, Chairman of the Allegiance Commission, has been calling for people to fight against racism. We contacted him and told him of our plans and he blessed the idea and promised to fully finance our tour. He told us that we should visit all parts of the country to help raise awareness of the issue,” Al-Hamzan added.
Social unity and intellectual security have always been of the utmost importance to the leaders of Saudi Arabia.
“One of the main interests of our leaders is maintaining solidarity and unity among people,” Al-Hamzan said. He added that he and his friend, Al-Mansour, believe in Prince Mishal’s efforts to work to remove an evil that could negatively affect the distinctive social fabric of the Kingdom.
“We are planning to tour all the 13 regions of the country. It is true that there are only two of us, but, in a way, we represent all the members of society. We have met with many officials, including Prince Khaled Al-Faisal and Fahd Bin Muammar, Governor of Taif. We will also try to meet with ministers and different segments of society,” he explained.
Al-Hamzan pointed out that they have also met with ordinary people at commercial centers and with people in the street. He said that they want to listen to what people have to say and the ideas they might have about the elimination of racism.
“We found that nearly everyone we met is against all types of uncontrolled ethnicity and racism,” he said and added that there have recently been several racial provocations as a result of programs broadcast on tribal satellite channels and the publicity given to camel beauty contests.
He pointed out that Prince Mishal has called for these camel beauty contests to be merged into one to be held at the annual Al-Janadriyah Cultural Festival.
According Al-Hamzan, some people he has talked to feel that the Ministries of Education and Culture and Information should play a role in fighting racism.
“Violence sometimes appears in schools and people would like the Ministry of Education to do something about it. Some others we have met believe that some satellite channels pour oil on the fire. Our job is to collect comments from these people and meet with ministers to discuss the comments that people have made,” Al-Hamzan explained.
He added that they expect ministers to propose solutions to the problem of racism.
“In the end, we will hand over a full report to Prince Mishal who will see what can be done. In fact, such a report will be important in carrying out further studies or in making decisions. The officials in the Prince’s office are with us step by step on a daily basis to see the progress of our tour. This is evidence of Prince Mishal’s keenness to eradicate racism that can harm the unity of our society,” he added.
Some people whom Al-Hamzan and Al-Mansour met asked whether the tour was actually aimed at the Kingdom’s tribes.
“We told these people that this is not true and that we fully support all tribal concepts that call for positive values. These people then realized what the tour was all about and expressed their readiness to lend a hand,” he said.
Al-Hamzan pointed out that they would visit the main tribal chiefs to discuss with them ways to eliminate racism, and that they would also visit religious figures and the presidents of sports clubs for the same reason.
“We should all work together, shoulder to shoulder, to fight racism in all aspects of our life. Nowadays, many tribal chiefs do not play the same role that they once played in the past in educating the members of their tribes. Have you recently heard of a tribal chief who has gathered together some of the members of his tribe to discuss such issues with them?” he asked.
Al-Hamzan anticipates that the tour will take up to six months to complete so that all parts of the country can be covered.
“You cannot imagine what we can achieve if we all work together. Ministers, imams, teachers, families and intellectuals – working together, they can surely solve any problem,” he said.
JEDDAH¬ – Two young Saudis, Ali Al-Hamzan and Hussein Al-Mansour, have begun a tour of the 13 regions of the country on the noble mission of spreading awareness of the importance of the call of Prince Mishal Bin Abdul Aziz, Chairman of the Allegiance (Pledge) Commission, to eliminate racism and tribal discrimination in the Kingdom.
Inspired by the words of King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Emir of the Makkah Region, the two young men decided that “it was time for us to do something for our country,” Al-Hamzan told Saudi Gazette.
“Prince Mishal, Chairman of the Allegiance Commission, has been calling for people to fight against racism. We contacted him and told him of our plans and he blessed the idea and promised to fully finance our tour. He told us that we should visit all parts of the country to help raise awareness of the issue,” Al-Hamzan added.
Social unity and intellectual security have always been of the utmost importance to the leaders of Saudi Arabia.
“One of the main interests of our leaders is maintaining solidarity and unity among people,” Al-Hamzan said. He added that he and his friend, Al-Mansour, believe in Prince Mishal’s efforts to work to remove an evil that could negatively affect the distinctive social fabric of the Kingdom.
“We are planning to tour all the 13 regions of the country. It is true that there are only two of us, but, in a way, we represent all the members of society. We have met with many officials, including Prince Khaled Al-Faisal and Fahd Bin Muammar, Governor of Taif. We will also try to meet with ministers and different segments of society,” he explained.
Al-Hamzan pointed out that they have also met with ordinary people at commercial centers and with people in the street. He said that they want to listen to what people have to say and the ideas they might have about the elimination of racism.
“We found that nearly everyone we met is against all types of uncontrolled ethnicity and racism,” he said and added that there have recently been several racial provocations as a result of programs broadcast on tribal satellite channels and the publicity given to camel beauty contests.
He pointed out that Prince Mishal has called for these camel beauty contests to be merged into one to be held at the annual Al-Janadriyah Cultural Festival.
According Al-Hamzan, some people he has talked to feel that the Ministries of Education and Culture and Information should play a role in fighting racism.
“Violence sometimes appears in schools and people would like the Ministry of Education to do something about it. Some others we have met believe that some satellite channels pour oil on the fire. Our job is to collect comments from these people and meet with ministers to discuss the comments that people have made,” Al-Hamzan explained.
He added that they expect ministers to propose solutions to the problem of racism.
“In the end, we will hand over a full report to Prince Mishal who will see what can be done. In fact, such a report will be important in carrying out further studies or in making decisions. The officials in the Prince’s office are with us step by step on a daily basis to see the progress of our tour. This is evidence of Prince Mishal’s keenness to eradicate racism that can harm the unity of our society,” he added.
Some people whom Al-Hamzan and Al-Mansour met asked whether the tour was actually aimed at the Kingdom’s tribes.
“We told these people that this is not true and that we fully support all tribal concepts that call for positive values. These people then realized what the tour was all about and expressed their readiness to lend a hand,” he said.
Al-Hamzan pointed out that they would visit the main tribal chiefs to discuss with them ways to eliminate racism, and that they would also visit religious figures and the presidents of sports clubs for the same reason.
“We should all work together, shoulder to shoulder, to fight racism in all aspects of our life. Nowadays, many tribal chiefs do not play the same role that they once played in the past in educating the members of their tribes. Have you recently heard of a tribal chief who has gathered together some of the members of his tribe to discuss such issues with them?” he asked.
Al-Hamzan anticipates that the tour will take up to six months to complete so that all parts of the country can be covered.
“You cannot imagine what we can achieve if we all work together. Ministers, imams, teachers, families and intellectuals – working together, they can surely solve any problem,” he said.
Prince Sultan approves program to develop national teams
By Mohammed Al-Kinani
JEDDAH – Prince Sultan Bin Fahd Bin Abdul Aziz, President of the General Presidency of Youth Welfare (GPYW) and President of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF), approved Monday a program to develop the Saudi national teams.
The plan was presented by Prince Nawaf Bin Faisal Bin Fahd, Deputy President of GPYW and Vice President of SAFF, who presides over the development program.
Prince Sultan wished the group, which includes international experts, all success.
He hoped that the plan would give positive results to enhance the performance of Saudi teams at regional, continental and international levels.
Prince Nawaf pointed out that the team will work to suggest suitable solutions to revive national teams in Saudi Arabia.
“The group will study the recent performances of the three Saudi national teams, through taking notes and opinions from administrative and technical officials,” Prince Nawaf said.
He added that analyzing the real situation comes as a first step to find solutions that can help enforce positive sides and eliminate negative ones.
“We will also work as hard as we can to create standards that can help us improve the performance of the Saudi players at all levels,” he added.
The Prince also added that the group will also review ways to enhance the performance of the Saudi national coaches. He also said that they will review the impact of local participations on the performance of the national teams.
“We will also work on a special program that involves in discovering, following and classifying of young players,” Prince Nawaf said.
“Since a directive by the General President to develop the Saudi national teams was issued, the working group has made several studies and held many meetings,” he said.
According to Prince Nawaf, two work groups were formed. The first one consists of Saudi professionals such as coaches, university specialists, former players and experienced administrators.
“The second, the technical working group, will be headed by Gerard Houllier, Technical Director of the French Football Federation, as a consultant with his distinctive international experience and personal record of achievements,” he said.
Houllier was responsible for the technical file for the preparation of the French team for the 1998 World Cup.
In the same regard, the chief executive of the English Premier League in 1991-1997, Rick Parry, has been selected to head the administrative team.
“A number of national well-known experts will help these two international professionals in their work,” Prince Nawaf said. The prince added that the team will meet with many Saudi teams’ captains, head of clubs, media representatives and players who took part in the recent World Cup qualifying campaign to see what obstacles they faced.
He said that the work will be divided into two phases. The first one includes collecting and analyzing data about everything related to Saudi football.
“During the second phase, the plan will be implemented and reviewed on the basis of results,” he said.
JEDDAH – Prince Sultan Bin Fahd Bin Abdul Aziz, President of the General Presidency of Youth Welfare (GPYW) and President of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF), approved Monday a program to develop the Saudi national teams.
The plan was presented by Prince Nawaf Bin Faisal Bin Fahd, Deputy President of GPYW and Vice President of SAFF, who presides over the development program.
Prince Sultan wished the group, which includes international experts, all success.
He hoped that the plan would give positive results to enhance the performance of Saudi teams at regional, continental and international levels.
Prince Nawaf pointed out that the team will work to suggest suitable solutions to revive national teams in Saudi Arabia.
“The group will study the recent performances of the three Saudi national teams, through taking notes and opinions from administrative and technical officials,” Prince Nawaf said.
He added that analyzing the real situation comes as a first step to find solutions that can help enforce positive sides and eliminate negative ones.
“We will also work as hard as we can to create standards that can help us improve the performance of the Saudi players at all levels,” he added.
The Prince also added that the group will also review ways to enhance the performance of the Saudi national coaches. He also said that they will review the impact of local participations on the performance of the national teams.
“We will also work on a special program that involves in discovering, following and classifying of young players,” Prince Nawaf said.
“Since a directive by the General President to develop the Saudi national teams was issued, the working group has made several studies and held many meetings,” he said.
According to Prince Nawaf, two work groups were formed. The first one consists of Saudi professionals such as coaches, university specialists, former players and experienced administrators.
“The second, the technical working group, will be headed by Gerard Houllier, Technical Director of the French Football Federation, as a consultant with his distinctive international experience and personal record of achievements,” he said.
Houllier was responsible for the technical file for the preparation of the French team for the 1998 World Cup.
In the same regard, the chief executive of the English Premier League in 1991-1997, Rick Parry, has been selected to head the administrative team.
“A number of national well-known experts will help these two international professionals in their work,” Prince Nawaf said. The prince added that the team will meet with many Saudi teams’ captains, head of clubs, media representatives and players who took part in the recent World Cup qualifying campaign to see what obstacles they faced.
He said that the work will be divided into two phases. The first one includes collecting and analyzing data about everything related to Saudi football.
“During the second phase, the plan will be implemented and reviewed on the basis of results,” he said.
Hamidaddin clinches race in Abu Dhabi
By Mohammed Al-Kinani
JEDDAH – Saudi driver, Al-Qassim Hamidaddin, racing for Q Racing Team, won the first ever race held at the newly built Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi Saturday. He won the SC06 class in the Chevrolet Supercars Middle East Championship.
Al-Qassim started the race in third position and was able to take the lead midway through the first lap and hold on to win his class ahead of Bahraini driver Ezra Idafar and Christophe Mariot of France.
Entering his first season in the Chevrolet Supercars Middle East Championship, Al-Qassim was very delighted to win the first race in round one of the championship.
“I thank God for being part of such a great championship and on such a great occasion in the opening race in Yas Marina Circuit,” he said,
He added that to win there was a dream since the championship had a lot of talented drivers.
“I am really proud and I would like to dedicate this victory to Prince Sultan Bin Fahd Bin Abdul Aziz, President of the General Presidency of Youth Welfare (GPYW) and to Prince Nawaf Bin Faisal Bin Fahd Bin Abdul Aziz, Deputy President of GPYWY, for their continuous support for Saudi sports and Saudi youths,” he added.
The Chevrolet Supercars Championship Middle East has a total of seven rounds, and will visit Al-Reem Circuit in Riyadh, Bahrain International Circuit and Abu Dhabi.
JEDDAH – Saudi driver, Al-Qassim Hamidaddin, racing for Q Racing Team, won the first ever race held at the newly built Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi Saturday. He won the SC06 class in the Chevrolet Supercars Middle East Championship.
Al-Qassim started the race in third position and was able to take the lead midway through the first lap and hold on to win his class ahead of Bahraini driver Ezra Idafar and Christophe Mariot of France.
Entering his first season in the Chevrolet Supercars Middle East Championship, Al-Qassim was very delighted to win the first race in round one of the championship.
“I thank God for being part of such a great championship and on such a great occasion in the opening race in Yas Marina Circuit,” he said,
He added that to win there was a dream since the championship had a lot of talented drivers.
“I am really proud and I would like to dedicate this victory to Prince Sultan Bin Fahd Bin Abdul Aziz, President of the General Presidency of Youth Welfare (GPYW) and to Prince Nawaf Bin Faisal Bin Fahd Bin Abdul Aziz, Deputy President of GPYWY, for their continuous support for Saudi sports and Saudi youths,” he added.
The Chevrolet Supercars Championship Middle East has a total of seven rounds, and will visit Al-Reem Circuit in Riyadh, Bahrain International Circuit and Abu Dhabi.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Hilal keeps winning in Saudi Zain League
By Mohammed Al-Kinani
JEDDAH –Al-Hilal continued its winning streak in the Saudi Zain Professional League at Prince Faisal Bin Fahd Stadium in Riyadh Monday.
In the eighth round, league leader Al-Hilal defeated Al-Hazm 4-0.
Midfielder Mohammed Al-Shalhoub put Al-Hilal in the lead, before Yasser Al-Qahtani scored from the spot six minutes before the break.
Al-Shalhoub scored again from the spot before Thiago Neves completed the rout.
Al-Shalhoub scored in the 24th minute through a long kick which saw the ball beating an advancing goalkeeper Saeed Al-Harbi.
In the 39th minute, Al-Hazm defender Bashar Yaseen blocked Al-Shalhoub’s cross which was going to Yasser Al-Qahtani with his hand. Yaseen was given a yellow card and Qahtani scored from the spot.
In the second half, Al-Hilal coach Eric Gerets replaced Ahmed Al-Firaydi with Abdul-Latif Al-Ghannam. This replacement helped Al-Hilal performance improve.
In the 55th minute, the Swedish Christian Wilhelmsson got past a defender to face the goalkeeper who apparently was trying to pick the ball. Instead, he blocked and brought Wilhelmsson down. The referee Fahd Al-Mirdasi directly pointed to the spot. Al-Shalhoub made no mistake with the penalty.
The three substitutions that the Egyptian coach of Al-Hazm made could not help him change the situation.
In the 79th minute, Thiago Neves of Al-Hilal dribbled to pass a player in the box and score the fourth goal for Al-Hilal.
With this win, Al-Hilal remains on top of the standing with 22 points.
In other matches, Najran shared two goals with its host Al-Fateh at Al-Okhdoud Stadium.
The goals were scored by Nigerian midfielder Mousa Sulaiman of Najran in the 22nd minute before Rabe’a Sufiyani equalized for Al-Fateh in the 69th.
At Saud Bin Jalawi Sports City Stadium, Al-Qadisiyyah shared points with Al-Rai’d in a goalless encounter.
JEDDAH –Al-Hilal continued its winning streak in the Saudi Zain Professional League at Prince Faisal Bin Fahd Stadium in Riyadh Monday.
In the eighth round, league leader Al-Hilal defeated Al-Hazm 4-0.
Midfielder Mohammed Al-Shalhoub put Al-Hilal in the lead, before Yasser Al-Qahtani scored from the spot six minutes before the break.
Al-Shalhoub scored again from the spot before Thiago Neves completed the rout.
Al-Shalhoub scored in the 24th minute through a long kick which saw the ball beating an advancing goalkeeper Saeed Al-Harbi.
In the 39th minute, Al-Hazm defender Bashar Yaseen blocked Al-Shalhoub’s cross which was going to Yasser Al-Qahtani with his hand. Yaseen was given a yellow card and Qahtani scored from the spot.
In the second half, Al-Hilal coach Eric Gerets replaced Ahmed Al-Firaydi with Abdul-Latif Al-Ghannam. This replacement helped Al-Hilal performance improve.
In the 55th minute, the Swedish Christian Wilhelmsson got past a defender to face the goalkeeper who apparently was trying to pick the ball. Instead, he blocked and brought Wilhelmsson down. The referee Fahd Al-Mirdasi directly pointed to the spot. Al-Shalhoub made no mistake with the penalty.
The three substitutions that the Egyptian coach of Al-Hazm made could not help him change the situation.
In the 79th minute, Thiago Neves of Al-Hilal dribbled to pass a player in the box and score the fourth goal for Al-Hilal.
With this win, Al-Hilal remains on top of the standing with 22 points.
In other matches, Najran shared two goals with its host Al-Fateh at Al-Okhdoud Stadium.
The goals were scored by Nigerian midfielder Mousa Sulaiman of Najran in the 22nd minute before Rabe’a Sufiyani equalized for Al-Fateh in the 69th.
At Saud Bin Jalawi Sports City Stadium, Al-Qadisiyyah shared points with Al-Rai’d in a goalless encounter.
Call for more skilled jobs to boost local furniture and decor market
By Mohammed Al-Kinani
JEDDAH – Greater investment in education and training will create skilled jobs in the nation’s furniture and decoration market and help boost sales from local factories.
This is the view of Haya Al-Sinaidy, head of the organizing committee of the decoration and home accessories exhibition, the Deco Fair, which kicks off in Jeddah Nov. 8.
Speaking to reporters at a press conference Sunday, Al-Sinaidy said the local industry needs about 50,000 specialists to help it grow.
“We need to have vocational colleges and training institutions that specialize in furniture production and design,” she said.
The Kingdom needs an industrial city that can cater for this sector of the economy, Al-Sinaidy added.
The Saudi market is currently worth SR4 billion but the local industry produces only SR 1.4 billion in sales annually from 66 factories spread across the nation. There are 42 factories in the Central Region, 11 in the Western Region, 12 in the Eastern Region and one in the Northern Region.
However, Al-Sinaidy said that competition has been increasing between these factories because many have taken advantage of new technology.
She cited Malaysia, China, Indonesia, Syria and Egypt as countries that have well-developed industries and are competing successfully on world markets.
Al-Sinaidy said the Deco Fair would be a welcome boost for the industry.
“Such exhibitions will help us market our products domestically and internationally to impact positively on the Saudi economy. Unlike the imported products that are being advertised all year, our national products still lack such campaigns. Statistics and surveys to determine consumers demands are also absent, she said.
She said the exhibition would also be of interest to architectural engineers and real estate developers.
Some 200 exhibits, 1,000 participants and around 20,000 visitors are expected at the four-day event to be held at the Jeddah International Center for Forums and Events.
*Diana Marwan Al-Jassem contributed to this story.
JEDDAH – Greater investment in education and training will create skilled jobs in the nation’s furniture and decoration market and help boost sales from local factories.
This is the view of Haya Al-Sinaidy, head of the organizing committee of the decoration and home accessories exhibition, the Deco Fair, which kicks off in Jeddah Nov. 8.
Speaking to reporters at a press conference Sunday, Al-Sinaidy said the local industry needs about 50,000 specialists to help it grow.
“We need to have vocational colleges and training institutions that specialize in furniture production and design,” she said.
The Kingdom needs an industrial city that can cater for this sector of the economy, Al-Sinaidy added.
The Saudi market is currently worth SR4 billion but the local industry produces only SR 1.4 billion in sales annually from 66 factories spread across the nation. There are 42 factories in the Central Region, 11 in the Western Region, 12 in the Eastern Region and one in the Northern Region.
However, Al-Sinaidy said that competition has been increasing between these factories because many have taken advantage of new technology.
She cited Malaysia, China, Indonesia, Syria and Egypt as countries that have well-developed industries and are competing successfully on world markets.
Al-Sinaidy said the Deco Fair would be a welcome boost for the industry.
“Such exhibitions will help us market our products domestically and internationally to impact positively on the Saudi economy. Unlike the imported products that are being advertised all year, our national products still lack such campaigns. Statistics and surveys to determine consumers demands are also absent, she said.
She said the exhibition would also be of interest to architectural engineers and real estate developers.
Some 200 exhibits, 1,000 participants and around 20,000 visitors are expected at the four-day event to be held at the Jeddah International Center for Forums and Events.
*Diana Marwan Al-Jassem contributed to this story.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Prince Sultan approves players for national team
By Mohammed Al-Kinani
JEDDAH – Prince Sultan Bin Fahd Bin Abdul Aziz, President of the General Presidency of Youth Welfare (GPYW) and President of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) approved Sunday the Saudi national squad that coach Jose Pesiro had suggested for a preparatory training camp in the Eastern Province from Oct. 6 to 14.
The camp will conclude with a friendly match against Belarus at Prince Mohammed Bin Fahd Stadium on Nov. 14.
The list of the selected players contains of 28 players from different local clubs. They are: Waleed Abdullah, Hasan Shai’an, Khaled Sharaheeli, Osamah Hawsawi, Majed Al-Marshadi, Abdullah Shuhail, Jifain Al-Bishi, Hasan Khairat, Abdullah Al-Zouri, Kamil Al-Mousa, Mohammed Misa’ad, Mansour Al-Harbi, Ahmed Otaif, Abdul-Latif Al-Ghannam, Mo’taz Al-Mousa, Alaa Rishani, Ahmed Al-Firaidi, Khalid Al-Zaila’ai, Mohammed Al-Sifri, Mohammed Al-Shalhoub, Abdul Aziz Al-Dosari, Ibrahim Ghalib, Yehiya Al-Shihri, Yasser Al-Qahtani, Nasser Al-Shamrani, Abdul Aziz Al-Za’aran, Saad Al-Harthi and Mohammed Al-Sahlawi.
JEDDAH – Prince Sultan Bin Fahd Bin Abdul Aziz, President of the General Presidency of Youth Welfare (GPYW) and President of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) approved Sunday the Saudi national squad that coach Jose Pesiro had suggested for a preparatory training camp in the Eastern Province from Oct. 6 to 14.
The camp will conclude with a friendly match against Belarus at Prince Mohammed Bin Fahd Stadium on Nov. 14.
The list of the selected players contains of 28 players from different local clubs. They are: Waleed Abdullah, Hasan Shai’an, Khaled Sharaheeli, Osamah Hawsawi, Majed Al-Marshadi, Abdullah Shuhail, Jifain Al-Bishi, Hasan Khairat, Abdullah Al-Zouri, Kamil Al-Mousa, Mohammed Misa’ad, Mansour Al-Harbi, Ahmed Otaif, Abdul-Latif Al-Ghannam, Mo’taz Al-Mousa, Alaa Rishani, Ahmed Al-Firaidi, Khalid Al-Zaila’ai, Mohammed Al-Sifri, Mohammed Al-Shalhoub, Abdul Aziz Al-Dosari, Ibrahim Ghalib, Yehiya Al-Shihri, Yasser Al-Qahtani, Nasser Al-Shamrani, Abdul Aziz Al-Za’aran, Saad Al-Harthi and Mohammed Al-Sahlawi.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
JLCC gets Japanese books
By Mohammed Al-Kinani
As part of the ongoing cultural cooperation between the Consulate General of Japan in Jeddah and the Jeddah Literary and Cultural Club (JLCC), Japanese Consul General Toshimitsu Ishigure last week presented JLCC Chairman, Dr. Abdul Mohsen Faraj Al-Qahtani, with copies of two new books on the economic development and modern history of Japan, respectively.
Ishigure, who has visited the JLCC several times in the past and presented Japanese books and publications, including a book for children written by Empress Michiko, told Saudi Gazette that he will be happy if Saudis are able to read Japanese books translated into Arabic and broaden their knowledge about Japan.
As part of the ongoing cultural cooperation between the Consulate General of Japan in Jeddah and the Jeddah Literary and Cultural Club (JLCC), Japanese Consul General Toshimitsu Ishigure last week presented JLCC Chairman, Dr. Abdul Mohsen Faraj Al-Qahtani, with copies of two new books on the economic development and modern history of Japan, respectively.
Ishigure, who has visited the JLCC several times in the past and presented Japanese books and publications, including a book for children written by Empress Michiko, told Saudi Gazette that he will be happy if Saudis are able to read Japanese books translated into Arabic and broaden their knowledge about Japan.
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