Religious backed U.S. companies in Kuwait- Timberland is a Jewish backed Company!

 Forever 21 prints a reference to one of the most oft quoted passages of the New Testament on the bottom of all of its bags.AP Photo

Purchase a skimpy $15 top or $19 skirt from trendy but budget-conscious clothing retailer Forever 21 and you may notice "John 3:16" printed on your shopping bag.

Printed on the bottom of each of the store's bags, the biblical reference is perhaps the most obvious reference to the religious beliefs promoted by the store's owners, the Chang Family, who are born-again Christians.

Mrs. Chang told Bloomberg Businessweek last year that the store had religious roots, citing that "God told her she should open a store and that she would be successful."

The store provoked criticism in the summer of 2011 when it released a slew of religious-themed tees emblazoned with slogans such as "Jesus ♥ You" and "Holy."

Does anyone have a shopping bag from the Kuwait location?

Curves founder Gary Heavin is an outspoken Christian and supporter of conservative and religious causes.Wikimedia Commons

Curves gyms are nationally known for creating a men-free environment where women of all shapes and sizes can work out.

It's lesser known that the company's founder Gary Heavin, is a born-again Christian who has garnered criticism for conservative political views and donating to anti-abortion causes, according to a 2004 Houston Chronicle profile.

Heavin acknowledged there has been some business "fallout" from his views, which prompted some members to cancel memberships.

We have Curves in Kuwait. Hmmm...

Timberland CEO Jeff Swartz says his Jewish faith motivated him to sever ties with a Chinese factory.flickr/paparain

Timberland CEO Jeff Swartz is well-known for his commitment to promoting corporate social responsibility.

For example, Swartz moved to sever the company's ties with a Chinese factory where human rights violations were allegedly occurring despite the fact that it took a hit to the shoe making company's bottom line. Swartz attributed his motivation to his own personal Jewish faith in a 2008 Fast Company profile.

"I can't show you the scripture that relates to the rights of a worker, but I can show you text that insists upon treating others with dignity," he said. "It says in the Hebrew Bible one time that you should love your neighbor as yourself, but it says dozens of times that you shall treat the stranger with dignity." Full Story

A lot of people in Kuwait are sporting Timberland gear. Hmmm......

Jaime Oliver Products at XCITE

XCITE AlGhanim introduced us to their new Jaime Oliver line of products which was held at Gaucho Grill in Avenues Mall. There is an all-in-one cooker introduced to us that does several types of  cooking at once.  You can cut and slice items directly into the pan that includes self-stirring which allows you to leave it unattended and it will cook at the exact set temperature meaning you won't burn up your meal.

 There is a blender, mixer and food processor included in his line.

 We were entertained by the German juggler Sir Julian and he was definitely a unique character.

 

Paparazzi





You can find more about Jaime Oliver's home cooker here. A big thank you to Al Ghanim!

Operation Hope won the Philly Cream Cheese "Spread Some Inspiration" Award!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We at Operation Hope would like to thank all of those who voted for our cause!! Your votes helped OH to win the Philly Cream Cheese "Spread Some Inspiration"  contest!

 Mrs. Sheryl Mairza

Dear volunteers, patrons, well wishers, friends, team and everyone else that continue to believe in Operation HOPE’s Mission of Mercy, we would like to extend our deepest Appreciation and Thanks to each one of you.

With the help of your votes, We, Operation HOPE Kuwait won the 1st position in Philadelphia Cream Cheese’s (from Mondelez International, formerly Kraft Foods) ''Spread Some Inspiration' campaign in its fourth edition. OH founder, Ms. Sheryl Mairza was awarded the inspiration trophy for initiating the OH mission from its humble beginnings in 2005 at the recent Brunch award ceremony held in Dubai on May 14th, 2013 where OH was also awarded a cash prize of USD 10,000.

The campaign that celebrates and recognizes the unsung women heroes of the region for their contributions in philanthropy, community development and charitable causes thereby bringing much needed awareness was originally launched in line with the International Women's Day... in 2010 and this year witnessed a partnership with UN Women - the UN organization dedicated to gender equality and empowerment of women globally - for the second year in a row.

Thanks to each of your vote, the prize money won would go towards our 2013 Winter Warmth Outreach Program, wherein we provide warmth hampers to over 2,500 street workers in Kuwait.

If you'd like to read more about our award and our story please visit http://www.phillyarabia.com/index.php.

The top three contestants

 

Congratulations Sheryl! We love you!

ITT convoys being attacked in Kuwait?

This morning one of my co-workers told me about an incident that happened a few days ago, an ITT convoy coming back from Ali Al-Salem via Jahra was attacked by a huge gang of people. I don't know if they were Kuwaiti or bedoon considering the area but he said they had parked a car on the street or highway they take from Ali Al-Saleem and a huge gang of people started throwing rocks at the trucks. For some reason none of the ITT drivers thought it was important enough to report it until the next day. So now it has become a hush hush incident and not too many people know about it.

That incident of course is a security concern and should have been reported immediately. I think they should all be fired for not reporting the incident to the right people. Their route has been changed and KMOI now escorts them to the base. If that wasn't bad enough an Egyptian driving a water tanker attacked an MRAP military vehicle in the Adan hospital area. He repeatedly rammed the MRAP vehicle until it was forced off of the road knocking off a generator. The police were called and from what witnesses say the whole Kuwaiti police department was there although I haven't read anything about it in the papers.

This is a picture of an MRAP for those who don't know.

Spinsterhood in Kuwait

KUWAIT CITY, Feb 23: Latest census on registered marriages in Kuwait unveiled a ‘phenomenon of spinsterhood’ of shocking rates, which necessitates the society to exert tremendous efforts in eliminating the problems encountered by girl and families in this regard, reports Al-Seyassah daily.

According to the statistics, approximately 30,000 Kuwaiti women of ages between 25 and 64 years are ‘spinsters’ as they have never been married.

After reading and analyzing the causes of the growing phenomenon, psychologists and sociologists said the increasing phenomenon of spinsterhood in the Kuwaiti society will result in serious demographic and psychological repercussions on the structure of the society.

They indicated that the problem cannot be tackled by issuing laws that restrict marriage to a non-Kuwaiti or encourage marriage through financial incentives and facilities.

They insisted that the problem can be solved through awareness campaigns to urge young men and women to marry as well as urge parents to make it easier for those who wish to marry without demanding excessive dowry.

The psychologists and sociologists suggested a set of ‘immediate solutions’ such as giving priority in employment to citizens who are married to Kuwaitis, banning marriages to foreigners and so on.

Regarding the psychological effects on these unmarried girls, they indicated that referring girls as ‘spinsters’ could make them feel inferior and insecure.

Maybe those are the lesbians who don't want to marry? Between Kuwaiti men marrying foreigners and Kuwaiti men who are gay I guess the number of available men decreases?

Islamic Studies Degree

Joplin Tornado: United Arab Emirates pays millions for rebuilding of Missouri town

Joplin Tornado: United Arab Emirates pays millions for rebuilding of Missouri town | Mail Online:

 After a devastating tornado wreaked havoc on much of Joplin, Missouri in May of 2011 the town found a financial savior in an unlikely source: the United Arab Emirates.


The tornado, which killed 161 people and destroyed six public schools, had left the community in an almost hopeless situation until the UAE reached out through their embassy in Washington.


It's not the first time the UAE has reached out to the United States for charity, as the nation has embarked upon a campaign to provide assistance to the most dire of the areas in the country.

See, not all Arabs are terrorists or have bad intentions.

Holy Quran verse posted at Harvard University

The US Harvard University has posted a verse of the Holy Quran at the entrance of its faculty of law, describing the verse as one of the greatest expressions for justice in history, a Saudi newspaper reported on Sunday.

Verse 135 of Sura Al Nisa (women chapter) has been posted at a wall facing the faculty’s main entrance, dedicated to the best phrases said about justice.

A Saudi student who studies at Harvad published a picture of the poster in his Twitter page, according to the Saudi Arabic language daily Ajel.

“I noticed that the verse was posted by the faculty of law, which described it as one of the greatest expressions for justice in history,” Abdullah Jumma said.

Harvard University was established in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1636 as the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States.(link)

How the UAE handles debts of their Citizens

This is how UAE is working out defaulted loans by their citizens:

Up to 1,600 UAE citizens have signed up for a AED1bn (US$410m) government-backed personal debt settlement scheme, the Gulf state's deputy prime minister said.

Speaking at the Government Summit in Dubai, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed said Emirati nationals were "blindly" signing up for personal loans that they were unable to pay back later, leading the government to create a personal debt bail out scheme.

“A loan is a dilemma, do not get into it. You should be careful when it comes to personal loans,” he said. “The banks are taking advantage of the unawareness of some Emiratis who blindly sign on the contracts.”

Last year, UAE authorities set aside AED1.05bn (US$410m) for the Nationals' Defaulted Debts Settlement Fund, a programme aimed at clearing defaulted debts owed by Emirati nationals.

Under the directive, rescheduling of loan repayments by indebted citizens will not exceed 50 percent of their monthly salaries, while banks have agreed to cut interest on monies owed by 1 percent.

Sheikh Mansour said the fund had dealt with approximately half of the 3,200 registered Emirati applicants. “There is a lot of confusion about the law; it is simple and clear. Any person that with personal loan debts and not commercial or trade loans unpaid before December 2011 will have it covered by the programme.”

The 17 banks taking part in the fund include are National Bank of Abu Dhabi Bank, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, First Gulf Bank, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, Union National Bank and Al Hilal Bank.

“The agreements endorse mechanisms for settling defaulted loans owed by nationals against whom courts of law have passed judgments or cases are pending,” a statement read.

Authorities in November freed around 290 Emiratis who were jailed for bouncing security cheques, considered a crime in the UAE. They have been presented with certificates to protect them from any future prosecution while citizens in similar situations should report to the Public Prosecution to receive their certificates, state news agency said. (link)

Good to know Kuwait is not the only country with defaulters, at least UAE is doing something to help them out.

Kuwaiti restaurant in Jeddah, KSA

JEDDAH –– Food enthusiasts may casually overlook and skip the chance to try Kuwaiti food, mistakenly assuming that it is similar to foods from other Gulf countries, such as Saudi Arabia.

Much to my surprise, after trying Kuwaiti food for the first time, I discovered that it is more stimulating and spicy than the traditional Saudi cuisine which is actually quite bland in comparison with food from this neighboring country.

A mix of Indian and Persian influence is noticeably evident in the sharp tastes and strong flavors of Kuwaiti food.

With the use of diverse spices and herbs, Kuwaitis take even the basic grilled chicken and rice recipe to a whole new level. The rice which accompanies your choice of chicken or lamb is heavily garnished with raisins and cooked lentils.

The tomato and chili pepper sauce is a must-have side addition to any rice platter.

In the Kuwaiti cuisine, Makbous (machboos) is the Saudi equivalent to Kabsah.

Kuwaitis are also well known for making Biryani, just as well as any Indian cook, loaded with onions, garlic, raisins, saffron, cumin, cardamom, and coriander.

The first and as a matter of fact the only authentic and specialized Kuwaiti restaurant opened here in Jeddah about three months back; and it is already bustling with curious diners.

Fareej Bin Agool is located on Al-Rawdah St. and serves a warm, freshly cooked breakfast, lunch and dinner. “Fareej is a common Kuwaiti word, meaning village or neighborhood. A deep-rooted and popular Kuwaiti folktale has it that an old man, Bin Agool, moved to an area in Kuwait with his tribe where he later settled down there and where oil was later found.(link)

I love Kabsah with daqoos on the side.

Criminal outcomes- Kuwait vs. KSA and Iran

KUWAIT CITY, Jan 30: The detention renewal judge has renewed the detention of the three suspects who are accused of murdering a Lebanese dentist at the Avenues Mall until Feb 20, 2013.

The suspects have denied allegations against them. They affirmed they did not plan to kill the man and said what happened was an ‘accident’ during a fight.

Earlier it was reported an altercation at Avenues Mall that Friday night had led to stabbing to death of a young Lebanese dentist, identified only as Jaber Samir Yousef, 26, born of a Kuwaiti mother.
He was repeatedly stabbed to death following a disagreement with four young men. It was also reported the four young men followed Jaber into the mall after a fight began over a parking space.
There have also been reports Jaber suddenly stopped his car, causing the suspects to crash into him, and in turn angering them.

The Public Relations Department of the Ministry of Interior in a statement had said a 22-year-old Bedoun suspect had been arrested and charged with the murder.

Majority of criminals get away with murder and crime which is one of the reasons why crime continues to rise. There is no justice anymore, murder is murder, eye for an eye or blood money like the old days. Say NO to WASTA!(link)

This is how they handle murder in KSA:

RIYADH — Two Saudi nationals were executed on Wednesday after they were sentenced to death for separate murders, the Interior Ministry announced. Marwan Al-Balawi was convicted of stabbing to death another Saudi, Saif Al-Wabsi, during a dispute in Madinah, said a ministry statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency. Hussein Al-Yami was executed for having shot dead Hamad Al-Jaafar in the southwestern province of Najran, SPA said.(link)

This is how they handle they handle crime in Iran:

Tehran, Jan 20 (IANS) Iran hanged two men in public Sunday morning for armed robbery, Xinhua reported.

A video footage posted on the web and aired on state TV last month had showed a group of robbers, on motorbikes and armed with machetes, assaulting a man in a street of Tehran and forcibly robbing him of his money and documents.

The two executed men, named Alireza Mafiha and Mohammad-Ali Sorouri, aged 23 and 21, were sentenced to death by a revolutionary court in Tehran. The sentence was confirmed by Iran's Supreme Court, ISNA news agency reported.

Two others involved in the attack were sentenced to 10 years in jail, 74 lashes and five years in exile.

Crimes including drug trafficking, murder, adultery, rape and armed robbery are subject to death penalty in Iran. (link)

Or:

According to the INSA press agency, the man shown getting his finger cut off was charged with robbery and adultery by a court in the southwestern city of Shiraz. He was also accused of being at the head of a criminal organisation…he was [also] sentenced to three years in prison and 99 whip lashes.(link)

Every day in the newspapers people are being "acquitted" for their crimes due to police messing something up does anyone actually serve time? I know there are 2 American women serving time in Kuwaiti prison. One is serving 7 years and might be released after a couple more years. How is it possible that 90% of criminals get away or get "acquitted' after being charged? Could this be one of the reasons behind the increase in crime? There are also the victims who don't report the acts because they know the police have little interest in putting down their glasses of tea and trying to solve crime.

I found that out when I saw kids breaking the windows on the bus and recorded them only to go to the Abu Halaifa police station to report it and the officers (with tea in hand) looked at me as if I was the crazy one who was interrupting their lounging. Of course they didn't do anything and I'm sure that bus driver probably had to pay for the damage. How does one expect a country to move forward when there is no respect or authority?

MoE ponders plan to hire British, American teachers

MoE ponders plan to hire British, American teachers:

‘High school students weak in English’

KUWAIT CITY, Jan 22: In an unprecedented move to improve public education in the country, Ministry of Education has been considering the recruitment of British and American male and female teachers to teach the English language in public schools after results of the TOEFL exam revealed that high school students are weak in the language, reports Al-Seyassah daily.

At a workshop on quality education held recently in the presence of World Bank representatives, the Minister of Education Dr Nayef Al-Hajraf discussed the issue with officials of the British Council and asked for the general salary scale in Britain, indicating report will be reviewed to determine if the ministry could recruit teachers from there.

The minister is said to have criticized the unified secondary education system, noting the system enables students to obtain high grades without commensurable standards, which makes a review of the system necessary.

He also said majority of high school students obtain weak grades whenever they sit for the TOEFL in university, stressing the country spends lots of funds while the students are taking preliminary language courses for one year in the university.

“It is unfair for teachers and students to introduce teachers to teaching immediately after graduation. Thus, it will be nice for them to obtain teaching license renewable after five years,” the minister recommended.

Let's see, any Western teachers who think about working in a government school should first learn judo, take a self-defense class and have some protective gear to wear at all times. Get ready for children to talk back, children who become violent and children who really have no human feelings. The only way this would work is if they let teachers carry a stick and have the permission to whack the kids when they get out of line.

I remember when I was in elementary school in Pensacola and we had a scary vice principal who had Elvis pork chop side burns and slick back hair, he also carried a big paddle with him and was given permission by parents to spank their kids. Let's take schooling back to the old days when children feared teachers and out of that fear came respect.

Parking Wars- Kuwait

UK woman assaulted:
Police are looking for five young men for assaulting a British woman who is believed to be in her 50s. The incident happened in the parking lot of the 360 Mall, reports Al-Shahed daily.
The woman has filed a complaint with the South Surra Police Station. In her complaint she said was involved in an argument with the suspects over a parking slot. The youths then assaulted her and escaped.
The complainant has submitted a medical report issued by the Mubarak Al-Kabir Hospital. The report shows she is suffering from injuries and bruises.

I guess it's time to buy some protection and keep it in your car when you go out and try to find a parking space. At least they didn't get a cleaver and stab her like they did in the Avenues. This is getting really ridiculous now. Does finding a parking place have to end up in violence? Only in Kuwait it seems.

Why you shouldn't hire part-time Maids

Theft gang busted

Abu Hlaifa police arrested a gang of thieves led by a domestic helper who used her part-time job to gain access to victims’ houses. Detectives carrying out investigations in 10 reported home robberies found a common factor among all the cases as the plaintiffs had all hired a housekeeper to clean their homes at night before the thefts happened. Police managed to arrest the Sri Lankan woman who confessed to the crime and also divulged the identity of her two accomplices who were later arrested from Al-Fintas and Salmiya. The three remain in custody pending legal action. (link)

US citizen robbed: An unidentified US citizen has filed a complaint with the Mangaf Police Station accusing his Nepali housemaid of stealing his wristwatch worth KD 1,600, reports Annahar daily. (link)

A lot of these maids are runaways or illegal residents and expats invite them into their homes to clean and take care of their children because they don't want to hire them properly by going thru an agency. I guess the expats don't realize it's against the law to hire them part-time and they can get into trouble if they do. I would be scared to death to leave my kids with someone who comes and goes as they please. Expats learn from this crime.

Previously banned expats now allowed to bring their Families to an already overcrowded Kuwait

Finally someone speaks up about the growing number of foreign laborers.

Despite all the problems we are suffering from and which should have been solved a long time ago, despite the three million expatriates rendering a million natives into a minority, despite the traffic jams that now mar even the inner city residential areas and make one hate having to leave one’s house to run an errand, despite the tremendous pressure on state-provided civic amenities which has affected their quality and speed of delivery, despite the crime rate zooming every year, despite so many things that are not in the interest of the country, the interior ministry has come up with a new circular. It has now decided to lift the ban on certain nationalities which were earlier debarred from entering Kuwait citing reasons that had to do with threat of terrorism and drug trade.

The decision smacks of a strange attitude as if Kuwait lacked enough problems of its own already. The interior ministry has opened the door for family visas for Syrians, Yemenis, Iraqis, Iranians, Pakistanis and Afghanistanis.

It will not be a long before we see the children of people of these nationalities gathered at the traffic signals or cooperatives’ parking lots begging under the garb of selling trinkets. Such influx of more expatriates from new nationalities will lead to new criminal gangs of thieves. As it is, there is no dearth of gangs in Kuwait.

The more skilled among them will undertake a training course on our cars in garages. Some wives and mothers of these new expatriates will have their share of activities and will be seen moving around charity societies and Beit Al-Zakat to receive their share. Some will indulge in the practice of sorcery, something the Abdaly border post bears mute witness to.

The interior ministry has left it wide open for expat employees in both government and private sectors to bring in their wives and children on the basis that they can share the burden of their livelihoods although it knows well that this is not true.

It is well aware about the fact that some people resort to forging their salary certificates in order to be eligible to bring in their families, especially in the private sector. Let the interior ministry excuse us but this is a decision that lacks wisdom.

What will Kuwait gain from allowing in families of these expats, especially when it is overcrowded with tailors, bakers, carpenters, constructors, Nikhi and Bajilla vendors, drugs traders and smugglers – these are professions some of the expats have excelled in, so why do we need more?

We used to criticize the UAE saying we could hardly notice one Emeriti citizen among thousands of expats in streets and markets. Now, it seems that criticism will come back to our doors to haunt us as we are trundling down the same road. I do not think the Interior Minister is unaware that Kuwaitis make up for less that one third of the population.

Who knows if they find themselves making up for only one tenth some day if the country continued with such a stupid policy.

We ask His Excellency, the Minister of Interior, will you play your role as someone tasked with keeping our country secure, using the authority you have or will you let things keep running the way they are doing? (link)

At least someone in the media has the nerve to stand up and say what others are thinking! Kuwait is full to the brim with marginal laborers and now they have a reason to never leave once they bring their families here. It's sad when the country's own citizens can't qualify for Bait Al-Zakat because they are making "too" much money not considering almost every household has some type of loan which takes up more than 50% of their paychecks each month due to greedy banks.

At least in UAE the citizens can live in other Emirates but where can Kuwaiti citizens go? I used to go out everyday when I first moved here, we used to love summer because most people would travel and the streets of Kuwait had no traffic but today I rarely even leave my house as I know what traffic awaits me. The country if full and has just about met its maximum capacity yet they open the door for more people who have no plans on leaving. Crime level has increased 10 fold and instead of closing the door to Kuwait and taking "inventory" of the people already here they open the doors wide open again.

Citizens are drowning and no one cares, it's all about money.

Foreign women the cause of Kuwaiti Spinsterhood?

 RESIDENCY HOLD ON EXPAT WIVES RECENTLY WED TO KUWAITIS

KUWAIT CITY, Jan 14: The Ministry of Interior has instructed the concerned departments not to issue residential permits to female expatriates, who got married to Kuwaitis after January 2010, unless they obtain permission from the committee formed by Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Humoud, reports Al-Rai daily quoting sources.

Sources said the committee members include representatives from the Interior, Foreign Affairs and Justice ministries, as well as the State Security Department.

On the other hand, Kuwaiti men who got married to foreigners before January 2010 must obtain residential permits for their wives from the immigration departments.

Sources explained these procedures are aimed at limiting marriages between Kuwaiti men and expatriate women. This came after the ministry noticed a remarkable increase in the number of such marriages over the last years, especially since there have been suspicions that some expatriate women are eyeing marriage with Kuwaiti men for personal benefits, not to start their own family.

In another development, the directors of immigration departments have instructed their staff to start receiving applications for family visas from Syrians, Iranians, Iraqis, Yemenis, Pakistanis and Afghans in line with the decision to lift the ban on issuing family visas to these nationalities.

Sources revealed many public and private workers with the above mentioned nationalities started visiting the immigration departments on Sunday to apply for visas for their families. Sources said a total of 97 applicants have, so far, started the procedures; adding that the ban on issuing family visas to Bangladeshis remains in effect. (link)

Really?? Are foreign women really the cause of Kuwaiti females not getting married? The reason could never be that the women ask for a wedding that is more expensive than their friends, a house, a luxury car, new furniture, luxury shopping and travel when they get married? Naaah....The empty promises made to the groom so he will marry her and after marriage she doesn't hold up her end of the bargain?Naaaaah..... Why isn't there a poll asking why Kuwaiti men won't marry Kuwaiti women? The truth????? You can't handle the truth.......

Another Avenues Stabbing

Youth stabbed at Avenues | Kuwait Times:

 KUWAIT: A young man was stabbed when a scuffle broke out among a number of youth on Friday evening at the Avenues Commercial Complex. The fight which came less than a month after the much talked about murder of a 26-year-old Lebanese doctor, again underlined the poor state of law and order. Former MP and lawyer Osama Al-Shaheen said crimes like drugs usage, fighting involving knives and a deteriorating value system was a real challenge which must not be ignored. He said security personnel should concentrate on such crimes instead of tracking youth activists.

Another stabbing, what has happened to Kuwait? Even though I saw buff security guards with batons in Avenues recently someone was still stabbed? Time for metal detectors and not letting groups of single guys in the mall, the same thing they do in other malls. Great, now my hubby has another excuse not to take me there.

Saudis behead Sri Lankan housemaid for infant killing

Saudi Arabia beheaded a young Sri Lankan housemaid on Wednesday after rejecting appeals by her home country against her death sentence for the killing of an infant left in her care in 2005, Saudi and Sri Lankan authorities said.
The Saudi Interior Ministry said in a statement run by the official SPA news agency that Rizana Nafeek was executed in the town of Dawadmy, near the capital Riyadh, on Wednesday morning.
Sri Lanka's Foreign Ministry said Nafeek was sentenced to death in 2007 after her Saudi employer accused her of killing his infant daughter while she was bottle-feeding. The Saudi Interior Ministry statement said the infant was strangled after a dispute between the maid and the baby's mother.
The Colombo government appealed against the death penalty but the Saudi Supreme Court upheld it in 2010.
"President Mahinda Rajapaksa made a personal appeal on two occasions immediately after the confirmation of the death sentence, and a few days ago to stop the execution and grant a pardon to Miss Rizana Nafeek," the Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry said in a statement sent by email.(link)

At least one country doesn't have Wasta and politics when it comes to murderers. KSA is one of the only countries that WILL give you the deserving punishment. If only we had that type of strict judgement in Kuwait then there wouldn't be so much crime.

Camp Arifjan contractor Lawsuits

Experts panel approve half of cases so far

KUWAIT CITY, Jan 7: About 50 percent of the cases filed by employees representing various contractors having contractual relationships with major concerns including Camp Arifjan have been approved by the Experts Committee under the Court of First Instance.

Lawyer Masaed J. Al Riyahi, who represents the employees and has been fighting their cases since the beginning of last year, was speaking to the Arab Times recently. The employees, who are mainly Westerners, have charged their contractors with labor law violations.

The contractors forced the employees to work up to 12 hours a day without adequate compensation as stipulated in the labor law, Al Riyahi added. “Many of the employees were made to work on public holidays without any extra pay.”

Al Riyahi said that he first approached the Ministry of Labor Affairs as per the norm; but when all attempts to hammer out an amicable settlement fell through, the ministry referred the cases to the Court of First Instance.

The court ordered Al Riyahi to present separate reports on all his clients with details of their salaries and the violations they suffered. The reports were then handed over to an Experts Committee in the court.
The committee has approved more than half of the reports, and is continuing to study the rest, Al Riyahi noted. The full study will be submitted to the court in the next 3 to 4 months. “There is a strong chance that the reports approved by the committee will be accepted by the court, and the employees will get a favorable verdict.”

Some cases pertaining to the lack of indemnity payment for employees who were terminated on grounds of taking their contractors to the court were also taken up by Riyahi. “Many contractors were ordered to pay up and some employees with more than 10 years’ service record received huge indemnities.”
Riyahi added that indemnity claims have to be made within a year from the date of termination. Even if the case is filed a day after the completion of one year, the court will dismiss it as invalid.

Watch out sponsor companies they are coming for you!

Saudi rapes US boy in Vegas

A sergeant in Saudi Arabia's air force was arrested in Las Vegas after police say he pulled a teenage boy into his hotel room and raped him on New Year’s Eve.

Mazen Alotaibi, 23, faces charges including kidnapping, sexual assault with a minor and felony coercion that could get him decades in state prison, according to police and charging documents obtained Friday.

The boy, who is younger than 14, told police the man forced him into a room at the Circus Circus hotel on the Las Vegas Strip and raped him. Police arrested Alotaibi after being called to the hotel before 9.30am December 31.(link)

This happens all the time in Kuwait but when they do it in USA they will definitely pay and not get off with Wasta!