A multi-billion dollar university has opened in Saudi Arabia in an attempt to enable the country to compete in science and technology internationally.

The King Abdullah University of Science and Technology near Jeddah boasts one of the world's fastest supercomputers.

Saudi authorities hope the mixed-sex centre it will help modernise the kingdom's deeply conservative society.

The religious police will not operate on-site. Women will be allowed to mix freely with men and drive on campus.

Women will also not be required to wear veils in the coeducational classes.
This is in contrast to the wider country where a strict Wahhabi branch of Islam is practised and women are completely segregated.

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Hopefully science and "reason" will spread around and diminish the influence of the Wahhabi... and that of the Zionists and that of the Christians...

From the NYT

Saudi Arabia is trying to enlist other oil-producing countries to support a provocative idea: if wealthy countries reduce their oil consumption to combat global warming, they should pay compensation to oil producers.

The oil-rich kingdom has pushed this position for years in earlier climate-treaty negotiations. While it has not succeeded, its efforts have sometimes delayed or disrupted discussions. The kingdom is once again gearing up to take a hard line on the issue at international negotiations scheduled for Copenhagen in December.

The chief Saudi negotiator, Mohammad al-Sabban, described the position as a “make or break” provision for the Saudis, as nations stake out their stance ahead of the global climate summit scheduled for the end of the year.

“Assisting us as oil-exporting countries in achieving economic diversification is very crucial for us through foreign direct investments, technology transfer, insurance and funding,” Mr. Sabban said in an e-mail message.

This Saudi position has emerged periodically as a source of dispute since the earliest global climate talks, in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. It is surfacing again as Saudi Arabia tries to build a coalition of producers to extract concessions in Copenhagen.

Petroleum exporters have long used delaying tactics during climate talks. They view any attempt to reduce carbon emissions by developed countries as a menace to their economies.

A female journalist in Saudi Arabia has been sentenced to 60 lashes over a TV show in which a Saudi man described his extra-marital sex life.

The programme, made by Lebanese satellite network LBC, caused a huge scandal in conservative Saudi Arabia when it was shown several months ago.

The journalist is one of two female LBC employees who have been arrested.

Mazen Abdul Jawad, the Saudi man who talked about how he picked up Saudi women for sex, has already been jailed.

The original programme was part of a series called Red Lines, made by the popular LBC network.

Saudi owner

It examined taboos in the Arab world. Unmarried sex in Saudi Arabia amongst Saudis - rather than expatriates - is one of the biggest.

Mazen Abdul Jawad provoked outrage by describing his techniques for meeting and having sex with Saudi women.

He tearfully apologised but was jailed for five years and sentenced to 1,000 lashes.

Three of his friends who appeared on the show got two years each.

Mr Abdul Jawad blamed LBC producers for tricking him.

The station's offices in Saudi Arabia were closed down and two of its producers - both female - put on trial.

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The sad story of moralisationing being used as a means to repress knowledge, even low life knowledge... See toon at top...

The Saudi king has waived a sentence of flogging on a female journalist working for a TV channel which aired graphic accounts of sex in the kingdom.

King Abdullah cancelled the sentence of 60 lashes against Rozanna al-Yami, after being briefed on the case.

The programme broadcast by Saudi-owned Lebanese channel LBC caused a huge scandal in the conservative kingdom.

Three men who bragged about their sexual adventures in the show, as well as the cameraman, have been jailed.

No reason has been given for the king's decision. It is the second time he has intervened in a high-profile flogging sentence in two years.

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See toon at top and story above...