Dog meat controversy set at rest

May 19, 2014

Dog meat controversy

Jeddah, May 19: A group of Asian expat workers recently fell victim to the dire language barrier that exists between themselves and authorities.

The workers were caught on video allegedly whipping up soup using dog bones during inspection rounds although they were, in fact, using nothing but the bones of sheep and cows.

The videoclip, which shows them cooking in filthy conditions at a residential building in the Petromin District, went viral on the Internet among Saudis.

The workers, who distribute food to restaurants, were caught off-guard and were unable to defend themselves when probed.

The clip exploited the image of bones and the sound of a dog barking in the background, which only served to exacerbate the rumor.

The workers were humiliated throughout the day on Saturday by the rumor frenzy that had engulfed them.

The Jeddah Municipality, however, eventually issued a statement that denied the information and confirmed that the soup was being made using the bones of sheep and cows.

“We had received information from security officials on the spot,” one source said. “We inspected the sight and found no traces of dog slaughter.”

“The dog had been barking from a nearby house,” he said.

The Jeddah Municipality also confirmed that its sole role was only to ensure food health standards.

The municipality recently closed seven restaurants in the Nuzlah Yamaniah District for failing to adhere to health standards.

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Agencies
July 30,2020

Kuwait will allow citizens and residents to travel to and from the country, starting August 1, the government communication center tweeted on early Thursday, citing a cabinet decision.

The decision excludes residents coming from Bangladesh, Philippines, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Iran, Nepal.

Last month, Kuwait announced it would partially resume commercial flights from August, but does not expect to reach full capacity until a year later, as its aviation sector gradually recovers from a suspension sparked by the Covid-19 crisis.

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Agencies
July 31,2020

Makkah, Jul 31: Organising this year's scaled-down hajj required "double efforts" by Saudi authorities amid the coronavirus pandemic, King Salman said Friday after being discharged from hospital following gall bladder surgery.

Only up to 10,000 people already residing in the kingdom are participating in this year's pilgrimage, compared with 2019's gathering of some 2.5 million from around the world.

"Holding the ritual in the shadow of this pandemic... required reducing the numbers of pilgrims, but it obliged various official agencies to put in double efforts," 84-year-old King Salman said in a speech read out on state television by acting media minister Majid Al-Qasabi.

"The hajj this year was restricted to a very limited number of people from multiple nationalities, ensuring the ritual was completed despite the difficult circumstances," he said.

The speech came on the occasion of Eid al-Adha, the Muslim festival of sacrifice, a day after the king left hospital following a 10-day stay for surgery to remove his gall bladder.

The hajj, which began on Wednesday, is one of the five pillars of Islam and a must for able-bodied Muslims at least once in their lifetime.

Authorities implemented the "highest health precautions" during the rituals, the king said.

Pilgrims, who were all tested for the virus, are required to wear masks and observe social distancing.

For Friday's "stoning of the devil", the last major ritual of the hajj, Saudi authorities offered the pilgrims pebbles that were sanitised to protect against the pandemic.

In a sign that its strict measures were working, the health ministry reported no coronavirus cases in the holy sites on Wednesday or Thursday.

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News Network
March 16,2020

Cairo, Mar 16: Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman said G20 summit will work to combat coronavirus and coordinate efforts to ease its economic burdens, state news agency SPA said on Sunday.

In a phone call with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Salman discussed international efforts to fight the flu-like disease, saying the next G20 summit, which will be hosted by the Kingdom, will work on finding medical solutions, SPA added.

The G20 Summit is an annual gathering of representatives of the world's largest economies.

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