TAIF, 19 March 2007 — Guests at a wedding were food poisoned with 53 of them ending up in hospital. It is thought that the guests became sick after eating pasta from a popular local patisserie. The sick people were taken to hospitals in Taif and Makkah.

Mother Saves Kids, Dies of Stroke

HAIL, 19 March 2007 — A mother of seven died from a stroke after rescuing several of her children from a fire that had engulfed the family’s home, Al-Watan newspaper reported yesterday. Civil Defense officials say the fire was caused by an electricity fault in a heater. When the fire broke out the mother was successful in getting three of her children out to safety and then returned inside to get the others but her exit was blocked. Her youngest daughter died from smoke inhalation. The woman and her other three daughters were rescued by fire fighters. The mother, together with one of her daughters, was taken to hospital where she later died following a stroke.

Dammam Police Raid Midnight Gay Party

DAMMAM, 19 March 2007 — A gang of 17 homosexuals, wearing ladies clothing and makeup, were arrested when police officers raided the flat where they were holding a midnight party. The flat’s tenant, a locally-known homosexual in his 30s, would regularly hold parties of ill-repute. Police officers say the man was locally known to seduce teenagers to join his parties. A neighbor, frustrated by the continuous and regular loud noises coming from the flat, alerted police who raided the location. The men confessed that they were homosexuals and that they were celebrating their leader’s birthday. The man was also charged with singing at women’s events and regularly masquerading in public wearing women’s clothing.

Riots at Juvenile Detention Center

RIYADH, 19 March 2007 — Youths at a juvenile detention center in the capital recently rioted resulting in four of them being left injured, Al-Watan reported yesterday. The riot, which started when an official at the center punished an inmate for bad behavior, was put down by prison guards. The center holds more than 300 juveniles.