JEDDAH: According to Sabq e-newspaper, the Criminal Court in Jeddah cleared the Dog Beauty Contest organizers of a charge addressing moral and religious indecency.
The contest, which had created controversy on social media, was canceled by Jeddah municipality on Eid Al-Fitr 2016.
The Criminal Court had held several sessions to examine this case, in which the prosecutor requested the application of Paragraph 2 of Article 6 of the Anti-Cyber Crime Law, imposing jail up to 5 years and a fine of more than $3 million.
After hearing the accused, the court decided that publishing the contest on Snapchat and WhatsApp was not moral indecency like alcohol, gambling and other moral crimes.
The Criminal Court decided that there was no crime and conferred the case to the Court of Appeal, which upheld the decision.
This contest was announced on social media on Eid Al-Fitr 2016 and led Jeddah municipality to announce on Twitter: “Legal procedures and punishments will be taken against the organizers.”
Jeddah’s criminal court clears dog beauty pageant organizers
Jeddah’s criminal court clears dog beauty pageant organizers
Saudi Arabia intercepts more drones over the kingdom, UK affirms support for the region
[11:51 AM, 3/4/2026] Dalal Awienat: RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defense official spokesperson, Major General Turki Al-Maliki said the Kingdom intercepted 9 drones on Wednesday, reported state news agency SPA.
All-Maliki also said a drone was intercepted and destroyed in the Eastern Region of the kingdom and two cruise missiles were intercepted and destroyed in Al-Kharj Governorate.
A statement from the Saudi foreign ministry on Tuesday condemned Iran’s attack on the United States Embassy building in Riyadh after preliminary assessments indicated two drones targeted the facility.
The Saudi Defense Ministry said eight drones were intercepted and destroyed near Riyadh and Al-Kharj. The incident caused a limited fire and minor material damage to the embassy, with no reported injuries.
Reports from early Tuesday described a loud blast and visible flames at the American embassy, with black smoke rising over Riyadh’s diplomatic quarter, where many foreign missions are located.
UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said in an X post, reckless attacks targeting innocent civilians are unacceptable and destabilizing, affirming her country's support for Saudi Arabia and its partners in the region in confronting these attacks.
Iranian strikes on Riyadh, including on the US Embassy, are completely unacceptable.
— Yvette Cooper (@YvetteCooperMP) March 3, 2026
We condemn these reckless and destabilising attacks that target innocent civilians.
We stand with Saudi Arabia and our others partners across the region in the face of these attacks.
“Iranian strikes on Riyadh, including on the US Embassy, are completely unacceptable. We condemn these reckless and destabilising attacks that target innocent civilians. We stand with Saudi Arabia and our other partners across the region in the face of these attacks,” said Cooper.
