From Star Academy to Setting Yourself on Fire

A man set himself on fire and ran across a football field because he heard that the woman he loved is going to marry another man, the Al-Watan daily reported. The heartbroken man was extinguished by a group of footballers, but not before 70 percent of his body was burned. He was taken to a local hospital, where he remains in critical condition. The man had earlier stabbed a groom for trying to marry the woman that he loves.

A woman posing as a matchmaker duped a man seeking a bride out of SR5,000, the Al-Watan daily reported. The bride-seeker from Daharan asked the woman to find him a wife. After saying she had found a doctor that accepted his offer, she demanded the money upfront to complete the deal. The man accepted the offer only to later discover that the womanâ??s phone number had been disconnected.

A Bangladeshi worker died from a heart attack after seeing a SR5,000 electricity bill, the Okaz daily reported. The father of seven children had recovered from an earlier heart attack after viewing an electricity bill of SR2,000, his children told the paper.

At today’s rate, 5,000 riyals equals $1,333.23 US

Controversial Egyptian superstar, Ruby is taking extensive English lessons to begin recording a number of new songs containing both English and Arabic lyrics.

Saudi mobile operator Mobily has stopped users from text message voting for an Arab â??Star Academyâ? competition because of an Islamic decree branding the reality show immoral, the company said.

Saudi religious scholars last May condemned the hugely popular talent show aired by Lebanese channel LBC as a crime against Islam when a young Saudi returned to a heroâ??s welcome after winning in the Lebanese capital Beirut.

â??The decision was taken last night because of a fatwa (religious decree) issued last year, since the programme is culturally inappropriate,â? spokesman Humoud Alghodaini said. â??It shows men and women living in one house,â? he added.