Saudi Arabia Labor

In the ancient port city of Jidda, which for centuries has served as a gateway to the Muslim holy city of Mecca, there is a quarter of brightly lighted shops and run-down auto repair garages, a place where the staid white robes of traditional Saudi dress disappear among the colorful draped skirts and rakish grins of the Yemenis. It is a place, in a country known for good manners and temperate behavior, to which foreigners are advised not to go.

The young prince likes to play gourmet cook. When it comes time to sit down to dinner, though, the meal is served by not one but three Philippine maids. His guests are fetched by Pakistani drivers--one for home, a few more for the office. Now, he frowns because the Saudi government has held up his request for visas to import more foreign help. "I've been waiting two months for visas, and I'm a nephew of the king!" he exclaims.

The young prince likes to play gourmet cook. When it comes time to sit down to dinner, though, the meal is served by not one but three Philippine maids. His guests are fetched by Pakistani drivers--one for home, a few more for the office. Now, he frowns because the Saudi government has held up his request for visas to import more foreign help. "I've been waiting two months for visas, and I'm a nephew of the king!" he exclaims.

In the ancient port city of Jidda, which for centuries has served as a gateway to the Muslim holy city of Mecca, there is a quarter of brightly lighted shops and run-down auto repair garages, a place where the staid white robes of traditional Saudi dress disappear among the colorful draped skirts and rakish grins of the Yemenis. It is a place, in a country known for good manners and temperate behavior, to which foreigners are advised not to go.

Oil prices climbed to another record and the cost of gasoline hit a fresh high in California on Monday amid strong demand, worries about the nation's fuel supplies and security threats in Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter. After reaching $64 during trading Monday, the price of U.S. benchmark crude for September delivery closed at $63.94 a barrel, up $1.63 on the New York Mercantile Exchange. That eclipsed Friday's record close of $62.31 a barrel.