Monday, August 31, 2015 A fire in the eastern Saudi city of Alkhobar tore through a housing complex for oil workers yesterday, killing eleven, according to civil officials. The Radium complex is rented by oil firm Aramco for their employees. According to nearby resident Mohammed Siddique the fire broke out early in the morning. Siddique says the building contains locals, as well as Westerners and Asians. The cause is unclear but the civil defence ministry tweeted “Cars and furniture caught fire in the basement of one of the towers”. Over 200 people were injured. Firefighters scaled the burning tower on ladders, and helicopters were on-scene. Other towers in the complex…

Friday, August 26, 2005 Berlin’s Neukoellner Opera House is causing a stir with its new production, The Yellow Princess. The story presented in the French opera, by Camille Saint-Saens, is of an artist “whose life is dictated by a love for drugs and Japan.” As a result, the performers smoke cannabis joints on stage, and the theatre itself is encouraging the audience to join in. Artistic director Bernhard Glocksin says that the theatre is claiming the metaphorical “artistic licence”, to excuse the actions of the actors and audience, which are against German law. Glocksin was quoted by Ananova as saying opera would be “improved with a few joints and some…