BBC: Saudi Arabia has reportedly banned an influential pan-Arab newspaper after it criticised government ministries.
Sources at the al-Hayat daily said it was banned after refusing to abide by information ministry orders, including scrapping a column by a Saudi writer.
The paper, owned by a top Saudi prince, was not distributed this week in the conservative kingdom, officials said.
Recent columns by Abdul Aziz Suwaid had tackled health care problems and a wave of mysterious deaths among camels.
The government has blamed about 2,000 camel deaths on poor feed, denying the presence of an infectious disease.
Other reports say the ban followed al-Hayat's disclosure that a Saudi extremist had played a key role in al-Qaeda in Iraq. Saudis 'ban' pan-Arab newspaper (more)
Mark Alexander
