JEDDAH: Some 32 children’s hospitality centers in Makkah and Madinah have been set up this year to take care of children while their parents are performing Hajj. The centers, which were established by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development in partnership with the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, can accommodate more than 1,000 children each day, targeting boys and girls between the ages of 1 and 10.

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has officially received the Asian Physics Olympiad flag as it prepares to host the 2025 edition of one of the largest scientific events in Asia, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Friday. The symbolic flag was handed over to the Kingdom by Malaysia, which recently hosted the 2024 APhO edition in Kampar.  Saudi Arabia’s team of 8 students won five awards in the 2024 competition, which featured 208 students from 27 countries from June 3-10, 2024.

MOUNT ARAFAT, Saudi Arabia: Following the footsteps of prophets beneath a burning sun, Muslims from around the world congregated Saturday at a sacred hill in Saudi Arabia for intense, daylong worship and reflection. The ritual at Mount Arafat, known as the hill of mercy, is considered the peak of the Hajj pilgrimage. It is often the most memorable for pilgrims, who stand shoulder to shoulder, feet to feet, asking God for mercy, blessings, prosperity and good health. The mount is about 20 kilometers (12 miles) southeast of Makkah.

MAKKAH:The security spokesman for the Ministry of Interior, Colonel Talal bin Abdulmohsen Al-Shalhoub, announced the successful implementation of the plan's first phase to smoothly transport pilgrims to the holy sites.  He made his statement on Friday during the daily press conference for the Hajj season 2024, with the participation of official spokespersons for the Ministries of Hajj and Umrah, Health, Transport and Logistics.

RIYADH: Innovative road-cooling technology is set to make pilgrims’ experience of Hajj safer and more comfortable as temperatures soar to 46 degrees Celsius in the summer heat. A spokesman for the Roads General Authority, Abdulaziz Al-Otaibi, told Arab News: “When roads are exposed to sunlight, they absorb heat, reaching up to 70 degrees Celsius of temperature retention once the sun sets.”

JEDDAH: Hajj draws about 2 million people each year. However, this monumental event places a significant strain on the environment through waste, water and energy consumption, and carbon emissions.  That is why measures have been put in place to encourage pilgrims to minimize their waste, use resources judiciously, and reduce their overall carbon footprint while fulfilling their Hajj obligations.

RIYADH: The owner of a building that collapsed in Jeddah at the end of May, killing seven people and injuring another eight, has been detained, the Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority announced on Thursday. The authority found that the building owner, Firas Hani Jamal Al-Turki, the deputy minister for shared services at the Ministry of Culture, had tried to apply for a building permit. The local municipality ordered Al-Turki to stop construction on the building after it was found to have technical defects, but he failed to comply.

MAKKAH: Around 93,000 pilgrims benefited from services offered by Saudi Ministry of Health care centers during the first days of the Hajj season. The ministry said that 19 open-heart surgeries, 218 cardiac catheterizations and 676 dialysis procedures were among the operations performed. More than 2,020 pilgrims were admitted to hospitals and health centers for treatment. Health services provided to worshippers include medical and specialized clinics, pharmacies, dialysis centers, intensive care units and isolation units, the ministry said.

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s drug control authority arrested a Bangladeshi national on Saturday after allegedly finding him in possession of 2.8 kilograms of methamphetamine, according to the Saudi Press Agency. According to the General Directorate of Narcotics Control, the confiscated items have been submitted to the Public Prosecution.

MINA: The Interior Ministry announced on Friday that the Hajj Security Forces apprehended 18 suspects at Makkah’s entrances for violating Hajj rules and regulations by transporting 91 persons without Hajj permits. The Saudi Press Agency reported that the suspects, a GCC national, an expatriate and 16 Saudi citizens, were detained on Thursday.

ALKHOBAR: Since the non-profit ZADK Culinary Academy officially opened its doors in 2019, it has cooked up some hearty dishes and continues to break records, do good, and train the region’s future culinary masters. “ZADK won the Quality Award in Education and Training from the Ministry of Tourism, and has gained the trust of the Human Resources Development Fund, which supported the delivery of diploma courses for 100 male and female chefs and helped 240 others train for a qualifying certificate in the mini cooking program,” Rania Moualla, the academy’s founder, told Arab News.

RIYADH: Saudi Minister of Media Salman bin Youssef Al-Dossary has inspected media offices at the holy sites where he was briefed on the techniques used by the Saudi Broadcasting Authority in covering the Hajj rituals in Arafat. He also visited the Arafat Tower and was briefed on the authority’s mobile television studio. Al-Dossary visited the media centre in Arafat, which has all necessary equipment to facilitate the work of local journalists and their international partners. He also toured the ministry’s office in Mina to inspect the facilities there.

RIYADH: The Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawa and Guidance has prepared 2,945 mosques and musallas for Eid Al-Adha prayers in Riyadh and affiliated governorates. The ministry said its Riyadh branch is conducting inspection tours, as well as carrying out maintenance and cleaning work, and is providing all mosques in the region with necessities including incense to ensure that all mosques and musallas are ready to receive worshippers.

RIYADH: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi arrived in Jeddah on Friday to perform Hajj as the first day of the annual pilgrimage got underway.  El-Sisi arrived in the Kingdom on Thursday and later prayed at the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah.  Wearing the ihram, the president was seen off by the governor of Madinah Prince Salman bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz earlier on Friday at Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport.

RIYADH: Al-Zamazma Company has distributed more than 35 million bottles of Zamzam water to residences and reception centers across Makkah, reported Saudi Press Agency on Friday. The gesture is part of ongoing efforts to ensure pilgrims have easy access to the sacred water throughout their Hajj journey. Yasser bin Sulaiman Shushu, board member of Al-Zamazma Company, praised the dedication of the teams which delivered the water. Distribution is via the Zamzam digital platform, which integrates with the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah’s Nusuk platform, he said.

In sweltering temperatures, Muslim pilgrims in Makkah converged on a vast tent camp in the desert on Friday, officially opening the annual Hajj pilgrimage. Ahead of their trip, they circled the Kaaba in the Grand Mosque, Islam’s holiest site. More than 1.5 million pilgrims from around the world have already amassed in and around Makkah for the Hajj, and the number was still growing as more pilgrims from inside Saudi Arabia joined.   Saudi authorities expected the number to exceed 2 million this year.

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defense is ready to provide safety and security services, including the air ambulance, as pilgrims gather at the tent city of Mina. The Kingdom has launched the air ambulance service to enhance healthcare for pilgrims undertaking Hajj this season. The first emergency case had already been transported, the ministry said on Friday.

RIYADH:Ten investors have been convicted of violating the Kingdom’s Capital Market Law and ordered to pay the government a total of $27.1 million in fines and compensation for losses, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday. The Appeal Committee for Resolution of Securities Disputes, or ACRSD, sentenced one of the individuals to imprisonment, the SPA report said. The “final decision” was issued by the ACRSD on Dec. 24, 2023.

RIYADH: Saudi aid agency KSrelief has delivered 25 tonnes of dates to the World Food Programme’s office in Guinea, reported the Saudi Press Agency. The dates were delivered in the presence of Saudi Ambassador Fahd bin Eid Al-Rashidi and representatives of the aid agency at WFP headquarters in Conakry, the country’s capital. The WFP delegate in Conakry, Hyoung-Joon Lim, received the shipment on Thursday.

RIYADH: King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language on Thursday signed an agreement with Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies in Tashkent. The agreement aims to enhance cooperation in promoting the Arabic language, teaching it, preserving its integrity and supporting its use in alignment with the objectives of the human capability development program, one of the initiatives of Saudi Vision 2030.

RIYADH: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi arrived in the Saudi city of Madinah on Thursday and prayed at the Prophet’s Mosque, the Saudi Press Agency reported. El-Sisi was received by Prince Salman bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, the governor of the Madinah region, and a number of local officials on his arrival at Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport. The annual pilgrimage starts on Friday and El-Sisi will be taking part this year. 

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman sent a message of condolence and sympathy to Malawi’s President Lazarus Chakwera following the deaths of Vice President Saulos Klaus Chilima and nine others in a plane crash. The king wrote: “We received news of the death of the vice president of the Republic of Malawi, Mr. Saulos Klaus Chilima, and his companions, and we express to your excellency and your friendly people our deepest condolences and sincere sympathy.” Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sent a similar message to the president, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

MAKKAH: Authorities have reminded pilgrims that the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority’s Tawakkalna app provides access to several digital services that can help them during Hajj.

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s climate envoy Adel Al-Jubeir said the Kingdom is one of the largest investors in clean energy and has huge projects aimed at reducing the effects of climate change and initiatives to enhance global climate action. Al-Jubeir, who is also the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Cabinet member, added that these projects include a waste recycling program, Middle East Green Initiative, and one of the largest hydrogen schemes in the world, which is being established in NEOM. 

RIYADH: Red Sea Global, the developer behind regenerative tourism destinations The Red Sea and AMAALA, has announced substantial progress on its Turtle Bay Hospital project.  The hospital, located in The Red Sea’s Turtle Bay area, will provide world-class health care to people living in, working at, and visiting the 1.5 million sq m waterfront site. The Red Sea destination is set to welcome about 300,000 guests annually once the first phase of resorts is completed next year. 

MAKKAH: There is a chance of rain and thunderstorms over Makkah in the next few hours, according to the National Center of Meteorology. Meanwhile, Madinah and Jeddah are also expected to be partly cloudy, reported Saudi Press Agency on Thursday. Current temperatures in Makkah sit at 43 degrees Celsius, with south-westerly to westerly winds ranging from 12 to 34 km/h. These could increase to more than 50 km/h with thunderstorms. Madinah is experiencing significantly warmer temperatures at 46 degrees Celsius, with westerly to south-westerly winds at 12 to 34 km/h.

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan on Thursday received a phone call from the Iranian acting foreign minister, Ali Bagheri Kani. During the call, they reviewed aspects of cooperation between the two countries and topics of common interest, the Kingdom’s foreign ministry said.

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is using artificial intelligence technologies to enhance traffic management and alleviate congestion in Makkah during the annual Hajj season, ultimately providing a more secure and seamless pilgrimage experience. Having hosted 1,845,045 pilgrims in the 2023 season, according to Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Statistics, efficient traffic control measures are more important than ever.

MAKKAH: The Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs has prepared five clinics and a medical center for heat exhaustion and sunstroke at Mina and Arafat to serve pilgrims during this year’s Hajj season. The Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday that the ministry had concluded its preparations and made available 250 employees and health practitioners, including 50 doctors specialized in intensive care, cardiology, emergency, internal medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, orthopedics, family and community medicine, and fighting infections.

RIYADH: Every year Muslims from across the world gather in the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah ahead of the Hajj pilgrimage, a once-in-a-lifetime spiritual journey for many. With Hajj beginning on Friday, June 14, pilgrims will congregate in the tent city of Mina, near Makkah. Among the worshippers will be celebrities taking time out of their busy schedules to connect with their faith.

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is set to participate in the Global event for Defense and security Eurosatory 2024 in Paris on June 17.  The General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI) is collaborating with the Saudi government to help organize the Kingdom’s participation in the event, which will continue until June 21. The Saudi pavilion will include participants from the Ministry of Investment, the General Authority for Defense Development and other national institutions specializing in military industries.  

RIYADH: King Khalid International Airport has announced that direct flights between Riyadh and the Bosnian capital Sarajevo will begin this month. A partnership with Saudi airline flyadeal will see seven weekly flights between the two cities, using an Airbus A320. This could see 1,302 passengers traveling the route each week.

MAKKAH: A specialized medical team at the King Abdullah Medical City in Makkah saved the life of a 70-year-old Turkish pilgrim who suffered a stroke. The team performed a minimally invasive procedure that involved inserting a catheter into the brain to unblock the clogged artery and remove a blood clot. The patient regained full consciousness and was able to speak and move her limbs within less than an hour. She was then placed in the intensive neurological care unit for monitoring.

MAKKAH: Prince Abdullah bin Bandar, the minister of the National Guard, inspected the readiness of ministry forces for the Hajj season, the Saudi Press Agency reported. This inspection is part of Saudi Arabia’s efforts to ensure the security of the Hajj, following the directions of the country’s leadership. During his visit to Makkah’s Al-Shara’i district, Prince Abdullah watched a detailed military parade under the theme of “Ease and Reassurance.”

RIYADH: A campaign on how to choose the proper animals for sacrifice and ensure that it is free of diseases has been launched in Madinah province ahead of Eid Al-Adha.  Dubbed «My Sacrifice,” the awareness campaign is a project of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture's Department of Animal Wealth, according to the Saudi Press Agency. »The campaign, which is supervised by a number of specialists and veterinarians, shows the most important and sound methods for preserving meat and keeping it safe from poisoning," SPA said.