RIYADH: All the hype surrounding Formula E sent a wave of excitement through the streets that you could sense as you approached the Allianz E-Village, an electronic village with reality toys galore that will take you to the another world. Thrilled visitors who had come early had the advantage of avoiding the crowds and the busy queues as they paced their way through the village.
The Formula E-Prix took up the whole of Ad Diriyah, a family zone and cultural village. The best way to move around was by one of the many buses that transports visitors to the security checks.
On the ride to the cultural village at dusk you could see the place all lit up with twinkling fairy lights. It was magical and beautiful. One person on the bus gushed at the beauty of it, the mixing of the old and the new, the cultural and the technological.
“In my day everything was open; we had cinemas and foreigners walked around without abayas. This reminds me of the old days. I’m very happy that we have this again. This is normal life. It’s nice to go back to that,” Um Faisal, a Saudi citizen said from the crowd.
People were dancing in the crowds singing to the lyrics, and once the DJ stopped the music you could hear the crowds scream with excitement.
“This is ridiculous!” was overheard from one concert-goer who was watching the show. The huge crowd was jumping up and down to the beat. There were no limits to age, gender or race; everyone participated.
First-time concert-goer Yara Saud, an 18-year-old college student, had been waiting for this event since it was announced. Being a huge fan of Jason Derulo, she said: “I can’t believe that I’m attending my favorite artist’s concert in my home town. This is Crazy!”
“Saudi whassap. This is a dream come true for me! Since we are in Saudi Arabia I want to do things a little different,” said Jason Derulo.
As a special treat for his Saudi audience he gave the first performance of a new song, stating on the stage that his mother taught him to never visit empty handed: This was his gift to Saudi Arabia.
It was truly a night to remember as for the first time in Saudi Arabia we could witness the people of Saudi mingling, dancing, singing and enjoying themselves in a huge outdoor area.
Formula E at Ad Diriyah: An experience of a lifetime
Formula E at Ad Diriyah: An experience of a lifetime
- The 2018 Ad Diriyah E-Prix gets off to a thrilling start
Madinah accredited as an ‘autism-friendly city’
MADINAH: Madinah Gov. Prince Salman bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz has highlighted the importance of equipping public places and developing programs to meet the needs of people with autism spectrum disorder, helping them to actively engage in the community.
An agreement was signed between Al-Madinah Association for Autism (Tamakkon) and the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards, accrediting Madinah as “an autism-friendly city.”
The governor praised the role of Tamakkon in expanding services and boosting learning opportunities for beneficiaries around the region.
He also inspected the Prince Faisal bin Salman Autism Center’s facilities and services, including diagnostic and comprehensive assessment clinics, speech therapy clinics, and a number of departments that provide comprehensive care from early childhood.
Saudi king, crown prince offer condolences to UAE president after passing of Sheikh Hazza bin Sultan
Saudi king, crown prince offer condolences to UAE president after passing of Sheikh Hazza bin Sultan
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s king and crown prince extended their condolences to the President of the UAE Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan on Thursday after the passing of Sheikh Hazza bin Sultan bin Zayed Al-Nahyan.
In separate cables of condolences, King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman prayed that God have mercy on the deceased and forgive him.
Sheikh Hazza, a member of Abu Dhabi’s ruling family, was buried on Thursday.
Hajj pilgrims from around the world begin to arrive in Saudi Arabia
- With just over a month to go until the start of the pilgrimage, the first Hajj flights arrived from India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Pakistan and South Africa
- A total of 7,700 flights are expected to arrive at six airports in the Kingdom during this year’s Hajj season
RIYADH: The first groups of pilgrims from several countries arrived in Saudi Arabia on Thursday ahead of this year’s Hajj.
Among them were 283 pilgrims from India, who were welcomed upon arrival at Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah by the minister of transport and logistics services, Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser, and the deputy minister of Hajj and Umrah, Abdel Fattah bin Sulaiman Mashat.
Al-Jasser said 7,700 flights carrying Hajj pilgrims will arrive at six airports this year, which is the year 1445 in the Islamic Hijri calendar, and Saudi authorities are committed to providing the best services to them during their stays in the Kingdom. More than 27,000 buses will be in service, he added, and the high-speed Al-Haramain and Al-Mashaer trains will complete more than 5,000 journeys.
The Indian ambassador to the Kingdom, Suhel Ajaz Khan, who joined the Saudi ministers in greeting the first of this year’s pilgrims, told Arab News: “The Indian mission in Saudi Arabia stands fully ready to welcome Indian pilgrims and ensure a fulfilling experience for the Hajj 2024.
“This year, the Consulate General of India in Jeddah, in close coordination with concerned ministries of the government of India and the support of the concerned agencies in Saudi Arabia, has exerted the utmost efforts to put in place a well-planned, thorough operational architecture for facilitating a smooth Hajj experience for the pilgrims.
“We have a new smart app, Haj Suvidha app, which we have developed for pilgrims’ facilitation and grievance redressal mechanism, aiming to ensure a seamless pilgrimage journey with our app, dedicated to simplifying the Hajj application process for Indian citizens.
“This seamless operational Hajj 2024 architecture, created by the (Indian consulate) has now been set in motion with the arrival of the first two flights carrying Indian Hajj pilgrims from Hyderabad and New Delhi. Eleven more flights are expected to arrive during the course of the day, which will see around 4,000 Indian Hajj pilgrims arriving on the first day in Madinah.”
The first Hajj flight from Bangladesh, carrying 415 pilgrims, landed at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah on Thursday morning. The country’s ambassador to the Kingdom, Mohammad Javed Patwary, joined other officials from the Bangladeshi mission in welcoming them at the airport.
“We are really happy to serve the pilgrims from Bangladesh,” the envoy told Arab News. “We have seen smooth service for the last three years under the Makkah Route Initiative; it is going better and better every year.
“Officials from all the concerned Saudi ministries, including the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and the Ministry of Health, are here to welcome the pilgrims and help to make this lifetime journey a smooth experience.”
The Makkah Route Initiative is part of Saudi Arabia’s Guests of God Service Program, inaugurated by King Salman in 2019. It seeks to provide visitors to the holy sites with the best possible services to help them perform their Hajj rituals easily and comfortably.
The first of this year’s Hajj flights from Malaysia arrived on Thursday, in Madinah. The country’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Datuk Wan Zaidi Wan Abdullah, told Arab News: “The Makkah Route service pre-clearance arrangement has greatly benefited Malaysian Hajj pilgrims.
“This year, 31,600 Hajj pilgrims will benefit from the initiative and Malaysia is ready to expand the Makkah Route service for Umrah pilgrims, who (number) approximately 400,000 visitors annually.”
The first Hajj pilgrims from Pakistan also arrived in Madinah, where they were welcomed by the Pakistani ambassador to the Kingdom, Ahmad Farooq, Consul General Khalid Majid and senior Saudi officials.
The pilgrims arrived on flights from Karachi, Multan, Lahore and Islamabad. More than 2,100 were expected to arrive in Madinah on the first day, and the total number of Pakistani pilgrims expected to perform Hajj this year is 179,210. About half of them will do so under government schemes, the rest through private Hajj tour companies.
Pakistani officials said they have prepared the necessary accommodation for the pilgrims and will provide them with all required services and facilities, including a medical mission comprising 500 medical staff, including doctors and specialists.
Also on Thursday, the first batch of pilgrims from South Africa arrived in Jeddah.
Hajj is expected to begin on or around June 14 and conclude on June 19.
Eight Arabian oryx calves born at royal reserve
- Arrival of oryxes marks significant step in Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve’s breeding program
RIYADH: Eight Arabian oryx calves have been welcomed at the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve, it was announced on Thursday.
The arrival of the oryxes marks a significant step in the reserve’s breeding program, Saudi Press Agency reported.
The species was classified as “extinct” in the wild in the 1970s by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. In 1986 it was classed as “endangered” and in 2011 it became the first animal to revert to “vulnerable” status on the IUCN’s Red List.
Estimates from 2016 suggested there were 1,220 oryxes living in the wild globally and as many as 7,000 in captivity.
The oryx births at the ITARR follows the hatching of red-necked ostrich chicks and a rise in the number of Arabian sand gazelles at the reserve. Construction of a dedicated breeding center for the endangered Asian houbara is also underway.
Saudi FM discusses developments in Rafah with Palestinian PM
- During a meeting in Riyadh, the two officials also discussed strengthening cooperation relations between their countries
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan discussed developments in the Gazan city of Rafah with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa on Thursday.
During a meeting in Riyadh, the two officials also discussed strengthening cooperation relations between their countries, and the Palestinian government’s priorities and work program.
Israeli forces massed tanks and opened fire close to built-up areas of Rafah on Thursday, residents said, after US President Joe Biden vowed to withhold weapons from Israel if its forces launch a major invasion of the southern Gaza city.
Israel has defied international objections by sending in tanks and conducting “targeted raids” in the border city, which is crowded with displaced Palestinian civilians.
