Almost 3.5m people attend Eid events across Saudi Arabia

First day of Eid in the Kingdom was Tuesday. (SPA)
Updated 12 June 2019
Follow

Almost 3.5m people attend Eid events across Saudi Arabia

RIYADH: Almost 3.5 million people attended Eid Al-Fitr events organized by the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs.

The ministry, which organized 991 events throughout the Kingdom, gave 136,739 gifts to visitors, especially children. It set up thousands of gardens, public parks, squares and beaches to receive citizens and residents, who expressed their appreciation of its efforts.

Field teams were assigned to follow up on the events, which included commemorative, heritage, sports and theatrical activities. Riyadh’s secretariat and its affiliated municipalities organized 266 events, received almost 2 million people and distributed 20,000 gifts to children.

Madinah’s secretariat received 161,840 visitors, who attended 115 events and received 5,600 gifts.

Taif’s secretariat organized 33 events that were attended by 150,042 people, and 3,600 gifts were distributed. Qassim’s secretariat organized 108 events with a turnout of 99,253 visitors who received 43,700 gifts. SPA Riyadh

Al-Baha’s secretariat organized 27 events attended by 92,602 people, with 5,000 gifts distributed to children. The Eastern Province’s secretariat organized 16 events attended by 57,827 people, with more than 6,000 gifts distributed.

In Al-Ahsa, five events were organized and attended by 164,708 people, with children receiving 1,100 gifts. Jazan’s secretariat organized 81 events with a turnout of 45,500 people, who received 5,500 gifts.

The Northern Borders’ secretariat organized 44 events attended by 57,034 people, who received 3,265 gifts. Makkah’s secretariat organized 13 events and received 9,900 people, who received 5,000 gifts. Jeddah’s secretariat organized 13 events attended by 549,961 people, who received more than 18,000 gifts. Several more events were organized by the municipal authorities in different cities across the Kingdom.

 


Direct KSA to Iraq flight routes announced

Updated 5 sec ago
Follow

Direct KSA to Iraq flight routes announced

  • These flights, along with flights to Baghdad and Irbil, will commence from June 1.

RIYADH: The Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation announced the launch of direct flights from Dammam to Najaf, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Friday.
The decision is in line with the Kingdom’s national aviation sector strategy, aimed at doubling capacity to accommodate over 330 million passengers annually, and extending services to more than 250 global destinations.
These flights, along with flights to Baghdad and Irbil, will commence from June 1.


Ministry of Hajj and Umrah praises Iraqi authorities for arresting fraudsters touting fake Hajj trips

Updated 14 min 30 sec ago
Follow

Ministry of Hajj and Umrah praises Iraqi authorities for arresting fraudsters touting fake Hajj trips

  • A ministry source in the statement also warned prospective pilgrims to beware of unauthorized Hajj offers being promoted this year
  • The ministry made it clear that visas for Umrah, tourism, work, family visits, transit, and other categories do not grant eligibility to perform Hajj

RIYADH: The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah expressed its gratitude for actions taken by the Supreme Commission for Hajj and Umrah in the Republic of Iraq that resulted in the prosecution of more than 25 companies fraudulently engaged in commercial Hajj operations.
A ministry source in the statement also warned prospective pilgrims to beware of unauthorized Hajj offers being promoted this year, primarily through social media.
Participation in Hajj requires pilgrims to obtain a legitimate Hajj visa issued by the authorities in the Kingdom in coordination with Hajj affairs offices in their respective countries, or via the Nusuk Hajj platform for those countries that do not have an official Hajj office.
The source said that the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah is monitoring advertisements from companies and campaigns, as well as identifying fake accounts on social networks allegedly offering Hajj packages at enticing prices.
The ministry made it clear that visas for Umrah, tourism, work, family visits, transit, and other categories do not grant eligibility to perform Hajj. It urged pilgrims to be careful not to fall victim to companies and others claiming to offer commercial Hajj campaigns or other misleading initiatives.
“Regulations must be followed and legally documented permits, as represented by the official Hajj visa, must be issued, so a safe, secure, well-managed Hajj program and fair representation to all nationalities is provided,” Mohsen Tutla, head of the World Hajj and Umrah Convention, told Arab News.
“Hajj is a mega event with more than 2 million worshippers. Can one imagine, if order was not imposed and (the event) not regulated, chaos would ensue,” he added.
In the statement, the ministry calls for everyone’s cooperation to help combat and report fraudulent companies and campaigns, and to seek information only by visiting its official website and engaging with its channels on social networks.


World’s largest Arabic opera opens in Riyadh

Updated 43 min 17 sec ago
Follow

World’s largest Arabic opera opens in Riyadh

  • The opera was produced by the Saudi Theater and Performing Arts Commission

RIYADH: “Zarqa Al-Yamama,” the world’s first and largest grand opera in Arabic, made its debut at the King Fahad Cultural Center in Riyadh, taking the audience on a lyrical journey through one of the best-known folkloric tales in the Arabian Peninsula.
The opera was produced by the Saudi Theater and Performing Arts Commission, and will run until May 4, telling the story of the central character’s attempts to warn her Jadis tribe of an imminent invasion.


Saudi chemistry duo add to KSA medal haul

Updated 26 April 2024
Follow

Saudi chemistry duo add to KSA medal haul

  • Team members were selected by Mawhiba

RIYADH: Two Saudi students have added to the Kingdom’s medal haul at the 2024 Mendeleev International Chemistry Olympiad being held in China from April 20-27.
Hassan Abdul Jalil Al-Khalifa, a third-grade secondary student from the Provincial Department of Education, Eastern Province, and fellow student Ali Salah Al-Moussa claimed bronze medals at the competition, lifting the Kingdom’s overall tally to three silver and 20 bronze.
More than 150 students from 27 countries are competing at the 58th session of the Olympiad.
Saudi Arabia is represented by a team of six students from several educational institutions.
Team members were selected by the King Abdulaziz and his Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity, also known as Mawhiba.
Students were chosen after attending a series of forums over the course of two years, and were trained by Mawhiba, in partnership with the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology.


Saudi deputy minister of interior heads delegation at first conference to combat drug trafficking

Updated 26 April 2024
Follow

Saudi deputy minister of interior heads delegation at first conference to combat drug trafficking

  • Kingdom’s participation in the conference was an extension of its efforts in the war on drugs

MAUTIRIUS: Dr. Nasser bin Abdul Aziz Al-Dawood, Saudi deputy minister of interior, headed the Kingdom’s delegation participating in the first conference to combat drug trafficking and substance abuse, held in Mauritius, which concluded on Thursday.
Al-Dawood said that the Kingdom’s participation in the conference was an extension of its efforts in the war on drugs, monitoring and diagnosing their effects and harms, and strengthening international cooperation procedures and information exchange to combat the activities of organized crime networks in general, and drug crime in particular.