RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is set to receive more rainfall toward the weekend, with Riyadh and its outskirts likely to witness heavy rains from Friday to next Tuesday.

In addition, the National Center for Meteorology said on Tuesday: “May forecasts indicate a chance of higher than average rainfall.”

More rain is forecast this week in Makkah, Jazan, Aseer, Al-Baha, the Eastern Province, and regions in Riyadh, the NCM added.

Makkah and the surrounding areas are set to experience heavy showers, while Riyadh, Wadi Al-Dawasir, and Al-Sulayil will receive medium rainfall.

Southern regions like Jizan, Najran, Asir, and Al-Baha will be impacted by medium to heavy rainfall, with Jizan and Asir expected to receive torrential rain and strong winds.

Saudi Arabia’s General Directorate of Civil Defense has issued weather warnings and safety instructions.

Its message, which has been sent to residents, said: “Forecasts from the NCM indicate that there will be moderate to heavy rainfall in the Riyadh region (Riyadh, Diriyah, Muzahmiyah, Al-Harij, Al-Kharj, Hotat Bani Tamim, Al-Majmaah, Thadiq, Marat, Al-Ghat, Al-Zulfi, Shaqraa, and Huraymila).

“The Civil Defense calls on everyone to take caution and adhere to its instructions. May God make it rain of goodness and blessings and spread it to benefit all parts of the country. Your cooperation and your safety is our goal.”

The NCM has also warned of high-speed winds that may cause sandstorms, further complicating the situation. Consequently, the Civil Defense has urged the public to stay at home during the severe weather and avoid going to valleys and waterlogged areas, while adhering to all safety directives.

The UAE, Oman, and Bahrain were hit by heavy storms last week that saw unprecedented levels of rainfall.

The UAE experienced its highest-ever rainfall in a 24-hour period since climate data records began in 1949.

Riyadh: The winners of this year’s King Faisal Prize received their awards at a glittering ceremony staged in Riyadh on Monday.

Held under the auspices of King Salman, Riyadh Gov. Prince Faisal bin Bandar attended the ceremony, handing over the King Faisal International Award to laureates in its 46th edition.

The event is the most prestigious in the Muslim world and recognizes outstanding achievements in services to Islam, Islamic studies, Arabic language and literature, medicine, and science.

Prince Turki Al-Faisal, founder and trustee of the King Faisal Foundation and chairman of the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, said: “This award carries a prestigious name in a great country ... to honor science and scientists from various corners of the world who have contributed to presenting scientific research and inventions that have advanced humanity and served mankind.

“This honor always comes primarily for scientific achievement without considering any geographical, racial, religious, or sectarian considerations, hence the prize has gained appreciation from universities and scientific centers in various parts of the world,” Prince Turki added.

The service to Islam prize was awarded to the Japan Muslim Association for its care for the affairs of Muslims in Japan and interest in Muslim youth through education.

The selection committee also decided to grant the award to Dr. Mohammad Al-Sammak of Lebanon, for his early and continuous contributions in promoting Islamic-Christian dialogue, his hard work in strengthening relations and communication with others, and his active participation in dialogue conferences regarding the relationship between Islam and other beliefs, in addition to his presidency and active membership of many establishments, bodies and associations concerned with tolerance and peace.

The Islamic Studies prize was granted to Dr. Wael Hallaq, writer of “Islamic Systems and their Contemporary Applications,” a professor at Columbia University in the US, who succeeded in providing a scientific reference parallel to the traditional Orientalist writings influential in international universities, which appeared in his many works and have been translated into many languages, and his success in building a guide to the development of Islamic legislation throughout history.

Dr. Jerry Roy Mendell, a US national and a professor at Ohio State University, was granted the medicine prize for his work in screening, early diagnosis, and treatment of patients suffering from spinal muscular atrophy and Duchenne muscular dystrophy, osteochondrodystrophy, as the first researcher to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of high-dose adeno-associated virus gene transfer therapy for spinal muscular atrophy type 1 patients, a globally approved treatment.

Dr. Howard Yuan-Hao Chang, another US national, won the science prize for his pioneering contributions in explaining the role played by non-coding RNA in the regulation and function of genes. He developed innovative means to identify regulatory sites within DNA. These discoveries have had a great effect on the field of molecular biology and genetics, and a great role in understanding complex human diseases.

The selection committee for the King Faisal Prize for Arabic Language and Literature, whose subject this year was “The Efforts of Establishments Outside the Arab World to Spread the Arabic Language,” decided to withhold the award for 2024 “as the nominated works did not meet the award’s criteria,” according to a statement.

The King Faisal Prize was established in 1977 by the King Faisal Foundation. It was first granted in 1979 to recognize individuals and establishments and their outstanding achievements in its five categories.