Saudi Red Crescent launches coronavirus online awareness initiative

Short Url
Updated 20 March 2020
Follow

Saudi Red Crescent launches coronavirus online awareness initiative

RIYADH: The Saudi Red Crescent Authority (SRCA) has launched a distance learning awareness initiative about coronavirus control and prevention.

More than 7,500 trainees have taken part in remote online training sessions organized by the authority aimed at preventing the spread of the COVID-19 disease.

These included 2,800 SRCA members, more than 3,000 volunteers, 220 students, and 1,100 trainees from the education and health ministries and other sectors.

The SRCA’s head of training, Mohammed Al-Suwaih, said the authority had activated the technology as part of a series of awareness and training projects and preventive measures.

He added that the programs were targeted at all the authority’s employees in a bid to reduce their risks of virus infection.

Saudi Ministry of Health spokesman Dr. Mohammed Al-Abd Al-Aly said to date there had been 274 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the Kingdom.


Crown prince speaks with regional, global leaders about Iranian aggression

Updated 47 min 16 sec ago
Follow

Crown prince speaks with regional, global leaders about Iranian aggression

  • Calls came as several Gulf Arab states were targeted by Iranian ​missiles
  • Also spoke with French president, Pakistani prime minister

RIYADH: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke to several regional leaders on the phone on Saturday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The calls came as several Gulf Arab states were targeted by Iranian ​missiles after Tehran pledged to retaliate against strikes by the US and Israel that hit several cities in Iran in the early hours of Saturday.

The crown prince spoke with UAE president Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and King Abdullah II of Jordan.

The crown prince affirmed the Kingdom’s full solidarity with, and support for, their nations and stressed “Saudi Arabia’s readiness to mobilize all its resources to assist them in responding to the brutal Iranian attacks they suffered, which undermine the region’s security and stability,” the SPA added.

He also received a call from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, SPA reported.

They reviewed the impact of the ongoing escalation, with the Egyptian leader affirming Egypt’s solidarity with the Kingdom and backing for the steps it has taken to defend its sovereignty and maintain regional stability.

Prince Mohammed also received a call from French President Emmanuel Macron, during which he reiterated Saudi Arabia’s condemnation of the Iranian rocket attacks targeting the Kingdom and neighboring states, affirming that all necessary measures are being taken to defend its territory and support sisterly countries in safeguarding their sovereignty and security.

In a separate call, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his country’s solidarity with Saudi Arabia and support for the measures it is taking to protect its sovereignty, security and stability in response to the Iranian attacks, SPA added.