MAKKAH: Princess Sama bint Faisal bin Abdullah, chairwoman of the Saudi Girl Scout Committee, said on Saturday that the girls participating in serving the Hajj pilgrims this year have a “passion and enthusiasm to serve their country” by providing quality services, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
She said that the girl scouts also provide their “great services” at King Faisal Hospital in Makkah by assisting patients and visitors and guiding them inside the hospital, in addition to their role in the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah by guiding pilgrims and distributing guidance maps.
Speaking during a tour to follow up on their work, Princess Sama said: “The girl scouts have received intensive training during the last period to deal with all the conditions that qualify them to serve the pilgrims to the fullest.”
She added that the participation of Saudi girl scouts this year has witnessed an increase in the number of volunteers, and looks forward to expanding participation in greater numbers in the coming years with the relevant sectors.
The public service camps of the Saudi Arabian Scout Association this year included the participation of 150 girls from the Saudi Girl Scouts Committee, who volunteered in servicing pilgrims at King Faisal Hospital in Makkah, and in guiding pilgrims in cooperation with the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
Saudi girl scouts to increase Hajj participation in coming years: Princess Sama bint Faisal
https://arab.news/9nhz5
Saudi girl scouts to increase Hajj participation in coming years: Princess Sama bint Faisal
AlUla announces discovery of rare 465 million-year-old crab fossils
- Work being carried out to study, characterize the fossils
- AlUla was likely closer to shore, but today 100km inland
RIYADH: The Royal Commission for AlUla announced on Thursday the discovery of rare horseshoe crab fossils estimated to be 465 million years old.
Work is being carried out to study and characterize the fossils, which have not yet been scientifically classified, the RCU said in a post on X.
All of the fossils were found in an upside-down position, an unprecedented preservation pattern for this species.
The discovery was also notable in that the fossils were larger than other known species typically found from the same period.
The RCU also said that trace fossils were found, suggesting that the specimens were moving.
The commission said on X that this was a “one-of-a-kind discovery published scientifically at an international level, enhancing AlUla’s standing as a leading global site for geological research.”
A study on the findings was published in the peer-reviewed journal Gondwana Research, in a paper titled “Ordovician horseshoe crab body and trace fossil association preserved in a unique taphonomic setting.”
It notes that the finding suggests that AlUla was historically much closer to the shore, whereas today it is more than 100 km inland.
Archaeological research in Saudi Arabia in recent years has uncovered vast troves of ancient artefacts.
In October 2025, the Heritage Commission’s Al-Yamamah Archaeological Project survey announced the discovery of 337 new archaeological sites in the Kingdom, including sites for stone tool manufacturing, water facilities and circular stone structures.
In September, the commission discovered the oldest architectural settlement in the Arabian Peninsula, dating back to the pre-pottery Neolithic period of 10,300 to 11,000 years ago, near Tabuk.
