The Jeddah Municipality is to repair damaged electric poles and ensure proper street lighting in all neighborhoods.
Abdul Aziz Al-Ghamdi, spokesman of the municipality, said the street lighting and maintenance department will shortly conduct inspection tours of all Jeddah districts to identify faulty lights.
He said that people in most interior districts have been complaining about poor streetlights, lack of maintenance and instances of falling electric poles.
He said the municipality paid compensations to victims of accidents caused by falling poles. He wondered why the maintenance of streetlights was so poor while maintenance contracts were signed for the entire municipal area during the current and previous years.
He said there were some difficulties in implementing these contracts in a few areas at least.
There are hundreds of damaged poles that need immediate maintenance work and repairs, according to residents in various districts.
Abdul Hadi Al-Motairi, a resident of Al-Shola neighborhood, said: “The side-street where I live plunges into total darkness after nightfall because the bulbs on a number of poles have not been operational for several months.”
Other residents of the neighborhood have complained to the municipality, but there has been no remedial action.
Another resident, Hani Hausawi, said he saw an electric pole collapsing in front of him while he was passing by in Al-Shola neighborhood. “The pole crashed on the driver’s cabin of a truck that was carrying housing material. The traffic police was notified,” he said.
Jeddah to look into poor street lighting
Jeddah to look into poor street lighting
KSrelief launches donation initiative to support vulnerable people
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s aid agency KSrelief has launched an initiative called “Our Goodness Has No Borders” to support vulnerable people around the world until the end of Ramadan.
The campaign aims to aid with drilling wells, sponsoring orphans, eye operations, shelter, food for children and mothers, winter and Eid clothing, open-heart and specialized surgeries, and medical devices, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.
These programs will be run worldwide including in Gaza and Sudan.
Donors can send support via text message to the number 5565, through the Sahem application available on the App Store and Google Play, or directly to KSrelief’s bank accounts.
Since its inauguration, KSrelief has set up 2,829 aid projects in 98 countries, worth over $6 billion.
These projects have included the provision of food, education, healthcare, water, sanitation and shelter.
KSrelief has helped millions of vulnerable and needy individuals across the world, regardless of ethnicity or faith.
Saudi Arabia urges action on Gaza crisis at UNESCO meeting
- Envoy affirms Kingdom’s commitment to education and cultural exchange
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has urged UNESCO to help alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The appeal was made by Fahd bin Mayouf Al-Ruwaili, the ambassador of Saudi Arabia to France and the Principality of Monaco and permanent representative of the Kingdom to UNESCO.
Al-Ruwaili led the Kingdom’s delegation at the 219th session of UNESCO’s executive board meeting in Paris, which ends on March 27, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The Kingdom’s delegation took part in the opening session, with the Saudi National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, and other national bodies participating.
In his speech, Al-Ruwaili highlighted Saudi Arabia’s ongoing efforts, in collaboration with its partners in the region and worldwide, to find a solution to the deteriorating humanitarian situation and the suffering of civilians in the Gaza Strip.
He said Israel should be stopped from carrying out military operations in Gaza, which were in violation of international law.
Meanwhile, Al-Ruwaili commended the ongoing cooperation between Saudi Arabia and UNESCO.
He highlighted the exhibition held at the UNESCO headquarters, titled “The Earthen Testaments,” on Saudi Arabia’s Founding Day. The exhibition showcased the heritage of Diriyah, including the At-Turaif district listed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List since 2010.
Al-Ruwaili also highlighted the projects by Saudi Arabia and UNESCO, valued at $10 million, to preserve cultural heritage through the Fund-in-Trust Agreement. The projects aim to achieve synergies across six culture conventions of UNESCO.
He said the Kingdom took the initiative to position culture on the G20 agenda during its presidency in 2020, and thanked countries that continued to back this approach.
Al-Ruwaili said three Saudi Arabia cities have joined the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities, bringing the total to five.
In addition, the Kingdom joined the UNESCO Sustainable Development Goal 4 High-Level Steering Committee, as well as the subcommittee concerned with data and monitoring.
Al-Ruwaili thanked the nations that supported the Kingdom’s bid to host Expo 2030 in Riyadh, and said Saudi Arabia aims to have an event that enhances international cooperation on all fronts.
Saudi Crown Prince, UN secretary general discuss Gaza situation
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has received a phone call from UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, the Saudi Press Agency said early Tuesday.
The pair discussed the latest developments in Gaza and efforts towards achieving peace and stability.
French minister tours cultural highlights during Saudi visit
RIYADH: Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, Saudi Arabia’s culture minister, received his French counterpart Rachida Dati, who is currently on a visit to the Kingdom.
Prince Badr commended the robust cultural relations between the Kingdom and France, emphasizing their recent development and the Saudi leadership’s commitment to further strengthening bilateral cultural connections.
The discussions centered on ways to bolster cooperation and international cultural exchange between the Kingdom and France across various cultural domains. Key areas of focus included museums, theater and performing arts, culinary arts, films, heritage preservation, libraries, visual arts, music, fashion, architecture, and design.
Dati explored several prominent cultural venues and events in Riyadh during her official visit.
She toured the “Diriyah Biennale for Contemporary Art” held in the Jax district of Diriyah. The biennale features a significant number of elite artists from both the Kingdom and around the globe.
The Jax district has undergone a complete redesign, transforming it into a vibrant creative hub featuring performance spaces, artist studios, art galleries, and supportive platforms.
Dati also visited the Irqah Cultural Center and was briefed on its various innovative cultural initiatives. The center exemplifies Saudi cultural creativity by repurposing historical buildings and turning them into unique spaces that embrace art, artists, and elements of Saudi culture.
The French minister also visited the offices of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City and learned about some of the plans for the city and Expo 2030 which is being hosted in the Saudi capital.
Saudi leaders congratulate Russian president on re-election
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman made a phone call to Russian president Vladimir Putin, the Saudi Press Agency said early Tuesday.
The Crown Prince congratulated Putin on being re-elected for a new presidential term.
Putin thanked the crown prince for his noble feelings.
“The call stressed distinguished bilateral relations and ways of enhancing them in all fields,” the SPA reported.
Earlier, King Salman and the Crown Prince sent separate cables congratulating the Russian president.