JEDDAH: Saudis are currently holding their breaths in anticipation of expected rainfall.
This weather no longer attracts them, and they suffer anxiety and fear especially in regions which witnessed many disasters in the past that claimed the lives of dozens of citizens and residents.
During the rainfall, authorities continue to release warnings and directions telling people not to go into the streets, and for those inside their homes or on their jobs to find a safe place until the rain stops.
The Presidency for Meteorology and Environment (PME) has been active during the few past days in warning the public of the probability of rain in many regions of the Kingdom. The last such warning was released on Friday.
The PME website provided detailed information on the weather changes and fluctuations in the region, and broadcast continuous alerts on the possibility of heavy rain falling in several areas. The warnings said to take “extra caution and attention on the floodplain and in low-laying areas which often pool and accumulate rainwater.”
Hussain Al-Qahtani, spokesman of the PME, was quoted as saying to a local publication that the weather forecasts “indicate chances of heavy rainfall in almost all parts of the Kingdom.”
Saudis had always loved the rains, but lately they react with fear and anxiety. The residents of Jeddah are the most affected in this case as thick clouds covering the skies of remind them of Oct. 25, 2009, when tragedy occurred because of a cloudburst.
On that date the coastal city witnessed the worst disaster in 27 years, according to officials of the Civil Defense. The disaster claimed many lives. The streets of Jeddah were inundated with water, with some streets under one meter.
Many people thought at the time that the victims drowned inside their cars and were swept away by the floods. More than 3,000 vehicles were damaged that day.
The disaster revealed many faults and problems in the channels to drain the rain.
The rainwaters and floods covered about 80 percent of the area of Jeddah, taking its street and underpasses as an alternative route for the floods. The Civil Defense said at the time in a press release that it managed to rescue 1,451 people through its ground teams in addition to 467 people using air rescue.
In addition to Jeddah, other regions of Saudi Arabia in 2013 registered a number of deaths, including 14 dead and four missing in Riyadh, Baha and Hail.
The operations center at the Civil Defense in all the regions of the Kingdom registered more than 4,213 reports of accidents resulting from the rains and floods.
Rains scare Saudis because of past disasters
Rains scare Saudis because of past disasters
Asir region is first with launch of tourism identity
- Prince Turki said the slogan “Karam Al-Arouma” was inspired by the generosity and welcoming nature of the people of the region
Saudi Arabia’s Asir region has become the first in the Kingdom to create a regional tourism identity, accompanied by the slogan “Karam Al-Arouma,” or “the generosity of the people of Asir.”
Asir Gov. Prince Turki bin Talal bin Abdulaziz, who also heads the Asir Region Development Authority, launched the identity at an official ceremony organized by the authority and hosted by the Rijal Heritage Village in Rijal Almaa governorate.
“This identity has been in the works for quite a while. It’s a very exciting day for us to finally unveil this to the world. It’s going to help our marketing efforts both domestically and internationally,“ Hashim Al-Dabbagh, the authority’s CEO, told Arab News.
“The vision of the Asir region is to be a preeminent destination year-round, and having our own identity is a step in that direction,” he said.
Asir is seeking to become a global destination throughout the year, based on its authentic culture and wide range of natural attractions.
Prince Turki said the slogan “Karam Al-Arouma” was inspired by the generosity and welcoming nature of the people of the region.
The identity was supported by the launch of the “Discover Asir” tourism website under the umbrella of “Visit Saudi,” which will provide tourist information.
Saudi Justice Ministry to host training conference
RIYADH: The Saudi Ministry of Justice is to hold the International Conference of Judicial Training in Riyadh from May 6-7.
The Judicial Training Center hosts the event which will see the participation of several international training institutes, centers, and experts in the field of judicial and legal training. The objective is to facilitate the exchange of experiences and deliberations on contemporary trends in the era of digital transformation.
Called “The Future of Judicial Training in the Era of Digital Transformation,” the event will delve into the prospects of training in the future. It will explore paths for enhancing training content; strategies for harnessing modern technology; artificial intelligence in judicial training; and effective methodologies for measuring the training’s impact.
Saudi energy minister attends Tashkent International Investment Forum
TASHKENT: Saudi Minister of Energy Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman on Thursday participated in the primary dialogue session at the third Tashkent International Investment Forum.
In the presence of the president of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the energy minister highlighted the distinguished relations between the two nations, emphasizing the leadership’s strong commitment to enhancing and expanding cooperation across all sectors, particularly energy.
The partnership aims to benefit both countries and their citizens.
Who’s Who: Ali Alhasan, CEO and founder of NanoPalm
- Alhasan co-developed deep tech to leverage large language models for biotech discovery
- He was granted the Outstanding Researcher Award from the International Institute for Nanotechnology in 2012
Ali Alhasan is CEO and founder of the company NanoPalm. He holds a Ph.D. in nanomedicine, with expertise in nano-drug delivery and gene therapy and five years of experience in executive management.
In his role as CEO, Alhasan formulates the strategic and business plans for accelerating therapy translation globally and trains talents in deep tech, nanotech, and gene editing tech.
Alhasan co-developed deep tech to leverage large language models for biotech discovery. He also co-invented Nanopalm’s biorobots for the delivery of gene editing primers and helped discover four nanomedicines for four different genetic diseases.
He is also an associate professor at King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology and an adjunct professor at Alfaisal University, establishing collaboration agreements between the two.
As associate professor, he is the principal researcher for development and innovation in nanomedicine and the fourth industrial revolution.
In his role as adjunct professor, Alhasan teaches nanomedicine and mentors postgraduate and undergraduate students. He also co-established the Cancer Nanoscience Program.
Previously, Alhasan served in executive leadership roles at KACST as deputy at the Joint Centers of Excellence Program (2021), deputy of the Life Science and Environment Research Institute (2020), director of the Center of Excellence for Biomedicine (2020), and director of Strategic Initiatives (2016).
Alhasan was a post-doctoral scholar at the University of California in 2015 and received his Ph.D. in the Interdepartmental Biological Sciences Program from Northwestern University in 2013.
In 2008, he received a master’s degree in biotechnology also from Northwestern University, while in 2001, he received his bachelor’s degree in medical technology from King Abdulaziz University.
Alhasan was granted the Leader of the Year award from the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology in 2024. In 2018, he received the Outstanding Investigator Award from KACST.
He was granted the Outstanding Researcher Award from the International Institute for Nanotechnology in 2012.
Prince Faisal bin Farhan speaks with Swiss foreign minister
- two ministers discussed developments of common interest and efforts made by both countries in those areas
RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan spoke on the phone with his Swiss counterpart Ignazio Cassis on Thursday.
During the call, the two ministers discussed developments of common interest and efforts made by both countries in those areas, Saudi Press Agency reported.
Cassis was in the Kingdom last month to attend the Special Meeting of the World Economic Forum held in Riyadh on April 28 and 29, during which he met with Prince Faisal.
Prince Faisal and Cassis also met earlier in the year in February during UN meetings in Geneva.
