MAKKAH: The food wasted in Makkah could feed 17 percent of hungry children in 18 developing countries, said a press report Friday. There are an estimated 4.8 million
starving children in Africa, Asia and Latin American countries, said Ahmad Al-Matrafi, director general of a charity food project in Makkah.
Al-Matrafi said that food wasted at an average wedding was sufficient to feed at least 250 people. He said that during the mid-year holidays, 24,000 people were fed with food collected at weddings and other social events.
He said that 60 out of 120 halls and resorts in Makkah were approached during the holidays. This revealed that there was food wasted and no information about it. Thirty percent of Makkah’s people do not inform anyone about the availability of surplus food, he said.
The charity was trying to create awareness about the situation so that more needy people can be helped, he said.
Meanwhile, Sheikh Saleh bin Humaid, imam and khateeb of the Grand Mosque in Makkah, said in his Friday sermon that people would become more responsible if they count their blessings.
“If they fail to do so and become ungrateful, Allah may take these good things away from them.” Protecting one’s blessing was a form of worship, he said.
Food wasted in Makkah enough to feed millions going hungry globally
Food wasted in Makkah enough to feed millions going hungry globally
ZATCA thwarts massive captagon smuggling attempt at Al-Haditha border
- Following the seizure, ZATCA coordinated with the General Directorate of Narcotics Control, leading to the arrest of two individuals
RIYADH: The Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority at the Al-Haditha border crossing intercepted an attempt to smuggle 269,411 captagon pills hidden in a commercial food consignment during a routine inspection.
The authority thwarted the attempt to smuggle the contraband using advanced security technologies, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Following the seizure, ZATCA coordinated with the General Directorate of Narcotics Control, leading to the arrest of two individuals intended to receive the shipment in the Kingdom.
ZATCA spokesperson Hamoud Al-Harbi reaffirmed the authority’s commitment to tightening border security as a core strategic pillar to protect society from the prohibited goods.
The authority encourages the public to support national security by reporting smuggling activities via the confidential number 1910 or email at [email protected].
Through these channels, the authority receives information related to smuggling crimes and violations of the Unified Customs Law with complete confidentiality, and a financial reward is granted to those providing the tip-off if the information is accurate.
