Smart parking innovation for special needs claims top spot at Al-Ahsa hackathon

The core concept behind the ‘Smart Park’ project revolves around supporting people with special needs by installing sensors on their dedicated parking spaces. (Supplied)
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Updated 18 November 2023
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Smart parking innovation for special needs claims top spot at Al-Ahsa hackathon

  • The core concept behind the “Smart Park” project, as Al-Thabit explained to Arab News, revolves around supporting people with special needs by installing sensors on their dedicated parking spaces

RIYADH: A project created for people with special needs has claimed the top spot at the 2023 Al-Ahsa Forum for Startups’ Sana Hackathon after an arduous development journey.

Developed collaboratively by Yaqeen Al-Thabit, Joud Al-Kulaib and Sakina Al-Oufi, the project introduces a technological solution to safeguard parking spaces designated for individuals with special needs.

The project seeks to establish a service model linked to technology so as to instill in this segment of the community the confidence they deserve for seamless integration into society, enabling them to exercise their full rights in education and employment. The project also integrates technology with government entities, enabling direct penalties for parking violations.




Yaqeen Al-Thabit, Joud Al-Kulaib and Sakina Al-Oufi collaborated on this project to safeguard parking spaces designated for special needs individuals. (Supplied)

The core concept behind the “Smart Park” project, as Al-Thabit explained to Arab News, revolves around supporting people with special needs by installing sensors on their dedicated parking spaces. Immediate alerts are triggered when a vehicle without the required barcode or sticker occupies the space. The project also incorporates an informative display showcasing space availability, coupled with surveillance cameras to monitor and penalize violators.

“The concept emerged from an experience at a public parking lot, witnessing the misuse of a space designated for individuals with special needs. Confronted with this issue, the idea was conceived as a proactive measure to tackle and prevent the recurrence of such problems in the future,” she said.

The concept emerged from an experience at a public parking lot, witnessing the misuse of a space designated for individuals with special needs.

Yaqeen Al-Thabit, ‘Smart Park’ project member

Al-Thabit noted that the integration of cameras with traffic monitoring systems ensures swift enforcement against offenders.

The overarching goal of the project, said Al-Thabit, is to establish an obstacle-free environment in parking spaces for people with special needs. The initiative seeks to enhance their mobility, improve parking facilities that often deprive them of fundamental rights, and educate communities about the rights of this significant demographic.

Addressing the misuse of parking spaces reserved for people with special needs, she emphasized the negative moral impact of such actions, which reflect irresponsibility, negligence, and a blatant violation of their rights as enshrined by legislation.

Another issue facing people with special needs is the lack of dedicated ramps for wheelchairs and the insufficient spaces between designated parking spots, Al-Thabit added, emphasizing the importance of each person parking in their assigned space.

She underscored the need for able-bodied individuals to refrain from occupying parking spaces reserved for people with disabilities. It is not just about regulations, legislation, or technology, she pointed out; it is a shared societal ethos. The key, she asserted, lies in fostering a collective awareness that not only condemns such actions but actively works toward preventing them.

 


Turaif traces historical, cultural mosaic to pre-Islamic era

Updated 03 July 2025
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Turaif traces historical, cultural mosaic to pre-Islamic era

  • Evidence of Stone Age settlements in the region
  • Has Tapline, Kingdom’s first industrial heritage site

TURAIF: Located in Saudi Arabia’s Northern Borders region, Turaif governorate stands as a crossroads of ancient civilizations and a gateway to Iraq and the Levant.

The governorate is home to a range of rich cultural and heritage sites, many of which date back to pre-Islamic times.

Heritage Commission sign board at the archaeological site of Qasr Duqrah, located 40 kilometers southwest of Turaif governorate. (SPA)

Among the most prominent heritage landmarks is the archaeological site of Qasr Duqrah, situated 40 km southwest of the governorate.

Adjacent to it lies a mountain known as Aqran, also referred to as Duqrah Mount, which has been recorded under the Comprehensive Archaeological Survey Program.

Zahi Al-Khalawi, a member of the Saudi Historical Society, said the site is among the Kingdom’s most significant archaeological locations because there is evidence of human settlements dating to the Stone Age.

He said habitation at the site continued through the later Roman period (2 to 6 centuries C.E.) and persisted into the Umayyad era (661 to 750 C.E.).

Another landmark is the Trans-Arabian Pipeline, or Tapline, one of Saudi Arabia’s most significant industrial heritage sites.

The pipeline stretches from the east of the Kingdom to its north, passing through Turaif, and has been registered in the National Industrial Heritage Register.

Known as the Tapline, this oil pipeline stretches from eastern Saudi Arabia to the northwest, passing through Turaif. (SPA)

It is the first documented industrial heritage site in the Kingdom, representing the early stages of Saudi Arabia’s oil industry and its developmental and economic significance.

Also noteworthy is the culturally significant site of Qaru Turaif, a water source developed by the Tapline Co. in the 1950s to help settle nomadic communities by order of the late King Abdulaziz.

To the east of Turaif, about 25 km away, stands Jabal Umm Waal, a historic landmark and northern gateway into the Arabian Peninsula.

The mountain tells the stories of Bedouin life and the passage of trade caravans and pilgrims traveling from the Levant and Iraq. For centuries, it served as a safe route for travelers making their way southward.

 


Saudi Arabia condemns Israeli minister’s call for sovereignty over occupied West Bank

Updated 02 July 2025
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Saudi Arabia condemns Israeli minister’s call for sovereignty over occupied West Bank

  • Kingdom’s foreign ministry said the move would violate international laws

RIYADH: A government minister’s threat for Israel to apply full sovereignty over the occupied West Bank was strongly condemned by Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Kingdom “condemned and denunciated” the statement made by the Israeli official calling for the imposition of sovereignty over the Palestinian territory.

Such action would be a violation of international law, the statement said. Saudi Arabia rejects any attempts to expand settlements on Palestinian land, the ministry added, while reiterating the Kingdom’s position on the importance of Israel abiding by international resolutions.

The statement followed comments from Israel’s Justice Minister Yariv Levin saying “the time has come” for Israel to apply sovereignty across the West Bank.

Israel occupied the West Bank and East Jerusalem in 1967 and has built dozens of settlements, deemed illegal under international law, across the territory.

The Saudi foreign ministry offered its support for the Palestinian people in restoring their legitimate rights and in establishing a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

 


Saudi ministry recalls faulty chargers over fire risk

Updated 02 July 2025
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Saudi ministry recalls faulty chargers over fire risk

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Commerce has announced the recall of 88,518 Anker portable chargers across multiple models due to a potential internal electrical short circuit that may cause overheating and pose a fire risk.

The ministry urged consumers to immediately stop using the affected products and contact Anker at the toll-free number 8008500030 to arrange a replacement or full refund, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

Consumers can check if their device is included in the recall and start the replacement or refund process by visiting anker.com/mmrc2506.

Users are also advised to verify the model number of their charger against the list of affected products on the Defective Products Recall Center website ecalls.sa.

The ministry reaffirmed its commitment to consumer safety and stressed the importance of promptly addressing product defects to prevent potential hazards.


GCC passports departments chiefs hold meeting

Updated 02 July 2025
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GCC passports departments chiefs hold meeting

Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi participated in the 39th Meeting of the Directors-General of Passports of the GCC countries, held on Wednesday at the headquarters of the General Secretariat in Riyadh.

During the meeting, he reviewed the latest developments, including the Gulf visa project.

The passport departments of the interior ministries of GCC countries, through a series of joint meetings, are making efforts to launch a unified tourist visa project in the near future, the General Secretariat said in a report.

“Everyone is working as one team to keep pace with technological developments and security requirements in a world characterised by rapid change,” Albudaiwi said.


Saudi FM discusses regional developments in call with US secretary of state

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan held a phone call with his US counterpart State Marco Rubio on Wednesday. (AFP)
Updated 02 July 2025
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Saudi FM discusses regional developments in call with US secretary of state

RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan held a phone call with his US counterpart Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday, Saudi Press Agency reported. 

During the call, Prince Faisal and Rubio reviewed US-Saudi relations and ways to enhance the strategic partnership between their countries. The latest regional and international developments were also discussed.