RIYADH: Saudi authorities have seized a massive haul of 1.2 million Captagon tablets, state news agency SPA reported.
Customs officials at the Halat Ammar border crossing found the pills using x-ray technology and sniffer dogs. The pills were hidden inside a marble mixer.
The Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA) coordinated with the General Directorate of Narcotics Control to arrest two individuals who were supposed to receive the shipment inside the Kingdom.
The drugs haul had an estimated street value of between $12 million and $30 million, according to research published in the International Addiction Review Journal, based on assumptions that users pay between $10 and $25 a pill.
Amphetamines are largely used by young men and teenaged boys across the Middle East, and the money raised through the sale of all narcotics are usually ploughed back into the drug trade while some find their way into organized crime and terrorism.
ZATCA emphasized its commitment to preventing smuggling and protecting the community. It urges people to report any suspicious activity by contacting ZATCA on its security hotline (1910), via email (1910@zatca.gov.sa), or by calling its international number (+966 11 420 8417). All reports are confidential, and financial rewards are offered for information that leads to the capture of smugglers and the prevention of smuggling crimes.
Saudi authorities seize multi-million dollar haul of narcotics
https://arab.news/5nmda
Saudi authorities seize multi-million dollar haul of narcotics
- Amphetamines are largely used by young men and teenaged boys across the Middle East
Project management forum highlights AI’s growing impact on industry
- Ali Al-Khabouri: AI will help the project managers to predict some of these situations that can happen based on the existing information and historical patterns
- Al-Khabouri: AI tools will evolve in a way that they will provide us the information that we need to depend on for making decisions
RIYADH: Industry leaders and innovators discussed the role of artificial intelligence in advancing project management during the final day of the Global Project Management Forum in Riyadh on Monday.
Speaking on the sidelines of the forum, which has Arab News as a media partner, Ali Al-Khabouri, co-founder of Matrix Oman, told Arab News that AI is playing an increasingly important role in supporting decision-making in project management.
“AI will help the project managers to predict some of the information, predict some of these situations that can happen based on the existing information and historical patterns,” he said.
Al-Khabouri also discussed the importance of defining a clear strategy for AI adoption, adding that organizations should evaluate whether adopting AI is a value-adding step or simply a response to market trends.
During a panel discussion titled “The Future of Project Management: Leadership, Innovation and Strategic Integration of People, Process and Technology,” Marko Golob, head of IT PMO at SIJ d.d., highlighted the need for education in project management.
“We have a gap of 30 million project (managers) in the board in the next 10 years — 30 million. It’s a lot.”
Al-Khabouri highlighted the evolving role of artificial intelligence in improving decision-making within project environments.
He said: “AI tools will evolve in a way that they will provide us the information that we need to depend on for making decisions.”
He added that while the essence of decision-making remains constant, the tools, processes and organizational mindset supporting it are evolving in response to technological advancement.
Imad Al-Sadeq, transformation delivery partner at EY MENA, discussed the growing concern of over-reliance on artificial intelligence in project management.
“The risk here (is) that some people, including project managers, will over rely on (AI). Some people will mistrust the human side for the sake of AI,” he said.
Al-Sadeq added that this trend is already emerging in some settings, and he highlighted the need to strike a balance between technology and human insight.
“We still need to keep the human at center, keep the trust with the human judgment. Otherwise, we are not only calling for best effect, but we are calling only for best practice or previous work. And this is a big difference,” he added.
Jazan’s craft revival supports heritage goals
- The program aims to revive qa’aid making, once used to create beds and chairs in traditional Jazan homes
- Trainers teach palm frond binding methods and encourage innovative designs suitable for today’s markets
RIYADH: The Artisans House in Jazan is helping to preserve traditional handicrafts that have declined in recent years in the face of modern technology.
This effort, to help contribute to the region’s cultural heritage, supports the Heritage Commission’s goal of developing Saudi artisans’ skills while promoting the aesthetic and authentic qualities of local crafts through training, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
Some 30 artisans are enrolled on a year-long program focused on qa’aid making, taqiyah weaving, and seashell crafts, reconnecting with regional traditions.
Guided by specialized trainers, participants learn traditional techniques and explore modern design adaptations, the SPA added.
The program aims to revive qa’aid making, once used to create beds and chairs in traditional Jazan homes. Trainers teach palm frond binding methods and encourage innovative designs suitable for today’s markets.
Trainees in taqiyah weaving use white thread for traditional knitted caps.
Artisans also work with seashells to make bracelets, necklaces, ornaments, bags, and sculptures inspired by marine themes.
The Artisans House provides local youngsters with hands-on experience in heritage crafts, serving as a center for cultural education and training.
The initiative supports knowledge transfer to future generations and aligns with the Year of Handicrafts 2025, which aims to preserve and promote Saudi Arabia’s craft traditions.
Tokyo governor to attend top women’s summit in Riyadh
- Yuriko Koike will discuss role of women in public leadership positions
- Fortune Magazine’s conference features outstanding female leaders from Fortune 500 and Global 500 companies
TOKYO: Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike will attend Fortune magazine’s Most Powerful Women International Summit in Riyadh on May 20 and 21.
Koike, who will be in the country until May 23, will speak at the closing main-stage session and also participate in a panel discussion titled “Leadership: Women in Public Service.”
The theme of the conference this year is “A New Era for Business: Partnering for Global Prosperity.”
Koike will discuss the role of female leaders in the public sector and talk about Tokyo’s advanced initiatives for female leaders and government officials.
She will also have discussions with representatives of local government agencies, and conduct site visits to pursue collaboration on ways to develop city governance.
Fortune Magazine’s conference features outstanding female leaders from Fortune 500 and Global 500 companies, as well as from sectors including government, philanthropy, education, sports, and the arts.
Saudi Arabia condemns escalation of Israeli military operations in Gaza
- The Kingdom said Israel's actions contradict the will of the international community, violate human rights law and United Nations charters
DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday strongly condemned the Israeli military’s intensified operations in both northern and southern Gaza, denouncing what it described as an expansion of the occupation of large parts of the territory.
In an official statement, the Kingdom said the actions “contradict the will of the international community, violate human rights law and United Nations charters, and obstruct efforts to achieve peace and stability in the region.”
The ministry renewed Saudi Arabia’s firm denunciation of all ground operations conducted by Israeli forces, warning that such actions threaten the lives of Palestinian civilians and further aggravate the already dire humanitarian conditions in the besieged enclave.
The statement also cautioned against the continuation of “flagrant and unjustified violations,” emphasizing that they constitute a breach of international law and a direct assault on the rights of the Palestinian people.
Technology to improve accessibility of Qur’an studies highlighted at competition
- App allows deaf and mute people to recite the Qur’an using sign language
- Prizewinning technology offers emotional support from Islamic scripture and modern psychology
JEDDAH: A competition to promote Islamic values and new technologies to make Qur’an studies more accessible to those with disabilities was held in Jeddah on Sunday.
The closing ceremony of the 16th edition of the Jeddah University Qur’an Competition for the Hijri year 1446 AH was held under the patronage of Prince Saud bin Abdullah bin Jalawi, the governor of Jeddah.
More than 1,000 students took part in the competition, which featured five components: memorization and recitation; people with disabilities; technological challenges in Qur’anic services; Qur’anic calligraphy; and a photography competition.
Winners and participating institutions were honored by Prince Saud at the end of the ceremony.
Ibrahim Shaheen from Egypt took first place in the visually impaired category and received an SR7,000 ($1,866) cash prize. The 17-year-old memorized the entire Qur’an since the age of 12, using braille to study the holy book.
He told Arab News: “I spent four years memorizing the Qur’an starting at the age of nine,” he said. “Reciting the five parts for the competition was very easy and smooth, and I generally review the entire Qur’an every two weeks.”
Safaa Habeeb Allah, head of the judging committee for the technology challenge, said the competition was “a wonderful opportunity for students from various universities and schools to contribute to serving the Qur’an.”
The winner of the SR20,000 technology challenge was the Wijdan app which provides users with emotional support by using a combination of resources from Islamic scripture and modern psychology.
The app was developed by Radwa Ammar Abdel-Moaty, Suad Anis Al-Saadi, and Gharam Khalil Al-Sharabi, all from Jeddah University.
Abdel-Moaty told Arab News that the inspiration for the app came after noticing similarities between modern psychological theories and passages in the Qur’an.
“This observation was the seed for the Wijdan project, the team combined the Qur’an and psychology using artificial intelligence, and the app mainly consists of two components: the psychological link and the emotion library,” Abdel-Moaty explained.
“The psychological link is an interactive chatbot that engages with the user, identifies emotions and responds based on the Qur’an and Sunnah. The emotion library acts as an index of human emotions mentioned in both the Qur’an and Sunnah.”
Abdel-Moaty added: “We used several technologies. First, we applied text and sentiment analysis using NLP (Natural Language Processing) in the interactive chatbot.
“We also developed smart emotion dictionaries and a reminder system that tracks your recurring emotions — whether sadness or joy — and offers advice and guidance accordingly.”
The app also has text-to-speech technology to make it accessible to those with disabilities, and includes AI-generated illustrations for children.
Another aspect of the competition focused on technologies to help people with disabilities to learn the Qur’an.
The section winner was “Talaa — With Every Sign, a Verse is Recited,” a project that allows deaf and mute people to recite the Qur’an by using sign language.
It was created by Obay Rayan Ghulam and Aseel Ahmed Al-Hammadi from Jeddah University, who received a cash prize of SR10,000.
Obay told Arab News: “The inspiration for the project came from learning that the deaf and mute make up approximately 3.4 percent of the global population — around 55 million Muslims.
“Though the percentage may seem small, the number is enormous. Despite this, there are very few specialized resources or experts catering to their needs.”
Obay continued: “The core idea is to give this segment of the community the same independence everyone else enjoys — the ability to recite anytime, anywhere, without needing an interpreter or teacher. All they need is sign language and a device.
“They can see whether their sign is correct and whether they’ve recited the verse accurately, then move to the next one. There’s also a page where they can learn the Qur’an by reading the verses, memorizing them, and then reciting again.
“We used the Madinah Qur’an as our source, which shows the Qur’anic text in Arabic script with sign language letters above. For this, we used deep learning and computer vision techniques, particularly the YOLO (you only look once) model.”
