JEDDAH: The Saudi Ministry of Interior renewed its warning against social gatherings and reminded people of the penalties against gatherings of more than 50 individuals as a precautionary measure against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
The ministry uploaded an infographic to Twitter stating: “Gatherings for social purposes such as funerals, parties and the like, for more than 50 people violate preventive measures against COVID-19.”
The infographic reconfirmed that the initial penalty for an establishment or person who instigated the violation is a SR40,000 ($10,600) fine, while anyone in attendance or causing the crowding will pay SR5,000.
If there is a second violation, the penalty will be doubled to SR80,000. Those who are in attendance or instigating the event will pay up to SR10,000.
For a third violation, the penalty is doubled and they will be referred to the public prosecution.
If the violating institute is in the private sector — and a repeating offender — it will be closed for three months. In a second incident, the establishment will be closed for six months. The ministry urges those who witness any violations to call 911 for those in Makkah and Riyadh, and 999 for other regions.
Meanwhile, the Health Ministry said everyone should create an online account on the Sehhaty app to get the vaccine. It added that family members cannot get appointments for each other.
“An independent account is created for the wife and other beneficiaries in the Sehhaty app, except for children who are under 18, who can be affiliated with the head of the family,” the ministry tweeted.
Meanwhile, a source in the Interior Ministry said citizens were being warned against traveling to a number of countries without obtaining prior permission.
This comes following the statement on Jan. 8 allowing citizens to travel outside the Kingdom starting from March 31.
The list of countries includes Libya, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Iran, Turkey, Armenia, Somalia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan, Venezuela, Belarus and any other countries in which the pandemic has not yet been controlled or the spread of the mutated strain of the virus has been evident.
The ministry said Saudi citizens who are in these countries or expecting to travel to them should urgently register at an embassy.
It also called on citizens wishing to travel to the permitted countries to exercise caution and stay away from busy areas, and to follow all precautionary measures.
Saudi Arabia has reported four new COVID-19-related deaths. The death toll now stands at 6,304.
A total of 175 new cases were reported, meaning 364,271 people have now contracted the disease. There are 1,954 active cases, 307 of them are in a critical condition.
In addition, 156 new patients had recovered, bringing the total number of recoveries in the Kingdom to 356,013.
Saudi Interior Ministry warns against large social gatherings
https://arab.news/8mupv
Saudi Interior Ministry warns against large social gatherings
- Health officials report 175 new coronavirus cases, 156 recoveries, 4 deaths
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.
