Saudi specialists launch aid convoy into Gaza

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Updated 23 November 2023
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Saudi specialists launch aid convoy into Gaza

  • The KSrelief chief inspected warehouses, examined the operation of the Saudi aid trucks
  • The Saudi aid effort was launched following a directive from King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman

RAFAH: Saudi specialists and officials led by the chief of KSrelief have launched the Kingdom’s first aid convoy from Egypt to Gaza.
Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, supervisor general of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, along with Osama Nugali, Saudi ambassador to Egypt, a KSrelief team, and representatives from the Egyptian Red Crescent and the Palestine Red Crescent Society, gathered in Egypt on Wednesday to launch the aid through the Rafah crossing for delivery to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

Dr. Al-Rabeeah on Thursday signed a cooperation agreement with the Egyptian Red Crescent, the International Red Cross, UNRWA, the World Health Organization, and the World Food Programme at a total cost of $40 million.
The KSrelief chief inspected warehouses, examined the operation of the Saudi aid trucks and oversaw cooperation with the authorities responsible for delivering the aid to the enclave.
The Saudi aid effort was launched following a directive from King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

 

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Al-Rabeeah told Arab News: “We are kicking off this campaign today as a gift and a small contribution to our brothers in Gaza. The convoy includes 30 aid trucks loaded with food, medicines and shelter supplies, in addition to 14 ambulances fully equipped with aid devices, respirators and oxygen, and everything needed by our brothers in Palestine.”
The Kingdom has also launched a 15-plane air bridge and a sea bridge, which will bring more aid and 20 ambulances, he added.
Al-Rabeeh said that KSrelief aims to save the lives of Palestinians in Gaza, with children and elderly in the enclave in urgent need of food and medicine.
The closure of the Rafah crossing by Israel had hindered the arrival of aid, he added.
Nugali praised the coordination between KSrelief and the Egyptian Red Crescent, as well as the assistance provided by Egypt’s government.

 

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He told Arab News: “I would like to thank the Egyptian government for its fruitful efforts to facilitate the tasks of KSrelief.
“We are not facing any challenges to deliver the aid, except the restrictions imposed by the Israeli side, which has led to only 50 trucks entering Gaza in one day despite hundreds of aid trucks awaiting permission. We hope that the cease-fire which started today will result in the entry of more aid awaited by our brothers in Gaza,” he added.
Al-Rabeeah and his delegation also visited the Rafah crossing and examined humanitarian operations.
Arab News met a displaced Palestinian lawyer, Fatima Ashour, who fled from Gaza to Deir Al-Balah, then Khan Younis, before arriving in Egypt. She was forced to leave her brothers and sisters in Gaza.
Ashour warned that Gaza’s “tragic” situation included the spread of disease at UNRWA schools and a lack of water for bathing and cleaning, which had forced her to cut her hair.
The health situation in the enclave is “terrible,” she added, warning of a major food shortage. Many people, including her siblings, are unable to leave because they lack Palestinian passports, Ashour said.
Israel and Hamas on Wednesday agreed on a cease-fire in Gaza for at least four days.
Hamas’ raids on Israel on Oct. 7 killed about 1,200 people. Militants seized about 240 hostages who are believed to be held in Gaza.
Israel’s punishing air and ground campaign on Hamas-run Gaza has killed 14,100 people, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.


AI-powered robot to assist Hajj pilgrims at Grand Mosque in Makkah

Updated 21 May 2025
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AI-powered robot to assist Hajj pilgrims at Grand Mosque in Makkah

  • Updated 2nd version of the high-tech helper features designs inspired by Islamic motifs and architecture in Makkah and Madinah
  • The robot will act as a reference point for religious inquiries and offer direct video calls with muftis

MAKKAH: As preparations continue in Saudi Arabia for the start of Hajj, pilgrims in need of assistance will this year be able to call on the services of a new high-tech helper that blends the traditions of Islam with the latest developments in artificial intelligence.

The Presidency of Religious Affairs at the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque unveiled the updated second version of its AI-powered Manarat Al-Haramain Robot on Wednesday, as part of an initiative that aims to leverage the power of advanced technologies to enhance the spiritual experiences of pilgrims.

It said the robot will act as a reference point for religious inquiries at the Grand Mosque, and can connect worshippers and other visitors to direct video calls with muftis who can answer any questions they might have, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The robot's updated version and software features designs inspired by traditional Islamic motifs and architecture found at the Two Holy Mosques in Makkah and Madinah. It combines authenticity, modernity, and advanced technology to help enhance the experiences of pilgrims by providing easy access to information, the presidency said.

Hajj, the annual Islamic pilgrimage every Muslim is obliged to undertake at least once in their life if they are physically and financially able to do so, is expected to begin in Makkah on June 4 and end on June 9. Pilgrims from around the world began to arrive in the Kingdom this month.


Saudi Arabia, Japan sign MoU to boost judicial ties

Updated 21 May 2025
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Saudi Arabia, Japan sign MoU to boost judicial ties

  • Ministers sign memorandum of understanding to enhance cooperation in the judicial field
  • Walid Al-Samaani reviewed recent developments in Saudi Arabia’s judicial and legal sectors

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Justice Walid Al-Samaani met with his Japanese counterpart Keisuke Suzuki during an official visit to the East Asian country.

The ministers discussed ways to strengthen judicial ties between the two countries, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

Al-Samaani reviewed recent developments in Saudi Arabia’s judicial and legal sectors, supported by King Salman and overseen by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, particularly regarding specialized legislation aimed at ensuring prompt justice.

He highlighted key advancements, including promoting transparency through audio and video documentation of court sessions — both in-person and virtual — and the publication of judicial rulings.

He also emphasized efforts to activate the preventive justice system by documenting contracts as enforceable instruments, SPA reported.

On the sidelines, Al-Samaani and Suzuki signed a memorandum of understanding to enhance cooperation in the judicial field, including the exchange of expertise and information, and collaboration in legislation, capacity building, and dispute resolution.


Shoura Council calls for metro systems in major Saudi cities

Updated 21 May 2025
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Shoura Council calls for metro systems in major Saudi cities

  • Council urged the Public Transport Authority to expand the training programs offered by the Saudi Logistics Academy
  • Council members also emphasized the importance of improving the standards used to evaluate the quality of shuttle transport services for pilgrims

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Shoura Council has called for studies into developing metro systems in the Kingdom’s major cities, Asharq Al-Awsat has reported.

On Tuesday, the council urged the Public Transport Authority to expand the training programs offered by the Saudi Logistics Academy.

Council members also emphasized the importance of improving the standards used to evaluate the quality of shuttle transport services for pilgrims to ensure efficiency.

They stressed the need to increase the passenger capacity of the Kingdom’s railway network and to raise train speeds to match those of the Haramain High-Speed Railway, which spans the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah and offers transport for pilgrims.

Riyadh’s metro network opened in December last year and became fully operational in January.

The Kingdom also has a passenger railway network connecting Riyadh with the Eastern Province and Northern Borders regions.

One of the country’s goals under Vision 2030 is to improve the public transport network with the aims of easing traffic congestion in cities and lowering carbon emissions.


Inaugural Middle East Fortune women’s summit brings together female leaders

Updated 21 May 2025
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Inaugural Middle East Fortune women’s summit brings together female leaders

  • Vision 2030 goals to increase female workforce participation in spotlight
  • Business, government, investment, tech, policy leaders represented

RIYADH: The first Fortune Most Powerful Women International summit in the Middle East convened in Riyadh this week.

The event brought together a global network of female leaders from business, government, investment, tech and policy sectors.

“As women, we often find ourselves needing to prove our capabilities more when it comes to our careers,” said Dr. Giovanna Carnevali, executive director of master planning at ROSHN Group.

“At the same time, we bring deep passion to our work and put our heart and soul into everything we do. I always say that what truly matters is letting your work speak for you.”

Speaking to Arab News during the event, Carnevali said her career in Saudi Arabia reflected the country’s transformation.

“The experiences I have had here are unique. Living and working in the Kingdom has been a continuous journey of growth, and I am truly grateful for what the country has offered me and to women more broadly,” she said.

From geopolitics and sustainability to artificial intelligence and banking, the forum’s sessions highlighted how Saudi Arabia — and its women — are reshaping the global conversation on leadership.

Lubna Olayan, chair of Saudi Awwal Bank, talked about how Vision 2030 had already surpassed its workforce target for women and called for greater ambitions.

“We need to set a new benchmark,” she told moderator Diane Brady. “In my company, we now have 36 percent women. When we started hiring women in 2001, there was just one.”

Olayan, the first Saudi woman to chair a bank and join a public board, said real progress depended on investment in leadership.

“We need to bring more women into decision-making roles. If the candidates are equal, I’ll back the woman — because we’re still behind,” she added.

Technology was another recurring topic. Prof. Lilac Al-Safadi, CEO of IKONIC Educational Holding, outlined Saudi Arabia’s position as an emerging AI powerhouse.

“The Kingdom has trained more than 60,000 AI professionals and launched the world’s first cognitive city — not just smart, but fully AI-integrated,” she said.

And Ellie Rubenstein, co-founder of Manna Tree and one of the first US food investors to enter the Saudi market, said demand in her sector was shifting fast: “Seven years ago, we were seen as a food security fund. Today, it’s about wellness. The consumers here — especially women — are driving that shift.”

She emphasized the importance of understanding what women wanted: “It’s not just about selling products. Brands need to speak to values — wellness, empowerment, sustainability. Women here are not just shaping their families. They’re shaping their country.”


Saudi FM receives phone call from North Macedonian counterpart

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud. (File/AFP)
Updated 21 May 2025
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Saudi FM receives phone call from North Macedonian counterpart

DUBAI: The Kingdom’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Faisal bin Farhan recently received a phone call from his North Macedonian counterpart Timcho Mucunski, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

The two officials discussed bilateral relations and issues of common interest.