Saudi-South Korean ministerial committee for defense cooperation holds meeting in Riyadh
Saudi-South Korean ministerial committee for defense cooperation holds meeting in Riyadh/node/2336146/saudi-arabia
Saudi-South Korean ministerial committee for defense cooperation holds meeting in Riyadh
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Saudi Arabia’s chief of staff Lieutenant-General Fayyad bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili and South Korea’s Vice Defense Minister Shin Beom-chul met in Riyadh on Tuesday. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia’s chief of staff Lieutenant-General Fayyad bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili and South Korea’s Vice Defense Minister Shin Beom-chul met in Riyadh on Tuesday. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia’s chief of staff Lieutenant-General Fayyad bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili and South Korea’s Vice Defense Minister Shin Beom-chul met in Riyadh on Tuesday. (SPA)
Saudi-South Korean ministerial committee for defense cooperation holds meeting in Riyadh
Updated 11 July 2023
Arab News
RIYADH: The Saudi-South Korean ministerial committee for defense cooperation held a meeting in Riyadh on Monday, Saudi Press Agency reported.
The meeting was chaired by Saudi Arabia’s chief of staff Lieutenant-General Fayyad bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili and South Korea’s Vice Defense Minister Shin Beom-chul.
During the meeting, the two sides reviewed relations and cooperation between the Saudi and South Korean ministries of defense and ways to enhance and develop them to serve common interests, especially in the military and defense fields.
Rare kidney operation performed at King Faisal Specialist Hospital
Precise medication management needed for surgery
No stomach incisions, with suture done via the mouth
Updated 12 sec ago
Rashid Hassan
RIYADH: King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Riyadh recently performed a rare Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty on a patient who had previously undergone a kidney transplant.
In a statement, KFSHRC said the operation was considered “the first of its kind in the region.”
It required “meticulous management of immunosuppressive medications and the prevention of any complications that could jeopardize the transplanted organ.
“This procedure marks a significant advancement in providing safe treatment solutions for transplant recipients, to improve their graft survival and quality of life.”
The ESG procedure differs from surgical sleeve gastrectomy in that it requires no abdominal incisions, which is important for transplant patients.
Instead, it uses an endoscope inserted through the mouth to suture the stomach internally, effectively reducing its volume and enabling the patient to lose weight and improve overall health.
The procedure was performed by a multidisciplinary team of experts led by Dr. Ehab Abufarhaneh, consultant in adult transplant gastroenterology and hepatology.
The team included gastroenterologists, various transplant surgeons, anesthesiologists, and nursing staff.
In the statement, the hospital said it was “adopting innovative techniques tailored to the unique needs of transplant patients and developing treatment protocols that address post-transplant challenges.”
The facility “reinforces its position as a regional referral hub for cases beyond the scope of conventional treatment pathways,” and as a leading healthcare provider in the region.
It was fulfilling its vision of being the optimal choice for patients supported by an integrated ecosystem of education, research, and clinical excellence that aligns with Saudi Vision 2030, the hospital stated.
The hospital has been ranked by Brand Financing 2025 as first in the Middle East and North Africa, and 15th globally on the list of the world’s top 250 Academic Medical Centers for the third consecutive year.
Additionally, it was included in the World’s Best Smart Hospitals list for 2025 by Newsweek magazine.
Hadiyah launches program to promote cultural and humanitarian engagement with pilgrims
Updated 12 June 2025
Arab News
RIYADH: The Hajj and Mutamer’s Gift Charitable Association (Hadiyah), based in Makkah, has launched the “Let Them Witness the Benefits” to offer enriching experiences to pilgrims after completion of the Hajj rituals, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The program aims to build bridges of cultural and humanitarian engagement between pilgrims and Saudi society by hosting pilgrims in Saudi homes, where they experience traditional hospitality and learn about the Kingdom’s values, customs and traditions, fostering a sense of closeness and belonging.
The chairman of Hadiyah, Hatem Al-Marzouki, said that the program is one of several initiatives designed to create a lasting positive effect after Hajj by strengthening cultural and humanitarian ties between pilgrims and Saudi society.
“Hadiyah’s services go beyond hospitality, offering a comprehensive and unforgettable experience that reflects the human values of the Saudi people,” he said.
Al-Marzouki said the program is part of an integrated system of high-quality initiatives aligned with the aspirations of Saudi leadership.
According to SPA, these initiatives aim to enhance the pilgrims’ experience and strengthen the Kingdom’s image as a global center for serving and caring for pilgrims, culturally and humanely.
420,070 workers served during Hajj 2025: Saudi statistics authority
Over 1.6m pilgrims undertook Hajj, according to General Authority for Statistics
Updated 12 June 2025
Arab News
RIYADH: A total of 420,070 workers from the public and private sectors, including security services, worked to serve 1,673,230 pilgrims during this year’s Hajj, the General Authority for Statistics has reported.
Of the number, 92 percent were male and 8 percent female, GASTAT said in its Hajj Statistics Publication carried by the Saudi Press Agency recently.
The publication said there were 34,540 male and female volunteers at the holy sites, contributing a total of 2,134,398 volunteer hours during the Hajj season.
Elderly, infirm and disabled pilgrims are given assistance in moving around the holy sites. (SPA)
It also stated that 314,337 male and female pilgrims from eight countries benefited from the Makkah Route Initiative this year, representing 20.9 percent of all pilgrims.
This initiative, launched during the 2017 Hajj season, aims to streamline travel procedures for pilgrims.
GASTAT announced earlier that of this year’s 1,673,230 registered pilgrims, 1,506,576 arrived from abroad through various entry points. There were 166,654 citizens and residents who performed Hajj this year.
This year there were 877,841 male and 795,389 female pilgrims, the authority stated.
GASTAT said the statistics are based on records provided by the Ministry of Interior.
Workers spend a lot of effort to keep facilities in the holy sites clean and safe. (SPA)
Makkah’s Mashaer metro transports 1.87m passengers during Hajj
Mashaer completes 2,154 trips between Mina, Muzdalifah, Arafat
Dedicated to serving Hajj pilgrims, it runs for only 7 days every year
Updated 12 June 2025
Arab News
MAKKAH: A total of 1.87 million passengers used the Mashaer Metro Train to travel between Makkah’s holy sites during this year’s Hajj, according to Saudi Arabia Railways.
From Dhul Hijjah 7 (June 3) until the end of the Days of Tashreeq (June 9), there were 2,154 trips between the stations of Mina, Muzdalifah and Arafat, the railway agency said in a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency.
The operational plan for the Mashaer transport system during Hajj 2025 had five main phases, with the first one from June 3 to 4 transporting over 27,000 passengers across all stations.
The second phase moved 282,000 pilgrims from Mina to Arafat, the third transported 294,000 from Arafat to Muzdalifah, and the fourth moved over 349,000 from Muzdalifah to Mina.
“The final phase, which lasted until sunset on the last day of Tashreeq, recorded the movement of over 920,000 passengers to and from Mina 3 (Jamarat) station,” the SPA said.
Saudi Arabia Railways CEO Bashar AlMalik attributed the successful completion of the operational plan to extensive preparatory work, including simulation exercises and trial runs by the agency in coordination with operational and security agencies.
Traveling at 80 km per hour, the train can move passengers from Mina to Arafat in just 20 minutes. (SPA)
Also known as the Al-Mashaer Al-Mugaddasah Metro, or The Sacred Sites Train Line, it consists of nine stations across the holy sites, connected by an 18-km double-track railway. It can accommodate 72,000 passengers per hour in one direction.
Traveling at 80 km per hour, the train can move passengers from Mina to Arafat in just 20 minutes, giving pilgrims ease and comfort and allowing them to concentrate on their Hajj rituals.
Opened in 2010, the line is used exclusively as a shuttle train for pilgrims between holy sites in Makkah, Mina, Mount Arafat and Muzdalifah.
With a fleet of 17 eco-friendly electric trains, each capable of carrying 3,000 passengers, the metro system has reduced traffic congestion and carbon emissions by replacing about 50,000 passenger buses during the Hajj season.
Saudi king, crown prince condemn shooting that killed 10 students in Austrian school
Austrian police said the shooter attacked the Dreierschuetzengasse secondary school in Graz region on June 10 before taking his own life
Of the eleven people wounded, nine were still in intensive care but in stable condition on Wednesday
Updated 12 June 2025
Arab News
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Thursday offered condolences to Austria over a shooting attack that killed 10 and injured 11 at a secondary school, according to the Saudi Press Agency, or SPA.
In a message to Austrian President Alexander van Deir Beilin, King Salman condemned the attack as a “disgraceful criminal act” and expressed “deepest condolences and sincere sympathy” to the people of Austria and relatives of those killed. He also wished the injured “a speedy recovery.”
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is also prime minister of the Kingdom, sent a similar message to the Austrian leader.
Police said the shooter, armed with two legally owned guns — a shotgun and a pistol — attacked the Dreierschuetzengasse secondary school in Graz region on June 10 before taking his own life.
Austria's President Alexander Van der Bellen and his partner Doris Schmidauer place flowers at a central square in Graz, southeastern Austria, on June 11, 2025, one day after ten people died in a school shooting in the city. (APA/AFP)
A teacher and nine teenagers aged between 14 and 17, were among the victims, Austrian press agency APA reported.
Of the eleven wounded, nine were still in intensive care but in a stable condition on Wednesday, according to hospital officials.
The shooter was a 21-year-old former pupil at the school in Graz region, but never finished his studies there, local media quoted probers as saying.
During a search at the suspect’s home, police found a “non-functional” homemade bomb, a farewell letter as well as a video message addressed to his mother, none of which offered any clues about his motive.
The government declared three days of mourning for the victims. Church bells rang out across Austria as people stopped in the streets, radio and TV programs were interrupted and public transport was halted.
Media commentators highlighted how easy it is for Austrians to get firearms, and pointed to the relatively high number of weapons in circulation.
People attend a commemoration event to pay their respect at a central square in Graz, southeastern Austria, on June 11, 2025 one day after ten people died in a school shooting in the city. (APA/AFP) Austria's President Alexander Van der Bellen and his partner Doris Schmidauer place flowers at a central square in Graz, southeastern Austria, on June 11, 2025, one day after ten people died in a school shooting in the city. (APA/AFP)
During a visit to Graz, President Van der Bellen said the country was still “in deep, deep shock” following the “abominable... horror we all experienced.”
“If we come to the conclusion that Austria’s gun laws need to be changed to ensure greater safety, then we will do so,” he told a memorial event on Wednesday.
Austrian newspapers ran headlines that read “Why?” and “It’s horrific,” with the daily Kurier opting for a front page all in black.
Grieving Austrians held tearful memorials for the victims. Mourners cried, hugged and left flowers, candles and letters to the victims in churches and outside the school.
Condolences poured in from leaders across Europe, with Pope Leo XIV offering his “prayers for the victims of the tragedy” at his general audience on Wednesday.
