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8 hours ago
The Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) has announced the launch of a tourism campaign entitled “Delighted to See You” in celebration of the 94th Saudi National Day, which falls on September 23. The campaign will feature a mix of diverse tourism, entertainment and cultural events to welcome Saudi citizens and visitors from Gulf Cooperation Council countries. Through this campaign, BTEA seeks to provide a memorable celebratory experience. This year’s festivities will include a variety of events for all tastes and ages, starting with folk music performances and cultural exhibitions, all the way to family entertainment, historical landmark tours, live heritage and art shows, water activities, besides several welcoming events and gift distribution at Bahrain International Airport, King Fahd Causeway, hotels, resorts and various hospitality facilities. Sarah Buhiji, CEO of BTEA, affirmed the Authority’s keenness to commemorate this occasion with brothers and sisters from Saudi Arabia. She affirmed that Saudi National Day is a reflection of deep-rooted relations and historical ties between the two kingdoms in both leadership and people. The upcoming events will serve as a window into authentic Bahraini culture and the hospitality that the Kingdom is known for. To enrich the experience of Saudi visitors, BTEA has […]
12 hours ago
Saudi Arabia executed three citizens for committing acts of treason against the Kingdom, the Ministry of Interior announced Sunday in a statement. According to the ministry, the three nationals were accused of “providing support to terrorist entities, communicating with them, adopting a terrorist approach that permits the shedding of blood, money, and honor, and inciting people to carry out terrorist acts with the aim of undermining the security and stability of society. The death sentence was carried out on Sunday in the Riyadh region. The individuals, Talal bin Ali bin Khanifis Al Hudhli, Majdi bin Muhammad bin Attian Al Kaabi and Rayed bin Amer bin Matar Al Kaabi, were referred to the Public Prosecution where they were charged. They were sentenced to death by the Specialized Criminal Court.
12 hours ago
Saudi police said they had arrested two expatriates for murdering their wives due to disputes in two separate cases of domestic violence. Police in the Saudi holy city of Mecca said they had arrested an Egyptian man who had fatally stabbed his wife and her mother due to a row. The attacker is a male nurse at a hospital in Mecca where his Egyptian wife also worked. The murder happened at a residence designated for the hospital staff from different nationalities, Saudi news portal Sabq reported, citing health sources. The murder sent shockwaves across the hospital workers and the health community in Mecca, the report said. In a separate incident, police in Riyadh arrested another expatriate for fatally assaulting his wife due to a dispute between the couple. A spokesman for the city’s police said they had arrested the man – a Sudanese – for killing his wife who held the same citizenship. Saudi Arabia, a country of around 32.2 million people, is home to a large community of expatriate workers. Murder is punishable by death in the kingdom. A Saudi man was executed in Riyadh on Saturday after he was convicted of murdering a compatriot due to a dispute […]
13 hours ago
The Ministry of Interior announced on Saturday the arrest of 22,021 illegal residents during inspection raids across Saudi Arabia during last week. The arrests were made during the joint field security campaigns carried out by security forces and the concerned government agencies during the period between Aug. 29 and Sept. 4. Those who were arrested included 14,508 violators of the Residency Law, 4,511 violators of the Border Security Law, and 3,002 violators of the Labor Law. The total number of people who were arrested while trying to cross the border into the Kingdom stood at 998, of whom 39 percent were Yemeni nationals, 60 percent Ethiopian nationals, and one percent belonged to other nationalities while 41 people were arrested while attempting to leave the Kingdom illegally. Eleven people, who were involved in transporting, sheltering, and employing violators, were also arrested. A total of 15,108 expatriates, including 13,996 men and 1,112 women, are currently undergoing various phases of legal procedures as part of punitive measures against them. A total of 5,917violators were referred to their diplomatic missions to obtain travel documents while 2,249 violators were referred to complete their travel reservations whereas 11,242 violators were deported. The Ministry of Interior has […]
13 hours ago
Saudi Arabia’s non-oil economic activities recorded a growth of 4.9 percent year-on-year in the second quarter of 2024, beating late July estimates of 4.4 percent. This growth rate is the highest in a year, according to data from the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT). It was 3.4 percent in Q1 of 2024, and 4.2 percent and 3.2 percent in Q4 and Q3 of 2023 respectively. The GASTAT report showed that the seasonally adjusted real GDP in the second quarter of 2024 increased by 1.4 percent compared to the first quarter of 2024. The real GDP decreased by 0.3 percent in the second quarter of 2024 compared to the same period of 2023, affected by the 8.9 percent decline in oil activities. The non-oil activities achieved a growth of 4.9 percent year-on-year and 2.1 percent quarter-on-quarter. In contrast, the performance of oil activities contracted by 8.9 percent year-on-year, compared to July estimates of 8.5 percent, while achieving an increase of 0.9 percent quarter-on-quarter. Government activities achieved a growth of 3.6 percent year-on-year, and 2.3 percent quarter-on-quarter, the report pointed out. According to GASTAT, electricity, gas and water activities posted an increase of 8.9 percent year-on-year while wholesale and retail trade, restaurants, and hotels […]
13 hours ago
Saudi Arabia, represented by the Saudi General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), has won the bid to host the United Nations World Data Forum in Riyadh in 2026 after a competitive bidding process . The decision was made by the High-level Group for Partnership, Coordination and Capacity-Building for Statistics for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (HLG-PCCB), the Saudi Press Agency reported. Around 22,000 delegates from 193 countries, including data scientists, officials of the statistical offices of UN member states and individuals interested in statistics, are expected to participate in the global event. GASTAT President Dr. Fahad Aldossari presented Saudi Arabia’s bid to the HLG-PCCB group. His presentation highlighted GASTAT’s advancements in statistical work, and the Kingdom’s experience in hosting international events and its commitment to providing logistical support for a successful forum. Saudi Arabia proposed the theme “Using the latest technologies and methodologies to enhance global statistical systems and enable sustainable development” for the forum. Aldossari said in a press statement that hosting this event reflects Saudi Arabia’s prominent status among nations and underscores the commitment of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman to supporting the statistical sector. Statistical […]
13 hours ago
Lucidia, a leading AI customer experience management platform based in Riyadh, has announced a major change in its work schedule, becoming the first company in Saudi Arabia to implement a four-day work week. The new policy, which was put into effect in recent hours, marks a significant shift from the traditional five-day workweek. The decision by Lucidia has garnered growing attention and discussion on social media, with many users expressing excitement and curiosity about the potential impacts of this new schedule. The company’s move is seen as a bold step in improving work-life balance and productivity, as well as enhancing employee satisfaction. According to Al Ekhbariya TV channel, the adoption of a four-day work week by Lucidia is an unprecedented development in the Kingdom. The company’s innovative approach has impressed many, and there is keen interest in observing the results of this experiment, including its effects on employee productivity and work quality. Saudi human resources expert Dr. Khalil Al Thiyabi highlighted the importance of aligning the Kingdom’s weekly vacation with global standards. Dr. Al Thiyabi noted that converting the weekly vacation to Saturday and Sunday, as seen in other leading economies and G20 countries, could be beneficial given Saudi Arabia’s […]
1 day ago
After two days of searching, Saudi Civil Defence and volunteers recovered the missing boy’s body, a four-year-old who, along with his three sisters, died when their family’s car was trapped by floods in the holy city of Mecca. The accident occurred last week in Wadi Al Maghmas, a valley in eastern Mecca, where the car had been swept away by severe flooding. -Advertisement- Ads by The tragedy occurred when the car swerved due to flooding caused by torrential rains and was swept away by a powerful current. The vehicle then crashed into a local farm’s wall and stuck there, according to Okaz newspaper. The Arab expatriate family included the parents and six children. Civil Defence personnel managed to rescue the parents and two of their children, aged 13 and two years. The other four — three girls and a boy — were swept away by the flooding. The bodies of the three girls were recovered earlier. Over the following days, Civil Defence and volunteer teams searched the entire wadi for the boy’s body. The corpse was found lying in a pool of floodwaters within the wadi, according to Okaz. Last week, Mecca was hit by heavy rains accompanied by lightning […]
1 day ago
On Thursday, the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra), hosted the opening of Circus 1903, a two-hour show that brings all the magic of a traditional circus to the Kingdom. According to the company, the year 1903 was considered “the pinnacle of entertainment.” Animals and humans dazzled audiences with daring acts, rousing music and dazzling lights. In 2024, animals are no longer part of the show. Still, the immersive experience took the audience on a spectacular journey of classic entertainment. The ringmaster, David Williamson, plucked young volunteers from the audience to assist with a slapstick comedy act that made for some endearing moments and there was, of course, plenty of juggling, dancing and gravity-defying stunts. There may be no actual animals, but master designers from the UK-based Significant Object have crafted life-sized elephants that three puppeteers worked together to harmoniously move alongside the humans in the act. The charismatic ringmaster told the audience: “There’s so much that is the heartbeat of any great circus … when you watch that circus performer underneath the spotlight for those few minutes, what you’re actually seeing is a lifetime of dedication to the art form that has been passed down over the generations. […]
1 day ago
A global edition of the International AI Olympiad gets underway in Riyadh on Sunday, with teams from 25 countries expected to take part. The event, which will run until Thursday, is being organized by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority in collaboration with UNESCO, the International Center for AI Research and Ethics, and the International Research Center on Artificial Intelligence, in Slovenia. The SDAIA hopes the olympiad will serve as a platform for AI competitions, and nurture talent while fostering skills development, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The event will be a forum for scientists and enthusiasts from around the world to compete and also exchange ideas, enhance capabilities, and explore the latest advances in the field, the SPA added. The SDAIA has prepared for the event over the past five weeks by holding a series of virtual lectures on AI designed to qualify international teams for the competition and empower students from various countries to expand their knowledge in the sector. The lectures covered topics such as the social impact of AI and working with data.
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