ISLAMABAD: The first group of 773 Pakistani pilgrims has reached Makkah from Madinah ahead of the annual Hajj pilgrimage, Pakistan’s Religious Affairs Ministry said on Tuesday. Saudi Arabia this year restored Pakistan’s pre-pandemic Hajj quota of 179,210 pilgrims. Around 80,000 Pakistani pilgrims are performing the pilgrimage this year under the government scheme, while more than 91,000 will use private tour operators. Hajj flights from the country commenced on May 21 and the final flight departs for Saudi Arabia on June 21.

On behalf of King Salman, Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Elkhereiji recently attended the inauguration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as president of Nigeria. The minister conveyed the greetings and congratulations of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the Nigerian leader, as well as their wishes for the government and people of the African nation for further progress, growth and prosperity.

RIYADH: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology is hosting the Times Higher Education Global Sustainable Development Congress, the Saudi Press Agency has reported. The event, which runs until June 1, gathers more than 1,000 researchers and innovators from leading universities in the region, as well as government agencies in Saudi Arabia.

RIYADH: The EU envoy to the Horn of Africa has hailed Saudi-US efforts to end the violence in Sudan but warned that the ongoing fighting continues to threaten regional stability. In an interview with Arab News on Monday Annette Weber, the EU Special Representative, said that the risk of a “spillover” of violence was clear.  Weber arrived in Riyadh on Saturday to discuss the Sudan crisis with officials from the Foreign Ministry and representatives of the Gulf Cooperation Council.

JEDDAH: Despite the record-fast rescue by Lebanese security services on Tuesday of a kidnapped Saudi citizen, the incident comes as yet another reminder of the many heists, abductions and hijackings that have plagued the Arab country since the 1970s. Mashari Al-Mutairi, an employee of Saudi Arabia’s Saudia airlines who lived in the Beirut suburb of Aramoun, was abducted at about 3 a.m. on Sunday. The Lebanese Army’s intelligence directorate found and freed him after a security operation on the border with Syria.

RIYADH: Cruise Saudi, a Public Investment Fund fully-owned business, said this week it was committed to creating 50,000 direct and indirect jobs in the Kingdom by 2035. The company participated in the Saudi Ministry of Tourism’s first two-day Tourism Job Fair, with the aim of recruiting Saudi talents in the rapidly growing cruise tourism sector.

MAKKAH: Global and local companies specializing in dairy products participated in the Al-Saman Festival in the Northern Borders region, which concluded on Monday. The festival, deriving its name from the Arabic word for “ghee,” highlighted the diverse products of the region, which is home to the largest number of livestock in Saudi Arabia and which is famous for producing ghee.

JEDDAH: The Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance conducted the first follow-up meeting to ensure the completion and readiness of works and projects for Hajj. Those at the meeting discussed the needs of the ministry’s facilities in the holy sites, the most prominent implemented projects and the work of maintenance and operation companies.

RIYADH: More than 50 aspiring designers and would-be fashion entrepreneurs from across the Kingdom are being given the chance to make their dreams come true with two new training programs launched by the Fashion Commission in cooperation with the French Institute of Fashion in Paris. The first of the courses is the Fashion Executive Business Certificate, which starts in June and aims to provide 30 students with a range of practical skills needed to succeed in the fashion business.

DUBAI: Saudi astronauts Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali AlQarni are scheduled to return to Earth late Tuesday after spending eight days on the International Space Station (ISS), where they conducted a series of science experiments. Barnawi, the first Saudi Arabian and Arab woman to go into space, and AlQarni arrived at the space station on May 22 as part of the private AX-2 mission launched by Axiom Space. TIMELINE: AX-2 mission’s return to Earth

RIYADH: Beat the heat this summer in Jeddah with a visit to the world’s biggest floating water park, recently opened by German company Wibit Sports and local Saudi partner Blue Limits. Speaking to Arab News at the Saudi Entertainment and Amusement summit and expo in Riyadh, Witbit founder Robert Cirjak said that the layout of Pure Beach in King Abdullah Economic City spelled out the letters Saudi Arabia, adding: “We are more than proud to have broken a record again and we are so happy that it is in Saudi Arabia.” 

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Cabinet said on Tuesday that it is following developments in the situation in Sudan. The Cabinet also said it was following the course of negotiation talks in Jeddah and the agreements that resulted in a short-term ceasefire and humanitarian arrangements. Developing   

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Masam project dismantled 875 mines, planted by the Houthi militia across Yemen, in the last week of May. Overseen by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief), a specialist team removed 11 anti-personnel mines, 165 anti-tank mines, 686 unexploded ammunition, and 13 explosive devices, reported Saudi Press Agency (SPA). In Aden, the team dismantled three anti-personnel mines, 11 anti-tank mines, 519 unexploded ammunition, and seven explosive devices.

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s aid agency has continued providing healthcare services to Syrian refugees and the host community in Lebanon. The Arsal Medical Center in Baalbek, operating under King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief), delivered 9,456 services to 4,186 patients in April. “This initiative reflects Saudi Arabia’s commitment, represented by KSrelief, to provide humanitarian aid to those in need, particularly Syrian refugees, to alleviate their suffering in light of the ongoing humanitarian crisis they are facing,” state news agency SPA reported.

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives and the Boutique Group, owned by the Public Investment Fund, have signed a memorandum of understanding to preserve the Kingdom’s “captivating history and legacy,” the group announced on Monday. The agreement will cover research and the holding of various events, including on culture, literature and geography, at Tuwaiq Palace in the Diplomatic Quarter, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

RIYADH: Saudi authorities tackling drug traders and smugglers reported a number of arrests across the Kingdom in recent days. On Monday, the General Directorate for Narcotics Control arrested four Bangladeshi residents attempting to sell methamphetamine and narcotic tablets in the Eastern Province. Authorities also arrested a citizen in the Eastern Province for attempting to sell hashish and prohibited tablets, and for being in possession of firearms and live bullets.

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia will host the 10th session of the Arab-Chinese Business Conference and the eighth Investment Symposium from June 11-12 in Riyadh, the Saudi Press Agency has reported. “Collaborating for Prosperity” aims to boost cooperation in the areas of the economy, trade, and investment to achieve solutions of mutual interest to Arab nations and China through strategic collaboration.

RIYADH: Famous Japanese sushi restaurant Teruzushi, based in the Northern Kyushu prefecture, has opened its first overseas branch in Riyadh. Located in the luxury VIA Riyadh precinct, the restaurant held a pre-launch event on May 11. The restaurant was already the subject of attention after VIA Riyadh released a commercial starring famous Colombian-US model and “Modern Family” star Sofia Vergara, who at one point during the clip had a huge knife pointed at her by famous Japanese chef Takayoshi Watanabe, who later serves the actress sushi.

RIYADH: The Saudi Armed Forces launched a joint exercise on Sunday with the participation of forces from the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and the US, the Kingdom’s defense ministry announced on Monday. The “Eagle Resolve 23” drill, which was launched at the Air Warfare Center in the Eastern Province, aims to enhance military cooperation, exchange expertise in the field of missile air defense and unify planning and implementation of procedures.

RIYADH: The Mishkat Interactive Center for Atomic and Renewable Energy is hosting an event with the aim of educating visitors on the importance of renewable energy, energy science, and Vision 2030’s sustainable development goals, which intend to supply the Kingdom with clean energy sources. The center launched “Renewable” on May 26 in Riyadh, one of a series of activities that come as a part of Mishkat Evenings. The center opens its doors from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., and the event will last until June 1.

RIYADH: Lebanon’s Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi said he has been following the kidnapping of a Saudi citizen in Beirut with internal security forces since Sunday. A Saudi citizen was kidnapped on the road to Beirut airport after midnight on Saturday, Lebanese media reported on Monday. The Saudi citizen works for Saudia, the Kingdom’s flag carrier, and the kidnappers sent a message from the southern suburbs of Beirut demanding a ransom of $400,000, Al-Ekhbariya reported.

RIYADH: The Saudi Fashion Commission teamed up with the French Embassy and Alliance Francaise for an event in L’Art Pur in Riyadh. The two-day France & Fashion event on Saturday and Sunday gathered fashion fans for exhibitions, panel discussions, and training workshops with leading French fashion experts. Ambassador of France Ludovic Pouille and CEO of the Fashion Commission Burak Cakmak attended the official opening.;

Areej Naqshbandi has been the senior director and head of the project management office at the Public Investment Fund since 2021. As part of PIF’s rapid growth over the last few years, Naqshbandi has contributed to the operational transformation across different aspects of the business to establish consistency, efficiency and best practice. She is leading the PMO, a centralized department within the PIF that upholds the highest standards of project management.

RIYADH: Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Elkhereiji met his Mexican counterpart Carmen Moreno Toscano at the ministry’s headquarters in Riyadh, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday. The two sides looked at bilateral relations between the countries and the means of enhancing them. They also discussed regional and international developments. The meeting was also attended by Faisal Al-Mandil, the director of South American department affairs at the Saudi Foreign Ministry, and Anibal Gomez Toledo, the Mexican ambassador to the Kingdom.

RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan discussed with his British counterpart efforts to bring the views of the Sudanese parties closer on Monday, according to SPA. During the call between Farhan and UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, the Sudan conflict was reviewed and Saudi support of finding a political solution during the Jeddah negotiations was emphasized. The Jeddah agreement resulted in reaching a short-term ceasefire and humanitarian arrangements between the Sudan army and Rapid Support Forces.

RIYADH: Saudi astronauts Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali Al-Qarni on Monday conducted an educational experiment with high school students across the Kingdom live from the International Space Station (ISS). The ‘heat transmission’ experiment enabled students to interact with astronauts and compare results of the two experiments in ISS’ microgravity and earth. “Results have shown that heat travels slower in space than it does on earth,” reported the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

RIYADH: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) continued to implement a voluntary surgical program in Cameroon, which has so far examined more than 500 cases in different clinics.  The campaign runs from May 20 to May 31, 2023, in cooperation with Al-Baslam International Organization. Since the start of the campaign, the volunteer medical team of the KSrelief has examined 532 cases in different clinics.

RIYADH: Cooperation and collaboration are key to the success of this year’s World Circular Economy Forum in Finland, the country’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia has told Arab News, praising the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 as offering “limitless opportunities.” This year’s World Circular Economy Forum brings together global leaders from the circular economy. It runs from May 30 to June 2 in Helsinki, the Finnish capital.

JEDDAH: Japanese singer Halca enthralled audiences on Thursday with some of her most popular tracks at the Anime Village zone in Jeddah’s City Walk. Singing a variety of her songs, including the famous track “Kimiga Ita Shirushi” of the anime “Boruto: Naruto Next Generation,” Halca made her debut in Jeddah donning a checkered long-sleeved outfit with fun accessories and colorful nail polish. She styled her hair into two messy buns decorated with playful hairpins.

RIYADH: With a steady hand on her brush, Saudi artist Raghda Turkistani paints images and writes personalized messages in calligraphy on carpets. “I wanted to pursue something that would be a reflection of my artistic nature, so I fell in love with the carpet industry and turned it into a business,” Turkistani told Arab News.   Her meticulous painting on luxurious Persian and Arabian carpets using bright colors has resulted in myriad unique masterpieces.

RIYADH: The Saudi Food and Drug Authority and the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia, also known as JAKIM, signed a memorandum of cooperation for mutual recognition of the halal certification of locally manufactured products. The agreement was signed by SFDA CEO Dr. Hisham bin Saad Al-Jadhey and Jakim Director General Dr. Hakima Yusuf.

RIYADH: Violations by warring parties during the short-term cease-fire in Sudan have significantly impeded the delivery of humanitarian aid and the restoration of basic services, a Saudi-US statement said on Sunday. The statement said that despite both sides saying they are committed to facilitating humanitarian assistance and the restoration of essential services for the sake of the Sudanese people, they have committed prohibited acts that impeded those efforts.

RIYADH: Makkah municipality has completed preparations for Hajj, including recruiting 22,000 workers to boost pilgrim services. Spokesperson Osama Zaituni said that the municipality has mobilized all its human and mechanical capacities, supported by assistance teams including public security and scouts, temporary health monitors, as well as a large fleet of equipment and machinery, to provide the highest levels of municipal services to pilgrims.

RIYADH: A Saudi-led humanitarian project in Yemen has seen a milestone 400,000 landmines and unexploded ordnance cleared in more than five years. Overseen by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, the Masam initiative continues to remove deadly devices laid in the war-torn country by the Iran-backed Houthis. Operations have been taking place in Marib, Aden, Jouf, Shabwa, Taiz, Hodeidah, Lahij, Sanaa, Al-Bayda, Al-Dhale, and Saada.

RIYADH: Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji received the newly appointed US Ambassador to the Kingdom Michael Ratney on Sunday. The two reviewed bilateral relations between the two countries and ways to enhance them. As part of the meeting, they also discussed regional and international developments of common concern and the deputy foreign minister welcomed the ambassador, wishing him success in his new duties.