Dental help offered for special needs patients in Saudi Arabia’s eastern region
Updated 31 March 2023
SPA
DAMMAM, Saudi Arabia: The Eastern Health Cluster, a healthcare system in the Kingdom, has provided dental care clinics for patients over 12 years with special needs who were previously lacking access to treatment services.
The provider said: “The obstacles stopping people with special needs from receiving dental care services included [those with] mental health problems, autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, mental retardation, and Parkinson’s disease.
“More than 950 patients, including 547 males and 409 females, were provided with our services. Furthermore, residents comprehensively treated 92 patients under general anesthesia in the comprehensive rehabilitation center.
“In 2022, around 400 beneficiaries were provided with our services during weekly examination visits.”
Saudi authorities bust khat smuggling operation in Jazan
Seizure was handed over to the competent authority for preliminary legal procedures
Updated 12 sec ago
Arab News
Saudi authorities bust khat smuggling operation in Jazan
RIYADH: Saudi border guards in the Jazan region have foiled attempts to smuggle 380kg of the narcotic khat.
The seizure was handed over to the competent authority for preliminary legal procedures, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.
Authorities have urged people to report any activities related to drug smuggling or promotion by calling 911 in the Makkah, Riyadh and Eastern Province regions, and 999 in the rest of the Kingdom’s regions.
Indulge Thyself — where sustainability is always on the menu
The region’s first zero-waste private fine-dining restaurant is tackling food wastage with ‘sustainable practices and culinary methods’
Updated 45 min 35 sec ago
Nada Hameed
JEDDAH: Indulge Thyself is a zero-waste private fine-dining restaurant and catering service established to demonstrate that following sustainable practices need not compromise on quality and taste.
The region’s first such operation, Indulge Thyself promotes innovative environmental solutions by using leftovers and organic waste to create natural compost.
According to the General Food Security Authority, about SR40 billion ($10.6 billion) worth of food is wasted every year in the Kingdom, or about a third of the total produced. It is an issue that requires awareness and sustainable solutions to maintain our planet’s health.
Fermentation and pickling are practices that enable chef hamza and her team to reduce food wastage. (Supplied)
Indulge Thyself is based on an ideology that always keeps the bin in mind. It was conceived from a desire to create innovative and quality dishes while demonstrating respect for the environment.
The restaurant was founded by Saudi chef Yasmin Hamza and her sous chef Hawazen Zahran who believe that there is space for sustainability in the fine-dining culinary world. The restaurant is run by Hamza and her team of female chefs.
On the topic of environmental responsibility, Hamza told Arab News that it “must stem from the understanding that we are nature, when we begin as humans to understand that our separation from our environment is merely an illusion, we can then start to initiate action as we are of this earth.”
HIGHLIGHTS
• Indulge Thyself offers private fine-dining experiences and catering service.
• The restaurant’s organic waste and leftovers are composted and turned into plant fertilizer, which is then used in growing produce.
Explaining the restaurant’s sustainability ethic and strategy, Hamza added: “We promote an array of sustainable practices and culinary methods ensuring that we have no waste; like sourcing local farm-to-table produce and using a head-to-tail cooking method, fermentation, pickling, as well as using reusable packaging and more.”
At Indulge Thyself, organic waste and leftovers are “composted and turned into plant fertilizer, which is then used in growing our own fruits and vegetables,” she added.
From the filtered tap water to avoid plastic bottles, to the use of upcycled materials for the interior design, Indulge Thyself pays attention to sustainable and eco-friendly choices.
Indulge Thyself pays attention to sustainable and eco-friendly choices. (Supplied)
The dining experience at Indulge Thyself involves a sequence of dishes that take the guest on an international culinary journey — featuring some of the best cuisines while honoring core sustainability values, such as by sourcing 95 percent of the ingredients from local produce.
Hamza commented on the restaurant’s name, saying: “We wanted to show people that you could indeed ‘Indulge Thyself’ in a fine-dining setting whilst incorporating respect to our produce and awareness of our surroundings.
“We can confidently say that we currently offer the best fine-dining food and beverage experiences and catering services in Saudi Arabia.”
Indulge Thyself pays attention to sustainable and eco-friendly choices. (Supplied)
With a professional background as a fashion designer focused on sustainability, Hamza decided to shift focus toward the culinary industry during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sustainability remained a core value in that transition: “It was only natural that I would entrain my business’ core value in sustainability as it is truly my passion.
“I worked with my cousin in the kitchen for a day and I was hooked. The energy, speed, creativity, and quick feedback fit really well with my personality. I then decided to expand my culinary skills and work with some of the best fine-dining and Michelin-star restaurants worldwide,” Hamza explained.
She worked at The Samuel in Copenhagen, Silo London, KOL London, and The Sea, The Sea in London.
Indulge Thyself offers private fine-dining experiences for two people, and also 10 to 20 with three experiences, and the option of five to eight courses. The restaurant also has a catering service.
Promoting sustainable practices also takes center stage in Hamza’s collaborations with other projects and companies. She recently participated in a culinary class for children at the Islamic Art Biennale. There was also a catering tie-up with Cartier, and a collaboration during Ramadan with Kia Corporation and the Waste Lab, a woman-owned composting company based in Dubai.
For the Kia “Cycle of Life” initiative, Hamza hosted a farm-to-table iftar at Indulge Thyself to celebrate the region’s environmental advocates.
Speaking on the collaboration, Hamza added: “Serving iftar to sustainability influencers and seeing them enjoy it and give raving feedback was a highlight in our career.
“To top that off, it was all filmed for the anti-food waste campaign and launched all over the Middle East to highlight our efforts in combating food waste … that was a very rewarding feeling for our whole team.”
An interesting fact that Al-Theeb revealed was that people from all walks of life living in the Arabian Peninsula had the freedom to engrave their thoughts, feelings, poetry, or curses on rocks
Updated 45 min 7 sec ago
Tareq Al-Thaqafi
MAKKAH: Many monuments in the Arabian Peninsula have been found bearing inscriptions in the Thamudic, Nabataean and Safaitic languages invoking evil upon those who try to tamper with or obliterate them.
One such Thamudic inscription, dating between the end of he first century AD to the fourth century AD, was found by a Saudi citizen named Khalid Al-Fraih in the Tabhar area northwest of Tabuk, which is dotted with many ancient inscriptions and monuments.
FASTFACT
People from all walks of life living in the Arabian Peninsula had the freedom to engrave their thoughts, feelings, poetry, or curses, on rocks contrary to those who lived in Mesopotamia, Syria and Egypt, where inscriptions were exclusively written by the leaders or those who with a high status.
Professor of ancient Arabic writings, Dr. Suleiman Al-Theeb, told Arab News that this Thamudic inscription is written on the facade of one of the mountains of Wadi Tabhar. “What is interesting is that they used curses so that evil befalls … those who distort and sabotage … it. This type of curse is well known in the Thamudic, Nabataean, Palmyrian and Safaitic inscriptions.”
People who inhabited the area centuries ago were pagans who indulged in idol worship.
“This curse was written, most likely, to intimidate and scare away those who want to destroy their god … and the purpose of intimidation by cursing is to maintain and keep what has been written,” he said.
In order to prevent others from attacking their rocks, they used to write on them words of threat, curse and intimidation of the wrath of the gods. The fear was real and people would then refrain from destroying the rocks.
Dr. Suleiman Al-Theeb, Professor of ancient Arabic writings
Al-Theeb also revealed that the writings and inscriptions on rocks were similar to published material that we see today. “If two people disagree or a problem occurred between them, they would usually attack the rock of others. In order to prevent others from attacking their rocks, they used to write on them words of threat, curse and intimidation of the wrath of the gods. The fear was real and people would then refrain from destroying the rocks.”
An interesting fact that Al-Theeb revealed was that people from all walks of life living in the Arabian Peninsula had the freedom to engrave their thoughts, feelings, poetry, or curses on rocks, contrary to those who lived in Mesopotamia, Syria and Egypt, where inscriptions were exclusively written by leaders or those who with high status.
The professor stressed that these inscriptions are very important as they depict the history of previous civilizations, and should be monitored and documented by specialists to preserve them.
Northern Borders region governor inspects Jdeidet Arar crossing ahead of Hajj
During the visit, the governor welcomed Iraqi pilgrims arriving in the Kingdom to perform Hajj
Updated 54 min 56 sec ago
Arab News
RIYADH: The governor of the Northern Borders region Prince Faisal bin Khalid bin Sultan inspected the Jdeidet Arar land crossing on Sunday ahead of the Hajj season.
During the visit, he welcomed Iraqi pilgrims arriving in the Kingdom to perform Hajj.
Prince Faisal also monitored the workflow at various departments at the crossing including customs, immigration, and health services, to ensure the smooth completion of entry procedures for pilgrims.
The governor also visited the Ministry of Hajj center to assess public services provided in the Hajj and Umrah hall.
Prince Faisal said he was pleased with the “determination, effort, and accuracy” displayed by workers at the crossing.
Alkhorayef and Saleh discussed ways to enhance cooperation between the two countries to develop the industrial sector, and reviewed investment opportunities
Updated 21 min 41 sec ago
Arab News
CAIRO: Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef on Sunday met Egyptian Minister of Trade and Industry Ahmed Samir Saleh.
The Saudi minister is on an official tour to Egypt to discuss bilateral relations and explore opportunities to enhance cooperation in industry and the mining sector.
Alkhorayef and Saleh discussed ways to enhance cooperation between the two countries to develop the industrial sector, and reviewed investment opportunities.
The two sides also went over industrial integration between their countries, and means to increase the volume of trade exchange and boost industrial exports.
Last year, the volume of Saudi Arabia’s non-oil exports to Egypt exceeded SR11 billion ($2.9 billion), while imports totaled SR10 billion.
Alkhorayef said: “The trade between both countries is witnessing growth, but the aspirations of the leadership are much bigger.”
Deputy Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Osama Al-Zamil, Saudi Ambassador to Egypt Osama Nugali and several industry and mineral resources sector officials attended the meeting.
