Saudi Arabia restricts Umrah permits to Hajj permit holders
New regulation aims to manage influx during peak pilgrimage period from May 24 to June 26
The ministry stated that Umrah permits will not be issued to individuals without a confirmed Hajj permit
Updated 20 May 2024
Rashid Hassan
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has announced that starting May 24 until June 26, Umrah permits will only be issued to those with a confirmed Hajj permit.
The directive was issued by the ministry to facilitate Hajj pilgrims arriving in Saudi Arabia from around the world, ensuring their pilgrimage at the Grand Mosque in Makkah is conducted with ease and comfort.
The ministry stated that Umrah permits will not be issued to individuals without a confirmed Hajj permit.
This measure aims to manage the influx of pilgrims in the holy city during the busy Hajj season, ensuring a smooth experience for all pilgrims.
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah posted on X: “Defying Hajj regulations will result in severe and unwavering penalties. A fine of SR10,000 ($2,666) will be imposed on individuals caught in Makkah and the holy sites without a Hajj permit, applicable to citizens, residents, and visitors. The fine will double for repeat offenders, and resident violators face deportation and a ban from entering Saudi Arabia.”
Earlier, the Ministry of Interior announced penalties for those who violated Hajj regulations and instructions, such as those found without a permit in Makkah, the central region, the holy sites, the Haramain train station in Rusayfah, security control centers, sorting centers, and temporary security control centers. These will be effective from June 2 to June 20.
Any citizens, residents or visitors caught within the specified restricted areas without a Hajj permit will be fined SR10,000. In addition, residents face deportation to their home country and a ban from entering the Kingdom for a stipulated period.
Emphasizing the importance of adherence to Hajj regulations and instructions, the ministry stressed that the fine would be doubled for repeat offenders.
Transporting individuals without a permit is a serious offense, with penalties of up to six months in prison and a fine of up to SR50,000. The fine will increase proportionately with the number of people carried. The means of transportation will be seized and expatriate transporters will face deportation and a ban from re-entering the Kingdom for a specified period.
Members of the public are urged to report anyone breaking the rules by calling (911) in Makkah, Riyadh and the Eastern Province, and (999) in the remaining regions.
One of the five pillars of Islam, this year’s Hajj is expected to run from June 14 to June 19.
KSrelief delivers winter aid and dates to Yemen’s vulnerable
Updated 08 November 2024
Arab News
RIYADH: The Kingdom’s aid agency KSrelief has delivered dates and winter shelter to vulnerable people in Yemen, the Saudi Press Agency reported late Thursday.
KSrelief’s volunteers distributed 100 winter bags in Thamud district, Hadhramaut governorate, for 600 individuals from 100 vulnerable families.
These packages form part of the emergency shelter project in Yemen. (SPA)
The aid is a part of the agency’s emergency shelter project in the country.
Meanwhile, 2,459 cartons of dates were delivered in Al-Wadi district, Marib governorate, for the benefit of 14,754 people.
KSrelief continues international relief efforts in Chad, Pakistan
Updated 08 November 2024
Arab News
RIYADH: Saudi aid agency KSrelief has delivered aid to people most in need in Chad and Pakistan, reported the Saudi Press Agency.
Some 201 food parcels, benefiting 1,206 people, were distributed in the village of Sharkaya, in Hajar Lamis province, as part of the 2024 Food Security Support Project in the Republic of Chad.
Aid has also been given to 10,500 vulnerable people in flood-affected areas of Pakistan as part of the fourth phase of KSrelief’s initiative to provide shelter materials and winter bags to the country.
Saudi agency KSrelief delivers food, hygiene kits in Syria
The aid is a part of KSrelief’s projects to support earthquake-affected people in northern Syria
Updated 08 November 2024
Arab News
RIYADH: The Kingdom’s aid agency KSrelief has distributed food and hygiene kits to thousands of vulnerable people across Syria, the Saudi Press Agency reported late Thursday.
The agency’s volunteers delivered 750 food parcels and 750 hygiene kits in Al-Hasakah, Syria, benefiting 4,500 people.
The aid is a part of KSrelief’s projects to support earthquake-affected people in northern Syria. (SPA)
Meanwhile 745 Syrian families, comprising 2,652 people, in Al-Dana, Idlib governorate, received food and hygiene kits.
The aid is a part of KSrelief’s projects to support earthquake-affected people in northern Syria.
How Google aims to bridge the AI skills gap in Saudi Arabia and the wider region
Backed by local partners, Google will boost AI upskilling for women, youth, migrants, and rural communities
The AI Opportunity Initiative aims to equip half a million people across the MENA region with AI skills
Updated 08 November 2024
Lama Alhamawi
DUBAI: As artificial intelligence rapidly reshapes industries, job roles and skill requirements, the Middle East and North Africa region is actively embracing advanced technologies and collaborating with tech giants to bridge the skills gap in an evolving labor market.
One such collaboration is with Google’s newly launched AI Opportunity Initiative, which offers training and education opportunities to make AI technologies more accessible and inclusive across the region.
By collaborating with local organizations, the AI Opportunity Initiative seeks to “train half a million people in the next two years,” Anthony Nakache, managing director of Google MENA, told an audience at the recent AI Connect MENA event at Dubai’s Etihad Museum.
To achieve this, Google “will give a grant of $15 million to fund local organizations,” Nakache said.
Najeeb Jarrar, regional director of marketing at Google MENA, told Arab News: “We are very excited about this AI Opportunity Initiative, especially since we are seeing the Saudi community is fully embracing AI both on the consumer side and on the developer and resource side.
“This is an initiative that we have launched globally and we now are bringing to the region. One of the aims of this initiative is how we are leveling the playing field for AI and AI education and skilling across the entire region,” he added, noting that students will learn to use AI more productively, including skills such as prompt engineering.
To bridge the digital divide in the labor market, Google’s AI Opportunity Initiative aims to upskill underserved workers in AI by offering tailored training materials in Arabic, in partnership with the non-profit Manarat, online course provider Coursera, and other organizations.
Google’s largest AI project in the region, the AI Opportunity Initiative will focus on four key areas: AI skills development, research, products, and infrastructure.
DID YOUKNOW?
• The new AI Opportunity Initiative is Google’s largest AI project in the region.
• It aims to equip 500,000 people in the MENA region with AI skills within two years.
• Google is granting $15 million to local organizations between 2024 and 2027.
• The Saudi government is reportedly creating a $40 billion fund to invest in AI.
“We also worked with local NGOs and local players in the market to ensure that we are also reaching out to different partners,” Jarrar said.
Google.org, Google’s philanthropic arm, has announced plans to contribute $15 million between this year and the end of 2027, providing funding to organizations across the region to ensure accessibility to AI opportunities.
The AI Opportunity Initiative also aims to equip 500,000 people in the MENA region with AI skills in the first two years. This includes students, academics, developers, entrepreneurs and underrepresented groups.
Speaking about the issue of accessibility, Jarrar said: “We wanted to ensure first that this local initiative does not feel like an initiative that is hard to get for the average user.”
Google’s largest AI project in the region, the AI Opportunity Initiative will focus on AI skills development, research, products, and infrastructure. (Supplied)
He pointed out that both language and local partners, such as Injaz and Raspberry Pi Foundation, play a major role in improving accessibility.
“The content is all in Arabic, we have local examples that we are actually able to showcase,” he said. “We are partnering with local partners that know the market and the community very well and are able to reach more people that are beyond what we can initially reach to.”
The AI Opportunity Initiative enables Google to expand the Maharat min Google program, which targets high school and university students, by introducing a new AI curriculum in Arabic.
As part of its mission to support underserved communities, Google.org is funding Village Capital, a non-profit that supports entrepreneurs tackling environmental, social and economic challenges.
Village Capital will equip business support organizations to offer AI upskilling opportunities to underserved workers.
The program targets women, youth, migrants and rural communities across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Jordan, Palestine, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Lebanon, Bahrain and Iraq.
The Raspberry Pi Foundation will use grant funding from Google.org to train teachers in AI literacy, equipping students aged 11-14 in the region with AI safety skills to better understand and navigate the challenges of AI technologies.
Opinion
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Speaking at the Google AI Connect Event, Ruth Porat, president and chief investment officer for Alphabet and Google, said: “AI is estimated to contribute $320 billion in economic growth for the Middle East by 2030.
“Google is working to ensure that people and communities throughout the region have the skills needed to capture the upside of this emerging technology.”
She added: “Our local non-profit and university partners will help bring this program to people and communities throughout the region, ensuring that everyone can benefit from the opportunities that AI can deliver.”
Ruth Porat, president and chief investment officer for Alphabet and Google, speaking at the Google AI Connect event. (Photo courtesy of Google)
Since 2005, Google has invested more than $400 million in academic research globally.
The tech giant also announced during its Dubai event the launch of new Arabic AI products, including Gemini Live in Arabic, Gemini for Teens, Imagen3, and Gems on Gemini in Arabic.
“For the previous year, we have worked hard with partners, with experts globally and from the region, to understand what are the constraints that we need to implement to make this product safer for teens, teens aged 13 to 18,” Jarrar said.
“We worked tirelessly to make sure we have the right guardrails to ensure that we had the right controls and the proper Q and A and testing, and today we are happy to say that Gemini for Teens is available for users and teens here in the region.”
These efforts are expected to support Saudi Arabia’s ambition to become an AI leader, ensuring its population stays aligned with the latest developments in the labor market.
A September report by the Saudi Authority for Data and Artificial Intelligence showed that 75 percent of the Saudi population is familiar with the concept of AI, and 64 percent are aware of its applications.
Saudi Arabia’s recreational spaces ready for holiday season
Updated 08 November 2024
SPA
AL-BAHA: Saudi authorities have announced extensive preparations of public recreational facilities ahead of the school holiday season.
The Al-Baha municipality has readied 142 parks and recreational areas, along with municipal squares, public spaces and streets, to welcome visitors and tourists.
According to regional secretary, Ali bin Mohammed Al-Sawat, these facilities span more than 4,188,559.98 million square meters and feature amenities including children’s playgrounds, green spaces, shade structures, lighting, sidewalks, seating areas and parking, and facilities for activities such as walking and cycling.
The Al-Barouqi Tourist Farm in Al-Baha region features agricultural terraces, famous trees and old wells. (SPA)
Meanwhile, the Eastern Region Municipality has completed the preparation of 979 parks and public squares, 18 public recreational parks, 14 waterfront areas and 213 walking tracks.
The facilities are timely as moderate weather conditions and school breaks attract more outdoor activity.
The municipality emphasized its commitment to regular maintenance of these facilities, considering them vital breathing spaces for citizens and residents.
Al-Nakheel Park Tabuk region's Haql governorate is more than just a recreational destination. It is a place where residents and visitors can uncover stories of the past, shared by their ancestors. (SPA)
