Saudi Arabia arrests 15,324 illegals in one week

Saudi police have arrested hundreds of illegals breaching country’s labor law. (SPA)
Saudi police have arrested hundreds of illegals breaching country’s labor law. (SPA)
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Updated 28 September 2024
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Saudi Arabia arrests 15,324 illegals in one week

Saudi police have arrested hundreds of illegals breaching country’s labor law. (SPA)
  • The report showed that among the 1,226 people arrested for trying to enter the Kingdom illegally, 51 percent were Ethiopian, 48 percent Yemeni, and 1 percent were of other nationalities

RIYADH: Saudi authorities arrested 15,324 people in one week for breaching residency, work and border security regulations, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.

According to an official report, a total of 9,235 people were arrested for violations of residency laws, while 3,772 were held over illegal border crossing attempts, and a further 2,317 for labor-related issues.

The report showed that among the 1,226 people arrested for trying to enter the Kingdom illegally, 51 percent were Ethiopian, 48 percent Yemeni, and 1 percent were of other nationalities.

A further 116 people were caught trying to cross into neighboring countries, and four were held for involvement in transporting and harboring violators.

The Ministry of Interior said that anyone found to be facilitating illegal entry to the Kingdom, including providing transportation and shelter, could face imprisonment for a maximum of 15 years, a fine of up to SR1 million ($260,000), as well as confiscation of vehicles and property.

Suspected violations can be reported on the toll-free number 911 in the Makkah and Riyadh regions, and 999 or 996 in other regions of the Kingdom.

 


Saudi defense minister arrives in Spain

Saudi defense minister arrives in Spain
Updated 5 sec ago
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Saudi defense minister arrives in Spain

Saudi defense minister arrives in Spain

MADRID: Saudi defense minister Prince Khalid bin Salman arrived in Madrid on an official visit on Thursday, Saudi Press Agency reported.

More to follow...


Saudi program delivers more than 12,000 housing units to needy families in 2024

Saudi program delivers more than 12,000 housing units to needy families in 2024
Updated 4 min 3 sec ago
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Saudi program delivers more than 12,000 housing units to needy families in 2024

Saudi program delivers more than 12,000 housing units to needy families in 2024
  • Marks a significant contribution to the Kingdom’s goal to provide 40,000 families in need with new homes between 2021 and 2025
  • Ministry of Municipalities and Housing added that it also provided financial support of SR110 million for 39,000 tenants

RIYADH: More than 12,000 housing units have been given to families in need in Saudi Arabia since the beginning of this year, authorities announced on Thursday.

This marks a significant contribution to the Kingdom’s goal to provide 40,000 families in need with new homes between 2021 and 2025, as part of its Vision 2030 Housing Program.

The Ministry of Municipalities and Housing added that it also provided financial support of SR110 million ($29.28 million) for 39,000 cases of tenants facing difficulties paying rent, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

In Tabuk, students from the city’s technical college carried out charitable electrical and plumbing maintenance work on the homes of needy families.

The work was done by trainees under the supervision of experienced trainers from the college.

Dean Majid Al-Anzi told the SPA that the initiative was part of the college’s mission to promote societal values and teach students the importance of supporting their local community.

Separately, the National Housing Co. announced on Thursday that it had opened registration for a new development in Jeddah — the Murjana project.

Furthermore, 182,000 people from across the country have volunteered their time to work for the ministry this year — improving urban landscapes by beautifying parks, maintaining public facilities, and monitoring housing units.

This year, 49 non-profit organizations were founded to support the development of the housing sector, the ministry added.

As part of the Vision 2030 aim to improve the quality of life in Saudi society, the national housing program is set to increase the rate of home ownership among nationals to 70 percent by the beginning of the next decade.

One aspect of the program was the introduction of the Ejar housing system in 2018 which created a national registry of landlords and tenants, strengthening the legal rights of both in case of rental disputes.

Also launched in 2018 was the Sakani program — providing a range of affordable financing options to Saudi families looking to purchase their first homes.

The surging population in Saudi cities is increasing demand for housing. From July 2023 to July 2024, the residential transactions soared by 51.6 percent with 18,500 sales valued at SR26.6 billion in Riyadh alone, according to a report from real estate services firm CBRE.

The volume of real estate transactions in Jeddah rose by 43.2 percent — or 9,392 transactions — in the same period. Meanwhile sales in Dammam increased by 22.4 percent, or 2,390 sales, worth SR2.4 billion.


Experts highlight historical role of Arabic language as bridge between cultures

Experts highlight historical role of Arabic language as bridge between cultures
Updated 24 October 2024
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Experts highlight historical role of Arabic language as bridge between cultures

Experts highlight historical role of Arabic language as bridge between cultures

RIYADH: Arabic and French experts this week underlined the importance of learning languages to enhance intellectual and cultural communication.

At an event in France to mark Arabic Language Month, they noted how, without the Arabic language, the world would not have been able to access a significant portion of the intellectual heritage of Greek philosophers, as well as mathematics and sciences from ancient times.

Hamdi Al-Adawi, professor of linguistics at Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University, described the role of language in expressing a person’s inner thoughts and feelings, and described the historical interplay between Arabic and French.

“The Arabic language has played a vital role towards affirming the role of Islam in enhancing communication between different civilizations, blending civilizations, and fostering the exchange of cultures,” he told Arab News.

Al-Adawi noted that the convergence of certain words, concepts and meanings between languages is key to accepting other cultures and coexisting peacefully with them.

He also said that there are many shared terms among languages, which encourages leveraging these similarities to understand the commonalities between these languages and their cultural connotation.

Al-Adawi concluded that the cultural exchange between the Arabic and French languages is tangible and well documented.

Some examples include the Belgian orientalist Henri Lammens, who identified more than 700 Arabic words in his French-language writings in the early 20th century, and the French writer Pierre Giraud who acknowledged the influence of Arabic on the French language, providing a list of 280 Arabic words that were used in French during different periods.

Jack Lang, the secretary-general of the Arab World Institute, said that “the Arabic language is music, and it is a global language.” He noted that it ranks fifth among the most spoken languages in the world.

“We cannot ignore the fact that the Arabic language has served as a bridge for communication between peoples. Without the Arabic language, we would not have been able to access a significant portion of Greek philosophers, nor mathematics and sciences from ancient times,” he said.

Lang, who is a former French minister of education, highlighted the efforts being made by Saudi Arabia to preserve the Arabic language, saying that the Kingdom was “moving towards exerting a considerable cultural effort.”

He added that he currently observes “large cultural events happening throughout Saudi Arabia.”

He also praised Saudi Arabia’s role in assisting other countries in their commitment to the Arabic language through the Arab World Institute, which is based in Paris.

Lang noted the intention to establish a House of the Arabic Language in France, in collaboration with King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language.

KSGAAL launched Arabic Language Month in France on Oct. 7, in collaboration with the Arab World Institute.

Events included a seminar, a panel discussion and a scientific competition focused on the art of diction, with participation from several contestants.

Abdullah Al-Washmi, secretary-general of KSGAAL, said that the academy is active in various fields to promote the Arabic language, locally and globally.

The academy launched the Arabic Language Month program in France, which aimed to display KSGAAL activities related to teaching Arabic to non-native speakers and to highlight the Kingdom’s efforts in serving the Arabic language and its sciences worldwide.

Additionally, the academy is working to offer training programs to enhance teachers’ competencies and improve Arabic language learning outcomes for students, in line with the objectives of the Human Capability Development Program, one of the initiatives under the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by interested individuals and intellectuals, led by the Kingdom’s ambassador to France, Fahad Al-Ruwaili.

KSGAAL will continue the activities of Arabic Language Month in France on Nov. 1, featuring tours in several French cities in collaboration with French and international educational institutions.


Saudi Embassy in Turkiye expresses Kingdom’s condemnation of Ankara terror attack

Saudi Embassy in Turkiye expresses Kingdom’s condemnation of Ankara terror attack
Updated 24 October 2024
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Saudi Embassy in Turkiye expresses Kingdom’s condemnation of Ankara terror attack

Saudi Embassy in Turkiye expresses Kingdom’s condemnation of Ankara terror attack
  • Statement reiterates Kingdom’s rejection of terrorism, extremism

ANKARA: The Saudi Embassy in Turkiye expressed the Kingdom’s condemnation of the terror attack that targeted a defense company in Ankara, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
The embassy reiterated the Kingdom’s firm rejection of terrorism and extremism in all its forms.
It also offered its deepest condolences and sincere sympathies to the victims’ families, the Turkish government and the people of Turkiye, wishing the injured a speedy recovery.
Earlier on Wednesday, attackers set off explosives and opened fire at Turkiye’s state-run aerospace and defense company TUSAS, killing five people and wounding more than a dozen, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said.
Two of the attackers — a man and a woman — were killed, he added.
Yerlikaya said that the militant Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, was suspected of being behind the attack but cautioned that the process of identifying the assailants continued.


Riyadh governor receives Tajikistan envoy

Riyadh governor receives Tajikistan envoy
Updated 23 October 2024
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Riyadh governor receives Tajikistan envoy

Riyadh governor receives Tajikistan envoy

Riyadh Gov. Prince Faisal bin Bandar received Ambassador of Tajikistan to the Kingdom Akram Karimi in Riyadh on Wednesday.

The officials held friendly discussions, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Meanwhile, director-general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Makkah Region, Fareed bin Saad Al-Shehri, met with Malaysia’s Consul General Roslan bin Sharif in Jeddah on Wednesday.

During the meeting, they discussed various topics of common interest.