Saudi Arabia

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s defense ministry said that rumors about the  presence of foreign forces at King Fahd Air Base in Taif were false, Al Arabiya reported early on Friday, citing Brigadier General Turki Al-Maliki, the ministry’s spokesperson.

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan received a phone call from his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on Thursday.

During the phone call, the ministers reviewed bilateral relations between their countries and ways to develop them in various fields.

They also discussed regional developments including the situation in the Gaza Strip and its surroundings, and efforts made in this regard.

RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received a phone call from the Canadian prime minister on Tuesday, Saudi Press Agency reported.

The crown prince and Justin Trudeau discussed relations between the Kingdom and Canada and ways to enhance them, SPA added.

They also spoke about regional developments and efforts made regarding them to achieve security and stability.

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the Winter Tent in AlUla on Monday.

Blinken is on a regional tour as part of a diplomatic push to stop the war in Gaza spreading further.

Earlier on Monday, Blinken visited Abu Dhabi where he met with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and underscored the importance of urgently addressing humanitarian needs in Gaza

He also visited Jordan and Qatar on Sunday.

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language will launch Arabic Language Month in Indonesia on Sunday.

The four-week event, which runs until Feb. 2, includes a program of activities in the cities of Jakarta and Malang developed in partnership with educational organizations. They have been designed to enhance the teaching of the Arabic language, improve teachers’ performance, and raise the profile of the language through events at Indonesian universities that have Arabic language departments and programs, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Abdullah Al-Washmi, the secretary-general of the academy, said it is committed to promoting the Arabic language locally and internationally, and that the month-long program aims to showcase the academy’s language-teaching work to non-native speakers, highlight the Kingdom’s contributions to Arabic, and enhance teaching standards to improve learning outcomes.

During the month, the academy and Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta will jointly host an Arabic language-related competition with three sections: recitation, storytelling and Arabic calligraphy.

Events during three of the weeks will take place in Jakarta, and for one week in Malang. They will include four training courses for teachers, and two discussion panels focusing on active-learning strategies for teaching Arabic as a second language, and enhancing practices.

Authorities of the Two Holy Mosques in Saudi Arabia have deployed artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and a range of digital techniques to offer guidance and counselling content to visitors and pilgrims  reported the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

Utilising 52 screens, both inside and outside the Grand Mosque, covering a total screen area of 279 square meters, the General Authority for the Affairs disseminates tailored guidance content.

A specialised team comprising esteemed scholars in religious and guidance aspects curates the content to suit specific occasions. Additionally, a dedicated team translates this content into multiple languages. These screens, operational 24/7, are strategically located at the entrances, exits, courtyards, and roads leading to the Grand Mosque.

Moreover, the authority has introduced AI through a guidance robot designed to assist pilgrims by offering essential brochures and publications to facilitate their rituals.

This interactive guidance robot contains informative and guiding content, allowing users to access and share it via their mobile phones.

RIYADH: An attempt to smuggle 43 kg of methamphetamine into the Kingdom has been thwarted, authorities said on Monday.

The narcotics were found inside the fuel tank of a vehicle entering the country via Rub’ Al-Khali, the Zakat Port, Tax and Customs Authority said.

The discovery was a result of the authority’s ongoing efforts to tighten customs controls and its collaboration with the General Directorate of Narcotics Control, it said.

Meanwhile, a man was arrested in Samtah Governorate in Jazan region for distributing amphetamine, the directorate said. His case has been referred to the public prosecutors.

In Jazan’s Al-Dair, Border Guard ground patrols arrested 14 violators, nine Yemenis and five Ethiopians, for smuggling 240 kg of qat.

Two Ethiopians were arrested in Jeddah for selling narcotics and 10 kg of hashish, while 16,875 tablets subject to medical circulation regulation were also seized.

And in Al-Rabwa, Asir region, border control officers confiscated 90 kg of qat, a plant whose leaves are chewed as a stimulant.

RIYADH: The new governor of the Madinah region arrived in the holy city on Sunday and prayed in the Prophet’s Mosque before commencing his duties.

Prince Salman bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz was appointed the governor of Madinah by royal decree earlier this month.

The governor expressed his gratitude at being appointed to his new post and prayed that he would be able to serve the region.