Saudi anti-corruption authority reveals details of recent cases

An official from Saudi Arabia’s Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority, also known as Nazaha, revealed on Sunday details of a number of recent criminal cases it recently investigated and prosecuted. (Supplied)
An official from Saudi Arabia’s Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority, also known as Nazaha, revealed on Sunday details of a number of recent criminal cases it recently investigated and prosecuted. (Supplied)
Short Url
Updated 06 May 2024
Follow

Saudi anti-corruption authority reveals details of recent cases

Saudi anti-corruption authority reveals details of recent cases
  • Spokesman said legal procedures had been initiated against all perpetrators

RIYADH: A spokesman for Saudi Arabia’s Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority, also known as Nazaha, revealed on Sunday details of a number of criminal cases it recently investigated and prosecuted.

Outlining 20 of the most prominent corruption cases, he said legal procedures had been initiated against all perpetrators.

In one case, two Central Bank employees were arrested for receiving sums of money from a resident, who was also arrested, in exchange for depositing more than SR7.3 million ($1.95 million), without verifying the source, into bank accounts belonging to commercial entities over a two-year period.

In another case, a security officer working at the General Department of Traffic was arrested for receiving SR387,000 from the owner of a public services office, who was also arrested, in exchange for illegally amending the essential data of a group of vehicles.

One of the cases also highlighted involved an employee working at a university hospital who was arrested for receiving SR100,000 from citizens in exchange for a promise to employ them at the university.

Nazaha said it continues to work to identify and prosecute anyone in the Kingdom involved in the embezzlement of public funds, guilty of abuse of power and position for personal gain, or otherwise harming the public interest.

It stressed that guilty parties will be pursued and held accountable, and that there is no statute of limitations on such crimes.


Diriyah exhibition focuses on Saudi countryside

Diriyah exhibition focuses on Saudi countryside
Updated 9 sec ago
Follow

Diriyah exhibition focuses on Saudi countryside

Diriyah exhibition focuses on Saudi countryside

RIYADH: The Diriyah governorate, under the patronage of Environment Minister Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli, is to host the Reef Valley Exhibition at the Diriyah Biennale on Sept. 25-26 to highlight the economic, cultural, and tourism significance of Saudi Arabia’s countryside.

Organized by the Sustainable Agricultural Rural Development Program, the exhibition aims to challenge stereotypes about rural life and showcase experiences that  demonstrate a deep passion for agriculture.

It also underscores the vital role of Saudi farmers in achieving Vision 2030’s objectives, while highlighting the program’s pivotal role in the development and improvement of the countryside.

Pavilions representing the sectors and supported by the program will display aromatic plants, rainfed crops, coffee, fruit, and honey.

The exhibition targets entities involved in agriculture and rural development, including government agencies, specialists and decision-makers, as well as program beneficiaries and the general public.

The program seeks to improve the quality of life in Saudi Arabia’s countryside by developing various sectors; providing training for young people; supporting projects to improve income; assisting small farmers and producers; and empowering rural women.


Saudi-led project clears 460,951 mines, explosive devices in Yemen

Saudi-led project clears 460,951 mines, explosive devices in Yemen
Updated 11 min 55 sec ago
Follow

Saudi-led project clears 460,951 mines, explosive devices in Yemen

Saudi-led project clears 460,951 mines, explosive devices in Yemen
  • The explosives, which were planted indiscriminately by the Houthis across Yemen, posed a threat to civilians

RIYADH: A Saudi-led humanitarian initiative in Yemen has seen a milestone 460,951 land mines and unexploded ordnance cleared since the start of the project in 2018, according to a recent report.

These include 301,068 items of unexploded ordnance, 145,139 anti-tank mines, 8,148 improvised explosive devices and 6,596 anti-personnel mines, according to Ousama Al-Gosaibi, the project’s managing director.

Overseen by the Kingdom’s aid agency KSrelief, Project Masam continues to remove deadly devices laid in the war-torn country by the Houthis.

Last week, the project’s special teams destroyed 2,439 items of unexploded ordnance, 28 anti-tank mines, six anti-personnel mines and one improvised explosive device.

The explosives, which were planted indiscriminately by the Houthis across Yemen, posed a threat to civilians, including children, women and the elderly.

Project Masam is one of several initiatives undertaken by Saudi Arabia on the orders of King Salman to help the Yemeni people, clearing routes for humanitarian aid to reach the country’s citizens.

The demining operations took place in Marib, Aden, Jouf, Shabwa, Taiz, Hodeidah, Lahij, Sanaa, Al-Bayda, Al-Dhale and Saada.

The initiative trains local demining engineers and provides them with modern equipment. It also offers support to Yemenis injured by the devices.

About 5 million people have been forced to flee their homes since the start of the conflict in Yemen, many of them displaced by the presence of land mines.

Masam teams are tasked with clearing villages, roads and schools to facilitate the safe movement of civilians and the delivery of humanitarian aid.


Campaign launched to enhance hospitality standards

Campaign launched to enhance hospitality standards
Updated 51 min 49 sec ago
Follow

Campaign launched to enhance hospitality standards

Campaign launched to enhance hospitality standards
  • The initiative seeks to enhance the quality of services offered to both domestic and international tourists across the Kingdom

Riyadh: The Ministry of Tourism has launched the “Our Guests Are Our Priority” campaign, which aims to reinforce hospitality facilities’ adherence to licensing and classification standards, ensuring compliance with all requirements and regulations.

The first phase of the campaign, which began in early September, focuses on media and awareness activities that engage all stakeholders in the tourism sector, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

The initiative seeks to enhance the quality of services offered to both domestic and international tourists across the Kingdom.

Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb emphasized that the campaign encourages all tourism stakeholders to cooperate with the ministry in achieving Saudi Vision 2030 and elevating the Kingdom’s status as a global tourism destination.

Vice Minister of Tourism Princess Haifa Al-Saud recently launched an initiative to improve education and training standards in the tourism sector.

The initiative aims to align educational programs with labor market needs, according to the ministry. The goal is to help tourism institutions earn international and local accreditations and professional certificates.


KSrelief provides aid in Sudan, Yemen and Lebanon

KSrelief provides aid in Sudan, Yemen and Lebanon
Updated 15 September 2024
Follow

KSrelief provides aid in Sudan, Yemen and Lebanon

KSrelief provides aid in Sudan, Yemen and Lebanon

RIYADH: The Saudi aid agency KSrelief continues to provide humanitarian assistance in several regions.

In Sudan, the agency distributed 500 food baskets in the Dongola region, Northern State, on Thursday, benefiting 5,105 individuals affected by flash floods and heavy rains. The action formed part of the second phase of the 2024 food security support project.

In Yemen, KSrelief provided 158 shelter bags and 92 tents to 948 individuals in Al Sabran camp, Al-Madina District of Marib Governorate, as part of the emergency shelter aid project.

Al-Ja’dah Health Center in Yemen’s Hajjah Governorate, supported by KSrelief, provided medical services to 2,164 people from Aug. 21-27. Clinics treated patients in departments including emergency, internal medicine, pediatrics, and obstetrics, while 1,992 individuals received medications.

In northern Lebanon, KSrelief funded 59 ambulance missions in the Miniyeh district through the Subul Al Salam Social Association. These missions involved patient transport and emergency services in refugee areas and host communities.

These efforts are part of KSrelief's ongoing assistance to needy communities in Sudan, Yemen and Lebanon.


Vibrant feathers in Asir’s cap

Asir region’s diverse habitats, from highlands to plains, provide ideal conditions for a variety of bird species to thrive. (SPA
Asir region’s diverse habitats, from highlands to plains, provide ideal conditions for a variety of bird species to thrive. (SPA
Updated 14 September 2024
Follow

Vibrant feathers in Asir’s cap

Asir region’s diverse habitats, from highlands to plains, provide ideal conditions for a variety of bird species to thrive. (SPA
  • Asir is home to a wide range of avian life, including endemic species such as the Asir magpie, a rare bird found only in this region of Saudi Arabia

RIYADH: Asir, a region renowned for its natural beauty, is also a sanctuary for a range of migratory birds.

These feathered visitors, some of which have inhabited the region for millennia, contribute significantly to the area’s rich biodiversity. The region’s diverse habitats, from highlands to plains, provide ideal conditions for a variety of bird species to thrive, the Saudi Press Agency reports.

The acacia, juniper and natural flowers provide suitable habitats for different bird species. (SPA)

In the spring, the forests of Asir come alive with the vibrant colors and songs of these avian guests. The region’s blend of climate and topography attracts birds from around the world, including species from Africa, Europe and Asia.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Asir’s blend of climate and topography attracts birds from around the world, including species from Africa, Europe and Asia.

• The endemic species such as the Asir magpie is a rare bird found only in this region of the Kingdom.

• European species such as the European bee-eater also visit the region during the spring and summer.

The SPA team, accompanied by bird enthusiast Ahmed Niazi, recently embarked on a journey to witness the natural spectacle of gathered birds.

Asir region’s diverse habitats, from highlands to plains, provide ideal conditions for a variety of bird species to thrive. (SPA)

According to Niazi in an interview with SPA, Asir appeals to migratory birds through its diverse tree species and varying temperatures. The acacia, juniper and natural flowers provide suitable habitats for different bird species.

Asir is home to a wide range of avian life, including endemic species such as the Asir magpie, a rare bird found only in this region of the Kingdom.

The acacia, juniper and natural flowers provide suitable habitats for different bird species. (SPA)

The fall and spring seasons are peak migration periods in Saudi Arabia, as birds traverse the region on their journeys between the northern and southern hemispheres.

Migratory birds from Africa, such as the African paradise flycatcher, pied cuckoo and gray-headed kingfisher, find suitable breeding grounds in Asir’s humid southwestern highlands. European species such as the European bee-eater also visit the region during the spring and summer.

The book, “Birds of Saudi Arabia,” published by Aramco in 2020, highlights the Kingdom’s rich avian diversity; 499 species are recorded, including 401 resident or migratory birds and 11 rare species.