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Abdulmajeed Al-Samary, undersecretary of protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, recently received the credentials of Sri Lanka’s newly appointed ambassador to the Kingdom Omar Lee Ameer Ajwad on behalf of Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan.
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Waleed Elkhereiji on Saturday took part in the inauguration ceremony for El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele in San Salvador, the Foreign Ministry reported on X.
RIYADH: Madinah Gov. Prince Salman bin Sultan has praised the Al-Salam Endowment Hospital as a humanitarian project which reflects the country’s benevolence under King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who have prioritized support for charitable and developmental sectors.
The project aligns with Saudi Vision 2030 and aims to enhance the nonprofit sector’s role in economic development and promote a unified, charitable society.
The hospital, which was inaugurated on Tuesday, provides healthcare services to visitors to the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah.
The ceremony was attended by Commerce Minister Majid Al-Qasabi, Health Minister Fahd Al-Jalajel, Royal Court Adviser Sheikh Saleh bin Abdullah bin Humaid, and Abdullah bin Sharaf Al-Ghamdi, head of the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority.
Prince Salman stressed Madinah’s historic significance in nonprofit development, noting that it was the birthplace of the first Islamic endowment.
He spoke of the rise of charitable organizations and the establishment of the Kingdom’s first endowment hospital, funded by philanthropists through the Ehsan National Platform for Charitable Work.
He also thanked Prince Faisal bin Salman, special adviser to King Salman, for his efforts in establishing the hospital.
The ceremony included a video presentation called “The First Digital Hospital in the Kingdom.”
Malahi bin Salama bin Saedan, chairman of the board at the Al-Shakreen Endowment, spoke on behalf of the philanthropists, highlighting their SR250 million ($66.66 million) contribution that had benefited more than 95 associations in the Kingdom.
He announced plans for a new endowment hospital in Makkah and an additional SR50 million donation through Ehsan.
Al-Qasabi spoke of his gratitude to the king and the crown prince for their support of Ehsan, which had strengthened the nonprofit sector and inspired others to contribute.
He commended the nation’s charitable values and thanked the donors for making the Al-Salam Hospital possible.
Al-Jalajel stressed the Saudi government’s commitment to providing top-tier healthcare to visitors to the Two Holy Mosques and acknowledged the role of Ehsan and the Al-Shifa Endowment in establishing the hospital.
The health minister also noted the continuation of health-related endowments, with the Health Endowment Fund and community partnerships now totaling 581 and valued at over SR1.54 billion.
Prince Salman later thanked the philanthropists, Ehsan’s supervisory committees, participating health sectors, and the Al-Shifa Endowment for their contributions to the Al-Salam Endowment Hospital.
ALULA: AlUla’s palm farms are making a significant contribution to the regional economy with the production of more than 100,000 tonnes of dates each year.
Spanning approximately 16,579 hectares with over 3.1 million palm trees, the farms are currently mid-harvest, with the season running from Aug. 15 to Oct. 30. The main variant harvested is the Burni variety.
AlUla’s dates are of exceptional quality, thanks to the region’s fertile soil and abundant water supply.
The Royal Commission for AlUla supports local farmers by promoting agricultural expansion and preservation, and through marketing. Events and festivals centered around dates further boost interest from both citizens and tourists.
RIYADH: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology has intensified its research efforts with 67 research projects in key areas such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and bioinformatics.
The KAUST Academy training program’s second cohort graduated this year. The institution offered virtual courses to over 7,000 Saudi students, intensive in-person training to 2,800, and scholarships for 200 top students to study at leading universities worldwide.
In partnership with organizations like the National Cybersecurity Authority and NEOM, KAUST aims to equip students with the skills needed for research in critical fields, enhancing the Saudi workforce's technical expertise.
RIYADH: The Kingdom’s aid agency KSrelief has continued to provide healthcare in Yemen for vulnerable families, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.
KSrelief’s mobile clinics in Azlat Al-Deir, Hajjah, helped 2,364 people in July.
Care was provided for several patients including through the emergency (1,109), internal medicine (764), epidemic control (449) and reproductive health (34) clinics.
More than 1,400 individuals received nursing services, the surgery and dressing clinic treated 11 patients, and eight waste-disposal activities were conducted.
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has condemned an Israeli minister’s remarks where he called to build a synagogue at Al-Aqsa mosque, the Kingdom’s foreign ministry said early Tuesday.
Israel’s hard-line Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir repeated a call for Jews to be allowed to pray at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, drawing sharp criticism for inflaming tensions as ceasefire negotiators seek a deal to halt fighting in Gaza.
Asked during an interview if he would build a synagogue on the site if he could, Ben-Gvir replied “Yes, Yes.”
The Kingdom affirmed its categorical rejection of these extremist and provocative statements, and the ongoing provocations of Muslims around the world.
Saudi Arabia “reiterated the need to respect the historical and legal status of Al-Aqsa Mosque,” the statement read.
The Kingdom renewed its call on the international community to assume its responsibilities and put an end to the Palestinian humanitarian catastrophe, and activate serious mechanisms to hold Israeli officials accountable for the ongoing violations of international laws, norms and resolutions.
