RIYADH: Nearly 160,000 violators of residence, work and border security systems have been arrested in a nationwide round-up, the General Directorate of Public Security said on Friday.
The joint security field campaign was launched in early November to track down and arrest offenders.
According to the statement, the total number of violators who were caught was 159,407, which included 89,651 for violating residency regulations, 45,063 for labor violations and 24,693 who acted in violation of the border security system.
A total of 1,838 people were arrested while trying to cross the border into the Kingdom, 78 percent of whom were Yemeni citizens, 21 percent were Ethiopians, and one percent were other nationalities. A total of 36 people were arrested for attempting to cross the border to go to neighboring countries.
A total of 426 people were arrested for involvement in transporting and harboring those who violated the residency, work, and border security, while a total of 71 citizens were arrested for harboring the violators against local regulations.
Security authorities conducted inspections to apprehend illegal workers to curb crimes such as thefts, sorcery, employing illegal workers, brewing liquor and to prevent them being involved in criminal activities.
According to the police, most of the crimes in the Kingdom are committed by illegal residents who have overstayed their visas. As a result, the government has intensified its campaign against residents who have overstayed their visas.
Nearly 160,000 violators arrested across Saudi Arabia
Nearly 160,000 violators arrested across Saudi Arabia
AI training for 334,000 Saudi citizens completed
- Launched in September 2024, AI skills program targets citizens of all ages and professional backgrounds
RIYADH: A total of 334,000 Saudi Arabia citizens have benefitted from a government program aimed at empowering citizens with artificial intelligence skills, according to the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority.
The “One Million Saudis in AI” program was set up in partnership with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development in September 2024.
During the keynote session of the Non-Profit Sector Forum in Education and Training 2025 in Riyadh on July 2, SDAIA chief Abdullah Alghamdi highlighted key features of the program.
He said the partnerships the authority had forged with other government agencies have positioned the Kingdom globally in empowering women in AI, and community awareness, the Saudi Press Agency reported recently.
Launched at the Global AI Summit, the SAMAI initiative targets citizens across all age groups and professional backgrounds.
Alghamdi also cited several national initiatives that resulted from this collaboration, including the National Olympiad for Programming and Artificial Intelligence, or ATHKA Competition.
More than 260,000 male and female students from intermediate and secondary schools participated, with 10,000 advancing to the final stage, he said.
One key initiative cited by the SDAIA chief was the “Road to ATHKA,” which trained more than 570,000 students on AI concepts.
Another was the “Future Intelligence Programmers” initiative, which trained over 10,000 teachers.
The SDAIA and Education Ministry had also established the Center for Excellence in Education.
This was “designed to institutionalize technological integration within the education sector, sustain future-oriented initiatives, and leverage AI to enhance learning outcomes.”
Saudi crown prince receives UAE national security advisor
RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received UAE National Security Advisor Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan at Salam Palace in Jeddah, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The crown prince and Shiekh Tahnoun, who is also the deputy ruler of Abu Dhabi, discussed relations between the Kingdom and the UAE and ways to enhance them.
Saudi authorities close 996 establishments over health violations
RIYADH: A total of 5,912 inspections covering 4,307 establishments were carried out across the Kingdom by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority in April and May.
A total of 996 were shut down due to various violations, while 136 were closed for operating without required licenses and for product safety breaches.
Additionally, production lines at 127 establishments were halted and 1,750 types of products were seized.
The initiative is part of the SFDA’s efforts to ensure compliance with approved regulations and to uphold high quality standards.
At one food establishment, inspectors found raw materials of an unknown origin, employees without health certificates, the absence of a tracking system and inadequate measures being taken to prevent cross-contamination. These led to the closure of the business and the implementation of necessary legal measures.
Need for global collaboration to fight drought stressed
- Saudi Arabia, along with partners, launched the Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership on the first day of the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development
RIYADH: As part of the Kingdom’s efforts to mitigate the impacts of desertification, improve air quality and achieve its sustainable development goals, Saudi Arabia, along with partners, launched the Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership on the first day of the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development.
Held in Seville, Spain, from June 30 to July 3, the four-day event saw the participation of 70 countries, including attendance by local and international ministers, environmental organizations and financial development entities.
Among the participants was Saudi Deputy Minister for Environment, Water and Agriculture Osama Faqeeha.
Faqeeha, who is also the adviser to the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties Presidency, emphasized the significance of collaborative efforts and innovation to address the escalating threat of climate change that resulted in complicated and devastating environmental issues such as drought.
Faqeeha said: “The Riyadh Drought Resilience Partnership will serve as a global facilitator, a ‘one-stop shop’ for drought resilience, promoting the shift from reactive relief response after drought hits to proactive preparedness.
“We also seek to amplify global resources to save lives and livelihoods around the world.”
The deputy minister said that solutions should be applied through strategies and mechanisms to ensure enhanced resilience in the areas that were mostly affected by drought and climate change globally.
He praised the partnership with the International Drought Resilience Alliance, a global coalition that aims to build resilience against droughts and climate change.
He said it was fundamental to bridging the gap between the political and financial aspects to ensure the achievement of long-term sustainable development objectives.
The discussion highlighted some of the national efforts and strategies for environmental sustainability, including efforts by the OPEC Fund for International Development, the Islamic Development Bank and the CAF Development Bank of Latin America.
Saudi Shoura Council members visit Turkish parliament
ANKARA: Members of the Saudi-Turkish Parliamentary Friendship Committee of the Saudi Shoura Council met with their counterparts from Turkiye during a visit to the country.
During the meeting, held in Ankara, the two sides reviewed ways to further boost their relations and discussed other topics of common interest.
The Saudi delegation also met with Numan Kurtulmus, president of the Turkish Grand National Assembly.
