Hike in gasoline prices across KSA will help in govt plan for efficient energy use: Experts

Experts believe the hike in fuel prices will help bring about a change in energy consumption pattern in the Kingdom. (Reuters/File)
Updated 02 January 2018
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Hike in gasoline prices across KSA will help in govt plan for efficient energy use: Experts

RIYADH: With the hike in fuel prices effective as of midnight Sunday, the Ministry of Commerce and Investment (MCI) intensified its control on fuel stations across the Kingdom to ensure availability of petroleum products at prices fixed by the government.
The regulatory authorities were constantly monitoring markets to ensure that prices were not manipulated and supplies not interrupted in view of the increase. After the hike, 91 octane will now sell for SR1.37 ($0.37) per liter, up from 75 halalas per liter, whereas 95 octane will now sell for SR2.04 per liter, up from 90 halalas per liter. Notably, the new prices also include the value-added tax (VAT), which is being levied from Monday.
Moreover, diesel rates for transport and kerosene rates were left unchanged as the Ministry of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources explained on Monday its financial balance plan and the aim of reducing the rapid growth in domestic consumption of energy products and efficient energy use in line with Saudi Vision 2030, which seeks to diversify the economy and sources of revenue away from oil.
Speaking to Arab News on the government plan on efficient use of energy coinciding with an ambitious reform plan to diversify income, Hesham Alghannam, a Saudi analyst, Fulbright scholar and a consultant on Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and Gulf affairs, said: “I have been saying for a while now, it would not be difficult for the state to push for cultural and social change. However, the challenge remains in the implementation of economic reform, as the economy is always complicated.
“It is not something that you can predict easily. I think that trial and error is one way to do it. At least there is a serious will to change and reform for betterment.”
Alghannam also pointed that the Saudi private sector is not capable of being a part of the solution. There are a number of reasons for this: First, the Saudi “private” sector is not genuinely private, most of its activities are recycling the oil rent, and it is to this extent hard to conceive of it purely as a profit or job creator. Second, the needs of the private sector are poorly aligned with the internal job market. This is shown by the difficulties in recruiting sufficient numbers of Saudi youth to certain jobs. Ultimately, the private sector is driven by its balance sheet and its profit and loss account.
“I also agree that the corruption purge will put a lot of weight on Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s shoulders, because people see him as a determined man in dealing with officials that have been corrupted into inaction,” Alghannam told Arab News.
He added: “We have to wait and see, but without a doubt, the anti-corruption campaign in Saudi brings hope to the people that did not exist in the past. Such change is a golden opportunity to illustrate what the Saudi Vision can bring to the people.”
Dr. Majed bin Abdullah Al-Hedayan, an analyst, FDI expert and a legal adviser, told Arab News: “The Ministry of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources announced on Monday the hike in the price of gasoline and its derivatives in the Kingdom... They also require the consumer to re-arrange their daily life and save energy as much as possible.”
Saqib Hamza, a recruitment executive from Dammam, told Arab News: “Saudi Arabia is the country with the lowest fuel price in the world. This hike will help in optimum energy utility and help cut on excess expenditure.” The advent of public transport, work on which is in fast progress, will help cut on expenditure for daily transport needs, he added.


Saudi aid agency KSrelief delivers food to needy

Updated 59 min 5 sec ago
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Saudi aid agency KSrelief delivers food to needy

  • The distribution is a part of the 2025 emergency food and clothing aid project in Lebanon

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s aid agency KSrelief has distributed 360 food packages to vulnerable individuals in Lebanon’s cities of Tripoli and Jbeil, benefiting 1,800 people.

The distribution is a part of the 2025 emergency food and clothing aid project in Lebanon, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the charity distributed 1,780 sacrificial animals in the Al-Madinah and Al-Wadi districts of Yemen’s Marib governorate on Sunday.

The initiative benefited 3,560 families under an Eid Al-Adha project in Yemen.


Newly appointed Saudi ambassador to Mexico presents his credentials

Updated 11 June 2025
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Newly appointed Saudi ambassador to Mexico presents his credentials

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s newly appointed ambassador to Mexico has presented his credentials to the North American state’s foreign ministry, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Fahad bin Ali Al-Manawer handed over a copy of his credentials to Ambassador Jonathan Chait Auerbach, the director general of protocol at the ministry, at a reception held on Tuesday. 
The diplomats also reviewed relations between their nations at the meeting.
Al-Manawer took his oath of office in from to the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in March, in a ceremony attended by the Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan.


Saudi FM attends Oslo Forum in Norway

Updated 10 June 2025
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Saudi FM attends Oslo Forum in Norway

  • Forum hosts global leaders and conflict mediators
  • Prince Faisal bin Farhan will meet foreign officials

RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan arrived in the Norwegian capital on Tuesday to take part in the Oslo Forum.

The annual event, organized by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the Center for Humanitarian Dialogue in Switzerland, hosts global leaders and conflict mediators.

Prince Faisal will meet foreign officials to strengthen relations with the Kingdom and discuss various regional and international issues, the Saudi Press Agency reported.


What pilgrims are sharing online after their Hajj journey

Updated 10 June 2025
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What pilgrims are sharing online after their Hajj journey

  • Worshippers take to social media to share profound experiences with loved ones
  • Posting online becomes a way to process the weight of Hajj for many

RIYADH: For many pilgrims, the spiritual journey of Hajj does not end when they leave the holy sites. It continues — quietly, intentionally — in the days and weeks that follow.

Across Saudi Arabia, young pilgrims are using social media to process the weight of Hajj and share the experience with loved ones.

Noor Ahmad, 21, did not plan to post during her pilgrimage. But after she returned, the urge to share came naturally.

After returning from Hajj, I decided to share a few captured moments. But how can a photo truly capture the depth and majesty of the experience?

Noor Ahmad

“After returning from Hajj, I decided to share a few captured moments,” she said. “But how can a photo truly capture the depth and majesty of the experience?”

She described how people responded in varied ways. “Those who had gone before felt nostalgic and started sharing their own stories. Others — those who hadn’t been yet — expressed their longing. It became this moment of connection.”

For Noor, the decision to post was not about aesthetics. “It’s a monumental event. Maybe I could inspire someone who’s hesitant to go. Maybe they’ll see what I saw — and want to experience it for themselves.

“It was my way of saying thank you”

Shatha Al-Jadaan, 25, took a different approach to sharing, after taking a digital detox.

I enjoy sharing meaningful moments, and after seeing the tremendous effort put into Hajj on every level, I felt my post was a small, sincere gesture of appreciation.

Shatha Al-Jadaan

“During Hajj, I decided to partially fast from social media. I used only the essentials,” she said. “After I returned, I posted a thread to my close friends explaining where I’d been and shared some of the most meaningful moments.”

The response was full of prayers and warmth. “People were kind, supportive, and curious. But what mattered most to me was that I used the thread to say thank you — to the organizers, to the volunteers, and to Allah.”

She spoke about how she found value in using digital platforms to document something greater than herself.

“I enjoy sharing meaningful moments, and after seeing the tremendous effort put into Hajj on every level, I felt my post was a small, sincere gesture of appreciation.”

Salem Al-Khudair, 28, recorded a voice note to his family group chat while performing the rites.

“I just couldn’t find the words to write. So I recorded myself speaking right after standing in Arafat. I sent it to my family WhatsApp group. My mom was emotional. My dad said, ‘May God accept from you.’ That was enough.”

In an age of curated content, Hajj posts tend to stand out for their sincerity. Pilgrims often strip away the filters, metaphors and trend-driven formats, and just speak from the heart.

Noura Al-Dosari, 23, uploaded a private Instagram story highlight with no captions. “Just visuals. No filters. No hashtags,” she said. “It wasn’t for followers. It was for me. For reflection. A digital bookmark of who I became.”

Some write long captions, others simply post a photo of their ihram folded neatly back into a drawer.

But all of them carry a silent message: I went. I came back different.

Many pilgrims use their posts to recall moments of physical hardship that brought emotional breakthroughs — the heat, the long walks, the brief but powerful connections with strangers.

Others use it to highlight the seamless organization of the pilgrimage as a reminder of how far the experience has evolved.

Amani Al-Saad, 26, used X to share a short story about a volunteer who helped her carry her bag in Muzdalifah. “She didn’t speak much, but she smiled at me and said, ‘This is what we’re here for.’ That stuck with me. I wrote about it as a reminder to myself — that sometimes the smallest moments hold the most meaning.”

While digital connections are increasingly common, most pilgrims emphasize that the real processing happens offline — in quiet conversations with family, in their prayer rooms, or on long drives home.

“I didn’t post to perform,” said Al-Jadaan. “I posted to remember.”

 


National Water Co. ready for post-Hajj season

Updated 10 June 2025
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National Water Co. ready for post-Hajj season

  • The company added the plan included securing water storage and coordinating with water production and distribution systems

MADINAH: The National Water Co. has confirmed it is operationally ready for the post-Hajj season.

The company said it would distribute more than 630,000 cubic meters of potable water daily to pilgrims at the Prophet’s Mosque and throughout Madinah and said its readiness built on ongoing efforts to serve pilgrims and visitors.

The plan involves more than 1,200 employees, including technical, administrative and engineering staff, working to provide water and environmental services.

The company added the plan included securing water storage and coordinating with water production and distribution systems, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Water will be supplied daily during the post-Hajj season through continuous pumping to the central area and religious sites. Chemical and biological tests will be conducted to ensure compliance with water quality standards.

The company said its smart operation system continues to manage and monitor Madinah’s water network, overseeing water pressure and quality in pipelines and reservoirs.