RIYADH: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre on Tuesday signed a joint program worth $500,000, in cooperation with a civil society organization in Sudan, for providing meals to the needy in the country during Ramadan.
The program includes the distribution of food baskets and meals to 87,500 displaced people in camps in North Darfur, South Darfur, South Kordofan and Khartoum, in order to alleviate the suffering of displaced families and bring joy and happiness to fasting people.
The Muslim World League (MWL) also launched a relief campaign to help the Yemeni people in Sudan. The initiative is part of the humanitarian response plan launched by the UN in 2018.
The campaign includes distribution of food baskets among more than 10,000 Yemeni people.
Saudi Ambassador to Sudan Ali bin Hassan Jafaar affirmed the Kingdom’s continuous support for the needy people in the world. He also lauded the MWL’s support for the Yemeni and Syrian people in Sudan.
Saudi Arabia's KSRelief to distribute meals in Sudan during Ramadan
Saudi Arabia's KSRelief to distribute meals in Sudan during Ramadan
- The program includes the distribution of food baskets and meals to 87,500 displaced people in camps
- The Muslim World League (MWL) also launched a relief campaign to help the Yemeni people in Sudan
Ministry expands Saudi Arabia’s home healthcare services
- The number of people benefiting from home care services has reached more than 58,000 active cases in a year
- Basic home care services include wound and bed-sore treatment, chronic disease follow-ups, home visits, post-operative care, oral and dental health, and intravenous therapy
RIYADH: The Ministry of Health, through health clusters, continues to provide home healthcare services throughout the Kingdom, aiming to improve the quality of living, patient experience, and provide comprehensive treatment solutions.
The ministry said that basic home care services include wound and bed-sore treatment, chronic disease follow-ups, home visits, post-operative care, oral and dental health, and intravenous therapy.
Additionally, new services have been introduced, such as mother and childcare, dialysis, and palliative care.
The number of people benefiting from home care services has reached more than 58,000 active cases in a year, with more than 71,000 total beneficiaries since the service’s launch, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
These services are provided by 244 home healthcare departments, with more than 2,700 specialized staff members.
These efforts align with the Health Sector Transformation Program and Saudi Vision 2030’s goal to enhance access to healthcare services and their quality, thereby addressing community needs.
The ministry said that home healthcare services can be requested through specialized hospital departments or referrals from primary healthcare services, if eligibility criteria are met.
Meanwhile, the Health Sector Transformation Program highlighted major achievements in 2024, including the use of technology to improve health.
The Sehhaty platform set up more than 51 million virtual consultations. Additionally, more than 14 million individuals used the Wasfaty platform, which recorded more then 40 million prescriptions.
The number of health volunteers has passed 632,000 since the platform’s launch, the SPA reported.
Saudi foreign ministry official meets Somalia’s consul general in Jeddah
- Cabdiwali Xirsi Cabdille presented his credentials to Fareed Al-Shehri, director-general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ branch in Makkah
Fareed bin Saad Al-Shehri, director-general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ branch in Makkah, received Cabdiwali Xirsi Cabdille, consul general of Somalia in Jeddah, on Wednesday.
Cabdille presented his credentials to Al-Shehri at the ministry’s offices in Jeddah, and they discussed issues of common interest, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Meanwhile, Khalid Bawazier, Saudi Arabia’s deputy minister of finance for international relations, met with a delegation from Bahrain’s Ministry of Finance and National Economy in Riyadh, the Foreign Ministry posted on X.
Saudi Arabia executes 6 Iranians for drug trafficking
- Iranian nationals were executed in the Eastern Province after being convicted of smuggling hashish into the Kingdom
- Ministry of Interior said that the government is protecting the security of citizens and residents from the scourge of drugs
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has executed six Iranians sentenced for drug trafficking, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
The Iranian nationals were executed in the Eastern Province after being convicted of smuggling hashish into the Kingdom.
After being arrested by Saudi security authorities, the smugglers were referred to the competent court. A ruling was issued against them after their guilt was proven and they were sentenced to death. The ruling became final after it was appealed and then upheld by the Supreme Court, and a royal order was issued to enforce the punishment, the SPA said.
The Ministry of Interior said that the government is protecting the security of citizens and residents from the scourge of drugs, and imposing the most severe penalties stipulated by the system on smugglers and dealers.
Heritage in hand: ‘Year of Handicrafts’ honors Saudi Arabia’s cultural legacy, artisans
- Saudi women’s craft in Northern Borders region links past to present
RIYADH: Handicrafts have long held a special place in Saudi Arabia’s cultural fabric, representing a prosperous heritage passed down through generations.
Rooted in the creativity and skill of Saudi artisans of both sexes, these traditional crafts symbolize the nation’s ingenuity and resilience while highlighting its diverse cultural identity.
Throughout 2025, the Saudi Ministry of Culture will organize an array of events, exhibitions, educational programs and competitions under the banner of “Year of Handicrafts,” the Saudi Press Agency reported.
These activities aim to emphasize the cultural and historical significance of handicrafts while supporting their relevance in modern life.
Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan said: “Saudi handicrafts reflect the creativity of Saudi society through weaving, handmade artifacts and artistic innovations passed down through generations.”
The initiative seeks to foster appreciation for traditional arts and encourage their continued practice and preservation. “Among these are pottery, traditional clothing, ceramic utensils, leatherwork, copperwork, tailoring, dyeing, blacksmithing, gold and jewelry crafting, and other handmade creations by Saudi artisans,” he said.
The Ministry of Culture aims to elevate Saudi handicrafts locally and internationally, empowering artisans and boosting their contribution to the economy. This will be achieved through events organized with partners to highlight the cultural, historical and economic importance of handicrafts.
Through partnerships across the public, private and non-profit sectors, the Year of Handicrafts will cultivate sustainable practices, foster innovation and contribute to cultural dialogue.
In Saudi Arabia’s Northern Borders region, women play a pivotal role in preserving these traditional arts.
Handicrafts are passed down through generations and traditionally inherited by women, and are intricately connected to the region’s natural environment, as reported by the Saudi Press Agency.
Most notable are Sadu, tent and textile making and embroidered handicrafts, some of which may take 10 continuous days to make.
With these handicrafts, women record a strong presence at national events and festivals, in the region and beyond, the report said.
The traditional market in Arar, which opened more than 10 years ago, supports many elderly craftswomen and their granddaughters, allocating them places to display their products and handicrafts.
The market, in addition to Al-Khozama Hall, has emerged as an important heritage destination that offers families specialized courses on buying and selling, saving money and e-marketing.
Several craftswomen said that they inherited their craft from their mothers and passed them on to their granddaughters, especially since marketing these products to many people in the region also created economic opportunities, SPA reported.
Meanwhile, the Royal Institute of Traditional Arts in Riyadh will launch the Wrth Community initiative on Saturday, marking the beginning of its year-long celebration of the “Year of Handicrafts.”
The initiative will feature a series of meetings and dialogues with leading figures in the field, as well as educational workshops. The initiative seeks to revitalize and modernize traditional handicrafts by incorporating contemporary design and technologies, fostering collaboration among institutions and the local community, and highlighting the crucial role of traditional arts in preserving cultural identity.
The initiative will also help individuals to use these arts in innovative ways through specialized training, the SPA reported.
It covers a diverse range of areas — education, handicrafts and entrepreneurship — and features dialogue sessions, providing a platform for skill development, experience exchange and the fostering of creativity and innovation.
KSrelief continues aid projects in Yemen, Gaza
- The project aims to improve services and promote hygiene among those affected by the humanitarian crisis
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s aid agency KSrelief has signed an agreement with a civil society organization to implement a $359,000 water and sanitation project in Yemen’s Hodeidah governorate.
The project aims to improve services and promote hygiene among those affected by the humanitarian crisis, the Saudi Press Agency reported recently.
It includes the distribution of personal hygiene kits, toilet cleaning supplies, and the installation of 20 mobile toilets. Access to safe drinking water for domestic use will also be ensured, benefiting 131,662 individuals.
Ahmed Al-Baiz, assistant supervisor general of operations and programs at KSrelief, signed the agreement in Riyadh.
Meanwhile, KSrelief distributed 2,100 shelter kits to support residents and displaced families in northern Gaza, benefiting 21,000 people.
This aid comes amid a large influx of displaced people due to ongoing Israeli military operations in northern Gaza for over two months, the SPA added.
KSrelief’s executive partner in Gaza, the Saudi Center for Culture and Heritage, has begun distributing the aid packages to alleviate suffering during the severe cold and ongoing siege.
The kits include blankets, mattresses, cooking utensils, and water containers to help families cope with the harsh conditions.
The distribution is expected to continue in the coming days, reaching thousands more displaced and needy families in Gaza, the SPA reported.
