Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Development Company signs contract with KACST to provide satellite data

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The images will carry the coordinates of its geographical location. (SPA)
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Updated 20 December 2021
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Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Development Company signs contract with KACST to provide satellite data

  • The data is collected using satellites to monitor the progress of the Red Sea project
  • It will enable the company to know how the project is progressing and the impact it may have on the environment

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Development Company signed a contract with King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) to provide high-resolution data for key locations at the company’s headquarters.
The data is collected using satellites to monitor the progress of the Red Sea project, which covers an area of ​​28,000 square kilometers, and to track developments in real estate assets more effectively.
The CEO of the Red Sea Development Company, John Pagano, said that this technical work will enable the company to monitor any unexpected effects in the development of real estate assets on the surrounding environment, and work immediately to find alternative solutions.
Pagano said the Red Sea Project’s stakeholders and its affiliates can obtain reliable and detailed images on a monthly basis, adding it was important to understand how the actual development processes affect the natural destination environments.
He also said that this partnership will enable the company to monitor the main assets, both natural and real estate, closely during the construction phase, which will support efforts to lead renewable tourism worldwide.

Pagano added that KACST, through the National Consortium on Remote Sensing in Transportation (NCRST), will capture monthly high-resolution data for the Red Sea project, using the GeoEye-1, WorldView, and Pleiades satellites.
This will allow the images to be color-balanced as they are on the ground, and each will carry the coordinates of its geographical location. The images will be integrated with the company’s Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and Building Information Modeling (BIM) systems and will be available to its employees from the planning, engineering, and environment departments.
The company’s GIS department will periodically compare the data provided by KACST with the latest versions of the master plans and detailed designs of the project to monitor changes and avoid any environmental damage.
The images will be used to determine the best methods and locations to perform construction and development activities. It will also be an important part of the project’s monthly progress reports.
Dr. Talal Alsedairy, the supervisor of the Space and Aeronautics Center at KACST, said that NCRST will support the company by providing them with high-resolution images of the project area that will enable them to have a more comprehensive perspective on how the project is progressing and the impact it may have on the surrounding environment.


Saudi health minister visits pilgrim who received emergency cardiac surgery in Arafat

Updated 10 sec ago
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Saudi health minister visits pilgrim who received emergency cardiac surgery in Arafat

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Health Minister Fahad Abdulrahman AlJalajel recently visited a Hajj pilgrim who had received emergency cardiac surgery at East Arafat Hospital.

The minister, who is also chairman of the Health Holding Co., made the visit during an inspection tour of healthcare facilities before the pilgrimage begins later this week, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

The hospital is one of several medical facilities serving the holy sites during the Hajj.

 


Man jailed for illegal Hajj pilgrimage operation

Updated 40 min 44 sec ago
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Man jailed for illegal Hajj pilgrimage operation

  • A preliminary ruling sentenced him to one year in prison and imposed a 10,000 riyal ($2,666) fine

RIYADH: A Saudi resident has been jailed for a year for setting up an illegal Hajj operation with the intention of obtaining funds through deception via social media.

The public prosecution referred the defendant to the criminal court after he was found in possession of receipts connecting him to the criminal operation.

A preliminary ruling sentenced him to one year in prison and imposed a 10,000 riyal ($2,666) fine, along with the confiscation of all devices and tools used in the crime.

The public prosecution said the creation of fake Hajj operations was a major crime punishable by detention and added that it would continue to pursue those who broke Hajj regulations.

Meanwhile, Hajj security forces arrested 36 residents who tried to enter Makkah without the correct permits. They were referred to the relevant authority.

 


KSrelief completes pediatric heart surgery, catheterization project in Aleppo

Updated 04 June 2025
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KSrelief completes pediatric heart surgery, catheterization project in Aleppo

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s aid agency KSrelief has completed a pediatric cardiac surgery and catheterization program in Syria’s Aleppo, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

Volunteer medical workers carried out the project — a part of the Saudi Amal Program for Syrians — which ran from May 16 to 23, the SPA reported.

The teams performed 28 cardiac catheterizations and two open-heart operations.

In addition, 30 diagnostic radiology services were provided, 30 laboratory tests conducted, and medications dispensed to 30 patients.

The project is an extension of the specialized volunteer medical initiatives carried out by KSrelief to help people in Syria.


Saudi Arabia’s KSrelief continues food aid to world’s needy

Updated 04 June 2025
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Saudi Arabia’s KSrelief continues food aid to world’s needy

RIYADH: The Kingdom’s aid agency KSrelief has provided 2,339 food parcels to vulnerable people in the Syrian Arab Republic and Sudan, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

Syrians in Aleppo received 1,339 parcels, while in Sudan’s Blue Nile State 1,000 were delivered for 4,686 people, the report added.

Saudi Arabia continues to provide much-needed aid to communities in crisis across the world, the SPA reported.

 


Saudi Arabia congratulates Bahrain on election to UN Security Council

Updated 04 June 2025
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Saudi Arabia congratulates Bahrain on election to UN Security Council

  • Bahrain will begin its 2-year term as a nonpermanent member of the council on Jan. 1, 2026
  • It was elected alongside Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Latvia and Liberia

RIYADH: Saudi authorities congratulated Bahrain on Tuesday after the nation was elected to serve as a nonpermanent member of the UN Security Council for the term 2026-2027.

The election of the country “confirms the international community’s confidence in Bahrain’s ability to contribute effectively to strengthening international peace and security,” the Saudi Foreign Ministry said.

The Kingdom wished Bahrain success in representing the interests of the Arab group of nations within the UN and in carrying out its duties as a member of the council.

Bahrain was elected alongside Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Latvia and Liberia, all of which will serve two-year terms beginning Jan. 1, 2026.

The 15-member Security Council, which is responsible for maintaining international peace and security, consists of five permanent members — China, France, Russia, the UK and the US — plus 10 nonpermanent members elected by the General Assembly to serve staggered, two-year terms. Bahrain and the other newly elected nations will therefore join five existing nonpermanent members whose terms conclude at the end of 2026: Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama and Somalia.