Jordanian crown prince receives Saudi Shoura Council speaker

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Jordan’s crown prince receives the Speaker of the Saudi Shoura Council Sheikh Abdullah Al Al-Sheikh at the Al-Husseiniya Palace on Sunday. (SPA)
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The Speaker of the Saudi Shura Council, Sheikh Dr. Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Ibrahim Al Al-Sheikh, held a meeting today in Amman with the President of the Jordanian Senate, Faisal Al-Fayez, as part of an official visit by a delegation from the Shura Council to Jordan. (SPA)
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The Speaker of the Saudi Shura Council, Sheikh Dr. Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Ibrahim Al Al-Sheikh, held a meeting today in Amman with the President of the Jordanian Senate, Faisal Al-Fayez, as part of an official visit by a delegation from the Shura Council to Jordan. (SPA)
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Updated 10 September 2023
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Jordanian crown prince receives Saudi Shoura Council speaker

  • On Saturday, the speaker held a meeting in Amman with the President of the Jordanian Senate Faisal Al-Fayez

RIYADH: Jordan’s Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah received the Speaker of the Saudi Shoura Council Sheikh Abdullah Al Al-Sheikh at the Al-Husseiniya Palace on Sunday.

During the meeting, the two discussed the historic bilateral relations between their countries. Many topics of common interest were also discussed.

On Saturday, the speaker held a meeting in Amman with the President of the Jordanian Senate Faisal Al-Fayez.

During the meeting, which was also attended by the Speaker of the Jordanian House of Representatives Ahmad Al-Safadi, Al-Fayez welcomed Al Al-Sheikh and his delegation, emphasizing the deep connection between the countries.

Al-Fayez also stressed the significance of the strong parliamentary relations between Jordan and Saudi Arabia in advancing the shared interests of both nations.

Al Al-Sheikh reiterated the historic Saudi-Jordanian relationship, underscoring the importance of parliamentary meetings in strengthening bilateral ties and realizing the aspirations of both countries’ leaderships.

Enhancing cooperation between the Shoura Council and the Jordanian Senate, and other topics of mutual interest, were discussed during the meeting. 

Al Al-Sheikh, whose visit comes in response to an official invitation extended by his Jordanian counterpart, also held separate talks with Al-Safadi.

Al-Safadi underscored the robust relations between the two countries, expressing Jordan’s gratitude for Saudi Arabia’s support across various domains. He also commended the progress made in parliamentary relations between the Shoura Council and the Jordanian House of Representatives.

During the session, Al Al-Sheikh lauded the ties that bind the two nations together, acknowledging the continuing development in various aspects of bilateral relations.

Meanwhile, a delegation representing the Saudi-Iraqi Parliamentary Friendship Committee of the Shoura Council, led by council member and committee chairman, Ibrahim Al-Qannas, held a meeting with Deputy Speaker of the Iraqi House of Representatives Shakhwan Abdullah during their visit to the capital, Baghdad, on Saturday.

Abdullah underscored the Kingdom’s significant roles in the regional and international arenas, as well as its efforts to promote peace and security.

He praised Saudi Arabia’s commitment to Iraq’s stability and development.

Al-Qannas stressed the importance of maintaining collaborative efforts to strengthen Saudi-Iraqi relations across all levels, particularly within the parliamentary domain.

The delegation held discussions with the Iraqi-Saudi parliamentary friendship committee within the Iraqi House of Representatives.

The talks covered a range of topics related to cooperation between the two committees and strategies for their enhancement and growth.

The meeting emphasized the value of reinforcing joint endeavours between the two parliamentary councils to further advance bilateral relations, recognizing the pivotal roles played by both councils.

The delegation also held talks with the foreign relations committee of the Iraqi Parliament, exploring various issues of mutual interest and cooperation.


KSrelief’s 11th aid plane lands at Damascus airport

Updated 15 January 2025
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KSrelief’s 11th aid plane lands at Damascus airport

  • KSrelief dispatched dozens of aid trucks and planes after collapse of Assad regime

RIYADH: The 11th Saudi relief plane landed at Damascus International Airport in Syria on Wednesday as part of a humanitarian airlift launched by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre.

After the collapse of Bashar Assad’s regime early in December, KSrelief has sent dozens of trucks and planes loaded with food, shelter, and medical supplies to meet the urgent basic needs of Syrians.


Experts discuss AI’s role in enhancing pilgrim experiences

Updated 15 January 2025
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Experts discuss AI’s role in enhancing pilgrim experiences

  • Discussions at Jeddah conference focus on crowd control, personalized services, sustainable solutions
  • Tamer Bdran, vice president of NEC Saudi Arabia Ltd., discussed the role of global technical solutions tailored to the unique needs of Hajj and Umrah

JEDDAH: Industry experts gathered to discuss how artificial intelligence can enhance the Hajj and Umrah experience for millions of pilgrims worldwide.

The discussions took place at the fourth Hajj and Umrah Services Conference and Exhibition in Jeddah, running until Jan. 16.

The event, themed “The Road to the Nusuk,” is hosted by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and the Pilgrim Experience Program, featuring over 300 local and international organizations showcasing innovations to improve the pilgrim experience.

The conversation began with an overview of the current state of Hajj and Umrah, with speakers noting that only 5 percent of available technical capabilities have been utilized so far.

Mohammed Al-Hamid, director of the AI Center at the Ministry of Interior, shared in the session “Personalizing Services for the Guests of Allah: Data and Digital Solutions” that the ministry has made significant progress in data and AI infrastructure.

He added that the ministry has played a key role in transforming the Hajj and Umrah experience into a seamless journey driven by technological innovation.

Al-Hamid said that AI can help manage crowds by tracking movements, identifying potential hazards, and making real-time adjustments to traffic flow.

“We are using AI to develop long-term solutions that enhance the sustainability of Hajj services, including managing human density by analyzing crowd flow and predicting congestion, offering multilingual guidance, utilizing big data to anticipate pilgrims' needs, and efficiently distributing human and technical resources,” he added.

Speakers then expressed optimism about how AI could address the urgent need for faster and more effective services.

Abdulaziz Al-Matahami, deputy minister of planning and digital transformation at the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, said that the ministry first digitized traditional services, then moved to integrate government agencies to offer customized services for each pilgrim and Umrah performer.

He highlighted the new version of the Nusuk app, which provides comprehensive services such as hotel and flight reservations, historical tours, and permits for the Two Holy Mosques.

Al-Matahami also announced the launch of the Nusuk Business platform, aimed at enhancing integration with entrepreneurs to deliver innovative solutions for serving pilgrims.

In another session titled “Advanced Solutions and Technologies for Effective Crowd Management,” Fahad Al-Ghamdi, CEO of human resources at National Security Services Co., explained that the company operates as an integrated security system, offering consulting, risk analysis, and advanced technical solutions, such as mobile command and control centers with cameras supported by AI to analyze data in real time.

Tamer Bdran, vice president of NEC Saudi Arabia Ltd., discussed the role of global technical solutions tailored to the unique needs of Hajj and Umrah.

He said: “Technologies such as facial and fingerprint recognition, along with simulating crowd flow using supercomputing, have improved planning and reduced waiting times at ports and airports.”

Meanwhile, Saudi Ambassador to Spain Princess Haifa Al-Mogrin visited the Ministry of Interior’s pavilion at the conference. She was briefed on the ministry's efforts and initiatives to ensure a safe Hajj experience, including AI-enhanced security systems, digital solutions for crowd management at holy sites, the “No Hajj Without a Permit” campaign, and the Makkah Route initiative.


Saudi FM arrives in Thailand on official visit

Updated 15 January 2025
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Saudi FM arrives in Thailand on official visit

RIYADH: Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan arrived in Bangkok for an official visit to Thailand on Wednesday.

The prince is set to discuss the relationship between Thailand and Saudi Arabia, leading the Kingdom’s delegation at the inaugural meeting of the Saudi-Thai Coordination Council.


Saudi commission registers 3,202 new heritage sites

Updated 15 January 2025
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Saudi commission registers 3,202 new heritage sites

  • Newly registered sites include 16 in Riyadh, eight in Makkah, one in Qassim, two in the Eastern Province, 3,170 in Asir, two in Hail, one in Najran, and two in Baha
  • Commission encouraged citizens and residents to report unregistered heritage sites via the Balagh platform, official social media accounts, or local branches

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Heritage Commission has registered 3,202 new sites in the National Urban Heritage Register, bringing the total to 28,202.

This reflects the richness of Saudi Arabia’s heritage and efforts to document and protect it, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

The newly registered sites include 16 in Riyadh, eight in Makkah, one in Qassim, two in the Eastern Province, 3,170 in Asir, two in Hail, one in Najran, and two in Baha.

This registration follows the promulgation of the Antiquities, Museums and Urban Heritage Law; and a decision by the commission’s board of directors authorizing its CEO to register and protect heritage and archaeological sites.

The commission encouraged citizens and residents to report unregistered heritage sites via the Balagh platform, official social media accounts, or local branches.


Saudi FM talks to Singaporean, Russian counterparts

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and his Singaporean counterpart Vivian Balakrishnan, Jan. 15. (SPA)
Updated 4 min ago
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Saudi FM talks to Singaporean, Russian counterparts

  • Prince Faisal signs memorandum of understanding with Singaporean FM
  • He spoke to Russia’s Sergey Lavrov by telephone

RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan visited Singapore on Wednesday and met his counterpart, Vivian Balakrishnan, as well as Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.

Prince Faisal and Balakrishnan signed a memorandum of understanding to establish the Singapore-Saudi Strategic Partnership Council.

Saudi Arabia and Singapore are seeking to increase the volume of trade exchange and strengthen relations in various fields, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Prince Faisal said that Singapore is a key global financial center and that Saudi Arabia is eager to enhance its cooperation with the country to gain significant economic advantages, the SPA added.

The Saudi minister conveyed the greetings of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during his meeting with Wong.

Wong said on X that he had a productive discussion with Prince Faisal regarding their countries’ relations and developments in the Middle East.

Earlier on Wednesday, Prince Faisal discussed regional developments during a phone call with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov.

He also arrived in Bangkok for an official visit to Thailand on Wednesday, leading the Kingdom’s delegation at the inaugural meeting of the Saudi-Thai Coordination Council.