Haramain railway transports over 1.3m visitors so far during Ramadan
Haramain railway transports over 1.3m visitors so far during Ramadan/node/2487456/saudi-arabia
Haramain railway transports over 1.3m visitors so far during Ramadan
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Passenger services are comprehensive, covering gate reception, reservation verification, guidance to waiting areas via escalators, and seamless transition to the train platform. (SPA photos)
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Passenger services are comprehensive, covering gate reception, reservation verification, guidance to waiting areas via escalators, and seamless transition to the train platform. (SPA photos)
Haramain railway transports over 1.3m visitors so far during Ramadan
Updated 03 April 2024
Arab News
RIYADH: The Haramain High-Speed Railway has so far transported over 1.3 million visitors and Umrah performers during Ramadan, providing round-the-clock trips between Madinah and Makkah, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Its purpose is to facilitate transportation for visitors, citizens and residents to participate in Umrah rituals and prayers at the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque.
With strategically located stations in Makkah, Madinah, King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah and King Abdullah Economic City in Rabigh, the Haramain High-Speed Railway is the largest transportation project in the Middle East.
Covering 450 km in approximately two hours at speeds of up to 300 kph, the electrically operated, emission-free train upholds the highest security and safety standards.
The process is managed by young Saudi specialists, from passenger reception and reservation verification to baggage procedures and direct boarding just minutes before departure. These specialists also ensure that the train adheres to its running schedule for punctuality.
Passenger services are comprehensive, covering gate reception, reservation verification, guidance to waiting areas via escalators, and seamless transition to the train platform.
Furthermore, station staff supervise security arrangements, ensure luggage safety, direct passengers to their designated seats, and assist individuals with disabilities by providing wheelchair access to designated seating areas.
To ensure a safe and convenient journey, onboard provisions — including food options and secure electronic payment methods — are provided throughout the trip.
A young Saudi’s glass universes – and the unbreakable will behind them
Safeya Al-Khalifa overcame disability to found her own business selling terrariums
‘We have to live visibly, so others see we’re simply different, not broken’
Updated 9 sec ago
Ghadi Joudah
RIYADH: In Saudi Arabia’s eastern oasis city of Al-Ahsa, Safeya Al-Khalifa, owner of the terrarium store My Garden, crafts miniature worlds inside glass bowls.
These self-sustaining terrariums thrive in confinement, echoing Al-Khalifa’s resilience in overcoming her physical disability and societal restraints.
“These are tiny, self-sustaining universes nestled within ours,” she told Arab News, cradling a sealed ecosystem where moss blankets the soil and succulents reach toward softened light.
“Terrarium-making isn’t just art; it’s creating life cycles. Like Earth, these worlds maintain themselves. Some need water just once a month, or even less.”
Terrarium globes, shimmering orbs that adorn many homes and offices, harness a delicate balance of biology and physics to sustain miniature ecosystems.
“This isn’t about me – it’s about a system that doubts the capabilities of people with disabilities,” Safeya Al-Khalifa says. (Supplied)
Inside their sealed glass walls, a self-regulated water cycle prevails: moisture evaporates from soil and foliage, condenses into droplets on the curved surface, and trickles back to nourish plants — an elegant loop mimicking Earth’s natural hydrology.
Decades ago, a school refused to enroll Al-Khalifa as a child, saying her wheelchair was a hindrance.
The rejection laid bare a truth she vowed to undo. “This isn’t about me — it’s about a system that doubts the capabilities of people with disabilities,” she said, her tone unwavering.
Society frames disability as a “sickness” or weight, she argued, a mindset that breeds its limitations. To rewrite that story, Al-Khalifa turned to terrarium-making, a craft demanding meticulous care and unshakable belief.
“It starts with blending soils for the right texture and choosing plants suited to each tiny world,” she said. Her terrariums vary in size and theme, depicting diverse terrains such as misty forests, rugged mountainous landscapes, or serene lakesides.
Some pieces take 15 minutes while others can take three days. But the real wonder unfolds as life adjusts. “When a plant moves from the open air into a closed space, it might wilt or shed leaves. But most survive — even flourish.”
For Al-Khalifa, this mirrors her truth: “We’re all shaped to adapt, no matter the odds, if we hold the courage to try.”
The school’s rejection did not faze her — instead it sparked defiance. “That day taught me to find strength in struggle,” she said. That resolve carried Al-Khalifa through years of trial and error with plants, soil and glass.
Terrarium-making became her stance against prejudice: a space where limits only honed her inventiveness. “Every step forward is proof I’ve outgrown another barrier,” she said with a smile.
Key to the survival of these terrariums are humidity-tolerant plants such as Fittonia or Pilea, paired with meticulous design. Layers of gravel and activated charcoal act as a filtration system, wicking away excess moisture to prevent root rot, while indirect sunlight sustains photosynthesis without overheating the enclosed environment.
Al-Khalifa’s vision extends far beyond her studio. “I started this business in 2019 and now I have a whole team of women managing My Garden,” she said with pride.
Together, they have built her passion into a thriving enterprise, collaborating with distribution partners to meet soaring demand. “From our small to large ones, we’ve hit around 8,000 terrariums since we’ve worked with companies that handle orders in the hundreds.”
To those sidelined by society, Al-Khalifa offers no empty comfort, only action. “Awareness must be relentless,” she said.
Prejudices, she said, are learned — not innate. Change begins with presence: “We have to live visibly, so others see we’re simply different, not broken.”
The work is exhausting, Al-Khalifa admitted, but vital. “Only then can old ideas fade, making room for a kinder world.”
Today, Al-Khalifa’s terrariums — sold through her store — grace homes throughout Saudi Arabia, their glass walls misted with the pulse of the life within.
As urban dwellers increasingly embrace low-maintenance greenery, these glass ecosystems symbolize a fusion of art and science — proof that even in confined spaces, nature’s ingenuity can thrive.
Their enduring appeal lies in their simplicity: a self-contained world where life persists, quietly defying the need for constant human intervention.
“This art has no limits,” she said — and neither does she. The plants, Al-Khalifa said, never beg forgiveness for growing where they’re planted. Neither does she.
Madinah festival celebrates global culture, traditions
Updated 34 min 54 sec ago
Arab News
MADINAH: Prince Salman bin Sultan, the governor of Madinah, inaugurated the 13th International Cultural Festival, organized by the Islamic University of Madinah.
Several officials and diplomats from Arab and Islamic countries attended the opening ceremony for the festival, which runs from April 13 to 19, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
University President Saleh Alagla thanked the governor for his patronage and continued support of the university, which has graduated more than 100,000 students from 170 countries.
Spanning 28,000 sq. meters, the festival features students from 90 countries and offers more than 150 events and activities for families and children, including Saudi Coffee Day and Arabic Poetry Day.
With more than 100 pavilions, the festival is a display of diverse cultures, heritage, fashion, and traditions of students from around the world.
The event also celebrates the Year of Handicrafts and highlights the Kingdom’s support for scholarship students, according to the SPA.
A symposium will focus on promoting moderation, tolerance, and rejecting extremism, with expert speakers offering their insights.
Culture minister launches Saudi pavilion at Expo 2025
The pavilion, the second largest after Japan’s own, highlights the kingdom’s rich history, innovation and future
Updated 14 April 2025
Arab News Japan
OSAKA: Saudi Arabian Minister of Culture Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Farhan opened the Kingdom’s pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka on Sunday.
The pavilion, the second largest after Japan’s own, highlights the kingdom’s rich history, innovation and future.
The Saudi minister expressed his appreciation for Japan’s “excellent organization of Expo 2025, its warm hospitality, and its unwavering cooperation in providing all facilities and support to ensure the success of the Kingdom’s pavilion at this international event.”
He highlighted the special relationship between Saudi Arabia and Japan as the two countries celebrate 70 years of bilateral relations and invited guests to visit the pavilion to “discover the authenticity of our heritage, our ambitious transformations, and our rich culture that is open to the world.”
During the ceremony, the Saudi flag was raised in the presence of Ghazi Faisal Binzagr, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Japan.
“We are delighted to inaugurate the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, which operates under the slogan ‘Discover Saudi Arabia.’ Through the pavilion’s ambitious design, we highlight the many shared qualities and harmony between the Kingdom and Japan,” he said.
The opening ceremony was also attended by Hamed Fayez, vice minister of culture and chairman of the Executive Committee for the Kingdom’s Participation in International Expos, as well as Rakan Al-Touq, assistant minister of culture.
The pavilion offers an immersive experience that sets out the Kingdom’s journey under Vision 2030 and highlights cities and villages that reflect its culture and heritage.
Saudi Arabia, UK set up sustainable infrastructure assembly to bolster trade
Partnership will support initiatives under Saudi Vision 2030
London ‘a natural partner in achieving our shared vision,’ Saudi investment minister says
Updated 14 April 2025
Arab News
LONDON: Saudi Arabia and the UK on Sunday unveiled a new strategic partnership aimed at deepening collaboration between British financial and professional services firms and the Kingdom’s sustainable infrastructure developers.
The deal was announced by the Saudi Ministry of Investment, UK Department for Business and Trade and City of London Corp.
Central to the agreement is the establishment of the UK-Saudi Sustainable Infrastructure Assembly, a platform that will bring together companies, policymakers and industry experts from the two countries to shape the future of investment in the sector.
The assembly will initially focus on projects such as the new Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Co., led by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, and the Prince Faisal Bin Fahad Sustainable Sports City project, spearheaded by the Kingdom’s National Center for Privatization.
Set to launch next month in Riyadh, the assembly will also meet in London in June under the banner of the UK Government’s “Great Futures” campaign, which showcases cooperation across trade, investment, tourism, education and culture. A final meeting will take place during the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh in the fall.
Among the Saudi members of the assembly are Deputy Assistant for Service Sectors at the Ministry of Investment Fahad Al-Hashem, and Hatim Alghamdi, Hisham Sumayli and Faisal Abdeen from the Ministry of Economy and Planning.
Sultan Al-Khalil, general manager of alternative funding at the National Debt Management Center, and Salman Badr, vice president of infrastructure advisory at the National Center for Privatization, will also take part.
The British side includes UK Export Finance CEO Tim Reid and Deputy Trade Commissioner for the Middle East Arabian Peninsula Peter Ashby.
As Saudi Arabia pursues a $1 trillion infrastructure development pipeline as part of Vision 2030, the assembly is set to help strengthen business ties between the two countries.
Saudi Minister of Investment Khalid Al-Falih said: “Saudi Arabia is driving one of the most ambitious infrastructure transformations in the world, with approximately $1 trillion committed to projects that are not only reshaping our cities but also setting new global benchmarks for sustainability.
“Through Vision 2030, we are integrating cutting-edge technologies, green financing and world-class expertise to ensure that our infrastructure delivers long-term economic, social and environmental value.
“The City of London’s leading global expertise and innovative approach to sustainable finance, infrastructure governance and public-private partnerships complement our own ambitions.
“Our long-standing partnership with the UK spans decades, making the City of London a natural partner in achieving our shared vision for a more sustainable and prosperous future,” he said.
UK Minister for Investment Poppy Gustafsson said the UK and Saudi Arabia shared a deep commitment to driving sustainable economic growth and attracting global investment into transformational infrastructure projects.
“These assemblies represent an opportunity to strengthen commercial ties between our two nations, ensuring that Saudi projects are well positioned to secure international capital and expertise through the UK.
“This landmark UK-Saudi collaboration exemplifies our ‘Great Futures’ campaign, fostering partnerships that will drive sustainable development and prosperity, with the UK as a trusted partner in Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 journey.”
Lord Mayor of London Alastair King echoed the sentiment.
“This new partnership offers exciting opportunities for both countries,” he said.
“The UK’s expertise in sustainable finance is in demand across the globe. We are world leaders because of our reputation for innovation, access to capital and world-class clusters of expertise.
“This assembly will identify new growth opportunities for Saudi infrastructure and will make it easier for UK firms to engage with Saudi Arabia’s thriving market.”
Saudi Arabia welcomes Oman’s hosting of Iran-US talks, says dialogue is way to go
Kingdom says it prefers dialogue as way to end all regional and international disputes
American and Iranian delegations met for the first time in Muscat to set talks format
Updated 14 April 2025
Arab News
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia welcomes Oman’s hosting of Iran-US talks on Tehran’s nuclear program, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said.
In a statement, the ministry said the Kingdom hoped the talks would “lead to supporting joint action to enhance security, stability and peace in the region and the world,” and added it preferred dialogue as a way to end all regional and international disputes.
American and Iranian negotiators met Muscat, the Omani capital, on April 12 as the long-time adversaries try to come up with a new nuclear deal in place.
The failed 2015 accord, or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, was a long-term deal agreed between Iran and world powers known as the P5+1, which comprised the US, UK, France, China, Russia and Germany.
Under that agreement, Iran was to limit nuclear activities and allow international inspectors to visit its sites. In return, economic sanctions would be lifted by the world powers, notably the US.
Donald Trump, however, pulled the US out of the agreement in 2018 during his first term of office amid objections by other regional powers that the accord lacked the teeth to curtail Iran’s nuclear activities. This empowered Tehran to continue interfering in the affairs of its neighbors.
In his second term, Trump invited Iran to the negotiating table to avoid military action.
In Saturday’s initial meeting, Omani Foreign Minister Badr Al-Busaidi acted as intermediary, shuttling from one room between the American and Iranian delegations as they tried to lay the groundwork for the high-stakes nuclear talks.
Al-Busaidi later told reporters that the talks took place in a “friendly atmosphere,” adding: “We will continue to work together.”
According to the Iranian foreign ministry, the negotiators also spoke directly for “a few minutes” and the talks were held “in a constructive and mutually respectful atmosphere.”
The US team was headed by real estate magnate Steve Witkoff, while Iran’s team was led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, a seasoned diplomat and key architect of the 2015 accord.
Just before the first meeting, President Trump told reporters: “I want Iran to be a wonderful, great, happy country. But they can’t have a nuclear weapon.”
Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s adviser Ali Shamkhani said Iran was “seeking a real and fair agreement.”
