RIYADH: Five Saudi students from the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba) have earned international acclaim by winning medals at the Junior Balkan Mathematical Olympiad 2024.

The competition, held in Turkiye from June 25-30, featured 130 students from 22 countries.

Abdullah bin Tariq Al-Amer, from the Eastern Province Education Department, secured a silver medal. Bronze medals were awarded to Mohammed Shaiban, from the Jubail Industrial City Royal Commission Education Department; Bilal Al-Hujaili, from the Madinah Education Department; Fatimah Al-Marhoon, from the Eastern Province Education Department; and Arar Al-Ajami, from the Riyadh Education Department.

Amal Al-Hazaa, general director of Mawhiba, said that the victory underscores the collaborative efforts between the organization and its strategic partner, the Ministry of Education, in achieving the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.

Al-Hazaa praised the capabilities of the Saudi students, acknowledging their numerous international achievements, which contribute to building the country’s future and enhancing its human capital.

This marks the 13th participation of the Saudi team in the Junior Balkan Mathematical Olympiad. Over the years, the Saudi team has amassed a total of 58 medals, including nine gold, 22 silver, and 27 bronze.

Saudi Arabia’s success at the junior olympiad is part of a broader series of achievements in various global competitions, represented by the Ministry of Education and Mawhiba.

Students selected for the competition underwent a series of rigorous tests conducted by Mawhiba during an intensive training period. Team members received several years of focused training under the guidance of national and international trainers.

The Junior Balkan Mathematical Olympiad, organized annually by one of the Balkan countries and Cyprus, held its inaugural competition in Yugoslavia in 1997. Each participating country fields a team of up to six students under the age of 15 at the start of the competition, which takes place over a single day.

RIYADH: A joint field campaign to monitor and apprehend violators of residency, work, and border-security laws in all regions of the Kingdom, carried out from June 20 to 26, has resulted in the arrests of 13,445 people.

Authorities apprehended 3,230 people for violating Saudi border-security regulations, and 1,452 others for violating the Kingdom’s work rules.

According to officials, 1,063 people were caught trying to enter the Kingdom illegally, of whom 36 percent were from Yemen, 62 percent from Ethiopia, and 2 percent from other countries. Another 66 people were caught trying to leave the Kingdom illegally during the campaign.

One person was also arrested for aiding and abetting individuals who violated residency, work, and border-security regulations, as well as concealing their actions.