MAKKAH: A pilgrim who had underwent open heart surgery in Madinah just before Haj has successfully completed his pilgrimage.
Mohammed Mirza, 58, from Bangladesh, complained of heart pain while he was going to the Prophet’s Mosque from his accommodation before Haj. He was taken to a medical clinic near the Prophet’s Mosque, which then transferred him to Madinah Cardiac Center where he underwent emergency open-heart surgery. Transferred to Makkah to recuperate, he was later declared fit to perform Haj.
Mirza expressed his deep gratitude to the government of Saudi Arabia for its commitment to provide various services to pilgrims such as health, security and housing facilities and in particular the rapid medical services that enabled him to perform Haj safely.
Open heart surgery patient performs Haj successfully
Open heart surgery patient performs Haj successfully
Diriyah Company brings Saudi heritage to Harrods in London with $63bn development showcase
- Exhibition spotlights 350 luxury residences that are part of the project
- Immersive experience aims to attract the attention of the 450,000 people expected to visit Harrods this month
LONDON: Diriyah Company is bringing a taste of Saudi culture and heritage to upmarket London department store Harrods this month, in the form of an exclusive pop-up exhibition highlighting the $63 billion mega-development project underway in Diriyah, the historic birthplace of the Kingdom.
The immersive experience, which opened on Monday and continues until July 26, aims to attract the attention of the 450,000 people expected to visit Harrods this month. The centerpiece of the event is a display featuring the master plan for the ambitious urban development project, which when complete will be six-and-a-half times the size of Monaco. It will feature hotels, four metro stations, and extensive retail and commercial office spaces.
Diriyah Company has worked with the Harrods team to transform the space into an exhibition that tells the story of Saudi heritage and architecture, incorporating elements of the traditional Najdi architectural style in a warm color palette of yellows, oranges and browns. A highlight of the event is a showcase of 350 residences developed by luxury brands Ritz Carlton, Baccarat and Corinthia.
“These are the best of the best to collaborate with,” Diriyah Company’s chief marketing officer, Kiran Jay Haslam, told Arab News, adding that each brand brings something unique to the project.
The Baccarat residences will be notable for their sophisticated fusion of modern luxury and classic French elegance, incorporating opulent materials and Baccarat crystal accents, he said, while Corinthia will offer a more family-focused, homely feel, and the Ritz Carlton units will put an emphasis on the high levels of services available to residents. Representatives of Diriyah Company are on hand to explain the differences between the brands and highlight their unique selling points, he added, to help visitors understand what each has to offer.
In 2021, Saudi authorities issued a directive allowing non-Saudis who are legal residents of the country to buy single properties in the Kingdom, subject to approval by licensing authorities.
“In addition to that, the conversations that we know are taking place right now to open up real estate to foreign investment are really exciting for us,” Haslam said. “We’re looking very closely into when that will come to play.
“I think a lot of the projects in the kingdom will take on a new lease of life because of the ability for global interaction in these budgets. And … I think we’re really going to start to attract some significant talent to the kingdom.”
Six units are available for purchase at the Corinthia development and eight at the Baccarat. Haslam said sales at the Ritz Carlton development have moved more quickly than the company anticipated, and only 16 of the 106 residences are still available.
The pop-up event at Harrods follows Diriyah Company’s immersive exhibition at Outernet, an entertainment, arts and culture district in London. The showcases are part of a broader Saudi strategy to promote Diriyah on the global stage, with upcoming events planned in Los Angeles, New York, Sydney and Paris.
Haslam said the exhibition at Harrods has already received a positive response from early visitors, particularly those for whom the celebration of Arab culture hit close to home.
“We’re a very emotional project,” he said. “We’re a project that’s delivering some kind of unique quality in essence and pride of the Kingdom. And so it’s really great to be here and to have this interaction.”
Finland’s foreign minister discusses expanding relations with Saudi Arabia
- Recognition of Palestinian state a matter of ‘when rather than if,’ says Elina Valtonen
HELSINKI: In an interview with Arab News, Finland’s Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen discussed Saudi-Finnish ties, the recognition of the Palestinian state, and the results of the 2024 World Happiness Report which ranked the Nordic country in the top spot for the seventh year in a row.
“I think we have had intensifying ties in the trade side for some years now, and we have especially taken notice of the Vision 2030 plans of Saudi Arabia,” Valtonen told Arab News.
“We also see that Finland and our terrific companies should and could have a significant role in the implementation … especially (in) bringing expertise,” she added.
The foreign minister highlighted “renewable energies, energy technologies, water usage,” and “high-end technologies like critical infrastructure, 5.5G, 6G, artificial intelligence, and quantum” as areas of potential cooperation.
“There’s quite a bit we can do, together,” noted Valtonen.
“We are already doing quite a bit, but we can do, so much more in the future,” she added. “We look forward to having Saudi Arabia as a credible partner and also tackling all the geopolitical challenges that we’re facing.”
We look forward to having Saudi Arabia as a credible partner and also tackling all the geopolitical challenges that we’re facing.
Elina Valtonen, Finnish Foreign Minister
Speaking about other important areas of bilateral relations, Valtonen said: “Finland is always a staunch supporter of human rights, and the role of women, and that’s also something which we would like to partner up with … in relation to trade and all the other, positive relationships we have with Saudi Arabia.”
Discussing regional stability, the foreign minister commended the Kingdom for its work in recent months, stating: “We have appreciated the constructive role of Saudi Arabia when it comes to the situation in the Middle East.”
As the Israel-Hamas war wages on, many countries have shifted their positions towards the recognition of Palestine and the need for a two-state solution.
Valtonen underlined that when she says there needs to be a two-state solution, that implies that “there will (be a) need, or there is a need, for a Palestinian state and its recognition.”
Expanding on Finland’s stance on the recognition of Palestine, she added: “That is something that Finland will be looking at and is looking at because it’s more a question of, you know, when rather than if.
“Now we do see that many of our peers have already recognized or are moving in that direction,” Valtonen said. “So obviously we are monitoring the situation closely, but we would like to find the perfect time which really could also send the right signal because it's an irreversible step. And we do see that it also needs to be that way.”
She emphasized that Finland has called for an immediate ceasefire for months and the “unconditional” release of all hostages.
“We hope that there could be a deal as soon as possible on this,” the foreign minister stressed, adding that the country is hoping for a “more permanent ceasefire and negotiations for the two-state solution.
“Finland’s long-standing position has been that there needs to be a two-state model for ending the crisis and for having a peaceful long-term solution.”
During the interview, she also discussed Finland’s top ranking as the “Happiest Country in the World,” according to the 2024 World Happiness Report, for the seventh year in a row.
The report weighs a few categories when ranking the happiest countries globally such as GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity, and freedom from corruption.
The foreign minister credited Finland as the happiest nation in the world based on “stable democracy, the rule of law, human rights and equality.”
She said: “The Finnish mindset is that, independent of your background you know you can achieve anything in your life, whether you (are a) girl, boy, whether you’re born here or elsewhere, (regardless of) your religion.”
Valtonen added that based on their education a person can chase their ambitions in the labor market.
She explained that these are the factors that make Finland the happiest country in the world, coupled with its “tranquility, nature and, peace.
“We Finns, we take pride in that, in this country, you can trust everybody,” she concluded.
Saudi Arabia’s Etidal, Telegram remove 18 million extremist content items
- More than 2 million pieces of content were removed on June 17, coinciding with the Hajj season
RIYADH: Joint efforts between the Global Center for Combating Extremist Ideology, also known as Etidal, and Telegram in combating extremist content led to the removal of 18 million items of extremist content and the closure of 660 extremist channels during the second quarter of 2024.
A press release said that the joint teams continued to monitor and combat the propaganda activity of extremist content for three terrorist organizations: Daesh, Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham and Al-Qaeda.
About 14 million items of extremist content from Daesh were removed, and 305 channels were closed.
As for Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham, 3 million extremist content were removed, and 281 extremist channels were closed.
About 231,354 extremist content items were removed and 74 channels closed that had been used by Al-Qaeda to broadcast extremist messages.
More than 2 million pieces of content were removed on June 17, coinciding with the Hajj season.
In the second quarter of 2024, propaganda activity by the three terrorist organizations increased by 12.82 percent compared to Q1 2024, as seen in previous years and in line with the Hajj season.
The joint efforts, from February 2022 to June 2024, between Etidal and Telegram removed 93 million items of extremist content and closed 14,193 extremist channels.
The extremist propaganda content that was removed varied between formats such as PDFs, video clips and audio recordings.
Saudis are still nuts about almonds amid revival in cultivation
- The resurgence of almond orchards in and around Baha represents a return to an agricultural practice deeply embedded in the fabric of local culture
- The almond holds a special place in Saudi society, in which offering the nut to guests is viewed as an expression of generosity and high regard for visitors
RIYADH: A resurgence in almond cultivation is taking root along the scenic route between Taif and Baha, signifying the revival of a practice deeply embedded in the cultural fabric of this part of Saudi Arabia.
Fahd Al-Zahrani, director of the local branch of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, said that that almond trees are once again a common sight across the landscape.
“Almond cultivation has spread to several areas including Baha, Baljurashi, Al-Mandaq, Bani Hassan, and Al-Qura,” he said.
Almond trees, members of the Rosaceae family, are primarily grown on agricultural terraces in the Sarawat Mountains, he added. They cover about 67 hectares there and are considered an alternative crop in the region.
“The average yield is 1 tonne of green fruit per 3.6 hectares,” Al-Zahrani told the Saudi Press Agency. He said the ministry offers investment opportunities in two “almond cities” covering an area of more than 1.5 million square meters, and works to enhance the skills of farmers through workshops.
It supports the growth and sustainability of tree farms through initiatives such as an organic farming program and Saudi Reef, also known as the Sustainable Agricultural Rural Development Program, which supports environmental sustainability and agricultural diversification by aiding the development of rural communities and efforts to achieve food security.
FASTFACT
The almond holds a special place in Saudi society, in which offering the nut to guests is viewed as an expression of generosity and high regard for visitors.
Fawaz Al-Thaqafi, a third-generation almond farmer who recently participated in the My Country’s Grains and Almond Festival in Al-Mandaq, shared some insights into this once-again burgeoning industry.
“Our century-old almond trees produce some of the finest quality almonds,” he told the SPA.
The cultivation process, while rewarding, is not without challenges, he added. Farmers contend with pests such as the almond fly, which can kill the tree’s fruit, and threats from local wildlife, monkeys in particular.
The trees require constant care and attention throughout the life cycle of the almond, from white blossoms in February to mature nuts in July. By July, the almonds are firm and at a stage known as “labab,” during which people often consume the fruit before it is fully mature, when it is called “qadim.”
Al-Thaqafi spoke of his family’s three-generation legacy of almond cultivation and the depth of knowledge passed down over the years. He said every aspect of almond farming, from planting to harvesting, is a lifelong learning process, and described the intricate process of cracking open almond hulls, known locally as “ghadarif,” a time-consuming task that demands patience and continuous effort.
Various types of almonds are grown in the region, he added, include sweet, bitter and other mountain varieties. Of particular interest is a rare variety Al-Thaqafi referred to as “T-type.” It is cultivated under specific conditions, he said, resulting in a distinctive flavor profile and superior quality.
His orchard consists of more than 400 trees, including 300 almond trees, and he plans to expand it to more than 1,000 trees by 2028, given the growing demand for almond-derived products, including butter, sweets and ice cream, among local and international consumers.
Nadia Said Al-Zahrani, a food and nutrition specialist at Al-Baha University, praised local farmers for their efforts to diversify their almond products by moving into production of items such as organic almond butter and tahini.
She highlighted the health benefits of almonds, which are packed with monounsaturated fats, fiber, protein, magnesium, calcium, potassium, zinc and essential vitamins such as E and K.
“Almonds are also rich in biologically active compounds such as flavonoids, contributing to numerous health benefits including enhanced immunity, cancer prevention, bone health, wound healing, kidney-function support, and lowering blood sugar and cholesterol levels,” Al-Zahrani added.
Each year, the blossoming of almond trees paints a panoramic tableau that captivates onlookers as it spreads across mountain slopes. The spectacle, resembling scattered pearls, begins to emerge in the waning days of winter.
A single almond tree can yield about 200 kilograms of nuts each season. In Baha, the price of a sack of almonds varies between SR300-500 ($80-133), with some varieties commanding even higher prices.
The market follows a predictable seasonal pattern: Prices surge at the start of the season, dip in the middle, then climb again as the harvest draws to a close. Almonds from the area are widely popular, attracting buyers from across the Kingdom and beyond.
The almond holds a special place in Saudi culture, often presented as a gesture of hospitality. Offering almonds to guests is viewed as an expression of generosity and a symbol of the esteemed position visitors hold in Saudi society.
Baha owes the fertility of its soil to abundant water resources and a moderate, temperate climate throughout the year. The almond tree, known for its resilience to a variety of climatic conditions and low water requirements, is particularly well-suited to Baha as its production season aligns with the rainy season in mountainous regions at the end of winter.
Saudi Arabia participates in nuclear conference
- Kim Pringle, director of human capacity building at K.A.CARE, underscored the importance of knowledge management and human resource development to address the challenges facing the sector
RIYADH: The Kingdom has been participating in discussions on the challenges and benefits of nuclear energy at an international conference in Vienna, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.
Representatives from the country’s King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy are at the International Conference on Nuclear Knowledge Management and Human Resources Development, which began on Monday and will end on July 5.
Kim Pringle, director of human capacity building at K.A.CARE, underscored the importance of knowledge management and human resource development to address the challenges facing the sector.
She said Saudi Arabia has one of the world’s most transparent and advanced national policies on atomic energy. This was developed to achieve the sustainable development goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
K.A.CARE plays a prominent role in developing human capacity in the Kingdom’s energy sector.
It focuses on supporting educational institutions to train Saudi Arabia nationals for the industry.
