Jazan Border Guards Thwart Attempt to Smuggle 120 Kg of Khat

Jazan, Border Guard patrols in Jazan region have thwarted an attempt to smuggle 120 kg of khat. Legal action was taken and the confiscated contraband was handed over to the pertinent authority.

Security authorities are calling on the public to report any information concerning drug smuggling or selling by calling 911 in Makkah, Riyadh, and the Eastern regions, and 999 in the rest of the Kingdom’s regions. The public may also contact the General Directorate of Narcotics Control at 995 or through email: 995@gdnc.gov.sa. All reports will be treated with strict confidentiality.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

‘Makkah Greets Us’ Concludes in Hira Cultural District

Makkah: The “Makkah Greets Us” event, hosted by the Royal Commission for Makkah City and Holy Sites, concluded yesterday after a successful five-day run in the Hira Cultural District.

The event aimed to enrich the cultural and entertainment experience for residents and visitors alike. It provided a unique platform to highlight the region’s rich Islamic heritage.

It boasted a captivating high-tech sound and light show at the foot of Mount Hira, enabling visitors to connect with Makkah’s most significant historical landmarks.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Sharjah Ruler inaugurates Wasit Nursery


SHARJAH: H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, underscored the importance of the ongoing work to establish more nurseries in the second phase of this transformative educational project.

The initiative, designed to cater to children’s needs, monitor and enhance educational institutions, and provide them with specialised staff, is a cornerstone of our commitment to providing a strong educational and scientific foundation for our children’s future. The Ruler of Sharjah emphasised that the project’s reach extends to all regions in the emirate, with a comprehensive education sponsorship from nursery to university.

Dr. Sheikh Sultan made this statement during his speech, which he delivered at the opening of the Wasit Nursery building on Monday.

He directed Sharjah Education Academy to undertake administrative, pedagogical, and educational supervision over the nurseries affiliated with the Emirate of Sharjah government departments to develop their standards to
become among the best educational nurseries.

He addressed the importance of monitoring and evaluating the standards of nurseries through the agreements signed by Sharjah Private Education Authority with the authorities specialised in monitoring.

The Ruler of Sharjah highlighted the large number of nurseries in the emirate, which he said, calls for the need to evaluate the curricula and methods they offer that affect children while they are at the beginning of their intellectual development.

‘We hope, God willing, from these pioneering children whom we have seen, that we will continue with them and develop a curriculum and programme in which high-quality education and excellence will be the basis because we bring experience and knowledge from those who came before us and add to it our personality, language, and Islam,’ he added.

Dr. Sheikh Sultan underscored the beginning of the second phase of the 33 government nurseries that targets all areas of Sharjah.

Upon his arrival, the Ruler of Sharjah unveiled t
he curtain to mark the opening of the Wasit Nursery building, and toured the nursery facilities, following the progress of the teaching process and the most prominent advanced educational methods used in the nursery. He met with the teaching staff who graduated from Sharjah Education Academy programmes.

The opening of the Wasit Nursery building comes as an extension of the Sharjah Nurseries Project, which is operated under the vision and directives of the Ruler of Sharjah and aims to establish and prepare integrated educational institutions that receive all children in the emirate and provide them with a distinguished educational experience. The building was designed to meet the highest international security and safety standards and ensure a safe, healthy, and attractive environment that encourages children to explore, play, and learn.

The building contains four infant care rooms, four classrooms, a paediatric clinic, a maternity room, indoor and outdoor play areas, play areas for each class, areas designa
ted for following the educational process inside the classroom, and an indoor gym.

On the sidelines of the opening, the Ruler of Sharjah witnessed the signing of two agreements between Sharjah Private Education Authority, Sharjah Education Academy, and the UK’s Childbase Partnership. The first agreement between Sharjah Education Academy and Childbase Partnership aims to enhance quality and develop the skills and competencies of the educational and administrative staff in Sharjah nurseries to give children an integrated educational, creative experience, in addition to supporting and preparing three orientation nurseries in the Emirate of Sharjah under the supervision of a specialised quality team from the organisation and providing a model practice that supports accelerating the quality of service so that these nurseries become centres of excellence and role models.

The second agreement signed between Sharjah Private Education Authority and Childbase Partnership aims to conduct visits to review the improveme
nt in the emirate’s 138 government and private nurseries within the Authority’s “Itqan” programme.

The signing of the two agreements is considered a step in celebrating the achievements of nurseries and spreading distinctive educational practices in them, in addition to identifying the aspects that need to be improved and updated in the necessary intervention plans to develop appropriate educational policies, through collecting data, information, and evidence about the performance of nurseries, which is an indicator for measuring the level of quality of nurseries in Emirate of Sharjah and the country.

The Ruler of Sharjah launched the new website for Sharjah Nurseries, which is considered an effective means of communication between nurseries and potential and current parents. It provides comprehensive and detailed information about the services and programmes provided in nurseries.

Source: Emirates News Agency

US provides USD 100 mln urgent aid to Sudan


The US announced late Sunday that it would be offering Sudan USD 100 million urgent relief aid consisting of food supplies for some five million people on the brink of famine.

A statement by the State Department said that the conflict in Sudan was one of the most dangerous crises in the world as the fighting between the Sudanese Army and the Rapid Response Forces continued to intensify.

The US, indicated the department, pledged USD 100 million additional aid to help millions of displaced by the ongoing conflict.

It indicated that some 25 million Sudanese, approximately half of the population, required humanitarian assistance as the continuation of infighting had decreased life-saving supplies of food and essential services.

It indicated partners of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) were successful in delivering urgent food and nutrition to around 6.7 million people in addition to drinkable and clean water supplies to over eight million people since the conflict erupted.

This
recent announcement of an additional USD 100 million brings the total number of US humanitarian assistance to Sudan to over USD one billion since the Sudanese conflict began.

Source: Kuwait News Agency

MadfooatCom leads list of 50 financial technology companies

Amman: MadfoatCom has emerged as a leader in the Middle East’s financial technology sector, securing the top position in the Top 50 Financial Technology Companies list by “Forbes Middle East” for the year 2024.

In a statement issued on Monday, MadfoatCom credited its achievement to the company’s steadfast commitment to innovation and the increasing adoption of electronic payment and money transfer solutions worldwide. The evaluation process by “Forbes Middle East” highlighted MadfoatCom’s innovative approach and its impact on the financial technology landscape.

MadfoatCom’s electronic platform, “eFAWATEERcom”, facilitated over 52.6 million transactions, representing a significant contribution to the region’s digital payment ecosystem with a total value surpassing $16.3 billion in the fiscal year 2023.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Sheikh Ahmad Al-Sabah appointed Prime Minister of Kuwait

Amman: Kuwait’s Emir on Monday appointed Ahmad Abdullah al-Ahmad al-Sabah as prime minister and asked him to form a new government, state news agency KUNA reported.

Former Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed Sabah al-Salem al-Sabah resigned in April only a few months after he was designated to form a government.

The Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshaal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, decreed that Sheikh Ahmad Al-Sabah be appointed Prime Minister and assigned to nominate members of the new cabinet, KUNA reported.

Source: Jordan News Agency