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KSrelief-funded project helping save lives in Somali displacement camps

KSrelief-funded project helping save lives in Somali displacement camps
Internally displaced Somali children gather outside their makeshift shelters at the Ladan camp for internally displaced people (IDP) in Dollow, Somalia, May 1, 2023. (Reuters)
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Updated 1 min 30 sec ago

KSrelief-funded project helping save lives in Somali displacement camps

KSrelief-funded project helping save lives in Somali displacement camps
  • Scheme involves construction of 750 sanitation facilities across 5 zones
  • Initiative exemplifies fund’s vital humanitarian role, ARCO chief says

RIYADH: A project funded by the Saudi aid agency KSrelief is helping to provide vital sanitation and water facilities to thousands of families living in displacement camps across Somalia.

Abdullah Al-Muhaidli, secretary-general of the Arab Red Crescent and Red Cross Organization, said the project was vital in tackling an urgent humanitarian need.

The initiative exemplified the vital role KSrelief played in supporting both Arab and international humanitarian efforts and partnering with other agencies, he said.

The lack of proper sanitation facilities and clean water poses a significant threat to the health and well-being of people living in displacement camps.

ARCO, represented on the ground by the Somali Red Crescent Society, is providing oversight of the project, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

SRCS President Yusuf Hassan said the scheme involved the construction of 750 sanitation facilities in Mogadishu, Baidoa, Kismayo, Galkayo and Bosaso.

He said the project represented a “leap†in efforts to improve environmental sanitation and curb the spread of diseases linked to inadequate water services, particularly in camps hosting thousands of families affected by conflict and drought.

He thanked KSrelief for its continued support for humanitarian projects in the Arab and Islamic world and for its efforts to serve displaced people.


Saudi Fund for Development to give Syria 1.65 million barrels of crude oil

The Saudi Fund for Development will give the Syrian Arab Republic 1.65 million barrels of crude oil. (SPA)
The Saudi Fund for Development will give the Syrian Arab Republic 1.65 million barrels of crude oil. (SPA)
Updated 16 sec ago

Saudi Fund for Development to give Syria 1.65 million barrels of crude oil

The Saudi Fund for Development will give the Syrian Arab Republic 1.65 million barrels of crude oil. (SPA)
  • A memorandum of understanding was signed between the Saudi Fund for Development and the Syrian Ministry of Energy
  • The grant will contribute to enhancing the operation of Syrian refineries and achieving operational and financial sustainability

RIYADH: The Saudi Fund for Development will give the Syrian Arab Republic 1.65 million barrels of crude oil, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday.

A memorandum of understanding was signed between the Saudi Fund for Development and the Syrian Ministry of Energy.

The grant will contribute to enhancing the operation of Syrian refineries and achieving operational and financial sustainability, support economic development and address economic challenges in Syria.

This will foster the growth of vital sectors and support national and international efforts to achieve sustainable development goals, SPA said.

The grant, issued on the directives of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, reflects the Kingdom’s efforts to contribute to improving the living conditions of the Syrian people.


º£½ÇÖ±²¥â€™s FII Institute to host summit in Tokyo

º£½ÇÖ±²¥â€™s FII Institute to host summit in Tokyo
Updated 3 min 59 sec ago

º£½ÇÖ±²¥â€™s FII Institute to host summit in Tokyo

º£½ÇÖ±²¥â€™s FII Institute to host summit in Tokyo
  • Focus on pacts, investment at FII PRIORITY Asia Summit from Nov. 30 to Dec. 1

RIYADH: º£½ÇÖ±²¥â€™s Future Investment Initiative Institute announced on Thursday that its FII PRIORITY Asia Summit will take place in Tokyo from Nov. 30 to Dec. 1.

The Saudi Press Agency reported that the Tokyo summit will highlight partnerships and investment opportunities between Asia and the world, with a special focus on the GCC.

“We are honored to bring the FII PRIORITY Summit to Tokyo. Japan’s respected standing in the global economy, coupled with its commitment to innovation and sustainable development, makes it the ideal host,†Richard Attias, acting CEO and chairman of the executive committee at the FII Institute, stated.

“Together, we will highlight how collaboration with Asia can generate solutions that strengthen resilience and prosperity worldwide,†he added.

The presenting partner for the Tokyo summit is Japanese financial institution Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation Group.

The SPA added that the full program will be released in the new few weeks.

The FII Institute was founded by º£½ÇÖ±²¥â€™s Public Investment Fund and hosts the FII PRIORITY series to spotlight global leaders.


KSrelief distributes food to 6,197 people in Lebanon and Sudan

KSrelief distributes food to 6,197 people in Lebanon and Sudan
Updated 11 September 2025

KSrelief distributes food to 6,197 people in Lebanon and Sudan

KSrelief distributes food to 6,197 people in Lebanon and Sudan
  • The aid is an extension of º£½ÇÖ±²¥â€™s humanitarian efforts to alleviate the suffering of those in need worldwide

RIYADH: º£½ÇÖ±²¥â€™s aid agency KSrelief has distributed more than 1,000 food parcels to those most in need in Lebanon and Sudan.

A total of 456 packages of food aid were distributed among 2,280 people in Lebanon recently, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday.

Meanwhile, a further 580 food aid parcels were sent to displaced families returning to Bahri in Sudan’s Khartoum State, benefiting 3,917 individuals.

The aid is an extension of º£½ÇÖ±²¥â€™s humanitarian efforts to alleviate the suffering of those in need worldwide.


Suhail star heralds end of summer in º£½ÇÖ±²¥

Suhail star heralds end of summer in º£½ÇÖ±²¥
Updated 11 September 2025

Suhail star heralds end of summer in º£½ÇÖ±²¥

Suhail star heralds end of summer in º£½ÇÖ±²¥
  • Bright star's appearance signals the beginning of the rainy season and the land’s revival
  • Suhail is the Arabic name of Canopus, known to be the second brightest star in the sky after Sirius

RAFHA: Why is the appearance of the Suhail star celebrated in some parts of º£½ÇÖ±²¥?

According to Berjis Al-Fulaih, a member of the Afaq Society for Astronomy, when the star becomes visible, it signals the end of summer’s intense heat and the start of cooler temperatures.

It marks an important seasonal event for Arabs that heralds the beginning of the rainy season and the land’s revival, Al-Fulaih told the Saudi Press Agency.

Suhail is the Arabic name of Canopus, known to be the second-brightest star in the sky after Sirius.

Suhail is the Arabic name of Canopus, known to be the second brightest star in the sky after Sirius. (SPA)

According to astronomers, Canopus is actually much more luminous than Sirius, but because Sirius is only 8.6 light-years away from the Earth, it appears brighter. In contrast, Canopus is about 310 light-years away.

Al-Fulaih said Suhail is observed with the naked eye in the southern half of the Arabian Peninsula on Aug. 24 every year, and becomes clearly visible in the north of the Kingdom on Sept. 8.

The Suhail star has since antiquity served as a guide for farmers in the Arab world to prepare for agricultural activities. Sailors and travelers also relied on it for navigation, and it has inspired Arab poetry and folklore.

Lasting 52 days, what is known as the Suhail season brings about gentle winds and clouds, according to a previous SPA report.

During this season, the weather becomes pleasant at night, while remaining hot during part of the day. By the end of the season, daytime temperatures become more comfortable.

“One of the signs coinciding with Suhail’s emergence is the decline in the angle of the sun’s rays. The days gradually get shorter and cool down significantly at the end of the night. That is why Arabs were looking forward to the rise of this star,†the report explained.

The appearance of Suhail is celebrated in the Northern Borders Region, which launched the 2025 Suhail Nights Festival earlier this month. It is also celebrated with cultural events in the highland city of Taif, in the western part of the Kingdom.


º£½ÇÖ±²¥ receives hosting flag for international prosecutors’ conference

º£½ÇÖ±²¥ receives hosting flag for international prosecutors’ conference
Updated 10 September 2025

º£½ÇÖ±²¥ receives hosting flag for international prosecutors’ conference

º£½ÇÖ±²¥ receives hosting flag for international prosecutors’ conference
  • IAP's 31st Annual Conference to be held in Riyadh in November next year

RIYADH: º£½ÇÖ±²¥â€™s Attorney General Sheikh Saud bin Abdullah Al-Mujib received the hosting flag for the 31st Annual Conference and General Meeting of the International Association of Prosecutors (IAP) from his Singaporean counterpart Lucien Wong.

In his speech, Al-Mujib noted that the event reflects the Kingdom’s dedication to developing justice institutions, reinforcing the values of the rule of law, protecting rights, and enhancing international cooperation, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The 31st conference will be held under the theme “The Criminal Justice System in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: Opportunities, Challenges, and Global Applications†in Riyadh on November 15-18, 2026.

"In addition to the important global dialogue on this timely and relevant topic, the conference offers a unique opportunity to engage with and learn more about the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region, which the IAP has only visited on a limited basis to date," the IAP said on its website.

A non-governmental and non-political organization, the IAP has over 170 members, including associations of prosecutors, prosecution authorities and crime prevention agencies. It represents over 250,000 prosecutors around the world.