黑料社区

Digital solutions to support Hajj sacrifices this year

Adahi has finalized preparations at seven specialized field complexes spanning more than 1 million sq. meters. (SPA)
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Adahi has finalized preparations at seven specialized field complexes spanning more than 1 million sq. meters. (SPA)
Digital solutions to support Hajj sacrifices this year
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Adahi has finalized preparations at seven specialized field complexes spanning more than 1 million sq. meters. (SPA)
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Updated 03 June 2025

Digital solutions to support Hajj sacrifices this year

Adahi has finalized preparations at seven specialized field complexes spanning more than 1 million sq. meters. (SPA)
  • So far, 770,000 livestock have been received, surpassing the initial target of 750,000, with continuous deliveries from supplier farms underway

RIYADH: The National Platform for Charitable Work, Ehsan, continues to provide sacrificial animal services for the Hajj season in partnership with the Kingdom鈥檚 Project for the Utilization of Hady and Adahi.

The initiative offers pilgrims a seamless and reliable way to fulfill the ritual through trusted digital solutions, according to the Saudi Press Agency.




The operation is coordinated with more than 500 charitable and civil society organizations to ensure that sacrificial meat reaches those most in need, both locally and internationally. (SPA)

Adahi has finalized preparations at seven specialized field complexes spanning more than 1 million sq. meters. These are supported by more than 25,000 trained personnel, including 600 Islamic scholars, more than 500 veterinarians, 16,500 butchers and assistants, and 400 technicians.

Advanced technologies have been integrated into the operation, such as automated weighing, real-time tracking, and modern refrigeration and sterilization systems, to ensure the safety, quality, and efficiency of meat processing and distribution.

Sacrifices will be carried out at a rate of one every seven seconds using a fully digitized system, enabling donors 鈥 both inside and outside the Kingdom 鈥 to perform the ritual through the Ehsan platform with ease and peace of mind.

The project offers a secure, three-language website for the convenient purchase of sacrificial bonds, catering to people of diverse nationalities. So far, 770,000 livestock have been received, surpassing the initial target of 750,000, with continuous deliveries from supplier farms underway.

The upcoming humanitarian distribution will cover all 13 administrative regions of the Kingdom and extend to more than 27 countries worldwide. The operation is coordinated with more than 500 charitable and civil society organizations to ensure that sacrificial meat reaches those most in need, both locally and internationally.


Search continues for missing diver in Jeddah

Search continues for missing diver in Jeddah
Updated 10 August 2025

Search continues for missing diver in Jeddah

Search continues for missing diver in Jeddah
  • A relative of the missing man says sharks could be a factor in the incident

JEDDAH: A sweeping search-and-rescue operation is underway by Coastal Guards and volunteers in Jeddah a week after two Saudi men went missing during a diving trip in North Obhur. 

Wissam Al-Zahrani and Fahad Arafat set out for a recreational diving trip from the resort in North Obhur around 1:30 p.m. on Aug. 3. 

Concern arose when they failed to return after 8 hours and a missing persons鈥 report was filed at the Coastal Guard in Jeddah.

Search and rescue teams from the Jeddah Coastal Guard and diving volunteers were mobilized on the morning of Aug. 4. 

After several hours of intensive operation, rescuers found the body of Arafat on Aug. 5 with marks indicating that he had possibly been attacked by a shark.

Rescue efforts continue uninterrupted to find Al-Zahrani at of the time of writing. 

Speaking to Arab News, Baraa Al-Amoudi, a relative of Wissam, said: 鈥淲issam, a professional and experienced diver, had participated in a diving trip last Sunday afternoon with two of his colleagues, one of whom was his cousin, Ammar. The three of them went diving in the open sea. After completing the first dive, everyone went to the beach to rest. 

鈥淎mmar decided to leave the resort after the break. Wissam Al-Zahrani and his friend Fahad Arafat returned to the sea for a second dive 鈥 but neither of them came back to the surface after that.鈥

Al-Amoudi said: 鈥淓arly in the morning Wissam called me and told me that he and his friends are going to dive from the resort. 

鈥淎s an experienced diver, I warned him that it is a dangerous area but he insisted on going with his friends. Around 9 p.m. I received a call from my friends and they told me my brother and his friend, Fahad, are missing.鈥

He added: 鈥淲e are in a state of shock and it is a very painful and tragic incident to bear but we have faith in Allah鈥檚 will. Wissam was no stranger to the sea, but a professional who carried all the safety equipment. We do not know what happened underwater, but only God knows.鈥

Al- Amoudi said that Wissam, in particular, is a professional instructor and belongs to a family of diving professionals, suggesting that sharks at the site may have been a factor in the accident.

Fahad is a father of three and known for his good character and diving professionalism.

On Aug. 9, part of a torn diving suit was also found, along with diving goggles and an air cylinder, but the rest of the equipment and the body were not found, raising the family鈥檚 concern and increased the ambiguity and complexity of the situation.


Echoes of the lion鈥檚 roar found in 黑料社区鈥檚 ancient art

World Lion Day, held on Aug. 10, serves as a reminder of the lion鈥檚 cultural heritage and renews call for global conservation.
World Lion Day, held on Aug. 10, serves as a reminder of the lion鈥檚 cultural heritage and renews call for global conservation.
Updated 10 August 2025

Echoes of the lion鈥檚 roar found in 黑料社区鈥檚 ancient art

World Lion Day, held on Aug. 10, serves as a reminder of the lion鈥檚 cultural heritage and renews call for global conservation.

RIYADH: On World Lion Day, a global awareness event for the species鈥 decline, rock engravings in northern 黑料社区 offer rare evidence of a time when these majestic big cats might have lived in the region.

Although lions do not roam wild in the Kingdom, their presence and interactions with ancient societies were notable.

According to the Royal Commission of AlUla, numerous lion depictions in AlUla symbolize strength, royalty, nobility, and bravery. These include carved guardians of a tomb at Dadan, dating back about 2,500 years.

During the early to middle Holocene (8,000 to 4,000 years ago), the region was wetter and greener, and lions may have been widespread. Archaeological finds of early human activity in AlUla from this time period include lion engravings.

As the region dried, the lion habitat may have shrunk to mountainous zones in Yemen and along the western Arabian edge into Jordan, Syria and Iraq.

Eight locations across 黑料社区 show carvings of lions on rocks and mountains in AlUla and Hail province, including in Shwaimes in Hail region. (Supplied)

The commission cautions that, while compelling, the lion iconography in AlUla does not conclusively prove that the predators lived there, since such images were also common in places like Classical Europe and Imperial China.

According to the RCU, the last confirmed sighting of lions in 黑料社区 is currently unknown, but historical records allegedly support that lions persisted in Yemen into the early 20th century, and that the last known lions in Iraq were shot in 1918, with sightings in Iran in the 1940s.

While the RCU is engaged in reintroducing Arabian leopards to 黑料社区, there are no plans to bring back lions to the region.

Globally, lion populations have suffered severe declines: African lion numbers dropped by about 75 percent, with 43 percent of that loss occurring between 1990 and 2005.

World Lion Day, held on Aug. 10, serves as a reminder of the lion鈥檚 cultural heritage and renews the call for global conservation efforts to ensure their survival.


Japan鈥檚 ambassador visits international falcon auction

Japan鈥檚 ambassador visits international falcon auction
Updated 10 August 2025

Japan鈥檚 ambassador visits international falcon auction

Japan鈥檚 ambassador visits international falcon auction
  • Falconer of the Future pavilion aims to attract, educate young generation

RIYADH: Japan鈥檚 Ambassador to 黑料社区 Yasunari Morino on Saturday visited the International Falcon Breeders Auction in Malham, north of Riyadh.

Organized by the Saudi Falcons Club, the event runs until Aug. 25 and features leading falcon breeding farms from around the world.

The ambassador was received by Talal Al-Shamaisi, the CEO of the club, who briefed him on the auction and the participating local and international breeding farms.

The ambassador, accompanied by his delegation, toured the auction pavilions, viewed the falcon species on display and their feed, visited the participating farms鈥 pavilions and equipment sections, explored the Falconer of the Future pavilion, and took photos of some of the birds.

The International Falcon Breeders Auction is the largest event of its kind worldwide. It brings together elite falcon breeds from across the globe and serves as an annual destination for falconers and breeders.

Walid Al-Taweel, spokesperson for the Saudi Falcons Club, said that the auction was one of the best events of its kind as it featured 鈥渁 selection of high-quality breeds within a professionally organized and competitive environment, giving it an advantage over other markets.鈥

The auction has witnessed record-breaking sales over the past four years. Last year鈥檚 auction saw 872 birds changing hands for a combined value of more than SR10 million ($2.7 million), a 25 percent increase in revenue and a 36 percent rise in the number of birds sold from 2023.

On the opening night of this year鈥檚 event, two birds were sold for SR180,000.

Al-Taweel told Arab News that high-value sales had motivated falconers and enhanced their confidence in the event as a trusted global destination.

He said: 鈥淭he auction utilizes modern technologies in sales and medical examinations. It also features live broadcasting, which allows real-time viewing of the auction from around the world.鈥

The auction serves as a premier global platform for elite and championship-winning falcons, featuring rapid-fire bidding that connects breeders, falconers, and collectors from around the world.

Al-Taweel added that the auction seeks to preserve the heritage of falconry through the initiatives and events held annually by the Saudi Falcons Club, as well as programs that preserve the natural environment of the birds.

The auction supports the club鈥檚 vision to pioneer innovation in falconry breeding, conservation, and cultural preservation while promoting environmental awareness.

The club has also dedicated an interactive pavilion, titled Falconer of the Future, as part of the International Falcon Breeders Auction, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

It aims to introduce the young generation to the world of falconry by showcasing tools used for training and caring for the birds, as well as the best ways of hunting.

The club has organized special competitive rounds for young enthusiasts, enabling them to gain experience that simulates real falconry environments. Cash prizes and honors are awarded to the winners.

The pavilion offers practical information to help children understand the stages of training and handling falcons, contributing to raising early awareness.


Pottery fragments, stone tools dating back over 50,000 years discovered in Riyadh Province

Pottery fragments, stone tools dating back over 50,000 years discovered in Riyadh Province
Updated 10 August 2025

Pottery fragments, stone tools dating back over 50,000 years discovered in Riyadh Province

Pottery fragments, stone tools dating back over 50,000 years discovered in Riyadh Province
  • Saudi Heritage Commission completes archaeological survey

JEDDAH: The Saudi Heritage Commission has completed an archaeological survey and excavation at a site in Al-Qurainah, northwest of Riyadh, uncovering structures, artifacts, and evidence of human settlement over thousands of years.

The work, carried out in collaboration with a team of Saudi experts, is part of the commission鈥檚 efforts to document and protect national heritage sites, promoting them as cultural and economic assets for the Kingdom.

Excavations revealed circular structures resembling tombs from the third and second millennia BC, as well as an ancient road linking the valley to the plateau at Al-Qurainah and extending toward Riyadh.

Pottery fragments and stone tools were also found, some dating back over 50,000 years.

The project forms part of the Al-Yamamah initiative, which aims to redraw the archaeological map of Riyadh and its surrounding areas using advanced survey techniques.

The program focuses on documenting previously unexplored sites and analyzing patterns of human settlement through various periods of history.

The Heritage Commission said its survey and excavation work reflected its ongoing mission to safeguard 黑料社区鈥檚 heritage, which it described as the product of successive civilizations that have flourished in the region over millennia.


Heritage festival serves up Baha鈥檚 beloved muqana bread

Heritage festival serves up Baha鈥檚 beloved muqana bread
Updated 10 August 2025

Heritage festival serves up Baha鈥檚 beloved muqana bread

Heritage festival serves up Baha鈥檚 beloved muqana bread

RIYADH: Each region of the Kingdom preserves customs passed down through generations.

Muqana bread is a staple of Baha鈥檚 traditional cuisine, and local artisans prepare the dish at markets and heritage festivals, 鈥渄rawing large crowds,鈥 according to a Saudi Press Agency report.

Recognized as the region鈥檚 official dish by 黑料社区鈥檚 Culinary Arts Commission, muqana bread is prized for its distinctive flavor. At the recent eighth Alatawelah Heritage Festival there was a muqana pavilion, at which visitors could watch the bread being made.

Traditional bread maker Ahmed Al-Shuyukh explained that the dough, made from wheat flour, is flattened into a circle, baked on a heated rock, then covered with a clay or metal lid and buried in hot ash and embers until cooked.

This traditional method gives the bread a distinct smoky flavor and crisp texture, and it is often served with ghee, honey, or yogurt, Al-Shuyukh told the SPA.

The festival 鈥渟upports local artisans in the preservation of folk heritage, and promotes cultural tourism,鈥 according to the SPA.

Another section of the festival 鈥渃elebrated the traditional work of women, showcasing their historic contributions to family and community life,鈥 by featuring presentations of food preparation, wool spinning, basket and mat weaving, and firewood collection.

鈥淵oung girls demonstrated these skills for visitors, offering a glimpse into rural life of the past,鈥 the SPA added.