Medinah Pays Tribute to Nujood with its Newest Hospital

The Governor of Madinah inspecting the hospital's wards (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Governor of Madinah inspecting the hospital's wards (Asharq Al-Awsat)
TT

Medinah Pays Tribute to Nujood with its Newest Hospital

The Governor of Madinah inspecting the hospital's wards (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Governor of Madinah inspecting the hospital's wards (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Prince Faisal bin Salman, the Governor of Madinah, named the newly opened COVID-19 field hospital in the city after Nujood Al-Khaibari, who passed away in June after having contracted the novel coronavirus while on the frontline of the battle against the virus.

The Nujood Medical Center, part of the King Fahd Hospital, was built in partnership with the energy company ACWA Power. Equipped with the latest medical tools and equipment for treating the novel coronavirus, the hospital has 20 intensive care units, 100 beds, 40 ventilators, and 100 oxygen devices.

It also includes a general treatment center with a capacity of 80 beds, testing laboratories, a research and pharmaceutical services laboratory, in addition to an auxiliary diagnostic services department that provides patients with safe treatment that adheres to the highest safety and security standards.

Prince Faisal said that the hospital’s name, as proposed by Health Minister Dr. Tawfic Al-Rabiah, pays tribute to the Saudi nurse who passed away while taking care of coronavirus patients. He went on to thank Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman for leading the project and ACWA Power for establishing the hospital as part of the national energy system’s social responsibility initiatives.

Dr. Rabiah expressed his gratitude for the approval of his proposal, which he says commemorates Nujood, the first nurse to die from COVID-19. "This demonstrates the appreciation for the prominent role nurses play in providing the best health services in our dear countries."

For his part, the CEO of ACWA Power, Mohammed Abunayyan, stressed the company’s commitment to its social responsibilities and said that it has been dedicating all of its material capabilities and expertise to facing the challenges imposed by the virus, allowing it to finish building the field hospital equipped with the needed tools and armed with the needed professionals in record speed and before the assigned date for completion.

He also praised the role played by young national talents, who were involved in every phase of the project.



Oil Spill off Oman Reportedly Reaches Mainland, Says UN Agency

A satellite image shows an oil spill off the coast of Oman, August 11, 2026. (European Union/Copernicus Sentinel-3/Handout via Reuters)
A satellite image shows an oil spill off the coast of Oman, August 11, 2026. (European Union/Copernicus Sentinel-3/Handout via Reuters)
TT

Oil Spill off Oman Reportedly Reaches Mainland, Says UN Agency

A satellite image shows an oil spill off the coast of Oman, August 11, 2026. (European Union/Copernicus Sentinel-3/Handout via Reuters)
A satellite image shows an oil spill off the coast of Oman, August 11, 2026. (European Union/Copernicus Sentinel-3/Handout via Reuters)

An oil spill from a tanker that ran aground off Oman's coast has reportedly begun reaching the mainland, as monsoon winds obstructs containment efforts, the United Nations' maritime agency said Wednesday.

An AFP investigation had earlier found that the ship had been stranded for weeks near Oman's al-Qibliyyah island after it was rocked by explosions.

"The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is closely monitoring the oil leakage from the crude oil tanker CAROLINE BEZENGI, which grounded off the coast of Oman on 30 June 2026 and is currently around 22 nautical miles offshore of Sharbithat, Oman," a spokesperson for the agency said.

"Oil is drifting offshore to the northeast of Al-Qibliyyah Island with some oil reported to be reaching the mainland," the spokesperson said, adding that "the seasonal monsoon has limited access to the vessel and delayed salvage operations".

The Oman News Agency (ONA) meanwhile quoted authorities as saying that "today's monitoring results showed that some beaches in the Ras Madrakah area were affected by oil pollution", on the sultanate's southeastern coast.

Oman on Monday said it was working to contain the spill, which had affected roughly 390 square kilometers (150 square miles), according to the most recent analysis from the country's environment agency.

The slick was concentrated around Oman's Hallaniyat archipelago off the country's southern coast, where a marine reserve was established last year to protect sensitive ecosystems home to diverse marine life, including rare sea turtles.

Omani authorities have not yet identified the cause of the spill. But British maritime security company Vanguard told AFP last week that the tanker was rocked by explosions in early June as it sailed off the coast of Yemen, causing water to enter several sections of the vessel.

Advocacy groups Greenpeace and PAX told AFP that the spill was on the verge of causing an "environmental disaster", saying the tanker was carrying around one million barrels of crude.

The ship is believed to be part of Russia's "shadow fleet", which Moscow uses to circumvent Western sanctions on its oil exports.

The fleet includes ageing vessels that have faced criticism over maintenance, insurance and safety standards.

Tankers have been frequently targeted in the Gulf region over recent months as the US exchanged fire with Iran and its allied proxies.


Saudi Foreign Minister Discusses Regional Developments with Egyptian Counterpart

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah in Moscow on July 4, 2025. (Reuters)
Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah in Moscow on July 4, 2025. (Reuters)
TT

Saudi Foreign Minister Discusses Regional Developments with Egyptian Counterpart

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah in Moscow on July 4, 2025. (Reuters)
Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah in Moscow on July 4, 2025. (Reuters)

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah received a phone call from Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Egyptian Expatriates of the Arab Republic of Egypt Dr. Badr Abdelatty, SPA reported.

During the call, they discussed the latest developments in the region and efforts to enhance its security and stability.


Kuwait Foils Terrorist Plot Targeting Vital Facility

Kuwait City (KUNA)
Kuwait City (KUNA)
TT

Kuwait Foils Terrorist Plot Targeting Vital Facility

Kuwait City (KUNA)
Kuwait City (KUNA)

Kuwait's Ministry of Interior announced Wednesday that it had foiled a terrorist plot targeting a vital facility in the country and arrested a Kuwaiti national affiliated with the terrorist organization ISIS before he could carry out the plot, following security monitoring and surveillance operations.

The ministry said in a statement that security investigations revealed that the suspect had received training in the manufacture of explosives and drones and had built a drone for use in carrying out his terrorist plot and targeting a vital facility in the country, SPA reported.

It said security authorities had taken the necessary legal measures against the suspect and referred him to the competent authorities to complete the investigation and take the measures prescribed by law.

The Ministry of Interior affirmed that its security agencies would continue to carry out proactive operations to monitor and counter any activities or plots that could threaten the country's security and stability. It stressed that it "will not tolerate anyone who seeks to undermine national security or the safety of citizens and residents."

The ministry stressed that security agencies would deal firmly with any suspicious activities within the framework of the law, reaffirming their continued efforts to thwart security threats before they develop into acts targeting the country's security and vital facilities.