Hail Regional Museum...A Tour Through Time During 'Saudi Winter'

The exterior design of Saudi Arabia's Hail Regional Museum - Asharq Al-Awsat
The exterior design of Saudi Arabia's Hail Regional Museum - Asharq Al-Awsat
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Hail Regional Museum...A Tour Through Time During 'Saudi Winter'

The exterior design of Saudi Arabia's Hail Regional Museum - Asharq Al-Awsat
The exterior design of Saudi Arabia's Hail Regional Museum - Asharq Al-Awsat

Hail Regional Museum has been garnering more attention since it was highlighted among the Saudi Winter’s list of private sector tourist sites.

The museum, whose identity is influenced by the Hail urban and heritage identity, is home to antiquities and its other historical items from the governorate. They are displayed according to their chronological sequence, starting with the prehistoric era, then the epoch of the first civilizations that settled in each region, and finally with the modern era. The historically comprehensive exhibit features various crafts and traditional industries, and it is designed to attract audience of all ages.

Around 1,500 square meters large, the museum has many sections. A section of the museum is dedicated to Hail’s geology, with samples of its rock formations on display, accompanied by explanation of their chronology and the region’s natural diversity.

The museum, with its beautiful art pieces, unique historical objects, ancient scripts and artifacts, is a significant addition to the cultural and art scene in the region that gives visitors the opportunity to stroll through different eras and learn about the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s civilizational heritage.

The museum has several halls, each of which exhibits a diverse “historical narrative.”

The hall dedicated to Hail’s history and geology shows samples of rocks from the region, with a focus on metallurgy sites, mines and the region’s botany and zoology. Visitors can also go to the pre-Islamic era in the hall dedicated to it, which starts from the stone ages and ends with Jahiliya; this hall includes tools and pottery, as well as inscriptions and engravings, from the stone age.

As for the Hail Through History Hall, it exhibits paintings, texts, pictures and scripts. And the region’s heritage, with its traditional industries, is on display in Hail Heritage Hall, as are its folkloric clothing, jewelry, cooking utensils and agricultural tools... as well as other components of local heritage. Education also has its own hall; the Education in Hail Hall tells the story of the first schools to open in the region and an array of old books, films and letters.

The Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage included over 17 sites in its Saudi Winter campaign, which offers over 300 touristic experiences provided by over travel and tour agencies so that visitors can discover the Kingdom’s diverse geography and attractive winter climate.



Passenger Forced to Run Along London Platform with Hand Trapped in Doors of Moving Train

A train on the Elizabeth line, which opened in May 2022. Photograph: Philip Toscano/PA
A train on the Elizabeth line, which opened in May 2022. Photograph: Philip Toscano/PA
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Passenger Forced to Run Along London Platform with Hand Trapped in Doors of Moving Train

A train on the Elizabeth line, which opened in May 2022. Photograph: Philip Toscano/PA
A train on the Elizabeth line, which opened in May 2022. Photograph: Philip Toscano/PA

An investigation has been launched after a rail passenger was forced to run several metres along the platform with his hand trapped inside the doors of a moving train in west London.

The passenger, who was trying to board an Elizabeth line service just after midnight, had his hand caught in the door as it began to depart, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) said on 24 December, The Guardian reported.

He was then forced to run alongside the moving train for several metres until a member of railway staff who was working on the platform at Ealing Broadway station pulled him away.

Nearby passengers alerted the driver and the train stopped after moving about 17 metres. The passenger is reported to have sustained minor injuries, the RAIB confirmed.

The “trap and drag” incident, which took place on 24 November at about 12.07am, is the latest case of a rail passenger having to run alongside trains with their hand or arm trapped in doors at stations. Previous incidents took place at Enfield Town, north London, in July; Seven Sisters, north London, in June 2022; Bushey, Hertfordshire, in March 2018; and Newcastle Central in 2013.

The RAIB investigation will consider factors such as if anything influenced the actions of those involved, and how risks associated with passengers boarding and alighting Elizabeth line trains are managed. It will publish its findings, including any recommendations to improve safety.

Elizabeth line services are operated by MTR Elizabeth line under a concession from Transport for London.

A TfL spokesperson said: “We’re sorry that our customer experienced this distressing incident. Safety is our top priority and our operator, MTR Elizabeth line, is currently carrying out a thorough investigation.

“We will always strive to learn from incidents and improve operational safety. MTR Elizabeth line is fully co-operating with the RAIB to establish the root cause of this incident to determine what steps they can take to avoid any further events of this nature and to share learnings with the industry.

“While serious injuries on our network are rare, we are undertaking a huge range of work aimed at eradicating such incidents and making travelling even safer for everyone.”