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Saudi Arabia Prepares Plan to Control Ports, Food Facilities during Hajj Season

SFDA
SFDA
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Saudi Arabia Prepares Plan to Control Ports, Food Facilities during Hajj Season

SFDA
SFDA

Riyadh- The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has intensified its monitoring and awareness programs in Makkah and Madinah regions, coinciding with the arrival of the pilgrims, in order to ensure the safety of the pilgrims' food and the safety and efficiency of the devices and medicinal products they use.

Executive Chairman of the SFDA Hisham al-Juzaei said in a statement Wednesday that the authority has developed an integrated plan for this year’s Hajj season, including intensifying the control role in ports and increasing inspection campaigns for food establishments and catering restaurants serving pilgrims.

Juzaei added that the authority has dedicated a large part of its activities during the Hajj season to raise the awareness of the pilgrims in Madinah and Makkah in the best means to prevent food poisoning and diseases transmitted by food, provide advice for keeping the medicine and ensuring its effectiveness and the use of medical devices and products.

The SFDA plan includes the inspection of food, medicine and medical equipment through a number of air ports (the city of pilgrims at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah and Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah), Jeddah Islamic port and the land borders (Batha border, Haditha border, the Ammar border, Judaidah port at Arar, and Wadiah border).

It also include health control of the food facilities in cooperation with the Secretariat of the Holy Capital and the Secretariat of Madinah Region, participation in the work of the Quartet to investigate incidents of food poisoning in Madinah area, preparation of field studies related to food safety and assessment of the status of food establishments.

SFDA launched an integrated plan to raise awareness about the safety of food, medicines and medical devices during this year’s Hajj season. It includes awareness campaigns through social media, distribution of awareness leaflets to pilgrims at airports and awareness lectures for employees in food establishments, contributing in reducing the cases of food poisoning.

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Gulf

Bahrain Busts Cell for Collaborating with Iran

General view of capital Manama, Bahrain, October 30, 2022. (Reuters)
General view of capital Manama, Bahrain, October 30, 2022. (Reuters)
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Bahrain Busts Cell for Collaborating with Iran

General view of capital Manama, Bahrain, October 30, 2022. (Reuters)
General view of capital Manama, Bahrain, October 30, 2022. (Reuters)

Bahrain announced on Monday the arrest of a several individuals for collaborating with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps.

The Public Prosecution said they were found to have been involved with Iranian intelligence and the IRGC.

They were tasked by foreign parties to monitor vital installations inside the kingdom and collecting detailed information about them that they relayed to the parties so that they can be targeted in attacks.

They were also tasked with taking photos of the site of the attacks.

The detainees indeed carried out these tasks, said the Public Prosecution following their interrogation.

On the ground, Bahrain’s defenses intercepted and downed two drones in the past 24 hours.

Bahrain has destroyed 188 rockets and 468 drones since the eruption of the US-Israel war on Iran.

World

Taiwan Opposition Leader Heads to China in What She Calls a ‘Journey for Peace’

FILE PHOTO: Kuomintang (KMT) Chairperson Cheng Li-wun speaks to the media ahead of her trip to China, in Taipei, Taiwan March 30, 2026. REUTERS/Ann Wang/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Kuomintang (KMT) Chairperson Cheng Li-wun speaks to the media ahead of her trip to China, in Taipei, Taiwan March 30, 2026. REUTERS/Ann Wang/File Photo
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Taiwan Opposition Leader Heads to China in What She Calls a ‘Journey for Peace’

FILE PHOTO: Kuomintang (KMT) Chairperson Cheng Li-wun speaks to the media ahead of her trip to China, in Taipei, Taiwan March 30, 2026. REUTERS/Ann Wang/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Kuomintang (KMT) Chairperson Cheng Li-wun speaks to the media ahead of her trip to China, in Taipei, Taiwan March 30, 2026. REUTERS/Ann Wang/File Photo

Taiwan opposition leader Cheng Li-wun is heading to China on Tuesday at the invitation of President Xi Jinping, in what she calls a “journey for peace” as Beijing calls for the self-ruled island to come under its control.

The visit is the first by a Taiwanese opposition leader in a decade and comes ahead of a meeting in Beijing between Xi and US President Donald Trump scheduled to take place in May.

Before leaving Taipei, the chairwoman of the Kuomintang told reporters that Taiwan must spare no effort to prevent war and seize any opportunity to promote peace, The Associated Press said.

China claims the self-ruled island as its own territory and has not ruled out the use of force to take it.

“The purpose of this visit to mainland China is precisely to show the world that it is not just Taiwan that unilaterally hopes for peace,” Cheng said.

“I believe that through this journey for peace, everyone is even more eager to see the sincerity and determination of the CPC Central Committee to use peaceful dialogue and exchange to resolve all possible differences between the two sides,” she added, referring to the initials of the Communist Party of China.

A few dozen supporters and detractors of Cheng showed up at Taipei’s airport, chanting and holding signs.

The Trump administration in December announced a massive package of arms sales to Taiwan valued at more than $10 billion that includes medium-range missiles, howitzers and drones, angering Beijing.

Beijing prohibits all its diplomatic partners, including the US, from maintaining formal ties with Taipei. The US is the island’s strongest informal backer and arms provider, and the arms sale is expected to be discussed at the Xi-Trump summit.

In a call in February between Xi and Trump, the Chinese leader said that “Taiwan will never be allowed to separate from China,” according to a Chinese government statement about the conversation released at the time. “The US must handle the issue of arms sales to Taiwan with prudence,” it added.

Beijing also said that the “Taiwan question is the most important issue in China-US relations.”

China has been sending warplanes and naval vessels toward Taiwan on a near-daily basis, and its military recently staged two major military exercises around the island. The most recent exercise was in December, after the US announcement of the arms sales, and involved the deployment of air, naval and missile units for a joint live-fire drill.

The US State Department said such activities “increase tensions unnecessarily” and called on Beijing to cease military pressure against Taiwan.

China does not engage with Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te, describing him as a separatist.

Cheng will be in China at a time when the opposition-controlled parliament has stalled attempts by Taiwan’s government to pass a $40 billion special defense budget.

World

Japanese National Detained in Iran in January Released on Bail

Japanese government spokesman Minoru Kihara (Reuters)
Japanese government spokesman Minoru Kihara (Reuters)
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Japanese National Detained in Iran in January Released on Bail

Japanese government spokesman Minoru Kihara (Reuters)
Japanese government spokesman Minoru Kihara (Reuters)

A Japanese national detained in Iran has been released on bail, Japan's top government spokesperson said on Tuesday.

The individual was detained on January 20 and released on bail on Monday, and appears to have ‌no health issues, ‌Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru ‌Kihara ⁠told a press ⁠briefing without providing further details such as identity or charges, according to Reuters.

In February, Radio Free Europe reported that public broadcaster NHK's Tehran bureau chief ⁠Shinnosuke Kawashima had been arrested ‌in ‌Iran and transferred to a local ‌prison.

At the time, NHK ‌said "there is nothing we can answer at this stage" and that staff safety was a top ‌priority.

Japan's government later confirmed a Japanese national had been ⁠detained ⁠in Iran and that it had been in contact with the person's family and Iranian authorities.

Iran has been under fire since the US and Israel began hostilities against the Middle Eastern country on February 28.