10 Saudi ministries, entities exhibiting at Cairo book fair

MAKKAH: A dedicated portal to receive applications to provide iftar meal services inside the Grand Mosque during Ramadan has been launched by The General Authority for the Care of the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque.

The service allows individuals to select one meal site and charitable organizations to apply for up to 10. It also requires the contracting of an authority-approved catering company and adherence to specified terms and conditions.

The authority has emphasized the need to provide low-calorie meals for individuals with chronic diseases and diabetes, making up 20 percent of individual meals and 30 percent of meals provided by charitable organizations.

Applications can be submitted through the authority’s website by visiting https://iam.alharamain.gov.sa/sso and selecting “iftar meal reservation system.”

Ramadan is expected to begin on the evening of either Feb.28 or March 1, depending on moon sighting in Saudi Arabia.

RIYADH: Italian Navy training vessel, the Amerigo Vespucci, will call at Jeddah on Monday for the first time, marking a historic moment in the ship’s 93-year history.

The vessel will dock from Jan. 27-30 at the Jeddah Yacht Club and Marina as part of its world tour.

During the tour, an initiative called “Villaggio Italia” will highlight Italian culture, beauty, naval training and maritime diplomacy, cuisine, science, research, technology, and industry through events and exhibitions.

As part of this, the “Italia Geniale” is a design presentation organized by the Italian Ministry of Business and Industry and the Ministry of Defense in collaboration with the ADI Design Museum.

The program features video and photography exhibitions, an Italian botanical garden display, and demonstrations of Italian craftsmanship and industry. The event will also host several meetings and seminars on tourism and Saudi-Italian relations, including a conference on the Blue and Space Economy. The conference will also address how sustainability, technological innovation and international cooperation can develop key sectors for economic and environmental progress.

Jeddah marks the vessel’s eighth stop after Los Angeles, Tokyo, Darwin, Singapore, Mumbai, Doha and Abu Dhabi. Known as “the most beautiful ship in the world,”, it represents Italy’s maritime heritage and rich naval traditions and serves as a symbol of Italian design excellence.