Madinah sees a 124% rise in tourism as it prepares over 100 cultural sites, amid regional tensions with Houthis' UN employee detentions and calls for investigation into an Israeli strike in Beirut.
In a significant milestone for Madinah, the city welcomed over 14.1 million tourists in 2023, marking a 124% increase since 2014, with visitors drawn to religious and archaeological sites like the Prophet's Mosque. Moreover, the Al-Madinah Region Development Authority is preparing over 100 sites to enrich visitors' cultural experiences.
Meanwhile, UN envoy Hans Grundberg is urging the Houthis to release detained UN employees, as ongoing detentions hinder the peace process, amid unverified claims of a Houthi missile targeting Tel Aviv, intended to pressure Israel over its activities in Gaza and Lebanon.
This comes as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights condemned a deadly Israeli strike near a Beirut hospital, killing 18 people, including children, and called for an investigation amidst the escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, which has claimed over 1,550 lives since September.
On another front, a survey reveals that Arab Americans prioritize Palestinian concerns despite economic struggles, with 26% focusing on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict even as many appear inclined to vote for
Donald Trump, showing tension between foreign policy concerns and economic pressures.
In London, a jury acquitted police officer Sgt. Martyn Blake in the 2022 shooting of Chris Kaba, an unarmed Black motorist with a violent background, sparking debate as jurors were not informed of Kaba's gang involvement, amid broader concerns of racism within the police force.
Finally, embracing Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah has opened maritime studies to female students for the first time, signaling a transformative step towards expanding women's roles in professions like marine engineering and navigation.