New safety wristbands launched for children at Makkah’s Grand Mosque
Riyadh: Authorities in Saudi Arabia have introduced a new safety measure to protect the youngest visitors at the Grand Mosque in Makkah by distributing free identification wristbands to families.
This initiative, led by the General Authority for the Care of the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque, aims to prevent children from getting lost in the massive crowds and ensures they can be quickly reunited with their guardians if they wander off. By providing a simple way for staff to contact parents immediately, the program offers peace of mind to pilgrims during the busy Umrah and Hajj seasons.
The process for obtaining a bracelet is straightforward and designed for convenience, as families can pick them up directly upon arrival at the mosque’s main entrances. There is no need for online registration or any advance payment, as the service is completely free.
According to reports, dedicated desks have been set up at major entry points, such as the King Abdulaziz Gate and King Fahd Gate, where staff members help parents fill out the necessary details.
The child’s name and a guardian’s mobile phone number are recorded on the band, which is then securely fastened to the child’s wrist before they enter the prayer areas.
While the system is available for all visitors, officials especially urge parents to use it during peak times like Ramadan or the annual Hajj pilgrimage when the crowds are most dense.
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Andhra to be developed as knowledge, creator economy hub: CM Naidu
New Delhi/Amaravati (PTI): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday said the state is taking steps to transform itself into a knowledge and creator economy hub with a strong focus on artificial intelligence and quantum technology.
He noted that Andhra Pradesh has abundant tech-driven youth and the government is formulating plans to train them in futuristic technologies with support from global technology firms.
"Our goal is to transform Andhra Pradesh into a knowledge hub by focusing on AI, quantum computing, data centres, drone cities and space cities. The youth will remain our biggest asset over the next 25 years, and we seek global partnerships to scale up the creator economy," said Naidu during his interactions at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in Delhi.
Naidu, who participated in the summit in the national capital, also held meetings with several global technology leaders and industrialists to explore collaborations in artificial intelligence, clean energy and innovation ecosystems.
He met Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen, Autodesk AI Head Mike Haley, Aramco India Director Abdul Rehman AiThukair, LEGO Education Vice President Tom Hall, Aadhaar Founder and CTO Srikanth Nadhamuni, Khosla Ventures Managing Partner Vinod Khosla and others at the AP Pavilion.
The chief minister also held discussions with Saudi Aramco representatives on clean energy projects, including solar initiatives, and invited the company to expand operations in Andhra Pradesh, stating that the state is highly suitable for green energy production.
He sought support from NVIDIA Vice President Callista Redmond for establishing AI Living Labs and proposed partnerships through the Ratan Tata Innovation Hub to promote youth innovation, including collaborations with IIT Tirupati and Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Tirupati under the Andhra Pradesh Future Innovation and Research for Science and Technology (AP FIRST) initiative.
Naidu urged Autodesk leadership to support the development of Global Capability Centres in design engineering and requested the establishment of an Innovation Academy in Amaravati aligned with quantum technology, besides proposing AI and robotics learning labs in partnership with LEGO Education.
He also discussed AI-driven smart governance solutions with Quantela Inc Chairman Sridhar Gadhi, while World Bank Group Digital AI Regional Director Mahesh Uttamchandani met Naidu on the sidelines of the summit.
Following the meetings, Naidu visited various exhibition stalls at the summit, including those of NVIDIA, Tata, Intel and Microsoft, and reviewed AI applications across agriculture, healthcare and industry.
