RIYADH: An “Imagine Monet” exhibition, which began on Friday as part of Jeddah Season 2024, is giving Saudis an interactive showcase of 200 of Claude Monet’s most celebrated works, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday. The exhibition features more than 200 paintings enhanced through modern technology, with 360-degree projections on walls and floor, courtesy of advanced Image Totale technology. It is a journey through the French artist’s career, highlighting Monet’s genius and profound grasp of light and color.

RIYADH: Riyadh Gov. Prince Faisal bin Bandar met with the recently appointed Ambassador of Sri Lanka Omar Lee Ameer Ajwad on Sunday in Riyadh. During the meeting, they discussed bilateral ties and cooperation. Ajwad praised the Kingdom’s recent developments and the success of the 2024 Hajj season. Prince Faisal wished the Sri Lankan ambassador success in his diplomatic mission.    

MAKKAH: In the depths of the Red Sea lies a world of wonder that professional Saudi diver Faisal Abdulsalam describes as a “blue treasure trove teeming with life and secrets.” Abdulsalam, who spends a lot of time underwater, told Arab News that the experience is transformative for him, dispelling negative energy and revitalizing his life.

JEDDAH: City Walk is back with the theme “Once Again,” and boasting a new zone, Cairo Nights, which is a portal into the lively streets of the Egyptian capital. This year’s season includes new attractions and zones, while others have been renamed and rearranged to bring a fresh new experience for visitors.

RIYADH: The General Directorate of Civil Defense warned people against keeping flammable materials in their vehicles during the Kingdom’s summer heat. The directorate said that portable chargers, phone batteries, gas canisters, perfumes, bottles of hand sanitizer, and other flammable materials should not be left in vehicles in the heat in order to prevent fires. Saudi Arabia is witnessing climate change at an accelerated pace compared to other regions, a 2023 report written by the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology has said.

RIYADH: The Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission organized a seminar on Sunday titled "The Role of Saudi Arabia in Teaching Arabic in Korea” at the Seoul International Book Fair 2024, where Saudi Arabia was the guest of honor. The event featured Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al-Dayel, the cultural attache at the Saudi embassy, who emphasized the profound historical importance of the Arabic language, Saudi Press Agency reported.

MADINAH: The Madinah region continues to attract visitors to numerous rural farms that have become popular natural retreats. These locations have been developed to accommodate individuals and groups, providing guided tours and entertainment programs, along with a variety of food outlets. Visitors to the rural farms can take part in a range of activities and programs. These include educational sessions on farming methods and crop care; insights into daily farm operations; and displays of various date varieties and other agricultural products.

RIYADH: The Saudi Ministry of Justice has said the Virtual Enforcement Court in the Kingdom has received more than 110,000 requests that were automatically processed and completed during 2024, while the number of services provided to enforcement parties reached more than 2 million. The Virtual Enforcement Court reduces enforcement procedures from 12 steps to two without human intervention, saving resources and visit times.

RIYADH: The King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity, “Mawhiba,” today launched its 2024 summer enrichment initiatives, the Saudi Press Agency reported. These encompass the Mawhiba Academic Enrichment Program, the Mawhiba Research Enrichment Program, the Mawhiba Universal Enrichment Program, and the Mawhiba Ambassadors Program. The programs will be conducted across more than 100 sessions in 16 cities.

TOKYO: The Arab share of Japan’s oil imports for May, as reported by the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, amounted to 62.44 million barrels — 95.3 percent of all the oil Japan imported that month.  Imports during the month from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, and the neutral zone between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait further underscored the strategic importance of these countries in Japan’s energy security. The UAE was Japan’s top oil supplier, contributing 46.2 percent of total imports

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sent cables of condolences to the king of Mohammed VI of the Kingdom of Morocco on the death of his mother, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday. In a cable to King Mohammed VI of Morocco, King Salman expressed deepest and sincere condolences on the death of Princess Lalla Latifa. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman expressed 'my warmest and most sincere condolences' in a separate cable, the SPA said.  

RIYADH: The open studio at the second Intermix Residency offers entry into a realm of creative exploration in which artists from across the globe put the Kingdom’s natural landscapes and cultural elements at the center of their work. Some 15 creators worked together over 10 weeks to develop their own artistic vision inspired by the fusion of visual arts and fashion, and centered around themes of transformation, innovation, and sustainability.

BEIRUT: The Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Lebanon said on Saturday it was closely following the developments of the current events in southern Lebanon, Saudi Press Agency reported.  It stressed its previous call to all Saudi citizens to avoid travel to Lebanon, and urged citizens there to leave Lebanese territory immediately. The embassy said should they need to, citizens must contact it in the event of any emergency.

RIYADH: Alheda’a, a folk art passed down through generations across Arabian societies, embodies the deep connection between camels and locals. Camel herders use Alheda’a — a combination of sounds, gestures, and sometimes musical instruments — to communicate with their camels. These rhythmic expressions, inspired by poetry, form a unique vocabulary that camels seem to understand and obey.

Dr. Carina Lanfredi is an executive director at Diriyah Gate, a position she has held since May 2023. She is responsible for revamping and restructuring the group’s procurement contract and claims management function, aligning local needs with core corporate objectives, and enhancing governance and redefining process flows. In addition, she contributed to strengthening partnerships and resolving large-scale claims and disputes.

WASHINGTON: Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Al-Swaha on Saturday met US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo in Washington. The two sides discussed strengthening the strategic partnership between their countries to support the growth of the digital economy in the region, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The Kingdom’s Ambassador to the US Princess Reema bint Bandar was also present at the meeting.    

TABUK: More than 30 farmers and beekeepers are taking part in the Honey and Agricultural Products Festival at Tabuk Park. Organized by the local arm of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, the five-day event provides a platform to promote the region’s agricultural products and teach people about beekeeping, making honey and lots more. There are also lots of activities for families to enjoy, including handicrafts and painting. The ministry said it was keen to support local farmers and help them overcome the challenges they face.

RIYADH: A joint field campaign to monitor and apprehend violators of residency, work, and border-security laws in all regions of the Kingdom, carried out from June 20 to 26, has resulted in the arrests of 13,445 people. Authorities apprehended 3,230 people for violating Saudi border-security regulations, and 1,452 others for violating the Kingdom’s work rules.

MADINAH: The field teams of Madinah Municipality are continuing their work to maintain and repair the road network in the holy city. This week they helped to maintain 214,280 linear meters of main and internal roads, while repairing 2,366 sq. meters of potholes and depressions, in addition to removing several illegal speed bumps. Field teams also conducted 875 tours for general cleaning, disinfecting some 7,186 locations with chemicals.

RIYADH: Five Saudi students from the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba) have earned international acclaim by winning medals at the Junior Balkan Mathematical Olympiad 2024. The competition, held in Turkiye from June 25-30, featured 130 students from 22 countries.

RIYADH: A delegation from the Shoura Council’s Saudi-Tajik-Uzbek Parliamentary Friendship Committee recently met with top officials during an official visit to Tajikistan. Led by Mohammed Al-Jarba, the committee chairman, the delegation met with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan Farrukh Sharifzoda at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dushanbe. The deputy minister welcomed the Saudi delegation, praising the strong relations between the two countries and lauding Saudi Arabia’s global leadership, Saudi Press Agency reported.

RIYADH: Honey has long held a special place in Saudi culture, cultivated by beekeepers across the region for its medicinal and culinary uses. Now, with added government support, its true economic potential and environmental benefits are being realized. Last year, more than 100 licenses were granted to beekeepers to produce this liquid gold on land administered by the Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Royal Reserve Development Authority, predominantly in the Rawdat Khuraim oasis.

RIYADH: Al-Ahsa representative Dr. Ibrahim Al-Shabaith secured the deputy head position at the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in crafts and folk arts. The city became a member of the network, which comprises 66 cities across the world, in the creative field following an initiative in 2015.

LONDON: A group of pioneering Saudi women spoke about their experiences in leadership roles at an event hosted by female advocacy group Johara Global at the Saudi Embassy in London on Thursday. Raha Moharrak, the first Saudi woman to ascend Mount Everest; Sawsan Al-Bahiti, the first Saudi female soprano; and Nawal Al-Khalawi, a culinary artist, all discussed how the narrative of female leadership was changing in the Kingdom and wider Middle East.

RIYADH: A Saudi delegation concluded its participation in the 67th session of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, held in Vienna, Austria, from June 19 to 28. The committee meets annually in Vienna to discuss questions relating to current and future activities in space. This activity confirms Saudi Arabia’s commitment to promoting international cooperation for the peaceful and sustainable use of outer space and highlights its efforts in developing the global space industry, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

MADINAH: The General Authority for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques is intensifying its efforts in the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah to serve pilgrims and visitors, with a focus on the elderly and persons with disabilities. The authority is working on providing the highest and best services for the elderly and disabled, having prepared 10 designated prayer areas near the gates of the mosque, four prayer rooms in the northern expansion, three prayer rooms in the western expansion, and three in the eastern expansion.

N’DJAMENA: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center has distributed 1,000 food baskets in the Republic of Chad's Kanem province, benefiting 6,000 individuals. The assistance is part of the Food Security Support Program in Chad for 2024. Elsewhere, the relief center distributed 530 shelter bags to displaced and the neediest families in in the Republic of Sudan's White Nile State, benefiting 3,048 individuals. The distribution is part of a project to provide urgent shelter assistance to Sudan this year.

RIYADH: As part of its preparations for the upcoming Umrah season, which begins on July 7, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah on Thursday held its first meeting with companies and institutions that provide services for pilgrims. The participants included the deputy minister of Hajj and Umrah, Abdulfattah Mashat, and representatives of authorities involved in Umrah and visitation services, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

RIYADH: Al-Balsam Association for Training and Health Development signed an agreement with the Saudi Association of Neurological Surgery at King Saud University on Thursday. The agreement aims to expand the provision of training, health development and awareness services to benefit health practitioners, patients and all community members. The agreement was signed by Mohammed Al-Mashali, chairman of the board of directors of Al-Balsam, and Abdulrazzaq Ajlan, president of SANS.

WASHINGTON: Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Al-Swaha met with US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell in Washington on Friday. The two discussed ways of strengthening the partnership between the Kingdom and the US in the digital economy sector. The meeting was part of Al-Swaha’s visit to the US that is intended to strengthen relations and support the growth of Saudi’s digital economy. 

JEDDAH: Jeddah Season 2024 officially opened on Thursday, under the theme “Once Again.” The opening ceremony was held at the Jeddah Art Promenade under the patronage of Prince Saud bin Mishal bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, deputy governor of the Makkah region and chairman of the National Evaluation Committee for Jeddah governorate, and Prince Saud bin Abdullah bin Jalawi, governor of Jeddah. Visitors were treated to drone shows, fireworks and other visual displays as the lineup of events for the season was announced.

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s drug control authority arrested several people involved in smuggling and seized large quantities of drugs after operations in Asir and Jazan, the Saudi Press Agency reported Thursday. Border guards in Jazan arrested two Ethiopians for attempting to smuggle 43 kg of hashish and 3,420 grams of methamphetamine into the Kingdom. Authorities also arrested a Yemeni citizen at the Jazan border for attempting to smuggle 30 kg of qat. In Asir meanwhile, two Ethiopian citizens were arrested for smuggling 22 kg of hashish.

RIYADH: Saudi designers and entrepreneurs are making bold strides in the field of artificial intelligence, helped along by training schemes, mentors and new technologies provided by some of the world’s leading tech companies. Silicon Valley heavyweight Apple recently unveiled a new program to train students to use the latest emerging technologies, creating opportunities for Saudi Arabia’s tech-savvy workforce of the future.

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is taking part in the 57th session of the UN Commission on International Trade Law, which is taking place at the world body’s headquarters in New York until July 12, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday.

JEDDAH: The University of Jeddah has developed a device that detects preterm birth using the Internet of Things (IOT) and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, the Saudi Press Agency reports. The innovation calculates the percentage of amniotic fluid inside the fetal sac and also identifies potential problems in the fetus at an early stage, allowing timely medical interventions and improving outcomes by promoting fetal lung development and placental health.