TAIF:  Wadi Wajj, a revered valley in Saudi Arabia's western governorate of Taif, boasts a rich tapestry of history and natural beauty. Once a geographical divider splitting the city of Taif in two, it has evolved into a popular tourist destination renowned for its lush gardens, vibrant orchards, and breathtaking panoramas. Professor Saleh Al-Khalif, an expert in Islamic history and civilization, said Wadi Wajj's has played a vital role in agriculture and its proximity to Makkah accounts for its historical significance.

RIYADH: Nestled in the heart of Saudi Arabia's southwestern region of Asir, Aqabat Shaar is one of the most iconic highways, celebrated for its breathtaking natural scenery and vital tourist attractions. This mountainous area, known for its rugged terrain, used to pose significant challenges to access and mobility, which led to the creation of a road that has become indispensable to residents and visitors alike, linking the region to neighboring areas and governorates.

BRAZIL: Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Human Resources and Social Development Ahmed bin Sulaiman Al-Rajhi led the Kingdom’s delegation at the G20 Labor and Employment Ministers’ Meeting in Fortaleza, Brazil, from July 25-26. The event gathered together labor ministers from G20 member states, invited countries, leaders of international and regional organizations, and civil society representatives.

NAJRAN: Two citizens have been arrested in Najran by the General Directorate of Narcotics Control for smuggling tablets subject to the regulation of medical circulation. Preliminary procedures were taken against them and they were subsequently referred to the Public Prosecution. Meanwhile, authorities arrested an Ethiopian in Al-Baha for violating border security laws and smuggling hashish.

TAIF: Fire forts or lava fields, known in the Kingdom as harrat, are archaeological sites that reveal the past. The lava fields contain features from the civilizational development of past peoples, giving hints of behaviors, culture, customs and traditions. The black lava fields in the Kingdom, especially north of Taif — Hafir Kishb, Turbah, Al-Khurma, and Al-Muwayh — are stone volcanic structures that have transformed into natural oasis museums due to weathering.

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia ballet dancer Halaa Nagadi, 18, is captivating audiences with her unwavering passion and hopes others would be inspired to “embrace this beautiful and expressive art form.” She is currently preparing for the 2024 Dubai International Dance Competition set to start on Nov. 17 that will have professional and amateur dancers participating from all over the world.

JEDDAH: About 80 countries including Saudi Arabia reached a historic agreement on Friday on rules governing global digital commerce, including recognition of e-signatures and protection against online fraud. “We negotiated the first global rules on digital trade,” EU trade chief Valdis Dombrovskis said after the deal in Geneva following five years of negotiations.“This will facilitate e-transactions, boost innovation, and integrate developing countries into the digital economy,” he said.

RIYADH: Crowds at the “AFT_r” music event in Riyadh were treated to a series of blistering sets on Thursday, the first by DJ Shaolin, who was followed on stage by US rapper G-Eazy, leaving Danish DJ Morten to round off the evening. This event, the fourth consecutive weekly show organized by the MDLBEAST entertainment company, continued its successful run at the Mohammed Abdo Arena. The evening got off to a bright start with an electrifying performance by DJ Shoalin, a rising rap artist from Riyadh who has become a fixture at the AFT_r festival.  

RIYADH: The Kingdom’s aid agency KSrelief distributed food parcels and shelter bags to vulnerable families in Sudan and Yemen this week, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday. In Sudan’s River Nile State, families comprising 6,900 individuals received 1,200 food parcels, while a further 1,555 people received 210 baskets in the Kassala State. In Sudan, 340 shelter bags were distributed to displaced families in Gedaref, benefiting 1,955 individuals.

RIYADH: The Kingdom’s aid agency KSrelief has continued to provide medical and other support for vulnerable families in Yemen, according to several reports from the Saudi Press Agency this week. Health workers at mobile clinics provided services for 352 people in the Al-Gharza area of Hajjah governorate’s Haradh District from July 10 to 16. Medication was dispensed to 350 patients.

RIYADH: Several Saudi Arabia artists, photographers, artisans and musicians will be showcasing their work at the 38th Jerash Festival in Jordan which began on July 24 and ends Aug. 3. The Ministry of Culture’s three agencies plan to have a variety of activities reflecting the artistic diversity of the Kingdom, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Friday.

RIYADH: Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal, chairman of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee and head of the delegation to the 33rd Summer Olympic Games, visited the nation’s athletes at their accommodation on Thursday. Ten athletes, seven men and three women, will be competing in four sporting codes — athletics, equestrian, swimming and taekwondo, the Saudi Press Agency reported. Addressing the athletes, Prince Abdulaziz emphasized that their first Olympic participation marks a significant step in their careers.

JEDDAH: A new attraction at City Walk, part of this year’s Jeddah Season, promises to fascinate and terrify in equal measure. The spine-chilling Horror House of Raya and Skena takes visitors back in time to a rural Egyptian village steeped in evil, horror, and mystery. Raya and Skena, Egypt’s most infamous serial killers, left a grisly legacy that has fascinated and horrified for over a century.

RIYADH: The Deanship of Admission and Registration at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University launched the Academic Acceleration System for the 2024-2025 academic year targeting secondary education female students admitted to the university. The system aims to accelerate the educational path for female undergraduates according to their abilities and educational excellence, enabling them to graduate sooner.

ROME: Saudi Arabia is working hard to reverse land degradation, and calls on the international community to commit to the battle against desertification, an official from the Kingdom said on Thursday during an event at the UN Food and Agriculture Organization headquarters in Rome.

DAMMAM: The Eastern Province Municipality conducted 3,447 inspection tours to health and commercial establishments in the Dammam Metropolitan area during the first half of 2024. The municipality said that it aims to promote healthy and safe environments in all health establishments, and monitor health and safety standards in food shops. During the first half of the year, 5,787 health certificates were issued and 9,266 people were trained in the education center for employees.

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has witnessed a remarkable transformation in its fashion industry in recent years, emerging as a vibrant and dynamic regional hub of creativity. Now, thanks to the power of artificial intelligence, more opportunities are fast emerging. With a blend of traditional influences and modern innovation, Saudi designers have been captivating global audiences, redefining cultural norms, and showcasing the Kingdom’s rich heritage through contemporary fashion.

RIYADH: The Chinese Embassy in Saudi Arabia hosted a reception on Wednesday in Riyadh’s Cultural Palace to mark the 97th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army. “We would like to use this opportunity to celebrate not only our history, but also the history of military and security cooperation between Saudi Arabia and China,” said Zhu Je, the armed defense attache at the Chinese Embassy.

RIYADH: Djibouti’s Prime Minister Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed received the Kingdom’s Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji on Thursday, Saudi Press Agency reported. During the meeting, the officials reviewed relations between the two countries and discussed topics of common interest.

RIYADH: Saudi maths students scooped 10 awards, fending off strong competition from 38 countries, in the 36th annual Asian Pacific Mathematics Olympiad, the Saudi Press Agency reported late Wednesday. The Saudi team, represented by the King Abdulaziz and his Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba) and the Education Ministry, won two silver medals, five bronze, and three certificates of commendation against 345 other students.

RIYADH: Saudi aid agency KSrelief has distributed nearly 1,000 shelter kits across Sudan to families most in need, the Saudi Press Agency reported late Wednesday. There were 400 shelter bags delivered in Blue Nile state, benefiting 2,300 people, and 590 were delivered in the Northern State, helping 3,240 individuals. The assistance is part of the humanitarian and relief efforts provided by Saudi Arabia through KSrelief to support countries and people in need worldwide.

RIYADH: Saudi aid agency KSrelief’s Center for Community Service celebrated International Youth Skills Day at the Zaatari camp for Syrian refugees in Jordan, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday. The center held a special ceremony for the occasion, including various activities highlighting the skills of young people in the community and an awareness lecture to encourage women to develop their talents and capabilities, join training courses, and work with organizations to acquire new skills and experiences.

TAIF: In Saudi Arabia's western province of Makkah, the Mount Daka and Shams Al-Assil viewpoints overlook rare scenes of the Red Sea shore with its blue waters, which astounds tourists who also experience the divine beauty of Taif's peaks and mountains. 

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Waleed Al-Khuraiji participated on Wednesday in the Second Consultative Meeting Enhancing Coordination of Peace Initiatives and Efforts in Sudan, the Saudi Press Agency said. During the meeting held in Djibouti, he reiterated the Kingdom’s continued efforts to resolve the Sudanese crisis, and its welcome and openness to international efforts and initiatives aimed at achieving peace in Sudan.

Saudi Arabia’s Museums Commission has appointed Dr. Hartwig Fischer as the founding director of the Museum of World Cultures, set to open in 2026 within the Royal Arts Complex in King Salman Park, Riyadh. He is a distinguished scholar, art historian and museum director with more than 30 years’ experience at major cultural institutions in Europe.

Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef met with Dimas Douglas Tomelin, vice president of strategy and innovation at Brazilian aerospace company Embraer, recently in Sao Paolo, Brazil. They explored opportunities to enhance collaboration between the two sides and discussed leveraging Embraer’s expertise in aircraft manufacturing, assembly, and maintenance to enhance the Saudi aerospace industry, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sent letters of condolences to Kuwait’s Emir Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah over the death of Sheikh Jaber Duaij Al-Ibrahim Al-Sabah, the Saudi Press Agency said Wednesday. The Crown Prince also sent a separate letter to Kuwait’s Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Sabah. Sheikh Jaber died at the age of 71 and will be buried after Thursday’s Maghrib (Sunset) prayer, Kuwait’s news agency said.

RIYADH: Hamed Al-Rafidain, who works in HR, drives a fuel-guzzling 4 X 4, as many in Saudi Arabia do — but his other car is electric. Al-Rafidain, 39, is part of a small but growing electric vehicle consumer base in the Kingdom, which aims to become a hub for the technology. “What drove me to buy electric was financial considerations,” said Rafidain, who spends up to SR2,000 ($530) a month on fuel for his off-road vehicle. “Maintenance costs are also lower compared to a conventional vehicle, with no oil changes.”

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is on track to reach its target to plant 100 million mangrove trees by 2030, in line with the Saudi Green Initiative and Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. Some 13 million mangrove seedlings had been planted so far since the launch of the ambitious coastal forest cover program a year ago, said a progress report of the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification (NCVC) carried by the Saudi Press Agency.

RIYADH: The Architecture and Design Commission concluded the first Design Leadership Program with a ceremony in Riyadh attended by architecture and design experts, as well as program participants. A presentation showcased the journey of the participants during the program and highlighted the activities they took part in, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday. Commission CEO Sumayah Al-Solaiman delivered a speech highlighting the commission’s “unwavering commitment” to investing in the development of Saudi architects and designers.

JEDDAH: The Ministry of Culture is bringing the “Year of the Camel” to life at Jeddah Season 2024 with a dedicated pavilion offering visitors an immersive experience of these iconic animals. From life-size camel sculptures to interactive displays, the pavilion in City Walk, one of the Jeddah Season zones, showcases the camel’s enduring significance in society, the Saudi Press Agency reported. Through illuminated murals and interactive touch screens, visitors are invited to delve into history and understand why 2024 was designated as the “Year of the Camel.”

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia welcomed on Wednesday a statement issued by the UN’s special envoy for Yemen about an agreement between the country’s internationally recognized government and the Houthis to lift economic sanctions. Hans Grundberg, the UN’s special envoy for Yemen, said on Tuesday that both parties agreed to ease economic hostilities by canceling their most recent actions taken against banks in areas the other controls and pledged to halt all such measures in the future.

RIYADH: The Ministry of Tourism and Al-Balad Development Co., a Public Investment Fund subsidiary, signed a memorandum of understanding on Wednesday to collaborate in empowering national human capital in the tourism sector. The MoU focuses on improving hospitality services in Jeddah’s historic district, Al-Balad, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The collaboration will create local jobs and develop a skilled workforce in the fields of hospitality, heritage tourism, and tourist guidance.

RIYADH: Diriyah Co. has signed a $2 billion contract with Urbacon Saudi Co. and Al-Bawani Group to develop the Wadi Safar project, including the Royal Diriyah Equestrian and Polo Club and several luxury hotels. “Today is a very big day,” Diriyah Co. Group CEO Jerry Inzerillo told Arab News. “It is unusual for development companies worldwide to sign $2 billion contracts, but this is a giant construction package for our Wadi Safar, which will be one of the most beautiful residential developments in the world,” he said.

RIYADH: The Kingdom’s aid agency KSrelief has continued to provide food to vulnerable families in Sudan and Yemen, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday. In the River Nile state of Sudan, 1,200 boxes of food were given to 6,900 individuals affected by the ongoing conflict in the country. In the Al-Mansoura district of Yemen’s Aden governorate, KSrelief handed out 413 boxes of food for 2,891 individuals, as a part of its continuing aid project in the war-torn country.