RIYADH: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) has showcased its work at the 2024 Islamic Development Bank Group Annual Meetings in Riyadh, which concludes on Tuesday. At the exhibition, KSrelief explained how its relief and humanitarian work spans across 98 countries in collaboration with 175 international, regional, and local partners. KSrelief's initiatives encompass various sectors including food security, health, education, shelter, humanitarian operations coordination, water, sanitation, environment, and protection.

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Cabinet on Tuesday discussed efforts made by the Kingdom, in cooperation with its partners, to enhance joint action to stop the war in Gaza. Efforts to ensure the protection of civilians, deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, and obtain international recognition of an independent Palestinian state were also discussed, Saudi Press Agency reported. The Cabinet reiterated the Kingdom’s keenness to spread peace and security internationally and support paths to stability and development in the Middle East and the rest of the world, SPA added.

RIYADH: The Saudi aid agency KSrelief has initiated its 25th volunteer program at the Zaatari refugee camp for Syrian refugees in Jordan, deploying 29 volunteers specializing in medical, psychological, social, and educational fields to directly assist camp residents, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday. The program has expanded to include volunteer projects to train football coaches in the area.

RIYADH: Riyadh’s hosting of the World Economic Forum this week is a signal of the global business community’s growing interest in Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 reform agenda, Luigi Di Maio, the EU special representative for the Gulf region, has said. WEF’s special meeting on global collaboration, growth and energy for development took place in the Saudi capital on April 28-29 and was attended by 1,000 government, business and civil society leaders.

RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan called his Mexican counterpart Alicia Barcena on Tuesday. During the call, bilateral relations and aspects of joint cooperation were discussed. The two officials also  discussed the latest developments in the Gaza Strip and its surroundings.

MAKKAH: Nuthree, an exploration incubator initiative for entrepreneurship in geology and mining, has been launched at the Saudi Geological Survey’s headquarters in Jeddah. The project seeks to create a sustainable exploration environment to develop the Kingdom’s resource sites, positioning mining as its third pillar of income after petroleum and petrochemicals.

RIYADH: The first center for automated Arabic language processing, called the Arabic Intelligence Center, has opened in Riyadh, operated by the King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language. The center aims to enhance Arabic content in the fields of data and artificial intelligence and support scientific research and applications to help achieve the goals of the National Strategy for Data and Artificial Intelligence and Saudi Vision 2030, which seek to position Saudi Arabia as a global leader in this field.

RIYADH: A second promotional video for “Grendizer U”, which returns 40 years after the original anime series, reveals various regions of Saudi Arabia appear in the show. New designs for characters have also been unveiled and the broadcast date is planned for July. The video was launched on Riyadh-based Manga Productions’ YouTube channel in Arabic, English, French and Italian. It can also be viewed on the official “Grendizer U” social media accounts via @GrendizerAnime.

Riyadh: The third Saudi Water Forum, being held in Riyadh until May 1, has featured 10 workshops focusing on the future of the water sector, in line with Saudi Vision 2030. The forum was inaugurated on Monday by Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli under the theme “Water Sustainability ... Our Responsibility.”

RIYADH: ACCIONA, a leader in regenerative solutions for a decarbonized economy, held its first panel discussion in its series of talks designed to promote regenerative and sustainable solutions in Saudi Arabia. The event, held at the Spanish Embassy in Riyadh on April 28, brought together leading figures from across the sector, government, and businesses to showcase the importance of reverse osmosis technology in the water cycle.

RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received officials from around the world in Riyadh after a special meeting of the World Economic forum ended on Monday. The officials included Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, British Foreign Secretary David Cameron, the Prime Minister of Malaysia Anwar Ibrahim, and the Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif.

RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan held talks with his French and Turkish counterparts on Monday. The discussions took place on the sidelines of a ministerial consultative meeting of the six-party Arab Committee to discuss developments in the Gaza war, the Saudi Press Agency reported. Talks with Hakan Fidan of Turkiye and Stephane Sejourne focused on coordinating efforts to advance the two-state solution and acknowledge the Palestinian state, SPA added.  

RIYADH: Saudi authorities warned residents that most parts of the Kingdom will experience severe weather until Friday. The National Center of Meteorology on Monday forecast moderate-to-heavy rain in the Madinah, Makkah, Jeddah, Baha and Najran regions, accompanied by high winds, hail and thunder. Saudi Arabia’s General Directorate of Civil Defense also issued severe weather warnings accompanied by safety instructions as the country braces for heavy rainfall in coming days.

JEDDAH: The Technical Female College in Jeddah launched a three-day Fashion Technology Hackathon on Monday to promote innovation and creativity in the fashion industry, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The event, which is overseen by the general administration for student activities, was attended by Marei Al-Qarni, director general of technical and vocational training in the Makkah region.

RIYADH: The latest graduates of Saudi Arabia’s Leaders 2030 program and the Misk Fellowship program were honored during the first annual meeting of the Saudi Leadership Society Council. The graduation ceremony for the third and fourth groups to complete the Leaders 2030 program took place during the meeting, along with the announcement that they will join the council.

RIYADH: Soltan Al-Jurais, acting deputy minister of human resources and social development, is leading the Saudi delegation at the 11th Asia-Pacific Cooperative Ministers’ Conference, taking place in the Dead Sea region of Jordan from April 28-30. He delivered a speech emphasizing the vital role of the cooperative sector in developmental and economic aspects, especially in achieving sustainable development goals, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

ISLAMABAD: Over 65,000 Pakistani pilgrims are set to benefit from Saudi Arabia’s Makkah Route Initiative during this year’s Hajj pilgrimage, Pakistan’s religious affairs secretary said on Monday, compared with the 26,000 pilgrims who used the facility from the Pakistan capital in 2023. Pakistani officials confirmed last week that Saudi authorities have approved the Makkah Route Initiative’s expansion to the airport in Karachi, the country’s most populous city. Launched in 2019, the initiative was initially extended only to the airport in Islamabad.

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia and the UN Environment Programme have announced campaigns to combat desertification, restore ecosystems, and strengthen drought resilience ahead of World Environment Day celebrations on June 5 in Riyadh. The announcement was made at the opening of Saudi Arabia’s Environment Week on Sunday, the Saudi Press Agency reported. Saudi Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli inaugurated the annual event that aspires to raise awareness of the importance of environmental protection.

RIYADH: The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Saudi aid agency KSrelief have announced a joint push to eradicate polio, improve global health, and alleviate poverty. At the World Economic Forum’s special meeting in Riyadh, Anita Zaidi, president of the foundation’s gender equality division, told Arab News: “This is a really momentous occasion for us to really expand our partnership with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

RIYADH: The World Economic Forum’s Special Meeting in Riyadh is a critical gathering needed to help address global wars and financial crises, says the WEF’s managing director. Speaking to Arab News on Sunday, Mirek Dusek said the issue of rebuilding trust in institutions and systems continues the theme of the recent WEF meeting in Davos. The erosion of trust has not only been the result of the COVID-19 pandemic or the military conflicts worldwide, but also goes back “all the way to the financial crisis.”

RIYADH: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Saudi Arabia on Monday, the first stop in a broader trip to the Middle East to discuss issues including the governance of Gaza once the war with Israel ends. The top US diplomat heads to Israel later this week, where he is expected to press Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take the concrete and tangible steps US President Joe Biden demanded this month to improve the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry expressed on Sunday the Kingdom’s deep concern over the escalation of military tensions in Al-Fashir, North Darfur. An attack on Al-Fashir in Sudan’s North Darfur region by the Rapid Support Forces is imminent, UN officials have warned. The ministry renewed Saudi Arabia’s call to all Sudanese parties to commit to the agreements reached during peace talks in Jeddah between the RSF and Sudan’s army.

RIYADH: Saudi Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Waleed Elkhereiji received Spanish State Secretary for Foreign and Global Affairs Diego Martinez Belio in Riyadh on Sunday. The two sides discussed relations between their countries and ways to strengthen them. They also talked about regional and international issues of mutual interest, the Foreign Ministry said on X. Spain’s Ambassador to the Kingdom Jorge Hevia Sierra was also present.

RIYADH: The King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language has announced that registrations for its prize are now open to individuals and organizations from all over the world. Registration closes on June 30 and the total value of prizes to be awarded amounts to about SR1.6 million ($427,000), the Saudi Press Agency reported. The prize promotes the Arabic language and acknowledges the efforts of individuals and institutions serving the language, encouraging them to maintain its development, preserve its integrity and develop ways of using Arabic.

JEDDAH: The timeless ritual of visiting record stores to unearth original Saudi and Arabic vinyl records fuels Yaser Hammad, a Saudi DJ specializing in Arabic musical treasures. “I prefer to label myself as a selector rather than a traditional DJ,” he tells Arab News. “This allows me to introduce the audience to classical songs that may be new to them, setting my offerings apart from other DJs in the region.”

RIYADH: The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture in Al-Ahsa on Saturday honored the Kingdom’s first female veterinary graduates. The event, held on World Veterinary Day, was staged in cooperation with the National Center for the Prevention and Control of Plant Pests and Animal Diseases and attended by officials and stakeholders from the veterinary field, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The women honored were from King Faisal University.

RIYADH: Only a real commitment to a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict can prevent the war in Gaza from reoccurring, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said on Sunday. “We in the region are not going to focus only on solving the crisis of the moment, we’re going to look at how we can solve the bigger problem in the context of Gaza. That is, a real commitment to a two-state solution, that is, a credible, irreversible path to a Palestinian state,” he told the World Economic Forum’s special meeting in Riyadh.

RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received the emir of Kuwait and the prime minister of Iraq separately in Riyadh on Sunday. During the meetings with Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, the crown prince discussed aspects of relations between the Kingdom and Kuwait and Iraq. Opportunities to develop relations in various fields were also discussed. 

RIYADH: Saudi Deputy Minister of Investment Transaction Saleh Al-Khabti said that the healthcare sector’s contribution to the Kingdom’s gross domestic product is projected to reach about $66.6 billion, with the creation of more than 245,000 jobs by 2030. Al-Khabti shared the information during a panel discussion titled “The Kingdom and Vision 2030 as a Global Health Tourism Destination”, at the Health Tourism Future Forum, which began Sunday in Riyadh.

RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan held meetings with his Algerian, Malaysian, Sri Lankan, Swiss and Norwegian counterparts on Sunday. The meetings took place on the sidelines of a special meeting of the World Economic Forum in Riyadh, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The talks focused on bolstering bilateral relations and addressing regional developments, particularly the situation in the Gaza Strip.  

RIYADH: Geopolitical threats such as the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine pose the greatest risk to the global economy, Saudi Arabia’s finance minister has said. Speaking in a panel discussion during the special two-day World Economic Forum meeting in Riyadh, Mohammed Al-Jadaan warned that the knock-on effects of conflict are “directly impacting economies.”

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Project Masam cleared 797 mines in Yemen — which had been planted by the Houthi militia — between April 20 to 26, according to a recent report. Overseen by the Kingdom’s aid agency KSrelief, the project’s special teams destroyed 681 pieces of unexploded ordnance, 110 anti-tank mines, five improvised explosive devices, and one anti-personnel mine. The explosives, which were planted indiscriminately by the Houthis across Yemen, posed a threat to civilians, including children, women and the elderly.

RIYADH: Saudi Deputy Minister of Human Resources and Social Development for Labor, Abdullah bin Nasser Abu Thanin, led the Saudi delegation at the 50th session of the Arab Labor Conference, being held from April 27 to May 4 in Baghdad. Labor ministers, heads and members of delegations from employers’ organizations, and labor unions from 21 Arab countries, along with representatives from the Arab League and other Arab and international organizations, are attending the conference.

RIYADH: Ministers gathering in Riyadh to discuss the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip stressed the urgent need for imposing sanctions on Israel, the Saudi Press Agency reported Sunday. Chaired by Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan, the meeting comprising dignitaries from a group formed jointly by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and Arab League convened to address developments in Gaza. The ministers called for international legal mechanisms to hold Israeli officials accountable, alongside decisive action against settler terrorism. 

RIYADH: Saudi foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan hosted a ministerial meeting on Saturday in Riyadh with representatives from six other Arab states to discuss the situation in Gaza, Saudi Press Agency reported.  The meeting was attended by Ayman Al-Safadi of Jordan, Egypt’s Sameh Shoukry, Secretary of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization Hussein Al-Sheikh, diplomatic adviser to the UAE president Anwar bin Mohammed Gargash, and Minister of State at the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi.