Saudi authorities seize large haul of narcotics across the Kingdom
The busts took place in the Asir region, Jazan, Duba port, Al Haditha and Riyadh
Updated 31 August 2023
Arab News
RIYADH: Saudi authorities seized a large haul of narcotics in five locations across the Kingdom on Tuesday.
The busts took place in the Asir region, Jazan, Duba port, Al Haditha and Riyadh.
Three attempts to smuggle 651,909 captagon pills were stopped by the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority.
The drugs were smuggled in during three different attempts in Duba port and Al Haditha.
Authorities found the pills hidden in a consignment in the first two attempts and hidden in the floor cavities of a truck in the third attempt. The seven involved were arrested.
The Saudi General Directorate for Narcotics Control arrested three residents of Palestinian and Sudanese nationalities in Riyadh for selling 133,008 tablets of amphetamine and hashish.
The estimated street value of the pills seized in the various smuggling attempts ranged between $7.8 million and $19.5 million, according to research published in the International Addiction Review Journal, based on assumptions that users pay in the range of $10-$25 a pill.
Border guards in the Asir region stopped an attempt to smuggle 100 kg of qat – a leaf that is chewed for its effects.
In another operation at Aldair governorate of Jazan, a security patrol thwarted an attempt to smuggle qat by three Ethiopian nationals. The quantity of the substance was not disclosed.
Saudi Arabia has lately intensified its crackdown on drug smuggling operations.
In May, Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif vowed that the Kingdom will “remain resolute and not leave room for smugglers or dealers to target our youth or tamper with security in any way.”
The Saudi government has urged anyone with information related to suspected smuggling operations or customs violations to call the confidential hotline 1910, the international number 00 966 114208417, or email [email protected].
Tips received by the authority related to smuggling crimes and breaches of common customs law are treated with strict confidentiality. Financial rewards are offered for valid tips.
The Kingdom vs Captagon
Inside Saudi Arabia's war against the drug destroying lives across the Arab world
Tokyo governor looking forward to ‘exciting’ World Expo in Riyadh
Japan will pass baton to Kingdom after Osaka hosts global event in 2025
Saudi Arabia, Japan can learn from each other on green issues, Gov. Koike Yuriko says
Updated 59 min 57 sec ago
Diana Farah
DUBAI: The governor of Tokyo hopes World Expo 2030 in Riyadh will be an exciting and sustainable event with the potential to “surprise the world.”
Speaking to Arab News Japan on Saturday, Gov. Koike Yuriko offered her best wishes to Saudi Arabia after Riyadh this week won its bid to host the prestigious event.
“I’d like to congratulate the Kingdom,” she said. “And I hope the Expo … would be an exciting one (and) make the people of the world surprised.”
Japan will pass the Expo baton to the Kingdom after Osaka hosts the event in 2025. Speaking on the sidelines of the COP28 climate summit in Dubai, Koike said she hoped the event in Riyadh would be a “sustainable one.”
Saudi Arabia, the Gulf region and Japan should learn from one another and collaborate in order to achieve decarbonization and other green initiatives, the governor said.
“Saudi Arabia and the UAE are producing countries, while Japan is a buying one. Both regions already collaborate and can share knowledge and initiatives to seek the best ways to save the great climate,” she said.
Tokyo’s first female governor, Koike also spoke about the plans and initiatives in place to make the city greener.
“To tackle climate change in Tokyo is very challenging,” she said. “Our timeline is to curb CO2 emissions by 2030 and (achieve) net zero by 2050.”
As 70 percent of Tokyo’s CO2 emissions come from residential property, Koike said the city would implement a new policy in 2025 requiring all new buildings to install solar or renewable energy equipment.
“This is the very first regulation that requests people, or especially house-builders, to set solar panels or solar cells.”
Next year, Tokyo will host the SusHi Tech summit, which aims to make Tokyo a smart city and promote a digital economy. The event will also encourage startups to come up with new initiatives to help Tokyo achieve its green goals.
On the situation in the Gaza Strip, Koike said she was “anxious” for the Palestinian people.
“I have asked a Japanese company, which runs the sanitary goods products in that area, to send their products to children and women in Gaza,” she said. “The Japanese government previously supported building a school for deaf children. But that was bombed many years ago.”
Koike said she hoped the crisis could be resolved as soon as possible.
Saudi Arabia’s cultural renaissance embraces metal music
Local band Immortal Pain fulfills growing appetite for genre among Saudi music lovers
Updated 03 December 2023
Nada Jan
JEDDAH: Saudi metal band Immortal Pain delivered a loud and lively concert at Comic Con Arabia in Jeddah, with a huge crowd of fans cheering and singing along with them.
Friday night marked the second performance of the band at the convention. They have been in the rock and metal scene since late 2005, starting with two members and later doubling.
In a previous interview with Arab News, rhythm guitarist and vocalist Emad Ashoor said the band started with only him and the lead guitarist Rasheed Attar. Later, drummer Moayad Al-Shammari and bassist Anan Al-Sabban joined the group, and just last year, they signed a contract with Saudi recording company Wall of Sound: Dark Mode.
The local band has been in the rock and metal scene since late 2005, gradually increasing their audience over the years. Instagram/immortal_pain_official. (Supplied)
The Jeddah-based band has been throwing mini-concerts across the Kingdom. They have also released original music and are working on releasing more to their Saudi, Arab, and international audiences.
While they previously spoke to Arab News about their origins, this time the members shared insight into the dynamic of the group and how they work together on making their songs and music videos.
It all begins with inspiration.
“The four of us gather, talk about our latest encounters in life and how we felt,” said the drummer Al-Shammari. “Then we express everything in music. We let our instruments talk for us.”
The four of us gather, talk about our latest encounters in life and how we felt. Then we express everything in music. We let our instruments talk for us. (Supplied)
On the unusual places or moments that can inspire, Al-Shammari said: “One day, I was passing by a construction site, and the sounds of wrecking and drilling inspired me somehow and I made a song based on the noise of the construction site.”
Ashoor, gifted with a poetic sense, takes over the next step of writing the lyrics.
So far, they have been writing lyrics in English, but they all agreed they were open to the challenge of writing in Arabic and were eager to experiment and evolve with their music.
The four of us gather, talk about our latest encounters in life and how we felt. Then we express everything in music. We let our instruments talk for us.
Moayad Al-Shammari, Immortal Pain drummer
Once the lyrics are in place, they decide upon a melody and arrange the song, deciding which riff goes first and which follows. The lyrics are recorded last.
When asked about the difficult times they have encountered throughout their career, the four agreed that starting was tough as metal music was considered a Western genre and was not popular locally. Although they have supportive families, they said it was hard for them to find an audience at the very beginning.
Their audience gradually increased from a few people to several dozen, and by the time they played at Comic Con last year and this year, they had amassed about 1,000 music fans.
“Rock and metal are both on the rise contrary to what Gene Simmons and the likes of KISS might think. They can go ahead and retire if it’s getting too loud,” bassist Al-Sabban joked when asked about the metal scene in the Kingdom.
“But the local and global scenes are growing,” he said, adding that Metallica would be playing in the Kingdom next week. “As we all know, when Saudi Arabia gets involved, it’s going to be bigger and better.”
When MDLBeast announced that Metallica would be performing in Saudi Arabia, fans from across the Middle East and North Africa bought tickets to see the legendary metal band.
Immortal Pain also told Arab News exclusively that after only releasing singles, they are officially going to record their first full album first thing next year. They also revealed that in 2024, they will hit the road on a tour across the MENA region, throwing concerts in the Kingdom, the UAE, and Egypt.
Al-Shammari proudly added that they have also received an invitation to perform in Germany, and while nothing is yet confirmed, they are hoping things will work and they will hold an international concert.
For updates about the band, follow their Instagram @immortal_pain_official.
Saudi Arabia showcases crafts, culture at Milan exhibition
The Saudi Company for Crafts and Handicrafts will display its most notable craftwork, while the Royal Institute of Traditional Arts will exhibit work from 12 of its students
Updated 02 December 2023
Arab News
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is participating in the Artigiano in Fiera exhibition in Milan, Italy, which runs from Dec. 2-10. The Saudi pavilion, overseen by the Ministry of Culture, will showcase various aspects of the country’s culture and rich national heritage.
According to a report by the Saudi Press Agency, participating organizations include the Saudi Heritage Commission, the Culinary Arts Commission, the Theater and Performing Arts Commission, the Royal Institute of Traditional Arts, and the Saudi Handicrafts Company.
The pavilion will also highlight Arabic poetry’s relationship to Italian culture. A selection of Arabic verses will be translated into Italian and hung on murals at the entrance.
Saudi Arabia has previously participated in Milan’s Artigiano in Fiera exhibition and offered cultural experience workshops. (Ministry of Culture)
The Heritage Commission will showcase the creative ingenuity of 25 artisans and the traditional handicrafts and crafts that have long been a source of pride for the nation.
The Saudi Company for Crafts and Handicrafts will display its most notable craftwork, while the Royal Institute of Traditional Arts will exhibit work from 12 of its students.
Twelve chefs from the Culinary Arts Commission will be on hand to provide the public with a live cooking demonstration of popular delicacies from across Saudi Arabia. A traditional restaurant will offer coffee and traditional produce, too.
FASTFACT
The Royal Institute of Traditional Arts will exhibit work from 12 of its students at Artigiano in Fiera exhibition in Milan, Italy, until Dec. 10.
The Theater and Performing Arts Commission, meanwhile, will present shows involving 13 traditional performing arts.
Saudi Arabia’s participation in Artigiano in Fiera is a component of the Ministry of Culture’s efforts, in cooperation with other cultural organizations, to represent the Kingdom in international forums in line with Saudi Vision 2030’s aims is to promote worldwide cultural exchange.
As part of the 2023 Year of Arabic Poetry project, the ministry is focusing on the Kingdom’s interest in “intangible cultural heritage,” such as the relationship between Arabic poetry and Italian culture.
Saudi king, crown prince congratulate UAE on 52nd National Day
Monarch wishes Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed ‘good health and happiness’
Annual event marks unification of 7 emirates into one nation
Updated 02 December 2023
Arab News
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman sent a message of congratulations to UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed to mark his country’s national day on Saturday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The king “wished the Emirati president continued good health and happiness, and the government and friendly people of UAE further progress and prosperity.”
He also lauded the fraternal relations that bind the two countries.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sent a similar message to Sheikh Mohammed.
The UAE is celebrating its 52nd National Day anniversary, which falls on Dec. 2 each year and commemorates the unification of all seven emirates into one nation.
The UAE leader received congratulatory messages from around the world, as did Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, vice president, prime minister and ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, vice president, deputy prime minister and chairman of the Presidential Court.
The US congratulated the UAE and sent its best wishes for the country’s continued success.
“The United States and the UAE are bound together by more than five decades of friendship and partnership,” the State Department said, attributing the comments to Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
“Our many successes stand as a testament to our leaders’ shared commitment to advance regional peace and stability, deter threats, de-escalate conflicts, and drive forward an affirmative agenda for prosperity and peaceful coexistence,” it said.
Blinken said the two countries shared a “vision of an interconnected region and world,” which was embodied in establishing diplomatic relations with Israel, also known as the Abraham Accords, and the UAE’s hosting of COP28 in Dubai.
“In these and many other groundbreaking diplomatic efforts, the UAE’s leadership has been instrumental,” he said.
Saudi communications commission to join Green Digital Action initiative
ITU scheme aims to fast-track commitments to tackling climate challenges
CST will lead ‘Foster a Circular ICT Industry’ track
Updated 02 December 2023
Arab News
RIYADH: The Saudi Communications, Space and Technology Commission has agreed to join the Green Digital Action initiative convened by the International Telecommunication Union.
An announcement was made on the sidelines of COP28, in the presence of ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin.
Green Digital Action aims to enhance collaboration, fast-track industry-wide commitments to addressing climate challenges, and put digital solutions at the forefront of climate action, by transforming into a digital infrastructure that enables environmental and sustainable solutions, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The initiative is supported by several international entities and agencies.
FASTFACT
The International Telecommunication Union scheme aims to fast-track commitments to tackling climate challenges.
The commission said it would be leading the “Foster a Circular ICT Industry” track as part of Green Digital Action, which covers reducing ICT sector emissions, advancing climate solutions through open environmental data and technologies, implementing green standards, facilitating a green transition across all industries through digital technology, and leveraging digital systems for disaster alerts and early warnings.
By joining the initiative, the commission will be helping to provide digital and sustainable solutions to address climate challenges and improve and implement regulations that enable a circular economy that contributes to reducing carbon emissions, the report said.
It also seeks to move to an eco-friendly digital infrastructure by collaborating with the public and private sectors and UN organizations.
The commission has also organized a panel discussion to be held on the sidelines of COP28 to highlight Saudi Arabia’s efforts in leading digital sustainability.
Titled “Circular Economy,” it will be attended by ITU Deputy Secretary-General Tomas Lamanauskas as well as representatives from countries that will apply the “E-Waste Management Regulations” launched by the Kingdom in partnership with the ITU.
The initiative aims to implement the regulations in Zambia, Rwanda and Paraguay as a way to tackle the challenges facing the treatment of e-waste around the world and raise awareness of the issue among policymakers and industry leaders.
Saudi Arabia has launched many initiatives that contribute to raising awareness and educating the public about the best practices for the use of technology to create a sustainable future for all.
