Saudi FM meets France’s special envoy for Lebanon, Nauru’s president

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan received Nauru’s President Russ Kun in Riyadh. (SPA)
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Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan received Nauru’s President Russ Kun in Riyadh. (SPA)
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan received his counterpart from Dominica Vince Henderson. (SPA)
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Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan received his counterpart from Dominica Vince Henderson. (SPA)
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan received Jean-Yves Le Drian, French President Emmanuel Macron’s special envoy for Lebanon. (SPA)
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Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan received Jean-Yves Le Drian, French President Emmanuel Macron’s special envoy for Lebanon. (SPA)
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Updated 28 September 2023
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Saudi FM meets France’s special envoy for Lebanon, Nauru’s president

Saudi FM meets France’s special envoy for Lebanon, Nauru’s president

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan on Wednesday received Jean-Yves Le Drian, French President Emmanuel Macron’s special envoy for Lebanon, in Riyadh, the Kingdom’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

The parties reviewed bilateral relations and looked at ways to extend joint coordination in many fields.

They also discussed the latest developments in Lebanon, as well as in regional and international arenas, the Kingdom added in a statement.

Prince Faisal also met Nauru’s President Russ Kun in Riyadh to discuss ways of strengthening ties.

The minister conveyed greetings from King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the president, and their wishes for continued progress for the government and people of Nauru.

Bilateral relations and ways to strengthen and develop them in various fields were discussed, in addition to focusing on the most prominent developments on both the regional and international stage.

Prince Faisal held bilateral talks on Monday with Vince Henderson, the minister for foreign affairs, international business, trade and energy of the Commonwealth of Dominica.


Flynas launches operation base at Madinah, announces 6 new international, domestic destinations

Flynas launches operation base at Madinah, announces 6 new international, domestic destinations
Updated 02 December 2023
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Flynas launches operation base at Madinah, announces 6 new international, domestic destinations

Flynas launches operation base at Madinah, announces 6 new international, domestic destinations

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s low-cost airline Flynas on Friday launched its newest operation base at Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The airline also inaugurated six destinations and routes, including two domestic flights to Abha and Tabuk, and four in the international category — to Dubai, Amman, Istanbul, and Ankara — to be operated alongside the other four existing destinations, from Madinah to Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, and Cairo.

It brings to 10 the total destinations that are now served by Flynas from the new operation base at Madinah.

Flynas, the leading low-cost carrier in Saudi Arabia, has now become the only airline with four bases across the Kingdom, in line with its expansion and growth plans and in parallel with the objectives of the Pilgrim Experience Program to facilitate access to the Two Holy Mosques, and the National Civil Aviation Strategy.

The strategy will enable national air carriers to contribute to connecting 250 international destinations to the Kingdom, as well as reaching 330 million passengers and attracting 100 million tourists annually by 2030.

Bander Al-Mohanna, CEO and managing director of Flynas, said: “Launching our newest operation base and inaugurating the new routes come in response to the high demand for Madinah, notably from pilgrims and visitors to the holy mosque.”

He added that more new destinations and routes will be announced in the future.

Al-Mohanna said: “Operating 10 routes from the new base as a start was made possible as a result of more than 100 percent upscaling of our all-Airbus fleet in less than two years, in line with the growth and expansion plan launched early last year under the slogan ‘We Connect the World to the Kingdom’.”

One of its key features was signing an agreement with Airbus for 30 new A320neo aircraft last June, as part of an order of 120 Airbus aircraft and approval to increase new orders to 250, he added.

Flynas connects more than 70 domestic and international destinations with more than 1,500 weekly flights and has flown more than 60 million passengers since its launch in 2007. It aims to reach 165 domestic and international destinations, in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.


24th Saudi relief plane heads to Gaza Strip

King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center sends 24th relief plane to Gaza. (SPA)
King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center sends 24th relief plane to Gaza. (SPA)
Updated 01 December 2023
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24th Saudi relief plane heads to Gaza Strip

King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center sends 24th relief plane to Gaza. (SPA)

RIYADH: The 24th Saudi relief plane, operated by the Riyadh-based King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief), arrived in Egypt on Friday carrying 31 tons of aid, including food and shelter materials, the official SPA news agency reported.
The assistance, which was dispatched on Thursday, is to be transported to the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.
The aid efforts are in keeping with Saudi Arabia’s historic role in supporting the Palestinian people in times of crisis, the SPA statement said.


Saudi cultural event aims to put theater, performing arts in spotlight

Saudi cultural event aims to put theater, performing arts in spotlight
Updated 01 December 2023
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Saudi cultural event aims to put theater, performing arts in spotlight

Saudi cultural event aims to put theater, performing arts in spotlight
  • The Argentinian shows, which conclude on Dec. 5., have included circus and magic performances, a jungle show, and classic plays such as “Cinderella” and “Alice in Wonderland”

RIYADH: The Saudi Theater and Performing Arts Commission organized the eighth Urban Art event as part of a series of Argentinian shows being held at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University.

The show, which runs until Saturday in the Blue Hall, aims to increase awareness about the theater and performing arts sector in the Kingdom and around the world.

The show, which runs until Saturday in the Blue hall, aims to increase awareness about the theater and performing arts sector in the Kingdom and around the world. (SPA)

After kicking off with a hip-hop performance, the show has featured acrobatics, bike jumps and skateboards, and showcased football skills to a background of tango music.

An accompanying educational exhibition included dishes presented by local Argentinian and Latin American restaurants. There were also specially designed photo booths and a shop selling Argentinian products and costumes.

HIGHLIGHTS

• An accompanying educational exhibition included dishes presented by local Argentinian and Latin American restaurants.

• There were also specially designed photo booths and a shop selling Argentinian products and costumes.

The Argentinian shows, which conclude on Dec. 5., have included circus and magic performances, a jungle show, and classic plays such as “Cinderella” and “Alice in Wonderland.”

In addition, the shows also help to bolster the Saudi Culture Ministry’s efforts to boost international cultural exchange, one of the goals of Vision 2030.  

 

 

 


Feathers fly at falcon festival

Feathers fly at falcon festival
Updated 01 December 2023
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Feathers fly at falcon festival

Feathers fly at falcon festival
  • The birds and their owners were battling it out in the 400-meter Al-Melwah competition
  • The star performer in the first round of the Gear Pure Category for Professionals was Amin bin Abdullah Al-Mallah

RIYADH: Professional falconers and falcon owners took part in four qualification rounds on Friday on the fourth day of the King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival.
Organized by the Saudi Falcons Club and held in Malham, north of Riyadh, the birds and their owners were battling it out in the 400-meter Al-Melwah competition.
The star performer in the first round of the Gear Pure Category for Professionals was Amin bin Abdullah Al-Mallah, who took first and third places with his birds 0016 and 0018. Barghash bin Mohammed Al-Mansouri took second place.
In the second round of the Gear Pure Qarnas Category for Professionals, Armizan bin Abdullah Al-Dousari took first place with his bird Mutrib, followed by Amin bin Abdullah Al-Mallah with Duja and Al-Mansouri with Samdan.
Falconer Nour bin Ghazay Al-Mutairi won the third round of the Qarmousha Gear Category for Professionals with Al-Rafiha, followed by Abdulhadi bin Abdullah Al-Mutairi with SM and Fahd bin Mohammed Al-Mansouri with Al-Quri.
In the fourth round of the Qarmousha Gear Qarnas Category for Professionals, falconer Amin bin Abdullah Al-Mallah took all three of the top spots with his birds Al-Qahira, Al-Diriyah and Jim. The winning bird set a best time of 16.987 seconds.


Saudi Arabia wins membership of International Maritime Organization council

Saudi Arabia wins membership of International Maritime Organization council
Updated 02 December 2023
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Saudi Arabia wins membership of International Maritime Organization council

Saudi Arabia wins membership of International Maritime Organization council
  • 143 of the UN-affiliated agency’s 175 members voted for the Kingdom to serve on the 40-member council for the period 2024-2025
  • Saudi transport minister met with counterparts from Jamaica, Nigeria, Indonesia, Sweden and the Philippines as well as IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim

LONDON: Saudi Arabia has earned a place on the 40-member council of the International Maritime Organization for the period 2024-2025. The Kingdom received 143 votes from the agency’s 175 member states in an election at its headquarters in London on Friday.

The UN-affiliated organization is the global maritime authority that sets the international standards designed to ensure the safety and security of maritime transport, reduce pollution from ships, and implement initiatives that help preserve the marine environment and protect nature.

Saudi Arabia’s Transport General Authority described the Kingdom’s success in the vote as the culmination of the efforts and support of the nation’s leaders to develop maritime transport in accordance with the goals of the Saudi Vision 2030 development and diversification agenda.

It is “a unique national achievement that propels us toward a promising future,” the TGA said, and “a cause for celebration” that reflects “unwavering commitment toward supporting initiatives aimed at safeguarding the marine ecosystem.”

The success is in recognition of the initiatives the Kingdom has adopted to protect and preserve the marine environment, it added, and it will provide the country with the opportunity to contribute to the development of international regulations and laws relating to global trade and maritime transport.

“The win serves as a confirmation of the Kingdom’s influential position and impact within the (IMO), the significant role of the Saudi naval fleet, ambitious initiatives and projects aligned with the national strategy for transportation and logistical services, and contributions and initiatives in safeguarding the marine environment and empowering seafarers,” the TGA said in a message posted on social media network X.

Under its national strategy for transport and logistics services, Saudi Arabia has adopted a number of initiatives and set ambitious targets that have contributed to the development of the nation’s maritime sector, officials said.

By 2030, the Kingdom aims to handle 40 million containers a year, facilitate clearing and cargo-handling procedures, and develop marine tourism through cruise ships and coastal transportation, taking full advantage of the Kingdom’s strategic location as a meeting point between East and West and the Red Sea’s role as a route through which 13 percent of global trade passes.

Meanwhile, the Saudi transport minister held meetings in London on Friday with several officials on the sidelines of the 33rd session of the International Maritime Organization Assembly, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser met with ministers from Jamaica, Nigeria, Indonesia, Sweden and the Philippines as well as IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim.

During the meeting, Al-Jasser also met with the Yemeni, Qatari and Bahraini transport ministers.

They discussed strengthening partnerships and employing innovative technologies in the maritime industry.

On Monday, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Britain was elected as IMO president by its member states. 

The IMO is the UN agency responsible for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine and atmospheric pollution by ships.