Saudi Cabinet condemns Israeli comments on Al-Aqsa, seeks end to Gaza humanitarian catastrophe
Updated 28 August 2024
Arab News
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Cabinet on Tuesday expressed its absolute rejection of extremist and inflammatory Israeli statements and condemned continuous provocations against the feelings of Muslims around the world.
It called on the international community to put an end to the Palestinian humanitarian catastrophe, and to activate serious mechanisms to hold Israeli officials accountable for the ongoing violations of international laws, norms and resolutions.
On Monday, Israel’s hard-line Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said, in a radio interview, that he would back the establishment of a synagogue at Al-Aqsa mosque and to have Jews pray at the holy site in Jerusalem.
During the weekly Cabinet meeting, which was chaired by Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman in Riyadh, the ministers tackled results of meetings held in Switzerland aiming to take concrete and immediate steps to alleviate the suffering of the Sudanese people and achieve a permanent halting of hostilities.
Talks on the war in Sudan were co-hosted last week by Saudi Arabia and Switzerland, with the African Union, Egypt, the UAE and the UN completing the so-called Aligned for Advancing Lifesaving and Peace in Sudan Group (ALPS).
The meetings ended Friday without a ceasefire but with progress on securing aid access on two key routes into a country facing one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
The Cabinet stressed that the Kingdom will continue to work with its partners in the international community until security and stability return to the African country.
On the domestic front, the ministers hailed the 10.5% increase in non-oil exports in the second quarter of this year, compared to the same period in 2023.
Saudi Arabia’s non-oil exports surged by 10.5 percent year-on-year in the second quarter of 2024, led by outgoing shipments to the UAE and China, official data showed.
According to the General Authority for Statistics, of the SR51.16 billion ($13.63 billion) registered by the sector in the three months to the end of June, non-oil goods worth SR15.07 billion were sent to the Kingdom’s Gulf neighbor, with SR7.08 billion going to the Asian powerhouse.
The Cabinet also praised the success of the first Esports World Cup, which embodies the efforts made to enhance the Kingdom’s position as a global destination for major sporting events and activities.
On behalf of King Salman and following the meeting, the Crown Prince received newly-appointed Saudi ambassadors to various countries, who took oath of office.
Moon-Venus conjunction visible in northern Saudi Arabia
The celestial show occurred after sunset over the Northern Border region and was visible to the naked eye, with the moon and the planet separated by just three degrees
Updated 45 min 22 sec ago
Arab News
RAFHA: A spectacular celestial event took place over Saudi Arabia's northern skies on Saturday night, with the moon and Venus in conjunction, the Saudi Press Agency reported early Sunday.
Known as a conjunction, the phenomenon occurred in the sky after sunset over the Northern Border region and was visible to the naked eye, with the moon and the planet separated by just three degrees.
A conjunction occurs when two celestial objects appear close to each other in the sky and share the same celestial longitude, the report quoted astronomer Berjis Al-Fulaih as saying.
Al-Fulaih, an official of the AFAQ Society for Astronomy in Taif, noted that Venus is often referred to as the "Evening Star" or the "Morning Star," depending on its position in the west or east.
The alignment, visible to the naked eye, marks the beginning of the moon's monthly journey past the bright planets.
The phenomenon occurred in the sky after sunset over the Northern Border region and was visible to the naked eye. (SPA)
In an interview with SPA ahead of the celestial event, Jeddah Astronomy Society chief Majed Abu Zahra said the appearance of the crescent moon and Venus together shortly after sunset, before the sky darkened fully, brought about the spectacular view.
"As the second and third brightest objects in the night sky, after the sun, they will present a striking view," he said.
A faint glow, caused by sunlight reflecting off Earth (known as Earthshine), will softly illuminate the unlit part of the moon's disk, he explained.
Abu Zahra said there will be another astronomical event in mid-October: arrival of Comet Tsuchinshan–ATLAS, which will appear 20 to 25 degrees northwest of Venus on October 13 and 14. The comet may even be visible to the naked eye, though comets are notoriously unpredictable.
By October 25, Venus will appear three degrees north of the star Antares. Toward the end of the month, Venus will draw closer to Earth, with its disk measuring 14 arcseconds and being 77% illuminated, SPA quoted Abu Zahra as saying.
Saudi Arabia’s PIF considers larger stake in Nintendo
Updated 05 October 2024
Arab News Japan
DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund said on Saturday it was considering raising its stake in Japan’s Nintendo and other Japanese gaming companies, according to reports.
Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud, vice chair of the PIF’s gaming unit, disclosed the plan in an interview with Kyodo News.
He said that the PIF was “not in a rush to increase its stakes” and that the investments would be made in a “friendly way.”
The PIF currently owns 8.58 percent of Nintendo and has stakes in video game companies Capcom, Nexon, and Koei Tecmo.
National heritage will be ‘biggest driver’ of Saudi economy
Riyadh book fair is a testament to Kingdom’s focus on culture and heritage, says Prince Sultan
Updated 05 October 2024
Arab News
RIYADH: National heritage will be the biggest driver of the economy under Saudi Vision 2030, said Prince Sultan bin Salman, special adviser to King Salman and founder and chairman of the nonprofit Al-Turath (Heritage) Foundation.
He was speaking at the foundation’s annual meeting held under the theme “Confident Steps Toward the Future” at the Riyadh International Book Fair, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
A documentary film about the foundation’s journey, highlighting its key initiatives and most important milestones, was screened.
HIGHLIGHT
Prince Sultan bin Salman also spoke about the Al- Turath Foundation-produced documentary film “Okath Al-Badr,” which covers stories from the life of Prince Badr bin Abdul Mohsen bin Abdulaziz.
Another film showed the launch, at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture in Dhahran, of the book “King Salman,” an Al-Turath Foundation initiative sponsored by Saudi Aramco to coincide with the 94th National Day.
Prince Sultan said that the book fair is a testament to the attention the Kingdom gives to culture and national heritage, which will become the biggest drivers of the economy.
The book, which Prince Sultan described as a gift to the nation, covers different stages in the life of King Salman alongside the Kingdom’s founder King Abdulaziz and other Saudi rulers.
Prince Sultan said that the Al-Turath Foundation has experienced continuous development since its establishment 28 years ago, printing books, conducting research, archiving historical photos, and documenting the nation’s history over the course of more than a quarter of a century.
Prince Sultan also spoke about the Al-Turath Foundation-produced documentary film “Okath Al-Badr,” which covers stories from the life of Prince Badr bin Abdul Mohsen bin Abdulaziz.
The meeting was attended by Prince Turki Al-Faisal, founder and trustee of the King Faisal Foundation and chairman of the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies; Prince Faisal bin Salman, special adviser to King Salman and chairman of the King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives; Jerry Inzerillo, CEO of the Diriyah Gate Development Authority; and several princes, officials, and ambassadors to the Kingdom.
The Riyadh International Book Fair, themed “Riyadh Reads” and featuring over 800 pavilions, is organized yearly by the Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission.
It began on Sept. 26 and runs until Oct. 5, with over 2,000 publishing houses from 30 countries participating. The schedule includes seminars, panel discussions, poetry recitals, stage performances, and workshops.
Saudi academy to launch Arabic Language Month in France
The program includes visits to French universities and educational centers to “meet staff and enrich the learning experience”
Updated 26 min 1 sec ago
Arab News
RIYADH: The King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language will launch its Arabic Language Month in France program on Oct. 7.
The initiative aims to “develop Arabic-language teaching curricula, enhance teacher performance, promote the language, and showcase Saudi Arabia’s initiatives,” according to a Saudi Press Agency report published on Saturday.
The program includes visits to French universities and educational centers to “meet staff and enrich the learning experience,” the report continued.
Previous editions of the Arabic Language Month program have been implemented in Uzbekistan, Indonesia, and China.
The academy will also host its third international conference — “Arabic Language Computing and Enriching Linguistic Data” — on Oct. 6 and 7 in Riyadh, at which experts will discuss “innovations in Arabic language computing and improving artificial intelligence models,” and “address the need for enhanced academic practices in the Arab world.”
A deliciously artistic trend sweeps Saudi Arabia’s X breakfast community
Arab News looks at the evolution of an online community taking breakfast to new levels
The evolution of a vibrant online group
Updated 05 October 2024
Waad Hussain
RIYADH: In the age of social media, where trends are born in an instant and entire communities form around shared passions, one unique and wholesome movement has emerged on X to celebrate the most important meal of the day: breakfast.
What began as a simple space for users in Saudi Arabia to share their daily meals has quickly evolved into a vibrant online community where creativity, health, and aesthetic presentation come together.
Photo by Shoroog Al-Ghamdi
People from all over the Kingdom contribute their carefully crafted breakfast plates with artistic flair, making breakfast a celebrated moment every day.
Khaled Saud, the creator of the community, has reflected on how far it has come, saying: “Watching the community grow from fun and lighthearted posts to a space where people take pride in their breakfast creations has been incredibly rewarding.
HIGHLIGHTS
• For some participants the online community has sparked a new motivation to take breakfast more seriously.
• In addition to creativity, health is also a significant focus within the community.
“I’m happy to see how much participation has increased and how creative the presentations have become.”
For some participants the community has sparked a new motivation to take breakfast more seriously.
Photo by Mashael Omar
Wafa Al-Qahtani shared how the group helped her stay consistent with her meals, saying: “The reason I love this community is the interaction from the people. Honestly, it has motivated me to maintain a daily breakfast routine, and I try to get creative so I can post it in the community.”
This sentiment is echoed by Ameera Al-Dossari, who has embraced the idea of breakfast as a shared experience and said: “This is such a beautiful concept; it motivates me to wake up early and participate.
Seeing everyone’s posts encourages me to be more thoughtful with my breakfast choices. Honestly, I’ve started taking more care of my meals.
Ameera Al-Dossari, Community member
“Seeing everyone’s posts encourages me to be more thoughtful with my breakfast choices. Honestly, I’ve started taking more care of my meals.”
The community, for many, is not only about the food but about the relationships and connections formed through a shared love for breakfast.
Photo by Khansa Al-Omari
It has also had an unexpected effect on some members’ sleep schedules. One user joked that they had been trying and failing to wake up at 7 a.m. for two months but after joining the community were happy to wake up at 5:30 a.m.
“For me, breakfast is one of the best moments of the day. I don’t just see it as a meal; it’s more like a ritual where we begin a new day,” said Rahaf Tareq, for whom breakfast has become a cherished time.
That sentiment captures the essence of why so many in Saudi Arabia are drawn to the movement — it provides a moment of mindfulness and self-care at the start of each day.
Photo by Khansa Al-Omari
In addition to creativity, health is also a significant focus within the community.
Ram Wael highlighted the importance of breakfast as a necessary part of a healthy lifestyle, saying: “The reason I participate is that breakfast is an essential and necessary meal that needs to be healthy.
Photo by Ram Wael
“However, many people have neglected its importance, and I love how this community has sparked a sense of competition and enthusiasm for creating and sharing breakfast.”
Wael’s participation is driven by a desire to bring attention to the value of a nutritious breakfast, encouraging others in the Kingdom to see it as more than just a quick meal.
Photo by Rahaf Tareq
Sahar Khojah, who believes the breakfast community has ignited a love for cooking and sharing with others, said: “I’ve always loved cooking and I constantly take pictures of my breakfast.
“I was really happy when I found this breakfast community because now I can share my meals, not just for myself but for people who appreciate them and can see my work.”
This sense of shared appreciation has turned a solitary activity into one that brings joy to others, showcasing how food can be a powerful tool for connection.
Khansa Al-Omari shared her excitement over the group’s influence on her creativity, saying: “It’s really nice when someone gets excited, prepares breakfast, and gets creative.
“Even though I don’t post often, when I see the shared posts I get inspired to make myself a neat breakfast. The community encourages even those who don’t often participate to step up their game and bring a sense of artistry into their everyday routines.”
Shoroog Al-Ghamdi, a software engineer, uses an analogy from her field to describe how breakfast fits into her life. She said: “In software we have something called eager loading, which loads all the data we need in advance.
“Breakfast is my way of loading my energy and booting up my brain cells!”
For Al-Ghamdi, breakfast is not just fuel for the body but also a mental preparation for the day ahead, tying it to productivity and well-being.
Layan Sultan reflected on how breakfast helps her start her day. She said: “The reason I show my breakfast specifically is that it’s one of the reasons I wake up excited every morning.
“There’s something good in every day, even if it’s just a meal. This meal makes my body, mind, and soul awake and ready to face every single thing that day brings.”
This collective enthusiasm across Saudi Arabia ensures that the community continues to grow, inspiring others to prioritize breakfast and add a personal, artistic touch to their meals.
Mashael Omar summed it all up, saying: “Breakfast gives energy for the rest of the day, improves the mood, and is part of practicing the hobby of cooking.”
