Saudi delegation meets UK’s National Audit Office to boost cooperation, expertise
Talks focused on enhancing quality and efficiency through the value-for-money methodology
Updated 14 September 2024
Arab News
LONDON: A delegation from Saudi Arabia’s General Auditing Bureau met with officials from the UK’s National Audit Office in London to discuss strengthening cooperation and exchange expertise in the field of public sector auditing, Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.
During the meeting, both parties explored opportunities for collaboration on performance reviews, financial statement analysis, technical capabilities, and risk management frameworks, SPA added.
They also focused on enhancing quality and efficiency through the value-for-money methodology, from the planning stage to measuring impact.
This comes as Saudi Arabia shifts from cash-based to accrual-based accounting in its public sector.
The delegation also held discussions with Gareth Davies, the UK’s comptroller and auditor general.
He emphasized the importance of the meeting in fostering closer ties between the two bodies.
Davies highlighted the significance of exchanging knowledge and expertise in areas such as accounting, auditing, and professional oversight, and noted that these efforts would contribute to improving the performance and efficiency of both institutions.
Italian ambassador visits archaeological mission at Dumat Al-Jandal
Besides archaeological activities, there is a restoration mission and training of Saudi personnel
Updated 5 sec ago
Rashid Hassan
RIYADH: Italian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Carlo Baldocci recently visited the Italian archaeological mission at the historic oasis of Dumat Al-Jandal, highlighting close cultural ties between Saudi Arabia and Italy.
Dumat Al-Jandal, also known as Al-Jouf, which refers to Wadi Sirhan, is an ancient city of ruins and the historical capital of the Al-Jouf Province in northwestern Saudi Arabia.
The archaeological mission established in 2009 and led by Prof. Romolo Loreto of the University of Naples L’Orientale recently obtained a new five-year concession (2024-2029) for excavations and the study of materials in Dumat Al-Jandal, the ancient Assyrian Adummatu (Nabataean Dumah and Roman Dumata), and for prospecting in the Al-Jouf region to study the Neolithic prehistoric phases (Asfan and Jebel Najma sites) and the Bronze Age (Tamriyat funerary sites).
“Ambassador Baldocci visited the Archaeological Mission at Dumat Al-Jandal. The new five-year concession will enhance excavation, restoration and personnel training. Ambassador Baldocci emphasized close ties between Saudi Arabia and Italy,” the Italian Embassy posted on X.
In addition to archaeological activities, there is a restoration mission and training of Saudi personnel.
During the visit, Baldocci highlighted how “Italy in the archaeological field, also thanks to the fundamental contribution of the Farnesina, succeeds in bringing its knowledge, traditions and skills to many friendly countries, as it does in Saudi Arabia, where it has been present since 2009 on the Dumat Al-Jandal site, in a synergy with the Heritage Commission of the Saudi Ministry of Culture.
“It is our intention to reinforce this commitment with an increasingly structured and profiled partnership in Saudi Arabia: A Winter Archaeological School for Saudi students and an exhibition on the results of the Italian Mission’s excavation campaigns in recent years will be part of a program with the Italian Embassy in Riyadh, for 2025,” he added.
RIYADH: Nordic Culture Week 2024 is bringing Scandinavian culture to Riyadh with a weeklong festival.
The celebration aims to strengthen ties between Nordic countries and the Kingdom and includes a host of cultural events, including screenings of films from Norway, Sweden and Finland.
On Monday, the Danish Embassy hosted Nordic Joyfest, featuring a demonstration of how to make Danish pastries. The event was held in cooperation with Aysh Academy at Hayy Jameel, a baking institute in Jeddah founded by Sumaia Showail and known for its expertise in Danish pastry-making.
Students from the Higher Institute for Tourism and Hospitality, a long-standing partner of HTMi Hotel and Tourism Management Institute in Switzerland, were among those taking part.
Liselotte Plesner, the Danish ambassador to Saudi Arabia, said the festival was not only a celebration of Nordic heritage but also a reflection of the strong cooperation among Nordic nations.
Saudi Civil Defense warns of heavy rains, flash floods
Authorities advised avoiding valleys, flood-prone areas and swimming in valley streams
Updated 15 min 21 sec ago
Arab News
RIYADH: The General Directorate of Civil Defense urged the public to stay cautious and in safe areas during thunderstorms affecting parts of the Kingdom from Wednesday to Sunday.
It advised avoiding valleys, flood-prone areas and swimming in valley streams, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Makkah is expected to face dust-stirring winds, moderate to heavy rainfall and potential hailstorms.
Baha, Asir and Jazan may also see moderate to heavy rain, while the Eastern Province and Madinah are likely to experience light to moderate rainfall.
The Civil Defense emphasized following safety guidelines shared through media and social platforms.
Autumn in Saudi Arabia is typically rainy, with rapid weather changes, offering relief from the heat, according to the National Center for Meteorology.
Saudi scientists at forefront of gene breakthrough that could boost food security
Researchers at KAUST find particular gene that determines whether pearl millet can resist parasitic weeds
By selectively breeding strains of the grain that do not contain the gene, crops can be developed that better resist the threat
Updated 4 min 35 sec ago
Haifa Alshammari MANAL AL-BARAKATI
RIYADH: Researchers led by experts at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia have identified a gene in a native grain crop that could help to improve food security in the Kingdom and beyond.
The gene affects the level of resistance to a parasitic weed that is one of the major threats to this particular crop.
Salim Al-Babili, associate dean of biological and environmental science and engineering at the university and a professor of plant science, said: “By producing very high-quality genomes of pearl millet, we found a gene that contributes to the susceptibility of pearl millet to the root parasitic plant striga. Striga represents a major threat to global food security.”
Pearl millet, a common crop in Saudi Arabia and other places with a similar climate, can be vulnerable to striga hermonthica, also known as purple witchweed. The researchers found that pearl millet strains that lack the gene “CLAMT1b,” which is responsible for the synthesis of specific hormones, are more resistant to the weed than those in which the gene is present.
The finding is significant because it offers fresh insights into beneficial breeding methods for improved food security, the experts said.
“Pearl millet is a traditional crop in Saudi Arabia,” Al-Babili said. “It is a nutritious and healthy cereal, with pronounced resilience and tolerance for arid environments, making it a promising local crop for the Kingdom's food security.”
About 100 million people in Asia and Africa, particularly communities in harsh and dry climates, rely on pearl millet as part of their staple diet because of its high nutritional value. By selectively breeding strains that do not have the CLAMT1b gene, crops can be developed that better resist parasitic threats in Saudi Arabia and other arid regions.
“Our work will help in producing striga-resistant varieties that contribute to global food security,” Al-Babili added. “It also paves the way for improving this important crop and increasing its productivity, toward a wider utilization as a source for food and fodder in the Kingdom.”
This gene-targeted strategy aligns with global agricultural trends that focus on genetic improvements as part of the efforts to address challenges arising from climate change, and offer a potential model for improvements to other staple crops that are vulnerable to parasitic plants.
The researchers found that many varieties of pearl millet breeding stocks, including commercially available ones, contain the CLAMT1b gene. They also discovered that the presence or otherwise of the gene had no significant effect on the symbiotic relationship between pearl millet and arbuscular mycorrhizal, a fungus commonly found on the crop that has many benefits for the plant, including increased uptake of water and nutrients and improved disease resistance.
The researchers’ findings therefore suggest breeding strategies that remove the CLAMT1 gene could help protect the crop from parasitical plants without harming other ecological relationships that benefit its growth and survival.
The ability of art to instill joy in young patients
Sheryan Society collaborates with Bristol Myers Squibb for a very special puppet show
Updated 09 October 2024
Rashid Hassan
RIYADH: A leading hematology patient advisory group based in Jazan has joined forces with a major biopharmaceutical company to brighten up the lives of young thalassemia patients.
Together, the Sheryan Society and Bristol Myers Squibb organized a unique puppet show to engage and entertain youngsters battling the blood disorder as part of the latter’s annual Global Patient Week in Saudi Arabia.
Khaled Dubaiyan Al-Dubaiyan, CEO of the Sheryan Association in Jazan, said: “The puppet show that we organized in cooperation with Bristol Myers Squibb brought a touch of magic to the lives of these children.
“The event was successful in reducing the burden of the hardships they face, drawing smiles on their faces and sparking a sense of joy in their hearts. We were pleased to cooperate with Bristol Myers Squibb for this event, a step that is of utmost importance in raising the morale of young thalassemia patients, and one that provided them with enhanced mental wellbeing and moral support.”
He added: “This initiative serves as an ideal example of an impactful corporate social responsibility effort, as it showcased that collaborations between the private and non-profit sectors can make a palatable difference in patients’ lives. More importantly, this initiative underscores the importance of supporting patients and providing them with comprehensive healthcare.”
Oscar Delgado, general manager for Bristol Myers Squibb in the Middle East and Africa, said: “Entering its tenth year, Global Patient Week has become a cornerstone of our culture, rekindling our commitment to our patients.
“Their profound experiences strengthen our resolve and align(ment) with Vision 2030 and the Kingdom’s Health Sector Transformation Program to build a vibrant society. This initiative supports our collective goal of advancing patient care through scientific innovation and contributing to the evolution of healthcare in the region.”