Saudi Arabia condemns flare-up of violence in Sudan

Update Saudi Arabia condemns flare-up of violence in Sudan
Sudanese people fleeing the Jazirah district arrive at a camp for the displaced in the eastern city of Gedaref on Oct. 31, 2024. (AFP)
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Updated 02 November 2024
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Saudi Arabia condemns flare-up of violence in Sudan

Saudi Arabia condemns flare-up of violence in Sudan
  • Continued escalation of fighting in Sudan has impacted women and children

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has condemned on Saturday the recent flare-up of violence in the eastern side of Sudan’s Al Jazeera State, which caused deaths among civilians.

The foreign ministry, in a statement, expressed the Kingdom’s concern over the continued escalation of fighting in Sudan that has impacted women and children, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Saudi Arabia “condemns the recent [violence] in the eastern part of Al-Jazeera State, which resulted in a number of deaths and injuries among civilians, as this constitutes a violation of international law and the principle of protecting civilians.”

The Kingdom has also “urged the warring parties to ceasefire, end the conflict and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to those affected. The Kingdom reaffirms its position in supporting the stability and unity of Sudan.”

Sudan plunged into conflict in mid-April 2023, when long-simmering tensions between its military and paramilitary leaders broke out in the capital Khartoum and spread to other regions including western Darfur.

The war has killed more than 24,000 people so far, according to Armed Conflict Location and Event Data, a group monitoring the conflict since it started.

Britain, which assumed the presidency on Friday of the Security Council for November, said the 15-member body would meet in Sudan on Nov. 12 to discuss “scaling up aid delivery and ensuring greater protection of civilians by all sides.”

“We will be shortly introducing a draft Security Council resolution ... to drive forward progress on this,” Britain’s UN Ambassador Barbara Woodward told a press conference.

She said the draft would focus on “developing a compliance mechanism for the warring parties’ commitments they made on the protection of civilians in Jeddah over a year ago in 2023 and ways to support mediation efforts to deliver a ceasefire, even if we start local ceasefires before moving to a national one.”

A resolution needs at least 9 votes in favor and no vetoes by the US, France, Britain, Russia or China to be adopted.

The move comes as a three-month approval given by Sudanese authorities for the UN and aid groups to use the Adre border crossing with Chad to reach Darfur with humanitarian assistance is due to expire in mid-November.

With agencies


World’s falconers set for fierce contest in Riyadh

World’s falconers set for fierce contest in Riyadh
Updated 11 sec ago
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World’s falconers set for fierce contest in Riyadh

World’s falconers set for fierce contest in Riyadh
  • With $9.6m in prizes, King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival preserves and promotes Arab tradition

RIYADH: The Saudi Falcons Club has finalized preparations for the King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival, scheduled to take place from Dec. 3 to 19 at the club’s headquarters in Malham, north of Riyadh.

Recognized as the largest world’s gathering of falcons, the festival will feature a distinguished group of falconers, including amateurs, professionals and falcon owners from Saudi Arabia and abroad.

They will compete in Al-Mellwah (falcon racing) and Mazayen (falcon beauty pageant) competitions, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The club's CEO, Talal Al-Shamaisi, said that the festival’s primary aim is to advance falconry as a cultural hobby while preserving and promoting this Arab tradition.

He said that the club strives to position falconry as a major heritage tourism attraction, fostering national pride and engaging younger generations in a competitive yet spirited environment.

The festival also aligns with efforts to promote environmental conservation and protect wildlife, Al-Shamaisi added.

He said that the festival has earned a spot in the Guinness World Records three times for hosting the world’s largest gathering of falcons.

This year, the competition will span 17 days and feature 138 rounds, with more than 900 prizes up for grabs, totaling SR36 million ($9.6 million).

In addition to the main competitions, the festival will feature various accompanying events.

The club’s spokesman, Walid Al-Taweel, said that one of the highlights will be the Falconer of the Future Pavilion, aimed at engaging and educating the next generation of falconers.

This initiative will incorporate interactive activities blending modern technologies with traditional falconry knowledge, history and hunting techniques.

Al-Taweel said that the festival will have 10 internal pavilions displaying falconry and hunting gear, as well as trip equipment. These pavilions will offer a comprehensive experience for visitors, combining authenticity with adventure.

Al-Mellwah, the racing competition, will have 49 qualifying rounds, while the Mazayen competition will feature six rounds for falcons sourced from international production farms, in addition to special rounds for emerging young falconers.

Falconers will compete for prestigious prizes, including the King Abdulaziz Cups and the coveted King’s Sword, underscoring the festival’s role in celebrating the cultural heritage of falconry and pushing the boundaries of competitive spirit.


Saudi team wins top Arab spot at World Robot Olympiad in Turkiye

Saudi team wins top Arab spot at World Robot Olympiad in Turkiye
Updated 22 min 30 sec ago
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Saudi team wins top Arab spot at World Robot Olympiad in Turkiye

Saudi team wins top Arab spot at World Robot Olympiad in Turkiye
  • The Kingdom sent 15 teams of 30 students from various regions, supported by 11 advisers and 15 trainers

Riyadh: Saudi Arabia’s Al-Jawhara Al-Qahtani and Aseel Al-Jasser secured first place among Arab countries and ninth globally on debut in the Future Engineers category at the World Robot Olympiad International Final.

Held in the Turkish city of Izmir from Nov. 26 to 30, the contest drew participants of all ages from more than 90 countries, with a focus on creativity in robotics and artificial intelligence.

The Kingdom sent 15 teams of 30 students from various regions, supported by 11 advisers and 15 trainers, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The collaborative effort involved the Saudi Ministry of Education, the Saudi Federation for Robotics & RC Sports, Tuwaiq Academy, and Tatweer Education Holding Co.

The competition featured categories such Robo Missions, Robo Sports, Innovators of the Future, and Future Engineers.

Al-Qahtani and Al-Jasser credited their success to months of work at a camp at Tuwaiq Academy, SPA reported.

They built the robot using artificial intelligence, machine learning, 3D printing, and sensors connected to camera and radar technologies.

A training camp for Saudi participants was held at Tuwaiq Academy, the training arm of the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones, aimed at enhancing students’ creativity, design capabilities and problem-solving skills through robotics competitions and activities aligned with educational plans.


Saudi aid supports Nigerian orphans, Yemen’s displaced

Saudi aid supports Nigerian orphans, Yemen’s displaced
Updated 01 December 2024
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Saudi aid supports Nigerian orphans, Yemen’s displaced

Saudi aid supports Nigerian orphans, Yemen’s displaced

Riyadh: Saudi aid agency KSrelief has signed a joint agreement to support orphans in Ilorin, Nigeria.

Under the agreement, 800 orphans aged 2 to 18 will receive housing, food, healthcare and education through orphanages in collaboration with the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development in Kwara State.

About 150 orphans between the ages of 15 and 18 will be trained in craft trades to help them earn a living, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

KSrelief also signed a cooperation agreement with a civil society organization to establish a residential complex for internally displaced persons in the Midi district of Yemen’s Hajjah governorate.

The project, valued at $3.81 million, will benefit 4,094 people, SPA reported.

The initiative will provide 232 housing units, each consisting of two rooms, a kitchen, a bathroom, and an open courtyard.

Additional facilities will include a secondary school, a mosque and a children’s playground to support residents and the host community.

Both agreements were signed by KSrelief’s Assistant Supervisor General for Operations and Programs Ahmed Al-Baiz at the center’s headquarters in Riyadh.


KSrelief continues humanitarian activities in Lebanon, Sudan

KSrelief continues humanitarian activities in Lebanon, Sudan
Updated 01 December 2024
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KSrelief continues humanitarian activities in Lebanon, Sudan

KSrelief continues humanitarian activities in Lebanon, Sudan

RIYADH: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center’s (KSrelief) activities in Lebanon and Sudan continues, with its latest humanitarian and medical outreach for needy individuals.

In Lebanon, Saudi Arabia’s humanitarian agency distributed vouchers on Thursday, enabling beneficiaries to purchase winter clothing according to their needs from approved stores.

The latest undertaking benefited 520 individuals from Syrian and Palestinian refugee families, as well as host communities in Lebanon’s Naema and Sidon, as part of the center’s Kanaf-3 project for 2024.

The KSrelief-funded Souboul Al-Salam Association ambulance team in Miniyeh of northern Lebanon meanwhile carried out 38 ambulance missions from Nov. 8 to 14, which included transporting patients to and from hospitals and assisting individuals injured in road accidents.

In Sudan, a team of 13 specialist volunteers conducted orthopedic surgeries on Thursday for nine patients as part of the Kingdom’s effort to support the Sudanese people amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis.


Saudi ambassador presents credentials to Cameroon’s president

President Paul Biya of Cameroon (L) receives credentials from Saudi ambassador Ibrahim Al-Ghamdi in Yaoundé. (X @KSAmofaEN)
President Paul Biya of Cameroon (L) receives credentials from Saudi ambassador Ibrahim Al-Ghamdi in Yaoundé. (X @KSAmofaEN)
Updated 01 December 2024
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Saudi ambassador presents credentials to Cameroon’s president

President Paul Biya of Cameroon (L) receives credentials from Saudi ambassador Ibrahim Al-Ghamdi in Yaoundé. (X @KSAmofaEN)
  • Ambassador Al-Ghamdi conveyed the greetings of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to President Biya

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Cameroon, Ibrahim Al-Ghamdi, on Saturday presented his credentials to President Paul Biya of Cameroon, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Ambassador Al-Ghamdi conveyed the greetings of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to President Biya, wishing the people of Cameroon and the government continued progress and prosperity.