Zelensky in Saudi Arabia as Ukraine, US set for key talks
Zelensky arrived ahead of talks between Ukrainian officials and Saudi and US representatives, due to take place on Tuesday
Updated 11 March 2025
Arab News
RIYADH: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, the Saudi Press Agency reported early Tuesday.
The president arrived ahead of talks between Ukrainian officials and Saudi and US representatives, due to take place on Tuesday.
The crown prince reiterated in a meeting the Kingdom’s keenness and support for all international endeavors and efforts aimed at resolving the Ukrainian crisis and achieving peace.
Zelensky expressed his thanks and appreciation for the Kingdom’s efforts, commending its pivotal role in the Middle East and the world.
Senior Saudi and Ukrainian officials attended the meeting.
Earlier, Zelensky was received at King Abdulaziz International Airport by the Deputy Governor of Makkah Region Prince Saud bin Mishaal bin Abdulaziz and other officials.
Ukrainian and US officials will meet in the Red Sea city of Jeddah to seek a way out of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, more than three years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who arrived in Saudi Arabia on Monday, was also received by the crown prince.
RIYADH: The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has stressed that individuals intending to perform Hajj this year must obtain a permit through the Nusuk platform, which is integrated with the unified Tasreeh system for issuing official permits.
It also said that no type of visa grants the right to perform Hajj, and that full compliance with regulations is essential to ensure the safety of pilgrims and a smooth Hajj experience, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The ministry warned against fraudulent activities and deceptive Hajj campaign advertisements on social media that falsely promise accommodation and transportation within the holy sites.
The ministry urges the public to report suspicious activities by calling 911 in Makkah, Riyadh, and the Eastern Province, or 999 in other areas of the Kingdom. Misleading ads should also be reported to relevant authorities in all countries.
The ministry has announced that April 29 is the final departure date for Umrah visa holders, in preparation for the Hajj season, the SPA reported.
The General Directorate of Public Security has said that Hajj regulations will begin on April 23. All residents intending to enter Makkah must obtain a valid entry permit from the relevant authorities. Those without a permit will be denied entry at security checkpoints, the SPA added.
The directorate emphasized that Hajj procedures will be strictly enforced. Vehicles and residents without a work entry permit, a Makkah resident ID or an official Hajj permit will be turned back.
It further clarified that entry permits for residents working during Hajj are issued electronically via the Absher Individuals platform and the Muqeem portal, through integration with the unified digital Hajj permit platform.
KSA showcases literary, religious heritage in Rabat
Updated 40 min 6 sec ago
Arab News
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Islamic Affairs is taking part in the 30th Rabat International Book and Publishing Fair, running until April 27 in the Moroccan capital.
It reflects the ministry’s efforts to promote the Kingdom’s message of moderation and tolerance, and its commitment to printing, publishing and teaching the Holy Qur’an, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The ministry’s pavilion features a section from the King Fahd Complex for the Printing of the Holy Qur’an in Madinah, showcasing a wide range of printed Qur’ans and translations in various languages.
Another section highlights the Makkah Library, displaying rare and historical Islamic manuscripts from renowned writers, linguists and scholars.
Represented by the General Secretariat for Exhibitions and Conferences, the ministry is also presenting a range of digital applications and programs for fair visitors.
The Kingdom’s Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission is also taking part, showcasing initiatives aimed at advancing the publishing industry and enriching cultural activities.
These include supporting Saudi publishers and literary agents globally, presenting the Kingdom’s intellectual heritage, highlighting its cultural traditions and promoting local literary output.
KSrelief Distributes 1,350 Food Baskets in Sudan’s Northern State
The initiative is part of the 2025 Food Security Support Project in the Republic of Sudan.
Updated 19 April 2025
SPA
DUBAI: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) distributed food baskets to 1,350 displaced and needy families in Sudan’s Northern State, benefiting 8,100,on Wednesday.
The initiative is part of the 2025 Food Security Support Project in the Republic of Sudan.
The aid is part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s ongoing humanitarian and relief projects, carried out through KSrelief, to assist needy and affected countries and peoples worldwide.
How experts in Saudi Arabia are harnessing the power of microbes to treat wastewater
KAUST researchers are using the microorganisms found naturally in wastewater to clean it and extract valuable resources
The system reduces energy use and avoids sludge buildup common in traditional wastewater treatment methods
Updated 18 April 2025
Tamara Aboalsaud
RIYADH: What if the answer to wastewater treatment was in the water itself? At King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, a team led by Professor Pascal Saikaly is harnessing the natural power of microbes found in wastewater — not just to clean it, but to generate energy and create valuable resources.
Rather than relying on outdated, energy-intensive systems, Saikaly’s team is developing innovative, nature-based solutions that turn waste into a tool for sustainability. Their key technology? A microbial electrochemical system that takes advantage of how certain microbes “breathe.”
Some microbes are capable of a process called extracellular electron transfer — moving electrons outside their cells to solid surfaces. Under the right conditions, this creates a small but useful electric current.
“At the anode, think about oxidation, you basically release electrons. At the cathode, it’s more like uptaking the electrons,” Saikaly told Arab News. “You have organisms that release the electrons at the anode side. At the cathode side, you have organisms that can capture these electrons.”
This process — using natural microbial activity and controlled conditions such as pH, electrode potential and substrate type — helps to treat wastewater while recovering energy and chemicals such as methane.
“You’re not adding any more energy to the whole process, so we reduce energy consumption,” Saikaly said.
Professor Pascal Saikaly at the KAUST Water Desalination and Reuse Center. (KAUST photo)
Unlike conventional wastewater treatment methods, which were developed more than a century ago and rely heavily on aeration, these new systems are far more efficient. According to Saikaly, current methods require 0.6 kilowatt-hours of energy per cubic meter of treated water and produce large amounts of residual sludge.
“The technology that we are currently using generates a lot of residual solids,” he said. “In any biological treatment process, you produce waste. And this waste, we call it residual waste or waste activated sludge, we need to dispose of it.
“This means there is an additional cost that we have to pay for in the treatment process. So, it is energy intensive and generates a lot of residual solids.”
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The KAUST team’s microbial system not only removes pollutants but, under the right operation, can also fix carbon dioxide — transforming it into methane gas or acetate, both of which can be used as renewable fuels.
“You can operate it without microorganisms and there you produce hydrogen, or you operate it with microorganisms and you can generate methane gas or other types of substrates,” Saikaly said.
The goal is to move from simply treating waste to recovering valuable resources from it. “All the biotechnology that we developed falls under this principle,” Saikaly said. “Treat the waste with simultaneous recovery of resources. That’s our principle.”
Another innovation Saikaly’s team has developed is a technology called microbial chain elongation. Designed as an alternative to landfilling organic waste, this process converts food and dairy waste into high-value chemicals rather than low-value methane.
“According to Vision 2030, all of these landfills will be shut down and waste should be diverted away from landfills by 2030 or 2035,” Saikaly said. “This means there is an urgent need for an alternative solution for this huge amount of organic waste that is being generated.”
Existing wastewater treatment plants use a technology that was invented more than 100 years ago. The Activated Sludge Process utilizes aerobic bacteria to break down organic matter in wastewater. (iStock images)
Among the byproducts of this process is casaene — a protein-rich substance containing 16 essential amino acids — suitable for use in aquaculture and poultry feed.
“We’re in discussions with the aquaculture program at KAUST,” Saikaly said. “And also we are in discussion with Sipchem, which is a petroleum chemistry company. They also want to use our products to produce polymers. There’s a big window of applications that is much, much broader and has a higher value than methane gas.”
By producing methane, wastewater can be treated by generating enough energy to make the whole process energy neutral. (iStock images)
The team is also behind a compact, mobile wastewater treatment plant — the aerobic granular sludge gravity-driven membrane system — developed in partnership with former KAUST scientist Mohammed Ali. It treats domestic wastewater without the need for energy-intensive aeration or pumping, making it ideal for rural or remote locations.
The system, already in use in Rabigh, Saudi Arabia, serves up to 2,000 people and is designed to process 150 cubic meters of wastewater per day.
At the anode, pollutants such as chemical oxygen demand, biological oxygen demand, nitrogen compounds, and phosphorus are removed. (iStock images)
These innovations are part of a broader push by Saikaly and his team to rethink how we deal with waste — not as something to dispose of, but as something to transform. And while many of these technologies are still a few steps from commercial deployment, they are already showing how science and sustainability can go hand in hand.
“We want to think about waste not only as to treat and dispose, but as a waste that we can use to recover resources,” Saikaly said.
Red Sea Film Foundation champions Saudi storytelling at Saudi Film Festival
Two short films — “Afen” by Nawaf Alkinani and “Hello My Dear” by Ahmad Salam — will screen outside the official competition lineup
Updated 18 April 2025
Arab News
JEDDAH: The Red Sea Film Foundation is participating in the 11th edition of the Saudi Film Festival, running from April 17-23 at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) in Dhahran, as part of its ongoing efforts to support the Kingdom’s film industry.
Through its flagship initiative, the Red Sea Fund, the foundation will present two awards of SR 25,000 ($6,668) each for outstanding Saudi film projects in the Development and Production categories.
This year, five foundation-backed titles are screening at the festival, including three films selected for the official competition: “Hobal” by Abdulaziz Alshlahei, “Songs of Adam” by Oday Rasheed, and “My Driver and I” by Ahd Kamel.
Two short films — “Afen” by Nawaf Alkinani and “Hello My Dear” by Ahmad Salam — will screen outside the official competition lineup.
The foundation will also take part in the SFF’s Production Market, showcasing its key initiatives: the Red Sea Souk, Red Sea Labs, and the Red Sea Fund, all of which, the foundation said in a press release, “provide filmmakers with essential financial, creative, and logistical support across all stages of the filmmaking journey.”
Since its establishment in 2019, the Red Sea Film Foundation has, it stated, “played a central role in shaping the region’s cinematic landscape through a range of local and international initiatives spanning production, distribution, education and training. Its mission continues to focus on nurturing a new generation of storytellers and contributing to a thriving, sustainable film ecosystem across Saudi Arabia, Africa and Asia.”
The Saudi Film Festival was founded in 2008 and is the Kingdom’s longest-running cinema-related event.
