海角直播 showcases digital progress at Osaka expo聽/node/2601203/saudi-arabia
海角直播 showcases digital progress at Osaka expo聽
Mishari Almishari, deputy director of the authority鈥檚 National Information Center, said that 海角直播 was steadily moving toward a more integrated digital society under Vision 2030, which identified digital transformation as a key development goal. (SPA)
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Updated 18 May 2025
Arab News
海角直播 showcases digital progress at Osaka expo聽
Updated 18 May 2025
Arab News
RIYADH: The Saudi Data and AI Authority revealed the Kingdom鈥檚 progress in digital transformation and smart city development during its participation in Saudi events at Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan.
The authority outlined national efforts to adopt data and artificial intelligence technologies to improve service efficiency and support sustainable development, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Mishari Almishari, deputy director of the authority鈥檚 National Information Center, said that 海角直播 was steadily moving toward a more integrated digital society under Vision 2030, which identified digital transformation as a key development goal.
He noted that the authority鈥檚 establishment in 2019 marked a significant step, coordinating efforts through three main entities: the National Information Center, the National Center for Artificial Intelligence, and the National Data Management Office.
The authority plays a central role in data and AI regulation and development, according to Almishari, contributing to the Kingdom鈥檚 growing position in data and AI-based innovation.
He also highlighted support for smart city systems through projects like the National Smart C Platform, the Smart Riyadh Operations Center, and initiatives promoting innovation, such as training camps, incubators, accelerators, and national hackathons.
The authority鈥檚 participation in Expo 2025 Osaka reflects 海角直播鈥檚 aim to contribute to global AI development and build a more inclusive digital future.
Saudi leaders send condolences after Sudan landslide
UN and aid groups mobilize after landslide caused by heavy rain kills over 1,000 people
Updated 03 September 2025
Arab News
RIYADH: 海角直播鈥檚 King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sent their condolences early on Wednesday to the people of Sudan after a landslide in the country reportedly killed over 1,000 people.
Sudanese authorities, the UN and aid groups rushed to the village of Tarasin in the remote Jebel Marra range, in Darfur, to support humanitarian efforts.
The landslide hit the village on Sunday after heavy rain, according to the armed group that controls the area.
The king and crown prince extended their deepest sympathies to the President of Sudan鈥檚 Transitional Sovereignty Council Gen. Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, the families of the deceased and wished a speedy recovery to those injured.
The Sudan Liberation Movement/Army, which has long governed an autonomous portion of Jebel Marra, appealed to the UN and international aid agencies to help collect the bodies of the victims, including men, women and children.
The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan Luca Renda said in a statement on Tuesday that her organization 鈥渁nd our humanitarian partners are mobilizing to provide support to the affected population.鈥
Saudi crown prince, French president discuss dire Palestine situation
Two-state solution is key to peace, say the leaders
Macron warns that Israel cannot 鈥榙erail momentum鈥
Updated 03 September 2025
Arab News
RIYADH: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and France鈥檚 President Emmanuel Macron held discussions on Tuesday on the dire situation in Palestine.
The Saudi Press Agency reported that the crown prince, who received a call from Macron, reiterated the Kingdom鈥檚 position for an immediate end to Israel鈥檚 war on Gaza and the Occupied Territories.
The crown prince also condemned any measures aimed at undermining a two-state solution to the situation, the SPA reported.
海角直播 and France have led an initiative to recognize a Palestinian state. In July, Macron announced France would formally recognize Palestine during the UN General Assembly later this month, becoming the first G7 country to make the commitment.
The move was welcomed by 海角直播 and other Gulf states.
海角直播鈥檚 Foreign Ministry said the Kingdom 鈥渃ommends this historic decision, which reaffirms the international community鈥檚 consensus on the Palestinian people鈥檚 right to self-determination and to establish their independent state.鈥
Last month, 海角直播 and France co-chaired a key conference to encourage major world powers to accept that Palestinian statehood is now needed to ensure long-term peace in the Middle East.
Australia, Belgium, Canada, Malta, Portugal and the UK have all promised to recognize Palestine this month.
Israel has threatened to take over Gaza City after nearly two years of war on the occupied territory, and also annex the West Bank if Western nations follow through with promises of recognizing a Palestinian state.
鈥淣o offensive, annexation attempt, or forced displacement of populations will derail the momentum,鈥 Macron wrote on X, after his call with the crown prince.
Israel has killed over 62,000 people, mostly civilians, in Gaza and has been starving the population as a weapon of war, according to health officials and rights groups.
Experts have described Israel鈥檚 actions as genocide. Tel Aviv currently faces charges of genocide at the International Court of Justice.
In addition, the International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, alleging war crimes that include deliberate starvation.
This week, the 500-member International Association of Genocide Scholars, stated that Israel鈥檚 action amount to genocide.
Eighty-six percent of the scholars voted for the resolution declaring: 鈥淚srael鈥檚 policies and actions in Gaza meet the legal definition of genocide in Article II of the United Nations Convention for the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (1948).鈥
The latest Israeli war on the Palestinians began in October 2023 after Hamas raided Israeli settlements resulting in the death of 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and the capture of around 250.
Israel鈥檚 government has vowed to eradicate the group and free their citizens.
US President Donald Trump held a meeting at the White House last week to discuss the situation.
The meeting was attended by Trump鈥檚 Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, the president鈥檚 son-in-law and former adviser, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and a top Israeli official, according to US media.
A 38-page prospectus circulating within the Trump administration envisions the relocation of all of Gaza鈥檚 2 million people. The US wants to take over the enclave for 10 years while it is transformed into a tourist resort and tech hub, the Washington Post reported on Sunday.
Trump announced in February that he wants the Palestinian territory to be turned into what he called the 鈥淩iviera of the Middle East.鈥
Malls and cafes are major social hubs for residents and professionals looking to socialize and network in Riyadh. (Supplied/File
Updated 02 September 2025
Haifa Alshammari
The changing face of Riyadh summers
From mall meetups to cafe culture, residents are reinventing socializing in 海角直播
Updated 02 September 2025
Haifa Alshammari
RIYADH: With summer temperatures in Riyadh soaring above 40 C, outdoor gatherings have become rare. While some say the heat makes it impossible to socialize, others believe the right cooling provisions can make any spot appropriate.
And, despite the weather and shifting social norms, some see little change in our socializing habits.
Ali Sowaileh, a visitor from the Eastern Province, said: 鈥淭he cultural change overall is small. Gatherings were and still are being hosted at homes 鈥 with light conversation and Saudi coffee and tea.鈥
Malls and cafes are major social hubs for residents and professionals looking to socialize and network in Riyadh. (Supplied/File photo/SPA)
But Saudis are increasingly opting for indoor spaces such as malls, cafes, and play areas.
Many working mothers, for example, prefer to meet at play zones and take their children.
鈥淪ummer is the most productive time of the year for me. I prefer to spend it developing myself and focusing on work,鈥 said Hanan Al-Harbi, a 30-year-old mother who works in the intellectual property field.
HIGHLIGHTS
鈥 Riyadh鈥檚 cafe culture has grown rapidly with establishments boasting stylish interiors and diverse menus.
鈥 Coffee shops have emerged as venues for casual meetups, networking, and professional and creative collaborations.
鈥淚 also don鈥檛 really enjoy hot weather, so staying indoors feels more comfortable,鈥 she added, saying that she takes her daughter to soft-play locations a few times a week.
Shopping malls have become another major social hub, offering entertainment zones and events that allow families to spend an entire day there.
Malls and cafes are major social hubs for residents and professionals looking to socialize and network in Riyadh. (Supplied/File photo/SPA)
鈥淚 find it (a mall) a suitable choice given the nature of my work and the limited time I have,鈥 said Tahani Al-Mutairi, a 40-year-old healthcare worker. 鈥淢y work ends at 4 p.m. and I don鈥檛 have enough time to return home and prepare to host guests. So, having meetings here (the mall) is better both emotionally and financially.鈥
Nawal Mohammad, 24, also finds malls appealing, and the student said: 鈥淧eople are not staying at home all the time. Entertaining areas are now encouraging people to go out and socialize.鈥
Coffee shops, meanwhile, have emerged as venues for casual meetups, networking, and professional and creative collaborations. Riyadh鈥檚 cafe culture has grown rapidly with establishments boasting stylish interiors and diverse menus.
Some trace this development back to the COVID-19 pandemic, and Rawan Alghamdi, 23, said: 鈥淧eople were separated from each other (then). It wasn鈥檛 like before when they used to visit neighbors. After COVID-19, people became more isolated.鈥
However, others still see outdoor options as attractive. Abdulaziz Alotaibi, a telecommunications product manager, said: 鈥淚f the place is prepared and comfortable and has outdoor seating, I would definitely prefer to sit outside.
鈥淔or example, at Sikka, people there sit outside despite the heat because the place is designed well.鈥
Noura Al-Huqbani, 55, agrees, and enjoys outdoor trips once the seasons shift, saying: 鈥淚 prefer colder seasons when I go on spring trips, camping and to parks.鈥
For some, however, heat remains the deciding factor. 鈥淚 personally enjoy the weather more than the place I am at,鈥 said 19-year-old student Ghanaj Al-Rashid.
Lujain Khalid, her friend visiting from Kuwait, said: 鈥淓venings used to be cooler. It is impossible to see anyone at a park now. It has become mainly (a matter of gathering) in cafes or malls.鈥
Whether in malls, coffee shops, or play centers, Saudis are reshaping how they gather. Social hubs are no longer just an escape from the heat but new spaces for connection and entertainment.
Prince Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz (R) holds talks with Miles Armitage in Riyadh. (Supplied)
Updated 02 September 2025
Arab News
Deputy governor receives Australian ambassador in Riyadh
Prince Mohammed wished the ambassador success in his new duties
Updated 02 September 2025
Arab News
RIYADH: Riyadh Deputy Gov. Prince Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz received Australian Ambassador to the Kingdom Miles Armitage in Riyadh on Tuesday.
The meeting was held on Armitage鈥檚 appointment as his country鈥檚 ambassador to the Kingdom, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Prince Mohammed wished the ambassador success in his new duties.
During the meeting, they discussed various topics of common interest.
Lebanese authorities have foiled an attempt to smuggle 125 kilograms of cocaine with the help of the Saudi Ministry of Interior.
Updated 02 September 2025
NAJIA HOUSSARI
Lebanon seizes 125 kg of cocaine after help from Saudi General Directorate of Narcotics Control
Lebanese authorities, acting on information from 海角直播鈥檚 Interior Ministry and monitoring the activities of drug-smuggling networks, thwarted the attempt
Drugs 鈥 professionally camouflaged,鈥 says minister
Updated 02 September 2025
NAJIA HOUSSARI
BEIRUT: Lebanon鈥檚 Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar announced on Tuesday that the country鈥檚 Anti-Narcotics Bureau had seized 125 kg of cocaine, one of the largest seizures of the drug in recent years.
Hajjar explained that it had been smuggled onto a ship that had arrived at the port of Tripoli from Brazil after passing through Oman.
鈥淭hey were hidden 鈥 and professionally camouflaged among 840 gallons containing oils and grease,鈥 he said, adding that information had been received by the Anti-Narcotics Bureau from the General Directorate of Narcotics Control in 海角直播, part of the country鈥檚 Ministry of Interior.
Hajjar spoke of 鈥渄etainees in the case, and there are other wanted persons being pursued.鈥 He added that the investigations were still ongoing and that the seizure had taken place 鈥渋n the past few weeks.鈥
Hajjar expressed his gratitude to the Kingdom鈥檚 interior minister for his efforts, commending the long-standing contributions of both countries in combating drug smuggling.
He said: 鈥淚 met him (Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif) at the Arab Interior Ministers Conference, and we agreed to continue our efforts and coordination, and we are seeing one of the fruits of this coordination today.
鈥淥f course, this is not the first time we have coordinated with the Kingdom and the anti-drug departments of other sister countries, as we previously uncovered a captagon-smuggling operation towards the sisterly state of Kuwait.鈥
Hajjar added that Lebanese authorities had arrested six more individuals recently who had traveled from Latin American countries via Africa in possession of unspecified drugs.
He emphasized that 鈥渁ll these matters are being addressed seriously because they are a fundamental pillar of our strategy.鈥
Hajjar said that 鈥渆fforts over the past months have yielded significant seizures and arrests, the most recent of which was today鈥檚 operation.鈥
He added: 鈥淲e will not accept that Lebanon be a transit point or a gateway for any prohibited items heading to Lebanon or to any sister or friendly country.鈥
