Deal signed to advance AlUla’s biodiversity goals/node/2613989/saudi-arabia
Deal signed to advance AlUla’s biodiversity goals
The MoU promotes the exchange of institutional expertise in biodiversity conservation and social affairs management. (SPA)
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Arab News
Deal signed to advance AlUla’s biodiversity goals
Updated 9 sec ago
Arab News
RIYADH: The Royal Commission for AlUla signed a memorandum of understanding with the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Nature Reserve Development Authority to strengthen collaboration on environmental issues.
The partnership will focus on advancing best practices in public development, biodiversity conservation, environmental sustainability and community engagement in AlUla, contributing to a strong national framework for natural resource protection, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
The MoU promotes the exchange of institutional expertise in biodiversity conservation and social affairs management, supporting national development and reflecting both parties’ commitment to local and national progress.
It covers collaboration among specialized government entities and supports frameworks for biodiversity protection and integrated sustainability, aligned with AlUla’s vision and the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 plan.
Talks on investment, sports, sustainability, development
Aim to forge global partnerships, say pavilion organizers
Updated 03 September 2025
Arab News
TOKYO: The ֱ Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka will host over 150 business events to foster collaboration and forge global partnerships with organizations and countries.
These events, from Sept. 4 until Oct. 7, are expected to facilitate dialogue among stakeholders on investment, sports, sustainability, and development, according to a statement released by the organizers on Wednesday.
Each event is designed to bring together a diverse range of participants, including government representatives and business leaders.
By offering a dedicated space for impactful engagement, these events enable stakeholders to forge global connections, positioning the ֱ Pavilion as a hub for international collaboration and innovation.
This month, many events center around ֱ’s national identity and ambitious goals for development under Vision 2030, the organizers said.
From Sept. 19 to the 24, events and activations hosted by the ֱ Pavilion will heighten the overall impact of ֱ’s 95th National Day.
From Sept. 4, the pavilion will host the business events supported with live Japanese translation.
Qiddiya is presenting several panels from Sept. 4 to 12 including “The Rise of esports as a Top Sport,” “Saudi Women as Gaming Leaders,” “The Future of Art Cities,” and a lecture about the Qiddiya Performing Arts Center.
There are other panels including “Redefining Play: How Qiddiya is Shaping the Future of Sports Through Innovation,” “When mobility is an enabler for human connections,” and “The Power of International IPs in Shaping Qiddiya City.”
The Royal Institute of Traditional Arts will present a panel “Promoting Sustainable Practices Through Traditional Saudi Mudbrick Building” on Sept. 27.
The ֱ Pavilion is open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
ֱ, Japan agree on need for dialogue to solve Iran nuclear issue
Updated 5 sec ago
Arab News Japan
TOKYO: Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya held a telephone talk with his ֱn counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan on Tuesday and agreed that a peaceful resolution of the Iran nuclear issue should be achieved through dialogue, Japan’s Foreign Ministry reported.
Iwaya noted the importance of the Gulf countries’ calls for restraint and dialogue by both parties during the exchange of attacks between Israel and Iran in June. He also stated that Japan would continue its diplomatic efforts toward a peaceful resolution of the Iranian nuclear issue through dialogue.
Prince Faisal said both countries agree on seeking a peaceful solution to the Iranian nuclear issue through dialogue. He also welcomed Japan’s proactive role in stabilizing the region and expressed his desire to continue close cooperation.
On other matters, Iwaya emphasized the need to address the severe humanitarian situation in Gaza, as well as reiterating Japan’s support for a two-state solution to resolve the Palestinian issue. Prince Faisal expressed his appreciation for Japan’s support for Gaza and its consistent support for the two-state solution.
Iwaya was speaking from Kuwait, where he attended the Japan-GCC Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and other events. The two ministers held a candid exchange of views on recent regional developments, including Iran, Gaza and Syria. Prince Faisal was unable to attend the GCC-Japan meeting due to other obligations.
On Syria, Iwaya said Japan appreciated the Syrian government’s move toward a peaceful transition and stressed the importance of respecting Syria’s independence and sovereignty. Prince Faisal emphasized the importance of encouraging the Syrian government’s efforts toward political resolution and national reconciliation through dialogue.
Japan’s foreign minister expressed his pleasure at the high-level exchanges between the two countries on the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations this year and stated his intention to continue close ties.
In response, Prince Faisal said that the two ministers had had meaningful exchanges of views during their two meetings earlier this year on bilateral relations and regional affairs and expressed his satisfaction with the ongoing close communication between them.
They agreed to continue communicating to further strengthen bilateral relations and enhance cooperation in the international arena.
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: ֱ’s 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’s 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 “and our humanitarian partners are mobilizing to provide support to the affected population.”
Saudi crown prince, French president discuss dire Palestine situation
Two-state solution is key to peace, say the leaders
Macron warns that Israel cannot ‘derail momentum’
Updated 03 September 2025
Arab News
RIYADH: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and France’s 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’s position for an immediate end to Israel’s 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.
ֱ 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 ֱ and other Gulf states.
ֱ’s Foreign Ministry said the Kingdom “commends this historic decision, which reaffirms the international community’s consensus on the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and to establish their independent state.”
Last month, ֱ 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.
“No offensive, annexation attempt, or forced displacement of populations will derail the momentum,” 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’s 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’s action amount to genocide.
Eighty-six percent of the scholars voted for the resolution declaring: “Israel’s 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).”
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’s 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’s Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, the president’s 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’s 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 “Riviera of the Middle East.”
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 ֱ
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: “The cultural change overall is small. Gatherings were and still are being hosted at homes … with light conversation and Saudi coffee and tea.”
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.
“Summer is the most productive time of the year for me. I prefer to spend it developing myself and focusing on work,” said Hanan Al-Harbi, a 30-year-old mother who works in the intellectual property field.
HIGHLIGHTS
• Riyadh’s cafe culture has grown rapidly with establishments boasting stylish interiors and diverse menus.
• Coffee shops have emerged as venues for casual meetups, networking, and professional and creative collaborations.
“I also don’t really enjoy hot weather, so staying indoors feels more comfortable,” 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)
“I find it (a mall) a suitable choice given the nature of my work and the limited time I have,” said Tahani Al-Mutairi, a 40-year-old healthcare worker. “My work ends at 4 p.m. and I don’t have enough time to return home and prepare to host guests. So, having meetings here (the mall) is better both emotionally and financially.”
Nawal Mohammad, 24, also finds malls appealing, and the student said: “People are not staying at home all the time. Entertaining areas are now encouraging people to go out and socialize.”
Coffee shops, meanwhile, have emerged as venues for casual meetups, networking, and professional and creative collaborations. Riyadh’s 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: “People were separated from each other (then). It wasn’t like before when they used to visit neighbors. After COVID-19, people became more isolated.”
However, others still see outdoor options as attractive. Abdulaziz Alotaibi, a telecommunications product manager, said: “If the place is prepared and comfortable and has outdoor seating, I would definitely prefer to sit outside.
“For example, at Sikka, people there sit outside despite the heat because the place is designed well.”
Noura Al-Huqbani, 55, agrees, and enjoys outdoor trips once the seasons shift, saying: “I prefer colder seasons when I go on spring trips, camping and to parks.”
For some, however, heat remains the deciding factor. “I personally enjoy the weather more than the place I am at,” said 19-year-old student Ghanaj Al-Rashid.
Lujain Khalid, her friend visiting from Kuwait, said: “Evenings 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.”
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.
