JEDDAH: Thirty Houthi rebels were killed when they tried to infiltrate the Saudi-Yemen border, said Col. Daghash Al-Masradi, commander of the National Guard at Al-Rabuah Center. “Their weapons were seized by security forces.”
In a statement, Col. Al-Masradi said on Monday that two militia hideouts were identified on the border and were destroyed, adding that the fight to prevent the rebels from crossing the border is documented in video and audio recording.
In an exemplary heroic act, on Sunday night, one member of the National Guard suffered a serious injury, but refused to be transferred to hospital in order to continue work on the front line.
Meanwhile, KSRelief on Saturday distributed medical aid to Al-Rawdah, Al-Mothfar and Al-Ta’awun hospitals in the Yemeni province of Taiz, in coordination with the World Health Organization and a humanitarian relief coalition, supervised by the Higher Medical Committee in the province.
The aid consisted of medicines, medical supplies, surgical equipment, as well as IV treatment, antibiotics and medicines to treat fungi and parasites.
A medical management specialist from the coalition said the aid distribution is part of the urgent medical assistance program implemented in Taiz hospitals; it is an ongoing effort until all hospitals and health centers chosen by the Higher Medical Committee receive their share of medical supplies.
Acting director of Al-Mothfar hospital praised KSRelief’s humanitarian gesture, which is part of the center’s urgent assistance program for hospitals in Taiz, launched last week.
The program aims to distribute 12 tons of medicines and medical supplies to 12 hospitals and seven health centers in different districts of the province.
Taiz Gov. Ali Al-Maamari said KSRelief has been a great supporter of the health sector in Taiz, providing more than 90 percent of the assistance and aid to the injured and wounded in the province.
He said the center signed contracts with eight private hospitals, four in Aden and four in Taiz, to treat the injured, covering the entire treatment cost.
Previously, when the city was under siege, the center airdropped medical relief supplies to the needy.
For two years, said the governor, the center has been supporting the families of Taiz, despite efforts by the Houthis and ousted leader Ali Abdullah Saleh to punish the city because it was the first to rebel against them.
The governor said that only two out of the nine hospitals in the province are functioning, and at minimum capacity, after the city’s health and government facilities were bombed by Saleh and Houthi militias. He added that “these criminals committed war crimes, killing more than 3,500 people and wounding more than 12,000 people, of whom 2,500 are in critical condition”.
“The rebel militias of the Houthis and Saleh prevented on Saturday a security delegation from UNICEF to enter Taiz, continuing their siege of the city where people suffer from poor health conditions after the outbreak of cholera,” he said.
The military said the rebel forces refused to allow entry to the delegation, despite the truce, which stipulated lifting the siege and allowing humanitarian assistance.
He said the militia held up UNICEF employees for hours as they tried to enter, but ultimately denied them entry and continues to maintain the siege and limit entry in and exit from the city despite the truce.
Militias also target neighborhoods and the Yemeni national army and resistance sites, said the governor, adding that the local authority in Taiz strongly condemns the Houthi rebels for denying UN personnel entry into Taiz.
In a statement conveyed by Al-Maamari, the governor said a security delegation headed by Julian Harnaz Rick, UNICEF country director, was on its way to visit Taiz on Saturday to asses the health and humanitarian situation and meet with government entities and humanitarian relief organizations.
They were stopped by coup militia in the area of Al-Akrood in Al-Masraakh and forced to return.
He said the rebels’ act “reflects the absurdity and stupidity of these militias, who reveal day after day their criminality and lack of commitment to agreements.”
The Taiz governor urged the UN delegation to inform the world about the suffering of civilians trapped there, so that the international community can learn the truth about the crippling blockade on the province for the past two years.
Taiz sees urgent KSRelief medical aid as lifeline for city under siege
Taiz sees urgent KSRelief medical aid as lifeline for city under siege
3rd Global Conference for Giftedness and Creativity underway in Riyadh
- More than 300 talented individuals and local and international speakers from over 50 countries were attending the three-day conference
RIYADH: The third edition of the Global Conference for Giftedness and Creativity opened in Riyadh on Sunday, bringing together a select group of experts and talented individuals in science, technology, and innovation.
More than 300 talented individuals and local and international speakers from over 50 countries were attending the three-day conference, which was inaugurated by Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, governor of Riyadh region, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Organized by the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity, also known as "Mawhiba," the conference is being held at the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC) until Tuesday.
Themed "Beyond Creative Minds," the conference aims to showcase the potential of the gifted, develop a comprehensive care system to support them, bolster integration and strategic partnerships, and enhance opportunities for global exchange and cooperation.
An exhibition and various cultural visits are being held on the conference sidelines, the SPA report said.
According to the Mawhiba site, the conference reflects the success achieved in the two previous editions, and "provides an opportunity for partners to contribute to sponsoring the journey of talented people from different countries of the world."
Saudi-European talks to strengthen cooperation in environmental fields
- Saudi minister of state discussed with EU security and political officials strengthening existing work on dealing with climate change
RIYADH: Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir met with European officials on Sunday in Riyadh, Saudi Press Agency reported.
Al-Jubeir, who is also the Saudi climate envoy, held talks with Delphine Pronk, the Chair of the EU Political and Security Committee, and Luigi Di Maio, the EU Special Representative for the Gulf region.
They discussed issues surrounding climate change and the cooperation between Saudi Arabia and the EU in environmental fields, SPA added.
They discussed ways to strengthen their existing cooperation on tackling climate change and the recent development in foreign policy in Europe and the Middle East.
Saudi Arabia maintains a strong dialogue with the EU, and both parties share close views on several foreign policy issues, including the Saudi-led Arab Peace Initiative for the Middle East, which aims to create a prosperous region for all its people and end the cycle of conflict.
The EU and Saudi Arabia are also linked through trade relations, which made the EU the Kingdom's second trading partner after the volume of trade exchange between Riyadh and Brussels peaked at $80 billion in 2023.
Saudi FM arrives in Italy to attend G7 ministerial meeting
RIYADH: Saudi foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan arrived in Italy on Sunday to participate in an expanded ministerial meeting of the Group of Seven (G7) countries in Fiuggi, Saudi Press Agency reported.
The meeting will discuss the current situation in the Middle East, SPA added.
During his stay in Fiuggi, Prince Faisal will hold a number of discussions that will address regional and international issues.
Saudi fund chief receives Tajikistan’s deputy prime minister
- Saudi Ambassador to Tajikistan Walid Al-Rashidan was among the officials in attendance
RIYADH: CEO of the Saudi Fund for Development Sultan Al-Marshad received First Deputy Prime Minister of Tajikistan Hokim Kholiqzoda and his accompanying delegation in Riyadh on Sunday.
During the meeting, the Saudi fund’s development projects were discussed, as well as ways to enhance development cooperation between both sides, the official account wrote on X.
Saudi Ambassador to Tajikistan Walid Al-Rashidan was among the officials in attendance.
Kholiqzoda’s visit included a tour of the Saudi fund’s exhibition center, which showcases the organization’s 50-year journey, including notable development projects and their impacts on the lives of beneficiaries.
World’s first International Conference on Conjoined Twins kicks off in Riyadh
- Top World Health Organization official commends Saudi Arabia’s efforts in the field
RIYADH: The inaugural International Conference on Conjoined Twins kicked off in Riyadh on Sunday.
The event unites leading medical experts, humanitarian organizations, and families from around the globe to share vital insights, discuss innovative separation techniques, and forge collaborative pathways in the pursuit of improved lives for conjoined twins.
Riyadh Gov. Prince Faisal bin Bandar delivered a speech on behalf of King Salman celebrating the achievements of the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program, which has become a global leader in the field.
“Since 1990, 143 cases of twins from 26 countries have been reviewed by my dear colleagues, who have successfully separated a total of 61 pairs of twins to date,” he said.
Prince Faisal added that it is the only program globally specializing in separating conjoined twins, making it one of the largest humanitarian medical programs in the world.
He also highlighted a recent milestone: the UN General Assembly is considering an initiative by Saudi Arabia to designate Nov. 24 as the annual World Conjoined Twins Day.
In a video address, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organization, congratulated Saudi Arabia on its leadership in organizing the conference.
“I commend Saudi Arabia for its leadership in organizing this important World Conjoined Twins Day Conference,” he said.
This recognition would honor the medical and humanitarian efforts in this field and highlight the challenges faced by conjoined twins and their families.
Ghebreyesus praised the initiative as a model for global collaboration in rare and complex medical cases.
“The conference provides critical insights, from surgical innovations to long-term strategies, shaping rare initiatives. A broader platform and registry for congenital anomalies would benefit low and middle-income countries,” he said.
A keynote address was delivered by Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, advisor to the Royal Court and supervisor-general of Saudi aid agency KSrelief.
As the head of the multidisciplinary team for the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program, Al-Rabeeah provided insights into the occurrence and challenges associated with conjoined twins.
The history of conjoined twin separation reveals both the challenges and progress in medical science.
“The first successful separation was by Johannes Fatio back in 1689 by using a constricting band for a set of Omphalopagus twins or those sharing liver and gastrointestinal organs,” he said.
With a 0.5 percent incidence rate, this early success involved “presumably, a small joining in the skin, probably a little bit of the liver,” said Al-Rabeeah.
He added that a major breakthrough came in 1957 with the first successful separation of Craniopagus, or twins sharing one brain.
Al-Rabeeah said that the epidemiology shows distinct patterns: “In Western countries, it’s been estimated that we get one conjoined twins in every 50 to 200,000 births.”
He added that, however, it is more prevalent in Southeast Asia and Africa, “presumably because identical twinning and twinning is (found) more in dark-skinned people in Africa and also in Southeast Asia, increasing the incidence.”
The survival statistics, Al-Rabeeah reported, entail that “60 percent of conjoined twins are stillborn, and those who live 40 percent of them will die in the first few days of life, and 70 percent of those who would survive will be females.”
He emphasized that the reasons behind this regional disparity remain unknown and require further research.
Throughout the conference, leading medical professionals presented their expertise on various aspects of caring for and separating conjoined twins. Topics included embryology, multidisciplinary team-building, antenatal care, and labor management.
Dr. Nadia Al-Ghilan, from the maternal-fetal medicine department at King Abdulaziz Medical City, gave a presentation titled “Caring for Conjoined Twins: A Prenatal Journey,” describing the complex process of managing pregnancies involving conjoined twins.
She said that caring for conjoined twins is a complex and delicate process as it requires meticulous prenatal planning and a dedicated medical team.
Al-Ghilan said that “this journey is filled with unique challenges, ethical considerations, and the utmost care to ensure the best possible outcomes for the twins and their family.”
Early diagnosis, she stressed, is critical for effective prenatal referral, counseling, and planning for delivery and postnatal care.
Al-Ghilan also underscored the importance of genetic testing in understanding the chromosomal health of conjoined twins.
“Techniques like amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling can help identify genetic abnormalities, providing valuable information for developing treatment strategies.”
The conference not only serves as a platform for scientific exchange but also fosters dialogue on building global partnerships to support conjoined twins and their families, particularly in low and middle income countries. The conference emphasized the importance of comprehensive care, from prenatal counseling to post-separation rehabilitation.
For over 30 years, the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program has stood as a beacon of hope for families worldwide. The inaugural International Conference on Conjoined Twins is set to continue this legacy, inspiring further advancements in the care and treatment of conjoined twins globally.
