Saudi participated in team that discovered Earth-size planets

This image shows an artist's conception of what the surface of the exoplanet TRAPPIST-1f may look like, based on available data about its diameter, mass and distances from the host star. (NASA/JPL-Caltech via AP)
Updated 27 February 2017
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Saudi participated in team that discovered Earth-size planets

MAKKAH: Saudis have expressed pride and joy after it emerged that a citizen of the Kingdom, Dr. Yaseen Al-Mleaky was included in a team of researchers who helped discover seven new planets.
 
The planets, the discovery of which was announced by NASA, are similar to Earth in size and could have liquid water and maybe life, by extension, on the surface.
 
Al-Mleaky, who is president of the center for astronomy and space science in the Clock Tower in Makkah, said: “The center has 13 stations around the world, seven are international, five are local and one is located in the Clock Tower in Makkah”.
 
The Saudi researcher, who is also member of the teaching faculty in the Astronomy Department in King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, added: “The observatory in Chile contributed to the monitoring of this star and planets that revolve around it”.
 
Saudis were pleased with this achievement and expressed their joy on Twitter. “I suggest that students should view Dr. Yaseen Al-Mleaky’s interview on Al-Arabiya to see a live role model and live with new discoveries”, wrote Naser Al-Hiyani.
 
Another Twitter user said Al-Mleiky’s participation in the research team is a source of pride for all young people in the Gulf.
 
This cluster of planets is less than 40 light-years away in the constellation Aquarius, according to NASA and the Belgian-led research team who announced the discovery Wednesday.
 
 
The planets circle tightly around a dim dwarf star called Trappist-1, barely the size of Jupiter. Three are in the so-called habitable zone, the area around a star where water and, possibly life, might exist. The others are right on the doorstep.
 
“We made a giant leap forward, and this discovery will enable us to answer the question that preoccupied a lot of philosophers throughout history, and the question we all ask, which is are we alone in this universe?” said associate administrator of NASA, Thomas Zurbuchen.
 
“Three of the seven planets could be suitable for life, and they might contain liquid water, which gives them vital weather conditions to develop biological life,” Zurbuchen added. Yaseen Al-Mleaky’s participation in this discovery isn’t the first Saudi contribution to space research. He was preceded by Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz who was the first Arab Muslim astronaut. Prince Sultan participated in the Space Shuttle Discovery trip in 1985, in the “STS-51-G” mission.
 
(Additional input from The Associated Press and Reuters)

More than 12m people visit Riyadh Season

Updated 58 min 53 sec ago
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More than 12m people visit Riyadh Season

  • The opening of the Courchevel Zone in Boulevard World has allowed visitors to enjoy a unique winter experience

RIYADH: Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the General Entertainment Authority, said that more than 12 million people have attended Riyadh Season so far this year.

The diverse range of offerings at Riyadh Season, which began in October and lasts to March 2025, continues to captivate audiences.

Recent additions, including The Groves and Souq Al-Awaleen, have further enhanced the visitor experience.

The opening of the Courchevel Zone in Boulevard World has allowed visitors to enjoy a unique winter experience.

The anticipated Boxing Week, featuring the historic rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury, attracted a significant global audience, adding a thrilling dimension to the season.

A collaborative effort with SAUDIA Group led to the recent launch of the Boulevard Runway zone, which offers a unique blend of aviation and entertainment.

 


Saudi Arabic Language Academy launches comprehensive media glossary to standardize Arabic terminology

Updated 21 December 2024
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Saudi Arabic Language Academy launches comprehensive media glossary to standardize Arabic terminology

  • Initiative seeks to provide reliable reference for researchers, journalists, and media professionals

RIYADH: The King Salman Global Academy for the Arabic Language, in collaboration with the Ministry of Media, has unveiled a comprehensive glossary of media terms aimed at standardizing and clarifying media-related terminology, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

According to SPA, the initiative seeks to provide a reliable reference for researchers, journalists, and media professionals, enhancing studies related to both traditional and digital media as well as other associated fields. It is also part of Saudi Arabia’s broader strategy to transform the media sector and promote a unified approach to media terminology.

Abdullah bin Saleh Al-Washmi, secretary-general of KSGAAL, explained that the academy prioritizes the creation of digital dictionaries to support scientific research and enhance local production at both individual and institutional levels.

He emphasized that such efforts aim to build a unified database providing researchers and specialists with access to accurate sources, in addition to digital linguistic data to support developers and programmers of technical applications, whether linguistic or non-linguistic.

Al-Washmi also highlighted the academy’s past achievements in producing specialized dictionaries in partnership with various government ministries and agencies. He noted that the media terminology glossary was launched in alignment with the significant transformations taking place in the media sector, offering a crucial linguistic resource to help understand these transformations and the evolving concepts within the field.

The glossary covers a broad range of terms related to traditional media — such as print journalism, radio, and television — as well as digital media, social media, live broadcasting, podcasts, online journalism, digital marketing, contemporary media platforms, audiovisual media vocabulary, and technical terms in the media field. It also addresses emerging concepts in new media.

Containing approximately 800 entries, the glossary provides each term’s Arabic equivalent, its grammatical category, the type of entry, its meanings, and English translations.


Tariq Abdulhakim Museum to mark 1st anniversary with celebrations

Updated 21 December 2024
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Tariq Abdulhakim Museum to mark 1st anniversary with celebrations

  • The two-day celebration will be held under the slogan “A Melody Between Heritage and the Future”

RIYADH: The Tariq Abdulhakim Museum in Jeddah’s historic Al-Balad district will host events and activities to commemorate its first anniversary from Dec. 27

The two-day celebration will be held under the slogan “A Melody Between Heritage and the Future.”

It will highlight the museum’s most significant milestones since its establishment and its contributions to showcasing Saudi musical heritage while fostering national identity, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Events include live musical performances, guided tours within the museum, theatrical activities and a light show projected onto the museum’s facade.

The Tariq Abdulhakim Museum, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, houses a collection of the artist’s personal belongings, musical compositions and audiovisual materials.

It also features a music research center, providing researchers with access to an extensive music archive, with the aim of preserving intangible cultural heritage.


KSrelief provides food aid in Syria and Yemen

Updated 21 December 2024
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KSrelief provides food aid in Syria and Yemen

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s humanitarian agency KSrelief has distributed food aid in several parts of Syria and Yemen.
KSrelief has recently handed out 724 food packages and 724 hygiene kits in Syria’s Sarmada and Idlib, assisting 4,344 people. The distribution is part of the second phase of a project providing aid to those affected by the earthquake in northern Syria.
The project aims to distribute 134,950 food parcels and 134,950 hygiene kits in Idlib, Aleppo, the northern countryside of Raqqa and the northwestern countryside of Hasakah, benefiting 809,700 people from displaced families affected by the earthquake.
Last week, KSrelief distributed 450 food packages in Al-Mansoura District of Yemen’s Aden Governorate, reaching 3,150 people. 

KSrelief distributes food aid in Yemen

In Lebanon, KSrelief also continued providing healthcare services in Arsal, throughout November, supporting both Syrian refugees and the host community. 
The Saudi agency treated 10,815 patients, offering 20,691 services, including clinic visits, pharmacy services, laboratory tests, nursing care and mental-health support.

 


Saudi Arabia condemns Magdeburg attack, expresses condolences to victims

Updated 21 December 2024
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Saudi Arabia condemns Magdeburg attack, expresses condolences to victims

  • Saudi Arabia also reiterated its firm stance against all forms of violence
  • The Muslim World League similarly condemned the attack

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia condemned the attack on a bustling Christmas market in the city of Magdeburg, Germany, where a car plowed into the crowd on Friday evening and killing at least two people and injuring over 60 others.
The driver was arrested at the scene shortly after the incident.

 


The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement on Saturday, expressed its condolences and sympathy to the families of the victims and to the government, wishing those injured a swift recovery.

Saudi Arabia also reiterated its firm stance against all forms of violence.

A Saudi source told Reuters that Saudi Arabia had warned German authorities about the attacker after he posted extremist views on his personal X account that threatened peace and security.

The Muslim World League similarly condemned the attack, with the group reaffirming its stance against violence and all forms of terrorism.

In a statement, it also expressed ‘solidarity, heartfelt condolences, and sympathy to the families of the victims and the injured, as well as to the German community.’