World unites in anger at new Houthi missile attack on Saudi Arabia

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Saudi soldiers display the remains of Iranian-made Houthi ballistic missiles at a press conference in Riyadh on Monday. Seven missiles fired from Yemen and targeting cities in Saudi Arabia were intercepted by Saudi air defense forces on Sunday night. (AFP)
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A screen grab of Saudi air defences intercepting Houthi ballistic missiles.
Updated 27 March 2018
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World unites in anger at new Houthi missile attack on Saudi Arabia

RIYADH: JEDDAH: World leaders joined a chorus of anger and condemnation on Monday after Houthi militias in Yemen launched a barrage of Iranian-supplied ballistic missiles at civilian areas of four cities in Saudi Arabia. 
Three of the seven rockets fired on Sunday night targeted Riyadh, two were aimed at Jazan, and the others were launched toward Khamis Mushayt and Najran. Saudi air defenses intercepted all seven. An Egyptian civilian worker was killed by falling debris, and two others were injured. The Saudi-led coalition supporting Yemen’s internationally recognized government said the attacks all targeted populated areas.
In Riyadh on Monday, the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen displayed wreckage from the missiles, which analysis indicated were supplied by Iran. The coalition “reserves the right to respond against Iran at the right time and right place,” spokesman Col. Turki Al-Maliki said. 
Condemnation of the attack was led by the United Nations and the United States, followed by the Arab League, the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Pakistan, Russia, Italy, Algeria and Sudan. 
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres “strongly condemns the launch late yesterday of a series of missiles claimed by the Houthis toward cities in Saudi Arabia, including Riyadh, as he does consistently with all attacks against civilians,” the UN said. Guterres will meet Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at UN headquarters in New York on Tuesday to discuss Yemen.
The US confirmed its support to Saudi Arabia in defending the Kingdom’s borders. “We continue to call on all parties, including the Houthis, to return to political negotiations and move toward ending the war in Yemen,” the State Department said.
Kuwait's Permanent Representative to the UN, Mansour Al-Otaibi, callled on the UN Security Council to intervene to stop the Houthi missile attacks on the Kingdom. He added Houthi militias undermine all opportunities for peace in Yemen and their attacks are a dangerous escalation.
The United States joined in strongly condemning the dangerous Houthi missile attacks.
"We support our Saudi partners' right to defend their borders against these threats. We continue to call on all parties, including the Houthis, to return to political negotiations and move toward ending the war in Yemen," said spokesperson for the US Department of State Heather Nauert.
Algeria also strongly condemned the attack and affirmed its solidarity and full support to King Salman, the Saudi government and its people in the face of any attempt to target its security and stability. It called for the immediate cessation of hostilities that will deepen the crisis and increase the escalating tension in the region.
Leading analyst Oubai Shahbandar told Arab News: “Officials in Tehran seem intent on escalating the Yemeni conflict into wider regional instability. That makes the prospects for a negotiated peace settlement in Yemen under UN auspices that much more difficult to attain.”
Senior analyst and columnist, Dr. Majid Rafizadeh, said: “This reveals that the Iranian regime is determined to destabilize the region and expand its influence through its proxies and by smuggling and supplying the Houthis with weapons.” 
“These acts are in violation of two UN resolutions: 2216, which imposes an arms embargo on Yemen’s Houthi militia, and 2231, which bans Iran from transferring weapons and advancing its ballistic missile program in specific instances," he added.
Rafizadeh called on the UN and EU to impose targeted sanctions on Iran.

War crime
The human rights group Amnesty International said the Houthi missile attacks could be a war crime.
“Launching indiscriminate attacks is prohibited by international humanitarian law,” said Amnesty’s Samah Hadid.
“A high death toll may have been averted, possibly due to the missiles being intercepted, but that doesn’t let the Houthi armed group off the hook for this reckless and unlawful act.
“These missiles cannot be precisely targeted at such distances, so their use in this manner unlawfully endangers civilians.”
Amnesty did not say it had independently documented evidence of the attacks.
In Rome, Italy’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Angelino Alfano pledged his country’s full solidarity with Saudi Arabia, saying:  “The Houthi rebels’ provocative behavior undermines security and stability in the region and contributes to the deterioration of the political and military situation in Yemen.”
Alfano added that ending the conflict in Yemen “must be the main priority” as it “is also essential for addressing the civilians’ urgent humanitarian needs.”
“Italy is ready to offer its assistance to the UN new special envoy to Yemen, Martin Griffiths, in hope that he will push forward the negotiations aimed at ending this conflict,” Alfano said.

UK to Iran: Stop arming Houthis
Britain had earlier called on Iran to “stop sending weapons” to the Houthi militias and use its influence instead to end the conflict, Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper reported on Sunday.
In a joint statement on the occasion of the three-year anniversary of the start of the Saudi-led Arab military intervention against the Houthi militias in Yemen, Britain’s Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt said that “if Iran is sincere in its commitment to support a political solution in Yemen, it must stop sending weapons that prolong the conflict, fuel regional tensions and pose a threat to international peace and security.”
“We are wondering why Iran is spending a lot of money in a country with which it has no real historical ties or interests, rather than using its influence to end the conflict for the benefit of the Yemeni people,” the ministers said in their statement.
In September 2014, the Houthis expelled pro-government forces from Sanaa and took control of the capital and several parts of the country.
“We support the efforts of the Saudi-led coalition to restore legitimacy in Yemen, as approved by the UN Security Council,” the British ministers said in a statement.
 A report by UN experts concluded that Tehran was involved in arming the Houthis.
The United Nations is making a fresh push for talks after Iran sent signals that it would be willing to help turn up the pressure on the Houthis to take part in negotiations, UN diplomats said.
New UN envoy Martin Griffiths was in the rebel-held capital Sanaa this week for talks on kick-starting the political process, following a first round of meetings in Riyadh.
About 10,000 Yemenis have been killed and 53,000 wounded since the coalition intervened in Yemen in March 2015.


3rd Global Conference for Giftedness and Creativity underway in Riyadh

Updated 25 November 2024
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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

Updated 25 November 2024
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Saudi-European talks to strengthen cooperation in environmental fields

  • Saudi minister, EU security and political officials discuss reinforcing existing work on coping 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, chair of the EU Political and Security Committee, and Luigi Di Maio, EU special representative for the Gulf region.

They discussed issues surrounding climate change and environmental cooperation between Saudi Arabia and the EU, as well as ways in which existing cooperation on tackling climate change could be strengthened. They also talked about the recent development in foreign policy in Europe and the Middle East.

Saudi Arabia maintains a strong dialogue with the EU, with both parties sharing views on several foreign policy issues, including the Saudi-led Arab Peace Initiative for the Middle East.

The EU and Saudi Arabia are also linked through trade relations, with the EU becoming the Kingdom’s second main 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

Updated 24 November 2024
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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

Updated 24 November 2024
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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

Updated 24 November 2024
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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.