RIYADH: The Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission has launched the second Generation of Literature program to develop creative writing skills among gifted students.

The program, involving 182 students from across the Kingdom, takes place in Riyadh, Jeddah and Alkhobar, with an e-learning option for broader participation, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

In collaboration with the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity, or Mawhiba, the program aims to nurture literary talent, refine skills and provide hands-on training in writing.

Focused on middle school students, the program explores genres such as science fiction, detective stories, children’s stories, short stories and essays.

It enhances linguistic abilities like reading comprehension, language adaptation, metaphor interpretation and artistic imagery creation, the SPA reported.

The program also aims to improve research and investigation skills, including observation, comparison and analysis, while fostering problem-solving, critical thinking and self-confidence.

RIYADH: The Joint Incidents Assessment Team released a statement on Wednesday regarding a claim that the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen targeted a vehicle in the Sanaa governorate in 2018.

The JIAT investigation found that coalition forces did not target a vehicle carrying five people from two families and a firewood load in the Sanaa governorate on March 21, 2018, as claimed.

However, the JIAT, which was set up in May 2016 to assess Saudi military activity in Yemen, found that the air forces targeted a vehicle belonging to the Houthi militia in the Musawarah area in Nihm district, 40 km east of the capital.

The JIAT stated that the air forces targeted the Houthi vehicle 620 meters away from the coordinates mentioned in the claim regarding the civilian vehicle.

It added the legitimate Yemeni government’s ground forces requested air support to target a Houthi vehicle in Musawarah during armed clashes.

The Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen’s air forces then launched an airstrike and used one guided bomb to hit the Houthi target, the JIAT added.

The investigation assessed documents related to the operation, including air mission orders and reports, video recordings, and satellite images.

It also reviewed the coalition’s rules of engagement in light of international humanitarian law, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Based on video recordings of the strike, the JIAT found that the Houthi vehicle was on the road in the Nihm district that connects Marib and Sanaa, the SPA reported.

The JIAT added that the road was free of civilians and other vehicles, and there were no buildings around the military target; neither personnel nor firewood load were seen onboard the vehicle, the SPA added.