Saudi Arabia ‘building bridges’ with space science, KACST chief tells Vienna forum

Prince Turki bin Saud bin Mohammed, president of King Abdul Aziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), speaking before the UN Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space in Vienna on June 20, 2018. (SPA)
Updated 21 June 2018
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Saudi Arabia ‘building bridges’ with space science, KACST chief tells Vienna forum

  • Between 2000 and 2017, the Kingdom launched 13 Saudi satellites along with three other satellites for communication remote sensing and scientific experiment services.

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia took part on Wednesday in a UN Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space in Vienna.

The Kingdom’s delegation was headed by Prince Turki bin Saud bin Mohammed, president of King Abdul Aziz City for Science and Technology (KACST). Saudi Arabia is an important member of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space.
In a speech to the conference, Prince Turki bin Saud said that the Kingdom has spared no effort to get and localize the best space sciences and techniques for use in vital fields, including education, health and management of water and natural resources, urban planning, environment surveillance, and telecommunications and satellite navigation.
The Kingdom has set a sustainable program for the satellite technology and applications that focuses on qualifying Saudi scholars, engineers and specialists, and developing infrastructure to support and sustain the country’s space industry.
Between 2000 and 2017, the Kingdom launched 13 Saudi satellites along with three other satellites for communication remote sensing and scientific experiment services. By the end of 2018, the Saudi Communication Satellite KA (SGS-1) that is being developed in cooperation with the US Lockheed Martin Company will be launched. This project includes an advanced qualification of Saudi cadres in the field of satellite designing, building and experimenting.
Prince Turki said the Kingdom established the first ground station in the region to obtain high-resolution images, operated by a center specializing in remote sensing technology in KACST. Two satellites will be launched this year, followed by other satellites in coming years to meet local needs.
He said: “Our space scientific missions in the future rely on the approach of small-scale satellite use, which contributes to achieving the low-cost scientific results in comparison with the current international missions. The Kingdom is seeking though its ambitious Vision 2030 and executive programs to build bridges of cooperation with the states that share the same interests of exploring the outer space for the common good of humankind.”
Prince Turki congratulated the Kingdom at the end of his speech on the 50th anniversary of the first UN Conference on Exploration and Peaceful Uses of the Outer Space. He praised the efforts of the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space Committee and thanked the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs, represented by its head Simonetta Di Pippo.


Saudi Cabinet rejects displacement of Palestinians, backs Arab summit’s Gaza plan

Updated 05 March 2025
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Saudi Cabinet rejects displacement of Palestinians, backs Arab summit’s Gaza plan

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Cabinet on Tuesday affirmed full support for the decisions of the extraordinary Arab League summit in Cairo that rejected the displacement of Palestinians from their land, and aimed to end the disastrous repercussions resulting from the war.

It reiterated the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and to obtain their legitimate rights, including their right to establish their independent state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The final statement adopted by the summit called for the deployment of an international protection and peacekeeping force in the Palestinian territories.

It adopted the plan submitted by Egypt with regard to Gaza, in full coordination with Palestine and Arab countries.

It also emphasized the achievement of a just and comprehensive peace that fulfills the rights of the Palestinian people.

During the weekly Cabinet session chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh, ministers condemned Israel’s decision to stop the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, calling on the international community to assume its responsibilities towards these serious violations, activate international accountability mechanisms, and ensure sustainable access to aid.

The Cabinet tackled the joint statement issued after President Joseph Aoun’s visit to Riyadh regarding the importance of fully implementing the Taif Agreement, which ended Lebanon’s civil war and was negotiated in Saudi Arabia in 1989, and relevant international resolutions.

The joint statement also stressed the importance of ensuring Lebanon’s sovereignty over all its territories, restricting weapons to the Lebanese state, supporting the Lebanese army’s national role, and calling for the withdrawal of the Israeli occupation forces from all Lebanese territories.

Aoun was welcomed at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh on Monday, where discussions with the crown prince focused on strengthening bilateral relations.

During their talks, both leaders agreed to study obstacles affecting the resumption of exports from Lebanon to Saudi Arabia and procedures to facilitate Saudi travel to Lebanon. They also reaffirmed their commitment to Lebanon’s economic recovery and the implementation of reforms aligned with international standards.

In a diffident matter, the Cabinet affirmed the state’s continued support for the social services system and national initiatives that aim to provide adequate housing for qualifying families, praising in this regard the cooperation and integration of roles between government, private and non-profit entities, in addition to community members, to achieve the goals of the Jood Regions campaign.

The Jood Regions campaign was first launched during Ramadan 2024 to provide more than 10,000 housing units for the most needy families across the Kingdom’s 13 provinces.

King Salman and the crown prince have donated a total of SR150 million ($40 million) to the second Jood Regions campaign, launched at the start of this year’s Ramadan.

The Cabinet reviewed the progress of major development and service projects that aim to enhance the comprehensive development process in the Kingdom.

The ministers offered congratulation on the opening of the first phase of Sports Boulevard project in Riyadh, which will contribute to consolidating the position of the city among the best global cities.

The project, led by the Sports Boulevard Foundation, is now 40 percent complete, with 83 km of the route being accessible to visitors since Feb. 27.

The initiative, launched by King Salman in March 2019, aligns with the country’s Quality-of-Life Program, outlined in Saudi Vision 2030, by creating greener, more sustainable cities that encourage participation in activities like walking, cycling, and horse riding. It also aims to transform Riyadh into one of the world’s most livable cities by blending sports with cultural, artistic, and environmental opportunities.


Hands-on faith: henna tradition inspires first-time fasters in Saudi Arabia’s Northern Borders region

Families gather to decorate their daughters’ hands with henna, encouraging fasting while making it fun and memorable. (SPA)
Updated 04 March 2025
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Hands-on faith: henna tradition inspires first-time fasters in Saudi Arabia’s Northern Borders region

  • These cherished customs are integral to the cultural and social identity of the people in the Northern Borders region

RIYADH: In Saudi Arabia’s Northern Borders region, the holy month of Ramadan brings a surge of traditions, including henna painting for young girls fasting for the first time.

Saudi Press Agency reports that families gather to decorate their daughters’ hands with henna, encouraging fasting while making it fun and memorable.

Families gather to decorate their daughters’ hands with henna, encouraging fasting while making it fun and memorable. (SPA)

The festive designs, which are tied to joy and celebration, boost the girls’ enthusiasm and pride as they showcase their decorated hands, strengthening Ramadan’s spirit.

Wejdan Al-Anzi, a resident of Arar, told SPA: “For years, we have made it a tradition to apply henna on our daughters’ hands when they begin fasting.

Families gather to decorate their daughters’ hands with henna, encouraging fasting while making it fun and memorable. (SPA)

“It is a delightful custom that helps children feel connected to the Ramadan spirit shared by the adults around them.”

Afaf Al-Thuwaini also highlighted that this tradition extends beyond mere aesthetics; it cultivates essential religious and social values in children, helping them connect fasting with an atmosphere of joy and celebration.

These cherished customs are integral to the cultural and social identity of the people in the Northern Borders region.

These simple yet meaningful traditions foster a deep appreciation for devotion in children, playing a significant role in shaping their religious and social character.

 


Saudi deputy minister receives Iraqi ambassador

Updated 04 March 2025
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Saudi deputy minister receives Iraqi ambassador

  • They discussed bilateral relations and other topics of common interest

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister for Political Affairs Saud Al-Sati received Ambassador of Iraq to the Kingdom Safia Taleb Al-Suhail in Riyadh on Tuesday.

During the meeting, they discussed bilateral relations and other topics of common interest, the Foreign Ministry posted on X.

In a separate meeting on Tuesday, Al-Sati received Nodirjon Turgunov, ambassador of Uzbekistan to Saudi Arabia, to discuss issues of mutual interest.


We categorically reject any violation of the rights of the Palestinian people: Saudi FM

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan speaks at the extraordinary Arab League summit on Gaza. (SPA)
Updated 04 March 2025
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We categorically reject any violation of the rights of the Palestinian people: Saudi FM

  • Prince Faisal said the Kingdom supported the two-state solution and the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia categorically rejects any infringement on the rights of the Palestinian people, the Kingdom’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said on Tuesday.

During a speech that he delivered at an extraordinary Arab League summit in Cairo on countering US President Donald Trump’s widely condemned plan for Gaza, Prince Faisal stressed the rejection of Israeli settlements and attempts to displace Palestinians.
“We stress the need for international guarantees and UN resolutions that impose the sustainability of the truce in the Gaza Strip,” Prince Faisal told the gathering of Arab leaders.

He added that the Kingdom supported the two-state solution and the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination.

The reconstruction of Gaza must be carried out while its people remain in the territory and the Kingdom supports measures taken by the Palestinian Authority to ensure security and stability, Prince Faisal added.

“The unprecedented suffering that the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip have been subjected to requires the international community to work together to restore life to normal in the territory, rebuild it, and enable the Palestinian people to live in dignity on their land without trying to change the reality in Palestinian territories.

“We hope that this summit will contribute to achieving tangible results to end the disastrous repercussions of this war, protect innocent civilians in Palestine, and create a new reality in which the region enjoys security, stability, and prosperity,” the minister said. 

The final statement adopted by the summit called for the deployment of an international protection and peacekeeping force in the Palestinian territories. 

It condemned the recent Israeli decision to stop the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip and close the crossings used for relief work.

It adopted the plan submitted by Egypt with regard to Gaza, in full coordination with Palestine and Arab countries.

It also emphasized the achievement of a just and comprehensive peace that fulfils the rights of the Palestinian people.


Restoration of Qalaa Mosque in Madinah enhances Saudi Arabia’s Islamic heritage

Updated 04 March 2025
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Restoration of Qalaa Mosque in Madinah enhances Saudi Arabia’s Islamic heritage

  • Expansion under the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Project for the Development of Historic Mosques 

Riyadh: The historic Qalaa Mosque in the town of Al-Hinakiyah, northeast of Madinah, is among the places of worship undergoing restoration as part of a national project.

The second phase of the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Project for the Development of Historic Mosques focuses on preserving the building, which is over a century old, in Madinah’s historical architectural style, the Saudi Press Agency reported recently.

The initiative aims to enhance the Islamic heritage of the Kingdom as the land where the Qur’an was revealed, and the location of the Two Holy Mosques. 

The project will expand the mosque’s area from 181 sq. meters to 263 sq. meters to accommodate 171 worshippers. The mosque was previously unused, the SPA added.

The renovation will include the use of natural materials including clay and local wood, to ensure the mosque returns to its original form. 

It will preserve the unique building techniques that are adapted to the local environment and hot desert climate.

The crown prince’s project aims to balance traditional and modern construction standards to ensure the sustainability of historic mosques, the SPA reported.

Saudi Arabia companies and engineers specializing in heritage restoration are leading the work.

Phase two of the crown prince’s project follows the successful completion of phase one in 2018, which restored 30 mosques in 10 regions across the Kingdom.