JEDDAH: Saudi Shoura Council Speaker Sheikh Dr. Abdullah bin Mohammed Al-Asheikh arrived in Cairo on Monday. His is visiting Egypt on the invitation of Dr. Ali Abdel Aal Sayyed Ahmed, speaker of the Egyptian House of Representatives. The Saudi official was received by his Egyptian counterpart and other top officials at Cairo airport.
During his visit, the Saudi official will hold talks with his Egyptian counterpart to enhance bilateral ties particularly between the Saudi Shoura Council and the Egyptian House of Representatives. The visit also aims to activate different committees aimed at increasing cooperation in different sectors.
Dr. Al-Asheikh will also meet Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Kemal Madbouly, Foreign Minister Sameh Hassan Shoukry, and a number of senior officials.
Earlier this month, the Shoura Council speaker received the Arab Parliamentary Union’s (AMU) “Parliamentary Excellence” award in Cairo.
It was announced during a meeting of the executive committee of the union at its 24th session chaired by Ahmed Raslan, chairman of the Committee on Arab Affairs.
The AMU award is a recognition of Saudi Arabia’s constructive role in the region and its support for the Arab countries in various fields under the leadership of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The Saudi Shoura Council consists of a Speaker and 150 council members, among them scholars, educators, specialists and prominent members of society with expertise in their respective fields, chosen by the king and serving a four-year term. The council convenes its sessions in the capital of Riyadh, as well as in other locations in the Kingdom as the king deems appropriate.
Saudi Shoura Council speaker arrives in Cairo
Saudi Shoura Council speaker arrives in Cairo
- The AMU award is a recognition of Saudi Arabia’s constructive role in the region and its support for the Arab countries in various fields
Saudi-French writing residency yields ‘Saleeg and Baguette’ play at Riyadh Theater Festival
- Work developed by young Saudi playwright Ghada Aboud
- She seeks to promote ‘understanding’ between cultures
RIYADH: The Riyadh Theater Festival, concluding on Dec. 26, has shone a spotlight on “Saleeg and Baguette,” a play that presents a fusion of the cultures of Saudi Arabia and France, and which comments on the financial tribulations of a married couple.
Organized by the Theater and Performing Arts Commission and supported by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture, the festival is being held at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University. The play was among the works selected by a committee of experts for its relevance and artistic merit.
The thought-provoking show was developed by young Saudi playwright Ghada Aboud, who received a grant from the French Ministry of Culture to take part in a Franco-Saudi artistic residency at La Chartreuse, the National Centre for Performance Writing.
Aboud told Arab News: “I am a Saudi writer who has dedicated her life to publishing novels, films and plays that help people empathize with themselves and others and reconcile their contradictions, because in the end we are all human.”
The play focuses on the unstable marriage of Rima and Khaled, a young couple facing financial difficulties linked to the hotel Rima inherited from her mother.
Throughout the play, the couple have to overcome the tensions and pressures of their precarious economic situation.
Their story highlights the difficulties inherent in modern relationships, where financial problems can exacerbate conflicts and test the strength of their union.
Through poignant dialogue and tense moments, the writer explores themes of love, responsibility and survival, while reflecting on the expectations and dreams of young couples that are often dashed.
Faced with their own personal problems and frustrations, the characters see the hotel as a miraculous solution to their worries. They believe that by investing in this new venture they will escape their everyday difficulties and make a fresh start.
Speaking about her inspiration for the story, Aboud said: “In the current financial climate, pressures are weighing heavily on individuals, particularly couples.
“This can lead to the breakdown of marriages and families. I chose to test the couple’s bond by exposing them to a financial problem. Will their marriage be strengthened or broken by financial difficulties?”
However, the hotel, instead of solving their problems, exposes new layers of complexity and conflict.
“Writing is about sharing experiences and cultural influences on creativity. My residency at La Chartreuse with Odyssee allowed me to exchange my culture with French theater artists and to experience French theater and culture,” Aboud added.
“It’s important to me to create a narrative that promotes understanding between cultures, particularly France. Given the cultural cooperation between Saudi Arabia and France, I’m looking to show the common human elements between the different nationalities.”
Aboud uses dark humor as a tool to explore the complexities of married life and human relationships. By tackling serious themes in a light-hearted way, she creates a space where the audience can reflect on sensitive subjects without feeling overwhelmed.
“My aim as an author is to make the audience laugh and cry. I try to balance bittersweet and sweet themes through dark comedy. This creates empathy, self-pity, reflection and reconciliation,” she said.
“My dream is to present my work to French audiences,” Aboud added. “I will try to find ways to present it in France and highlight the shared human experiences between Saudi Arabia and France.
“I hope to draw attention to the financial burdens and problems of marriage, as well as the fusion of Saudi and French music.”
KSrelief’s health aid benefits six countries
- The center’s projects supported thousands of people across Turkiye, Yemen, Poland, Nigeria, Sudan and Mauritania
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s aid agency KSrelief has health projects supporting thousands of people across Turkiye, Yemen, Poland, Nigeria, Sudan and Mauritania.
In Turkiye, KSrelief recently completed a week-long neurosurgery project in Hatay, delivering 1,062 services to 403 patients.
In Yemen’s Hadramout governorate, a 14-member team provided orthopedic care, examined 152 patients, performed 59 surgeries, and completed 68 physiotherapy sessions in one week.
The Aden governorate had a week-long urology project with nine specialists examining 53 people and performing 109 surgeries.
In Poland, KSrelief fitted prosthetic limbs and provided rehabilitation for 32 Ukrainian refugees in Rzeszow in one week, utilizing innovative Direct Socket technology.
In Nigeria, KSrelief’s Saudi Noor project staff treated 4,000 patients, performed 423 eye surgeries, and distributed 1,000 prescription glasses.
In Sudan, a week-long pediatric surgery project in Port Sudan had specialists treat 36 children and complete 54 surgeries.
In Mauritania, a 10-day urological project in Nouakchott had eight doctors perform 80 specialized surgeries.
Creative writing program to train gifted Saudi 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
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.
Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ahsa hosts mobile robotics challenge
- The event brought together 40 talented young men and women from across the Kingdom
RIYADH: The Saudi Skills National Competition launched its mobile robotics challenge in Al-Ahsa on Tuesday, bringing together 40 talented young men and women from across the Kingdom.
The participants are from six leading educational institutions. The challenge is organized by the Technical and Vocational Training Corp.
Abdullah Al-Dahilan, senior competition secretary, said that the five-day event serves as a gateway to broader opportunities, with winners qualifying for Gulf, Asian and international championships, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
Contestants are being evaluated by certified experts and judges from Saudi Arabia and Russia, the SPA reported.
Successful participants will represent the Kingdom in regional and international competitions in 2025 as part of the WorldSkills Competition framework.
“Our mission is to nurture local and national talents through programs that meet international standards,” Al-Dahilan said.
Similar competitions are taking place at technical colleges, institutes and schools across major cities including Riyadh, Makkah, Qassim, Jubail and Al-Ahsa.
The competitions cover various technical fields, from electrical installations and electronics to graphic design, web design, mobile robotics, fashion design and welding.
Under the guidance of 16 trainers, participants will complete 50 hours of intensive training during the competition.
The event will end with an awards ceremony recognizing three winners in both junior and youth categories.
JIAT finds coalition hit Houthi vehicle in Yemen in 2018
- Joint Incidents Assessment Team said one guided bomb hit a legitimate military target
- Investigation came after allegations the vehicle contained civilians and firewood
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.
