AMMAN: Saudi armed forces have completed the first stages of exercise Eager Lion 2019 that is taking place in Jordan, commander Brigadier General Jaafar bin Hadi Al-Qahtani said on Friday.
Personnel from the Saudi army, the navy, the air force, and the air defense took part in activities, alongside members of the security forces of thirty countries including the US, Britain, France, Germany, and Japan.
8,000 participants are taking place in the military exercise which is being held at various locations in Jordan.
Al-Qahtani said that Saudi security personnel have taken part in exercises aimed at improving their skills in combating terror, and had received training in fighting in cities, freeing hostages, planning and responding to electronic warfare, and implementing strategic bombing operations.
He added that the exercises simulate reality and live ammunition was used during most of them.
Saudi armed forces participate in Eager Lion military training exercise in Jordan
Saudi armed forces participate in Eager Lion military training exercise in Jordan
- 8,000 participants are taking place in the military exercise which is being held at various locations in Jordan
- The exercises simulate reality and live ammunition was used during most of them
Saudi Arabia rich in potential for quantum research, experts say
- Kingdom’s Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution hosted World Quantum Day for the second time at King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology in Riyadh
- KACST event hosted numerous industry experts including David E. Keyes, senior associate to the president for strategic projects at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia holds significant potential for quantum research, according to experts.
Celebrating 100 years since the initial development of quantum mechanics, the Kingdom’s Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution hosted World Quantum Day for the second time at King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology in Riyadh.
Ahmed Abdul Majeed, a recent physics graduate originally from Nigeria, told Arab News that Monday’s conference gave him the platform to further explore his passions in quantum science.
“During my third year as an undergraduate I grew this sudden interest in quantum … since then, everything about me revolves around quantum,” he said.
The first World Quantum Day was in 2021 as an effort to promote understanding of quantum science, which deals with miniscule particles smaller than atoms and has the potential to revolutionize computing power.
The KACST event hosted numerous industry experts including David E. Keyes, senior associate to the president for strategic projects at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology.
A longtime admirer of Keyes’ work, Abdul Majeed has been working with him for more than a year at the Quantum Computing Reading Group at KAUST, a group of academics and interested individuals that regularly gathers to discuss the latest developments in quantum computing and often invites companies abroad to join the conversation.
Operating for two years now, the reading group at KAUST is trying to introduce quantum science to more university courses in the Kingdom.
“I know Saudi is working towards (quantum research) and I believe they will achieve more than any other country,” Abdul Majeed said.
Richard Schoebel, regional director at ID Quantique, a Swiss company that develops quantum safe cybersecurity solutions, told Arab News that the Kingdom has made significant strides over the past couple of years in the field.
“We finally see there’s a lot of movement happening in the terms of quantum here in the region. When I look back a couple years ago … it was really very slow, but now you see it’s picking up pace … and it’s getting a lot of traction.”
Schoebel said that it is important to push quantum research forward because it is “the next big thing.”
Quantum computing is going to change the world as we know it, and together with AI it opens new possibilities, he said.
On the other hand, as quantum technology develops it has the potential to bypass traditional cybersecurity methods, making it essential to develop more secure practices.
With such a large number of young people in STEM fields with strong educational backgrounds, there is a lot of space for quantum to reach its full potential here, he said.
Abdul Majeed, having recently been accepted to undertake a graduate degree in quantum technology at the University of Sussex, told Arab News that he has big dreams of taking the education and experiences he gained back home and establishing a school to teach others, as well as creating his own start-up and partnering with other industry leaders.
“I want to do my PhD also; I really want to get to the peak of learning.”
Quoting Nobel Prize in Physics winner Richard Feynman, Abdul Majeed said: “If you think you understand quantum mechanics, you don’t understand quantum mechanics.”
World Quantum Day featured experts from 65 countries who spoke and discussed various topics in quantum science including global strategies for technology development, real-world applications of quantum solutions, bridging academia and industry, Quantum AI, and more.
Fifth Global Cybersecurity Forum to be held in October in Riyadh
- Annual forum to be held under the theme ‘Scaling Cohesive Advancement in Cyberspace’
- GCF 2025 will advance dialogue toward building a secure and reliable cyberspace that supports economic growth, societal prosperity, individual security, and national stability
RIYADH: The fifth Global Cybersecurity Forum will be held from Oct. 1-2 in Riyadh under the theme “Scaling Cohesive Advancement in Cyberspace.”
To be held under the patronage of King Salman, the GCF 2025 will bring together global leaders, senior decision-makers, policymakers, industry experts and other international stakeholders for action-oriented collaboration around key challenges and opportunities in cyberspace.
This year’s forum aims to scale the cohesive advancements accomplished by the GCF community, elevating their scope, capacity, and impact to advance toward a more secure and resilient cyberspace for all, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
It will focus on five sub-themes: “Beyond the Inflection Point,” “Cyber Economics Redefined,” “Strengthening Cyber Inclusion,” “Behavioral Lens in Cyberspace,” and “Opportunities at the Cyber Horizon.”
Across the sub-themes, the GCF 2025 will advance dialogue toward building a secure and reliable cyberspace that supports economic growth, societal prosperity, individual security, and national stability.
Within this framework, it will address shared priorities such as fostering alignment in a rapidly evolving global landscape, advancing cyber economic cohesion to enable scalable growth and shared prosperity, strengthening collective action for a human-centered and inclusive cyberspace, leveraging behavioral insights to influence actions, counter manipulations, and foster safe cyber environments, and harnessing technological advancements to tackle fast-evolving challenges in cyberspace.
From its inception as an annual event in 2020, the GCF has evolved into a platform that works year-round to strengthen the safety and resilience of cyberspace.
Today, GCF is a global, non-profit organization that is accelerating progress on its objectives of catalyzing social impact, enabling economic prosperity, pushing knowledge boundaries, and advancing global, collaborative action.
Preparations for 11th World Water Forum begin in Riyadh
- Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture held a ceremony attended by officials to kick off the preparations
- Abdulrahman Abdulmohsen Al-Fadley, Saudi minister of environment, water and agriculture, attended the event, as did Loic Fauchon, president of the World Water Council
RIYADH: Preparations for the 11th World Water Forum, which will be held in 2027, officially began today in Riyadh.
The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture held a ceremony attended by officials to kick off the preparations.
Abdulrahman Abdulmohsen Al-Fadley, Saudi minister of environment, water and agriculture, attended the event, as did Loic Fauchon, president of the World Water Council.
Fauchon revealed how the council and authorities in Saudi Arabia are preparing for the event and stressed the importance of tackling water scarcity.
Saudi Arabia called for international cooperation from governments and private organizations to address water challenges and mitigate the severity of water scarcity.
The Kingdom also emphasized the importance of achieving sustainable development goals by making water and sanitation services accessible for all.
A panel was set up to discuss global water priorities by a group of local and global experts, including Abdulaziz Al-Shaibani, deputy minister for water, and Wu Wenqing, chief planner at the People’s Republic of China’s ministry of water resources.
“Water security is an urgent, global crisis … half of the world faces water scarcity every year,” Al-Shaibani said.
Al-Shaibani during his speech underscored the gap between water demand and water supply and called for an urgent global effort to address this issue.
He also highlighted how rising demand for water creates financial pressure on governments, eventually affecting the economy.
“Water infrastructure is essential. Some say water needs money, but money needs water, meaning the economy needs the water as an enabler for industries.
“Of course, water is a basic human right, as well as an economic enabler,” Al-Shaibani said.
The World Water Forum is organized by the World Water Council and partners with host countries.
The international conference provides a platform for countries to display sustainable practices and promote efforts to secure the management of water resources.
MWL chief begins French visit with tour of ‘Gaza in Distress’ exhibition
- Al-Issa, who also serves as the chairman of the Organization of Muslim Scholars, participated in a seminar hosted by the French Institute for International Relations
- Al-Issa also engaged with representatives from research centers, politicians, and opinion leaders during a roundtable discussion at the headquarters of French daily L’Opinion
RIYADH: Secretary-General of the Muslim World League Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa has commenced his official visit to France with a series of high-profile engagements in Paris, focusing on interfaith dialogue and contemporary Islamic issues.
At the invitation of leading global think tanks, Al-Issa, who also serves as the chairman of the Organization of Muslim Scholars, participated in a seminar hosted by the French Institute for International Relations, where he addressed commonly misunderstood religious terminology and contemporary challenges facing Muslim communities worldwide.
The event drew attendance from the institute’s secretary-general alongside prominent researchers and thought leaders.
Al-Issa also engaged with representatives from research centers, politicians, and opinion leaders during a roundtable discussion at the headquarters of French daily L’Opinion.
The wide-ranging conversation covered the league’s positions on current affairs, clarifications of religious perspectives, frequently misunderstood intellectual concepts, and ethical considerations regarding artificial intelligence.
Al-Issa also toured the “Gaza in Distress” exhibition at the Arab World Institute. The museum documents Gaza’s rich cultural heritage through photographs and footage of UNESCO-listed historical landmarks — including mosques, churches, and archaeological sites — that have been destroyed in recent conflicts.
Following the museum tour, Al-Issa participated in an extensive discussion with Jack Lang, president of the Arab World Institute, exploring the organization’s efforts to build cultural bridges and counter harmful narratives, slogans and practices of civilizational clash — objectives that align with the Muslim World League’s own mission to promote Islam’s message of peace.
During the discussions, Al-Issa highlighted the league’s “Building Bridges of Understanding and Cooperation Between East and West” initiative launched at UN headquarters in New York, emphasizing that meaningful cross-cultural engagement has been a hallmark of Islamic civilization throughout history.
Diriyah Co. sets Guinness World Record for largest construction safety lesson
- Company said in a statement that the record-breaking lesson, conducted in partnership with Al-Rashid Trading & Contracting Co., underscores its commitment to workplace safety standards
- Record was officially certified during a ceremony at the company’s headquarters on Monday, attended by Group CEO Jerry Inzerillo and representatives from Guinness World Records
RIYADH: Diriyah Co. secured a Guinness World Record for hosting the largest construction safety lesson, with 2,864 workers participating at its Wadi Safar development.
The company said in a statement that the record-breaking lesson, conducted in partnership with Al-Rashid Trading & Contracting Co., underscores its commitment to workplace safety standards.
The record was officially certified during a ceremony at the company’s headquarters on Monday, attended by Group CEO Jerry Inzerillo and representatives from Guinness World Records.
The 30-minute session, led by a single instructor, focused on the “Top Five Critical Safety Hazards in Construction,” emphasizing risk mitigation and personal accountability.
To accommodate the record attempt, a custom outdoor venue with a special stage was constructed. A gated entry-exit system ensured precise attendance tracking, adhering to Guinness guidelines.
Inzerillo said: “This new world record, in which Diriyah’s project staff gathered in Wadi Safar, one of Diriyah Company’s masterplans covering an area of over 62 sq. kilomters demonstrates our unwavering commitment to safety and our goal of ensuring everyone returns home safely to their families.”
He said that their health and safety protocols exceed industry standards to safeguard the wellbeing of all workers, contractors, and teams involved in the Diriyah development.
Diriyah Co. reports a total recordable incident rate of 0.015 for its infrastructure projects, far below global averages.
The company regularly trains staff and contractors to maintain its safety culture.
Wadi Safar, part of Diriyah’s urban expansion, features luxury homes as well as hospitality and leisure destinations.
In July 2024, a $2.13 billion contract was awarded to develop the Royal Equestrian and Polo Club, four high-end hotels (Aman, Six Senses, The Chedi, Faena), and a Greg Norman-designed 27-hole golf course.
As a Public Investment Fund-backed giga-project, Diriyah aims to house 100,000 residents, generate 178,000 jobs, attract 50 million annual visitors, and contribute $18.6 billion to Saudi GDP upon completion.
Located near Riyadh, it epitomizes the Kingdom’s transformation into a global cultural and economic hub.
