RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's King Salman issued a number of royal decrees on Friday including the creation of the new Ministry for Industry and Mineral Resources, which will be headed up by Bandar Al-Khorayef. The Ministry of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources was renamed the Ministry of Energy.
The Ministry of Energy shall exercise the functions and responsibilities of the Ministry of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resource until the end of the current fiscal year before the Ministry for Industry and Mineral Resources assumes its duties at the beginning of the next fiscal year.
The decrees also saw the appointment of Fahd bin Mohammed Al-Essa as chief of the Royal Court, Bandar bin Mohammed Al-Aiban as an adviser to the Royal Court, while Awwad bin Saleh Al-Awwad was appointed head of the Saudi Human Rights Commission.
The king’s decrees named Majid bin Salim Al-Ghanimi as deputy minister of labor and social development.
The Arriyadh Development Authority has been renamed the Royal Commission in Riyadh.
King Salman also ordered the amendment of the name of the General Auditing Bureau to become the General Bureau for Auditing.
The king also established a National Center for Artificial Intelligence and an organization called the National Data Management Office, which will be linked to the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority and shall continue to exercise its full authority, functions and responsibilities until the completion of commission’s necessary regulatory measures.
Dr. Khalid bin Abdulmohsen bin Mohammed Al-Mohsen was relieved from his duties as head of the National Anti-Corruption Commission and Mazen bin Ibrahim bin Mohammed Al-Kahmous was appointed as head of the National Anti-Corruption Commission at the rank of minister. Also, Aklaa bin Ali Al-Aklaa was relieved of his duties as deputy president of the Royal Court.
Dr. Tamader bint Youssef Al-Rammah was relieved of her duties as deputy minister of labor and social development.
Dr. Khalil bin Mosleh Al-Thaqafi was also relieved of his duties as head of the General Authority of Meteorology and Environmental Protection, while Dr. Abdullah bin Sharaf bin Jamaan Al-Ghamdi was appointed as head of the National Information Center.
King Salman issues royal decrees, including creation of industry and resources ministry
King Salman issues royal decrees, including creation of industry and resources ministry
- Number of new authorities established
- New deputy minister of Labor and Social Development announced
Thousands in Lebanon benefit from KSrelief healthcare services
RIYADH: A project by Saudi aid agency KSrelief to improve healthcare services for Syrian refugees and their host community in Bebnine, Akkar Governorate, has continued in Lebanon.
Some 2,689 patients were seen at the Akkar-Bebnine Health Care Center in December with 6,194 services provided under pharmacy, laboratory, nursing, community and psychological health programs.
Of the total number of patients, 68 percent were women and 51 percent were refugees, reported the Saudi Press Agency.
Saudi Arabia’s KSrelief continues aid work in new year
- The work reflects Saudi Arabia's ongoing commitment through KSrelief to help those most in need
RIYADH: The Kingdom’s aid agency KSrelief has continued its humanitarian work at the start of 2025, the Saudi Press Agency reported recently.
In Syria, 892 families received food aid and health kits in the Afrin and Aleppo governorates of the war-torn country, benefiting 5,352 individuals.
The agency also distributed bags of flour, winter kits, and personal-care bags to 211 families in Syria’s Al-Rastan area, benefitting 968 individuals.
In Syria’s Rural Damascus governorate, KSrelief distributed bags of flour, food aid, personal-care bags, and shelter kits to 164 families.
In Pakistan, there were 2,821 food parcels, benefiting 18,638 people, distributed in the Bahawalnagar and Rahim Yar Khan areas of Punjab province, and the Hingol area in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
KSrelief also distributed 1,082 clothing vouchers to families in Palestinian refugee camps in Jordan’s Amman, Zarqa and Balqa governorates.
Saudi Museum of Contemporary Art to host ‘Manga Hokusai Manga’ exhibition
- Exhibition is homage to renowned Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai
The much-anticipated “Manga Hokusai Manga” exhibition will be held at the Saudi Arabia Museum of Contemporary Art in JAX Diriyah from Jan. 15 to Feb. 8.
Held in collaboration with the Embassy of Japan and the Japan Foundation, the exhibition, ratified by the Kingdom’s Museums Commission, will showcase the works of the renowned Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai.
It will highlight the history and evolution of manga, and provide a perspective on how Hokusai’s classical illustrations have influenced modern visual arts, the Saudi Press Agency reported recently.
Hokusai published his first collection of art in 1814, featuring sketches of “daily life, landscapes and whimsical creatures,” according to a post on X by the museum.
The Saudi Arabia Museum of Contemporary Art aims to foster cultural exchange between local and international creators.
Rain for 3 days over most parts of Saudi Arabia
- Warning of high waves along the Kingdom’s coastlines
RIYADH: Rain of varying intensities will fall over most parts of Saudi Arabia from Jan. 10 to 12, the National Center for Meteorology stated on Thursday.
In a weather bulletin, the NCM warned of downpours accompanied by winds of up to 60 kph, and the possibility of torrential rain and hail. High waves are expected along the nation’s coastlines.
The regions of Al-Jouf, the Northern Borders, and Hail will have rainy conditions on Friday and Saturday.
On Friday, rain is expected in the Tabuk and Madinah regions; on Saturday and Sunday in the Eastern Province, Asir and Jazan; and on Saturday in Qassim.
For the Riyadh and Al-Baha regions, rain is expected from Friday to Sunday.
The NCM urged the public to stay updated on the weather conditions in the Kingdom by checking the daily reports on its website, the Anwaa application, or its social media accounts.
Saudi Falcons Club CEO and Kazakhstan ambassador discuss ways to boost cooperation
RIYADH: The CEO of the Saudi Falcons Club, Ahmed Al-Hababi, met Kazakhstan’s ambassador to the Kingdom, Madiyar Menilbekov, in Riyadh on Thursday to discuss opportunities for cooperation and ways in which these might be enhanced to benefit mutual goals.
One of the topics was the Hadad Program, a leading initiative developed by the club with the aim of returning falcons to their natural habitats and saving the species from the threat of extinction.
Menilbekov praised the club for the important role it plays in enhancing falconry and preserving its cultural heritage.
The club said the meeting was part of its efforts to strengthen international partnerships in keeping with the goals of the Saudi Vision 2030 plan for national development and diversification.
