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RIYADH: King Salman issued a directive on Sunday to promote and appoint 233 judges at various levels of the judiciary within the Ministry of Justice, Saudi Press Agency reported.
Walid Al-Samaani, the minister of justice and chairman of the Supreme Judicial Council, confirmed the directive.
He added that it comes as an extension of the continuous support of the judicial facilities of the Kingdom from its leadership.
RIYADH: At least 40 entities from the public and private sectors in the Kingdom have signed up with the newly organized Saudi Alliance for Agricultural and Food Technologies, with the aim of coming up with solutions to increase efficiency and abundance in agricultural and food products, and achieve safe and sustainable supply chains.
Deputy Minister Mansour bin Hilal Al-Mushaiti of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA) led the launch on July 3, 2024 in Riyadh, according to a report of the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
The alliance's founding partners include the Research, Development and Innovation Authority; King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST); and Topian, a subsidiary of NEOM, as founding partners.
Also signing up were major local companies in the agriculture and food production sector, companies providing advanced technologies in the agricultural field, a number of universities and research centers, financing and investment funds and companies, and non-profit organizations.
"The alliance aims to create a community of those interested in the agricultural and food technology sector, contribute to building bridges between actors in this sector, and build an integrated network that stimulates the dissemination of agricultural food technologies at the national level," the report said.
In a speech during the launching ceremony, Al-Mushaiti challenged the participants to push forward their research and innovation efforts to help the Kingdom achieve its ambitious national goals.
He explained that "the compass of the Kingdom's vision today is moving towards achieving sustainability, through a sustainable environment that preserves natural resources and achieves sustainable water and food security."
Al-Mushaiti took the occasion to point out that the national strategies adopted by MEWA had paved the way for many successes, including an increase in local agricultural production's contribution of 109 billion riyals ($29 billion) to the Kingdom's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2023, the highest ever contribution of the sector, said the report.
With the various entities under one roof now, Al-Mushaiti said he hopes to see the figures further increasing as participants step up their contributions in finding sustainable solutions to challenges facing the agriculture and food sector, especially in light of the increasing local and global demand for food and disruptions to global supply chains.
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s National Center for Wildlife Development has launched a comprehensive survey plan to collect basic data on the crown-of-thorns starfish groups in the Red Sea, to be used in managing the outbreak of the organism in a timely manner, and thus protecting the health of coral reefs and biodiversity.
The action plan is the culmination of a workshop held by the NCWD in late 2022, during which the threat of crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks on the Red Sea environment was discussed, a Saudi Press Agency report says.
“The crown-of-thorns starfish is a marine organism that feeds on algae and bacteria that grow on coral reefs, but it poses a major threat to coral reef ecosystems when it becomes widespread,” the report said, citing discussions during the workshop.
“The spread of the crown-of-thorns starfish has been linked to significant damage to coral reefs in the Red Sea, especially during the breeding season, which is observed in the last two weeks of July until the first two weeks of August,” it added.
Marine scientists and other experts who participated in the workshop have attributed the outbreak of the starfish to the disruption of the food chain and overfishing of the species that feed on it, most importantly the humphead wrasse, also known as the Napoleon fish and known locally as the tarpani.
Through its survey plan, the Saudi wildlife center aims to come up with a protocol to detect outbreaks and identify the causes, and identify the best practices and applications for methods of controlling the spread of damage, in collaboration with experts around the world.
Scientists consider the humphead wrasse (scientific name: Cheilinus undulatus), as very important to coral reef health.
“They eat crown-of-thorn starfish and therefore keep populations of this damaging coral reef predator in check,” said a recent report of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
In Malaysia, the WWF helped to stop the export of the humphead wrasse and is working with other countries to do the same.
“We work with partners to repopulate protected coral reefs with wrasses that were formerly intended for sale through a buyback program with local fishermen. Since 2010, over 860 humphead wrasse have been released back into the wild,” the WWF said.
The fish is considered vulnerable to overfishing because it takes them about 5 to 7 years to reach sexual maturity and reproduce.
RIYADH: The supervisor general of Saudi aid agency KSrelief, Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, on Tuesday visited the cities of Reyhanli and Kirikhan in Turkiye’s Hatay Province to inspect the work of volunteers taking part in the agency’s programs to help people affected by the earthquakes that hit parts of Turkiye and Syria in February last year.
Al-Rabeeah and his delegation reviewed the progress the Saudi voluntary Samaa Program for Auditory Rehabilitation and Cochlear Implants, at the MMT American Hospital in Reyhanli, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday. He spoke to volunteers and learned how the program is helping to alleviate suffering.
The aid agency chief praised “the distinguished performance of the Saudi crew” in implementing various volunteer programs to help those affected by the earthquakes, and said their “efforts came under the generous patronage and continuous support” of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The Kingdom will continue to implement humanitarian projects that serve people in need worldwide, he added.
Al-Rabeeah also visited a vocational training center to review the support and assistance it provides to those affected by the earthquakes by helping them develop their skills and experience through courses in a variety of subjects, including mobile phone and tablet maintenance, sewing and embroidery, and graphic design.
During a tour of the headquarters of the Prosthetic Limbs and Rehabilitation Center in the state of Hatay, he was briefed on its work making and fitting prosthetic limbs, and the rehabilitation and basic health services it provides for earthquake victims.
Al-Rabeeah was briefed on the work of the Saudi Volunteer Psychological Support Team and visited camps where it distributes food baskets, health supplies and gifts for children. He toured a specialist psychological clinic and learned about the integrated medical and health services system it provides.
He praised the healthcare providers for the services they are providing to support patients of all ages to help them overcome the shock and psychological effects caused by the earthquakes.
Beneficiaries of the services thanked the government and people of Saudi Arabia for the rapid responses to the earthquake by volunteer teams affiliated with KSrelief to help them through the provision of vital medical aid, food and shelter.
Al-Rabeeah met the governor of Gaziantep, Kemal Ceber, and thanked him for the facilities the governorate has provided to KSrelief to aid the implementation of its volunteer programs. Ceber praised the Kingdom for the humanitarian assistance it provides, through KSrelief, to the earthquake victims.
Al-Rabeeah also inspected a project to provide 364 houses for people in the Islahiyah area of Gaziantep. The recipients thanked the Kingdom for providing them with the shelter they so urgently needed after the earthquakes, and said the temporary housing was of high quality and modern design.
KSrelief has provided a total of 3,000 temporary housing units for earthquake victims in Syria and Turkiye, including 1,500 in the Islah and Nurdag regions of Gaziantep and the Adiyaman and Malatya governorates in Turkiye, and 1,500 in the Afrin region of Aleppo.
Each temporary housing unit has two rooms, equipped with basic furniture, and a bathroom. The agency has also built a school that can accommodate 756 children, a prayer room that can hold 700 worshipers, 20 caravans for administrative and commercial use, 15 play areas for children, and a well to provide water. KSrelief also provides solar energy equipment and infrastructure for the housing developments.
About 12,000 people have benefited so far from the housing, and work is underway to provide a further 1,000 temporary homes in three parts of Hatay Governorate, which are expected to benefit 5,000 people.
RIYADH: As part of an official visit to Turkiye, Saudi Arabia’s minister of defense, Prince Khalid bin Salman, on Wednesday met in Istanbul with the president of the nation’s Defense Industry Agency, Haluk Gorgun, and the heads of leading Turkish companies.
They reviewed opportunities for cooperation in the military and defense sectors, in line with the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 plan for national development and diversification, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
In addition, the prince witnessed the signing of several agreements between Saudi and Turkish companies. He also also visited the offices of Turkish Aerospace Industries in Ankara, and Turkish defense company Baykar in Istanbul.
In a message posted on social media platform X, he said: “During my visit to Turkiye, I had the opportunity to see the capabilities of several leading companies in the space and defense industries. I explored their innovative technological projects and latest products, as well as their future plans and strategies.”
Prince Khalid’s visit to Turkiye began on Tuesday, when he met in Ankara with representatives of the Turkish defense company Aselsan, who briefed him on its projects and latest products and services.
The minister was accompanied by the chief of the general staff, Lt. Gen. Fayyadh Al-Ruwaili; the assistant minister of defense, Talal Al-Otaibi; the assistant minister of defense for executive affairs, Khalid Al-Bayari; and the Saudi ambassador to Turkiye, Fahad Abualnasr.
RIYADH: Prince Turki bin Mohammed bin Fahd, Saudi minister of state and chairman of the board of directors of the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve Development Authority, inaugurated the main building of the authority in Riyadh, the state news agency SPA reported on Wednesday.
During his tour of the building, he was briefed on its designs and offices, “which were compatible with environmental considerations and took into account energy efficiency,” SPA said.
Prince Turki also chaired the first meeting of the second session of the authority, expressing his thanks and appreciation to King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is the chairman of the Council of Royal Reserves, on the issuance of the government’s approval to reconstitute the authority’s board of directors.
He wished success to all board members in achieving the goals and ambitions of the authority and extended his thanks and appreciation to the board in its first session for its tangible efforts since the founding of the authority.
The new council members include the Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli, as well as Moaz Al-Husseini, Bandar Al-Zamil, Anas Al-Sheikh, Ahmed Darwish, Alaa Al-Ruwaiba, Adel Al-Zahrani, and Ibrahim Al-Askar.
During the meeting, Prince Turki praised the authority’s achievements in developing vegetation cover, resettling and multiplying endangered species, and promoting eco-tourism through events such as the Darb Zubaydah Winter Festival, and providing accommodation options and accompanying activities.
He stressed the need to continue to maximize efforts to support the Kingdom’s royal reserves and confront environmental challenges.
