World should make immediate Gaza ceasefire a priority – Saudi foreign minister

Arab-Islamic Ministerial Committee holds press conference on Gaza ceasefire in Washington on December 8, 2023. (SPA)
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Updated 09 December 2023
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World should make immediate Gaza ceasefire a priority – Saudi foreign minister

  • Prince Faisal bin Farhan says that governments worldwide do not appear to see an immediate ceasefire as a priority
  • Arab-Islamic Ministerial Committee held joint press conference before meeting with US state secretary in Washington

WASHINGTON: There must be an immediate end to the fighting in Gaza but governments worldwide do not seem to see it as a priority, Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister said on Friday in Washington, adding that there must also be a credible roadmap to establish a Palestinian state.

At a joint press conference before meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, a group of foreign ministers said the focus should remain on stopping the fighting immediately in the Palestinian enclave between Hamas militants and the Israeli military.

“Our message is consistent and clear that we believe that it is absolutely necessary to end the fighting immediately,” Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said.

“One of the disturbing facts of this conflict is that ending the conflict and the fighting doesn’t seem to be the main priority for the international community,” he said.

“I certainly would hope that our partners in the US will do more... we certainly believe they can do more,” the Saudi minister added.

Humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza needed to be significantly increased, he said, adding that it is “unacceptable” that aid “is being restricted and has been restricted” because of “bureaucratic obstacles.”

A UN Security Council vote on a demand for an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war was delayed by several hours on Friday until after Blinken’s planned meeting with Arab ministers and the foreign minister of Turkiye. The Arab-Islamic Ministerial Committee comprises ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Jordan, the Palestinian Authority and Turkiye.

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi told the press conference that if the resolution fails on Friday, it would be giving a license to Israel “to continue with its massacre.”

“Our priority for now is to stop the war, stop the killing, stop the destruction of Gaza’s infrastructure,” he said.

“The message that’s being sent is that Israel is acting above international law ... and the world is simply not doing much. We disagree with the United States on its position vis-a-vis on the cease-fire,” he said.

“The solution is a cease-fire,” said Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, while his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi called putting an end to the fighting the number one priority.

“If the UN Security Council fails to adopt the resolution that is simply calling for humanitarian pauses, that is giving Israel a license to continue its massacre against civilians in Gaza,” he said.

Meanwhile, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called for an immediate end to the war in Gaza and said an international peace conference should be called to work out a lasting political solution leading to the establishment of a Palestinian state.

(With Reuters and AFP)


AI tools are perpetuating gender stereotypes, says UN representative

Updated 6 sec ago
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AI tools are perpetuating gender stereotypes, says UN representative

  • Children, young people should be taught how to use the technology, says Nicolas Burniat
  • AI reportedly being fed biased data, propagating discrimination

AMMAN: Material being produced by artificial intelligence tools is helping to perpetuate gender stereotypes, according to a representative of the UN’s gender equality entity.

In an interview with Arab News, Nicolas Burniat, UN women Jordan country representative, spoke about how AI technology can only be as good as the data that is being fed into it.

He said: “The reality is that the data, the materials that are being used and processed by AI tools, include a lot of gender stereotypes and is generally biased towards dominant Western patriarchal perspectives.

“Whatever material is being produced by the AI tools based on that imperfect data is therefore going to be imperfect. It is actually just going to repeat and really propagate those imperfections, including all the stereotypes, gender-based and others, that it contains.”

One example, he said, is how AI tools will translate a word such as nurse into a feminine noun for non-gender neutral languages, whereas doctor will be translated into a masculine noun.

He added: “We need to ensure that data that is being produced around the world better reflects the various realities of people, whether we are talking about women, persons living with disabilities, people of different ethnic or socio-economic (backgrounds).

“What we need going forward is to improve the quality of the data in the world and make sure that men and women are a part of the change.

“In addition, we need the AI algorithms to be developed in a way that compensates for this imperfection of the data, to ensure that they don’t reproduce stereotypes and biases and potentially lead to further discrimination.”

In addition, Burniat spoke about how children and young people should be educated about the best ways to use AI tools.

He said: “The jobs of tomorrow are not going to be the same as the jobs of today, for both boys and girls. So they need to be fully digitally savvy and literate. But we need to help them use this in a wise manner and in a smart manner, because otherwise we're basically just going to look at a future world that reproduces the inequalities and discriminations of today.”

Jana Krimpe, CEO of B.EST Solutions, shared a similar sentiment during a panel discussion with Burniat at the International Digital Cooperation Forum in Amman, Jordan, on Wednesday.

Krimpe spoke of her decision to switch career paths from political science to tech, despite being informed that it was a male job.

Krimpe said: “If you are not investing into education, the result will be zero … You have to educate the whole society because everything is dependent.

“So, this is why women in leadership is extremely important. To go to face-to-face meetings, to the regions, to the rural areas, to the villages, and meet the families and children and bring the benefit of understanding how AI changes their lives.”


Advanced limb surgery at King Faisal Hospital restores child’s mobility

Updated 19 February 2025
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Advanced limb surgery at King Faisal Hospital restores child’s mobility

  • Innovative approach was a significant advance in pediatric orthopedic oncology in the Middle East
  • Success was made possible through collaboration between oncology, orthopedic, and rehabilitation specialists

RIYADH: King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre successfully reconstructed the lower limb of an 8-year-old child after removing a malignant bone tumor, avoiding amputation and restoring normal walking ability.

The innovative approach was a significant advance in pediatric orthopedic oncology in the Middle East, offering hope to children facing similar conditions, according to a report.

Given the child’s continuing skeletal growth, the medical team used advanced techniques to ensure proper bone development and limb stability post-surgery.

By combining sports medicine and ligament surgery methods, the reconstruction preserved limb functionality, allowing natural growth and gradual mobility recovery without the need for prosthetics.

The success was made possible through collaboration between oncology, orthopedic, and rehabilitation specialists, using cutting-edge 3D imaging and precise surgical planning.

This achievement offers a new alternative to amputation in pediatric bone cancer treatment and highlights the hospital’s commitment to medical innovation and specialized care. The hospital plans to expand this technique in collaboration with international medical centers.


Saudi-Japan textile partnership weaves sustainability, innovation in Riyadh

Updated 19 February 2025
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Saudi-Japan textile partnership weaves sustainability, innovation in Riyadh

Riyadh: Saudi Arabia’s Fashion Commission is working on strengthening partnerships with Japan in fashion and textile.

The commission hosted “A Journey into Japanese Textile Mastery” in collaboration with the Japan External Trade Organization, bringing together leading textile manufacturers, designers and industry experts from both countries.

Held at Future Creative Residence in Riyadh, the event focused on high-quality materials, sustainability and innovation. 

It featured a panel discussion with insights from industry experts, including Ammar Bogari, general manager of the Fashion Commission; Asma Al-Othaimeen, co-founder of Chaldene Loungewear; and Japanese representatives from FAO International and Itochu Corp.

Discussions centered on the potential for Japanese textiles to influence Saudi brands, particularly in craftsmanship, sustainable production and luxury materials.

“Our goal at the Fashion Commission is to not only develop Saudi Arabia’s fashion industry but to establish it as a major player in the global market,” Bogari told Arab News.

The event also showcased an exhibition space featuring renowned Japanese textile companies, including Curlelabo, Maker’s Shirt Kamakura, Shindo, Uni Textile, and Parfait Textile.

Attendees explored the latest fabric technologies, materials and high-quality textiles designed to support both emerging and established Saudi designers.

Al-Othaimeen emphasized the importance of integrating Japanese precision and attention to detail into local sustainable fashion.

“The Japanese are known for their quality and their dedication to paying attention to details, and these are important for a sustainable brand. Merging our values together will help us work better,” she said.

Vivian Huang, co-founder of Parfait Textile, highlighted the advantage of Japanese craftsmanship and its appeal to small and growing brands.

“Japanese fabric has high quality, and they do some by hand, so it’s different … we can deliver small orders, so we can support small brands that just started and want to get big,” Huang said.

One of the key displays at the event focused on the history of Japan’s fabric trade relations with Saudi Arabia, illustrating how Japanese textile exports have evolved over the decades, with synthetic textiles being a major export today, particularly for traditional Saudi attire.

The event concluded with a networking session, allowing Saudi designers and business owners to explore potential collaborations with Japanese manufacturers, strengthening the growing relationship between the two countries in the fashion sector.


Tajik ambassador praises KSrelief’s humanitarian work

Updated 19 February 2025
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Tajik ambassador praises KSrelief’s humanitarian work

  • Saudi aid agency to send doctors to perform pediatric heart surgeries after Ramadan

Riyadh: Akram Karimi, Tajikistan's ambassador to Saudi Arabia, praised the Kingdom’s relief and humanitarian efforts through the Saudi aid agency KSrelief, which supports those in need in the Central Asian country.

The envoy met with KSrelief Assistant Supervisor General for Planning and Development Aqeel Al-Ghamdi in Riyadh to discuss relief and humanitarian matters, as well as ways to enhance humanitarian efforts in Tajikistan.

Karimi told Arab News that during his meeting with Al-Ghamdi, he discussed cooperation between Tajikistan and KSrelief and conveyed his government’s gratitude to Saudi Arabia for its support in implementing humanitarian and social programs.

He highlighted KSrelief as one of the leading institutions operating in Tajikistan in the fields of relief, humanitarian, and social activities, noting that the agency has undertaken more than 25 projects in the country, with funding exceeding $16 million.

Of future cooperation, Karimi said they explored ways to strengthen collaboration, particularly in priority sectors such as healthcare.

He added: “We reached an agreement on the visit of a team of Saudi doctors to Tajikistan after the holy month of Ramadan to hold a medical campaign to perform voluntary surgeries for children with heart failure.”


Kingdom exhibits rare manuscripts in Doha

Updated 19 February 2025
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Kingdom exhibits rare manuscripts in Doha

RIYADH: The Kingdom’s Libraries Commission is showcasing several rare manuscripts outlining the nation’s heritage at the ongoing Saudi Cultural Week in Doha. 

The event, organized by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture in collaboration with its Qatari counterpart, began on Tuesday and will end on Feb. 21.

Being held at Darb Al-Saai, it aims to highlight Saudi Arabia’s culture and promote international exchange as a part of Vision 2030, the Saudi Press Agency reported. 

The event also has programs and projects aimed at developing the library sector and enhancing access to knowledge.

This participation aligns with the commission’s efforts to elevate Saudi Arabia’s culture globally, strengthen ties with Qatar, and engage Gulf and international audiences, the SPA report added. 

The Kingdom’s Year of Handicrafts 2025 initiative is being showcased for the first time at the event, with a dedicated corner offering information about the project. 

Ten skilled Saudi Arabia artisans are displaying traditional arts and handicrafts, including Al-Hasawi Bisht weaving and tailoring (a traditional men’s outer cloak), Al-Sadu weaving (a traditional textile), and iqal crafting (a traditional headband).

There are several interactive screens illustrating various handicrafts and their unique characteristics.

The event also features live culinary demonstrations by five top Saudi Arabia chefs, where visitors can sample authentic dishes from the Kingdom.