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RIYADH: China’s Prime Minister Li Qiang arrived in Riyadh on Tuesday ahead of a meeting of the High-Level Saudi-Chinese Committee.
He was received on arrival at King Khalid International Airport by the Deputy Governor of Riyadh Region Prince Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz.
The premier will travel to the UAE after his visit to the Kingdom, China’s Foreign Ministry said.
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Commander of the Joint Forces, Lt. Gen. Fahad bin Hamad Al-Salman, visited injured officers at Prince Sultan Military Medical City on Tuesday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The officers suffered injuries during Operation Decisive Storm and Operation Restoring Hope in Yemen.
Operation Decisive Storm, launched in March 2015, was led by Saudi Arabia to combat the Houthi militia in Yemen at the request of President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, who has since stepped down. In April 2015, the campaign evolved into Operation Restoring Hope, aimed at reinstating Yemen’s internationally recognized government in Sanaa.
During the visit, Al-Salman checked on the officers’ well-being, expressing his deep gratitude. “You are the nation’s heroes, and what you endured in defense of your religion, king, and country is a badge of honor,” he said.
He also conveyed the leadership’s greetings and appreciation, wishing the injured a swift recovery and good health.
The wounded officers thanked Al-Salman for the visit and reaffirmed their readiness to return to the battlefield once they have fully recovered.
JEDDAH: The use of artificial intelligence to revolutionize agriculture, cutting costs and improving efficiency, has been highlighted at a workshop held as part of the Madinah Dates Season.
The workshop, held at the Madinah Chamber of Commerce, brought together Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz University faculty, researchers, and AI enthusiasts to discuss the future of farming.
AI tools designed to monitor crop health, detect early signs of disease, and offer insights for treatment were showcased at the workshop, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.
Devices predicting pest activity were also presented, enabling farmers to implement targeted control strategies, reducing crop losses and chemical use.
Experts explored the role of advanced electronic systems in revolutionizing Saudi agriculture, enhancing sustainability, addressing challenges, and boosting local production.
As part of this year’s Madinah Dates Season, the workshop also raised awareness of date palm varieties, nutritional value, and agricultural practices.
A dates hackathon, aiming to utilize AI in agriculture and resource management, will run until Oct. 3, with 233 teams of innovators, programmers, and students taking part.
The event's first track focuses on creating data sets to improve date cultivation and quality, aiming for sustainable agricultural development through AI systems that enhance efficiency and cut costs.
The second track addresses challenges such as water use, pest management, and crop monitoring, promoting smart systems for irrigation and automated processes.
Entries will be judged by AI experts on data quality, diversity, and innovation, with awards for the top three teams in each track. The prize pool is SR900,000 ($240,000).
The Madinah Dates Season, organized by the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, features auctions of harvests from more than 29,000 farms, showcasing a range of date varieties.
Traditional Saudi arts, and palm waste recycling are also featured as part of the three-month season.
Madinah, with 6.5 million palm trees and an annual production of 263,000 tonnes, is central to Saudi Arabia’s food security goals and Vision 2030.
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has announced the localization of rose cultivation to meet rising local demand, create jobs, and reduce reliance on costly, lower-quality imports.
The initiative also aims to boost exports to Gulf and Middle Eastern markets, supporting agricultural growth in line with Vision 2030, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture unveiled incentives to strengthen the sector, offering financial returns to enhance rose producers’ economic standing.
Key incentives include the success of tissue culture rose cultivation, which lowers production costs while promoting growth.
The ministry also offers affordable agricultural land, investment opportunities leveraging the comparative advantages of roses, and loans covering 70 percent of project costs from the Agricultural Development Fund.
Additionally, it provides technical support and streamlined licensing for rose cultivation projects.
The ministry emphasized using technologies such as hydroponics and smart systems to reduce costs and improve efficiency, as well as opportunities to produce rare and in-demand rose varieties for higher economic returns.
HADHRAMAUT: The Kingdom’s aid agency KSrelief delivered solar energy equipment on Saturday to the coastal office here of the Ministry of Technical Education and Vocational Training.
This initiative is a part of the “Program for Development of Technical and Vocational Institutes in Hadhramaut,” in collaboration with the UN Development Programme and the Small and Micro Enterprise Promotion Service, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.
Dr. Salem Bajaber, director-general of the ministry’s office, praised KSrelief’s efforts and said the equipment would introduce a new specialization in renewable energy at the region’s technical institutes.
This initiative is expected to empower young people, support research in renewable energy, and create jobs.
The project is a part of Saudi Arabia’s broader humanitarian efforts through KSrelief to support the country’s economic recovery.
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s representative to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation received on Monday the special envoy of the OIC Secretary-General on Islamophobia, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Saleh bin Hamad Al-Suhaibani welcomed Mehmet Pacaci, who was recently appointed to the role, in the Makkah region.
Pacaci assumed the brief after a decision by the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers, in a recent meeting in Cameroon.
The discussions included the envoy’s responsibility and future efforts to implement the OIC decisions regarding measures to combat Islamophobia.
There is a growing hostility towards Islam that threatens the principles of tolerance and global coexistence, SPA noted.
This comes in addition to the widespread animosity and hatred towards minorities, especially Muslims, perpetuated by extremist groups that promote such hatred, the report said.
The meeting also reviewed Saudi Arabia’s efforts to support the fight against Islamophobia through the OIC and other relevant organizations, it added.
