Crown Prince Salman, deputy premier and minister of defense, has stressed the need for moderation to contain the current crisis in the Muslim world.
“Moderation is not something that can be achieved through words. It is not a mere slogan but a total path and commitment to a principle that will achieve general welfare aimed at the goodness and growth (of the people),” Prince Salman said during a series of lectures on “moderation in the life of King Abdul Aziz” at King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah on Saturday.
He said moderation encompasses all aspects of life including eating, talking, education, spending and dealings with people.
He said it was by sticking to the principle of moderation that King Abdul Aziz managed to sidestep the schemes of colonial powers who were tracking his activities and trying to foil his effort to re-establish the kingdom.
“The late king succeeded in establishing the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia far removed from regional calculations or foreign influence and in keeping his people and country away from woes of the world wars,” the prince said.
Prince Salman said the late king adopted a moderate policy filled with wisdom, patience and reason at a time when some citizens were skeptical about the need to adopt beneficial modern technology.
“The late king pardoned his rivals and then they became his closest men. He was patient with his opponents because their views about the future were flawed. The king explained to them and convinced them how his views were better for their welfare,” he said.
Prince Salman said the king was also moderate in his religion. “He was not extreme or negligent in religious matters.”
“A life devoid of religion but filled with various other forces is not a real life. On the other hand, real life starts with religion, adherence to it and establishing the law of Allah,” King Abdul Aziz said, according to a report published by the Umm Al-Qura daily in 1937.
The prince continued: “To learn the significance of the moderation followed by King Abdul Aziz, we should read the history of the leaders who adopted an extremist stance in their policies and decisions which exposed their countries to wars and turmoil or because of their following personal whims or fleeting man-made ideologies.”
The prince also called on students to adhere to a moderate path in their thinking and activities “because it is the right way.”
“King Abdul Aziz engaged in dialogues to convince his rivals and opponents. On such occasions the king was committed to Islam and he was content with following the ways of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). He did not go to extremes or create split, nor was he harsh,” the prince said.
The path followed by the Saudi government is based on the principles of moderation adopted by King Abdul Aziz because the rulers are keen to protect citizens from any kind of injustice, Prince Salman said.
“The founder of the Kingdom used to say that every citizen who feels that he has been unjustly treated should come forward with his complaint even if it is against any of my sons or grandsons,” the prince said.
“The moderation is the principle that governs our religious and worldly matters and that is because our straightforward religion of Islam says in the Holy Qur’an “we thus established you as a nation pursuing the path of moderation,” the crown prince said.
He also quoted the saying of the Prophet (pbuh) reiterating the importance of moderation in Islam. “The Prophet (pbuh) said: ‘Beware of excesses because those before you were destroyed because of their excess’,” Prince Salman quoted another authentic hadith warning against taking an extreme positions in any matter.
“The founder King Abdul Aziz implemented the path of moderation following in the footsteps of our Prophet (pbuh) and the succeeding generations. The king was moderate in his stands, views and policies. This great unity that we all enjoy today is because of that,” he said.
“The king kept to the path of moderation while re-establishing the Saudi state on the same principles upon which the first Islamic state and first Saudi state and the second state were established,” he added.
The crown prince continued: “The king never took risks or was reckless with the lives of others whether they were his companions or rivals.”
Despite his success in the unification of the country with the blessings of the Almighty, and the support of men in different parts of the country, he never took revenge or was spiteful to any one. “He was moderate and content with what he achieved, keeping himself busy with maintaining the law and order and ensuring welfare for all,” he said.
The late king also appointed people who had qualities of outstanding moderation at responsible positions. “Today, we are badly in need of moderation to withstand the floods and currents of the changes and attempts to change our concepts disfiguring facts, and influencing others with misleading and deceptive information that are in reality against the public interest and untrue,” the crown prince warned.
Prince Salman also stressed the need to apply the principles of real moderation in our culture and views and not to be overcome by emotion.
“The official gazette Umm Al-Qura quoted the late king as saying: ‘I am very much pained when I see people deviate from the straight path and listening to devil’s whispering. But no doubt the public welfare is above all other interests’,” the prince said.
“Our interests today are the same interests we had yesterday because our fundamental principles did not change even though some people’s thoughts and style of interacting with the affairs of their life have undergone changes,” he continued.
“Our moderation today is not less important than our moderation yesterday in the backdrop of increasing challenges and temptations. Some people are groping aimlessly and some are imitating other people outside our environment, society and religion,” he said.
Moderation is needed because it helps us to benefit from modern scientific advancements but within the framework of our religion and values, the crown prince said.
It is also required to preserve the country where the revelation to the Prophet (pbuh) occurred and the Qiblah (direction of prayer) of the Muslims is situated, he said.
The country is also the starting point of pan-Arabism and Islam. “The country’s constitution is the Holy Qur’an and Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh). Moderation in its path, stands and views is based on clear Islamic principles,” he said.
Prince Salman pondered the plight of Arab nationalist sentiments. “They did not survive because they were standing on false foundations and had nothing to do with Islam and its values but was contradictory to religious values.
“Our country is the starting point of pan-Arabism and Islam as the Holy Qur’an was revealed in Arabic to an Arab prophet. The country’s sons undertook to spread the Islamic message to all parts of the world at the Almighty’s orders.
“We have been honored by Allah with the opportunity to serve the Two Holy Mosques,” the crown prince said. “We have been honored by Allah with the opportunity to serve Arab and Muslim people. That service is undertaken with real moderation based on the principles of the religion and not for any personal motives.”
He said all material resources of the Kingdom are not as great as the creed of Islam that prevails in the country and also not as valuable as the devoted men and women who are sincere to their religion and their Ummah.
“Our country has been deploying its material and non-material resources to not only for the welfare of the people in the Arab and Muslim worlds but to the advantage of the world at large,” the crown prince said.
“We have been following a foreign policy of moderation since the time of King Abdul Aziz and his supporters. Our friendship with all people is moderate and our first priority is to the Arab and Islamic Ummah,” he added.
He told the audience that the prosperity, unity, stability and security of the Kingdom was a matter of envy of others. “On this occasion, I call upon students, my sons and daughters, to be committed to moderation in all their thoughts and deeds because it is the right path Allah has paved for us in the world of various ideologies,” the prince continued.
“The country has stood on the principle of moderation since its foundation more than 270 years ago,” the prince said, adding that it has been following the same principle during the reigns of King Abdul Aziz, King Saud, King Faisal, King Khaled, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd and Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah.
The crown prince also stressed the need for the present generation to be committed to the principle of moderation.
He reminded the audience of what King Abdul Aziz had said of injustice and corruption. Any official who attempted to dissuade any citizen who had a complaint or lessen its seriousness will be severely punished, the late king had ordered.
“In my lifetime, I do not wish to hear of an injustice or for Allah to hold me responsible for an injustice or burden of another person, or for not rescuing an unjustly treated man or safeguarding the right of an oppressed man. I have delivered the message. O Allah, be my witness, we will tread on this path and safeguard it by the grace of God,” the prince concluded.
Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal; Prince Sultan bin Salman, president of the Saudi Commission for Tourism & Antiquities; Higher Education Minister Khaled Al-Anqari and President of the King Abdul Aziz University Osama Taib also attended the event.
Prince Salman: Moderation is answer to current crisis
Prince Salman: Moderation is answer to current crisis
The art of diplomacy through Saudi cuisine
- Food is a way to share cultures and build bridges, says YouTube star
RIYADH: According to Saudi chef and food blogger Eman Gazzaz, diplomacy can be achieved through food and other cultural practices.
The daughter of a diplomat, Gazzaz is more than a home cook — she is an artist and a mother of three who is turning simple dishes into soulful stories. She also wants to form cultural bridges through her work, as she explained when she appeared as a guest on the Mayman Show.
Growing up as the daughter of a Saudi ambassador, she dreamed of following the same path. In many ways, she did — but her “embassy” was her kitchen and she chose food, rather than politics, as her language.
After a childhood spent in various continents, Gazzaz now has a YouTube kitchen that feels like home and has taken it upon herself to show the world what real Saudi food and real Saudi women are all about.
During her interview, she recalled her time living in different parts of the world and her parents’ creative expression.
“My parents are very diverse. And they’re not just diplomats; they are creative in many ways. My dad is a gardener; he collects old antique cars, he collects old pocket watches,” she said.
She has fond memories of living in Pakistan during her father’s tenure in the late 1980s: “It’s a beautiful country; the people are so beautiful. Living in six countries and just being exposed to the world and the different cultures they have, it’s just like … it creates something in you as an individual. It makes you more connected somehow.”
Her exposure to different cultures and the connections she made helped her become the person who is now presenting the joy of Saudi cooking to the world. She carries her experiences with her — the countries, the cultures and the people — and some of what she has seen means she is especially appreciative of the stability and security she enjoys in Saudi Arabia.
“That’s what made me as Eman, what changed me as somebody who lived abroad,” she said. “I appreciate coming to Saudi Arabia and the safety and the security that we experienced. When I was studying in the American school in Karachi, one of my classmates got kidnapped. And he was kidnapped for six months.”
Gazzaz explained that previously she traveled around with a bodyguard and in a bullet-proof car to ensure her safety and security.
“Every time I come to Saudi Arabia I’m just like, ‘We don’t have to lock the door, we don’t have a bodyguard, nobody is carrying a gun.’ That made me feel like… coming back home made me feel so safe,” she said.
Eman also recalls a childhood memory of making a popular Saudi dish with her father.
“Every time we go outdoors, he always cooks the same dish and it’s actually one of my favorite dishes, which is saleeg (a white rice dish, cooked with broth and milk),” she said.
“I used to help him do the chicken, strain the stock and take the food out. And I grew up tasting these flavors and just eating the saleeg outdoors and being part of that experience, just me being so close to saleeg. My daughter loves saleeg as well.”
Cooking was always a family affair. Gazzaz’s mother was known for her delicious salads, while everyone had a role to play in preparing meals.
“From both sides of my parents, they were very good cooks. My dad is very good at barbecuing,” she said. “He loves to go to the beach every weekend. When we were living abroad, he always rented a place, and he used to make the barbecue and marinate (the food) and barbecue it.”
Her own YouTube fame, Gazzaz credits to both her husband and her friend, Alia. Back in 2010, Alia visited for a month and revealed she had her own channel, Cooking with Alia.
“When she came, she’s like, ‘Eman, I have a YouTube channel.’ Back in 2010, YouTube was like five, six years old, It was still very new,” recalled Gazzaz.
Alia wanted her to present Saudi dishes on YouTube — something that made Gazzaz pause. At that time, it was not common for Saudi women to show their faces on social media, so she replied that she would have to ask her husband.
His response, said Gazzaz, was: “Do what you want.”
“He is a Miami boy, so he’s very chilled,” she explained.
She took it as an opportunity to show off her national dress, as well as the food.
“(I thought) I’ll wear my abaya, I’ll put on my tarha (scarf), introduce my clothes and my outfits and things like that, and that’s what we did,” she said. From there, grew the first Saudi channel that introduced the world to the Kingdom’s culture through food.
Gazzaz has also written a book, “A Saudi Mandela,” which is a meditation and coloring book for adults.
Saudi Arabia deploys drones to monitor coastlines, protect marine resources
- Drones to provide live video of 2,480km coastline
- Quicker to spot pollution, says watchdog’s official
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s National Center for Environmental Compliance has launched a drone-based program to monitor the Kingdom’s 2,480-km-long coastal areas, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The NCEC will carry out the initiative in cooperation with the Marine Operations for Environmental Services organization.
Drones will provide live video feeds for real-time analysis, to help detect activities that threaten marine resources, the SPA reported recently.
Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coastline in the west extends from the Gulf of Aqaba in the north to Jazan province in the south, measuring 1,830 km.
In the west, the coastline is 630 km, stretching from the northern border with Kuwait to the southern border with Qatar.
Amer Bamoneef, director-general for network monitoring at the NCEC, said each drone will operate for up to 55 minutes per sortie, covering 20 km, with data transmitted instantly to control rooms.
“By leveraging advanced technology, we can expand coverage and detect harmful practices more efficiently,” he said.
Bamoneef added that drones enable quicker responses, allowing teams to promptly investigate pollution sources and identify those responsible.
KSrelief opens obstetrics and gynecology clinic at Gaza hospital
- The Saudi aid agency launched the new facility in partnership with the UN Population Fund, which works to improve reproductive and maternal health worldwide
- The clinic is in the Patient Friends Benevolent Society Hospital, which was founded in 1980 in Gaza City’s Al-Rimal neighborhood
RIYADH: Saudi aid agency KSrelief has officially opened a gynecology and obstetrics clinic at the Patient Friends Benevolent Society Hospital in the Gaza Strip.
Founded in 1980, the hospital in Gaza City’s Al-Rimal neighborhood is one of the few that remain operational in the territory amid devastating attacks by Israeli forces during their ongoing war with Hamas, which began in October 2023.
KSrelief opened the clinic on Wednesday in cooperation with the UN Population Fund, which works to improve reproductive and maternal health worldwide. The initiative is part of Saudi efforts to support the Palestinian people and help improve and maintain the healthcare services available to them, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
On Thursday, Saudi authorities delivered $30 million in funding to the Palestinian Authority. It was the latest installment in ongoing financial support from the Kingdom that Palestinian officials said has been instrumental in efforts to maintain the health and education sectors. It has helped meet the costs of running hospitals, purchasing medicines and medical equipment, keeping schools open, and providing other essential services.
How AI-powered voice tech is bringing Arabic-language content to global audiences
- CAMB.AI and Saudi Arabia’s MBC Group have launched a partnership, applying context-aware, real-time translation
- AI voice tech preserves tone, emotion, and nuance, transforming how Arabic content is localized across 150+ languages
JEDDAH: Dubai-based artificial intelligence company CAMB.AI is revolutionizing language localization by building advanced voice and translation models that preserve emotion, nuance and cultural context — especially in complex languages like Arabic.
Through a strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia’s MBC Group, CAMB.AI is scaling this technology across entertainment, education, and spiritual content — unlocking a new era of accessibility for Arabic media.
“At CAMB.AI, we have built translation and voice models that adapt to the nature of the desired language rather than merely mimicking the input,” Akshat Prakash, the company’s chief technical officer and co-founder told Arab News.
“Whether it’s the emotion in the voice or the way certain things are said in Arabic, we are dedicated to preserving nuances, emotions and prosody to deliver what we call a ‘performance-to-performance’ impact.
“We take content and deliver a fully packaged performance through our localization infrastructure built on top of our proprietary AI models — BOLI and MARS.”
CAMB.AI successfully generated multilingual commentary for an MLS NEXT Pro match using AI-driven real-time voice translation and dubbing technology.
Its core capability lies in an AI dubbing platform that instantaneously translates live audio (such as play-by-play commentary) into multiple languages.
The language generator preserves the original speaker’s voice, tone and emotion — making it feel as if the original commentator is speaking the listener’s native language.
“Solving live sports streaming first led us to create technology that could handle the hardest type of content,” said Prakash.
“Today, we livestream games in multiple languages alongside some of the biggest brands in the world — like Major League Soccer, Eurovision and the Australian Open.
“We can perform equally well on other types of content. For instance, we’ve translated complex performances such as the Nayla Al Khaja-directed psychological thriller, ‘Three,’ which was showcased at the Red Sea Film Festival.”
The film was the first Arabic movie to be AI-dubbed into Mandarin Chinese and other complex languages, preserving nuances, context, and emotion while staying true to the director’s original vision.
Today, CAMB.AI excels at delivering culturally and contextually sensitive adaptations of original performances — while maintaining realism — in over 150 languages.
“No technology on the market offers such diversity, realism, and public proof points of what AI can enable in hyper-realistic translation. We’re proud to extend this work to every Arabic dialect — something no other technology has been able to do,” Prakash said.
As global demand for non-English content continues to rise, IMAX is turning to AI to localize its original films and documentaries more efficiently.
In partnership with CAMB.AI, it has delivered content in multiple languages, demonstrating the power of technology to translate complex, dramatic material.
“CAMB.AI has consistently pushed the boundaries of what’s possible — creating AI that delivers real value in the form of revenue and cost efficiencies to global content owners and distributors,” said Prakash.
“We’ve learned that deploying AI requires a hand-in-hand partnership. It takes not only great technology but also great partners who are willing to explore the uncharted. MBC is exactly that kind of partner for us in MENA, establishing what is probably the biggest MediaXAI deal since Runway x Lionsgate.”
Prakash explained that partnering with MBC Group was a natural decision due to its vast scale, diverse content library, and strong regional presence. More significantly, the collaboration was rooted in a shared set of values.
This partnership goes beyond the Runway x Lionsgate deal and sets a new benchmark for how media and AI can collaborate.
MBC Group and CAMB.AI have also taken the lead in regional innovation. With projects like Stargate and HUMAIN, the Middle East and North Africa region is quickly becoming a global hub for powerful, homegrown AI.
Prakash emphasized that CAMB.AI has remained extremely conscious of privacy, data protection and respect for individual attributes.
“While regulatory frameworks are still developing, we have been self-regulating to respect individual rights and content ownership. We drive our business ethically,” he said.
“Our foundation is simple: Not everyone can be a great artist, but a great artist can come from anywhere.”
With one of the most comprehensive Arabic content libraries in the world, MBC Group is uniquely positioned to support more advanced and accurate AI outcomes in this space
The emerging technology team at MBC, led by Fadel Zahreddine, is at the forefront of innovation, aligning perfectly with CAMB.AI’s mission.
“Our content spans the full spectrum of Arab identity, from Gulf dialects to Levantine, North African, and everything in between, capturing not just language, but also tone, emotion and social nuance,” Zahreddine told Arab News.
“Through this collaboration with CAMB.AI, we see an opportunity to contribute data that is not only linguistically rich but also responsibly curated. Our multimodal archive, covering video, audio and text, offers a strong foundation for advanced AI applications that are more contextually aware and locally grounded.”
As one of the region’s largest content producers, MBC Group constantly explores new ways to strengthen connections between programming and global audiences.
“This includes expanding how our content is distributed across platforms like Shahid, satellite TV and digital services,” said Zahreddine. “Enhancing localization is one layer of the broader effort to remove friction between content and audiences.”
DID YOU KNOW?
AI voice tech preserves tone, emotion and nuance, transforming how Arabic content is localized across 150+ languages.
CAMB.AI powers live sports translation for global events like MLS, Eurovision and the Australian Open — in real time.
AI-dubbed Arabic thriller ‘Three’ debuted in Mandarin, highlighting CAMB. AI’s ability to localize content without losing cultural depth.
This collaboration between MBC Group and CAMB.AI reflects a broader effort to explore how Arabic content can connect more meaningfully with non-native-speaking audiences.
By moving beyond literal translation and toward context-sensitive localization, the partnership supports a more accurate and respectful representation of original creative work
For Arabic creators and producers, this opens up the possibility of reaching wider audiences while maintaining the cultural authenticity that defines their storytelling.
It is not about changing the content but about removing barriers that might limit how it is experienced in other cultural contexts.
MBC Group approaches innovation through the same lens that has shaped its editorial philosophy for decades — grounded in cultural integrity, social responsibility, and a strong commitment to its audiences.
“We believe that technology and ethics are not separate conversations but (are) deeply connected — especially when building tools that shape how content is consumed and understood,” said Zahreddine.
“We have around 65 nationalities working at MBC. Our multicultural environment is reflected in the cultural sensitivity of our content production.
“Our extensive media library is developed (with) high ethical standards, avoiding obscene content, excessive violence or any form of hate speech. This discipline not only protects the integrity of our content but also makes it a reliable data foundation for engaging with AI and emerging technologies.”
By sharing responsibly curated material, MBC Group contributes to the development of AI models that better reflect the ethical values embedded in its programming and are aligned with audience expectations.
Zahreddine added: “While AI continues to evolve rapidly, we believe it’s essential that any advancement remains anchored in principles that respect culture, identity and shared community standards.”
Jazan car dealerships undergo official inspections
JAZAN: Inspection teams from the Saudi Ministry of Commerce have visited more than 130 car dealerships and showrooms in Jazan this week.
The inspections are part of the ministry’s ongoing monitoring activities throughout the region to ensure all vehicles in such outlets comply with requirements to display a fuel economy label.
Labels display clear information about a vehicle’s fuel consumption in a bid to encourage consumers to choose more efficient vehicles, with an overall aim of promoting fuel conservation.
The fuel economy label was developed and implemented as part of the Saudi Energy Efficiency Program’s initiatives to provide consumers with information about the most energy-efficient vehicles.
