Saudi Arabia

RIYADH: The royal decree to establish an artificial intelligence (AI) center will enhance the drive toward innovation and digital transformation in Saudi Arabia, according to Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Al-Sawaha. King Salman issued the decree on Friday, to establish the National Center for Artificial Intelligence and an organization called the National Data Management Office,…

RIYADH: On Sept. 26, “Born a King” will premiere in theaters across the Middle East and North Africa. The movie tells the story of a young King Faisal Al-Saud during his trip to the UK on a diplomatic mission aged just 13. The film’s producer, Andre Vicente Gomez, believes the movie will break stereotypes about Saudi Arabia. “There…

Al-Ahsa Oasis is one of the largest and most famous natural oases in the world, with over 3 million palm trees producing delicious dates. The place is widely considered to have the greenest and most fertile land in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province.  The region contains prominent archaeological and historical sites — some that date back to 6,000…

Exclusive: Saudi Human Rights Commission to modernize, be granted more powers, say sources  RIYADH: The Saudi Human Rights Commission (HRC) will undergo serious modernization and be granted more powers, a knowledgeable government source within the commission has told Arab News.  “The aim is to empower HRC so that the human rights file and practices are…

RIYADH: The Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance concluded on Thursday the Mosque Construction Code workshop, which kicked off on Wednesday. It was held under the patronage of Sheikh Dr. Abdullatif Al-Asheikh, minister of Islamic affairs, call and guidance, and was inaugurated by his deputy, Dr. Youssef bin Saeed. More than 150 construction specialists…

Saudi armed forces participate in Eager Lion military training exercise in Jordan AMMAN: Saudi armed forces have completed the first stages of exercise Eager Lion 2019 that is taking place in Jordan, commander Brigadier General Jaafar bin Hadi Al-Qahtani said on Friday.Personnel from the Saudi army, the navy, the air force, and the air defense…

High-tech Saudi initiative to ease airports’ passage for pilgrims hailed a success JEDDAH: A high-tech Saudi initiative to speed up airport departure procedures for more than 30,000 pilgrims has been hailed a success. The Eyab scheme was set up to enrich the experience of pilgrims passing through the Kingdom’s airports, and thousands of pilgrims from…

King Salman issues royal decrees, including creation of industry and resources ministry 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 decrees also saw the appointment of Fahd bin Mohammed Al-Essa as chief of the Royal…

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s ties with the UK have always been significant and will remain so under new Prime Minister Boris Johnson, a senior British government minister told Arab News on Wednesday. “I would describe the relationship as warm, cordial and positive,” said Andrew Murrison, Minister of State at the Department for International Development and Minister…

Walid Abukhaled is the newly appointed CEO of strategy and business development at Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI). The former deputy minister for industrial affairs announced the news on Twitter, saying he will start working with SAMI on Sept. 1. Abukhaled received his bachelor’s degree in industrial and management systems engineering from the University of…

TheFace: Ohoud Al-Harbi, supervisor at Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation  I built myself from scratch. In a household with 10 siblings, I was a middle child, and my father’s favorite. I’ve always been very opinionated, and my family has allowed me to be open about my stance on many things. Growing up, I was immensely…

TAIF: The world’s biggest camel festival, held in Saudi Arabia, has smashed another record with a giant model of the revered animal. Prince Fahd bin Jalawi bin Musaed, president of the Saudi Camel Federation, unveiled the towering sculpture during the Crown Prince Camel Festival in the presence of Taif Gov. Saad Al-Maimouni and representative of…

RIYADH: Saudi Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) to enhance the efforts between the two parties in the fields of developing research and production systems of saline agriculture, conservation and sustainable management of the environment.The MoU includes the…

RIYADH: The Saudi Center for Research and Intercommunication Knowledge has signed a cooperation agreement with the China Institute for Innovation and Development Strategy (CIIDS) in Beijing. The cooperation will be in the fields of research, publishing and translation, and aims to increase the number of researchers and organize scientific conferences.The signing took place during a visit to CIIDS…

RIYADH: The Saudi Cabinet reaffirmed on Tuesday the Kingdom’s call to the Yemeni government and all parties that broke out of the conflict in Aden to hold a meeting in Saudi Arabia. Chaired by King Salman at Al-Salam Palace in Jeddah, the Cabinet discussed the contents of the joint statement issued by the Saudi Ministry…

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s information and communications technology (ICT) sector will increase its contribution to the national economy by SR50 billion ($13.3 billion) in the next five years, thanks to a major digital development strategy.Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Al-Sawaha said that the five-year strategy will expand the Kingdom’s digital capabilities in ICT, allowing…

RIYADH: King Salman Center for Disability Research (KSCDR) and Saudi Arabia’s Human Rights Commission signed a joint memorandum of understanding (MoU) to promote and protect the rights of persons with disabilities and to achieve the best standards in this domain. The MoU was co-signed by Prince Sultan bin Salman, chairman of the board of trustees…

QIDDIYA: Saudi Arabia’s first theme park will feature a record-breaking roller coaster inspired by the Arabian falcon that will be the longest, tallest and fastest in the world. The Falcon’s Flight ride will be one of the 28 attractions spread over six themed “lands” on a 32-hectare site at Qiddiya, 40km west of Riyadh. Construction…

TAIF: Visitors to the Taif Season of activities are being given an education on the history of the ancient incense trade route. The Taif region is famous for its rich heritage and important strategic location on the old incense road traveled by caravans of merchants carrying spices and luxury goods from Amman to Taif through…

RIYADH: The Misk Art Institute of the Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz Foundation is shedding light on Asiri arts in a contemporary way, explaining details of Al-Khatwa art for visitors, via interactive scenes documenting Al-Khatwa through drawing.The institute’s Al-Khatwa exhibition coincides with Al-Soudah Season to promote national arts.Al-Khatwa is a traditional way to…