Oman Online News

Riyadh, Minister of Economy and Planning, Faisal bin Fadhil Alibrahim participated in the International Monetary Fund (IMF) conference on industrial policies to promote economic diversification, held today in Riyadh.

In a speech at the opening of the conference, the minister emphasized that encouraging innovation, developing human capital, and attracting foreign direct investment are key elements for accelerating economic growth.

He added that the industrial sector is witnessing great progress in the Kingdom, including diversification efforts exerted in non-oil sectors such as marine logistics and steel in line with Saudi Arabia Vision 2030.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

MP Thanaa Faraj Al-Rubaie asked today Prime Minister Muhammad Shia Al-Sudani and Oil Minister Hayan Abdul-Ghani, regarding the appointment of people in the Basra Oil Company.

Al-Rubaie stated in a statement that: ‘Given the ministerial order that refers to the appointment of some people in the Basra Oil Company despite the absence of appointments scheduled in the current budget law, and at the same time, Maysan engineers are suffering from unemployment and difficulty in obtaining job opportunities, I ask the Prime Minister and the Minister of Oil 4 questions.

Source: National Iraqi News Agency

Israeli enemy warplanes have carried out three consecutive airstrikes on the southern border town of Maroun Ras shortly after midnight, causing massive damages to properties and water and electricity infrastructures.

No casualties have been reported.

The Israeli enemy has also fired incendiary bombs at Labbouneh and Allam mounts in Sector West, setting perennial trees ablaze.

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon

Kuala Lumpur, Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) Chief Executive Dr. Hisham bin Saad Aljadhey held meetings with several Malaysian scientific institutions concerned with halal products in Malaysia.

The meetings aimed to facilitate the exchange of expertise in the field and gain insights into the services offered by these institutions.

Aljadhey visited the University of Putra Malaysia, where he observed the university’s scientific programs and the ongoing work at its Halal Products Research Institute (IPPH).

The IPPH was established to position the university at the forefront of this field by conducting studies on all aspects of halal products at both local and international levels, as well as advancing research efforts.

Aljadhey visited to the Malaysia Halal Analysis Center (MyHAC), which is dedicated to supporting and empowering the halal certification program while establishing international laboratories for analytical purposes. He familiarized himself with the range of analytical services offered by
the center, encompassing chemical, physical, and biotechnological testing methods.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Cairo, The Arab Parliament welcomed the results of the independent review group’s investigation, which stressed that the Israeli occupation entity has not provided any evidence to support its allegations against the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

The Cairo-based pan-Arab legislature underscored in a statement today the pivotal role of UNRWA in providing humanitarian assistance to Palestinian refugees, mainly in Gaza, which faces unprecedented genocide and starvation from the Israeli occupation.

The Arab Parliament also called on donor countries that defunded UNRWA to resume their assistance to the relief agency, which provides relief assistance to around 6.4 million refugees.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Riyadh, The Kingdom’s Vision 2030 has played a critical role in positioning it as a hub for technology and innovation in the region. The leadership has amply supported and empowered the communications and information-technology sector, resulting in significant strides towards digital development.

The Kingdom has made remarkable advancements since the launch of Vision 2030 eight years ago, attaining global leadership positions in digital entrepreneurship, digital infrastructure, digital government, and digital capabilities.

According to a World Economic Forum report, the Kingdom ranked second globally among the Group of Twenty (G20) top economies in digital competitiveness.

A World Bank report said the Kingdom secured third place globally in the digital government services maturity index. The Kingdom is also making significant efforts to become a global leader in supporting the growth of the digital economy.

The digital economy’s contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) has increased from 11% to 15%, a
nd the technology and innovation market has surpassed SAR166 billion, making it the largest in the region.

Furthermore, the Kingdom has achieved a substantial milestone in venture-capital investments, which have increased to SAR5.2 billion.

The Kingdom’s advancements in digital infrastructure reflect its commitment to providing robust digital services to its citizens and businesses.

Fourth-generation services have achieved 99% coverage of the Kingdom’s regions, ensuring widespread access to high-speed internet. The capacity of data centers has reached 204 megawatts, providing ample storage for digital data.

The cloud-computing services market has grown significantly, reaching more than SAR9.8 billion, indicating the Kingdom’s readiness to embrace cloud-based technologies.

The Vision 2030 has contributed significantly to developing digital capabilities in the Kingdom. There are more than 350,000 male and female workers in the technical sector, with a nationalization rate of 64%. Women’s communications and
information technology participation has increased to 35%.

These developments are a testament to the Kingdom’s commitment to advancing its digital economy, building a sustainable future, and creating a prosperous society.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Riyadh, The eighth annual Conference of the European College of Sports and Exercise Physicians (ECOSEP) began today, April 25th, in Riyadh and will continue through Saturday.

Organized by the MOVE Center for Comprehensive Sports Medicine, the event is the world’s largest focused on sports medicine, and will take place in Saudi Arabia for the first time. Over 60 speakers from 15 countries are in attendance. It boasts an elite group of leaders, officials, and decision-makers in sports medicine from around the world, as well as legal persons and officials from the public and private sectors in the medical and sports fields in the Kingdom, including current and former Saudi national team players in different sports.

The conference can be attended in person or remotely by those who wish to benefit from the sessions and discussions, and it offers health practitioners the opportunity to obtain 24 continuing medical education (CME) hours accredited by the Commission for Health Specialties. The conference is an exte
nsion of the efforts of the public and private sectors in the Kingdom to develop the sports sector according to the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.

It also includes several partnerships from various sectors, led by two strategic partnerships from the Ministries of Health and Sports and a number of other sponsors in related fields.

ECOSEP is focused on sports and exercise medicine practitioners within Europe, providing a platform to exchange views, knowledge, experiences, suggestions, questions, research, education, and ideas from the daily clinical practice of sports and exercise doctors.

It also facilitates communication between sports and exercise doctors and all sports and medicine organizations in Europe and internationally for better exchange of views, better understanding and realization of better health services to the public, and the promotion of public health through exercise in prevention and treatment.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Jeddah, The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) will hold the 15th annual Islamic Summit Conference on May 4-5 in the Gambian capital, Banjul.

The session will be held under the slogan, “Enhancing Unity and Solidarity through Dialogue for Sustainable Development,” and a variety of issues will be addressed, including the Palestinian question, youth, women, family, Islamophobia, climate change, and Muslim minorities in non-member states, among others.

The Islamic Summit Conference will be preceded by a preparatory meeting on April 30 and May 1, when senior OIC officials will discuss the documents of the session and submit its report to the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers’ May 1-2 preparatory meeting ahead of the summit.

The leaders of OIC member states will discuss the political issues of the Islamic world, most notably the Palestinian cause, and economic, humanitarian, social and cultural issues, youth, women, family, science and technology, information, Muslim communities and minorities i
n non- OIC member states, Islamophobia, hate speech, climate change, food security, and legal matters.

The OIC secretary-general will present a report at the summit reviewing the most prominent activities, programs, and projects undertaken by the organization since the previous session of the Islamic Summit Conference.

The 15th conference will issue a final communique that includes the organization’s positions on the issues submitted to the summit, a resolution on Palestine and Al-Quds Al-Sharif, and the Banjul Declaration.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Washington, Saudi sons and daughters continue to carve out success stories in their scholarship countries, proudly raising the national flag high across various academic and scientific fields.

The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) recently met with one of the nation’s exemplary daughters abroad, Dr. Sarah Alobaid, who has forged a distinguished path in the field of microbiology and infectious diseases as a PhD student in the United States. She works diligently across three different sectors and is a member of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM).

Dr. Sarah shared that her scientific journey began with her master’s degree in molecular and cellular biology at the University of New Haven. Her research focused on the impact of using magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs- Fe3O4) with doxorubicin and electromagnetic radiation to enhance breast cancer treatment in T47D cells.

The study aimed to develop a targeted drug delivery system using nanoparticles to directly target cancer cells, exploring potential improvements in ca
ncer treatment efficacy due to the significant side effects associated with traditional tumor treatments.

Through this research, Dr. Alobaid aims to open new horizons and contribute significantly to cancer treatment, making strides toward safer and more sustainable treatment options for cancer patients.

After completing her master’s degree, Dr. Alobaid began her PhD at George Mason University, specializing in microbiology and infectious diseases. Her dissertation is titled: ‘Role of poly-gamma-glutamic acid synthesis locus (pgsBCW /capBCA) in Francisella microbial physiology’. It focused on Francisella and how the “pgsBCW” gene assists this bacterium in surviving and thriving in harsh environments and resisting the human immune system. The goal of her research is to precisely identify these genes and understand how PGA production in Francisella could lead to new therapeutic targets to combat these dangerous bacteria.

In 2020, her research was recognized as one of the best research projects at George Mason
University.

She works with a team to identify key genes using advanced techniques such as Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and Quantitative Reverse Transcriptase PCR (qRT-PCR).

Dr. Alobaid voiced the highest expressions of thanks to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, for their keenness on the excellence and empowerment of Saudi youth and their scholarship to the best universities worldwide.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Dhahran, Aramco, one of the world’s leading integrated energy and chemicals companies, signed a four-year global partnership with professional football association FIFA, according to an Aramco news release.

According to the statement, the company becomes FIFA’s major worldwide partner exclusive in the energy category, with sponsorship rights for multiple events including the highly anticipated FIFA World Cup 26 and FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027.

The agreement, which runs until the end of 2027, builds on a shared commitment to innovation and development, and will combine football’s unique global reach with Aramco’s history of championing innovation and community engagement. Through the partnership, Aramco and FIFA intend to leverage the power of football to create impactful social initiatives around the world.

‘Through this partnership with FIFA, we aim to contribute to football development and harness the power of sport to make an impact around the globe,’ said Aramco President and CEO Amin H. Nasser. ‘It re
flects our ambition to enable vibrant communities and extends our backing of sport as a platform for growth. Our existing relationship with the Saudi football team Al-Qadsiah, our support for women’s golf through the Aramco Team Series, and our backing of F1 in schools each demonstrate the possibilities of such partnerships to create pathways for opportunity, positively impact society, and promote development at the grassroots level.’

FIFA President Gianni Infantino said: ‘We are delighted to welcome Aramco to FIFA’s family of global partners. This partnership will assist FIFA to successfully deliver its flagship tournaments over the next four years and, as is the case with all our commercial agreements, enable us to provide enhanced support to our 211 FIFA member associations across the globe. Aramco has a strong track record of supporting world-class events, but also a focus on developing grassroots sport initiatives. We look forward to collaborating with them on a variety of initiatives over the coming ye
ars.’

Aramco also intends to work with FIFA to drive innovation, identifying opportunities to deploy the company’s expertise and technologies in the delivery of football events globally. This includes initiatives that aim to provide new and innovative ways for football fans to engage with FIFA’s events.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Riyadh, Saudi Accreditation Center (SAC) Executive Director Dr. Adel bin Abdulrahman Alkeaid and his accompanying delegation visited the Department of Standards Malaysia (DSM) in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

Alkeaid discussed topics of common interest with the Malaysian officials and explored potential areas for collaboration between the two sides.

He emphasized the center’s crucial role in improving infrastructure quality in the Kingdom and provided an overview of the progress and accomplishments of SAC since its establishment in 2020, including the accreditation of over 500 conformity assessment bodies in both the public and private sectors, spanning laboratories, inspection bodies, certification bodies, and halal certification.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Riyadh, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Eng. Waleed bin Abdulkarim El-Khereiji met here today with Nicaraguan National Assembly President Gustavo Porras Cortés.

During the meeting, they reviewed issues of common interest between the two sides.

Several officials attended the meeting.

Source: Saudi Press Agency