Category: General

Riyadh– The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has issued his approval to hold the international competition in writing the Holy Quran in next Shaban under the supervision of the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance, represented by the King Fahd Complex for the Printing of the Holy Quran.

On the occasion, Minister of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance and Supervisor General of the complex Sheikh Dr. Abdullatif bin Abdulziz Al Al-Sheikh extended appreciation and gratitude to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, for their special care and big attention in printing, spreading and teaching the Holy Quran.

He also noted that the competition aims to give an opportunity to those people distinguished in writing the Holy Quran, including skillful calligraphers and ensure their participation in writing the Holy Quran that carries the name of the founding king, where expertise and opinions will be exchanged among calligraphers, noting that conditions of the competition will be announced soon.

The ministry called on those interested to fill up an attached questionnaire, available on the complex’s website, and sent it to the following email: ketabat-almushaf@qurancomplex.gov.sa.

The complex has witnessed a qualitative leap over the past few years through increasing the number of printed copies of the Holy Quran with a percentage exceeding 100% with a production volume of 20 million copies per year.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Jeddah– Within the Jeddah Season 2022 zone, the “Historic Jeddah” zone has attracted the Season’s visitors by several distinguished and unique cultural, historical, and entertainment shows and events.

Historic Jeddah, located in the heart of Jeddah, is one of the most prominent historical monuments included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, with a rich heritage and civilization accumulation that goes deep into history. Visitors to the season will enjoy a variety of cultural and entertainment events in four main zones that have been prepared with a variety of events, theaters, historical pictures, painters’ street, 3D projection displays, and distinctive visual and historical presentations that will bring back memories of the beautiful past.

The Historic Jeddah zone is known for its beautiful architecture and heritage buildings. These include the ruins of the Jeddah Wall, and its historical neighborhoods, such as Al-Mazloum, Al-Sham, Yemen, and Al-Bahr neighborhoods. Moreover, the Historic Jeddah embraces several historical mosques, markets, restaurants, and popular cafes.

The activities of the Historic Jeddah zone embody the Jeddah Season 2022 new identity, which expresses the city’s cultural richness as well as its diversity and plurality of historical, tourist, cultural, and entertainment components. The season’s management vision provides various alternatives for Red Sea Bride residents and visitors of all ages and nationalities and highlights the city of Jeddah as a permanent tourist destination in the region.

The Historic Jeddah zone annually attracts a large number of visitors and guests from across the Kingdom who are keen on visiting this beautiful cultural site, which depicts of an era of ancient history and highlights Jeddah’s rich heritage and civilization. The management of the Jeddah Season 2022 has been eager to invest in the historical components and the huge cultural accumulation that characterize Jeddah in creating a unique mix of options for the visitors of the season in which these components and opportunities appear to translate the unique characteristics that distinguish Jeddah and give its visitors all the beautiful options.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Maputo– President of the Republic of Mozambique Filipe Nyusi received here today Advisor at the Royal Court Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Qattan, and his accompanying delegation.

During the meeting, Advisor Qattan conveyed the greetings of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, and their best wishes for progress and prosperity to the government and people of the Republic of Mozambique.

In turn, the President of the Republic of Mozambique sent his greetings and appreciation to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and HRH the Crown Prince, as well as to the government and people of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The President of Mozambique stressed the keenness of the Republic of Mozambique to develop bilateral relations between the two countries, and their development in various fields.

During the meeting, they discussed bilateral relations between the two countries, and ways to support and develop them in various fields, in addition to reviewing all regional and international events of common interest.

The meeting was attended by a number of senior officials from both countries.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Riyadh– A Japanese diplomatic delegation today visited the headquarters of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) in Riyadh.

The delegates, during the visit, watched a presentation including humanitarian and aid projects offered by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by KSrelief, which amounted to 1,997 schemes that were implemented in 83 countries around the world in cooperation with 175 international, regional and local partners. Top beneficiary country from these projects was Yemen with 702 ventures whose total value exceeded USD 4 billion, followed by Palestine with 107 projects worth USD 368,868,000, and Syria with 702 projects worth USD 327,175,000, where these schemes covered various food, health, educational, shelter, environment and other sectors.

The delegates also had a first-hand look at the qualitative programs of the center, such as the rehabilitation of recruited children, the Saudi Project for Landmine Clearance (MASAM), the project of installing artificial limbs, and other voluntary programs.

The Japanese delegates praised the prestigious international status of the KSrelief in the humanitarian work field and its big role in supporting the needy and affected people around the world.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Jeddah– A high-level delegation from the General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) will head to Washington, DC, to discuss issues and topics of common interest, on May 23-24, 2022, at the invitation of the US State Department.

The top political issues that the delegation will discuss with the US side include the situation in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, as well as issues related to combating terrorism, extremism, Islamophobia, and the conditions of Muslim groups and societies in the non-OIC countries.

The discussions will also cover social issues, foremost of which are women’s empowerment, cultural issues, human rights, and cooperation between the two sides in combating the COVID-19 pandemic, food security, and climate issues.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Riyadh– The Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO) is scheduled tomorrow to hold the International Forum for Metrology under the theme “Metrology in the digital age”, which coincides with the World Metrology Day, at the headquarters of the organization in Riyadh under the patronage of Minister of Commerce Dr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi.

The forum is planned to shed light on the efforts of SASO and partner institutions from the public and private sectors in the field of standards and metrology, highlight the role of international accreditation, accredit the services of the center in enhancing the quality infrastructure, know the needs and challenges facing the standards and metrology sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and find sustainable solutions to improve and develop activities of standards and metrology.

SASO noted that the forum will witness the launch of the first digital standards certificate in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the first at the Arab level in this regard, where the forum will include a main session on the impact of the digitalization on standards and metrology, where several high-ranking speakers are scheduled to participate from various public and private sectors, adding that the forum is an opportunity for interested people and specialists in the metrology field to get acquainted with the modern applications in activities of standards and metrology.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Riyadh– The Foreign Affairs Committee, one of the specialized committees at the Shura Council, headed by member of the council and deputy chairperson of the committee Huda Al-Hillisi, and with the participation of members of the committee, has held a meeting with a delegation of Japanese diplomats who are currently on a visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The Japanese delegates expressed their happiness for visiting the Kingdom and meeting with members of the Shura Council and the hospitality they received, stressing the importance of this visit to the Kingdom that represents a regional power, and expressing their pride in the close relations between Japan and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

During the meeting, both sides reviewed the role and bylaw of the Shura Council and the work mechanism of its specialized committees in a way that realizes public interests, addressing the importance of the parliamentary diplomacy of the council in developing relations between the Kingdom and various countries of the world in a bid to realize peace and enhance dialogue that aims at reaching a better future.

At the end of the meeting, members of the committee and the council answered the questions and inquiries of the Japanese delegation related to the Shura Council and its work mechanisms.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Cairo– Eng. Ahmed bin Suleiman Al-Rajhi, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, chaired here today the Executive Council’s meeting of the (113th) regular session of the Arab Administrative Development Organization (ARADO), with the participation of the member states.

In his opening speech, Eng. Al-Rajhi offered his sincere condolences to the United Arab Emirates on the death of the late Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates. He also congratulated the UAE for electing Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed as President of the UAE.

During his speech, the Minister of Human Resources pointed out that this meeting is one of the tools that contribute to achieving the goals of the ambitious plans and the visions of the Arab countries by preparing a strategy for the organization that accommodates modern global administrative changes, and achieves the financial and operational sustainability of the organization through digital transformation and innovation projects.

He stressed the importance of cooperation and unifying efforts in implementing the Council’s decisions to reach the desired level that states aspire to and in a manner that serves the interests of our Arab peoples, wishing all success for this meeting.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Washington– In implementation of the directives of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Minister of Defense, met today in Washington with the United States National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan.

During the meeting, they reviewed the solid historical Saudi-US relations and discussed prospects for cooperation and joint coordination between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States of America, in addition to the ways to support and enhance them within the framework of the common vision between the two friendly countries.

The meeting was attended by Princess Reema bint Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, Saudi Ambassador to the United States of America; Saudi Ambassador to Yemen Mohammed bin Saeed Al Jaber; Military Advisor to the Minister of Defense Major General Eng. Talal bin Abdullah Al-Otaibi and Director General of the Office of the Deputy Minister of Defense Hisham bin Abdulaziz bin Saif.

On the American side, the Coordinator for Middle East and North Africa Affairs at the US National Security Council (NSC), Brett McGurk attended the meeting.

Earlier, the Deputy Minister of Defense and his accompanying delegation arrived in Washington this morning on an official visit to the United States of America. He will meet with a number of the US officials to review bilateral relations and discuss issues of common interest at the regional and international arenas.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Dammam– Prince Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, Governor of the Eastern Region, received today Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Adnan Alonto on the occasion of the end of his term as his country’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

During the meeting, they reviewed bilateral relations.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Beijing– Asian stock markets were mixed Wednesday, the Associated Press reported.

Shanghai and Hong Kong declined. Tokyo and Seoul advanced. Oil prices rose to stay above $110 per barrel.

The Shanghai Composite Index lost 0.4% to 3,082.12 and the Hang Seng in Hong Kong sank 0.6% to 20,471.54.

The Nikkei 225 in Tokyo gained 0.6% to 26,824.46 after the government reported economic output shrank 0.2% in the first three months of 2022. That was stronger than expectations.

The Kospi in Seoul gained 0.2% to 2,624.64 and Sydney’s S&P-ASX 200 advanced 0.9% to 7,187.10.

India’s Sensex opened up 0.5% at 54,590.12. Bangkok declined while New Zealand and other Southeast Asian markets rose.

In energy markets, benchmark U.S. crude rose 66 cents to $113.05 in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell $1.80 on Tuesday to $112.40. Brent crude, the price basis for international oil trading, added 17 cents to $112.10 per barrel in London. It lost $2.31 the previous session to $111.93.

The dollar declined to 129.11 yen from Tuesday’s 129.42 yen. The euro sank to $1.0536 from $1.0543.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Riyadh– Prince Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Governor of Riyadh Region visited today the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Riyadh, during which he offered condolences on death of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Upon his arrival, he was received by Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Sheikh Nahyan bin Saif bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, and a number of embassy officials.

For his part, the UAE Ambassador expressed his thanks and appreciation to the Deputy Governor of Riyadh for his condolences.

Source: Saudi Press Agency