Saudi authorities thwart drug sellers in Jeddah and Tabuk
Updated 10 July 2024
Arab News
RIYADH: The Kingdom’s authorities in Tabuk and Jeddah have arrested two people for selling hashish and other drugs, the Saudi Press Agency reported late Tuesday.
In Tabuk, a citizen was arrested for selling hashish and amphetamine.
In Jeddah, a man from Yemen was arrested for attempting to sell hashish and narcotic tablets.
The government has urged the public to report any illegal activities by calling 911 in Makkah, Riyadh and the Eastern Province, and 999 in other parts of the Kingdom.
Alternatively, information can be emailed to [email protected]. All reports are treated confidentially.
Saudi Arabia joins 80 countries in historic deal on e-commerce
First digital global rules include recognition of e-signatures and protection against online fraud
The agreement also includes a component providing preferential treatment to developing countries
Updated 26 July 2024
Arab News
JEDDAH: About 80 countries including Saudi Arabia reached a historic agreement on Friday on rules governing global digital commerce, including recognition of e-signatures and protection against online fraud.
“We negotiated the first global rules on digital trade,” EU trade chief Valdis Dombrovskis said after the deal in Geneva following five years of negotiations.“This will facilitate e-transactions, boost innovation, and integrate developing countries into the digital economy,” he said.
Britain said the agreement would commit all participants to making customs documents and processes digital and recognizing e-documents and e-signatures, and put in place legal safeguards against online fraudsters and misleading claims about products.
Once in place, the deal “will make trade faster, cheaper, fairer and more secure,” Britain said in a statement.
The text of the agreement says the parties will seek to limit spam and protect personal data, as well as offer support to least-developed countries.
Ninety-one of the World Trade Organization’s 166 members took part in the negotiations, including Saudi Arabia, China, Canada, Argentina and Nigeria.
Digital commerce is growing far faster than its traditional counterpart.
The OECD group of economically developed nations says it estimated that in 2020, e-commerce already made up a quarter of global trade, making it worth just under $5 trillion.
Despite its growing importance, “no common set of global rules exist,” said British Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds.
Finalizing the negotiations “is a huge step forward in correcting that and ensuring British businesses feel the benefit.”
Historic news from the WTO's Joint Initiative on Electronic Commerce.
We negotiated the first global rules on digital trade!
This will facilitate e-transactions, boost innovation, and integrate developing countries into the digital economy.
The talks were launched in 2019, with around 90 negotiating countries — representing 90 percent of the WTO membership — including heavy-hitters like the United States, the European Union and China.
Australia, Japan and Singapore, which have jointly been leading the Initiative on Electronic Commerce talks, presented a joint statement during a closed-door meeting at the WTO confirming that “after five years of negotiations, participants had achieved a stabilized text.”
But actual implementation of a deal could still be years off.
A small number of negotiating countries have yet to sign on, including the United States, Brazil, Indonesia and Turkiye, the declaration said.
“The text released today ... represents an important step forward for the WTO in a sector of growing importance to the global economy,” US ambassador and Deputy US Trade Representative Maria Pagan said in a statement.
But the United States considers that “the current text falls short and more work is needed,” she said, pointing in particular to an “essential security exception.”
The co-conveners of the talks have in recent months stressed the importance of landing a deal, stressing it could facilitate electronic transactions, promote digital trade and foster an open and trusted digital economy.
“This would be the first-ever set of baseline digital trade rules,” Singapore’s ambassador to the WTO Tan Hung Seng said in April.
“It would contribute to the growing e-commerce in our countries by providing greater legal predictability and certainty, against the backdrop of increasing regulatory fragmentation,” he said.
In Friday’s statement, UK Science Secretary Peter Kyle said the agreement aimed “to help people use technology safely by protecting them from fraud, while driving economic growth through the digitalization of trade so it’s faster and more secure.”
Preferential treatment
The agreement also includes a component providing preferential treatment to developing countries.
In addition to paving the way for digitalising customs documents and processes, the text also seeks to make permanent a long-held moratorium exempting electronic transactions from customs duties.
The moratorium has been in place since 1998, and has been extended at each WTO ministerial meeting since. It is currently set to expire in 2026.
“Once in force the agreement will permanently ban customs duties on digital content,” the British statement said.
The aim is to incorporate the digital trade rules into the WTO legal framework, but that would require consensus backing from all members, including those not part of the deal.
That could be tricky at a time when countries like India and South Africa are balking at what they see as a proliferation of plurilateral agreements within the WTO rather than the all-but-impossible multilateral deals backed by all members.
One solution, observers say, could be for the signatories to move the agreement to another international body. But if they do that, they would not be able to rely on the WTO’s mechanism for resolving trade disputes.
Halaa Nagadi desires to represent Kingdom on world stage
Hopes others ‘embrace this beautiful and expressive art form’
Updated 27 July 2024
Rahaf Jambi
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia ballet dancer Halaa Nagadi, 18, is captivating audiences with her unwavering passion and hopes others would be inspired to “embrace this beautiful and expressive art form.”
She is currently preparing for the 2024 Dubai International Dance Competition set to start on Nov. 17 that will have professional and amateur dancers participating from all over the world.
“I became interested in ballet when I was on a journey to find a dance form that truly resonated with me,” Nagadi told Arab News. “The way ballet dancers could convey such powerful emotions and narratives through their bodies was simply captivating.”
Halaa Nagadi is currently preparing for the 2024 Dubai International Dance Competition set to start on Nov. 17 that will have professional and amateur dancers participating. (Supplied)
From a young age, Nagadi was mesmerized by the graceful movements and emotive storytelling of ballet, and she has pursued her dream with determination.
“One of my greatest goals is to represent Saudi Arabia on the international ballet stage,” Nagadi said. “I want to showcase the talent and artistry that exists within our country, and inspire others to embrace this beautiful and expressive art form.”
FASTFACTS
• Though ballet may not have been a typical path for a young Saudi Arabia woman, Nagadi was undeterred.
• She immersed herself in studying ballet, first through online videos and then by seeking out local and international training opportunities.
Though ballet may not have been a typical path for a young Saudi Arabia woman, Nagadi was undeterred. She immersed herself in studying ballet, first through online videos and then by seeking out local and international training opportunities.
“Balancing my studies in tourism and event management at King Abdulaziz University with my rigorous ballet training has not been an easy task,” Nagadi revealed.
“But I’ve remained steadfast in my pursuit, spending four to eight hours each day honing my skills, whether it’s at the ballet studio or the gym, ensuring that I am constantly improving and pushing the boundaries of my craft.”
Nagadi’s journey has not been without its challenges, however. Finding suitable ballet facilities in Saudi Arabia has been a significant hurdle, and sourcing specialized equipment is proving to be an ongoing obstacle, she explained.
Undaunted, Nagadi has sought out opportunities abroad, including a summer program in Romania and a ballet performance opportunity in Turkiye.
“I also took a masterclass for professional dancers from the principal of the Royal Ballet in London,” she added.
Nagadi’s dedication and passion have not gone unnoticed locally. “I have received the support of the Saudi Ministry of Culture, who have provided me with opportunities to showcase my talents at local events, such as the Taif Rose Festival and a theatrical performance that fused Arabic music with ballet,” she said.
As Saudi Arabia’s arts and culture scene continues to evolve, the ballet talent envisions a future where the dance form will flourish and draw audiences from across the Kingdom.
“I believe the ballet scene in Saudi Arabia will only continue to grow and develop,” she said. “More and more people are becoming interested in learning and practicing this art form.”
Nagadi’s unwavering determination has not only earned her recognition within the Saudi Arabia arts community but has also inspired a new generation of young people to explore the world of ballet.
Her story is a reminder that with hard work, dedication, and a willingness to challenge societal norms, anything is possible.
Saudi Arabia’s fire forts, lava fields reflect features of the past
The most prominent volcanic sites include Hafir Kishb and Al-Malsa volcano on the northern and southern edges of Harrat Rahat in the southeast of Madinah
Updated 26 July 2024
SPA
TAIF: Fire forts or lava fields, known in the Kingdom as harrat, are archaeological sites that reveal the past.
The lava fields contain features from the civilizational development of past peoples, giving hints of behaviors, culture, customs and traditions.
The black lava fields in the Kingdom, especially north of Taif — Hafir Kishb, Turbah, Al-Khurma, and Al-Muwayh — are stone volcanic structures that have transformed into natural oasis museums due to weathering.
The black lava fields are stone volcanic structures that have transformed into natural oasis museums due to weathering. (SPA)
Dr. Hammad Al-Ruwaili, a professor of history and archaeology, said that the history of volcanoes in the Kingdom dates back about 30 million years.
“They formed in two phases. The first phase coincided with the basaltic lava flows and the opening of the Red Sea, and the second phase began with volcanic activity in the Arabian Peninsula about 10 million years ago,” he added.
The most prominent volcanic sites include Hafir Kishb and Al-Malsa volcano on the northern and southern edges of Harrat Rahat in the southeast of Madinah.
Harrat Rahat is the largest volcano by area, followed by Harrat Khaybar, Harrat Al-Harrah, Harrat Nawasif and Harrat Hafir Kishb, which contains the Wahbah Crater, the deepest volcanic crater in the Kingdom with a diameter of 2 km and a depth of more than 220 meters. The site is a popular destination for locals and attracts tourists from around the world.
SPEEDREAD
The most prominent volcanic sites include Hafir Kishb and Al-Malsa volcano on the northern and southern edges of Harrat Rahat in the southeast of Madinah.
In Arabic, Harrat refers to “a land with black stones that seem to have been burned by fire.” The lava fields are named after the intense heat of rocks.
Al-Ruwaili said that volcanoes are classified into several types, including domed, scoria, shield and cratered.
He added that the Hafir Kishb derives its name from Mount Kishb, located about 260 km from the northeastern part of Taif Governorate. The black mountain is visible to the right of those traveling on the Riyadh Road after Al-Muwayh. The area is mostly scattered black rocks interspersed with sandy areas known as Al-Qee’an.
Other notable areas include Dughaybjah, Khawarah, Hafar, Al-Mashubah, Qia, Mraan and Al-Muwayh.
Al-Ruwaili added that east of Hafir Kishb lies a rough harrat which is very difficult to traverse.
Authorities arrested an Ethiopian in Al-Baha for violating border security laws and smuggling hashish
Updated 26 July 2024
SPA
NAJRAN: Two citizens have been arrested in Najran by the General Directorate of Narcotics Control for smuggling tablets subject to the regulation of medical circulation.
Preliminary procedures were taken against them and they were subsequently referred to the Public Prosecution.
Meanwhile, authorities arrested an Ethiopian in Al-Baha for violating border security laws and smuggling hashish.
Elsewhere, a citizen was arrested in Jouf for smuggling hashish and amphetamines. Preliminary procedures were taken against him and he was referred to the Public Prosecution.
Saudi Arabia reaffirms dedication to improving labor standards
Ahmed bin Sulaiman Al-Rajhi highlighted Saudi Arabia’s proactive measures and the impact of Vision 2030 in developing a national workforce
Updated 26 July 2024
SPA
BRAZIL: Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Human Resources and Social Development Ahmed bin Sulaiman Al-Rajhi led the Kingdom’s delegation at the G20 Labor and Employment Ministers’ Meeting in Fortaleza, Brazil, from July 25-26.
The event gathered together labor ministers from G20 member states, invited countries, leaders of international and regional organizations, and civil society representatives.
Al-Rajhi highlighted Saudi Arabia’s proactive measures and the impact of Vision 2030 in developing a national workforce. He outlined the Kingdom’s focus on reinforcing values, cultivating essential and future skills, advancing knowledge, and fostering a labor market that ensured decent work for all.
The minister reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s dedication to improving labor standards and conditions, including social security measures. He emphasized the importance of empowering beneficiaries through qualification, training and employment opportunities.
