Saudi Arabia offers condolences to families of victims in Oman shooting
Saudi Arabia offers condolences to families of victims in Oman shooting/node/2551236/saudi-arabia
Saudi Arabia offers condolences to families of victims in Oman shooting
Earlier, Omani police issued a statement that said Monday's shooting had resulted in the death of at least six individuals, which includes one policeman and three perpetrators. (AFP)
Saudi Arabia offers condolences to families of victims in Oman shooting
Updated 17 July 2024
Arab News
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has expressed its condolences to the families of the victims of Monday’s shooting in Oman that left several people dead and a number injured.
The Kingdom’s Foreign Ministry, in a statement on Wednesday on X, condemned the perpetrators involved in the shooting in Wadi Al-Kabir, Muscat.
#Statement | The Foreign Ministry expresses the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s commendation of the measures taken by competent authorities in the Sultanate of Oman for swiftly and efficiently dealing with the shooting incident in Wadi Al-Kabir district in Oman's capital, Muscat. pic.twitter.com/LHrwZdWdDR
The ministry praised the Omani authorities for their swift handling of the situation.
Also on Wednesday, in a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency, GCC Secretary-General Jassim Al-Badawi said that the “heinous criminal act contradicts all the principles of our true religion and human and moral values.”
He said the GCC would support Oman’s security forces to deal with the incident.
Earlier, Omani police issued a statement that said Monday's shooting had resulted in the death of at least six individuals, which includes one policeman and three perpetrators.
At least 30 foreigners were wounded and have been hospitalized, according to reports.
The Pakistani Embassy in Oman, in a statement on X on Tuesday, said the country “strongly condemns the dastardly terrorist attack” which had resulted in the death of two citizens.
“We are heartened that the government of Oman has neutralized the attackers,” Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry added in a statement.
The UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the attack, in a statement carried by the Emirates News Agency on Tuesday.
Daesh claimed responsibility for the attack, in a statement on Telegram on Tuesday.
Saudi Arabia condemns Israeli minister remarks on building synagogue at Al-Aqsa mosque
Updated 27 August 2024
Arab News
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has condemned an Israeli minister’s remarks where he called to build a synagogue at Al-Aqsa mosque, the Kingdom’s foreign ministry said early Tuesday.
Israel’s hard-line Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir repeated a call for Jews to be allowed to pray at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, drawing sharp criticism for inflaming tensions as ceasefire negotiators seek a deal to halt fighting in Gaza.
Asked during an interview if he would build a synagogue on the site if he could, Ben-Gvir replied “Yes, Yes.”
The Kingdom affirmed its categorical rejection of these extremist and provocative statements, and the ongoing provocations of Muslims around the world.
Saudi Arabia “reiterated the need to respect the historical and legal status of Al-Aqsa Mosque,” the statement read.
The Kingdom renewed its call on the international community to assume its responsibilities and put an end to the Palestinian humanitarian catastrophe, and activate serious mechanisms to hold Israeli officials accountable for the ongoing violations of international laws, norms and resolutions.
Saudi aid agency KSrelief delivers shelter and food for flood victims in Sudan
KSrelief and its partners are providing emergency shelters and food aid for about 6,000 people
Updated 27 August 2024
Arab News
RIYADH: Saudi aid agency KSrelief is assisting relief efforts after heavy rain caused the Arbaat Dam, north of Port Sudan, to collapse on Saturday, resulting in widespread flooding that killed at least 132 people destroyed entire villages.
Working in coordination with government agencies in the Kingdom and the Saudi embassy in Sudan, KSrelief and its partners are providing emergency shelters and food aid for about 6,000 people, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
RIYADH: Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, the supervisor general of the Saudi aid agency KSrelief, met the Dutch Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Hans Peter van der Woude in Riyadh on Monday.
Discussions focused on relief and humanitarian issues, with particular attention on global efforts led by Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Van der Woude praised the Kingdom’s contributions through KSrelief, highlighting the agency’s significant role in easing the suffering of those in need and providing assistance to communities worldwide.
Tala Al-Saedi is encouraging Saudi women and men to consider careers in STEM
Updated 26 August 2024
Tamara Abualsaud
RIYADH: While eager first-year college students were all looking down at their catalogs to select a major, Tala Al-Saedi was looking up at the stars.
A 2024 graduate of the University of Arizona where she majored in aerospace engineering, for her senior design project Al-Saedi was chosen by the dean of engineering to be part of a NASA-sponsored project, the Lunar South Pole Prospecting Rover.
When first deciding on a major, the only thing Al-Saedi knew was that she wanted it to be “unique and challenging.”
NASA’s Lunar South Pole Prospecting Rover was built by a team of six engineering students, including Saudi aerospace engineer Tala Al-Saedi. (Supplied)
Coming across aerospace engineering, she was captivated by the idea of “working on technology that operates in extreme environments.”
The Lunar South Pole Prospecting Rover, built by a team of six engineering students, “was designed to explore the lunar south pole and prospect resources such as water and ice, which could be crucial for sustaining a human presence on the moon.”
According to Al-Saedi, the project is well aligned with NASA’s Artemis Plan, which in 2026 is scheduled to land the first woman and first person of color on the moon.
I believe we’re entering a new era where possibilities for innovation and discovery are greater than ever before.
Tala Al-Saedi, Aerospace engineer
Al-Saedi told Arab News that “the rover needs to operate in the harsh conditions of the lunar south pole.”
As the thermal and structure subsystem lead, she was responsible for making sure the materials used will function in the conditions found at the pole.
“I had to make thermal management control systems, such as active and passive control systems, so it could save the rover’s instruments and keep it working during sunlight and at nighttime,” she said.
The lunar south pole does not receive very much sunlight and temperatures can be extremely low. The many craters on the surface of the pole, such as the Shackleton Crater, have illuminated rims but their interiors are in shadow.
Al-Saedi said that these conditions, coupled with high levels of radiation, make landing on the lunar south pole extremely difficult. Only one country has been able to do so successfully and that was India in August 2023 as part of their Chandrayaan-3 mission.
Al-Saedi also said that the craters in the region indicate the possibility of a water presence, which, in addition to entertaining the possibility of sustaining life on the moon, “could be used for future lunar missions and rocket fuel.”
The rover will continue to be developed by the next generations of senior engineering students at the University of Arizona which “ensures a future of students that can continue to refine the design and integrate new technologies and apply their own ideas,” Al-Saedi added.
“The project is a crucial step forward towards achieving long-term exploration goals that could eventually extend to Mars,” she said.
Al-Saedi held several extracurricular positions during her time at university that allowed her to step outside her comfort zone and explore the social culture of the school, as well as help ease other students’ transition and integration.
She was a member of the Society of Women Engineers and the Wildcat Fencing Club, and was also a global student ambassador, which meant she was international students’ first point of contact upon arriving in Tucson, Arizona. She said that being part of the Society of Women Engineers helped her to “stay focused and motivated,” inspiring her to encourage young engineering hopefuls to do the same.
“Being part of these organizations also aligned with my personal mission to advocate for greater female participation in STEM,” she said. It is a cause Al-Saedi is deeply passionate about and carries closely with her.
As a young Saudi woman, she expressed concern at the fact so few women engineers were choosing to major in aerospace engineering and cited the lack of female representation in the field as a leading factor in the creation of a vicious cycle.
She also spoke about the value of seeing yourself in your peers and how that helps push you forward in your academics and boosts confidence.
As far as Saudi space exploration goes, Al-Saedi is optimistic. “We’re just at the beginning,” she said, with missions such as Artemis and Vision 2030 underway, “I believe we’re entering a new era where possibilities for innovation and discovery are greater than ever before.”
Al-Saedi is encouraging all young Saudi students, women especially, to consider a future in STEM.
Moving forward in her postgraduate career, Al-Saedi is excited to turn the final frontier into her very own stomping ground. “I really want to contribute to the development of technology and make human exploration in space safer and more sustainable.”
Saudi Arabia seeks to boost efficiency of seasonal date markets
Date season aims to modernize trading and celebrate Saudi heritage
Updated 26 August 2024
Hebshi Alshammari
RIYADH: A date season initiative launched by Saudi Arabia’s National Center for Palms and Dates will see cultural events and markets taking place in a number of cities.
The center’s CEO, Mohammed Al-Nuwairan, said the aim was to regulate date trading, enhancing market efficiency and quality. Targeting locals, visitors and tourists it also seeks to boost the economic and social value of dates.
To reduce date accumulation, the center also now purchases directly from farmers in order to connect them with consumers and merchants. (Supplied)
The events will strengthen the link between dates and Saudi cultural heritage, reflecting the nation’s history, identity and hospitality.
The initiative promotes the purchasing power of date markets and elevates Saudi dates as an economic product, said Al-Nuwairan. It also enhances satisfaction among farmers, marketers and buyers, and benefits the Saudi economy.
FASTFACTS
$390m
In 2023, date exports increased by 14 percent, reaching SR1.462 billion ($390 million) in 119 countries, up from SR1.280 billion in 2022.
34m
The Kingdom has over 34 million palm trees, with 11.2 million of those in the Qassim region.
A new electronic platform has also been launched in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture. Sellers, buyers and marketers can sign up to the Seasonal Markets System, which controls and regulates date trading.
Mohammed Al-Nuwairan, CEO of the National Center for Palms and Dates (L) and Abdullah Al-Radadi, director general of the Al-Madinah Dates Cooperative Association. (Supplied)
Abdullah Al-Raddadi, director general of the Al-Madinah Dates Cooperative Association, said there was increased development and interest in the date industry, particularly through the National Center for Palms and Dates.
The initiative supported farmers by connecting them directly with consumers and merchants, improving date prices, and the center also now bought directly from farmers to reduce date accumulation, he added.
In 2023, date exports increased by 14 percent, reaching SR1.462 billion ($390 million) in 119 countries, up from SR1.280 billion in 2022.
The Kingdom has over 34 million palm trees, with 11.2 million of those in the Qassim region.
