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RIYADH: The chief of staff of Saudi Arabia’s armed forces visited Tehran on Sunday to meet with his Iranian counterpart and discuss defense ties, the Saudi Ministry of Defense said.
Fayyad Al-Ruwaili and Iran’s Major General Mohammad Bagheri discussed opportunities to develop relations between the two countries in the military and defense fields.
They also discussed cooperation between the two in a way that might contribute to enhancing security and stability in the region, the MoD added.
RIYADH: The National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking, chaired by President of the Saudi Human Rights Commission Hala Al-Tuwaijri, recently concluded the second phase of its “Train-the-Trainers” program.
The five-day program was delivered to 20 committee members in the field of combating human trafficking, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Held at the commission’s headquarters in Riyadh, it was organized in collaboration with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.
It featured the participation of several experts and specialists from relevant government agencies and covered key topics including communication strategies with trainees, the role and responsibilities of the trainer, and speech skills.
It also addressed building trust, time management, and effective leadership.
The program is part of the Kingdom’s ongoing efforts to combat human trafficking and strengthen national capacity in the field.
It aligns with the implementation of the second phase of the memorandum of understanding between the commission and the UN for technical cooperation in combating human trafficking.
JEDDAH: An event to strengthen cooperation and facilitate the exchange of ideas about geographical place names in Arab countries began in Jeddah on Sunday.
Experts from 22 Arab nations and international organizations gathered for the start of the 10th Forum of the Arab Division of Experts in Geographical Names, which is scheduled to run for three days.
The event is being held under the theme “Strengthening Relations and Links Between Arab States in the Field of Geographical Names,” and is hosted under the auspices of Prince Khalid bin Salman, the minister of defense and chairman of the board of directors of the General Authority for Survey and Geospatial Information.
The conference, which was opened by Jeddah Gov. Prince Saud bin Abdullah bin Jalawi, aims to facilitate joint Arab action in various fields, including the documentation of geographical names; unifying geographical names in Arabic, avoiding the use of colloquial dialects; and launching new national committees.
Mohammed bin Yahya Al-Sayel, president of the authority, noted that Saudi Arabia placed great importance on the topic of geographical names.
The authority on the opening day signed 10 memorandums of cooperation with a number of entities in the government sector, the academic sector, and the nonprofit sector.
Tim Trainer, a part-time consultant to the UN and former chief geospatial scientist for the US Census Bureau, told Arab News: “The collaboration, from a regional perspective, is very impressive, and it seems there is a positive path to that collaboration.”
Meanwhile, Tariq Aba Al-Khail, the official spokesperson for the Saudi Geological Survey, spoke of the importance of documenting data on mineral sites through the National Geological Information Database.
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Sunday condemned a bomb blast at a railway station in the city of Quetta in southwestern Pakistan that killed 24 people on Saturday.
“The Kingdom reiterates its position rejecting all forms of violence and terrorism,” a Foreign Ministry statement said.
The ministry extended its condolences to the families of the victims and to the government and people of Pakistan. It also wished the injured a speedy recovery.
At least 24 people were killed and more than 40 injured in the bomb blast in Quetta, Balochistan province. The Baloch Liberation Army, a separatist militant group, claimed responsibility for the attack.
RIYADH: The Ministry of Culture has launched the Child’s Culture digital platform to spark children’s interest in Saudi Arabia’s rich cultural heritage.
The platform offers interactive content on historic landmarks, renowned cultural figures and vibrant art forms, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.
Young explorers can delve into various sections, such as Cultural Monuments, which showcases iconic heritage sites; Cultural Luminaries, which introduces influential Saudi figures; and Cultural Recommendations, which features weekly updates on cultural experiences.
The Puzzle Game section challenges players to assemble fragments of paintings from different regions to reveal a complete masterpiece.
Catering to auditory learners, the platform offers the “Podcast Tawela,” with content tailored to capture the imagination of young audiences.
The platform also offers a variety of training activities to nurture children’s cultural talents. These include Be Creative with Your Handwriting with Arabic Poetry, which provides handwriting lessons for young Arabic learners; Let’s Discover Culture Together, a coloring book that introduces children to cultural concepts through art; and The Little Writer, which guides children in writing and composition.
The initiative aligns with the ministry’s broader children’s program aimed at nurturing national pride by providing an accessible and engaging gateway for children to explore their cultural heritage.
Through innovative and interactive content, the platform fosters knowledge, skills development, and a deep appreciation of Saudi culture and identity.
The platform is accessible at moc.gov.sa/en/Modules/Pages/Child-Culture.
RIYADH: The Saudi Ministry of Health has taken action against several healthcare practitioners who posted inappropriate content on social media.
The ministry found video clips violating healthcare regulations and professional ethics, the Saudi Press Agency reported Sunday.
Violations included posting indecent content, using improper language, breaching workplace policies, mistreating patients and sharing an inappropriate video featuring a hospitalized patient.
The offending practitioners were identified in Riyadh, Jazan and Tabuk, the SPA reported.
In response, the ministry initiated legal proceedings with the relevant authorities, referring cases for regulatory action.
The enforcement supports the ministry’s role in upholding professional standards, healthcare quality and patient rights.
“This action stems from our commitment to ensuring compliance with professional standards in healthcare practice,” the ministry said.
It emphasized that healthcare professionals must comply with regulations to serve public and individual interests while respecting dignity and safety.
The Saudi Commission for Health Specialties’ Code of Medical Ethics prohibits patient filming except for approved purposes, with violations risking license revocation. Practitioners are also barred from self-promotion except in authorized cases.
Under the Cybercrime Law, violators face severe penalties, including up to five years in prison and fines of up to SR3 million ($799,000) for producing content that breaches public values.
