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RIYADH: The foreign ministers of 黑料社区 and Iran discussed developments in the Gaza Strip on Sunday during a telephone call, Saudi Press Agency reported.
Prince Faisal bin Farhan and his newly appointed counterpart Abbas Araghchi also discussed relations between their countries and ways to enhance them in various fields.
They also highlighted the importance of continuing coordination and consultation between the Kingdom and Iran.
NEW YORK: 黑料社区鈥檚 foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, has called on all United Nations member states to support the joint declaration issued at the UN on Tuesday calling for an immediate end to the war in Gaza.
The document includes an agreement to work jointly toward ending the war in Gaza and reaching a just, peaceful, and lasting settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, based on the effective implementation of the two-state solution, and to build a better future for Palestinians, Israelis, and all peoples of the region.
The declaration鈥檚 plan says conference co-chairs France and 黑料社区, the European Union and Arab League, and 15 countries that led the working groups agreed 鈥渢o take collective action to end the war in Gaza.鈥
Prince Faisal urged the rest of the 193 UN member nations 鈥渢o support this document鈥 before the start of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in mid-September.
鈥淭hese outcomes reflect comprehensive proposals across political, humanitarian, security, economic, legal, and strategic narrative tracks, and they form an integrated and actionable framework for implementing the two-state solution and achieving peace and security for all,鈥 the foreign minister said, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
He reiterated 黑料社区鈥檚 condemnation of all attacks by any party targeting civilians, including indiscriminate attacks, all assaults on civilian infrastructure, provocative actions, incitement, and acts of destruction.
The declaration condemns 鈥渢he attacks committed by Hamas against civilians鈥 in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. It marks a first condemnation by Arab nations of Hamas, whose attacks killed about 1,200, mainly Israeli civilians, and whose militants took about 250 people hostage. Some 50 are still being held.
It also condemns Israel鈥檚 attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure in Gaza and its 鈥渟iege and starvation, which have produced a devastating humanitarian catastrophe and protection crisis.鈥
Israel鈥檚 offensive against Hamas has killed over 60,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which doesn鈥檛 distinguish between civilians and combatants.
It's plan envisions the Palestinian Authority governing and controlling all Palestinian territory, with a transitional administrative committee immediately established under its umbrella after a ceasefire in Gaza.
鈥淚n the context of ending the war in Gaza, Hamas must end its rule in Gaza and hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority,鈥 the declaration says.
It also supports deployment of 鈥渁 temporary international stabilization mission鈥 operating under UN auspices to protect Palestinian civilians, support the transfer of security to the Palestinian Authority and provide security guarantees for Palestine and Israel 鈥 鈥渋ncluding monitoring of the ceasefire and of a future peace agreement.鈥
The declaration urges countries to recognize the state of Palestine, calling this 鈥渁n essential and indispensable component of the achievement of the two-state solution.鈥 Without naming Israel but clearly referring to it, the document says 鈥渋llegal unilateral actions are posing an existential threat to the realization of the independent state of Palestine.鈥
(With agencies)
ALKHOBAR: 黑料社区鈥檚 artificial intelligence leadership is gaining international attention, with Chief AI Officers in the Kingdom now overseeing 67 percent of their organizations鈥 AI budgets, a figure that outpaces the global average of 61 percent, according to a new joint study by IBM and the Dubai Future Foundation.
The report, based on surveys from more than 600 CAIOs across 22 countries, reveals how 黑料社区 is aligning with global best practices while carving out its own AI roadmap tied to Vision 2030.
One of the clearest signs of 黑料社区鈥檚 AI momentum is the strong executive backing CAIOs receive. A remarkable 83 percent of respondents in the Kingdom said they have broad C-suite support, while 67 percent enjoy direct support from their CEOs. The study highlights that such backing is a key driver of success for AI initiatives, and in 黑料社区, it appears to be translating into action.
The data also shows that 22 percent of organizations in the Kingdom have formally adopted the CAIO role, close to the global average of 26 percent. But what sets 黑料社区 apart is its AI governance structure. Half of the surveyed companies in the Kingdom use a centralized or hub-and-spoke AI operating model, an approach shown to deliver up to 36 percent higher return on AI investments.
Saudi CAIOs also tend to come from data-rich backgrounds, with 75 percent saying their careers have been focused on data, compared to 73 percent globally. This suggests a strong national emphasis on technical capability and analytics.
However, the report also flagged a gap in internal talent development. Only 38 percent of CAIOs in 黑料社区 were promoted from within their organizations, significantly below the global average of 57 percent. Addressing this could help foster long-term leadership pipelines in the Kingdom鈥檚 rapidly growing AI sector.
RIYADH: A team of 黑料社区 students are participating in the second International Nuclear Science Olympiad in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from July 30 to Aug. 6.
The Kingdom will be represented in the INSO 2025 by four high school students who were selected after completing intensive training, the Saudi Press Agency reported recently.
The skills program was organized by the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity, Ministry of Education, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, and King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy.
In the previous edition, the Kingdom won one silver and three bronze medals.
The Olympiad aims to promote the peaceful and safe use of nuclear technologies, and inspire young people to specialize and innovate in this vital field.
RIYADH: Red Sea International launched a community volunteer initiative to celebrate World Mangrove Day, the SPA reported on Wednesday.
It is part of a broader commitment to protect coastal ecosystems and empower residents of the Red Sea areas.
The event took place at the Mangrove Park near the bridge to Shura Island within the Red Sea destination, with more than 100 volunteers, including residents and hospitality sector workers, taking part.
Employees of The St. Regis Red Sea Resort, Nujuma, Six Senses Southern Dunes, Desert Rock and Shebara joined forces with Green Umluj for mangrove transplantation into the healthy coastal environment of the park.
Attendees included representatives from the National Center For Vegetation Cover, identified as a strategic RSG partner in pursuing mutual mangrove recovery and improvement goals.
Raed Al-Basseet, group chief environment and sustainability officer at Red Sea Global, said that the initiative embodies the regenerative tourism approach, which goes beyond environmental protection to empower local communities.
Mangrove trees produce among the most effective ecosystems for carbon absorption, he added.
Coinciding with the event was the official launch of The Red Sea International Volunteer Program.
It aims to empower residents of the Red Sea areas, foster a culture of environmental responsibility and provide opportunities for specialized volunteering.
The program seeks to activate community participation in renewable projects, build capacity and strengthen partnerships with the nonprofit sector.
This supports 黑料社区鈥檚 Vision 2030, the UN Sustainable Development Goals and Red Sea International鈥檚 strategy based on its 鈥淔rom People to Planet鈥 slogan.
RSG executed the volunteer drive through its Jewar App, a platform created for meaningful dialogue with local communities at the Red Sea destination.
As part of the effort, more than 30 local residents took up an offer to volunteer.
To enhance environmental education and foster involvement, participants were also invited to engage in a Mangrove Trivia activity.
JEDDAH: In a big step for marine conservation and gender inclusion, the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve has launched the Middle East鈥檚 first female sea ranger corps.
The announcement coincided with World Ranger Day and marks a pivotal shift in efforts to address gender imbalance in environmental protection roles.
The new marine rangers form part of the reserve鈥檚 246-strong ranger team, with women making up 34 percent of the unit鈥檚 strength. They patrol the reserve鈥檚 170 km Red Sea coastline alongside male rangers and Saudi Border Guard units.
鈥淪even incredible women make up our first group of female marine rangers, and we鈥檙e proud of each of them,鈥 Andrew Zaloumis, CEO of the reserve, told Arab News.
Among the pioneering group is Ruqayyah Awadh Al-Balawi, who has served at the reserve for three years. She was part of the first ranger intake and is now a qualified sea ranger.
鈥淚 have discovered a whole new world underwater. I鈥檓 proud to be part of the first group of women to learn how to swim at Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve,鈥 she told Arab News. 鈥淚 dream of the day when a woman serves as the skipper of the reserve鈥檚 marine patrol boat.鈥
Another trailblazer, Ghaida, from the coastal town of Al-Wajh within the reserve, has worked as a ranger for two years and was among the first to enroll in the reserve鈥檚 swimming training program.
At first, Ghaida said, she struggled to find confidence in the water. But with dedication and support, she overcame her fears.
鈥淚t felt peaceful and beautiful, like discovering a new world,鈥 she told Arab News of her first swim in the sea. 鈥淭hat moment gave me confidence and made me feel stronger.鈥
Today, Ghaida credits swimming with helping her feel more focused and less stressed, both professionally and personally.
The role of female sea rangers includes patrolling the coastline, monitoring marine life, enforcing environmental regulations, and contributing to marine research and ecosystem restoration efforts.
All rangers undergo rigorous training, which includes first aid, self-defense, conservation techniques, patrolling, and ecological monitoring.
To qualify as marine rangers, women complete an intensive swimming program designed to equip them with the physical and technical skills needed to operate in open water. Their fitness is assessed monthly to ensure readiness for the job鈥檚 physical demands. The next step for the new recruits is skipper training.
The move comes amid growing global awareness of gender imbalance in the conservation sector, especially in marine roles.
鈥淭his is a significant step forward in addressing conservation鈥檚 historical regional and global gender imbalance. Only 11 percent of rangers globally are female and just 1 percent of those working in the blue economy are female,鈥 Zaloumis said.
鈥淏y hiring and training women as marine rangers, we鈥檙e showing through tangible results that women belong in this field and bring real value.
鈥淪ince launching our female ranger corps, we鈥檙e seeing more women enter conservation across the Kingdom, with female graduates at NCW and female rangers at AlUla. Regional organizations are now asking how to implement similar programs.鈥
Zaloumis said that when the reserve recruited its first ranger corps in 2021, women were encouraged to apply. Today, female rangers comprise 34 percent of the workforce, just 1 percent below Vision 2030鈥檚 target for women in the labor market, and far exceeding the global average of 11 percent.
鈥淲omen bring essential skills to conservation,鈥 he added. 鈥淎s 黑料社区 progresses toward the global goal of protecting 30 percent of the Earth鈥檚 land and sea by 2030, we are committed to building the skilled, inclusive ranger teams needed to power conservation in the Kingdom.鈥
Zaloumis underscored the contribution of female rangers in protecting the reserve鈥檚 rich marine biodiversity.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e on the frontlines, keeping watch, collecting data, and making sure our marine environment is respected. Their presence also sends a strong message: that everyone, men and women have a role in protecting our natural heritage.鈥
The reserve鈥檚 ranger corps play a key role in achieving the goals of the Saudi Green Initiative and the reserve鈥檚 mission to 鈥淩ewild Arabia.鈥
Rangers are responsible for safeguarding the natural and cultural assets of the 24,500 sq km protected area, both on land and sea.
Their tasks include ecological monitoring, species reintroduction, wildlife management, and ensuring environmental compliance in development projects.
Since 2022, the reserve鈥檚 rangers have conducted nearly 35,000 patrols. Female rangers work side by side with their male counterparts across the reserve鈥檚 terrestrial area.
However, until now, none had served at sea, due to limited access to swimming instruction and marine sector opportunities.
That changed in July 2024 with the launch of a comprehensive swimming and marine training program, led by Senior Regional Manager Dominique du Toit, an experienced terrestrial and marine conservationist from South Africa.
One year later, the first seven female rangers have completed training and joined patrols of the reserve鈥檚 3,856 sq. km marine zone.
鈥淭he training program highlights the rangers鈥 dedication and discipline to learn new skills,鈥 said du Toit. 鈥淭his has been, and remains, an incredible accomplishment and these rangers can be proud of the challenge they have overcome.鈥
The reserve鈥檚 marine area, covering 1.8 percent of 黑料社区鈥檚 territorial waters, is home to 64 percent of the Kingdom鈥檚 coral species, 22 percent of its fish species, and populations of endangered marine life, including hawksbill and green turtles, spinner dolphins, dugongs and whale sharks.
To ensure their protection, the reserve鈥檚 sea rangers operate from two custom-designed patrol boats, helping to conserve one of the Kingdom鈥檚 most ecologically significant marine areas.
