Saudi foreign minister meets Luxembourg’s deputy PM

Prince Faisal bin Farhan (R) and Xavier Bettel in New York. (Supplied)
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Prince Faisal bin Farhan (R) and Xavier Bettel in New York. (Supplied)
Saudi foreign minister meets Luxembourg’s deputy PM
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The Saudi Foreign Minister and Luxembourg's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister signed an agreement on Thursday on bilateral political consultations. (Supplied)
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Updated 8 min 21 sec ago

Saudi foreign minister meets Luxembourg’s deputy PM

Prince Faisal bin Farhan (R) and Xavier Bettel in New York. (Supplied)
  • Meeting takes place on sidelines of UN General Assembly

NEW YORK: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan held talks on Thursday with Luxembourg’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel, culminating in the signing of a bilateral political consultation agreement.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session.

The agreement establishes a formal framework for political consultation between the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Defense, Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

Both ministers looked at opportunities to expand bilateral cooperation across multiple sectors while exchanging views on current international developments and diplomatic initiatives to address issues.

is focusing on boosting ties with European countries at all levels.


Oldest human settlement in Arabian Peninsula discovered near Tabuk

Oldest human settlement in Arabian Peninsula discovered near Tabuk
Updated 59 min 54 sec ago

Oldest human settlement in Arabian Peninsula discovered near Tabuk

Oldest human settlement in Arabian Peninsula discovered near Tabuk
  • Archeological excavations at the Masiyon site northwest of Tabuk, were carried out by the commission in partnership with Japan’s Kanazawa University, and in collaboration with Neom

RIYADH: The oldest architectural settlement in the Arabian Peninsula, dating back to the pre-pottery Neolithic period of 10,300-11,000 years ago, has been discovered near Tabuk, ’s Ministry of Culture announced on Thursday.

Dr. Ajab Al-Otaibi, director general of the Heritage Commission’s antiquities sector, said the find was “among the oldest settlements in the world.”

Archeological excavations at the Masiyon site northwest of Tabuk, were carried out by the commission in partnership with Japan’s Kanazawa University, and in collaboration with Neom.

Although the area has been listed on the National Antiquities Register since 1978, studies in December 2022 revealed it to be the earliest known example of human settlement in the Arabian Peninsula.

Four excavations seasons were conducted up to May 2024 using advanced methods such as documenting stratigraphic layers, classifying artifacts, and analyzing organic samples to establish absolute dating.

Semi-circular granite structures were uncovered — including residential buildings, passageways, hearths and storage areas — suggesting a functional layout supporting hunting and early grain cultivation.

Other finds included stone tools such as grinding stones, knives and arrowheads, along with decorative objects, ceramics, agricultural tools, beehives and human and animal skeletons. Stones engraved with geometric patterns were also unearthed. 

The commission described the discovery as a landmark in understanding the origins of human settlements in ’s northwest and the Kingdom’s wider history.

Al-Otaibi said the findings “highlight the pivotal role of the Arabian Peninsula in the emergence of human civilization.”

They also support the theory that the northwest was a natural extension of Mesopotamia, the Levant and Southern Anatolia — otherwise known as the Fertile Crescent — and that it was home to humanity’s early transition from nomadism to settlement.


HUMAIN launches ‘groundbreaking’ laptop built around agentic AI

HUMAIN launches ‘groundbreaking’ laptop built around agentic AI
Updated 26 September 2025

HUMAIN launches ‘groundbreaking’ laptop built around agentic AI

HUMAIN launches ‘groundbreaking’ laptop built around agentic AI

RIYADH: HUMAIN, a Public Investment Fund company has announced the launch of its Horizon Pro PC, billed as “a groundbreaking laptop designed to revolutionize agentic artificial intelligence personal computing.” Agentic AI systems can act independently and with initiative with limited, or no, human oversight.

The launch was announced by HUMAIN CEO Tareq Amin during the Snapdragon Summit in Maui, Hawaii.

According to a press release, the Snapdragon processor family at the core of the HUMAIN Horizon Pro deliver “leading AI performance and a powerful CPU so that the PC can operate up to 100 times faster than human thought.”

It added that the company’s upcoming proprietary HUMAIN ONE operating system “enables users to manage enterprise workflows, communications, and AI applications from a unified, adaptive interface designed to anticipate needs and accelerate decision-making.” It added that the new PC “offers zero-latency wake time, over 18 hours of battery life, a 40-percent reduction in power consumption compared to competing systems, and advanced thermal architecture for sustained, high-performance use across demanding environments.”

HUMAIN’s AI integrates the Arabic-first large language model “ALLaM” and “operates locally for maximum speed and data privacy, with the flexibility of hybrid AI to tap into the cloud when complex processing or broader insights are required, offering enterprise users the ideal blend of performance, control, and scale,” according to the company.

Amin said: “The HUMAIN Horizon Pro represents a paradigm shift in agentic AI personal computing, especially for enterprise environments where AI actively collaborates with users, both locally and in the cloud, to boost productivity.”

Amin also announced that HUMAIN will give away 500 of its PCs to students as part of its launch initiative to “help unlock new potential for learning, creativity, and future leadership in AI-driven fields.”


champions youth empowerment at UN

 champions youth empowerment at UN
Updated 26 September 2025

champions youth empowerment at UN

 champions youth empowerment at UN
  • Invest in youth, says Minister Faisal bin Fadel Al-Ibrahim
  • Praise for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s vision

NEW YORK: ’s Economy and Planning Minister Faisal bin Fadel Al-Ibrahim has told world leaders at the 80th UN General Assembly that young people are “key” to ensure the world’s long-term sustainable development.

Al-Ibrahim was speaking during the commemoration of the World Program of Action for Youth which was set up 30 years ago.

“In a world where many struggle to embrace long-term vision, youth remains the key factor,” Al-Ibrahim told the high-level gathering.

“They possess the future more than we ever will. The lessons from our experiences are clear: involve youth, invest in them, and depend on them today.”

Al-Ibrahim highlighted ’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as a prime example of youth-driven leadership, crediting his transformative vision with channeling young people’s energy and ambitions into concrete national progress.

“It is not merely about population size, but about leadership,” Al-Ibrahim explained. He cited Saudi Vision 2030 as “the best model of long-term planning and sustainable implementation.”

The minister noted that while nearly half the world’s population is under 30, youth unemployment remains three times higher than adult joblessness. Millions of young people continue to fall outside formal education, training, and employment frameworks.

Al-Ibrahim warned that collective action would determine whether current demographic trends become “opportunities that bear fruit or burdens that weigh down the entire global system.”


KSrelief host talks on crises in Middle East, Sudan with UN and EU

KSrelief host talks on crises in Middle East, Sudan with UN and EU
Updated 26 September 2025

KSrelief host talks on crises in Middle East, Sudan with UN and EU

KSrelief host talks on crises in Middle East, Sudan with UN and EU
  • Joint action ‘essential,’ says KSrelief’s Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah
  • EU’s Hadja Lahbib emphasizes 305m people need urgent help

NEW YORK: ’s aid agency KSrelief co-hosted a high-level ministerial panel at the UN headquarters this week on the worsening humanitarian crises in the Middle East and Sudan.

KSrelief hosted the event, titled “Humanitarian Diplomacy in Action: Collective Response to the Crises in the Middle East,” with the EU and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

International leaders, experts, and officials from humanitarian organizations discussed ways to deliver lifesaving assistance to millions facing violence, hunger, and limited access to basic services in Gaza, the West Bank, Syria, Yemen, and Sudan.

Participants included the UN World Food Programme, the Norwegian Refugee Council, and the International Committee of the Red Crescent.

Discussions highlighted the urgent need to overcome political and administrative barriers, support frontline aid workers, and secure flexible funding for relief.

The panel focused on how diplomatic efforts could open access, protect civilians, and ensure aid reaches those most in need.

Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, adviser at the royal court and general supervisor of KSrelief, said: “In times of crisis, humanitarian diplomacy is essential to breaking down barriers and saving lives.

“We must work together, using every tool at our disposal, to reach those who rely on our help. Through partnership and determination, we can bring hope and dignity back to people across the region.”

European Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib emphasized the scale of the challenge.

“We remain steadfast in our efforts to alleviate the suffering of the most vulnerable around the world. Over 305 million people need humanitarian assistance.

“The humanitarian disasters in Gaza, Syria, Yemen, and Sudan are a stark reminder that much more needs to be done, by all of us, to help civilians suffering the effects of brutal conflicts,” she said.

“Funding itself is not the solution: adequate funding is necessary but so is ensuring effective delivery to the vulnerable. Humanitarians must be allowed to do their work everywhere — this is an imperative of international humanitarian law, and an imperative of our shared humanity.”

Cindy McCain, executive director of the WFP, warned of escalating risks. “With famine gripping Gaza and Sudan, and UN teams arbitrarily detained in Yemen, humanitarians are facing unprecedented risks and challenges as they carry out their lifesaving work.

“We urgently need global leaders to uphold the right to safety and protection for all aid workers, and the obligation on all parties to provide unimpeded humanitarian access.”

Joyce Msuya, assistant secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and deputy emergency relief coordinator at OCHA, said: “Humanitarian diplomacy can secure humanitarian space and yield real, lifesaving outcomes for the people we serve.

“In the Middle East and in Sudan it is not just important — it is indispensable.”

The event closed with the participants resolving to push for practical solutions and more coordinated action to meet the urgent needs of millions across the region.


Saudi foreign affairs minister joins UNGA side meetings

Saudi foreign affairs minister joins UNGA side meetings
Updated 26 September 2025

Saudi foreign affairs minister joins UNGA side meetings

Saudi foreign affairs minister joins UNGA side meetings

RIYADH: Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan joined a series of meetings on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, including the G20 foreign envoys’ gathering chaired by South Africa.

Prince Faisal stressed the importance of international economic cooperation and the activation of multilateral institutions, foremost among them the UN and the G20, describing them as vital platforms for coordinating efforts to address political and economic challenges, SPA reported, quoting his remarks.

The foreign minister said that addressing global challenges requires genuine international solidarity and multilateral cooperation based on shared responsibility.

“The world today faces rising levels of inequality, global economic disruptions that have deeply impacted millions of lives, escalating regional and international tensions, and repeated violations of international law. All these issues threaten the stability of the international order and hinder the path of sustainable development,” Prince Faisal said.

Prince Faisal also participated in the ministerial-level meeting of the Arab Summit Troika with his South Korean counterpart Cho Hyun, who was also President of the UN Security Council for September.

They discussed ways to coordinate multilateral work to strengthen joint efforts serving regional and international issues during their meeting.

Prince Faisal also met with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Luxembourg Xavier Bettel, where they signed a Memorandum of Understanding on political consultations.

They also talked about strategies to further enhance bilateral relations between their countries.