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Jeddah to host higher education forum

The University of Jeddah is preparing to launch the first International Forum on Giftedness in Higher Education, which will be held on Sept. 3 and 4. (Screenshot)
The University of Jeddah is preparing to launch the first International Forum on Giftedness in Higher Education, which will be held on Sept. 3 and 4. (Screenshot)
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Updated 17 August 2025

Jeddah to host higher education forum

Jeddah to host higher education forum
  • The forum will showcase award-winning innovations from talented students at the university

JEDDAH: The University of Jeddah is preparing to launch the first International Forum on Giftedness in Higher Education, which will be held on Sept. 3 and 4, at the university’s conference center under the patronage of Minister of Education Yousef Al-Benyan.

The forum will showcase award-winning innovations from talented students at the university that have been recognized at international exhibitions.

It will also highlight the latest local and global developments in the field of talent, present policies and programs dedicated to nurturing gifted students, and encourage innovation as a means of empowering national capabilities in the labor market.

The event aims to spread awareness about the importance of supporting gifted students among university students, their families, and stakeholders.

The two-day program will include keynote sessions, panel discussions, cultural competitions, interactive exhibitions, and specialised workshops, offering a wide range of activities for participants.

Organizers said the gathering seeks to contribute to the advancement of talent development and attraction in higher education, keeping pace with global changes and aligning with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goals for sustainable development.

Discussions will also explore the future of talent care in universities, the challenges faced by higher education institutions, and solutions to improve educational environments and talent programs at Saudi and international universities.

The forum will attract university faculty members and leaders in both public and private higher education, schoolteachers, families of gifted and creative students, directors and supervisors of talent centres, as well as social workers, psychologists, and researchers in the fields of talent, excellence, innovation and creativity. Gifted students in general and higher education are also expected to take part.


Training program promotes smart farming practices 

Training program promotes smart farming practices 
Updated 26 August 2025

Training program promotes smart farming practices 

Training program promotes smart farming practices 
  • Participants are learning about advanced systems for climate control, smart irrigation, crop monitoring, and energy-saving solutions

Riyadh: The National Research and Development Center for Sustainable Agriculture, known as Estidamah, and NEOM food company Topian have been running their second greenhouse management training program in Riyadh.

The program, which began on Aug. 24 and ends on Thursday, aims to promote sustainable agricultural practices by providing comprehensive training in the management and operation of climate-controlled greenhouses.

Participants are learning about advanced systems for climate control, smart irrigation, crop monitoring, and energy-saving solutions, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.

The curriculum also addresses key challenges such as water scarcity, soil health, and biodiversity conservation, the SPA added. 

This initiative is a part of Estidamah’s knowledge-transfer program, which seeks to improve farming efficiency and enhance food security. This is in line with the objectives of the country’s National Agriculture Strategy.


Yanbu fisheries support program boosts efficiency

Yanbu fisheries support program boosts efficiency
Updated 26 August 2025

Yanbu fisheries support program boosts efficiency

Yanbu fisheries support program boosts efficiency

RIYADH: The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture’s Yanbu office, in cooperation with Reef National Foundation, delivered 65 marine engines to fishermen in the governorate, along with around 1,234 tools and pieces of equipment for boat outfitting.

The initiative is part of support programs for small-scale fishermen to strengthen the fisheries sector, ensure sustainable marine resources, and contribute to the ministry’s strategic goals.

The programs also included training and qualification for 580 beneficiaries to improve efficiency in all fishing processes, ensuring the highest quality products reach consumers, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.

Earlier, the office provided about 17 preservation and refrigeration vehicles and 40 fishing boats under the localization of the fishing profession initiative, in cooperation with the Yanbu Cooperative Society for Fishermen.

The initiative’s fishing boats generated sales exceeding SR697,000 ($186,000) through more than 2,700 fishing trips, the SPA reported.


Saudi cabinet reaffirms support for OIC stance on Gaza, urges urgent global action

Saudi cabinet reaffirms support for OIC stance on Gaza, urges urgent global action
Updated 26 August 2025

Saudi cabinet reaffirms support for OIC stance on Gaza, urges urgent global action

Saudi cabinet reaffirms support for OIC stance on Gaza, urges urgent global action
  • The ministers also reviewed the outcomes of recent high-level engagements, including Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi

JEDDAH: The Saudi Council of Ministers, chaired on Tuesday by King Salman, affirmed its support for the outcomes of the meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s Council of Foreign Ministers, held in Jeddah to address Israel’s ongoing aggression against the Palestinian people.

In a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency, the cabinet reiterated the Kingdom’s call on the international community, particularly the permanent members of the UN Security Council, to urgently intervene to end the violence and protect civilians.

The ministers also reviewed the outcomes of recent high-level engagements, including Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and his phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The session further discussed a message King Salman received from President El-Sisi regarding bilateral relations between Riyadh and Cairo.


Ƶ denounces Israeli incursion into Syrian territories

Ƶ denounces Israeli incursion into Syrian territories
Updated 26 August 2025

Ƶ denounces Israeli incursion into Syrian territories

Ƶ denounces Israeli incursion into Syrian territories
  • Syria says Israel takes some territory around Mount Hermon despite talks
  • An Israeli military spokesperson said troops carried out a routine operational activity in an area of southern Syria

Ƶ strongly condemned Israeli incursions inside the Syrian border, it was announced on Tuesday, calling them “a flagrant violation of the sovereignty” of Syria. 

A statement from the Saudi Foreign Ministry said: “The Kingdom of Ƶ expresses its strong condemnation and denunciation of the continuation of Israeli violations, its incursion into Syrian territories, and its interference in its internal affairs.”

It added the act was “a flagrant violation of the sovereignty” of Syria and international law and also violated “the disengagement agreement signed between Syria and Israel in 1974, which comes amid the tension in the situation in the Sweida Governorate.”

 

Syria said on Monday that Israel had sent 60 soldiers to take control of an area inside the border around Mount Hermon. The Syrian government said the operation violated its sovereignty and posed a further threat to regional security.

“This dangerous escalation is considered a direct threat to regional peace and security,” said a statement from Syria’s foreign ministry.

A spokesman for the Israeli military said troops carried out routine operational activity in an area of southern Syria but did not operate in Beit Jinn, an area close to the border with Lebanon and near Mount Hermon.

Monday's incident took place near a strategic hilltop overlooking Beit Jinn, according to the Syrian ministry. It was also reported that Israel arrested six Syrians there.

The incident comes as the two countries engage in US-mediated talks on de-escalating their conflict in southern Syria. Damascus hopes to reach a security arrangement that could eventually pave the way for broader political talks.

 


Global symposium charts future of digital regulation

Global symposium charts future of digital regulation
Updated 26 August 2025

Global symposium charts future of digital regulation

Global symposium charts future of digital regulation
  • GSR25 will close with a resolution outlining regulatory principles for the post-digital era

RIYADH: The Global Symposium for Regulators opens in Riyadh next week, bringing together delegates from more than 190 countries to discuss the future of digital regulation.

With the theme “Regulation for Sustainable Digital Development,” the event is being hosted by Ƶ’s Communications, Space and Technology Commission with the UN International Telecommunication Union. It will address topics including artificial intelligence, sixth-generation networks and the integration of terrestrial and non-terrestrial systems. 

Officials say the symposium marks a milestone in shaping global digital governance, stressing the role of regulators in driving innovation, protecting consumers, and closing the digital divide while advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals. 

It comes as Ƶ aims to become a global digital leader following its appointment to the UN’s ITU digital regulation network board. Internet use in the Kingdom reached 99 percent in 2024.

GSR25 will close with a resolution outlining regulatory principles for the post-digital era, based on participants’ insights and session recommendations.