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ALULA: Senior officials from the Middle East and Europe convened on Wednesday in AlUla for the Munich Leaders Meeting (MLM), part of the Munich Security Conference, to discuss regional security and the US-backed Gaza peace plan. 

The opening session brought together leaders from Jordan, Egypt, ������Ƶ, and France, with a panel focused on President Donald Trump’s 20-point proposal for Gaza and broader efforts to stabilize the region. 

Panelists included the foreign ministers of Egypt, ������Ƶ, and Jordan, as well as the French envoy to Lebanon.

Amira Saber Qandil, a member of Egypt’s Senate, called the discussion “very timely” as the region navigates a multipolar world. 

When asked if the audience believed the US plan could be implemented, only about 10 percent raised their hands.

“With the US proposal on Gaza, there’s a glimmer of hope for a diplomatic solution. Many challenges remain, and hard diplomatic work will be required from all parties involved to build on this momentum,” chairman of the Munich Security Conference,  Wolfgang Ischinger said. 

The event brought together around 100 senior officials, with sessions focused on multilateral cooperation, regional diplomacy, and conflict resolution. 

The agenda also included discussions on global food security, climate and energy security, alongside efforts to address these challenges.

������Ƶ, hosting the international security conference for the first time, highlighted its role in facilitating regional dialogue and diplomacy.

RIYADH: A main street in Riyadh is to be renamed in honor of Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Asheikh, the former grand mufti of ������Ƶ who died on Sept. 23.

The directive, issued on Tuesday by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, is recognition of Sheikh Abdulaziz’s scholarly status, and the significant contributions he made to ������Ƶ, Islam and the wider Muslim community, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

It honors a life dedicated to the study and teaching of Islamic jurisprudence, the guidance he provided to people in their understanding of Islam, and the significant contributions he made to Islamic studies and education, the agency added.

Al-Asheikh was appointed grand mufti, the highest-ranking religious scholar in the Kingdom, in June 1999. As part of his role he interpreted Shariah, or Islamic law, and issued fatwas on legal and societal matters.

His death was described as the end of an era for the religious establishment in ������Ƶ, as under his leadership traditional Islamic scholarship was brought into alignment with modern state needs, and fatwas were shaped to address evolving legal and financial issues while adhering to established Shariah principles.

He also served as chair of the Council of Senior Scholars, president of the General Presidency of Scholarly Research and Ifta, and chair of the Muslim World League’s Supreme Council.