RIYADH: On the heels of the Saudi-American strategic dialogue, US State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus stressed her country’s support to the Kingdom in facing the Iranian, Houthi aggression and said that Saudi Arabia “absolutely” has the right to defend itself.
During a phone interview with Arab News, Ortagus described the Saudi-American relationship as “strategic, sophisticated and bipartisan” regardless of the outcome of the upcoming US presidential election.
Regarding critics who question US arms sales to the Kingdom, Ortagus said that deals have been happening “under Republican and Democratic administration for some time,” adding that both this administration, as well as previous ones, supported them.
Having lived in Saudi Arabia almost a decade ago while working under former President Barack Obama, she remembers those deals well.
“We know that Saudi Arabia and other countries in the Gulf are on the front line of Iranian aggression,” she said. “That’s why we have sought to bolster and strengthen our allies to stand up to the aggression from Iran.”
Expressing concern over the abandoned and decaying oil tanker, the Safer, that has been moored near Ras Issa oil terminal on the shores of the Red Sea for more than five years, she said: “The leaking and immobile oil storage vessel Safer is a time bomb in the Red Sea, and if it ruptures, it will devastate the Red Sea ecosystem — killing its marine life and its treasured environmental heritage and depriving the people who rely on the Red Sea of their livelihoods.
“The Houthis have politicized the tanker by continually imposing conditions before they will grant access to UN officials who need to board the Safer and do the work necessary to prevent massive environmental damage throughout the region. We call for an end to the delays and for the UN experts to be granted access so that they can assess the vessel and begin repairs.”
Following the strategic dialogue which took place on Oct. 14, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced a $1 billion investment for a new embassy in Riyadh and two consulates in Jeddah and Dhahran. “This shows our commitment to Saudi Arabia,” said Ortagus.
The relationship between the two countries has spanned 75 years, “we think about it in terms of the past, present and future.”
She termed the relationship as “strong but certainly not without its challenges.”
Ortagus added: “We have faced enormous challenges and moments of very trying times. But, when we start to look forward toward the future, it is important that the relationship between the US and Saudi Arabia is a bipartisan relationship as it has always been.
“The relationship is certainly based on more than military, security, and oil.”
She said: “It has become a much more sophisticated trade relationship and very, very close people ties.
“We look at the next 75 years as something that can be fruitful and positive and certainly support Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 plan for the country.”
She underlined the US support for the upcoming G20 virtual summit which Saudi Arabia is hosting virtually due to the pandemic.
“I know we are all disappointed that we won’t be in Saudi Arabia for that meeting, but we will be working together quite closely,” Ortagus added.
Saudi Arabia ‘absolutely’ has the right to defend itself, says Ortagus
https://arab.news/5fe9c
Saudi Arabia ‘absolutely’ has the right to defend itself, says Ortagus
- US State Department spokesperson stresses support against Iran
- Ortagus tells Arab News relationship with Saudi Arabia “is bipartisan”
70 Saudi students win medals at tech Olympiad
- Young talents from across the Kingdom shine in programming and AI
- The event also “aims to enhance the global competitiveness of this generation to help achieve the objectives of the Human Capacity Development Program, (part of) Saudi Vision 2030”
RIYADH: The National Olympiad for Programming and Artificial Intelligence (ATHKA) concluded on Saturday.
The event, organized over several months by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority, in partnership with the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba) and the Ministry of Education was intended to “nurture a promising generation of Saudi school students from intermediate and secondary levels, totaling about 3 million across various regions and governorates of the Kingdom, in the fields of programming and artificial intelligence,” according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The SPA added that the event also “aims to enhance the global competitiveness of this generation to help achieve the objectives of the Human Capacity Development Program, (part of) Saudi Vision 2030.”
Saudi Minister of Education Yousef Al-Benyan; chairman of the board of directors of the Education and Training Evaluation Commission, Dr. Khalid bin Abdullah Al-Sabti; president of SDAIA, Abdullah Al-Ghamdi; and the secretary-general of Mawhiba, Amal Al-Hazzaa, along with several officials from the fields of education and academia, a select group of AI specialists, and parents of the students, attended the event at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University.
Yaser Al-Onaizan, CEO of the National Center for Artificial Intelligence at SDAIA, delivered a presentation on AI and its role in developing human capabilities at the event. He noted that the human element is key to AI, and said that today’s students will become experts in new technologies faster than ever due to the ample learning and training opportunities in AI.
The final round of the competition was held from April 23 to 27 in Riyadh. Five students from the secondary level and five students from the intermediate level were awarded gold medals in the Olympiad. Eleven students from the secondary level and 10 from the intermediate level received silver medals, while 19 secondary students and 20 intermediate students earned bronze.
A total of 298 students competed in the final stage after qualifying from a pool of 260,000 Saudi students from across the Kingdom.
The Olympiad was designed to find “outstanding school students skilled in computational thinking to analyze and solve algorithmic programming challenges,” according to the SPA. “This step would help them enter the field of AI and encourage them to develop computational thinking skills, design AI-based algorithms, and recognize these skills as essential for learning in the 21st century.”
Its goals also included, the SPA reported, “harnessing young students’ intellectual abilities to solve complex problems, fostering a knowledge-based economy, promoting competitive programming, and cultivating a generation capable of excelling in international Olympiads in informatics and AI. Additionally, it aimed to build and strengthen the next generation’s skills in advanced technology, including AI-related fields.”
Saudi health officials investigate food poisoning outbreak at Riyadh restaurant chain
- The outbreak was linked to the consumption of food from the local Hamburgini fast-food restaurant chain
- Clostridium botulinum contamination in food can cause botulism, a serious illness resulting from the neurotoxin the bacteria produces
RIYADH: Riyadh experienced a wave of food poisoning cases caused by Clostridium botulinum on Thursday.
The outbreak was linked to the consumption of food from the local Hamburgini fast-food restaurant chain, leading to several hospitalizations.
Ministry of Health spokesperson Dr. Mohammed Al-Abd Al-Aly provided an update on his X account on Saturday, detailing the impact of the outbreak and the steps being taken to manage it.
He said: “Six cases have fully recovered after receiving appropriate health care, and two have been safely discharged. However, 35 individuals remain hospitalized, with 28 of them in intensive care.”
Clostridium botulinum contamination in food can cause botulism, a serious illness resulting from the neurotoxin the bacteria produces. Botulism can cause severe complications, paralysis and death, if not treated promptly. CB is commonly associated with improperly processed canned goods, home-canned vegetables, and cured meats.
The symptoms of this type of food poisoning can range from mild gastrointestinal issues to more severe signs like double vision, difficulty breathing, and paralysis.
The outbreak was first brought to light on Thursday when Riyadh Municipality received a report of food poisoning cases linked to the Hamburgini restaurant chain.
In response, health oversight teams promptly initiated an investigation and began monitoring the situation. By 10 p.m. Thursday all locations, branches, and the main catering factory of the restaurant chain in Riyadh were ordered to close.
Strict health protocols were implemented to contain the outbreak and prevent additional cases of food poisoning.
Delivery services through the facility or via applications were suspended, and coordination efforts were initiated with key bodies, including the Ministry of Health, the Food and Drug Authority, and the Public Health Authority.
On Friday, Nawaf Al-Fozan, the founder and CEO of Hamburgini, uploaded an official video response to the restaurant’s Instagram page, confirming the chain is involved in the outbreak.
Even though the municipality ordered the closing of all restaurants and related facilities due to food poisoning, Al-Fozan said: “We took the initiative to close directly and cancel all orders from all sales outlets and delivery applications. However, the reason, of course, has not been disclosed by the authorities.”
He stated that Hamburgini operates according to global quality standards in food hygiene and safety. “We strive to provide an ideal experience for our customers with high quality and standard specifications. We wish health and safety to everyone who has suffered harm.”
Al-Fozan added: “We are working with all concerned authorities to take all necessary measures and precautions, and we will keep you updated.”
The Health Ministry emphasized the importance of obtaining information from official sources to ensure accurate and reliable guidance. It also expressed gratitude for the authorities’ efforts in reducing the risk of infection and treating those affected.
Saudi citizens visiting Honduras now exempt from entry visa requirements
RIYADH: Honduras announced on Saturday that Saudi citizens wishing to visit the country are now exempt from requiring entry visas, Saudi Press Agency reported.
The announcement was made by the Honduran Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Consular and Immigration Affairs Antonio Garcia, who posted the decision on the social media platform X.
The visa exemption decision comes after a recent meeting between the Saudi deputy minister of foreign affairs, Waleed Elkhereiji, and his Honduran counterpart Enrique Reyna in Tegucigalpa.
As well as the visa exemption decision, the two discussed relations between Honduras and the Kingdom and the promotion of tourism links between the two countries.
Riyadh prepares for WEF meeting on collaboration, growth and energy
- Meeting aims to bridge growing North-South divide and find ‘collaborative solutions to shared challenges’
- Will drive ‘action-oriented dialogue’ on three key themes: Inclusive Growth, Energy for Development, and Global Collaboration
RIYADH: Around 1,000 leaders from 92 countries will convene in Riyadh for the World Economic Forum’s Special Meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy for Development on Sunday and Monday.
Building on the inaugural Growth Summit in Switzerland last year, the Riyadh meeting will, according to the WEF, “promote forward-thinking approaches to interconnected crises, while remaining realistic about shorter-term trade-offs” and “work to bridge the growing North-South divide on issues such as emerging economic policies, the energy transition and geopolitical shocks.”
Børge Brende, WEF’s President said in a press release: “With geopolitical tensions and socio-economic disparities deepening divides globally, international collaboration and purposeful dialogue has never been more urgent.”
The special meeting, held under the patronage of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, provides an opportunity for leaders, according to Brende, to “turn ideas into action and unlock scalable solutions to the many interconnected challenges being faced.”
Saudi Economy and Planning Minister Faisal Al-Ibrahim said in the release: “At this global inflection point, revitalizing international collaboration has never been more important. In Saudi Arabia, the World Economic Forum has chosen an established and dynamic global platform for thought leadership, solutions and action, as the host of a critical meeting at such a critical moment.
“We are working to ensure that progress for one part of the world does not come at the expense of another. And we are committed to meeting this moment with a determination to co-author a shared future that is secure, stable and sustainable,” he continued.
The event’s three themes are: ‘A Compact for Inclusive Growth,’ ‘Catalyzing Action on Energy for Development,’ and ‘Revitalizing Global Collaboration.’
Participants will include Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the Emir of Kuwait; Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Kamal Madbouly; Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani; Bisher Al-Khasawneh, Jordan’s Prime Minister; Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim, Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif; Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas; Qatari PM Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani; US Secretary of State Antony Blinken; Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy; Stéphane Séjourné, French minister for Europe and foreign affairs; Annalena Baerbock, Germany’s federal minister of foreign affairs; David Cameron, UK secretary of state for foreign, Commonwealth and development affairs; Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of the International Monetary Fund; UN Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza Sigrid Kaag; and World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Adhlal organizes tech workshops
RIYADH: Consulting services company Adhlal, a social enterprise based in the Kingdom, recently organized three technology workshops at the studios of Faiiida, an industrial design company, in Riyadh.
Tanja Ludwig, founder of w3-ff venture builder; Rakan Al-Shehri from Adhlal; and Abdulaziz Alobaid, who developed Faiiida, ran the workshops, which looked at ways in which technology, including artificial intelligence, can enhance creative workflow.
Ludwig, a German national who has visited Saudi Arabia several times, explored how blockchain’s “decentralized identities can empower Saudi design professionals.”
Alobaid’s workshop was on virtual and augmented reality design. Alobaid discussed creating items for the fashion, consumer, and automobile industries.
Al-Shehri’s workshop, titled “Al for design: Boosting creativity with smart tools,” explored how Al tools can help boost creativity in various fields of design.
