Djibouti supports Saudi Arabia’s Expo 2030 bid/node/2349021/saudi-arabia
Djibouti supports Saudi Arabia’s Expo 2030 bid
Djibouti’s President Ismail Omar Guelleh during his meeting with Saudi officials where he announced his country's support to Saudi Arabia's Expo 2030 bid. (SPA)
Djibouti’s President welcomed the hosting of the Saudi-African summit and Arab-African summit in the Kingdom
Updated 03 August 2023
Arab News
RIYADH: Djibouti’s President Ismail Omar Guelleh announced his country’s support for Saudi Arabia’s bid to host Expo 2030 in Riyadh, state news agency SPA reported on Thursday.
Guelleh also welcomed the hosting of the Saudi-African summit and Arab-African summit in the Kingdom later this year.
The announcement came during the president’s meeting with Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Kattan, Saudi Royal Court adviser, in Djibouti where the Saudi official delivered a verbal message from King Salman.
During the meeting, Kattan reaffirmed the solid ties between the two countries and reiterated the Kingdom’s keenness to enhance cooperation. He also thanked Djibouti’s president for his country’s support to the Kingdom, which reflected the depth of bilateral relations.
Middle East’s second-largest ‘healthy city’ after Jeddah
15 other cities in Saudi Arabia included in WHO list
Updated 01 August 2025
Arab News
MADINAH: The World Health Organization has renewed its accreditation of Madinah as a “healthy city,” with Islam’s second-holiest location scoring an impressive 80 points, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Prince Salman bin Sultan, governor of Madinah region, received the WHO accreditation certificate from Minister of Health Fahad AlJalajel during a ceremony on Thursday.
Prince Salman said Madinah’s renewed accreditation exemplifies the leadership’s dedication to enhancing quality of life for the Kingdom’s people in urban centers.
With the new accreditation, Madinah has solidified its position as the second-largest healthy city in the Middle East, next to Jeddah. (SPA photo)
He emphasized Madinah’s ongoing transformation as a leading development model regionally and internationally, aligning with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goals.
Madinah has solidified its position as the second-largest healthy city in the Middle East, after Jeddah, the SPA reported.
To win the WHO’s nod, an entrant must meet 80 criteria, including parks, walking areas, and the promotion of health through primary care centers and schools.
The WHO has also recognized 14 other healthy cities in Saudi Arabia. These include Taif, Tabuk, Ad-Diriyah, Unaizah, Jalajel, Al-Mandaq, Al-Jumum, Riyadh Al-Khubra and Sharurah, according to Leaders MENA Magazine.
With the new accreditation, Madinah has solidified its position as the second-largest healthy city in the Middle East, next to Jeddah. (SPA photo)
Saudi interior minister visits Interpol head office
Updated 01 August 2025
SPA
LYON, France: Saudi Minister of Interior Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif visited Interpol headquarters in Lyon, France on Thursday where he was received by the organization’s president, Maj. Gen. Ahmed Naser Al-Raisi.
During the visit, Prince Abdulaziz affirmed the Kingdom’s ongoing support for Interpol and its efforts to strengthen international cooperation in combating transnational crime.
He praised its role in supporting international security efforts and enhancing cooperation among security agencies around the world.
Interpol's current president is from the United Arab Emirates. Al-Raisi was elected at the 89th General Assembly in Istanbul, Turkiye, in November 2021. His term ends this year.
Number of Umrah visa holders entering Saudi Arabia this year up 30 percent from last year’s
Pilgrims have been able to secure Umrah permits directly through the Nusuk mobile application
Updated 01 August 2025
SPA
JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah reported that more than 1.2 million pilgrims have arrived in the Kingdom to perform Umrah since the season launched. The faithful have traveled from 109 countries worldwide, reflecting surging international interest and the Kingdom’s enhanced service capabilities for religious visitors.
Ministry data shows a significant 30 percent jump in Umrah visa holders entering Saudi Arabia this year compared to the same period last year. Visa issuances also climbed 27 percent, while more than 4,200 partnership agreements were executed between domestic Umrah service providers and international agents, bolstering the Kingdom’s capacity to accommodate the influx of pilgrims.
The Umrah season was launched with digital visa processing handled through the government’s Nusuk platform. The scheme represents the latest advancement in Saudi Arabia’s efforts to streamline religious tourism as part of Vision 2030, the Kingdom’s comprehensive modernization blueprint.
Pilgrims have been able to secure Umrah permits directly through the Nusuk mobile application, which functions as a centralized digital gateway for pilgrim services. The platform offers streamlined booking and permit processing, complemented by additional digital tools designed to improve the overall pilgrimage experience.
Focus on emotional power of movie soundtracks at Riyadh Film Music Festival
When music is played in front of an audience, the spotlight is directly on its role as a hidden narrator that expresses emotions, enhances the plot and deepens the visual experience’
The event explores the scores of 4 movies in particular: ‘Top Gun: Maverick,’ ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,’ ‘Back to the Future’ and ‘The Lion King’
Updated 31 July 2025
Hebshi Alshammari
RIYADH: The second annual Riyadh Film Music Festival began at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University’s Red Hall Theater on Wednesday. The opening night featured a live orchestral performance that blended visuals with sound as music from “Top Gun: Maverick” was performed live on stage alongside a screening of the film.
The event, which is organized by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City and continues until Aug. 9, features composers, directors, filmmakers and enthusiasts from the Kingdom and beyond.
The event is attracting “diverse audiences, (providing) opportunities for local talent, and (contributing) to building a thriving cultural economy in line with Vision 2030,” said Ahmed Al-Ghaith, a live-performance advisor at the commission.
Ahmed Al-Ghaith, advisor at the RCRC. (Supplied)
Talking about the powerful effects of a live performance of a film score, he added: “When music is played in front of an audience, the spotlight is directly on its role as a hidden narrator that expresses emotions, enhances the plot and deepens the visual experience.”
He explained that the festival aims to promote an appreciation of the movie soundtrack as an art form in its own right, and encourage young talent to explore the fields of musical composition and sound production.
The Riyadh Film Music Festival is taking place this year in conjunction with the hosting in the capital of the Esports World Cup, as part of the commission’s efforts to foster cultural and artistic momentum in line with the goals of the Saudi Vision 2030 plan for national development and diversification.
The second annual Riyadh Film Music Festival which organized by RCRC scheduled to run until August 9. (Supplied/RCRC)
The event aims to deepen the audience’s appreciation of the musical dimension in films through explorations of four movies in particular: “Top Gun: Maverick,” “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,” “Back to the Future” and “The Lion King.”
Each film is being screened accompanied by a live orchestral performance of its score, allowing audiences to experience the films in a new way and discover the power of music in cinematic storytelling.
The commission said the festival forms part of its work to enhance cultural and entertainment offerings for residents and visitors to the capital, while reinforcing Riyadh’s status as a global destination for arts and culture.
