AlUla, Arabian Leopard Fund partner with Smithsonian to protect animal

The initiative is part of the RCU’s broader strategy to expand its international collaboration network in environmental conservation. (SPA photo)
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Updated 17 May 2025
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AlUla, Arabian Leopard Fund partner with Smithsonian to protect animal

  • 2 Arabian leopards to be loaned to Smithsonian for research
  • Only 120 Arabian leopards in the wild, with 20 in Saudi Arabia

ALULA: The Royal Commission for AlUla and the Arabian Leopard Fund have partnered with the Smithsonian Institution to support international efforts to protect the animal, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday.

Under the agreement, the RCU will lend a pair of Arabian leopards to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.

This is part of a scientific program designed to enhance conservation efforts, promote genetic diversity, and raise global awareness about this rare species, the SPA reported.




A mother Arabian leopard and a cub are seen at the RCU conservation center in AlUla. (RCU photo)

The Arabian leopard, or Panthera pardus nimr, is considered one of the world’s most endangered big cats. There are only about 120 left in the wild, including 20 confined mostly to the Kingdom’s isolated southwestern mountains of Asir and the Hijaz.

At the RCU’s wildlife conservation facility in AlUla, there were 27 Arabian leopards as of last year, a senior official of the commission was quoted as saying in a special Arab News report.

In partnering with the Smithsonian, the RCU aims to bolster its Arabian leopard breeding program and significantly “enhance the chances of survival for the critically endangered species and establishing a population outside its native habitat.”

It is hoped to drive advanced scientific research, facilitate the first exhibit for these big cats in the US, and “stimulate community support for conservation programs.”

 


Saudi Arabia welcomes Macron announcement of French recognition of Palestinian state

Updated 25 July 2025
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Saudi Arabia welcomes Macron announcement of French recognition of Palestinian state

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has welcomed a statement by French  Emmanuel Macron that his country would recognize a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September.

“True to its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognize the State of Palestine,” Macron wrote on social media on Thursday evening.

The Kingdom commends this historic decision, which aligns with the international community’s consensus on the right of the Palestinian people to determine their own fate and establish their independent state along the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, a Saudi Foreign Ministry statement released on Friday read.

It added that the Kingdom renews its call to the rest of the countries that have not yet recognized a Palestinian state to take similar steps in doing so.

Saudi Arabia has repeatedly called for the creation of an independent state for the Palestinians.

Around 142 countries now support Palestinian statehood, according to an AFP tally.

The ministry statement urged all countries to adopt serious stances in support of peace and the rights of the brotherly Palestinian people.

Israel is currently conducting a devastating military campaign in Gaza and has been accused of using starvation as a war tactic. 

An Israeli-backed organization distributing aid had been accused of shooting unarmed civilians trying to get food.

The UN said 875 people had been killed within the preceding six weeks near the aid sites created by Israel. 

Peace negotiations to end the war and exchange prisoners and hostages appeared to have collapsed on Thursday night after US President Donald Trump recalled his negotiators.

US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff said: “We will now consider alternative options to bring the hostages home and try to create a more stable environment for the people of Gaza.”

Hamas said they were surprised by Witkoff’s comments but would be willing to continue negotiations.


Muslim World League chief meets Afghan ministers in Kabul

Updated 24 July 2025
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Muslim World League chief meets Afghan ministers in Kabul

  • Officials emphasize that religious tolerance must be reflected in Muslim conduct

KABUL: Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, secretary-general of the Muslim World League and chairman of the Organization of Muslim Scholars, conducted high-level meetings with senior Afghan officials during his visit to Kabul.

Al-Issa met Afghan Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi. Discussions centered on strengthening solidarity and promoting Islamic values worldwide. Key topics included the imperative to present Islam’s true character through its principles of justice, rights protection, moderation and universal compassion.

The officials emphasized that religious tolerance, as outlined in the Qur’an, Sunnah and prophetic traditions, must be reflected in Muslim conduct at both individual and community levels.

The dialogue addressed contemporary challenges facing these objectives, particularly conflicting scholarly interpretations on critical issues that should unite the Muslim community.

Officials referenced the significance of the “Makkah Document” and the “Document for Building Bridges Between Islamic Schools of Thought,” while highlighting the crucial role of the league’s Islamic Fiqh Council as the premier jurisprudential body serving the Islamic nation’s muftis and senior scholars.

The meeting stressed the importance of promoting religious awareness through wisdom and sound guidance, while preventing those who exploit such discrepancies — whether deliberately or through ignorance — from damaging Islam’s image and fueling Islamophobic sentiments.

Al-Issa commended the Afghan government’s counter-terrorism efforts during the talks.

In a separate meeting, Al-Issa held discussions with Afghan Interior Minister Khalifa Sirajuddin Haqqani, focusing specifically on Afghanistan’s fight against terrorist organizations.

Both officials underscored that Islamic unity carries profound significance, while division and discord threaten Muslim solidarity and tarnish Islam’s reputation. They agreed that such damage far outweighs any perceived benefits some scholars might identify in jurisprudential matters that rank below this paramount Islamic goal, adhering to the established principles of weighing benefits against potential harm recognized across all Islamic schools of thought.
 


Saudi deputy foreign minister receives US Embassy official

Updated 25 July 2025
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Saudi deputy foreign minister receives US Embassy official

RIYADH: Saudi Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Waleed bin Abdulkarim Elkhereiji met on Thursday with Alison Dilworth, the charge d’affaires ad interim of the US Embassy in the Kingdom.

During the meeting in Riyadh, the officials reviewed relations between the two friendly countries and ways to develop them in all fields, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

They also discussed the most prominent developments at regional and international levels and the efforts made in this regard.

 

 


Saudis make electronic chips at KACST

Updated 24 July 2025
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Saudis make electronic chips at KACST

  • Chips are distinguished by their potential applications in various fields, such as electronics, wireless and high-frequency communications
  • Design of the chips involved researchers from the national laboratory, along with a number of students from four Saudi universities

RIYADH: King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology has designed and produced 25 advanced electronic chips which had been developed in laboratories by Saudis for training, research, and development purposes. The achievement is part of the establishment’s efforts to support and empower the semiconductor ecosystem in the Kingdom.

The chips are distinguished by their potential applications in various fields, such as electronics, wireless and high-frequency communications, integrated circuits, energy-efficient lighting, and miniaturized sensing systems, in addition to industrial and research applications in measurement and testing.

The design of the chips involved researchers from the national laboratory, along with a number of students from four Saudi universities. It formed part of the initiatives integral to the Saudi Semiconductors Program, which aims to qualify national talents in this vital field.


Saudi FM holds telephone call with Eritrean counterpart

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and his Eritrean counterpart Osman Saleh Mohammed. (File/AFP)
Updated 24 July 2025
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Saudi FM holds telephone call with Eritrean counterpart

RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan held a telephone call with his Eritrean counterpart Osman Saleh Mohammed on Thursday, Saudi Press Agency reported. 

During the call, the two ministers reviewed relations between their countries and ways to enhance them. They also discussed regional and international issues of common interest.