Mawhiba prepares 35 young innovators for global science fair

Mawhiba prepares 35 young innovators for global science fair
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Mawhiba prepares 35 young innovators for global science fair
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Mawhiba sets stage for 35 talented Saudi youths to compete at ISEF 2024 globally. (SPA)
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Updated 24 February 2024
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Mawhiba prepares 35 young innovators for global science fair

Mawhiba prepares 35 young innovators for global science fair
  • Mawhiba said that the selected students will join more than 1,800 peers worldwide specializing in science and engineering
  • Mawhiba said that the selected students will join more than 1,800 peers worldwide specializing in science and engineering

JEDDAH: In collaboration with the Ministry of Education, the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba) has inaugurated the qualifying program for the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair 2024.
The program, held at the Mishkat Interactive Center in King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy in Riyadh, seeks to identify and prepare 35 outstanding individuals from a pool of 45 talented participants. The selected students are poised to represent the Kingdom at the prestigious Regeneron ISEF 2024 in Los Angeles in May.
Mawhiba said that the selected students will join more than 1,800 peers worldwide specializing in science and engineering. They will not only compete for ISEF awards, but also participate in international innovation exhibitions, such as ITEX in Malaysia and TISF in Taiwan.
As part of the program, mentors will review the students’ projects, developing work plans to strengthen and enhance each project before the final submission deadline to ISEF.
Workshops on presentation skills, project display, and understanding the judging mechanism at ISEF are also included in the agenda for participants.
Additionally, the Scientific Ethics Committee will have a crucial role in reviewing specific forms related to scientific ethics followed during experiments for each project. Statistical analysis of selected projects will be conducted to ensure accuracy, with specialists overseeing the development plans for each student.
Toward the end of the workshop, an independent judging committee will make the crucial decision of selecting candidates to join the Saudi science and engineering team. These chosen individuals will then proudly represent the Kingdom at ISEF 2024, competing for its coveted awards.
Mawhiba emphasized the success of previous efforts in fostering a culture of scientific research and innovation in education. This has led to the Kingdom achieving commendable global positions in international participation.
Earlier this month, Mawhiba hosted the National Olympiad for Scientific Creativity, Ibdaa 2024, to select students for the Regeneron ISEF 2024 event.
Mawhiba said that the number of students participated in this year’s Ibdaa 2024 has surged by 40 percent, reaching 210,000 compared to 146,000 students last year, who submitted projects in 21 scientific fields.
The foundation selected 180 projects from a pool of 210,000 submissions
The projects included 30 in the energy sector, 26 in materials science, 24 in chemistry, 17 in environmental engineering, 11 in biomedicine and health sciences, and nine in plant sciences.
The Ibdaa 2024 Olympiad aims to discover and support Saudi Arabia’s talented students, fostering their skills and advancing scientific projects.
The annual event provides an innovative environment for collaboration between educational supervisors, education departments and researchers, with a goal to support students.


‘Countryside Winter’ festival in Madinah draws more than 7,000 visitors

‘Countryside Winter’ festival in Madinah draws more than 7,000 visitors
Updated 09 February 2025
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‘Countryside Winter’ festival in Madinah draws more than 7,000 visitors

‘Countryside Winter’ festival in Madinah draws more than 7,000 visitors
  • Event highlights local agriculture and boosts rural economy
  • Festival part of effort to improve quality of life in the region

MADINAH: More than 7,000 visitors attended the “Countryside Winter” festival in Madinah, organized by Reef Saudi, the Sustainable Agricultural Rural Development Program, to highlight local agricultural and heritage products while boosting the rural economy.

The three-day event set out to promote rural tourism and show off the authentic rural charm of different regions in Saudi Arabia. It attracted families and individual visitors, with a significant turnout from locals and tourists, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The festival reflects the growth of rural tourism in Madinah, according to Reef Saudi spokesperson Majed Al-Buraikan, who said that it had 22 program beneficiaries participating to present a range of products.

These included fresh fruit, natural honey, aromatic oils, and traditional handicrafts, all representing the region’s heritage.

Visitors enjoyed cultural performances, traditional games, and interactive displays of handicrafts and sustainable farming practices, providing an immersive experience for all age groups.

Al-Buraikan said that the strong turnout highlighted the community’s interest in supporting local products, contributing to the economic sustainability of rural communities and enhancing the quality of local production.

He added that each booth at the festival showed a success story, reflecting Reef Saudi’s ongoing efforts to empower small farmers and artisans through training in modern agricultural techniques.

Reef Saudi continues to strengthen the rural economy by supporting small-scale farmers and producers while providing marketing platforms to increase awareness and expand opportunities for local products, he said.

The event is part of wider efforts to boost the local economy and improve living standards in Madinah under the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.

On Wednesday, officials from the Madinah Region Development Authority said that quality of life, the economy and culture were improving, and that they aim to achieve the goals of Vision 2030.


KSrelief continues global humanitarian works

KSrelief continues global humanitarian works
Updated 09 February 2025
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KSrelief continues global humanitarian works

KSrelief continues global humanitarian works

RIYADH: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) continues its global humanitarian works with recent initiatives ranging from the provision of shelter kits to the delivery of dates in some countries.

At the Samoun Camp in the Al-Shihr District of Yemen’s Hadhramaut governorate, the aid agency distributed emergency shelter kits to displaced people amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis.

In Bangladesh, KSrelief 500 food boxes as part of a larger initiative to provide food to those affected by floods and cyclones in the country.

In Pakistan, 4,450 winter kits were distributed in several districts in the Sindh, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces as part of KSrelief’s efforts to support countries and communities around the world.

KSrelief also delivered 25 tonnes of dates Sierra Leone and 25 tonnes of dates to Cambodia as a gift from Saudi Arabia.


Saudi Arabia rejects Netanyahu’s remarks on displacing Palestinians

Saudi Arabia rejects Netanyahu’s remarks on displacing Palestinians
Updated 09 February 2025
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Saudi Arabia rejects Netanyahu’s remarks on displacing Palestinians

Saudi Arabia rejects Netanyahu’s remarks on displacing Palestinians
  • Kingdom reiterates the right of Palestinian people ‘will remain firmly established and no one will be able to take it away from them’
  • Lasting peace will only be achieved by ‘returning to the logic of reason and accepting the principle of peaceful coexistence,’ it adds

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Sunday reiterated its categorical rejection of statements regarding the displacement of the Palestinian people from their land, particularly those made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Kingdom’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it rejected “such statements that aim to divert attention from the continuous crimes committed by the Israeli occupation against the Palestinian brothers in Gaza, including the ethnic cleansing they are subjected to.”

The ministry likewise expressed its appreciation of the “condemnation, disapproval and total rejection announced by the brotherly countries” regarding the Israeli leader’s comments.

“The Kingdom also points out that this extremist, occupying mentality does not understand what the Palestinian land means to the brotherly people of Palestine and their emotional, historical and legal connection to this land, and it does not think that the Palestinian people deserve to live in the first place, as it has completely destroyed the Gaza Strip, killed and injured more than 160,000, most of them children and women, without the slightest human feeling or moral responsibility,” the Saudi Foreign Ministry statement said.

“The Kingdom affirms that the Palestinian people have a right to their land, and they are not intruders or immigrants to it who can be expelled whenever the brutal Israeli occupation wishes.

 

 

“The Kingdom notes that the proponents of these extremist ideas are the ones who prevented Israel from accepting peace by refusing peaceful coexistence, rejecting the peace initiatives adopted by the Arab countries, and systematically practicing injustice toward the Palestinian people for more than 75 years, with disregard to the truth, justice, law and the values established in the United Nations Charter, including the human’s right to live in dignity on his land,” the statement added.

The Saudi Foreign Ministry also reiterated that the right of the Palestinian people “will remain firmly established and no one will be able to take it away from them no matter how long it takes.”

It added lasting peace would only be achieved by “returning to the logic of reason and accepting the principle of peaceful coexistence through the two-state solution.”

Egypt earlier condemned as “irresponsible” statements by Israeli officials suggesting establishing a Palestinian state on Saudi territory, with its Foreign Ministry emphasizing that the suggestion was a “direct infringement of Saudi sovereignty.” It added that the Kingdom’s security was a “red line for Egypt.”

The Jordanian Foreign Ministry described the Israeli remarks as “inflammatory and a clear violation of international law, relevant UN resolutions and state sovereignty.”

Spokesperson Sufian Qudah criticized what he described as Israel’s continued provocative policies and rhetoric, stressing that such statements reflect an exclusionary and hostile approach that undermines regional stability, Petra reported.

Jordan, he added, stands in full solidarity with Saudi Arabia against these statements, urging international actors to take a firm stance against irresponsible rhetoric that threatens peace efforts.

The UAE also strongly condemned and denounced Netanyahu’s “reprehensible and provocative” statements regarding the establishment of a Palestinian state in Saudi Arabia and “affirmed its categorical rejection of these unacceptable statements.”


Saudi Arabia reiterates rejection of Israeli comments on displacement of Palestinians from their land

Saudi Arabia reiterates rejection of Israeli comments on displacement of Palestinians from their land
Updated 09 February 2025
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Saudi Arabia reiterates rejection of Israeli comments on displacement of Palestinians from their land

Saudi Arabia reiterates rejection of Israeli comments on displacement of Palestinians from their land
  • Kingdom appreciates ‘condemnation, disapproval and total rejection of brotherly countries’ toward Israeli statements

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Sunday reiterated its categorical rejection of statements regarding the displacement of the Palestinian people from their land, particularly those made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Kingdom’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it rejected “such statements that aim to divert attention from the continuous crimes committed by the Israeli occupation against the Palestinian brothers in Gaza, including the ethnic cleansing they are subjected to.”

The ministry likewise expressed its appreciation of the “condemnation, disapproval and total rejection announced by the brotherly countries” regarding the Israeli leader’s comments.

“The Kingdom also points out that this extremist, occupying mentality does not understand what the Palestinian land means to the brotherly people of Palestine and their emotional, historical and legal connection to this land, and it does not think that the Palestinian people deserve to live in the first place, as it has completely destroyed the Gaza Strip, killed and injured more than 160,000, most of them children and women, without the slightest human feeling or moral responsibility,” the Saudi Foreign Ministry statement said.

“The Kingdom affirms that the Palestinian people have a right to their land, and they are not intruders or immigrants to it who can be expelled whenever the brutal Israeli occupation wishes.

 

 

“The Kingdom notes that the proponents of these extremist ideas are the ones who prevented Israel from accepting peace by refusing peaceful coexistence, rejecting the peace initiatives adopted by the Arab countries, and systematically practicing injustice toward the Palestinian people for more than 75 years, with disregard to the truth, justice, law and the values established in the United Nations Charter, including the human’s right to live in dignity on his land,” the statement added.

The Saudi Foreign Ministry also reiterated that the right of the Palestinian people “will remain firmly established and no one will be able to take it away from them no matter how long it takes.”

It added lasting peace would only be achieved by “returning to the logic of reason and accepting the principle of peaceful coexistence through the two-state solution.”

Egypt earlier condemned as “irresponsible” statements by Israeli officials suggesting establishing a Palestinian state on Saudi territory, with its Foreign Ministry emphasizing that the suggestion was a “direct infringement of Saudi sovereignty.” It added that the Kingdom’s security was a “red line for Egypt.”

The Jordanian Foreign Ministry described the Israeli remarks as “inflammatory and a clear violation of international law, relevant UN resolutions and state sovereignty.”

Spokesperson Sufian Qudah criticized what he described as Israel’s continued provocative policies and rhetoric, stressing that such statements reflect an exclusionary and hostile approach that undermines regional stability, Petra reported.

Jordan, he added, stands in full solidarity with Saudi Arabia against these statements, urging international actors to take a firm stance against irresponsible rhetoric that threatens peace efforts.

The UAE also strongly condemned and denounced Netanyahu’s “reprehensible and provocative” statements regarding the establishment of a Palestinian state in Saudi Arabia and “affirmed its categorical rejection of these unacceptable statements.”

Qatar also condemned Netanyahu’s comment suggesting establishing a Palestinian state inside Saudi territory, the Qatari foreign ministry said in statement.

Qatar, a key mediator in Gaza ceasefire negotiations between Hamas and Israel, described Netanyahu’s statement as “provocative.”

with Reuters


Indian almonds in Jazan: Tropical fruits at their best season

Indian almonds in Jazan: Tropical fruits at their best season
Updated 09 February 2025
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Indian almonds in Jazan: Tropical fruits at their best season

Indian almonds in Jazan: Tropical fruits at their best season
  • Indian almonds play a significant role in Jazan’s agricultural identity
  • Heavy rains and relatively high temperatures in Jazan enhance production quality

JAZAN: In the heart of Jazan, the Indian almond has become a distinctive seasonal agricultural product for which the region in southwest Saudi Arabia is well known.

The almond tree is characterized by its dense foliage, abundant shade, and delectable fruit with a rich flavor.

Indian almonds play a significant role in Jazan’s agricultural identity, thriving in the region’s warm environment and tropical climate, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The fruit are highly sought after, whether enjoyed as a snack or valued for their natural oils.

The almond season in Jazan begins in February, marked by the blooming of white and yellow flowers that attract bees, which, along with the wind, aid in pollination.

Between May and July, the fruit gradually ripen, changing from green to yellow or red, signaling full maturity.

Peak production occurs in June and July, when the fruit are harvested and sold in local markets in substantial quantities and varying sizes, with each fruit weighing between 15 and 30 grams.

Indian almonds play a significant role in Jazan’s agricultural identity, thriving in the region’s warm environment and tropical climate, which foster their growth and bloom. (SPA)

Ripe almonds are prized for their soft texture and the ease with which the edible core can be extracted, reaching peak sweetness and exhibiting a more pronounced almond flavor.

Indian almonds are available in several markets, including the central Jazan market, as well as in the governorates of Sabia, Bish, Abu Arish, Samtah, and others throughout the region.

In Jazan, the combination of heavy rains and relatively high temperatures enhances production quality, increasing investment opportunities for cultivating the product.

Ripe almonds are prized for their soft texture and the ease with which the edible core can be extracted. (SPA)

This includes the development of packaging and marketing operations, locally and internationally, the establishment of factories for extracting Indian almond oil, and the expansion of organic agriculture to meet the rising demand for natural and healthy products.

These initiatives contribute significantly to the region’s agricultural and economic development.