RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has launched a world-class center for climate change research. The Center of Excellence for Climate Change Research (CECCR) on the campus of King Abdulaziz University (KAU) in Jeddah was established on Monday a few hours before the meeting in Copenhagen at which energy and environment ministers were making pledges for a clean global climate.
RIYADH: The Middle East peace process will top the agenda of talks between Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and French President Nicolas Sarkozy here on Tuesday. Sarkozy’s visit, though primarily political in nature, coincides with the announcement by Thales, a French firm, that it won a SR168 million contract on Monday to set up a new civil aviation academy in Jeddah. “The visit of the French president is rich in overtones of political diplomacy with Middle East peace process on the top of the agenda besides regional questions like Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan,” said a Western diplomat, adding that Sarkozy would be flying into Riyadh on board a special aircraft with a small delegation.
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia, which leads the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council in terms of ambitious organic farming projects and by setting up a private sector Saudi Organic Farming Association (SOFA), is currently mapping out a comprehensive action plan for the development of organic farming and food. Saudi Minister of Agriculture Fahd Balghunaim, who was elected president of the 10-member SOFA board of directors, said, “The Saudi government has been backing the initiative to promote organic farming with the help of the German technical agency GTZ.
RIYADH: A multimillion dollar new foaming plant, the largest of its kind in the world, has been set up by the Cold stores Group of Saudi Arabia (CGS), a leading company in transport and warehouse refrigeration industry. The new plant is equipped with the latest German technology to ensure production of excellent quality products including the best insulated panels and high-quality multipurpose shelters. “The launch of this new plant is CGS’s next step to increase productivity and to maintain its position as a market leader,” said Esmat Al-Saady, chairman of CGS board of directors, while speaking on the occasion of the unveiling of the plant.
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia will host the Global Competitiveness Forum (GCF) between Jan. 23 to 26, 2010. As many as 100 global figures, including politicians, business leaders, statesmen and company executives have confirmed attendance at the fourth GCF 2010 organized under the patronage of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah.
RIYADH: As part of a regional initiative to step up war on drugs, the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which includes Saudi Arabia, announced plans here yesterday to set up a major center to combat drug trafficking. This center will help to map out future strategies for checking the drug trade, prevent transactions of dirty money, and foil drug trafficking attempts in the Gulf region. “This regional center, called Gulf Center for Criminal Intelligence, is being set up with the help of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC),” said a statement released by the GCC General Secretariat. The center, it said, “would improve co-operation among the member states by exchange of information on drug trafficking.”
RIYADH: The body of an Indian woman has been stranded for the last 72 hours at King Khaled International Airport (KKIA) in Riyadh on account of a disruption in Air India (AI) flights due to a Riyadh-bound AI plane catching fire in Mumbai on Friday. The Indian carrier, on the other hand, has announced it is paying SR390 (5,000 Indian rupees) to the 229 passengers of the Riyadh-bound plane as a token of support and compensation.
RIYADH: Family members and detainees of the Somaishi Deportation Center here confirmed to Arab News on Monday that Mohammed Saquib, 45, passed away in the center’s clinic. Saquib, described by his inmates as mentally challenged and suffering from tuberculosis, was rushed to the deportation center’s clinic on Sunday night where he passed away. Arab News reported on Friday that Saquib and another inmate identified only as Siyaram, 60, were in an alarming state of physical and mental deterioration.
RIYADH, 25 August 2007 — Osama Al-Kurdi, a Shoura Council member, has been chosen as the deputy chairman of the Inter-Parliamentarians for Social Services (IPSS) following its meeting in Seoul. Al-Kurdi, who is a versatile scholar and social scientist, was selected by the IPSS general assembly, which seeks to set up a legal and institutional framework to promote social services around the globe.
The King Abdul Aziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) has warned against a hoax e-mail claiming that Mars will look as large as the moon to the naked eye on Aug. 27 and that it will be as if there are “two full moons in the sky.” “It is misleading news… There is no astronomical event to occur as claimed. Rather, a full lunar eclipse will take place on Aug. 28,” said Dr. Zaki Mustafa, head of KACST’s Astronomy Department.