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Expo 2030 Riyadh Receives BIE Flag, Signifying Start of Next World Expo Preparations

Expo 2030 Riyadh officially received the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) flag during the closing ceremony of Expo 2025 Osaka. (SPA)
Expo 2030 Riyadh officially received the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) flag during the closing ceremony of Expo 2025 Osaka. (SPA)
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Expo 2030 Riyadh Receives BIE Flag, Signifying Start of Next World Expo Preparations

Expo 2030 Riyadh officially received the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) flag during the closing ceremony of Expo 2025 Osaka. (SPA)
Expo 2030 Riyadh officially received the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) flag during the closing ceremony of Expo 2025 Osaka. (SPA)

Expo 2030 Riyadh officially received the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) flag during the closing ceremony of Expo 2025 Osaka, which concluded after six months of global exhibitions, dialogue and cultural exchange.

The handover of the BIE flag, received by Minster of State and CEO of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City Eng. Ibrahim Al-Sultan, marked the formal transfer of host city responsibilities to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the start of the journey toward the next World Expo, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Monday.

Under the theme “Foresight for Tomorrow,” Expo 2030 Riyadh will serve as a global platform for innovation, sustainability, and inclusive development, already key to the transformation agenda of Saudi Vision 2030.

Senior representatives from Saudi Arabia attended the ceremony, including Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal Alibrahim and Saudi Ambassador to Japan Dr. Ghazi Binzagr, underscoring national commitment and city-level preparedness.

Eng. Al-Sultan said: “At the conclusion of Expo 2025 Osaka in Japan, the handover of the flag from Japan to Riyadh marks an important milestone in the Kingdom’s journey toward hosting the world at Expo 2030 Riyadh. It also represents the official start of the countdown to organizing an unprecedented edition of the world’s most prominent exhibition."

He stated that this event embodies a new phase in the Kingdom’s journey toward the future, thanks to the unwavering support of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.

“The combined efforts of all state institutions, along with the warm enthusiasm of citizens and residents across the Kingdom, especially in Riyadh, will help deliver an exceptional experience that reflects Saudi Arabia’s excellence and leadership in hosting global events and embodies its vision of building a more innovative and cooperative future for the world,” he added.

CEO of Expo 2030 Riyadh Company Eng. Talal AlMarri said: “This milestone moves us firmly into delivery mode. Expo 2030 Riyadh will set new global benchmarks in sustainability, creativity, and inclusivity. It will be more than a gathering of nations; it will be a living legacy and a platform for action for the Kingdom and the world.”

Expo 2030 Riyadh Company hosted the “From Osaka to Riyadh” cultural showcase on October 10 at the Expo Arena Matsuri, drawing over 15,000 attendees and demonstrating strong event capabilities in the lead-up to 2030.

Throughout Expo Osaka, the Expo 2030 Riyadh Company engaged with participating nations through a series of workshops and bilateral meetings, focusing on understanding each country’s priorities and objectives for the next Expo. The Saudi Pavilion concluded Expo 2025 Osaka with historic visitor engagement, welcoming a record-breaking over three million attendees.

Running from October 1, 2030, to March 31, 2031, Expo 2030 Riyadh is set to welcome over 42 million visitors, with participation from 197 countries and 29 organizations. Spanning more than six million square meters across five zones, the event will explore forward-looking solutions for a more sustainable and inclusive future.

Following the six-month event, the site will evolve into a permanent Global Village, leaving a lasting legacy for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and the world.

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Gulf

Mohammed bin Salman, Zelenskyy Meet in Jeddah

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meet in Jeddah on Friday. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meet in Jeddah on Friday. (SPA)
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Mohammed bin Salman, Zelenskyy Meet in Jeddah

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meet in Jeddah on Friday. (SPA)
Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meet in Jeddah on Friday. (SPA)

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, received in Jeddah on Friday Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. 

Zelenskyy had arrived in the Kingdom earlier on Friday. He was welcomed by Deputy Governor of the Makkah Region Prince Saud bin Mishaal bin Abdulaziz and other senior officials upon his arrival at King Abdulaziz International Airport. 

Separately, Crown Prince Mohammed received a written message from Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis on bilateral ties between their countries. 

Gulf

Kuwait Announces New Attack Launched from Iraq

File photo of smoke rising from a building in Kuwait following recent Iranian attacks (AFP)
File photo of smoke rising from a building in Kuwait following recent Iranian attacks (AFP)
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Kuwait Announces New Attack Launched from Iraq

File photo of smoke rising from a building in Kuwait following recent Iranian attacks (AFP)
File photo of smoke rising from a building in Kuwait following recent Iranian attacks (AFP)

Kuwait said a new attack targeted its territory from Iraq, in a repeat of similar incidents reported in recent weeks during the Iran war.

The official spokesman of the Kuwaiti Ministry of Defense, Colonel Staff Saud Abdulaziz Al-Atwan, said in Statement No. 60 that two sites belonging to Kuwait’s northern land border posts were targeted this morning in a “criminal act of aggression involving two explosive-laden drones guided by fibre-optic cables, originating from the Republic of Iraq,” resulting in material damage without any human casualties.

The statement added that the Ministry of Defense confirms the competent authorities immediately began taking the necessary measures to deal with the incident.

No immediate Iraqi comment was issued regarding the Kuwaiti announcement, noting that Kuwait and several Gulf states have complained in recent weeks of attacks launched from Iraqi territory.

On April 14, the Saudi Cabinet stressed its categorical rejection of violations of state sovereignty and attempts to threaten regional security and stability, reiterating its strongest condemnation of blatant attacks targeting the country and Gulf states using drones launched from Iraqi territory, and underscoring the importance of the Iraqi government acting responsibly in addressing these threats.

The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs also summoned the chargé d’affaires of the Iraqi embassy in the country, Omar Al-Obaidi, handing him a strongly worded protest note expressing condemnation and denunciation of terrorist attacks launched from Iraqi territory targeting vital facilities in Gulf Cooperation Council states, despite the announcement of a ceasefire between Iran and the United States.

In the note, delivered by the Director of the Arab Affairs Department at the ministry, Ahmed Al-Marashda, the UAE affirmed its absolute rejection of these attacks, stating they were carried out by armed factions and groups loyal to Iran, constituting a violation of the sovereignty and airspace of the targeted states and a clear breach of international law and the United Nations Charter.

Gulf

Foreign Ministers of Arab, Islamic Countries Condemn Israeli Violations in Jerusalem

FILED - 05 May 2022, ---, Jerusalem: Israeli security officers patrol in front of the Dome of the Rock mosque at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in the Old City of Jerusalem. Photo: Ilia Yefimovich/dpa
FILED - 05 May 2022, ---, Jerusalem: Israeli security officers patrol in front of the Dome of the Rock mosque at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in the Old City of Jerusalem. Photo: Ilia Yefimovich/dpa
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Foreign Ministers of Arab, Islamic Countries Condemn Israeli Violations in Jerusalem

FILED - 05 May 2022, ---, Jerusalem: Israeli security officers patrol in front of the Dome of the Rock mosque at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in the Old City of Jerusalem. Photo: Ilia Yefimovich/dpa
FILED - 05 May 2022, ---, Jerusalem: Israeli security officers patrol in front of the Dome of the Rock mosque at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in the Old City of Jerusalem. Photo: Ilia Yefimovich/dpa

The foreign ministers of several Arab and Muslim countries have condemned the repeated Israeli violations of the historic and legal status quo in Jerusalem’s Islamic and Christian holy sites, particularly the continued incursions by settlers and extremist ministers into Al-Aqsa Mosque compound under Israeli police protection, as well as the raising of the Israeli flag within its courtyards.

The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Indonesia, Pakistan, Egypt, and Türkiye reiterated that these provocative actions at Al-Aqsa Mosque constitute a flagrant violation of international law and international humanitarian law, and represent an unacceptable provocation to Muslims around the world, and a flagrant violation of the sanctity of the holy city.

They reaffirmed their categorical rejection of any attempts to alter the historic and legal status quo in Jerusalem and its Islamic and Christian holy sites, and stressed its preservation while recognizing the special role of the historic Hashemite custodianship in this regard.

The ministers reiterated that the entire area of Al-Aqsa Mosque, which amounts to 144 dunams, is a place of worship exclusively for Muslims, and that the Jerusalem Endowments and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs Department, affiliated with the Jordanian Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, is the legal entity with exclusive jurisdiction to administer the affairs of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque and to regulate entry thereto.

The ministers further condemned the accelerating illegal settlement activity, including Israel’s decision to approve over 30 new settlements, which constitutes a flagrant violation of international law, including United Nations Security Council resolutions and the 2024 advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice.

They also condemned the continued and escalating settler violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, including recent attacks on Palestinian schools and children, and called for those responsible to be held accountable.

They emphasized that Israel has no sovereignty over the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

The ministers stressed that such actions constitute a deliberate and direct attack on the viability of the Palestinian State and on the implementation of the two-state solution, increase tensions, undermine peace efforts, and hinder ongoing initiatives aimed at de-escalation and the restoration of stability.

They called on Israel to assume full responsibility, condemn these hostile acts, and hold perpetrators accountable.

The ministers reiterated their call for the international community to uphold its legal and moral responsibilities and compel Israel to halt its dangerous escalation in the occupied West Bank, and to put an end to its illegal practices.

They also called on the international community to intensify all efforts to advance a political solution that achieves a comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution.

The ministers reiterated their unwavering support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, particularly their right to self-determination and to establish a state along the June 4, 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital.