Saudi Arabia Launches Middle East Green Initiative

Saudi Green Initiative logo
Saudi Green Initiative logo
TT

Saudi Arabia Launches Middle East Green Initiative

Saudi Green Initiative logo
Saudi Green Initiative logo

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will launch the “Middle East Green Initiative” on Monday, joined by several heads of states and policymakers to create a sustainable road map for the region and highlight green transition and policy solutions.

The Crown Prince announced the initiatives, saying: “I am proud to announce the Saudi and Middle East Green Initiatives, but this is only a start.”

He reiterated that the Kingdom, the region, and the world needs to go much further and faster in combating climate change.

“Given our starting point, beginning this journey to a greener future has not been easy. But in line with our overall modernization philosophy, we are not avoiding tough choices,” said the Crown Prince.

“We reject the false choice between preserving the economy and protecting the environment.”

Meanwhile, the Saudi Minister of Energy, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, inaugurated Sunday the “Youth Green Summit” in Riyadh, stressing that the Kingdom is working with various countries in the field.

He confirmed that the issue is a top priority that can’t be ignored.

Through the Middle East Green Initiative, Saudi Arabia will devise a green map to protect the land and nature and lead regional efforts to achieve global goals to combat climate change.

The initiative will support improving the quality of life and protecting future generations by increasing reliance on clean energy, protecting the environment, and neutralizing the effects resulting from oil usages.

Saudi Arabia intends to lead the next global green era, where the Middle East Green Initiative summit will bring together several prominent international and regional leaders.

The summit aims to enhance cooperation and unify efforts to implement joint environmental commitments and form the first coalition to combat climate change in the Middle East.

The summit seeks to provide a platform that combines knowledge and capital to enhance political will to bring fundamental changes.

The Kingdom is also seeking to work with neighboring countries in the Middle East to combat climate change within the Middle East Green Initiative framework as the most extensive reforestation program in the world.

The Middle East Green Initiative summit aims to “create a first-of-its-kind regional alliance” and introduce the Middle East’s first pact on climate change.

It will offer a stage for climate diplomacy and foster the political will needed for transformative action.

In partnership with the regional countries, the Middle East Green Initiative aims to plant 50 billion trees to reduce carbon emissions and combat pollution and land degradation.

The initiative also aims “to enhance the efficiency of oil production and increase the contribution of renewable energy, in addition to multiple efforts to preserve the marine and coastal environment, increase the percentage of natural reserves, and improve quality of life.



Saudi, Bahraini FMs Discuss Regional Developments

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah
Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah
TT

Saudi, Bahraini FMs Discuss Regional Developments

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah
Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah received a phone call from his Bahraini counterpart, Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported Tuesday.

During the call, the two sides discussed the latest developments in the region, and the continuation of bilateral coordination and consultation to promote security and stability, SPA said.


Bahrain Sentences 12 to Prison for Supporting Iran’s ‘Terrorist’ Acts

A view of Bahrain's financial district in the capital city of Manama. (Reuters file)
A view of Bahrain's financial district in the capital city of Manama. (Reuters file)
TT

Bahrain Sentences 12 to Prison for Supporting Iran’s ‘Terrorist’ Acts

A view of Bahrain's financial district in the capital city of Manama. (Reuters file)
A view of Bahrain's financial district in the capital city of Manama. (Reuters file)

Bahrain’s High Criminal Court sentenced on Monday 12 people to ten years in jail for “supporting and endorsing Iran's terrorist attacks against the kingdom”.

They were also accused of “obtaining and disseminating prohibited sensitive data, capturing images of restricted sites, and spreading false news and rumors through social media platforms during the Iranian aggression against the kingdom,” reported Bahrain’s state news agency BNA.

The court also imposed fines of BD2,000 on some of the accused and ordered the confiscation of seized materials.

“The Public Prosecution had received several reports from the Cyber Crime Directorate regarding social media accounts containing images, videos and comments expressing support for the Iranian terrorist attacks targeting Bahrain”, added the report.

The content also included the publication of sensitive data, the capturing images of restricted sites, and the dissemination of false news and rumors “intended to undermine public morale, spread panic among the public, and harm public security during the Iranian aggression against the kingdom”.

Investigations led to the identification of the individuals behind the accounts. Upon receiving the reports, the Public Prosecution immediately launched investigations, questioning the defendants, hearing witness testimony, and assigning technical experts to examine the seized digital devices. The examinations confirmed the defendants' involvement in the offences attributed to them.

Accordingly, the Public Prosecution referred the defendants to the High Criminal Court. The cases were heard over several sessions during which all legal guarantees were observed, including the attendance of defense counsel and the defendants' right to present their defense, culminating in the issuance of Monday’s rulings.


Kuwait Court Sentences Former Interior Minister to 3 Years in Prison

Former Interior Minister Sheikh Talal Khaled Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. (KUNA)
Former Interior Minister Sheikh Talal Khaled Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. (KUNA)
TT

Kuwait Court Sentences Former Interior Minister to 3 Years in Prison

Former Interior Minister Sheikh Talal Khaled Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. (KUNA)
Former Interior Minister Sheikh Talal Khaled Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. (KUNA)

Kuwait's Court of Cassation on Monday sentenced former Minister Sheikh Talal Khaled Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah to three years in prison.

The court also fined him 3,000 dinars ($9,700) after convicting him of incidents related to secret expenditures.

Sheikh Talal Khaled Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, 59, served as First Deputy Prime Minister and former Minister of Interior from October 16, 2022, to January 17, 2024. Prior to that, he held the position of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense from March 9, 2022, to October 16, 2022.

On January 14, 2025, Kuwait's Ministers Court sentenced Sheikh Talal Al-Khaled to 14 years in prison for embezzlement of expenditures from both the Ministries of Defense and Interior, ordering him to return around 10 million dinars and fining him 20 million dinars.

In the first case, concerning Ministry of Defense expenditures, Sheikh Talal was sentenced to seven years in jail, ordered to return 500,000 dinars, fined one million dinars, and dismissed from his post. An expatriate that was also charged with him, was sentenced to four years, fined 294,000 dinars and expelled from Kuwait.

In the second case, related to Ministry of Interior expenditures, Sheikh Talal Al-Khaled was sentenced to seven years in prison, ordered to return 9 million dinars, and fined 19 million dinars.