Entrepreneurs, Creatives Compete to Build 'Global Talents Platform' in Saudi Arabia

Mawhiba logo.
Mawhiba logo.
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Entrepreneurs, Creatives Compete to Build 'Global Talents Platform' in Saudi Arabia

Mawhiba logo.
Mawhiba logo.

Around 100 talented young men and women, and entrepreneurs from 30 countries will gather in Jeddah to compete for building a global platform for talents. Launching from Saudi Arabia, the platform aims to grow a global community of creatives, and establish a future trend that inspires dreamers around the world.

Under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba), organizes the second edition of the Global Conference for Giftedness and Creativity 2022, on December 10.

It brings together the young and creative minds from around the world in a “Journey Toward the New Future.”

Mawhiba Secretary-General Amal Al-Hazzaa said that “the second edition of the conference aims to anticipate the future, profiting from the leading position of the Kingdom in human development and support of talented youth.”

The talented participants were selected from 30 countries around the world to work on forward-thinking solutions that address global challenges, improve people’s lives, inspire and empower the talented youth worldwide to shape a new future, and create a global platform to develop and manage expertise, talents.

The unique event brings together talented and creative youth from around the world to help build a platform that provides solutions for the challenges of sustainable development.

When built, this platform will serve as a pioneering model of collective thinking that empowers the young generation to build the new world.

Over 100 talented young men and women from around the world will partake in the conference. Some are still students, others have already got their degrees from the best 50 universities in the world. The talents will be overseen by experts specialized in creativity and technology, and will work in groups divided based on talents and specialties.

The conference hosts national and international inspiring speakers, CEOs, and pioneers from different sectors. It also features workshops, discussion panels, and talent shows that target policy and decision makers, entrepreneurs, and international experts.

The Global Conference for Giftedness and Creativity 2022 includes an “idea-thon,” aimed at developing a global platform that empowers talents from around the world to find solutions for the different challenges that face the communities of the future.

The to-be-developed platform aims to attract and develop talents, and produce sustainable innovative solutions to the future global challenges.

The Global Conference for Giftedness and Creativity, organized by Mawiba, was held for the first time in 2020 on the sidelines of the G20 Summit hosted by Riyadh at the time. Back then, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques directed to hold the conference every two years to help create future horizons, emphasize the potentials of the talented youth in the face of global challenges, create efficient solutions, and expand the scope of the global cooperation through active partnerships to grow a human capital capable of facing the developments and challenges.



Meet the Baby Koala Hiding in Its Mom’s Pouch at a Florida Zoo’s New Outback Habitat

This photo provided by the Palm Beach Zoo Conservation Society Clearance shows a koala named Ellin and her newborn joey in a habitat at the Palm Beach Zoo Conservation Society in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Saturday, April 18, 2026. (John Towey/Palm Beach Zoo Conservation Society via AP)
This photo provided by the Palm Beach Zoo Conservation Society Clearance shows a koala named Ellin and her newborn joey in a habitat at the Palm Beach Zoo Conservation Society in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Saturday, April 18, 2026. (John Towey/Palm Beach Zoo Conservation Society via AP)
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Meet the Baby Koala Hiding in Its Mom’s Pouch at a Florida Zoo’s New Outback Habitat

This photo provided by the Palm Beach Zoo Conservation Society Clearance shows a koala named Ellin and her newborn joey in a habitat at the Palm Beach Zoo Conservation Society in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Saturday, April 18, 2026. (John Towey/Palm Beach Zoo Conservation Society via AP)
This photo provided by the Palm Beach Zoo Conservation Society Clearance shows a koala named Ellin and her newborn joey in a habitat at the Palm Beach Zoo Conservation Society in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Saturday, April 18, 2026. (John Towey/Palm Beach Zoo Conservation Society via AP)

A zoo in Florida has two reasons to celebrate — the first birth of a koala and a newly renovated habitat for the cuddly creatures is opening to the public on Saturday.

“For the zoo and for us here, it’s the very big deal,” said Amarylis Celestina, who oversees carnivores and koalas at the Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society in West Palm Beach, Florida. "We are trying the best that we can to help with a lot of the genetic diversity within the population that we have here in the United States. So that’s why it’s important that we do have a joey and that we were successful this year.”

The joey, born to Ellin and Sydney last fall, remains in its mother's pouch and has just recently started to become visible to zoo officials.

They continue to monitor Ellin's weight, and are providing extra food as she cares for the baby.

Meanwhile, the koala population is enjoying a renovated habitat, which includes more greenery, new perching for exercising, and solar tubes to bring in more natural light.

The changes bring a bit of the Australian outback to the zoo for koalas, which are an endangered species. They are able to move between their climate-controlled indoor exhibit and the expanded outdoor area.

“This new habitat is a milestone for our koalas,” Margo McKnight, the zoo's CEO and president said in a news release. “The deliberate design supports the voluntary, cooperative care our zoologists and koalas have developed together.”

Koalas in the US are on loan from the Australian federal government to help with conservation practices.

Koalas are generally peaceful, have a calm nature and enjoy a “slow” lifestyle. They like to climb and hop between the trees in the habitat.

The renovations are designed to help koalas express their natural behaviors, zoo officials said.


Melania Trump Is Growing the White House Honey Program with a New Beehive

 First lady Melania Trump smiles during the 113th Annual First Lady's Luncheon, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Washington. (AP)
First lady Melania Trump smiles during the 113th Annual First Lady's Luncheon, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Washington. (AP)
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Melania Trump Is Growing the White House Honey Program with a New Beehive

 First lady Melania Trump smiles during the 113th Annual First Lady's Luncheon, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Washington. (AP)
First lady Melania Trump smiles during the 113th Annual First Lady's Luncheon, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Washington. (AP)

What's all the buzz about?

Melania Trump on Friday announced that she is expanding the White House honey program by adding a beehive in the shape of the White House to two other beehives that have been on the south grounds since 2009.

The existing hives can swell to about 70,000 bees during peak summer months and produce 200 to 225 pounds of honey in a year, the White House said. The new hive could increase honey production by about 30 pounds, according to the White House.

The White House uses the clover honey to prepare meals, as official gifts from the president and first lady, and in donations to food kitchens.

The bees help pollinate a nearby produce garden that then-first lady Michelle Obama started in 2009 and a nearby flower cutting garden, along with vegetation on the National Mall.

The beekeeping program began in 2009 after a White House carpenter started beekeeping as a hobby on the complex.

The new hive was funded through the Trust for the National Mall, the White House said.

The hive and the base were designed by White House residence staff and hand-made by a Virginia artisan.


AlUla Manara Team Hosts Lyrid Meteor Shower Observation

The event utilized AlUla’s exceptionally clear skies and low light pollution - SPA
The event utilized AlUla’s exceptionally clear skies and low light pollution - SPA
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AlUla Manara Team Hosts Lyrid Meteor Shower Observation

The event utilized AlUla’s exceptionally clear skies and low light pollution - SPA
The event utilized AlUla’s exceptionally clear skies and low light pollution - SPA

AlUla Manara team hosted an educational astronomy evening yesterday near the iconic Arch Rock, aimed at promoting astrotourism and scientific awareness. The event utilized AlUla’s exceptionally clear skies and low light pollution to provide residents and visitors with an immersive celestial experience, SPA reported.

The evening featured the Lyrid meteor shower, an annual phenomenon caused by debris from Comet Thatcher entering Earth's atmosphere. Under expert guidance, attendees observed the shower and used advanced telescopes to explore the cosmos.

The program included interactive scientific discussions on the historical role of astronomy in navigation and timekeeping, as well as its contributions to modern science.

This initiative is part of AlUla’s strategic effort to become a premier global destination for astrotourism. By blending education with entertainment, AlUla Manara continues to showcase the governorate’s unique natural landscape and foster a deeper connection between the community and the universe.