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Islamic Arts Biennale Transforms Hajj Terminal into Museum

Under the theme “Awwal Bait” (First House), the exhibition is aimed at celebrating the Islamic civilization. Photo: Abdullah al-Falih
Under the theme “Awwal Bait” (First House), the exhibition is aimed at celebrating the Islamic civilization. Photo: Abdullah al-Falih
    Jeddah - Iman al-Khataf
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Islamic Arts Biennale Transforms Hajj Terminal into Museum

Under the theme “Awwal Bait” (First House), the exhibition is aimed at celebrating the Islamic civilization. Photo: Abdullah al-Falih
Under the theme “Awwal Bait” (First House), the exhibition is aimed at celebrating the Islamic civilization. Photo: Abdullah al-Falih

A wide audience of art fans from around the world attended the first-of-its-kind Islamic Arts Biennale, which launched on Sunday, at the Hajj Terminal of the King Khalid International Airport, Jeddah.

Under the theme “Awwal Bait” (First House), the exhibition is aimed at celebrating the Islamic civilization with an artistic touch that combines contemporary art, rare memorabilia and manuscripts, and unique masterpieces.

Rakan al-Touq, general supervisor of Culture Affairs and International Relations at the Ministry of Culture, and vice-chair of Diriyah Biennale Foundation, said “the Islamic Arts Biennale is an initiative of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation, which was established as part of the National Culture Strategy in 2019.”

He noted that “the foundation curated the Contemporary Arts Biennale at the Diriyah’s Jax District, and now, the Islamic Arts Biennale at Hajj Terminal of the King Khalid International Airport, Jeddah.”

About the Biennale’s strategic goals, he said that “it aims to establish bridges of Islamic arts between the kingdom and the world, as many cultural foundations and international museums from several countries are partaking."

The Biennale provides a platform that combines contemporary arts and Islamic artifacts; it’s also a platform for contemporary artists; “We currently have over 50 contemporary artworks made by more than 40 artists including 18 Saudis.”

“We believe that we play a major role in connecting people in this field, practitioners and experts, by building academic, research, and artistic partnerships with international foundations interested in this field,” he added.

Al-Touq revealed that the foundation has partnered with the Ministry of Hajj and Umra to organize tours for Umra visitors in different languages, noting that the exhibition’s content provides over 15 printed and four audio languages to ensure the visitors a rich experience.

“The tree-month exhibition includes a cultural program that features many activities, seminars, workshops, and a children camp. For over 90 days, the Biennale will offer amazing experience for its visitors.”

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Saudi Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Royal Reserve Development Authority Records 19 Wildlife Births in Q3 2026

The births included 16 Arabian sand gazelles, two Arabian oryx, and one Arabian mountain gazelle. (SPA)
The births included 16 Arabian sand gazelles, two Arabian oryx, and one Arabian mountain gazelle. (SPA)
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Saudi Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Royal Reserve Development Authority Records 19 Wildlife Births in Q3 2026

The births included 16 Arabian sand gazelles, two Arabian oryx, and one Arabian mountain gazelle. (SPA)
The births included 16 Arabian sand gazelles, two Arabian oryx, and one Arabian mountain gazelle. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia's Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Royal Reserve Development Authority recorded 19 wildlife births during the third quarter of 2026 in the Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Royal Reserve and King Khalid Royal Reserve.

The births included 16 Arabian sand gazelles, two Arabian oryx, and one Arabian mountain gazelle, reflecting the effectiveness of the authority's efforts to protect wildlife, reintroduce species, and provide suitable natural habitats, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Sunday.

Head of the Wildlife Division at the Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Royal Reserve Development Authority Abdullatif Al-Abdulwahab said the births were recorded through ongoing field monitoring and the use of wildlife monitoring cameras. These tools enable specialist teams to document breeding cases, monitor newborn animals, and observe species' behavior in their natural habitats.

Al-Abdulwahab added that the recorded births reflect continued natural breeding among wildlife in the two reserves and the availability of suitable environments for species to reproduce and survive.

The Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Royal Reserve Development Authority recorded 19 wildlife births during the third quarter of 2026 in the Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Royal Reserve and King Khalid Royal Reserve. (SPA)

He stressed the importance of protecting natural habitats to support the stability of wildlife populations and enhance biodiversity.

These results build on the authority's efforts to protect and reintroduce wildlife and develop natural habitats, contributing to environmental balance and ecosystem sustainability. They support the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 in environmental protection and biodiversity conservation.

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UK Endures Second Big Storm of the Weekend, with the North Bearing the Brunt This Time

People walk through heavy rain in Liverpool, Britain, 24 October 2026. (EPA)
People walk through heavy rain in Liverpool, Britain, 24 October 2026. (EPA)
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UK Endures Second Big Storm of the Weekend, with the North Bearing the Brunt This Time

People walk through heavy rain in Liverpool, Britain, 24 October 2026. (EPA)
People walk through heavy rain in Liverpool, Britain, 24 October 2026. (EPA)

The second of two storms to hit the UK this weekend brought widespread travel disruptions and power outages to Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England on Sunday.

The Met Office, the UK's national forecaster, said Storm Boelo will bring a danger to life from flying debris and crashing waves and people should stay indoors as much as possible.

Gusts above 80 mph (128 kph) have already been recorded in Scotland, including on the island of Tiree in the Inner Hebrides. Energy company SSEN had reported a total of 93 unplanned power cuts in Scotland by 10 a.m.

An amber wind warning, the Met Office’s second most severe, is active across Scotland and the north of England until late Sunday. Flood warnings are also in place, while airports, ferries, railways and roads have seen disruptions.

Boelo, pronounced “Boo-Loh”, has followed hard on the heels of Storm Austen, which battered southern England on Friday. The National Grid, which distributes electricity around the UK, said power had been restored to more than 130,000 properties impacted by Austen by 7 p.m. on Saturday.

The Met Office began naming major storms in 2015 as a way to keep the public informed about severe weather. Storms are named in alphabetical order throughout the season, from September to August.

Varieties

Ensnared Female Orangutan and Her Baby Rescued in Indonesia

A 20-year-old orangutan tries to escape as members of the BKSDA (Natural Resources Conservation Agency), the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOSF) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Indonesia evacuate it due to forest and land fire, in Hampangen Village, Katingan Regency, Central Kalimantan, on October 17, 2026. (AFP)
A 20-year-old orangutan tries to escape as members of the BKSDA (Natural Resources Conservation Agency), the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOSF) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Indonesia evacuate it due to forest and land fire, in Hampangen Village, Katingan Regency, Central Kalimantan, on October 17, 2026. (AFP)
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Ensnared Female Orangutan and Her Baby Rescued in Indonesia

A 20-year-old orangutan tries to escape as members of the BKSDA (Natural Resources Conservation Agency), the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOSF) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Indonesia evacuate it due to forest and land fire, in Hampangen Village, Katingan Regency, Central Kalimantan, on October 17, 2026. (AFP)
A 20-year-old orangutan tries to escape as members of the BKSDA (Natural Resources Conservation Agency), the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOSF) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Indonesia evacuate it due to forest and land fire, in Hampangen Village, Katingan Regency, Central Kalimantan, on October 17, 2026. (AFP)

Indonesian conservation workers rescued an orangutan ensnared in rope and her baby on the island of Borneo where the critically endangered animals are at risk from boar traps and wildfires, an official said Sunday.

The female orangutan named Gadis, about 25 years old, and her son Garis, 10 months, were found snared in a suspected trap early Friday near a village in Central Kalimantan province on the Indonesian part of Borneo.

"Gadis was found with the ropes tied to her upper right arm and lower left arms, and the wounds were bad because the ropes had torn deep into her flesh," local conservation official Muriansyah told AFP by telephone on Sunday.

"It looked like the ropes were set up as a wild boar snare trap," added Muriansyah, who like many Indonesians has one name.

Both were receiving treatment at the Orangutan Foundation International clinic near the village of Pangkalan Bun.

Wild boar hunting using rope snares is legal and common in parts of Indonesia as a pest control measure to protect crops, but illegal inside protected forests or national parks.

Officials have repeatedly cautioned that careless placement of snares near wildlife areas could instead trap endangered sun bears or orangutans.

Dozens of orangutans have also been rescued in recent weeks from rampant wildfires burning across Indonesia that have cloaked the Southeast Asian region in a toxic haze.

Two more were released in Ketapang, West Kalimantan on Saturday after being rescued from an oil palm plantation.

Orangutans are critically endangered and only about 120,000 remain in the wild in Borneo and Sumatra -- about half the number from a century ago, according to conservation group WWF.

Last month, the International Union for Conservation of Nature said fires were burning in habitats containing 52 percent of Borneo's orangutan population.