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UNCCD Executive Secretary Praises Saudi Efforts to Combat Desertification

Varieties The current conference session focuses on enhancing capacities to address global drought challenges - SPA

UNCCD Executive Secretary Praises Saudi Efforts to Combat Desertification

The Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), Ibrahim Thiaw, highlighted that the world is currently facing a…

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Varieties The event is the first of its kind to be held in the Middle East and North Africa region. - SPA

Royal Commission for AlUla Highlights Sustainability Endeavors at COP16

The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) is taking part in the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification,…

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Varieties A handout photo taken on July 5, 2024 and received on July 16 from the New Zealand Department of Conservation shows rangers Jim Fyfe (L) and Tumai Cassidy walking beside what appears to be the carcass of a rare spade-toothed whale after it was discovered washed ashore on a beach near Taieri Mouth in New Zealand's southern Otago province. (Handout / New Zealand Department of Conservation / AFP)

Scientists Gather to Decode Puzzle of the World’s Rarest Whale in ‘Extraordinary’ New Zealand Study

It is the world’s rarest whale, with only seven of its kind ever spotted. Almost nothing is known about the enigmatic species. But on Monday a small group of…

Varieties  An aerial view shows houses surrounded by floodwaters after heavy rain in Tumpat, Malaysia's Kelantan state on December 2, 2024. (AFP)

Thailand, Malaysia Brace for Fresh Wave of Floods as Water Levels Ease

Malaysia and Thailand are facing a second wave of heavy rain and potential flooding this week, authorities said on Monday, even as some displaced residents…

Varieties  Part of the 2500 panda sculptures are displayed at the Hong Kong International Airport during the welcome ceremony of the panda-themed exhibition "Panda Go!" in Hong Kong, Monday, Dec. 2, 2024. (AP)

Hong Kong Launches Panda Sculpture Tour as the City Hopes the Bear Craze Boosts Tourism

Thousands of giant panda sculptures will greet residents and tourists starting Saturday in Hong Kong, where enthusiasm for the bears has grown since two cubs…


Varieties A sign with a photo of Mount Fuji covered in snow is seen at a view point as Mount Fuji, the highest mountain in Japan at 3,776 metres, looms in the background in Gotemba, Shizuoka prefecture on October 31, 2024. (Photo by Yuichi YAMAZAKI / AFP)

Snow Forecast Next Week on Mt Fuji, at Last

Japan's Mount Fuji, snowless for the longest since records began 130 years ago, is expected to finally get its famous white cap back next week, a local…

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Varieties President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden in a giant panda costume, host the annual Halloween celebration at the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Bidens Host Final Halloween Trick-or-treat Event. First Lady Comes as Giant Panda

US President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, who dressed as a giant panda, hosted trick-or-treaters on the White House South Lawn on Wednesday for the last time…

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Varieties The initiative is overseen by astronaut Rayyana Barnawi, the first Arab Muslim female astronaut. SPA

Saudi Space Agency Launches 'BioGravity' Initiative

The Saudi Space Agency (SSA) has announced the of launch of the "BioGravity" initiative, aiming to empower scientists and researchers in the field of…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Varieties  A fossil of the world's oldest tadpole, which coexisted with dinosaurs in the Middle Jurassic about 165 million years ago, is pictured next to a 3D-printed representation of the tadpole and of a fully developed frog, in Buenos Aires, Argentina October 28, 2024. (Reuters)

This Ancient Tadpole Fossil Is the Oldest Ever Discovered

Scientists have discovered the oldest-known fossil of a giant tadpole that wriggled around over 160 million years ago. The new fossil, found in Argentina,…

Varieties In this picture taken on October 19, 2024, Helen, founder of the “Hello Kitty SoCal Babes” fan club, poses with her collection inside her "she-shed" in Riverside County, California. (AFP)

‘CEO of Supercute’: Hello Kitty Turns 50

Hello Kitty, the cute, enigmatic character that adorns everything from handbags to rice cookers, turns 50 on Friday -- and is still making millions for her…

Varieties  This photo released by the New South Wales Police shows some of the 40,000 stolen limited edition Bluey coins recovered from a suburb in western Sydney, Monday, Oct. 29, 2024. (New South Wales Police via AP)

Australian Police Recover 40,000 Stolen ‘Bluey’ Coins

Australian police said on Wednesday they had recovered more than 40,000 stolen limited-edition coins based on the hit children’s animated series “Bluey.” The…

Varieties A Long March rocket with a Shenzhou-19 spacecraft atop takes off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Jiuquan, northwestern China in the early hours of Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

China's New Crew Arrives at Space Station in Sign of Growing Influence in Space Field

A Chinese space ship carrying a three-person crew docked with its orbiting space station Tuesday as the country seeks to expand its exploration of outer space…

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Varieties The MoU seeks to foster cooperation between the two entities in safeguarding vegetation cover and preserving wildlife within the reserve. SPA

King Salman bin Abdulaziz Reserve, Desertification Combat Association Sign MoU to Boost Environmental Awareness

The King Salman bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Environment and Desertification Combat…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Varieties People and vehicles move through a waterlogged road in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, Oct. 28, 2024. (EPA/ Xinhua / Zhao Yingquan)

China’s ‘Hawaii’ under Water as Tropical Storm Dumps Record Rainfall

For a third day, extreme rainfall pounded the southern Chinese province of Hainan, known as China's "Hawaii", amid the transit of yet another tropical cyclone,…

Varieties  Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks as QANTAS unveil their Yes23 livery being carried on some of their aircraft at Sydney Domestic Airport in Sydney, on Aug. 14, 2023. (Dean Lewins/AAP Image via AP)

Australian Prime Minister Defends Himself from an Accusation That He Asked for Free Flight Upgrades

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Tuesday said he had always “acted in a transparent and appropriate way” after a new book claimed that he had…

Varieties Saudi Red Sea Authority, GEOSA Issue First Nautical Chart for Sindalah Island

Saudi Red Sea Authority, GEOSA Issue First Nautical Chart for Sindalah Island

The Saudi Red Sea Authority (SRSA) and the General Authority for Survey and Geospatial Information (GEOSA) have collaborated to produce the first high…

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Varieties The festival will feature various marine races, including 60 feet class sailing dhows -Photo by WAM

Second Al Yasat Festival to take place in Al Dhafra Region in November

The 2nd Al Yasat Festival will take place from 6th to 10th November 2024 on Al Sila City’s beach in Al Dhafra Region. Organized by the Abu Dhabi Heritage…

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Varieties The Kingdom was represented at the meeting by Senior Advisor to the Ministry's Undersecretary for International Affairs at the Ministry of Tourism Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al-Gharib - SPA

Arab Tourism Technical Committee Holds Twelfth Meeting in Cairo

The twelfth two-day meeting of the Arab Tourism Technical Committee was held at the Arab League headquarters. Representatives from tourism ministries in Arab…

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Varieties  Tourists visit Jiayu Pass, a strategic point of the Great Wall of China along the ancient "Silk Road," near the city of Jiayuguan in China's northwestern Gansu province on Monday, Oct. 28, 2024. (AP)

China Looks to Spur Births, Aid Families in Fight on Shrinking Population

China outlined steps on Monday to improve family planning and parenting measures in an effort to boost the number of births, a statement from the state council…

Varieties Mount Fuji is seen from Enoshima island, in Fujisawa, south of Tokyo, Japan, August 11, 2021. Picture taken August 11, 2021. (Reuters)

Still No Snow on Japan’s Mount Fuji, Breaking Record

Japan's Mount Fuji remained snow-less as of Monday -- the latest date that its majestic slopes have been bare since records began 130 years ago, the weather…

Varieties A bomb dropped from an Israeli jet hits a building in Ghobeiri, Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, October 22, 2024. (AP Photo/ Bilal Hussein)

In Beirut, a Photographer's Frozen Moments Slow Down Time and Allow the Contemplation of Destruction

We watch video after video, consuming the world on our handheld devices in bites of two minutes, one minute, 30 seconds, 15. We turn to moving pictures — “film…

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Varieties Tourists camp on the shores of Erg Znaigui, a seasonal lake in the village of Merzouga in the Sahara desert in southeastern Morocco on October 20, 2024. (AFP)

Rare Sahara Floods Bring Morocco’s Dried-up South Back to Life

In Morocco's southeastern desert, a rare downpour has brought lakes and ponds back to life, with locals -- and tourists -- hailing it as a gift from the…

Varieties This handout photograph released by Kensington Palace on October 25, 2024, shows Britain's Princess Diana (2R) with her 11-year-old son William (L), now Britain's Prince William, Prince of Wales in the kitchens during one of his first visits to homelessness charity, The Passage in London, taken on December 14, 1993.. (Photo by THE PASSAGE / AFP)

Prince William Says Visit With Diana to Homeless Shelter Was Eye-Opener

Prince William has recalled how his late mother Princess Diana took him to a shelter for homeless people when he was just 11 years old, saying how the visit…

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Varieties  Members of theater troupe Fantasi Tuli (Deaf Fantasy) perform a show titled "Senandung Senyap" (Songs of Silence), during Indonesia's first musical with mostly deaf artists, in Jakarta, Indonesia, October 26, 2024. (Reuters)

Songs of Silence: Young Actors Perform Indonesia’s First Deaf Musical

In a Jakarta theatre, the music pulsed from speakers as a group of young artists danced in a musical, bathed in multicolor stage lights. But no one was singing…

Varieties Police and firefighters stand near where a few people have died after two light planes collided midair and crashed into a forested area southwest of Sydney, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (Dean Lewins/AAP Image via AP)

Several Dead after Light Planes Collided in Australia

Three men died after two light planes collided midair and crashed into a forested area southwest of Sydney on Saturday. Australian police, fire and ambulance…

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Varieties  This undated image provided by California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation shows a mural inside the prison yard at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego, where Lyle and Erik Menendez launched a beautification program in 2018. (California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation via AP)

The Menendez Brothers Built a Green Space in Prison. It’s Modeled on this Norwegian Idea

Nearly 30 years after they killed their parents, Erik and Lyle Menendez launched a beautification project in the California prison where they're serving life…

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Varieties FILE PHOTO: The NASA logo is seen at Kennedy Space Center ahead of the NASA/SpaceX launch of a commercial crew mission to the International Space Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida, US, April 16, 2021. REUTERS/Joe Skipper/File Photo

NASA Astronaut Hospitalized after Return from Space Station

A NASA astronaut was flown to a hospital with an unspecified medical issue on Friday shortly after returning to Earth from a nearly eight-month mission on the…

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Varieties A child looks at dinosaur figurines displayed at the Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre during an exhibition featuring a rock containing dinosaur bone fossils discovered for the first time, in Hong Kong, China October 25, 2024. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

Hong Kong's First Dinosaur Fossils, Likely from Large Dinosaur, Go on Display

The first dinosaur fossils found in Hong Kong, likely from a large dinosaur, were put on display on Friday after they were found on a small, uninhabited…

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Varieties A general view shows Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt July 13, 2020. (Reuters)

Arab Youth Media Creativity Summit to Start Sunday

The Egypt-based Arab Academy for Science, Technology, and Maritime Transport (AASTMT) will hold in Cairo the inaugural Arab Youth Media Creativity Summit under…

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