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Saudi Space Commission Reviews Plans for Exploration Missions to Mars, Moon

Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Chairman of the Saudi Space Commission. (Saudi Space Commission)
Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Chairman of the Saudi Space Commission. (Saudi Space Commission)
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Saudi Space Commission Reviews Plans for Exploration Missions to Mars, Moon

Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Chairman of the Saudi Space Commission. (Saudi Space Commission)
Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Chairman of the Saudi Space Commission. (Saudi Space Commission)

The Saudi Space Commission is reviewing the track of work put into sending exploratory missions to both the Moon and Mars. Concerned authorities in the kingdom have prepared several programs for building national cadres and expanding investment in the space field.

Commission Chairman Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz announced that the agency completed all stages of its establishment and concluded many partnerships and agreements both locally and internationally.

Heading the Commission’s fourth board meeting, which was held via videoconference, Prince Sultan thanked King Salman bin Abdulaziz for the support shown by the country’s leadership and stressed that the kingdom maintains a leading role in the field of space.

“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is able to maintain leadership by relying on its educated and qualified children who have made many achievements at various levels,” a statement by the Commission, which Asharq Al-Awsat obtained a copy of, cited Prince Sultan as saying.

Prince Sultan explained that King Salman had witnessed Saudi Arabia’s pioneering and historic journey to space in 1985.

Including over 30 Saudi scientists, the mission was met with great success and managed to inspire many countries in the region and the world to invest in outer space for the benefit of humanity.

On raising the levels of investment in the sector, Prince Sultan said that the Commission was cooperating with the Saudi Investment ministry and Public Investment Fund (PIF).

According to the chairman, only a few weeks separate the Commission from launching an entire branch centered on boosting and encouraging investment in the space field.

Apart from securing funds, the new domain will enable the involvement of SMEs.

More so, Prince Sultan predicted that the Kingdom, in two years’ time, will finish assembling an integrated crew with international space agencies. The team is expected to mount space exploration missions to Mars and the Moon.

Prince Sultan also congratulated the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on it Mars “Hope” Probe successfully entering the planet’s orbit.

He affirmed the kingdom’s support for the efforts of the UAE in the projects and programs it is working on in the field of space.

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Varieties

Thousands of Authors Publish ‘Empty’ Book to Protest AI Using their Work

Thousands of authors published an “empty” book to protest AI (Shutterstock)
Thousands of authors published an “empty” book to protest AI (Shutterstock)
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Thousands of Authors Publish ‘Empty’ Book to Protest AI Using their Work

Thousands of authors published an “empty” book to protest AI (Shutterstock)
Thousands of authors published an “empty” book to protest AI (Shutterstock)

Thousands of authors including Kazuo Ishiguro, Philippa Gregory and Richard Osman have published an “empty” book to protest against AI firms using their work without permission.

About 10,000 writers have contributed to Don’t Steal This Book, in which the only content is a list of their names.

Copies of the work were distributed to attenders at the London book fair on Tuesday, a week before the UK government is due to issue an assessment on the economic cost of proposed changes in copyright law.

By March 18, ministers must deliver an economic impact assessment as well as a progress update on a consultation about the legal overhaul, against a backdrop of anger among creative professionals about how their work is being used by AI firms.

The organizer of the book, Ed Newton-Rex, a composer and campaigner for protecting artists’ copyright, said the AI industry was “built on stolen work ... taken without permission or payment.”

He added: “This is not a victimless crime – generative AI competes with the people whose work it is trained on, robbing them of their livelihoods. The government must protect the UK’s creatives, and refuse to legalize the theft of creative work by AI companies.”

Other authors who have contributed their names to the book include the Slow Horses author, Mick Herron; the author Marian Keyes; the historian David Olusoga; and Malorie Blackman, the writer of Noughts and Crosses.

“It is not in any way unreasonable to expect AI companies to pay for the use of authors’ books,” said Blackman.

Varieties

Wildlife to Replace Humans on Next Series of UK Banknotes

Banknotes and coins that feature an image of Britain's King Charles III are pictured on display during a photocall for "The Future of Money" exhibition, at the Bank of England Museum, City of London, UK, Feb. 27, 2024. (AFP)
Banknotes and coins that feature an image of Britain's King Charles III are pictured on display during a photocall for "The Future of Money" exhibition, at the Bank of England Museum, City of London, UK, Feb. 27, 2024. (AFP)
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Wildlife to Replace Humans on Next Series of UK Banknotes

Banknotes and coins that feature an image of Britain's King Charles III are pictured on display during a photocall for "The Future of Money" exhibition, at the Bank of England Museum, City of London, UK, Feb. 27, 2024. (AFP)
Banknotes and coins that feature an image of Britain's King Charles III are pictured on display during a photocall for "The Future of Money" exhibition, at the Bank of England Museum, City of London, UK, Feb. 27, 2024. (AFP)

Images of ‌animals will feature on the next series of banknotes from the Bank of England, as the central bank shifts away from historical figures such as William Shakespeare, Winston Churchill and Jane Austen over the coming years.

"Nature is a great choice from a banknote authentication perspective and means we can showcase the UK's rich and varied wildlife on the next series of ‌banknotes," Victoria ‌Cleland, the BoE's chief cashier, said.

Bank ‌of ⁠England banknotes have ⁠featured monarchs since Queen Elizabeth first appeared on one in 1960, while Shakespeare was the first historic figure to appear in 1970.

King Charles' portrait will continue to appear on the next series of notes as well, the ⁠BoE said.

The BoE held a ‌consultation on a change ‌to the design of banknotes in July 2025, ‌inviting views from the public.

The theme of ‌nature was supported by 60% of the 44,000 responses, narrowly beating the category of "architecture and landmarks" on 56% and "notable historical figures" on 38%. Other categories included "arts, ‌culture and sport", "innovation" and "noteworthy milestones".

The new notes will feature wildlife native ⁠to ⁠the United Kingdom and will not include household pets, the BoE said. It plans to run a second consultation in the coming months asking for the public's views on specific animals to feature on the notes taken from a list created by British wildlife experts.

The BoE is not the only producer of banknotes in the United Kingdom. Notes are also produced by seven commercial banks in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Varieties

North Korea and China to Resume Passenger Train Service After Six-Year Gap

A North Korean flag flutters from a train believed to be carrying North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, as it arrives in Beijing, China, September 2, 2025. (Reuters)
A North Korean flag flutters from a train believed to be carrying North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, as it arrives in Beijing, China, September 2, 2025. (Reuters)
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North Korea and China to Resume Passenger Train Service After Six-Year Gap

A North Korean flag flutters from a train believed to be carrying North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, as it arrives in Beijing, China, September 2, 2025. (Reuters)
A North Korean flag flutters from a train believed to be carrying North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, as it arrives in Beijing, China, September 2, 2025. (Reuters)

South ‌Korea's Unification Ministry said on Tuesday that passenger train services between Pyongyang and Beijing are set to resume this week, marking the end of a six-year suspension caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The resumption restores a critical transport link between North Korea and its primary economic ally, after ‌years of ‌strict border closures that began ‌in ⁠early 2020.

China's state ⁠railway told the Yonhap News Agency that the Pyongyang–Beijing train will begin the round-trip service on March 12, operating four times a week.

Only the last two carriages will ⁠initially carry passengers, mainly diplomats or ‌others on ‌official business, with ticket sales to the general ‌public possible if seats are ‌available, Yonhap quoted a railway official as saying.

North Korea remains closed to most foreign tourism, with limited exceptions largely for ‌Russian tour groups under restricted arrangements, according to travel agencies organizing trips ⁠to ⁠the country.

Before the pandemic, Chinese visitors made up the largest share of foreign tourists to North Korea, the agencies said.

Tour organizers said on Monday that North Korea had cancelled next month's Pyongyang Marathon for unspecified reasons. The race is one of the few events that has been open to international participants in the isolated state.