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Royal Order: Saudi Arabia to Commemorate February 22 as Founding Day

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman - SPA
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman - SPA
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Royal Order: Saudi Arabia to Commemorate February 22 as Founding Day

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman - SPA
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman - SPA

Saudi Arabia will commemorate February 22 every year as the nation’s Founding Day, according to a Royal Order issued on Thursday.

Issuing the Royal Order, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman also said February 22 shall be an official holiday in the country.

“Taking into account that the middle of the year 1139H, corresponding to the month of February of the year 1727, signals the commencement of the reign of Imam Muhammad bin Saud, marking his founding of the first Saudi state, we, Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, King of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, have decreed the following:

“First: The 22nd day of the month of February of every year shall be designated to mark the commemoration of the founding of the Saudi state under the name ‘Founding Day’, and shall be an official holiday.

“Second: This Decree shall be communicated to the relevant entities for adoption and implementation,” the order read.

"Taking great pride in the deep roots of this blessed state and its citizens' firm bonds with its leaders which began three centuries ago with the reign of Imam Muhammad bin Saud when he founded the First Saudi State in the middle of 1139H (early 1727), lasting until 1233H (1818), with Diriyah as its capital and the Holy Quran and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as its constitution, and which provided unity and security in the Arabian Peninsula following centuries of fragmentation, dissension and instability, and survived attempts of elimination,” said King Salman.

"Seven years following the end of the First Saudi State, Imam Turki bin Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Saud succeeded in 1240H (1824) in restoring it, establishing the Second Saudi State, which lasted until 1309H (1891)."

"Ten years later, King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Faisal Al Saud succeeded in 1319H (1902) in establishing the Third Saudi State and uniting it under the name of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; and his sons, the kings, followed in his footsteps in reinforcing the building and unity of this country,” the King added in his order.

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Gulf

OIC Condemns Israel’s Targeting of School for Displaced Persons in Gaza City

Members of the Palestinian Civil Defense remove the rubble of a destroyed home as they search for the bodies of Palestinians killed during the conflict in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, 20 December 2025. (EPA)
Members of the Palestinian Civil Defense remove the rubble of a destroyed home as they search for the bodies of Palestinians killed during the conflict in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, 20 December 2025. (EPA)
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OIC Condemns Israel’s Targeting of School for Displaced Persons in Gaza City

Members of the Palestinian Civil Defense remove the rubble of a destroyed home as they search for the bodies of Palestinians killed during the conflict in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, 20 December 2025. (EPA)
Members of the Palestinian Civil Defense remove the rubble of a destroyed home as they search for the bodies of Palestinians killed during the conflict in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, 20 December 2025. (EPA)

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) strongly condemned on Sunday the continued crimes committed by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip, most recently the shelling of a school sheltering displaced persons.

Seven Palestinians were killed and dozens of civilians were injured in the attack, which the OIC slammed as a “flagrant violation of international humanitarian law”.

The OIC renewed its call on the international community, particularly the UN Security Council, “to assume its responsibilities by putting an end to all Israeli crimes and violations, securing a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire, ensuring sufficient and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance, and guaranteeing the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.”

It further emphasized “the need to activate international criminal justice mechanisms to pursue and hold accountable all Israeli officials involved in committing these grave crimes and to ensure that they do not evade punishment.”

Gulf

UAE, French Presidents Discuss Bilateral Ties

United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and French President Emmanuel Macron meet in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. (WAM)
United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and French President Emmanuel Macron meet in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. (WAM)
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UAE, French Presidents Discuss Bilateral Ties

United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and French President Emmanuel Macron meet in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. (WAM)
United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and French President Emmanuel Macron meet in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. (WAM)

United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan received in Abu Dhabi on Sunday French President Emmanuel Macron who is on a working visit to the UAE.

Meeting at the Zayed National Museum, the leaders discussed the historical and strategic relations between the UAE and France and explored opportunities to further strengthen ties, particularly in the fields of economy, investment, and culture, as well as renewable energy, advanced technology, artificial intelligence, sustainability, and other areas aligned with the two countries’ shared vision for development and prosperity.

The meeting was attended by Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi; Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs; Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Special Affairs; a number of minister and senior officials, reported the UAE's state news agency (WAM).

The meeting was also attended by the delegation accompanying the French President, which included a number of ministers and senior officials.

The UAE President hosted a luncheon in honor of Macron and the accompanying delegation.

Macron arrived in the UAE earlier on Sunday, where he was received at the Presidential Flight in Abu Dhabi by Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and several senior officials.

Gulf

Saudi Arabia Opens New Emergency Camp in Gaza for Families Displaced by Storms

The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) established a new emergency camp in central Gaza Strip providing shelter for hundreds of recently displaced families. (SPA)
The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) established a new emergency camp in central Gaza Strip providing shelter for hundreds of recently displaced families. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Opens New Emergency Camp in Gaza for Families Displaced by Storms

The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) established a new emergency camp in central Gaza Strip providing shelter for hundreds of recently displaced families. (SPA)
The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) established a new emergency camp in central Gaza Strip providing shelter for hundreds of recently displaced families. (SPA)

The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) established a new emergency camp in the central Gaza Strip, providing immediate shelter with more than 250 tents for hundreds of recently displaced families. The move is part of the ongoing Saudi fundraising campaign to aid the Palestinian people.

Overseen by the Saudi Center for Culture and Heritage, KSrelief’s implementing partner, the camp was fast-tracked to support families whose temporary shelters were destroyed by recent severe weather, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.

Field reports indicate that heavy storms and flooding have decimated hundreds of tents across the region, significantly worsening the already dire humanitarian crisis.

Affected families expressed their gratitude to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, describing the aid as a "lifeline" that restored a sense of security. Families noted that the new shelters have provided vital protection against the harsh winter conditions and volatile weather that had previously left them exposed during an arduous period of hardship.

This initiative is a continuation of the Kingdom’s steadfast commitment to the Palestinian people. By providing essential relief and high-quality shelter, KSrelief aims to alleviate the suffering of families facing unprecedented humanitarian challenges.