'Academy 32' Launched in Saudi Arabia to Qualify National Cadres in Research and Developmenthttps://english.aawsat.com/varieties/4650271-academy-32-launched-saudi-arabia-qualify-national-cadres-research-and-development
'Academy 32' Launched in Saudi Arabia to Qualify National Cadres in Research and Development
King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) logo
Saudi Arabia’s King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) inaugurated on Sunday "Academy 32" to provide training programs in accordance with international best practices to develop the skills of specialists in the research, development and innovation sector, along with workers in the fields of science and technology.
The academy also trains students interested in research, development and innovation.
The CEO of "Academy 32", Dr. Saud Al-Fadhel, explained that the academy aims to enhance awareness, spread knowledge, invest in energies and talents to achieve national goals and contribute to building an economy based on innovation as the central pillar of scientific renaissance and economic development.
Moreover, the academy seeks to qualify and develop national cadres to achieve a sustainable impact in research, development and innovation through its qualitative programs and community partnerships that are consistent with development plans.
"Academy 32" provides knowledge activities, qualifying and enrichment programs, and training and development programs in order to foster a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, meet career development needs in the energy, industry, health, sustainability, environment, and future economies sectors, and cultivate scientific awareness in the domains of research, development, and innovation.
"Academy 32" will evaluate national requirements for competent leaders, researchers, and experts, in addition to making suggestions and offering suitable solutions to satisfy these needs in accordance with best practices for developing internationally competitive citizens.
‘Beirut Holidays’ Launches 11th Edition with Abeer Nehme
The crowd erupted in applause as Nehme walked onto the stage with her band, dressed in white. She opened with “Ahwe" (Asharq Al-Awsat)
In an evening filled with the joy of reunion and the sense of a city finding its pulse again, the Beirut Holidays festival opened its 11th season under the slogan “And Lebanon Remains.”
Abeer Nehme headlined the opening concert, performing for 90 minutes and moving between her own songs and timeless works by Fairuz and Zaki Nassif.
Thousands gathered on the waterfront in the Antelias-Naccache area to join her in celebrating a city trying to catch its breath and beginning to shake off the dust of war. Lebanese and foreign political figures were also in attendance.
The crowd erupted in applause as Nehme walked onto the stage with her band, dressed in white. She opened with “Ahwe,” written and composed by Charbel Rouhana, expressing her longing to reunite with her Lebanese audience after a long wait.
She followed with “Li Beirut,” as the stage gave way to a striking visual spectacle.
Illuminated drones traced a map of Lebanon across the sky, shifting in formation with the lyrics. At one moment, they formed a heart; at another, they created symbolic scenes of embraces hovering above the audience.
The display added a powerful visual dimension to the concert, catching spectators by surprise and prompting many to raise their phones to record the moment.
Nehme extended her tribute to the capital with “Habibati” (Beirut), a song carrying a message of love and hope.
Nehme said she was delighted to meet her Lebanese audience again after an absence and thanked those who had traveled long distances to attend the concert.
The heat did little to weaken the crowd’s enthusiasm. Audience members clapped, waved and sang with her throughout the evening, in a scene that reflected the sense of longing shared between performer and public.
She performed “They Say Love Kills Time,” composed by the late Ziad Rahbani (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The concert unfolded through a series of surprises, with Nehme presenting a program that crossed several musical styles. She welcomed Algerian artist Amine of Babylone, paid tribute to the late Zaki Nassif and moved smoothly between French chanson, classical Arabic music and her own work.
Her varied musical choices and the energetic pace of the performance kept the audience engaged until the final moments.
In one of the evening’s lighthearted surprises, Nehme invited Amine to the stage. When he was slow to appear, she called out to him several times, drawing laughter from the crowd.
Once he joined her, the two performed a distinctive duet of his well-known song “Zina.”
After Nehme performed “Waynak,” the stage setting changed and images of the late Zaki Nassif filled the giant screens.
She honored him with two songs from his repertoire, “Naqqili Zahra” and “Ishtaqna Ktir Ya Habayeb.” As the music began, the audience rose, applauding and singing along.
The moment blended nostalgia with joy, as an entire generation revisited memories shaped by Nassif’s enduring songs.
Nehme then performed “Bi Oulo El Hob Bi Oqtol El Waqt,” composed by the late Ziad Rahbani, before moving toward pianist Mark Naoum, who accompanied her in a performance marked by romance and musical harmony.
She followed with her song “Amal,” then sang “Hymne à l’amour” by celebrated French singer Edith Piaf, one of the leading stars of the 1950s. Red hearts lit up the stage backdrop, deepening the romantic mood.
Nehme’s vocal abilities stood out throughout the concert.
Her performance of “Ya Tara,” a song about the changes that reshape a love relationship, held the audience’s attention and left a clear emotional impression.
Before leaving the stage, Nehme performed “Bala Ma Nhess” and “Bi Saraha,” two songs that have become fixtures at her concerts.
She closed with “Byeb'a Nas,” delivering a message of gratitude and loyalty to those who have accompanied her on her artistic and personal journey.
The evening ended on a note of joy and hope, reaffirming music’s ability to bring Lebanese people together around a shared moment of life.
Baby Haaland in Peru: Newborns Take Names of World Cup Starshttps://english.aawsat.com/varieties/5297156-baby-haaland-peru-newborns-take-names-world-cup-stars
Erling Haaland wears a viking helmet after beating the Ivory Coast at the World Cup. (Getty Images)
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Baby Haaland in Peru: Newborns Take Names of World Cup Stars
Erling Haaland wears a viking helmet after beating the Ivory Coast at the World Cup. (Getty Images)
In Peru, there is a wave of new baby Haalands. In Argentina, Lionel has raced up the rankings, and in Mexico a girl was reportedly named after three football players. Parents in Latin America are already christening a new generation of babies after the stars of the World Cup.
Hundreds of newborns in Peru have been named for rising stars such as Norway's Erling Haaland, while names inspired by legacy icons like Lionel Messi, Brazil's Neymar and Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo each count around 30,000 registrations, Ivan Torres, a spokesperson for Peru's civil registry RENIEC told Panamericana TV last week.
"Haaland is now Peruvian too," Torres said, noting one newborn was simply named "Mundial" after the Spanish shorthand for the World Cup. Peru did not qualify for the tournament.
Many Latin Americans with teams not competing or knocked out have been unwilling to support Argentina — broadly seen as too Eurocentric — and thrown their support behind the Norwegian team, whose "Viking row" and Haaland-driven run to the quarter-finals for the first time won them legions of new fans.
In Mexico, which co-hosted the World Cup with the US and Canada, a picture of a birth certificate went viral on social media showing a baby girl named Quiñona Ysisidra Morita Haaland Guevara - a reference to Mexican stars Julián Quiñones and Gilberto Mora as well as the Norwegian striker.
Ysisidra is a play on "Y si sí?", or "What if?", the upbeat mantra chanted by Mexican fans until they were knocked out by England in the last 16.
Mexico's governance secretariat did not immediately verify the authenticity of the certificate.
In Argentina, Enzo, Emiliano and Lionel topped the list of most popular boy names in the northeastern province of Salta the week before the final, according to local authorities who attributed the trend to the "World Cup phenomenon."
Argentina's World Cup team, who will play in Sunday's final, include midfielder Enzo Fernandez and goalkeeper Emiliano "Dibu" Martinez, as well as team captain Messi.
Fabiola Molina, who hosts Mexico City-based podcast "Sin manual para padres" ("No manual for parents"), told Reuters the trend had a history across Latin America dating back to Diego Maradona's 1986 goal against England.
"A few years ago when the Backstreet Boys were popular, many women were naming their sons Kevin and Brian, and that's why it's very common in countries like Bolivia, Chile and Argentina to find someone called Brian Gonzalez, for example."
"It's funny, but it could also be prejudicial to children when they grow up," she said. "Just because your name is Messi or Lionel, it doesn't mean you'll grow up to be a good soccer player — destiny won't carve that out for you."
Northeast Spain Wildfire Destroys Over 12,000 Hectareshttps://english.aawsat.com/varieties/5297037-northeast-spain-wildfire-destroys-over-12000-hectares
Firefighters work at a site, following a wildfire in the municipality of Ores, northern Aragon region, Spain July 15, 2026, in this screengrab obtained from a video. (Spanish Military Emergency Unit/Handout via Reuters)
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Northeast Spain Wildfire Destroys Over 12,000 Hectares
Firefighters work at a site, following a wildfire in the municipality of Ores, northern Aragon region, Spain July 15, 2026, in this screengrab obtained from a video. (Spanish Military Emergency Unit/Handout via Reuters)
A major wildfire that has been raging for two days in northeast Spain has reduced more than 12,000 hectares of land to ash, regional authorities said Friday, warning of a "very high risk of spreading".
"The night has been very complex, very difficult. At this time, we estimate that the burned area exceeds 12,000 hectares" (29,650 acres), Roberto Bermúdez de Castro, who is responsible for security issues within the regional government of Aragon, told the media.
Spain is still reeling from another fire last week in the southern Andalusia region that killed 13 people -- including seven Britons and an American -- and destroyed 7,000 hectares, the deadliest such disaster in the country's recent history.
More than 450 firefighters backed by army reinforcements were battling the growing blaze near the city of Zaragoza, in a sparsely populated part of the Aragon region, where five small villages have been evacuated.
Peak temperatures of up to 40C have hit Aragon in recent days.
Scientists say human-driven climate change is increasing the length, intensity and frequency of extreme heat, which creates favorable conditions for the spread of wildfires and complicates firefighting efforts.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez warned Tuesday on a visit to fire-devastated Andalusia that Spain was facing a "complicated summer" for wildfires.
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