عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Varieties

Saudi Media Oasis Nominated for WSIS Prizes 2024

Saudi Media Oasis Nominated for WSIS Prizes 2024
TT
TT

Saudi Media Oasis Nominated for WSIS Prizes 2024

Saudi Media Oasis Nominated for WSIS Prizes 2024

The Media Oasis project, launched by the Saudi Ministry of Media, has been nominated for the United Nations World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) 2024 Prizes.

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) selected the project to represent Saudi Arabia in the government media sector category.

The nomination comes a year after the project’s launch in 2023, joining over a thousand global projects nominated for this year's prize.

Additionally, Media Oasis's nomination as the sole government representative from the Kingdom in the media sector category reflects the collaborative efforts of the Ministry of Media and its partners from the government and private sectors.

These efforts have been evident in the Oasis's five local and international editions, highlighting the importance of joint work in showcasing the achievements of the Kingdom's major national transformation projects to the world.

The Media Oasis project has gained both local and international prominence, coinciding with the Kingdom's participation in several global events and hosting several international and regional conferences.

The first edition of the Oasis was held in conjunction with the 32nd Arab Summit in Jeddah on May 18-19, 2023. The second edition took place alongside the annual Grand Hajj Symposium on June 20-22, 2023. The third edition was held in New Delhi from September 9 to 11, 2023, coinciding with the Kingdom's participation in the G20 Leaders' Summit and the official visit of Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to India.

The fourth edition occurred in Diriyah, Riyadh, from November 9 to 11, 2023, coinciding with the Kingdom's hosting of the Saudi-African Summit and the Joint Arab Islamic Extraordinary Summit. The fifth edition was held in conjunction with the Kingdom's participation in the 173rd General Assembly meeting to determine the host country for Expo 2030.

Through Media Oasis, the ministry provides a dedicated and convenient space for local and international media outlets and journalists to carry out media coverage of official and significant events from the center of key national projects and cover events hosted by the Kingdom.

Media Oasis has attracted over 9,800 guests worldwide in its five editions. It has been covered by over 455 media outlets and attended by over 2,600 national and international journalists representing over 70 countries who published over 440 news articles. Additionally, over 380 presenters representing over 65 government entities participated in the event.

Most Viewed

 
 
Varieties

Saudi Arabia Sets Guinness World Record with 95 Tons of Seasonal Seeds in Vegetation Cover Efforts

The achievement crowns a year of intensive efforts by the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification. (SPA)
The achievement crowns a year of intensive efforts by the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification. (SPA)
TT
TT

Saudi Arabia Sets Guinness World Record with 95 Tons of Seasonal Seeds in Vegetation Cover Efforts

The achievement crowns a year of intensive efforts by the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification. (SPA)
The achievement crowns a year of intensive efforts by the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia has reached a new global environmental milestone by earning a Guinness World Records title for the largest seasonal seed storage collection in the world, reflecting its ongoing commitment to environmental protection and sustainability, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Tuesday.

The achievement crowns a year of intensive efforts by the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification.

Over the course of the year, trained and specialized field teams traveled across the Kingdom to collect large quantities of native plant seeds in support of land rehabilitation projects and environmental sustainability initiatives.

The field teams successfully collected 31 species of local wild plants. The seeds underwent precise processing, including cleaning and purification to remove impurities and plant residues, before being stored according to the highest internationally recognized standards.

Seed warehouses housed more than 95 tons of rangeland and wild plant seeds, reinforcing the Kingdom’s leading role in environmental action and supporting the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 related to natural resource protection and combating desertification.

The Kingdom has recorded numerous environmental milestones at the national, regional, and global levels as part of its broader efforts to promote sustainability in line with Saudi Vision 2030 and international goals to combat desertification and mitigate climate change.

Varieties

'Call of Duty' Co-creator Vince Zampella Killed in Car Crash

Vince Zampella died while driving his Ferrari north of Los Angeles. Frederick M. Brown / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
Vince Zampella died while driving his Ferrari north of Los Angeles. Frederick M. Brown / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
TT
TT

'Call of Duty' Co-creator Vince Zampella Killed in Car Crash

Vince Zampella died while driving his Ferrari north of Los Angeles. Frederick M. Brown / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
Vince Zampella died while driving his Ferrari north of Los Angeles. Frederick M. Brown / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP

Vince Zampella, the acclaimed co-creator of video gaming juggernaut "Call of Duty," has died in a car crash, gaming giant Electronic Arts confirmed on Monday. He was 55.

The developer and executive died on Sunday while driving his Ferrari on a scenic road north of Los Angeles, according to local broadcaster NBC4.

"For unknown reasons, the vehicle veered off the roadway, struck a concrete barrier, and became fully engulfed," the California Highway Patrol said in a statement, without identifying the two victims in the crash.

The CHP added that both the driver and a passenger who was ejected from the vehicle succumbed to their injuries, reported AFP.

Witnesses posted video of the mangled cherry-red Ferarri, engulfed in flames, on the mountain road. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

His studios created some of the world's best-selling video games, and Zampella was considered an innovator in first-person military shooter style games.

This year, when his "Battlefield 6" video game set a new sales record for the franchise, Zampella expressed gratitude, saying "we never take moments like this for granted" -- despite a long career of success in gaming.

The mass-combat game has won over 100 million players in the past two decades, in its various iterations.

And yet, that number isn't a first. To this day, "Call of Duty" boasts more than 100 milion active players, monthly.

"You have that dream of the game being popular, but I don't think you're ever ready for that level of success," Zampella told gaming site IGN in a 2016 interview.

Profound, far-reaching

Zampella was best known for co-creating the "Call of Duty" franchise and founding Respawn Entertainment, the studio behind "Titanfall,Apex Legends," and the "Star Wars Jedi" games.

After starting out in the 1990s as a designer on shooter games, he co-founded Infinity Ward in 2002 and helped launch "Call of Duty" in 2003. Activision later acquired his studio.

He left Activision under contentious circumstances and established Respawn in 2010, which Electronic Arts acquired in 2017.

At EA, he eventually took charge of revitalizing the "Battlefield" franchise, cementing his reputation as one of the most influential figures in modern first-person shooter games.

"This is an unimaginable loss, and our hearts are with Vince's family, his loved ones, and all those touched by his work," Electronic Arts said in a statement.

"Vince's influence on the video game industry was profound and far-reaching," the company said, adding that "his work helped shape modern interactive entertainment."

A statement by Respawn, posted on the "Battlefield" X account, praised Zampella "for how he showed up every day, trusting his teams, encouraging bold ideas, and believing in Battlefield and the people building it."

Zampella "championed what he believed was right for the people behind those studios and our players because it mattered."

"It was a bold, transgressive method of storytelling, of a moment in time that was political, that was violent and that was impactful," Washington Post video game reporter Gene Park told NBC4.

"He really knew how to create stories and create experiences, that really hit at the heart of human experience -- whether it was terror, dread, heroism. I think he was really able to kindof encapsulate that through the designs of the video games that he made," Park said.

Varieties

GEA Chairman Named 2025 ‘Promoter of the Year’ by Boxing News

Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA) and Saudi Boxing Federation President, was named “Promoter of the Year” for 2025 by the Britain-based Boxing News magazine. (SPA)
Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA) and Saudi Boxing Federation President, was named “Promoter of the Year” for 2025 by the Britain-based Boxing News magazine. (SPA)
TT
TT

GEA Chairman Named 2025 ‘Promoter of the Year’ by Boxing News

Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA) and Saudi Boxing Federation President, was named “Promoter of the Year” for 2025 by the Britain-based Boxing News magazine. (SPA)
Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA) and Saudi Boxing Federation President, was named “Promoter of the Year” for 2025 by the Britain-based Boxing News magazine. (SPA)

Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA) and Saudi Boxing Federation President, was named “Promoter of the Year” for 2025 by the Britain-based Boxing News magazine, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.

The recognition reflects Alalshikh influential contributions and growing role in advancing the global boxing industry, built on a series of initiatives led by him in recent years.

It celebrates his efforts in elevating the stature of major fight cards, raising organizational standards, and enhancing both the sporting and media experience of boxing events, with a vision and strong international partnerships that have been instrumental in attracting the sport’s biggest global names.