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Red Sea Global Opens its First Health and Safety Training Academy

This is Red Sea Global's first Health and Safety Training Academy - SPA
This is Red Sea Global's first Health and Safety Training Academy - SPA
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Red Sea Global Opens its First Health and Safety Training Academy

This is Red Sea Global's first Health and Safety Training Academy - SPA
This is Red Sea Global's first Health and Safety Training Academy - SPA

The Red Sea Global (RSG) has announced the opening of its first Health and Safety Training Academy in Saudi Arabia, following a pilot phase during which 1,000 workers were trained.
The academy offers free training for RSG's workforce, partners, and contractors, supporting the development of essential construction skills and safety capabilities. RSG's comprehensive training portfolio adheres to the highest international safety standards, including being certified by international organizations such as Highfield, IOSH, and NEBOSH, it said in a statement. 
Group Head of Health and Safety at RSG John Dunne stated that "by ensuring exemplary safety protocols across all RSG's developments, the academy aims to become the benchmark institution for health and safety training for Saudi Arabia and beyond."
"Our recent IOSH accreditation marks a significant milestone in RSG's commitment to safety excellence. As an approved partner and licensed provider of the IOSH Working Safely course in English and Hindi, we are equipping our workforce and partners with vital safety skills. This partnership with IOSH reflects our dedication to fostering a safe and inclusive work environment across all our projects," he added.
A unique aspect of the academy is its practical, construction-themed training, the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia. The curriculum includes vivid simulations to demonstrate the real consequences of safety violations, making it the first in the Kingdom to emphasize practical and visual learning over traditional classroom-based instruction. Equipped with modern indoor classrooms, outdoor training stations, and specialized safety areas, the facility enables trainees to build critical safety competencies through a mix of theoretical and comprehensive hands-on training. Practical equipment such as Scaffolding, Walking Work Platforms, Gantry Cranes, Confined Space chambers, and CPR training facilities enable trainees to develop critical safety skills, fostering a robust culture of safety.
"By ensuring exemplary safety protocols across all RSG's developments, the academy aims to become the benchmark institution for health and safety training for Saudi Arabia," the statement emphasized.
Furthermore, RSG has achieved another significant milestone by obtaining an official license to deliver IOSH Working Safety Training in both English and Hindi. This course focuses on mitigating hazards effectively, giving workers an understanding of why they must work safely. Following IOSH's thorough review of RSG's safety standards and facilities, RSG received authorization to deliver this training. This capability significantly elevates the developer's training standards, as it can now conduct these sessions in-house rather than relying on third-party providers.
The statement highlighted that last year, RSG hit remarkable milestones in health and safety. These included reaching 10 million hours worked without a Lost Time Injury (LTI) on Shura Island, set to open this year, and achieving 11 million hours worked without an LTI on Shebara Resort, which commenced operations in October 2024.

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Saudi Media Forum Discusses State of Arab Media, Global Ambitions

Diplomats and media industry experts highlighted the key dimensions of “soft power.” (SPA)
Diplomats and media industry experts highlighted the key dimensions of “soft power.” (SPA)
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Saudi Media Forum Discusses State of Arab Media, Global Ambitions

Diplomats and media industry experts highlighted the key dimensions of “soft power.” (SPA)
Diplomats and media industry experts highlighted the key dimensions of “soft power.” (SPA)

Diplomats and media industry experts shed light on “soft power” and how it can be leveraged to build national reputations and shape public awareness of contemporary international issues, as the Saudi Media Forum hosted candid discussions on the reality of the Arab media sector and the requirements for elevating its global impact.

During the second day of the forum, held in Riyadh, participants offered frank assessments of the challenges facing Arab media and the steps needed for it to meet the demands of the current phase and extend its influence internationally.

Panels and workshops explored a wide range of topics, including the role of citizen journalism in shaping the news agenda, the challenges of keeping pace with digital infrastructure amid rapid content industry transformations, and the craft of producing high-quality journalistic storytelling in an era of technological abundance and fragmented content trends.

Confronting Fake News and Disinformation

A session titled “Diplomacy of Influence: Media and Image-Making” examined the role of media in shaping perceptions and enhancing states’ soft power, with the participation of several ambassadors accredited to Saudi Arabia.

Diaa Al-Din Bamakhrama, Djibouti’s Ambassador and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in the Kingdom, said Saudi Arabia offers a prominent model of influence diplomacy through its hosting of international forums and its investment in culture and sports, particularly football, which has helped project Saudi presence across the globe.

“In an increasingly interconnected world that has become a small village, false and fabricated narratives fall quickly and cannot withstand the flow of information and facts,” Bamakhrama said, noting that digital media has made exposing falsehoods faster, and that only truthful narratives can build lasting trust with public opinion.

Spain’s Ambassador to the Kingdom Javier Carbajosa Sánchez stressed that the relationship between media and diplomacy is historic and has grown more complex and influential in the age of modern communications and social media.

Media, he said, has never been merely a transmitter, but an active and influential force, adding that political work cannot be separated from managing media presence.

For his part, Dr. Suhel Ajaz Khan, the Indian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, said that image-building and perception management lie at the heart of public and cultural diplomacy.

He explained that delivering the right message to the right audience is the key to influence, with art and national cuisine among the most effective soft-power tools.

He added that cultural diplomacy relies on activating soft-power instruments such as arts, music, cinema, and cuisine to enhance human connection and build bridges between peoples.

In Saudi Arabia, he noted, the Indian community, alongside Indian cinema and food culture, plays a major role in shaping perceptions and strengthening partnerships—sometimes with an impact exceeding that of formal diplomatic efforts.

In confronting fake news and digital disinformation, Khan stressed the need for swift, honest, and direct diplomacy to present facts before rumors spread.

South African Ambassador Mogobo David Magabe highlighted mutual respect and dialogue as fundamental pillars of diplomacy, pointing out that the main challenges today are the spread of disinformation and the accelerated pace of modern media, which contrasts with diplomacy’s traditionally gradual, long-term relationship-building approach.

A Candid Look at Arab Media

In a separate dialogue session on the realities of Arab media and the requirements for expanding its global reach, Saudi journalist Jameel Altheyabi said local Arab media is largely inward-looking, driven by a mindset focused on domestic audiences with limited consideration for the global sphere.

He described Arab media as often emotional, with varying approaches to content and engagement across the region.

Writer and journalist Mamoun Fandy said that stories produced in the Arab world are viewed internationally through the lens of their origin and nature, as global audiences apply their own standards of credibility, accuracy, and sourcing.

He added that the Arab world can generate distinctive journalistic stories capable of shaping global discourse through exclusivity and originality, expressing regret that many official Arab institutions still prefer foreign outlets to convey their narratives to the world.

Varieties

Iran Formally Allows Women to Ride Motorcycles

Women walk past a mural depicting children as future scientists in Tehran on February 3, 2026. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP)
Women walk past a mural depicting children as future scientists in Tehran on February 3, 2026. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP)
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Iran Formally Allows Women to Ride Motorcycles

Women walk past a mural depicting children as future scientists in Tehran on February 3, 2026. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP)
Women walk past a mural depicting children as future scientists in Tehran on February 3, 2026. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP)

Women in Iran can now formally obtain a license to ride a motorcycle, local media reported Wednesday, ending years of legal ambiguity surrounding two-wheelers.

The law previously did not explicitly prohibit women from riding motorbikes and scooters, but in practice authorities refused to issue licenses, AFP reported.

Due to the legal grey area, women have been held legally responsible for accidents even when victims.

Iran's First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref signed a resolution on Tuesday aimed at clarifying the traffic code, which was approved by Iran's cabinet in late January, the country's Ilna news agency reported.

The resolution obliges traffic police to "provide practical training to female applicants, organize an exam under the direct supervision of the police, and issue motorcycle driver's licenses to women", Ilna said.

The change follows a wave of protests across Iran that were initially sparked by economic grievances but which grew last month into nationwide anti-government demonstrations.

Varieties

Storm Leo Pounds Iberian Peninsula with Torrential Rains

A police car patrols an empty shopping area amid rain as storm Leonardo hits parts of Spain, in Ronda, Spain, February 4, 2026. (Reuters)
A police car patrols an empty shopping area amid rain as storm Leonardo hits parts of Spain, in Ronda, Spain, February 4, 2026. (Reuters)
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Storm Leo Pounds Iberian Peninsula with Torrential Rains

A police car patrols an empty shopping area amid rain as storm Leonardo hits parts of Spain, in Ronda, Spain, February 4, 2026. (Reuters)
A police car patrols an empty shopping area amid rain as storm Leonardo hits parts of Spain, in Ronda, Spain, February 4, 2026. (Reuters)

Spanish and Portuguese authorities braced on ​Wednesday for the impact of Storm Leo, suspending classes in some areas and warning against travel, just one week after deadly Storm Kristin wreaked havoc across the Iberian Peninsula.

Spain's state meteorological agency AEMET forecast that some parts of the southern Sierra Grazalema may see rainfall equivalent to a full year of precipitation from the storm.

Authorities are concerned about the heightened risk ‌of flooding as ‌the ground remains saturated from the ‌preceding storm ⁠and ​heavy rains ‌last month.

Spain recorded 119.3 mm of rainfall in January, 85% above the 1992-2020 average, making it the second-wettest January of the 21st century, the Environment Ministry said.

The regional government in Spain's southern Andalusia region urged residents to avoid non-essential travel, warning that public safety alerts could quickly escalate to the highest red-alert level as the ⁠storm evolves, regional leader Juanma Moreno said.

In-person classes were suspended across the region, ‌apart from in Almeria province, while Spain's ‍Military Emergency Unit was on alert ‍to provide a rapid response, including flood rescue, the stabilization ‍of landslide-prone areas and the monitoring of mining tailings ponds at risk of overflow.

Day centers for the elderly and disabled have been closed, and local governments in affected areas were advised to cancel outdoor sports ​activities, while about 3,000 people have been evacuated from areas most at risk of flooding.

High-risk regions include ⁠Grazalema, Campo de Gibraltar, Ronda and parts of Jaen, where residents received mobile alerts warning of the potential for heavy rainfall.

Emergency personnel, along with two aircraft and two helicopters, have been deployed to monitor flood-prone zones and provide real-time updates, Moreno said.

In Portugal, the national Civil Protection Service raised its preparedness to the highest level as its commander warned of a "very complex" meteorological situation ahead.

The Portuguese armed forces deployed up to 3,000 personnel and 42 inflatable boats with marine teams along flood-prone sections of the country's major rivers ‌as weather conditions were forecast to worsen throughout the week.