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Saudi Arabia to Host 9th Conference of Environment Ministers in Islamic World

Saudi Arabia is set to host and preside over the 9th Conference of Environment Ministers in the Islamic World.
Saudi Arabia is set to host and preside over the 9th Conference of Environment Ministers in the Islamic World.
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Saudi Arabia to Host 9th Conference of Environment Ministers in Islamic World

Saudi Arabia is set to host and preside over the 9th Conference of Environment Ministers in the Islamic World.
Saudi Arabia is set to host and preside over the 9th Conference of Environment Ministers in the Islamic World.

Saudi Arabia is set to host and preside over the 9th Conference of Environment Ministers in the Islamic World.

The conference, organized by the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture in partnership with the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), will take place in Jeddah from October 18 to 19. A total of 52 countries and 30 regional and international organizations dedicated to environmental matters will participate in the event.

The conference program will include several scientific sessions. The first session will address the concept of green transformation within the Islamic world, examining both the challenges and opportunities it presents. The second session will focus on the role of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies in achieving sustainable development goals. The closing session will conclude the conference.

Coinciding with the conference, the Sixth Meeting of the Islamic Executive Bureau for the Environment will convene, bringing together the nine member states of the Executive Bureau, as well as numerous regional and international organizations. Additionally, an exhibition will be held concurrently with the conference.

During the ministerial meeting, elections will be held to select members of the Islamic Executive Bureau for the Environment. Furthermore, decisions regarding the location and date of the tenth conference session will be made.

One of the main highlights of the conference will be the presentation of the third edition of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Award for Environmental Management. This prestigious award will recognize 21 winners from 18 Islamic nations for their outstanding contributions to environmental management.

By hosting this conference, Saudi Arabia reaffirms its commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainable development within the Islamic world.

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Russian ‘Spy Whale’ in Norway Wasn’t Shot Dead, Likely Died of Infection

FILE - In this photo taken in April 2019 a beluga whale found in Arctic Norway is fed. (Jorgen Ree Wiig, Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries via AP)
FILE - In this photo taken in April 2019 a beluga whale found in Arctic Norway is fed. (Jorgen Ree Wiig, Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries via AP)
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Russian ‘Spy Whale’ in Norway Wasn’t Shot Dead, Likely Died of Infection

FILE - In this photo taken in April 2019 a beluga whale found in Arctic Norway is fed. (Jorgen Ree Wiig, Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries via AP)
FILE - In this photo taken in April 2019 a beluga whale found in Arctic Norway is fed. (Jorgen Ree Wiig, Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries via AP)

A beluga whale that lived off Norway’s coast and whose harness ignited speculation that it was a Russian spy, was not shot to death as claimed by animal rights groups but died of a bacterial infection, Norwegian police said Friday.
A final autopsy by Norway's Veterinary Institute “concludes that the probable cause of death was bacterial infection -- possibly as a result of a wound in the mouth from a stuck stick,” Amund Preede Revheim, head of the North Sea and Environment section of the police in south-western Norway said.
“There have been no findings from the autopsy that indicate that the whale has been shot,” he stressed, adding that the autopsy had been “made difficult by the fact that many of the whale’s organs were very rotten.” As there was no indication of foul play, there was no reason to start a criminal investigation into its death, The Associated Press quoted Preede Revheim as saying.
The tame beluga, which was first spotted in 2019 not far from Russian waters with a harness reading “Equipment St. Petersburg,” had been nicknamed "Hvaldimir,” combining the Norwegian word for whale — hval — and the first name of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
It was found floating in a southern Norway bay on Aug. 31.
In September, animal advocate groups OneWhale and NOAH filed a police report saying that the animal’s wounds suggested it was intentionally killed.
They pointed at several wounds found on the animal’s skin, including what was interpreted as a bullet hole.
“Assessments made by the Veterinary Institute and the police’s forensic technicians are that these are not gunshot wounds. X-rays of the chest and head were carried out without any projectiles or other metal fragments being detected,” police said in a statement.
Earlier, police had described a stick about 35 centimeters (14 inches) long and 3 centimeters (1 inch) wide which was found wedged in the animal’s mouth, its stomach was empty and its organs had broken down, police said. No further details were given.
The 4.2-meter (14-foot) long and 1,225-kilogram (2,700-pound) whale was first spotted by fishermen not far from the Arctic town of Hammerfest.
Its harness, along with what appeared to be a mount for a small camera, led to media speculation that it was a “spy whale.” Experts say the Russian navy is known to have trained whales for military purposes. Media reports also have speculated that the whale might have been trained as a therapy animal.
There was no immediate reaction from OneWhale or NOAH.