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KAUST Launches Pioneering Centers of Excellence to Address Key National, International Priorities

Officials are seen at the launch of the Centers of Excellence (CoEs). (SPA)
Officials are seen at the launch of the Centers of Excellence (CoEs). (SPA)
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KAUST Launches Pioneering Centers of Excellence to Address Key National, International Priorities

Officials are seen at the launch of the Centers of Excellence (CoEs). (SPA)
Officials are seen at the launch of the Centers of Excellence (CoEs). (SPA)

Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) announced on Sunday the launch of four pioneering Centers of Excellence (CoEs) to drive research and development in priority national and international fields.

The move brings KAUST further in line with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and is fundamental to its Accelerating Impact strategy that strengthens its position as a "global leader in applied science", said KAUST in a statement.

The newly established CoEs, each led by renowned experts, will tackle issues concerning health and wellness, sustainable environment and essential needs, energy and industrial leadership, and economies of the future. They are crucial to KAUST’s goal of providing impactful solutions that support national economic objectives.

The Center of Excellence for Generative AI, led by professors Bernard Ghanem and Juergen Schmidhuber, will spearhead the development of general-purpose AI models that can be tailored to meet the unique demands of the Kingdom’s research, development, and innovation (RDI) priorities.

The center aims to become a leading force in Generative AI research, driving advancements in various sectors.

Prof. Husam Al Shareef, an expert in battery technologies and material science, along with chemistry professor Zhiping Lai, will lead the Center of Excellence for Renewable Energy and Storage Technologies, which focuses on cutting-edge renewable energy and storage technology development and deployment.

It will play a critical role in Saudi Arabia's shift to sustainable energy by “prototyping and commercializing innovations that enhance the Kingdom’s industrial competitiveness”.

The Center of Excellence for Sustainable Food Security, led by Prof. Mark Tester, an expert in plant science and agriculture in arid environments, and co-chaired by professors Brande Wulff, a leader in crop genetics, and Peiying Hong, an expert in environmental microbiology and wastewater treatment, will focus on advancing technology-driven agricultural solutions.

It will address resource efficiency, crop improvement and sustainable biosystems, to boost food security in Saudi Arabia and beyond, with minimum negative impact.

Prof. Imed Gallouzi, an expert in RNA biology and mRNA processing, along with Professor Xin Gao, an expert in computational biology and AI, will lead the Center of Excellence for Smart Health, which focuses on developing and deploying digital and AI-driven technologies with the goal of transforming healthcare in Saudi Arabia through precision medicine, promoting innovation, entrepreneurship and education to revolutionize the Kingdom’s healthcare system.

Commenting on the launch, KAUST President Prof. Edward Byrne AC stated: “The establishment of these new Centers of Excellence exemplifies our commitment to pioneering scientific leadership and discovery.”

“By Focusing on AI, renewable energy, sustainable food security, and smart health, we are not only addressing the Kingdom’s most pressing challenges but also positioning KAUST as a global leader in these critical fields,” he added.

“I am excited to collaborate with our exceptional teams to turn ideas into solutions that enhance the quality of life and create a sustainable future for the Kingdom and beyond.”

These CoEs were launched because they strongly align with national priorities, are interdisciplinary in nature and have the potential to create tangible economic and social impacts.

“They will play a vital role in leading pioneering research, in line with KAUST’s Accelerating Impact strategy, and will be integrated with KAUST’s National Transformation Institute to drive research excellence and innovation,” said the statement.

“KAUST’s Accelerating Impact strategy was launched by Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince, Prime Minister, and Chairman of KAUST Board of Trustees. This strategy focuses on aligning research with national priorities and supporting the Kingdom’s economic diversification through impactful RDI projects,” it added.

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French Family Rescued After 16 Hours Adrift Off Thai Island

A ship that ferries passengers and vehicles during a 22-hour journey between Bangkok and the southern Thai island of Koh Samui, sails along the Chao Praya River in Bangkok on August 12, 2026. (Photo by ANTHONY WALLACE / AFP)
A ship that ferries passengers and vehicles during a 22-hour journey between Bangkok and the southern Thai island of Koh Samui, sails along the Chao Praya River in Bangkok on August 12, 2026. (Photo by ANTHONY WALLACE / AFP)
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French Family Rescued After 16 Hours Adrift Off Thai Island

A ship that ferries passengers and vehicles during a 22-hour journey between Bangkok and the southern Thai island of Koh Samui, sails along the Chao Praya River in Bangkok on August 12, 2026. (Photo by ANTHONY WALLACE / AFP)
A ship that ferries passengers and vehicles during a 22-hour journey between Bangkok and the southern Thai island of Koh Samui, sails along the Chao Praya River in Bangkok on August 12, 2026. (Photo by ANTHONY WALLACE / AFP)

A French family spent more than 16 hours floating at sea after their jet ski capsized off Thailand's Koh Samui island before being rescued, a local official told AFP on Saturday.

The 50-year-old father and his two sons, aged five and seven, were taken to hospital for checks after their overnight ordeal but were discharged shortly afterwards, local government official Amorn Chomchoey said.

"We found them exhausted after swallowing a lot of seawater," he told AFP.

"They were pale, especially the boys."

The father had rented a jet ski from a local operator on Koh Samui, a popular resort island in the Gulf of Thailand, at around 5:00 pm on Thursday.

The operator became concerned when the family failed to return at the agreed time and alerted local rescuers and provincial authorities, Amorn said.

They were found at around 10:00 am on Friday.

Investigators are looking into why the jet ski capsized after operating just over 15 minutes, Amorn's secretary, who also works as a translator, told AFP.

The father told officials he was an experienced jet ski driver, the secretary said.

But the jet ski operator told local media that the family appeared to have travelled outside the agreed area specified in the rental contract.

Footage of the rescue shared by the Koh Samui district office showed the jet ski almost completely capsized, with only its triangular front section visible above the water.

One of the boys was sitting on top of the jet ski while his father floated nearby, both of them wearing life jackets.

One rescuer can be heard shouting, "calm down" and "they survived," and later helped the boy onto another boat and provided the family with water.

The family remained in Thailand and continued their holiday, officials said.

Koh Samui is one of Thailand's most popular islands for families, thanks to its calm seas and wide range of resorts, attracting millions of visitors each year.

Varieties

Lions and Tigers Begin Long-awaited Rescue from Notorious Argentine Zoo

Members of the Four Paws animal welfare organization carry a tiger to a crate for its transfer from a shuttered zoo to a sanctuary in South Africa, in Lujan, Argentina, Friday, Aug. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Members of the Four Paws animal welfare organization carry a tiger to a crate for its transfer from a shuttered zoo to a sanctuary in South Africa, in Lujan, Argentina, Friday, Aug. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
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Lions and Tigers Begin Long-awaited Rescue from Notorious Argentine Zoo

Members of the Four Paws animal welfare organization carry a tiger to a crate for its transfer from a shuttered zoo to a sanctuary in South Africa, in Lujan, Argentina, Friday, Aug. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Members of the Four Paws animal welfare organization carry a tiger to a crate for its transfer from a shuttered zoo to a sanctuary in South Africa, in Lujan, Argentina, Friday, Aug. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

Thirty lions and tigers that were kept alive — barely — for years in cramped concrete cages at a shuttered Argentine zoo began entering jumbo-size transport crates Friday as they embarked on ambitious journeys to wildlife sanctuaries halfway across the world in South Africa and the United States.

The cats are being rescued from the former Luján Zoo, about 70 kilometers (43 miles) northwest of Argentina's capital of Buenos Aires, after years of uncertainty over their fate.

Four Paws, the international animal-welfare organization overseeing the transfer, described it as one of the largest relocations of captive big cats in the world.

“We are putting everything into making this go as smoothly as possible so we can celebrate that 30 lives have improved because of this effort,” said Luciana D’Abramo, program director for Four Paws.

Once loaded into their crates and placed aboard cargo and passenger jets, nine tigers and six lions will be flown to Lionsrock, a Four Paws sanctuary in South Africa that houses more than 80 big cats across natural enclosures sprawling 60 hectares (148 acres).

The Wild Animal Sanctuary in Colorado, a vast refuge on the grasslands northeast of Denver where rescued lions, tigers and other animals roam expansive habitats.

But getting there is no easy feat: The big cats bound for Colorado will fly through Chile, while the others will travel to Johannesburg via Frankfurt or Amsterdam before a four-hour drive to Lionsrock.

The Four Paws handlers trained many of the lions and tigers to enter the crates voluntarily. But some of the big cats required sedation, including two tigers that veterinarians hoisted in canvas slings Friday and carried by hand to their transport crates, The Associated Press reported.

Argentine authorities shut down the Lujan Zoo — famous for letting visitors handle and pose for pictures with tigers and lions — over safety and animal welfare concerns in 2020.

D’Abramo said about 200 big cats were living there when it closed. Only 112 remained when Four Paws first arrived in 2023 seeking a solution.

By the time the organization was allowed to take over the site two years later, that number had fallen to 62. Some of the captive animals can barely walk because of obesity, muscle loss or poor nutrition. Others suffer from dental and kidney disease, complications from declawing and injuries that never healed properly.

“That alone shows the level of overcrowding and the conditions in which these animals have endured,” D’Abramo said.

The organization retrained longtime zoo employees in modern animal-welfare practices and began improving the cats’ diets and medical care. This transfer leaves more than 20 lions and tigers at Luján while Four Paws searches for their long-term homes.

Varieties

Spain Investigates Likely Shooting of Endangered 'Grandmother' Orca

A handout photo shows marks on the dorsal fin of an elderly Iberian orca known as "Toñi," in the Strait of Gibraltar, Spain, August 11, 2026. WeWhale & Iberian Orca Guardians/Handout via REUTERS
A handout photo shows marks on the dorsal fin of an elderly Iberian orca known as "Toñi," in the Strait of Gibraltar, Spain, August 11, 2026. WeWhale & Iberian Orca Guardians/Handout via REUTERS
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Spain Investigates Likely Shooting of Endangered 'Grandmother' Orca

A handout photo shows marks on the dorsal fin of an elderly Iberian orca known as "Toñi," in the Strait of Gibraltar, Spain, August 11, 2026. WeWhale & Iberian Orca Guardians/Handout via REUTERS
A handout photo shows marks on the dorsal fin of an elderly Iberian orca known as "Toñi," in the Strait of Gibraltar, Spain, August 11, 2026. WeWhale & Iberian Orca Guardians/Handout via REUTERS

Spain's Environment Ministry has ordered an investigation into the likely shooting of a rare Iberian orca that was filmed swimming with wounds to its dorsal fin, Deputy Prime Minister Sara Aagesen said on Friday.

"The oldest orca in the Strait of Gibraltar has appeared with marks compatible with pellets" fired from a shotgun this week, she wrote in a post on Bluesky, announcing the investigation. "It is a vulnerable species and any harm to them is a serious ⁠crime."

The WeWhale Association ⁠and Iberian Orca Guardians said earlier they had documented multiple new wounds across the dorsal fin of Toñi, the oldest known Iberian orca, during their field operations.

"Seeing Toñi, “La Abuela” (the grandmother) like this is devastating," said Janek Andre, head of ⁠the two conservation groups. "If someone has deliberately fired a shotgun at her, this is not only an act of extreme cruelty against an individual animal. It is an attack on one of the last remaining members of a critically endangered population."

The Iberian orca subpopulation counts fewer than 40 animals, Reuters quoted the groups as saying.

Referring to a series of boat rammings by orca pods off the coasts of ⁠Spain ⁠and Portugal in recent years, Andre said: "Whatever someone’s opinion about those interactions may be, shooting at these animals can never be an acceptable response. These orcas need protection, not retaliation."

Scientists have yet to reach a consensus on the reasons for this relatively recent boat-ramming behavior. Although known as killer whales, orcas are part of the dolphin family. They can measure up to 8 meters (26 feet) and weigh up to 6 metric tons (13,200 pounds) as adults.