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OceanQuest Launched in Saudi Arabia with a Mission to Accelerate Ocean Discovery

OceanQuest Launched in Saudi Arabia with a Mission to Accelerate Ocean Discovery
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OceanQuest Launched in Saudi Arabia with a Mission to Accelerate Ocean Discovery

OceanQuest Launched in Saudi Arabia with a Mission to Accelerate Ocean Discovery

OceanQuest, a Saudi Arabian not-for-profit foundation, announced its official launch in Jeddah on Monday. Aligned with the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, OceanQuest is poised to usher in a new era of deep-ocean discovery and collaboration.

OceanQuest is on a mission to accelerate ocean discovery, drive innovation, and foster international cooperation while engaging the public. By cultivating partnerships that advance multidisciplinary ocean research, the foundation aims to benefit humanity, enhance ocean literacy, and elevate public awareness.

OceanQuest Chairman of the Board of Trustees Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Farhan stated: "As a nation rooted in progress and innovation, we are committed to unlocking the mysteries of the deep ocean for the benefit of humanity."

"This initiative exemplifies our Kingdom's ambition to lead in science and discovery, foster global collaboration, and create opportunities for future generations. Through this collective effort, OceanQuest will drive solutions to some of the most pressing challenges of our time," he added.

OceanQuest will support Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 ambitions by spearheading innovation in ocean exploration, nurturing global partnerships, and advancing sustainable development. The foundation is set to contribute to the Kingdom’s national research, development, and innovation (RDI) targets by providing SAR3 billion in research and development funding by 2050 and supporting more than 150 scientists annually.

In addition, OceanQuest will help achieve the Kingdom’s goal of protecting 30% of its marine habitats by bolstering the biotech and pharmaceuticals strategy, identifying sensitive marine ecosystems, enabling sustainable projects along the Red Sea, and leveraging deep-sea corals as natural carbon sinks to support Saudi Arabia’s decarbonization efforts.

The Board of Trustees of the foundation consists of Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Farhan (Chairman of the Board), Advisor to the Royal Court Dr. Fahad bin Abdullah Toonsi, Governor of the Public Investment Fund Yasir Al-Rumayyan, Advisor to the Royal Court Abdulaziz bin Ismail Tarabzoni, CEO of NEOM Aiman Al-Mudaifer, CEO of Red Sea Global John Pagano, President of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) Prof. Edward Byrne, and Raymond Thomas Dalio.

Based at KAUST campus in Thuwal, Saudi Arabia, OceanQuest is committed to unveiling the wonders of the ocean and exploring its secrets for the benefit of humanity. Its mission is to accelerate ocean discovery, drive innovation in the field, support global cooperation, and engage the public. OceanQuest and its global partners will launch a new era of deep ocean exploration and knowledge sharing.

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Saudi National Center for Wildlife, Soudah Development Company Release Birds of Prey

The release comes as part of reintroduction programs aimed at enhancing ecological balance and restoring biodiversity in one of the Kingdom’s most prominent mountainous environmental zones - SPA
The release comes as part of reintroduction programs aimed at enhancing ecological balance and restoring biodiversity in one of the Kingdom’s most prominent mountainous environmental zones - SPA
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Saudi National Center for Wildlife, Soudah Development Company Release Birds of Prey

The release comes as part of reintroduction programs aimed at enhancing ecological balance and restoring biodiversity in one of the Kingdom’s most prominent mountainous environmental zones - SPA
The release comes as part of reintroduction programs aimed at enhancing ecological balance and restoring biodiversity in one of the Kingdom’s most prominent mountainous environmental zones - SPA

Saudi Arabia's National Center for Wildlife (NCW), in cooperation with Soudah Development Company, has released a number of birds of prey in Al-Soudah Park, including three griffon vultures, a black kite, an Arabian scops owl, and an Eurasian sparrowhawk, after rehabilitating them at shelter centers.

 

The release comes as part of reintroduction programs aimed at enhancing ecological balance and restoring biodiversity in one of the Kingdom’s most prominent mountainous environmental zones, SPA reported.

This release followed the completion of rehabilitation and environmental acclimatization stages to ensure the birds’ readiness and ability to adapt to the nature of the area, contributing to the stability of local species and boosting their ecological roles within mountain ecosystems, particularly in regulating food chains and preserving the health of natural habitats.

The NCW noted that this step falls within its ongoing programs to breed and reintroduce threatened wildlife species, rehabilitate ecosystems, and enrich biodiversity across various regions of the Kingdom, in cooperation with national partners and in line with the objectives of the Saudi Green Initiative and the National Environment Strategy, which support the environmental development goals of the Saudi Vision 2030.

Specialized teams will continue to monitor the released birds and track their movements and ecological behavior using dedicated tools and technologies, supporting the evaluation of the program’s success and the improvement of its outcomes in the future in accordance with the best global environmental practices.

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Ariane 6 Lifts Off with 2 European Navigation Satellites

The European Space Agency (ESA) Ariane 6 rocket carrying two Galileo satellites for the the EU's Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) launches at the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, on the French overseas department of Guiana, on December 17, 2025. (Photo by Ronan LIETAR / AFP)
The European Space Agency (ESA) Ariane 6 rocket carrying two Galileo satellites for the the EU's Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) launches at the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, on the French overseas department of Guiana, on December 17, 2025. (Photo by Ronan LIETAR / AFP)
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Ariane 6 Lifts Off with 2 European Navigation Satellites

The European Space Agency (ESA) Ariane 6 rocket carrying two Galileo satellites for the the EU's Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) launches at the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, on the French overseas department of Guiana, on December 17, 2025. (Photo by Ronan LIETAR / AFP)
The European Space Agency (ESA) Ariane 6 rocket carrying two Galileo satellites for the the EU's Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) launches at the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, on the French overseas department of Guiana, on December 17, 2025. (Photo by Ronan LIETAR / AFP)

A European Ariane 6 rocket blasted off from France's Kourou space base in French Guiana early Wednesday, carrying two Galileo global navigation satellites, according to an AFP correspondent.

Lift-off was at 2:01 am local time (0501 GMT) for the fourth commercial flight of the Ariane 6 launch system since the expendable rockets came into service last year.

The rocket was carrying two more satellites of the European Union's Galileo program, a global navigation satellite system that aims to make the bloc less dependent on the US's Global Positioning System (GPS).

The two satellites were set to be placed in orbit nearly four hours after lift-off.

They will bring to 34 the number of Galileo satellites in orbit and "will improve the robustness of the Galileo system by adding spares to the constellation to guarantee the system can provide 24/7 navigation to billions of users. The satellites will join the constellation in medium Earth orbit 23, 222 km (14,429 miles) above Earth’s surface," according to the European Space Agency (ESA) which oversees the program.

Previous Galileo satellites were primarily launched by Ariane 5 and Russian Soyuz rockets from Kourou.

After Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Europe halted space cooperation with Moscow.

Before the Ariane 6 rocket entered into service in July 2024, the EU contracted with Elon Musk's SpaceX to launch two Galileo satellites aboard Falcon 9 rockets in September 2024 from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

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Delhi Restricts Vehicles, Office Attendance in Bid to Curb Pollution

Children ride a bicycle across a field on smoggy winter morning in New Delhi on December 17, 2025. (Photo by Arun SANKAR / AFP)
Children ride a bicycle across a field on smoggy winter morning in New Delhi on December 17, 2025. (Photo by Arun SANKAR / AFP)
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Delhi Restricts Vehicles, Office Attendance in Bid to Curb Pollution

Children ride a bicycle across a field on smoggy winter morning in New Delhi on December 17, 2025. (Photo by Arun SANKAR / AFP)
Children ride a bicycle across a field on smoggy winter morning in New Delhi on December 17, 2025. (Photo by Arun SANKAR / AFP)

Authorities in India's capital Delhi rolled out strict measures on Wednesday in an attempt to curb pollution, including a ban on vehicles not compliant with latest emission control norms and regulating attendance in private and government offices.

The air quality index (AQI) in the Delhi region, home to 30 million people, has been in the 'severe' category for the past few days, often crossing the 450-mark. In addition, shallow fog in parts of the city worsened visibility that impacted flights and trains.

This prompted the Commission for Air Quality Management to invoke stage four, the highest level, of the Graded Response Action Plan for Delhi and surrounding areas on Saturday.

The curbs ban the entry of older diesel trucks into the city, suspend construction, including on public projects, and impose hybrid schooling, Reuters reported.

Kapil Mishra, a minister in the local government, announced on Wednesday that all private and government offices in the city would operate with 50% attendance, with the remaining working from home.

Additionally, all registered construction workers, many of them earning daily wages, will be given compensation of 10,000 rupees ($110) because of the ban, Mishra said at a press conference in Delhi.

On Tuesday, the government enforced strict anti-pollution measures for vehicles in the city, banning vehicles that are not compliant with the latest emission control standards.

"Our government is committed to providing clean air in Delhi. We will take strict steps to ensure this in the coming days," Delhi's Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said late on Tuesday.

Pollution is an annual winter problem in Delhi and its suburbs, when cold, dense air traps emissions from vehicles, construction sites and crop burning in neighboring states, pushing pollution levels to among the highest in the world and exposing residents to severe respiratory risks.

The area, home to 30 million people, gets covered in a thick layer of smog with AQI touching high 450-levels. Readings below 50 are considered good.