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Saudi Arabia Participates in the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025 in Abu Dhabi

General view of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, January 3, 2019. Picture taken January 3, 2019. REUTERS/ Hamad I Mohammed/File Photo
General view of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, January 3, 2019. Picture taken January 3, 2019. REUTERS/ Hamad I Mohammed/File Photo
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Saudi Arabia Participates in the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025 in Abu Dhabi

General view of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, January 3, 2019. Picture taken January 3, 2019. REUTERS/ Hamad I Mohammed/File Photo
General view of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, January 3, 2019. Picture taken January 3, 2019. REUTERS/ Hamad I Mohammed/File Photo

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is participating in the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025, which is taking place from October 9 to 15, 2025, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

The Saudi delegation is led by the National Center for Wildlife (NCW) and includes several national entities engaged in the environmental sector.

The conference is recognized as the world’s leading platform dedicated to the protection of biodiversity and the sustainability of natural resources. It aims to accelerate environmental action and promote innovative scientific solutions that advance collective efforts to safeguard nature, restore ecosystems, and strengthen global biodiversity resilience, according to SPA.

Saudi Arabia’s participation highlights a range of national programs and initiatives that contribute to protecting nature, restoring degraded habitats, and enhancing biodiversity. Alongside NCW, the delegation includes the Royal Commission for AlUla, the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Nature Reserve Development Authority, and the King Salman bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority.

This joint participation reaffirms the Kingdom’s commitment to achieving the 30×30 target—to protect 30% of terrestrial and marine areas by 2030—set by the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). By aligning this global target with national efforts such as the Saudi Green Initiative and the Middle East Green Initiative, Saudi Arabia is demonstrating its leadership in advancing regional and global environmental action.

The congress brings together global experts, leaders, and decision-makers in the field of nature conservation, serving as a forum, exhibition, and members’ assembly for sharing knowledge and presenting innovations in conservation and sustainable development. Held every four years, the 2025 edition focuses on the theme “Advancing Transformative Conservation”, which shapes the global nature agenda for the coming years.

NCW CEO Dr. Mohammed Qurban stated: “The Kingdom’s participation—represented by NCW and its national partners—underscores our firm commitment, under the leadership of the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to achieving the ambitious environmental goals of Saudi Vision 2030 and the Saudi Green and Middle East Green initiatives.”

He added: “The conference provides an important opportunity to exchange expertise and showcase the Kingdom’s significant achievements in protecting biodiversity and reintroducing endangered species in line with the highest international standards. It also reflects Saudi Arabia’s dedication to strengthening international cooperation and advancing innovative, transformative environmental solutions that drive sustainable impact.”

This step underscores the Kingdom’s prominent role in leading regional and global environmental efforts and its contribution to building a more balanced and sustainable environmental future.

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Ashfall Warning in Japan as Volcano Erupts

Mount Fuji and city's skyline are pictured from Tower Hall Funabori Observation Deck in Edogawa district of Tokyo on November 12, 2025. (Photo by Philip FONG / AFP)
Mount Fuji and city's skyline are pictured from Tower Hall Funabori Observation Deck in Edogawa district of Tokyo on November 12, 2025. (Photo by Philip FONG / AFP)
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Ashfall Warning in Japan as Volcano Erupts

Mount Fuji and city's skyline are pictured from Tower Hall Funabori Observation Deck in Edogawa district of Tokyo on November 12, 2025. (Photo by Philip FONG / AFP)
Mount Fuji and city's skyline are pictured from Tower Hall Funabori Observation Deck in Edogawa district of Tokyo on November 12, 2025. (Photo by Philip FONG / AFP)

A volcano in southern Japan erupted early Sunday sending a plume of ash and smoke into the sky and prompting a warning over ashfall.

Sakurajima, one of Japan's most active volcanoes, erupted before dawn, sending ash and smoke up to 4,400 meters (14,400 feet) into the sky, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

No damage has been reported, an official in Kagoshima prefecture, where the volcano is located, told AFP.

But the weather agency forecast ashfall in part of Kagoshima and neighboring Miyazaki prefecture, as the eruption continued several times.

"In areas where a moderate amount of ashfall is expected, please take measures to protect yourself from ash, such as using umbrellas or masks, and make sure to drive slowly," the agency said.

The agency has kept its alert level unchanged at three on a scale of five, which restricts access to the mountain.

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Qiddiya City Announces Opening of Six Flags Qiddiya City on December 31

Located at the heart of the Tuwaiq Mountains, just 40 minutes from Riyadh, Six Flags Qiddiya City will bring world-class entertainment, sports, and cultural experiences together in a way never seen before. (SPA)
Located at the heart of the Tuwaiq Mountains, just 40 minutes from Riyadh, Six Flags Qiddiya City will bring world-class entertainment, sports, and cultural experiences together in a way never seen before. (SPA)
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Qiddiya City Announces Opening of Six Flags Qiddiya City on December 31

Located at the heart of the Tuwaiq Mountains, just 40 minutes from Riyadh, Six Flags Qiddiya City will bring world-class entertainment, sports, and cultural experiences together in a way never seen before. (SPA)
Located at the heart of the Tuwaiq Mountains, just 40 minutes from Riyadh, Six Flags Qiddiya City will bring world-class entertainment, sports, and cultural experiences together in a way never seen before. (SPA)

Six Flags Qiddiya City, Saudi Arabia's first of its kind theme park and entertainment destination, will welcome visitors from December 31, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Saturday.

Qiddiya City is the world's first global destination built entirely upon the Power of Play. Located at the heart of the Tuwaiq Mountains, just 40 minutes from Riyadh, this vibrant city will bring world-class entertainment, sports, and cultural experiences together in a way never seen before.

Six Flags Qiddiya City, Qiddiya City's inaugural entertainment destination, will bring next-level thrills and unforgettable experiences to families, friends, and adventure-seekers from across the Kingdom and beyond. It will feature 28 rides, including record-breaking experiences, such as Falcons Flight, the world's tallest, fastest, and longest roller coaster; Iron Rattler, the world's tallest tilt coaster, and Spitfire, the world's tallest inverted coaster.

With 18 rides specially designed for families and younger entertainment-seekers, the park ensures entertainment for all generations. Guests can also look forward to a variety of international dining options, along with retail outlets offering exclusive Six Flags merchandise and souvenirs.

The theme park is designed to be accessible to all guests, including individuals with special needs, senior citizens, and their companions, ensuring an enjoyable and inclusive experience for everyone.

Park President of Six Flags Qiddiya City Brian Machamer said: "Six Flags Qiddiya City not only opens its door to the public for the first time, it starts to showcase everything Qiddiya City stands for: bold imagination, unforgettable experiences, and a new benchmark for global entertainment".

With flexible and inclusive ticketing options, guests can look forward to an unforgettable experience filled with world-class thrills and nonstop fun.

Guests can reach Six Flags Qiddiya City by car, taxi, or shuttle. Metro schedules are available on the Riyadh Public Transport website, and only guests with valid tickets may board.

The Six Flags Qiddiya City is the first Six Flags theme park outside North America, promising an unforgettable blend of thrills, culture, and sustainability in Qiddiya City, Saudi Arabia. With 28 exclusive rides and attractions across six immersive lands, anchored by the vibrant Citadel, visitors will embark on a dynamic journey through the rich heritage of Saudi Arabia in a sustainable setting.

Qiddiya City is Qiddiya Investment Company's inaugural new global destination built from scratch on the foundations of play. Located at the heart of the Tuwaiq Mountains, just 40 minutes from Riyadh, the vibrant master-planned city brings entertainment, sports, and culture together in a way never seen before.

With Qiddiya's Power of Play philosophy at its heart, the city is designed to host some of the world's biggest sports competitions, festivals, concerts, and cultural events.

At scale, Qiddiya City will offer residents and visitors a high quality of life with hundreds of attractions and experiences, coupled with residential, retail, office, hospitality, healthcare, and educational offerings set in a thoughtfully planned, smart, and sustainable urban fabric.

Varieties

Brazilian 'Superman' Cheers Child Cancer Patients in Ghana

Leonardo Muylaert, known as the "Brazilian Superman", poses with patients and their relatives during a visit at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, on November 14, 2025. (AFP)
Leonardo Muylaert, known as the "Brazilian Superman", poses with patients and their relatives during a visit at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, on November 14, 2025. (AFP)
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Brazilian 'Superman' Cheers Child Cancer Patients in Ghana

Leonardo Muylaert, known as the "Brazilian Superman", poses with patients and their relatives during a visit at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, on November 14, 2025. (AFP)
Leonardo Muylaert, known as the "Brazilian Superman", poses with patients and their relatives during a visit at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, on November 14, 2025. (AFP)

The three-storey Child Health Department of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Ghana's capital Accra is a place with hushed corridors, labored breathing and parents clutching on to hope.

But on Friday, the gloom gave way to shrieks of joy as children with drips taped to their arms sat upright for the first time in days.

Others, too weak to stand, managed faint but determined smiles. Nurses paused mid-rounds, phones raised in the cancer ward. Even exhausted mothers lit up.

The reason was nearly six feet seven inches (2.03-meter) tall, dressed in the iconic blue-and-red Superman suit and cape.

In real life Leonardo Muylaert is a lawyer specialized in civil rights who needs reading glasses to work.

Muylaert - known worldwide as the "Brazilian Superman" - was rounding up his one-week maiden visit to Ghana, his first trip to Africa, and the cancer ward erupted into life.

Everywhere he walked, children reached for his hands. Parents scrambled for selfies. Medical staff crowded the hallways.

"He moved from bed to bed, giving each child attention," a nurse whispered. "For some of them, this is the first time we’ve seen them smile in weeks."

For 35-year-old Regina Awuku, whose five-year-old son is battling leukemia, the moment was miraculous.

"My son was so happy to see Superman. This means a lot to us," she told AFP.

"You saw my son lying quietly on the bed, but he had the energy to wake up as soon as he saw him."

"I chose Ghana to visit for my birthday," Muylaert, who studied in the United States on a basketball scholarship, said.

"I feel I identify with the culture, with the heritage, with the happiness.”

His sudden fame began in 2022 at the Comic-Con convention in Sao Paulo when a stranger surreptitiously shot a cell phone video of him, amazed at his resemblance to Superman film star Christopher Reeve.

"Am I seeing Clark Kent?" asked the star-struck comic book fan, in a clip that soon racked up thousands of views on TikTok - unbeknownst to Muylaert, who did not even have a social media account at the time.

Weeks later, Muylaert learned through friends that he had become an online sensation.

"It was funny and crazy to read that so many people think I look like Superman," he told AFP then.

That's when an idea took root in the back of his mind, he said: get a Superman suit and try the alter ego on for size. He ordered an old-fashioned costume online, and started travelling around Brazil as Superman.

Muylaert visits hospitals, schools and charities, poses for pictures with commuters on random street corners, and generally tries to be what he calls a symbol of kindness and hope - all free of charge.

He now visits vulnerable people worldwide.

In Accra, after leaving the hospital, he went to a prosthetics workshop on the city’s outskirts, where amputee children screamed "Superman! Superman!" as he joined their football match.

For Akua Sarpong, founder of Lifeline for Childhood Cancer Ghana, the impact was immediate.

"It has been a fun-filled day," she said.

"I have seen so many children smiling and happy, even children undergoing treatment sitting up that I haven’t seen in a long time. He has brought such positive change."

Muylaert said the visit reinforced his belief in small acts of kindness. "Everybody can be a hero... you don’t need a cape," he told AFP.

"The smile on their faces changes the world."

As he prepared to fly back to Brazil, he said "the idea is to spread happiness all over."

"Maybe we won’t change the whole world, but as long as we inspire one person, that person inspires the other."