Category: General

Sharjah, The first King Sejong Institute Center (KSIC) headquarters in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) has officially opened in the emirate of Sharjah.

In collaboration with the Department of Government Relations (DGR) in Sharjah, the KSIC has been launched in line with the emirate’s ongoing mission to build bridges between cultures and strengthen collaborations with countries worldwide and will begin pilot courses in the first half of this year to be held at the University of Sharjah.

According to Emirates News Agency (WAM), the new regional headquarters is set to commence its operations in the region by initiating pilot courses in the first half of this year, with plans to expand its network, establish local connections, and introduce regular courses in the second half of 2024. Following this initial phase, the trajectory of the institute involves further expansion into the MENA region, adding additional courses, and developing locally tailored content throughout 2025.

The courses will be offer
ed through three comprehensive levels of Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced, enabling students to progressively build their language proficiency and cultural understanding.

The KSIC in Sharjah will also advance the connection between the two nations by training translators to mediate between Korean and Arabic, catering to professionals in the UAE, Korea, and the wider MENA region.

The institute has developed specific textbooks tailored to various industries, including tourism, education, and business. These textbooks are designed to address the unique needs of different demographics, ensuring that students acquire the necessary language skills for their specific career paths.

This strategic approach aims to solidify the institute’s presence, enhance cultural exchanges, and promote the Korean language and culture effectively in the region.

Shaikh Majid bin Abdullah Al Qasimi, the Director of DGR, affirmed the department’s essential role in advancing international cooperation based on cultural exchange an
d communication with countries and cultures worldwide.

He noted that DGR’s efforts align with Sharjah’s vision to nurture communities focused on strengthening bilateral relations and understanding between peoples, bolstering the emirate’s status as a hub for cultures and a platform for comprehensive human dialogue.

Lee Hai-young, the President of the King Sejong Institute Foundation, expressed his enthusiasm and gratitude for the opportunity to establish the first regional headquarters in Sharjah.

The opening ceremony featured a variety of segments, including performances of traditional Korean music and a K-pop routine which featured performers from both South Korea and residents in the UAE, and an official ribbon-cutting ceremony, which shows the cultural exchange between South Korea and the UAE, and marking the official opening of the institute centre.

Source: Bahrain News Agency

Doha: The State of Qatar hosted a delegation from the Russian Federation, led by HE Presidential Commissioner for Children’s Rights Maria Lvova Belova. This comes within the framework of Qatar’s ongoing mediation efforts to reunite families separated by the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.

HE Minister of State for International Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Lolwah bint Rashid Al Khater, met with the Russian delegation. Accompanied by the delegation, Her Excellency welcomed the Russian families hosted by the State of Qatar as part of the Health and Recovery Program, in the framework of enhancing trust and demonstrating the tangible positive results of the mediation process.

In addition, HE Lolwah bint Rashid Al Khater and HE Maria Lvova-Belova discussed further cooperation for humanitarian purposes, including the reunification of separated children with their parents and other close relatives.

In a statement, HE the Minister of State for International Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affa
irs expressed her gratitude towards the visiting Russian delegation. “We are profoundly thankful to HE Mrs. Maria Lvova Belova, and her team, for their pivotal role and ongoing commitment to the reunification efforts,” she remarked. “This visit not only strengthens our collaborative efforts, but also brings invaluable support to our shared goal of healing and restoring families affected by the conflict,” she added.

“We are sincerely grateful to HE Lolwah bint Rashid Al Khater for her attention to the well-being of Russian and Ukrainian children. At today’s meeting, we discussed the current groups that we are working on and identified those who genuinely need assistance in reuniting with their families. They include 29 children who are currently in Russia, and we are working to reunite them with their parents and loved ones in Ukraine. We also asked for assistance in reunifying 19 children in different countries with their families in Russia. Thank you to the State of Qatar for creating space for dialogue,” s
aid Maria Lvova-Belova.

The State of Qatar is hosting 20 reunified families, including 37 children, from April 18th to April 27th. This comes as part of a program that helps promote health recovery and stability, by focusing on the mental, physical and social health of each family member, thus enabling families to rebuild their lives with confidence and safety.

Source: Qatar News Agency

Madinah, The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, in collaboration with the Pilgrim Experience Program, concluded in Madinah yesterday the 1st edition of the ‘Umrah and Ziyarah (Visit) Forum.

The tri-day event successfully convened various local and international entities operating within the Umrah and visitation industry. Through a series of interactive sessions, including dialogues, panel discussions, workshops, and an exhibition, attendees learned about the latest offerings and sustainable solutions for the sector’s continuous advancement.

The event aimed to foster a constructive dialogue and promote creativity to enhance the Umrah performers and visitors’ journey. The forum provided a platform to discuss various challenges, opportunities, and most recent advancements to improve the overall experience of Umrah performers and visitors. Participants deliberated on ways to facilitate hosting visitors to the two holy mosques, develop innovative services and products for Umrah and visitation, foster partnerships, and
build sustainable relationships between organizations working in the Umrah sector. The event also sought to broaden local and international connections to provide integrated solutions for the Umrah and visitation industry.

The forum was attended by many entities, companies, and institutions in fields related to the Umrah sector, entrepreneurs and innovators, heads of service provider companies, experts, professionals, decision-makers, non-profit institutions, representatives of local and international Umrah service companies, and local and international media outlets.

The Umrah and Ziyarah Forum witnessed the holding of six panel discussions and 24 workshops covering six main themes in addition to 18 subtopics, with the participation of 29 speakers from experts and specialists.

It also featured several competitions, including the ‘Artificial Intelligence in Umrah Competition’, the ‘Labbitom’ award, the development of digital solutions, and the ‘Historical and Enrichment Sites Hackathon’, which promoted Isl
amic identity and awareness of the Prophet’s biography.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Washington, Saudi sons and daughters continue to carve out success stories in their scholarship countries, proudly raising the national flag high across various academic and scientific fields.

The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) recently met with one of the nation’s exemplary daughters abroad, Dr. Sarah Alobaid, who has forged a distinguished path in the field of microbiology and infectious diseases as a PhD student in the United States. She works diligently across three different sectors and is a member of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM).

Dr. Sarah shared that her scientific journey began with her master’s degree in molecular and cellular biology at the University of New Haven. Her research focused on the impact of using magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs- Fe3O4) with doxorubicin and electromagnetic radiation to enhance breast cancer treatment in T47D cells.

The study aimed to develop a targeted drug delivery system using nanoparticles to directly target cancer cells, exploring potential improvements in ca
ncer treatment efficacy due to the significant side effects associated with traditional tumor treatments.

Through this research, Dr. Alobaid aims to open new horizons and contribute significantly to cancer treatment, making strides toward safer and more sustainable treatment options for cancer patients.

After completing her master’s degree, Dr. Alobaid began her PhD at George Mason University, specializing in microbiology and infectious diseases. Her dissertation is titled: ‘Role of poly-gamma-glutamic acid synthesis locus (pgsBCW /capBCA) in Francisella microbial physiology’. It focused on Francisella and how the “pgsBCW” gene assists this bacterium in surviving and thriving in harsh environments and resisting the human immune system. The goal of her research is to precisely identify these genes and understand how PGA production in Francisella could lead to new therapeutic targets to combat these dangerous bacteria.

In 2020, her research was recognized as one of the best research projects at George Mason
University.

She works with a team to identify key genes using advanced techniques such as Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and Quantitative Reverse Transcriptase PCR (qRT-PCR).

Dr. Alobaid voiced the highest expressions of thanks to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, for their keenness on the excellence and empowerment of Saudi youth and their scholarship to the best universities worldwide.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Doha: Weather inshore until 6:00 pm on Thursday will see hazy and moderate to relatively hot temperature daytime, the Department of Meteorology said in its daily weather report.

Offshore, the weather will be hazy and misty at times, the report added.

Wind inshore will be variable less that 05 knot, becomes mainly northeasterly to easterly at a speed of 05-15 knot, gusting to 20 knot at places at times.

Offshore, it will be northeasterly to southeasterly at a speed of 05 to 15 knot.

Visibility inshore will be 5 to 9 km. Offshore, it will be 5 to 9 km/ 3 km at times.

Sea state inshore will be 1 to 3 feet, while offshore, it will be 2 to 4 feet.

Area High Tide Low Tide Max Messaid 05:33 – 19:38 01:13 – 12:30 32 Wakrah 04:54 – 19:03 00:42 – 11:52 31 Doha 04:15 – 18:09 00:22 – 12:02 33 Al Khor 04:19 – 17:53 12:11 – 30 Ruwais 05:54 – 18:04 00:15 – 12:02 29 Dukhan 11:26 – 23:34 05:20 – 17:21 32 Abu Samra 10:35 – 22:43 04:38 – 16:59 33 Sunrise: 05:01 LT Sunset: 18:01 LT

Source: Qatar News Agency

Doha: HE Minister of State for International Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Lolwah bint Rashid Al Khater met on Thursday with HE Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic George Gerapetritis, who is currently visiting the country.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed cooperation relations between the two countries and ways to support and develop them. They also discussed the latest developments in the Gaza Strip and the occupied Palestinian territories, in addition to international developments.

The meeting was attended by HE Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the Hellenic Republic Ali bin Khalfan Al Mansouri, HE Director of the European Affairs Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Saoud bin Abdullah Al Mahmoud, and HE Ambassador of the Hellenic Republic to the State of Qatar Ioannis Ioannidis.

Source: Qatar News Agency