FaceOf: Novelist, journalist and TV presenter Ghada Aboud

Updated 12 October 2018
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FaceOf: Novelist, journalist and TV presenter Ghada Aboud

  • Ghada Aboud became interested in writing about bipolar disorder since she noticed how the general media glamorizes the illness, by associating it with extraordinary talent

Aboud is a Saudi novelist, freelance consultant, journalist and television presenter. She recently published her first Arabic novel earlier this year titled “Bipolar.” 

She became interested in writing about the disorder since she noticed how the general media glamorizes the illness, by associating it with extraordinary talent. 

The protagonist in her novel is a therapist who is diagnosed as bipolar. “It’s very easy to sit back and lecture people. It’s very rare that we can help ourselves and get ourselves out of our own circumstances,” she said. 

The novel’s message is: “We are all bipolar somehow. It’s only normal to go through these extreme ups and downs. So, we have to accept our differences and our contradictions, our downfalls, our victories, and accept life as it is and accept others.” 

Prior to working on her first novel, Aboud has worked as a PR freelance consultant since 2007, work that she continues to this day. She has experience as a Saudi TV presenter, hosting a television show focused on promoting Saudi female artists by shedding light on their careers.

Aboud earned her bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism and mass communication, as well as a minor in psychology from the American University in Washington, D.C. 

Currently, she writes a weekly column for both “El Youm El Sabi3” where she discusses different social, political, entertainment issues, as well as the Cairo-based magazine titled “E7na”, writing columns about her personal experience as a presenter and all the behind-the-scenes drama involved with media scene. 


Saudi Arabia’s KAUST advances AI training with winter school

Updated 8 sec ago
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Saudi Arabia’s KAUST advances AI training with winter school

  • The event provides a platform for research collaboration, academic partnerships, and connections with global scientific institutions

JEDDAH: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology is hosting the second MenaML Winter School, in partnership with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, from Jan. 24 to 29.

It brings together leading researchers, scientists, and specialists in artificial intelligence from across the Middle East and North Africa, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The program aims to advance scientific research and build specialized technical skills through an intensive curriculum covering both theoretical and applied AI.

Sessions cover the latest in intelligent model engineering, AI for scientific applications, and high-efficiency computing technologies.

Representatives from 16 international scientific and technological institutions are participating, alongside 300 researchers selected from 2,300 applicants based on merit and research potential.

The event provides a platform for research collaboration, academic partnerships, and connections with global scientific institutions.

It promotes innovation and solutions across sectors, including energy, health, infrastructure, and advanced technology, the SPA reported.

The program strengthens regional human capital through advanced training, knowledge exchange with leading experts, and fostering an ecosystem that encourages research and innovation.

It also reinforces the Kingdom’s role as a regional and global hub for scientific research and advanced technologies, supporting its contribution to the development of AI.