Saudi foreign minister calls for ‘transparent and independent’ Beirut explosion investigation

Prince Faisal bin Farhan tells an emergency donors conference that Saudi Arabia stands with Lebanon. (Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
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Updated 09 August 2020
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Saudi foreign minister calls for ‘transparent and independent’ Beirut explosion investigation

  • Prince Faisal bin Farhan told an emergency donors conference that Saudi Arabia stands with Lebanon
  • Minister condemns 'destructive hegemony' of Hezbollah, which has history of storing explosives among civilians

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia called for a transparent and independent investigation into the Beirut explosion, the Kingdom’s foreign minister said on Sunday.
Prince Faisal bin Farhan told an emergency donors conference that Saudi Arabia stands with Lebanon. He described the explosion that killed more than 150 people as “horrific.”

Prince Faisal said strong state institutions that work for the interests of the Lebanese people are vital to the reform required to guarantee Lebanon's political and economic future.
“The continued destructive hegemony of the terrorist organization Hezbollah worries us all, and we all know this organization’s history of using explosive materials and storing them among civilians in several Arab and European countries and in north and south America.”
“Lebanon is in dire need of comprehensive and urgent political and economic reform to ensure that this terrible disaster will not occur again,” he said.

He added that four planes carrying Saudi aid have arrived in Beirut.
The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSRelief) has provided 290 tons of medical equipment, food supplies and housing materials.

The conference was hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron.


Jeddah Fit Expo 2026 offers inspiration, innovation

Updated 29 January 2026
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Jeddah Fit Expo 2026 offers inspiration, innovation

  • Sports, fitness, wellness in spotlight at Jeddah Superdome
  • Gyms and fitness brands offer visitors a wide range of interactive experiences

JEDDAH: Jeddah Superdome welcomed more than 1,000 athletes of all ages on Wednesday for a heart-pounding session which placed sports, fitness and wellness in the spotlight.

The Jeddah Fit Expo 2026 is taking place until Jan. 31 and visitors on the first day were treated to a heady environment filled with high-intensity energy and in which cutting-edge fitness trends met the inspirational spirit of sportsmanship.

More than 300 brands and over 200 exhibitors engaged in in-depth exchanges and interactions according to organizers, while jointly forging an event for the global sports and fitness industry.

Mohammed Al-Aidarous, from the event’s organizing committee, told Arab News the expo aimed to spread the culture of fitness as a daily lifestyle and sought to encourage best international expertise and practices, while empowering and developing local sports talents.

He said: “The sports and fitness industry is a rapidly growing sector globally. Especially in Saudi Arabia, there is an increasing focus on health and fitness among the general public. Consequently there is a growing demand for fitness-related products and services.”

The exhibition, which is in its fourth edition, has brought together suppliers of fitness equipment and sports and leisure products, along with representatives from nutrition and health sectors, wellness clinics, youth sports education, and artificial intelligence solution providers.

Many of the participants are introducing new products to meet changing market trends, leveraging the national fitness policies, deeply exploring market demand, and expanding their presence in the sports industry market, thereby providing users with more professional services.

Gyms and fitness brands at the event are offering visitors a wide range of interactive, educational and commercial opportunities designed to promote healthy lifestyles while showcasing the latest industry innovations.

Danya Aljamal, an event coordinator at GymNation, said: “We are here to show sports enthusiasts who we are and what we can do to make them change their lifestyle with sports. GymNation is about enjoying your time, having fun, challenging yourself and making the best form of your body.”

She added: “We will be offering visitors our famous Hyrox class. It is designed to help enhance your strength and explosive power through a combination of targeted, high-intensity exercises and I hope people enjoy it.”

AI is rapidly reshaping athletic training environments. The exhibition features platforms that analyze an athlete’s movement, track progress, and offer automated corrections.

Saudi entrepreneur Mohammed Kaki, founder and CEO of FitLife, an Al-powered health-tech startup delivering B2B personalized nutrition and wellness plans, said: “We are proud to share the FitLife platform and feel excited to take these insights and relationships to the next level during this three-day event.

“FitLife is an app developed to make people’s fitness journey much easier and more convenient. Our algorithms were developed to produce accurate programs with a full range of workouts and recipes designed to fit people’s daily schedule and preferences.

“Our objective at FitLife is to foster growth and revolutionize the way people perceive health and fitness.”

Kaki indicated that the startup was also aiming to support coaches and specialists in sports and health organizations through AI solutions.

Beyond the exhibition stands and workshops, bodybuilding, calisthenics, taekwondo and volleyball are among the activities taking place at Jeddah Superdome.