Turkiye-Syria quake: Saudi Arabia orders air bridge for aid, Pakistan sends rescue teams

Volunteers share an emotional moment as they take part in a rescue operation following an earthquake in Hatay, Turkey on February 8, 2023. (REUTERS)
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Updated 08 February 2023
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Turkiye-Syria quake: Saudi Arabia orders air bridge for aid, Pakistan sends rescue teams

  • Riyadh has organized a campaign through its “Sahem” platform to help in Turkiye and Syria
  • UAE says will set up field hospital in Turkiye, dispatch search and rescue teams to Turkiye and Syria

Governments and international organizations from around the world have responded with offers of support after an earthquake of magnitude 7.8 struck central Turkiye and northwest Syria.

Below is a list of some of those announcements of support:

UNITED STATES
Two US Agency for International Development teams each comprised of about 80 people plus search-and-rescue dogs, will arrive in Turkiye on Wednesday and head to the southeastern province of Adiyaman to focus on search and rescue, said a USAID disaster assistance response team leader, Stephen Allen.

CHINA
A Chinese earthquake rescue team sent by China arrived in Turkiye’s Adana on Wednesday, state broadcaster CCTV reported. The team of 82 members and four search dogs, brought 20 tons of supplies and equipment. Rescue teams from several provinces were also on the way, CCTV said.

INDIA
Two teams from India’s National Disaster Response Force of 100 personnel with dogs and equipment were ready to be flown in. Medical teams were being readied and relief material was being sent in coordination with Turkish authorities.

JAPAN
Japan has sent 73 rescue personnel to Turkiye with equipment such as life detectors, drills, portable generators, medical kits and food.

BRITAIN
The government said 76 British search and rescue specialists with four search dogs and rescue equipment had been sent to Turkiye and a British emergency medical team would assess the situation.

THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
The UAE said it would set up a field hospital in Turkiye and dispatch search and rescue teams to Turkiye and Syria. It said it would provide urgent relief to Syria’s hardest-hit areas.

SPAIN
Spain was sending an A400 military plane with firefighters and equipment, along with an Airbus A330 with civil defense staff to work with rescuers. Spain also sent two warships, Juan Carlos I and Galicia, toward Turkiye with aid and 500 Marines.

SAUDI ARABIA
Saudi Arabia ordered an air bridge to provide aid and organized a campaign through its “Sahem” platform to help in Turkiye and Syria.

IRAQ
Iraq said it would send civil defense teams to Turkiye and Syria with emergency aid and relief supplies.

QATAR
The government said it was operating relief flights to Turkiye to transport search and rescue teams along with vehicles, a field hospital, tents and other supplies, Qatar’s state news agency reported.

Qatar-funded Qatar Charity said it was distributing 27,000 hot meals in the Turkish city of Gaziantep, where it has an office, and is supplying relief items to shelters in Turkiye and Syria. The group allocated $6 million for the first stages of its response.

PAKISTAN
Pakistan said it was sending two C-130 planes with relief supplies and 36 search and rescue personnel.

THE VATICAN AND ITALY’S CATHOLIC CHURCH
Pope Francis has sent a telegram offering his “heartfelt condolences” after earthquakes in Turkiye and Syria.

The Italian Roman Catholic Church allocated 500,000 euros ($537,800) for emergency aid.

GERMANY
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said the federal civil protection agency could provide camps with emergency shelters and water treatment units and that it was preparing relief supplies with emergency generators, tents and blankets, in coordination with the Turkish authorities. Chancellor Olaf Scholz has promised more support.

CANADA
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pledged C$10 million ($7.5 million) in immediate aid to Turkiye and Syria, and said Canada would continue to provide support as the situation evolved.

AUSTRALIA
Australia said it would provide A$10 million ($7 million) in aid and deploy an urban search and rescue team of up to 72 people to Turkiye, with the aim to have boots on the ground by the end of the week.

UN WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION
The WHO said its network of emergency medical teams had been activated to provide essential health care for the injured and most vulnerable.

ITALY
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Italy’s Civil Protection was standing by to contribute support and provide first aid.

POLAND
Poland will send rescue group HUSAR consisting of 76 firemen and eight rescue dogs, a government minister said.

EUROPEAN UNION
European Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič said the EU’s 24/7 Emergency Response Coordination Center had contacted Turkish authorities and had activated its emergency Copernicus satellite mapping service to help first responders.

TAIWAN
Taiwan’s fire department said a team of 40 rescuers along with three rescue dogs and four to five tons of aid had been se to Turkiye. It earlier said it was ready to offer a team 130 people, along with five search dogs and 13 tons of aid, and was awaiting Turkiye’s response.

UKRAINE
President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine was ready to send support. “We are in this moment close to the friendly Turkish people, ready to provide the necessary assistance,” he said.

RUSSIA
Russia’s emergencies ministry said two IL-76 aircraft with 100 rescuers were ready to fly out to Turkiye if required.

President Vladimir Putin sent messages to Turkiye and to Syria, where Russian troops have been supporting the Syrian military, expressing condolences to the presidents of both nations and offering support.

GREECE
Greek Prime Minister Kyrikos Mitsotakis offered condolences and support to Turkiye, saying Greece was mobilizing its resources and would assist immediately.

ISRAEL
Israel has sent search and rescue teams, medical staff and supplies. It was also prepared to help victims from Syria, which is an enemy state, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.

NORWEGIAN REFUGEE COUNCIL (NRC)
“NRC is assessing the situation in order to provide direct support to those most affected across Syria. A massive scale up is needed and our organization will be part of it,” said the group’s Middle East regional director, who also appealed for more international support for Syria and Turkiye.

SWITZERLAND
Switzerland has sent about 80 Swiss Rescue experts and eight search dogs to Turkiye. The rescue team includes disaster response specialists from the Swiss military.

FINLAND
Finland said rescue experts would be sent to Turkiye as part of EU aid.


ACCIONA presents its first talks in Riyadh on reverse osmosis desalination

Updated 39 min 45 sec ago
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ACCIONA presents its first talks in Riyadh on reverse osmosis desalination

  • First in a series of events at the Spanish Embassy highlights solution to water scarcity in the Kingdom
  • Speakers emphasized how Saudi Vision 2030 highlights the importance of investing in desalination technology such as reverse osmosis

RIYADH: ACCIONA, a leader in regenerative solutions for a decarbonized economy, held its first panel discussion in its series of talks designed to promote regenerative and sustainable solutions in Saudi Arabia.

The event, held at the Spanish Embassy in Riyadh on April 28, brought together leading figures from across the sector, government, and businesses to showcase the importance of reverse osmosis technology in the water cycle.

The Riyadh event follows an inaugural panel discussion of a series, entitled “The Saudi Solution for Water Sustainability: Reverse Osmosis Desalination,” which explored achieving water sustainability in the Kingdom.

Panelists who participated included Khaled Al-Qourashi, CEO of the Saudi Water Partnerships Co., Khalid Al-Habib, chief investment officer of Water Transmission and technologies Co., ENGIE Saudi Arabia CEO Mohammed Alhajjaj, and Manuel Manjon, CEO of ACCIONA’s water business line.

The participants shared their experience in the sector and explained the importance of managing water resources efficiently to meet the needs of the growing population and expanding economy without compromising future generations’ ability to access clean water.

Given its arid climate and limited freshwater resources, Saudi Arabia relies heavily on desalination plants to meet its water needs.

The speakers emphasized how Saudi Vision 2030 highlights the importance of investing in desalination technology such as reverse osmosis, and of expanding the capacity of existing desalination plants to ensure a reliable supply of freshwater for domestic, industrial, and agricultural use.

Saudi Arabia is one of the world’s largest producers of desalinated water, with numerous desalination plants along its coastline. Reverse osmosis technology plays a vital role in addressing water scarcity challenges in the Kingdom by providing a sustainable and reliable source of clean water for different sectors and applications, contributing to the country’s economic development, environmental sustainability, and social well-being.


Mideast, global water sustainability under spotlight at Riyadh forum

Updated 30 April 2024
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Mideast, global water sustainability under spotlight at Riyadh forum

  • 10 workshops held to discuss the region’s water challenges
  • Kingdom’s major projects outlined by Saudi Arabia minister

Riyadh: The third Saudi Water Forum, being held in Riyadh until May 1, has featured 10 workshops focusing on the future of the water sector, in line with Saudi Vision 2030.

The forum was inaugurated on Monday by Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli under the theme “Water Sustainability ... Our Responsibility.”

The forum began with a workshop titled “Getting Started with MODFLOW for Groundwater Modeling” presented by a US Geological Survey speaker, alongside Saudi Aramco sessions titled “Water Conservation” and “Water Safety Plan.”

The National Water Co. presented its future projects and investment opportunities, showcasing its capital projects portfolio, long-term operation and maintenance contracts, and efforts to localize industries in the water sector.

The Saudi Irrigation Organization held a workshop titled “Innovative Techniques to Enhance Irrigation Efficiency and Agricultural Sustainability,” while the Saline Water Conversion Corp. hosted discussions on innovation and challenges in relation to emerging technologies.

The Saudi Water Partnership Co. outlined its services and future projects, while several UN organizations hosted a discussion titled “The Role of International Organizations in Developing the Water Sector.”

Additional workshops included “Water Treatment and Digital Solutions” by K-Water Corp. and “Non-Revenue Water Management” by the Turkish Society for Infrastructure and Trenchless Technologies.

Al-Fadhli opened the forum by stating that Saudi Arabia has launched several regional and global initiatives to address water challenges and explore sustainable solutions, aligning with Vision 2030.

He emphasized the government’s support and commitment to overcoming obstacles in the water sector, to enable the implementation of various strategic projects throughout the Kingdom.

Al-Fadhli highlighted the significance of Saudi Arabia’s water sector initiatives, noting their role in advancing national goals. He said the Kingdom is the world’s largest producer of desalinated water, underscoring the pivotal role of these initiatives.

Saudi Arabia’s projects include the establishment of the Global Water Organization, headquartered in Riyadh. This initiative showcases the Kingdom’s role in supporting global efforts to address water challenges and achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals.


Saudi Arabia features in new series of anime show ‘Grendizer U’

Updated 30 April 2024
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Saudi Arabia features in new series of anime show ‘Grendizer U’

  • The anime project developed by Manga Productions will launch in July

RIYADH: A second promotional video for “Grendizer U”, which returns 40 years after the original anime series, reveals various regions of Saudi Arabia appear in the show.

New designs for characters have also been unveiled and the broadcast date is planned for July.

The video was launched on Riyadh-based Manga Productions’ YouTube channel in Arabic, English, French and Italian. It can also be viewed on the official “Grendizer U” social media accounts via @GrendizerAnime.

Manga Productions’ CEO, Dr. Essam Bukhary, said: “We at Manga Productions, in collaboration with our partners in Japan, are pleased to introduce the character of Grendizer to future generations in a new and exciting way through the distribution and marketing of this work to global audiences. We hope for ‘Grendizer U’ in its new version to inspire the heroes of tomorrow worldwide.”

A strategic partnership between Dynamic Planning, which owns the rights to Grendizer, and Manga Productions was announced in 2022. This led to the unveiling of the character’s statue in Riyadh. Standing more than 33 meters high, it was recorded by Guinness World Records as the largest metal statue of a fictional character in the world.

The first teaser for the new series was launched at the Akiba Daisuki Festival in Tokyo in August 2023, with the initial promotional video following in December.

Last year, Manga Productions also released the game “UFO Robot Grendizer: The Feast of the Wolves” in the Middle East and North Africa, in cooperation with French company Microids.

The official English trailer on Manga Productions’ YouTube channel says the new series is based on Go Nagai’s “UFO Robo Grendizer.” 

The second video features the staff of “Grendizer U,” including General Director Mitsuo Fukuda.


King Salman academy launches AI Arabic language processing center

Updated 30 April 2024
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King Salman academy launches AI Arabic language processing center

RIYADH: The first center for automated Arabic language processing, called the Arabic Intelligence Center, has opened in Riyadh, operated by the King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language.

The center aims to enhance Arabic content in the fields of data and artificial intelligence and support scientific research and applications to help achieve the goals of the National Strategy for Data and Artificial Intelligence and Saudi Vision 2030, which seek to position Saudi Arabia as a global leader in this field.

Abdullah Al-Washmi, secretary-general of the academy, said the center’s success relies on its strategic goal of advancing Arabic language innovation, integrating AI technology for local and international use.

He told Arab News that the center brings together Arabic language specialists and technology experts. “Their shared interest in the Arabic language unites them,” he said.

To achieve its strategic goals, the center will enable AI-based innovations, support the development of applications, and certify qualified individuals with international standards to advance automated Arabic language processing knowledge, Al-Washmi said.

The center comprises five main laboratories: the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, which focuses on developing technical research for the Arabic language and its processing; the Data Formatting Laboratory, which collects, tags, processes, and ensures the quality of Arabic data, whether written, audio, or visual; the Audio and Visual Laboratory, which records, processes, stores, and classifies audio and visual data; the Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Laboratory, which creates Arabic software using virtual and augmented reality; and the Researchers’ Laboratory, which provides office space for researchers working in these fields to conduct their studies on Arabic computing.

Al-Washmi said: “The center ensures its strategic role through initiatives that support the Arabic language, aligning with the objectives of the Human Capacity Development Program, one of the programs under Saudi Vision 2030.”

He added that these initiatives focus on supporting computer applications that aim to stimulate automated Arabic language processing in both understanding and production, placing it in a uniquely competitive position among other languages.

The center’s services also include providing technical and linguistic consultations in the field of processing the Arabic language with AI, organizing meetings and training sessions, offering paid licenses to researchers, supporting studies with similar objectives, and contributing to data tagging for collaborative research.


New incubator will promote sustainable mining in Saudi Arabia

Updated 30 April 2024
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New incubator will promote sustainable mining in Saudi Arabia

  • ‘Nuthree’ aims to boost mining entrepreneurship in the Kingdom

MAKKAH: Nuthree, an exploration incubator initiative for entrepreneurship in geology and mining, has been launched at the Saudi Geological Survey’s headquarters in Jeddah.

The project seeks to create a sustainable exploration environment to develop the Kingdom’s resource sites, positioning mining as its third pillar of income after petroleum and petrochemicals.

Saudi Geological Survey CEO Abdullah Al-Shamrani said the Kingdom was experiencing a new phase of growth and prosperity under King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, driven by the Saudi Vision 2030 and the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program.

He told Arab News: “We aim for cooperation and integration with our partners in the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources and the Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority to serve and empower emerging investors in the mining exploration sector from individuals to local companies, and to establish a local, sustainable exploration environment through the Kingdom’s resources sites, making it an entry point for promising industries.”

He added Nuthree enhanced geological knowledge due to the variety of metals in the Kingdom and would serve as an incubator for small-scale investors and explorers.

“We support the localization of exploration for Saudi companies and foreign firms operating in Saudi Arabia because of its strategic importance,” Al-Shamrani said.

The Saudi Geological Survey is gathering information quickly to attract investors. This includes a comprehensive survey of the Kingdom’s sedimentary cover and the Arabian Shield.

Al-Shamrani said the incubator’s primary goal was to support and localize exploration in the Kingdom, helping investors engage in the process in a professional and practical way. It supplies information across various geological fields and the range of metals it is planned to explore is extensive.

“We expect investors to form complementary partnerships and alliances to achieve the best outcomes. This is a significant step that we support,” he said. “We will not only offer information but also support drilling, coordination and advisory visits to key locations.”

Abdulrahman Al-Balushi, undersecretary of the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, told Arab News that exploration was the start of the mining process which was why it was so important.

He said the Kingdom was focused on supporting small and medium-sized enterprises through partnerships with the private and public sectors, as well as academic institutions, to help them obtain licenses and uncover new mining opportunities.

Al-Balushi said: “The ministry granted 500 licenses to private sector companies, allowing them to explore ores in base metals and precious metals.” Some of these companies were Saudi-based, he added, while others were either joint ventures or foreign-owned but registered with the Saudi Ministry of Commerce.

The exploration process receives particular support if “it targets locations with ores that are very important for the Kingdom’s industry, such as nickel, lithium, zinc, and copper, or certain materials that are part of simple and transformative industries and have a significant impact on the Kingdom’s economy,” he said.

Al-Balushi said the Nuthree incubator aimed to support small and medium-sized enterprises in the Kingdom by providing expertise in geology and mining. It offers technical courses, organizes trips to mining sites, and facilitates knowledge sharing with geological experts.