Saudi local bread attracts visitors at Al-Baha fest

The Culinary Arts Commission has chosen muqana bread as the region’s main dish as part of a project to designate official dishes for each of Saudi Arabia’s areas. (SPA)
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Updated 16 July 2024
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Saudi local bread attracts visitors at Al-Baha fest

  • Each region in the Kingdom keeps a record that reflects the culture, customs, and traditions of its inhabitants, passed down from generation to generation

AL-BAHA: The art of skillfully preparing local bread from the Al-Baha region has attracted visitors and residents to the second Dar Festival at Al-Mousa Heritage Village in Al-Baha.

Muqana bread is considered a staple food for the people of the region. It is made from wheat flour mixed with water, then placed on a thin stone heated by lighting a fire beneath it.

The dough is then covered with a dish-like object made of either pottery or thin iron. It is then covered with ash and embers, and a small fire is lit on top until it is ready to be taken out and served.




The Culinary Arts Commission has chosen muqana bread as the region’s main dish as part of a project to designate official dishes for each of Saudi Arabia’s areas. (SPA)

It is common for many locals to compete in making the largest loaf as a sign of hospitality.

Each region in the Kingdom keeps a record that reflects the culture, customs, and traditions of its inhabitants, passed down from generation to generation.

The Culinary Arts Commission has chosen muqana bread as the region’s main dish as part of a project to designate official dishes for each of the Kingdom’s areas.

The selection is made according to criteria set by the National and Regional Dishes Narratives project. This initiative takes into account cultural and heritage value; the historic importance of the dish; its expression of the region’s geography and food culture; and its contribution to supporting the local economy.

 


Saudi embassy in Damascus reopens after 12-year closure

Saudi Arabia’s embassy in Damascus reopened on Monday with a ceremony to mark the occasion. (@ksaembsy)
Updated 5 sec ago
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Saudi embassy in Damascus reopens after 12-year closure

  • Al-Haris said the embassy and its staff were keen to exert all efforts to strengthen relations between Saudi Arabia and Syria

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s embassy in Damascus reopened on Monday with a ceremony to mark the occasion.

The celebration was attended by a number of Syrian government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, and a group of dignitaries and intellectuals, the embassy said.

Acting Charge d’Affaires Abdullah Al-Haris stated in a speech on Monday that “this day is an important moment in the history of relations” between the Kingdom and Syria.

Al-Haris added that the embassy and its staff were keen to exert all efforts to strengthen relations between the two countries.

Saudi Arabia shut its embassy in Syria and withdrew all its staff in March 2012, a year after the Syrian civil war started in 2011.


Manga Productions, stc play launch new anime game

Updated 10 September 2024
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Manga Productions, stc play launch new anime game

RIYADH: Manga Productions, a Misk Foundation subsidiary, has launched the game “Future’s Folktales Hopper Quest” in collaboration with stc play, the gaming arm of stc Group.

Inspired by the successful “Future’s Folktales” series, the game is available on the App Store, Google Play Store, and App Gallery.

Developed by Saudi professionals, the game features stories inspired by the Arabian Peninsula, multiple characters, and five unique worlds, including “Future Riyadh.”

Free to download on mobile, it supports Arabic, English, and Japanese. The game offers daily challenges and engaging dialogues. It has been downloaded over 278,000 times worldwide during its trial launch.

Essam Bukhary, CEO of Manga Productions, said: “stc play is a leading player in the gaming field, and we are looking forward to collaborating to further elevate our vibrant gaming community.”

Bader Almarshoud, head of stc play, said: “We are passionate about creating a vibrant gaming community where players can dive into a world of rich content crafted around their preferences.

“By combining our innovative technological solutions with the creative brilliance of Manga Productions, we offer gamers an engaging and immersive adventure.”

Ohoud Al-Qahtani, senior game producer at Manga Productions, said: “To provide the best gaming experience, we constantly work on developing and improving the product through several updates based on data collected from players.

“In our daily work, we also focus on developing our tools, team skills, and mechanisms for executing game development tasks continuously.”

The first game in the “Future’s Folktales” series, produced by Manga Productions in 2020, achieved global success, airing on over 40 platforms and garnering over 100 million views.


Asir highlights tourism opportunities at Hong Kong forum 

Updated 10 September 2024
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Asir highlights tourism opportunities at Hong Kong forum 

RIYADH: The Asir Region Development Authority is participating in the International Hospitality Investment Forum in Hong Kong to introduce investors to the region’s tourism sector. 

The authority has a pavilion at the exhibition, running until Sept. 11, and held meetings with international investors, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.

Sultan Al-Shehri, chief of investment at the authority, participated in a session titled “Catalysts of Tourism and Hospitality Investment: Infrastructure, Regulation, Policy and Mega Projects.” 

During the session, he said the authority in the Asir region was seeking partnerships for development in the crucial tourism sector. 

The ongoing developments in Asir, Al-Shehri said, reflect the Kingdom’s broader investment and economic diversification ambitions. The aim is to position the region as a global, year-round tourist hotspot. 

The authority’s participation in the forum coincides with the conclusion of this year's summer season. An estimated 1.1 million tourists visited Asir over the last seven months.

There was an increase in tourists to Asir from 6.8 million in 2022 to 7.6 million in 2023.


New academic exchange program boosts AI, tech training

Updated 10 September 2024
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New academic exchange program boosts AI, tech training

JEDDAH: King Abdulaziz University’s College of Science in Jeddah has introduced a student exchange program with the UK’s University of Oxford, designed to equip students in education and scientific research with the latest advancements in AI technologies.

The program covers areas including cybersecurity, data science and software development, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The course will have experts in technology and AI holding discussions, workshops and lectures, while forging new agreements and partnerships to enhance the students’ training and development.

Outstanding research projects by undergraduate and postgraduate students were presented at the launch ceremony.

The aim is to inspire young entrepreneurs to turn these projects into practical, real-world solutions, SPA added.

KAU recently won a gold medal at the 9th International Invention Innovation Competition in Canada.

The university also received a special award from the World Invention Intellectual Property Associations and the best video presentation award among 700 participants for its project “Fasyla.”

Fasyla promotes collaboration with companies on effective ways to cultivate plants in ideal areas.


Saudi foreign ministry condemns Israeli targeting of safe zone in Gaza

Updated 10 September 2024
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Saudi foreign ministry condemns Israeli targeting of safe zone in Gaza

  • Israeli forces targeted unarmed civilians in a series of attacks early Tuesday, leaving 40 dead

RIYADH: The Saudi foreign ministry condemned the targeting of Mawasi Khan Yunis in Gaza in a statement on X on Tuesday. 

Israeli forces targeted unarmed civilians in a series of attacks early Tuesday, leaving 40 dead. The strike hit Al-Mawasi — in Gaza’s main southern city of Khan Yunis — which was designated a safe zone by the Israeli military early in the war, with tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians seeking refuge there.

“The international community must activate accountability mechanisms and put an end to Israeli violations”, said the ministry. 

The ministry said the Kingdom renews its rejection of the continuation of Israeli genocide crimes in the Palestinian territories and Gaza.

Tor Wennesland, the UN’s top Middle East envoy, also strongly condemned the deadly strikes on the Israeli-designated humanitarian zones in Khan Yunis.

“I underline that international humanitarian law, including the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precautions in attack, must be upheld at all times,” Wennesland said in his statement.

 

 

“Nowhere is safe in #Gaza. This horrific war must end,” posted in his X account.