JEDDAH: The new General Authority for Audio and Visual Media, whose bylaw was endorsed by the Council of Ministers yesterday, will regulate and develop the media sector in accordance with the Kingdom’s media policies.
“The authority will be an independent body in terms of finance and administration, the Cabinet said, adding that it would have an independent annual budget. However, it would come under the Ministry of Culture and Information.
“The authority will be the responsible agency for the transmission of audio and visual media and its content,” said Culture and Information Minister Abdul Aziz Khoja while explaining the Cabinet decision.
It will have a department for issuing licenses, the minister said, adding that it would monitor activities of service providers and make sure they follow the necessary regulations and conditions. “The department will also receive complaints,” he added.
The authority will have a board of directors chaired by the minister of culture and information and will include its president, the governor of Telecommunication and Information Technology Commission, representatives of government departments and two experts (appointed by the Cabinet).
The Cabinet, which was chaired by Crown Prince Salman, the regent, reshuffled the Military Service Council. Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah is the council’s chairman while Prince Salman is deputy chairman. Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Interior Minister Prince Ahmed and Intelligence chief Prince Bandar bin Sultan, who is also secretary-general of the National Security Council, are among its members.
Other members are: Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, state minister and commander of the National Guard; Finance Minister Ibrahim Al-Assaf; and three members to be appointed by the king through a royal decree.
The Cabinet approved the agreements signed with Albania and Bermuda to scrutinize financial transactions and exchange information related to money laundering and terror funding.
At the outset of the Cabinet meeting, Prince Salman, on behalf of King Abdullah, commended OIC leaders for making the Makkah summit a big success.
“A spirit of Islamic brotherhood and feelings of love and frankness prevailed over the summit,” the regent said. The leaders have expressed their desire for strengthening Islamic solidarity with all its dimensions, he added.
The Cabinet congratulated King Abdullah for the success of the summit that has adopted his proposal to establish a center for dialogue between various Muslim religious sects. It also adopted the Makkah Charter for strengthening Islamic solidarity.
Referring to the Syrian crisis, the Cabinet expressed its hope that the new UN and Arab League peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi would be successful in ending violence and bloodbath in the war-ravaged Arab country. It commended the resolutions taken by the GCC foreign ministers during their Jeddah meeting.
The Cabinet appointed Saad bin Abdullah Al-Ajlan financial adviser at the Naval Force; Ahmed bin Ibrahim Al-Hojairi deputy mayor of Jeddah; Hussein bin Shuwaish Al-Shuwaish economic adviser at the Finance Ministry; Saud bin Nissar Al-Hazmi director general of the information minister’s office; and Yahya bin Nasser Al-Yahya director general of administrative and financial affairs at the Labor Ministry.
Authority to monitor audiovisual media
Authority to monitor audiovisual media
Saudi meteorology center warns of heavy rain across Kingdom, public told to avoid flood-prone areas
- Stay away from valleys and waterways at least until Thursday, Civil Defense cautions
- National Center for Meteorology center warns of possible thunderstorms and dust storms
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s National Center for Meteorology (NCM) has warned of thunderstorms across the Kingdom that could lead to flash floods, and officials cautioned the public against venturing in low-lying places prone to flooding.
In its weather forecast for Sunday, the meteorology center said “moderate to heavy thunderstorms are expected, leading to flash floods, accompanied by hail showers and active winds that will stir up dust and sand” in several provinces of the Kingdom.
These include Riyadh, Qassim, Hail, Madinah, Makkah, Al-Baha, Asir, Jazan and parts of the Eastern Province. Light to moderate storms are expected in parts of the Northern Borders, Al-Jouf and Tabuk, the NCM said.
In a separate advisory, the General Directorate of Civil Defense urged the public to avoid places prone to flash floods and valleys at least until December 18.
Since the past few days, various parts of Saudi Arabia had been blessed with light to moderate rain as full winter weather set in.
In separate reports, the Saudi Press Agency published images of beautiful landscapes that have emerged after being revitalized by rain.
Deserts rejuvenated
Among these are Al-Nafud (The Great Nafud Desert) in the Kingdom’s north, where moderate to heavy rainfall have “transformed the landscape, turning the golden sand dunes into stunning formations,” and also created streams and lakes.
“The cool weather has since made the Nafud a prime destination for desert and camping enthusiasts from inside and outside (Rafha) governorate,” SPA said.
Rain have also rejuvenated the Imam Turki Bin Abdullah Royal Reserve, the Kingdom’s second-largest nature reserve, spanning parts of the Northern Borders, Hail, Qassim, Al-Jouf and Eastern Province.
In the Northern Borders province, the Wadi Arar has come alive, refilling the province’s 11 operational dams.
“The deserts of Arar City ... have become an enchanting destination for hikers and nature enthusiasts following recent rainfall. The resulting rainfalls have created a stunning scenery, with flowing streams winding through sand dunes and ravines,” SPA said.
Cool, verdant mountains
In Asir and adjacent provinces in the southwest, fog shrouding mountain peaks and the city of Abha have resulted in beautiful winter sceneries, attracting nature lovers and photography enthusiasts.
Futher south in Najran province, days of rain have increased vegetation cover and revitalized the valley’s natural streams.
One of the foremost attractions is the Wadi Mughaydid on the slopes of the Sarawat range’s Maghra Mountains in northwest Najran, renowned for its pristine natural beauty.
Stretching 25 kilometers from Bir Askar Park to Shaab Baran, the valley’s unique geography combines verdant plains with towering mountains, making it an ideal destination for hiking and nature enthusiasts, according to SPA.
