Category: Uncategorized

A landmark research project on the development of a 3D-bioprinted wound dressing in the health sector has secured first place in the 2025 National Award for Scientific Research, presented during the Annual Researchers Forum under the theme “Research Published… Visions Realized.”

The pioneering study was led by Dr. Sulaiman bin Ali Al Hashmi, Head of the Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Laboratory at the Natural and Medical Sciences Research Center, University of Nizwa. Recognized as one of the most distinguished scientific works of the year, it has garnered widespread acclaim for its significant contributions to regenerative medicine and the treatment of chronic wounds.

In a statement to the Oman News Agency (ONA), Dr. Al Hashmi said the research concept emerged from a long-term scientific investigation into stem cells and tissue engineering, combined with close observation of clinical challenges related to chronic wounds—particularly those resulting from diabetic complications, given the rising number of cases in the Sultanate of Oman and the associated healthcare challenges.

He explained that the study addresses a key gap in traditional wound care, which often focuses on covering the injury without actively stimulating tissue regeneration. By applying 3D bioprinting within a regenerative medicine framework, the team developed an advanced bioactive dressing that provides a dynamic, healing-conducive environment for more effective and sustainable recovery.

He pointed out that the dressing—fabricated from carboxymethyl chitosan and loaded with the drug Tacrolimus—represents a paradigm shift in wound management. It goes beyond mere protection to actively modulate inflammation, promote tissue renewal, and enable controlled drug release, thereby improving therapeutic efficiency and outcomes.

Dr. Al Hashmi noted that results from both laboratory studies and animal models have shown promising indicators of accelerated wound closure and reduced inflammation. He emphasized, however, that the treatment remains experimental and has not yet entered human trials, with safety studies and clinical testing still required in the coming phases.

Among the key challenges faced during the project were the technical complexities of developing a biocompatible, 3D-printable biomaterial and limitations in the specialized infrastructure needed to transition from lab research to clinical application. These hurdles, he added, ultimately strengthened the team’s research methodology and fostered a culture of innovation and collaboration.

He stressed that specialized research laboratories are essential pillars for building a competitive national research ecosystem. Work within the Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Laboratory is founded on interdisciplinary expertise, with every achievement regarded as the product of shared effort and collective vision.

He affirmed that the laboratory places high priority on nurturing young Omani talent—both men and women—as a vital human investment to ensure the sustainability of scientific inquiry. Future plans include attracting more early-career researchers and expanding local and international research partnerships.

Looking ahead, Dr. Al Hashmi said his research will focus on deepening work in regenerative medicine and stem cell science, refining current therapeutic models, and building strong national research teams capable of delivering tangible scientific impact.

In closing, he described the award as both an inspiration and a responsibility, reaffirming that the ultimate aim of scientific research is to serve humanity and enhance quality of life. This achievement, he noted, is a step forward in a broader journey to translate laboratory discoveries into practical treatments that benefit patients and serve the nation.

source/content: omannews.gov.om (headline edited)

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OMAN

The Arab Media Union has been officially launched under the umbrella of the Arab Economic Unity Council (AEUC), marking a new step toward strengthening joint Arab media action, supporting development goals, and enhancing regional media integration.

Operating as a specialised body affiliated with the League of Arab States, the newly established Arab Media Union aims to advance professional standards across the Arab media sector and reinforce its role in economic, social, and cultural development.

The Arab Media Union is chaired by Youssef Abdel-Wahab Al-Omairi, with Sally Gad, Vice Dean of Education, Faculty of Language and Media, at the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport, appointed as Secretary-General.

It brings together a select group of Arab media professionals and academics committed to promoting institutional development and professional excellence in Arab media.

The launch comes as part of the AEUC’s broader strategy to activate specialised sectoral unions, contributing to the growth of the knowledge economy, supporting digital transformation, and fostering closer integration among Arab media institutions.

According to its founding objectives, the Arab Media Union seeks to unify Arab media efforts, enhance professional performance, encourage innovation in media content, and invest in the training and qualification of media practitioners. It also aims to keep pace with rapid technological advances in digital and new media.

Al-Omairi described the union’s establishment as an important step toward building an effective Arab media entity capable of articulating Arab issues and strengthening Arab media presence at regional and international levels.

Professor Gad said the coming phase will focus on launching professional and training initiatives, alongside establishing Arab and international partnerships, to develop the Arab media landscape in line with the highest professional standards.

The Arab Media Union is expected to begin implementing its strategic plan in the coming period, in line with its founding mission under the League of Arab States.

source/content: english.ahram.org.eg (headline edited)

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EGYPT

Nanomaterial produced in space for the first time

Saudi astronaut Rayana Barnawi part of the team

Saudi Arabia has recorded a major scientific milestone with its astronauts helping to produce a cartilage-repair nanomaterial in space for the first time, building on the work done during the Kingdom’s landmark SSA-HSF1 mission in 2023.

The Saudi Space Agency announced that its astronauts’ involvement in 19 experiments aboard the International Space Station would enhance quality of life on Earth.

The SSA explained that the research, led by scientists Yupeng Chen and Mari Anne Snow, in an international collaboration, focused on developing advanced biomaterials for tissue engineering, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.

Saudi astronaut Rayana Barnawi helped to conduct the experiments and collect data in the microgravity environment. The material produced could assist in tissue treatment and organ transplantation.

The research findings were published in Nature in July 2025, one of the world’s leading scientific journals.

Barnawi said: “Conducting the experiment in space enabled the fabrication of an advanced nanomaterial and the production of reliable data that supports the development of scientific research contributing to improving human life and serving humanity.”

The SSA said the Kingdom wants to maximize the scientific return from human exploration missions for the benefit of the planet.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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Saudi Arabia has recorded a major scientific milestone with its astronauts helping to produce a cartilage-repair nanomaterial in space for the first time. (SSA)

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SAUDI ARABIA

The UIL presidency represents one of over fifty leadership positions Rabat secured in international and regional organizations throughout 2025.

Morocco’s Ambassador to Germany Zohour Alaoui has been unanimously elected to chair the Board of Directors of UNESCO’s Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) for the 2026-2028 period.

The appointment seals the North African kingdom’s emergence as a central diplomatic actor within the architecture of international governance.

The election took place during the 21st meeting of UIL’s Board of Directors in Hamburg. Costa Rica’s former Vice President and Foreign Minister Epsy Campbell Barr was simultaneously elected as Vice President of the UN institute’s governing body.

Officials position Alaoui’s selection as an international recognition of Morocco’s commitment to education as a cornerstone of peace and sustainable development.

They say the appointment reinforces King Mohammed VI’s pioneering leadership in advancing educational initiatives across Africa and beyond.

The decision builds on Morocco’s active involvement with UNESCO and UIL, particularly following the seventh International Conference on Adult Education (CONFINTEA VII) held in Marrakech in June 2022. That conference produced the Marrakech Plan and established the African Foundation for Lifelong Learning.

During the same Hamburg meeting, UNESCO added the Moroccan cities of Oujda and Casablanca to its Global Network of Learning Cities.

The designation recognizes their strong commitment to making education accessible to all ages at the local level. Fez, Agadir, and Essaouira joined the global network in 2023.

A remarkable ascendancy within the global institutional framework

The UIL presidency represents one of over fifty leadership positions Rabat secured in international and regional organizations throughout 2025.

This unprecedented diplomatic momentum spans diverse sectors, including peace, security, human rights, sustainable development, and digital governance.

Morocco achieved several historic firsts this year. The kingdom assumed its inaugural presidency of the UN Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) and became the first Arab nation to chair the International Council of Nuclear Societies (INSC).

The country was also designated President of the UN Conference on establishing a nuclear weapons-free zone in the Middle East and gained its first presidency of the International Network of Corruption Prevention Authorities.

In maritime governance, Morocco secured the First Vice-Presidency of the International Maritime Organization Assembly for 2026-2027 while maintaining its council seat.

Parliamentary achievements included Morocco’s first election to the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s Standing Committee on Democracy and Human Rights bureau.

A Moroccan magistrate was elected Vice President of the International Association of Judges for the first time since the organization’s 1953 founding.

The country continues presiding over the Central African Republic Configuration of the UN Peacebuilding Commission, a position it has held through regular re-elections. Morocco was also re-elected to UNESCO’s Executive Council for 2025-2029 with high scores within its regional group.

In food security, Morocco secured re-election to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization Council for 2026-2029 and won election to the World Food Programme Board of Directors.

Environmental and climate responsibilities include Morocco’s Vice-Presidency of the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) for North Africa and participation in UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission.

Morocco positioned itself at the forefront of emerging international issues, particularly digital transformation and artificial intelligence. The country joined the Digital Cooperation Organization Executive Committee and secured the Vice-Presidency of INTERPOL’s Global Expert Group on Cybercrime.

source/content: moroccoworldnews.com (headline edited)

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Morocco’s Ambassador to Germany Zahour Alaoui

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MOROCCO

A new wave of Arab singers is gaining momentum across the regional music scene, marking names to watch in 2026.

 Tul8te

The masked Egyptian artist has become one of the region’s most intriguing breakout acts, blending pop hooks with emotional storytelling while keeping his identity anonymous.

 Mishaal Tamer

The Saudi singer continues to gain traction with a sound rooted in Arabic pop and contemporary influences, positioning him as one to watch in the Gulf music scene.

 Zeyne

Zeyne’s vocals and lyrics have resonated widely, with her recent releases signaling a strong upward trajectory heading into 2026.

 Molham

Known for blending pop, rap and R&B, the Saudi singer has carved out a distinct sound that continues to attract a growing audience.

 Lana Lubany

With her bilingual lyrics and indie-pop sensibility, the Palestinian singer based in London has been steadily expanding her international reach while maintaining a strong regional following.

 Bayou

The Egyptian singer has gained attention with tracks such as “Neshar Belel” and “Mesh Haseebek,” which blend contemporary sounds with Egyptian influences and resonate with younger listeners.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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EGYPT / PALESTINE / SAUDI ARABIA / ARAB

As Arab film and television expand across festivals and streaming platforms, a new generation of actors is emerging through early roles that signal momentum in 2026.

Yasmina El-Abd

El-Abd has appeared in Egyptian television and streaming productions, including Netflix’s “Finding Ola,” placing her among a group of young actors gaining exposure through high-profile series.

Maria Bahrawi

Bahrawi has appeared in Saudi television series such as “Rashash” and “Al-Shak,” gaining early screen experience through crime and drama-led productions produced for regional broadcasters.

Oumaima Barid

Barid has featured in contemporary Moroccan film projects, taking on roles that explore youth, family relationships, and everyday social realities within local settings.

Lamar Feddan

Feddan starred in the Saudi film “Hijra,” which premiered at major festivals in 2025 and represents Saudi Arabia’s Oscar submission for Best International Feature Film.

Tara Abboud

Abboud is known for her role in the Jordanian coming-of-age film “Farha,” which received international attention following its global release.

Zain Al-Rafeea

Al-Rafeea rose to international attention with “Capernaum” (2018) and reappeared on screen in “The Sand Castle” (2024), signaling a new stage in his career.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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JORDAN / MOROCCO / SAUDI ARABIA / ARAB

Jabal An-Nabī Shuʿayb is the peninsula’s highest peak, a geological archive, a cultural landmark, and a reminder of how landscapes shape, absorb, and outlast history.

Yemen is often described as the birthplace of Arabia—not as a poetic claim, but as a fact grounded in geography and history. This is the land where ancient kingdoms like Sheba, Himyar, and Qataban rose and fell; where Arabic, in some of its earliest and most foundational forms, took shape. It’s also where coffee was first cultivated and traded—long before it became a global commodity or a café menu item, it was simply a Yemeni crop, shipped from the port of Mocha.

Yet beyond the ruins of ancient states and the legacy of coffee, Yemen is, at its core, a landscape. One defined by steep altitudes, deep valleys, and a quiet kind of permanence. Nowhere is that more clearly felt than in Jabal An-Nabī Shuʿayb—the highest peak in Yemen, the Arabian Peninsula, and the Arabian tectonic plate. Rising 3,666 meters above sea level, just west of Sana’a in the Harazi subregion of the Sarawat range, this mountain doesn’t shout for attention. It doesn’t need to.

Unlike iconic peaks elsewhere, it hasn’t been claimed by tourism. No guided treks. No glossy brochures. But for the communities who live nearby, it holds quiet weight—an enduring presence that doesn’t require explanation or decoration.

Part of that significance is rooted in its name. The mountain is named after Shuʿayb ibn Mahdam ibn Dhī-Mahdam al-Hadūrī, a prophet distinct from the better-known Shuʿayb of Midian. According to classical Islamic historians such as Al-Hamdani, he was sent to the people of Mikhlaf Hadhur, an ancient region in western Yemen. His message, however, was rejected, and he was ultimately killed by the very people he was sent to guide. In response, divine punishment followed: God is said to have sent Bakht Nasr—often identified with Nebuchadnezzar—who destroyed their town.

Because of this legacy, many locals believe that Shuʿayb’s tomb lies somewhere on the mountain itself. The site has since carried both religious reverence and historical meaning. In fact, the mountain is also referred to as Jabal Hadhur, echoing its place within the region once known as Mikhlaf Hadhur.

Even so, the significance of Jabal An-Nabī Shuʿayb isn’t only spiritual or cultural—it’s geological as well. The mountain is a prominent part of the Tertiary volcanic series that forms much of Yemen’s rugged highlands. Its rock formations have attracted scientific attention, most notably from Dieter R. Fuchs, a German mineralogist who conducted extensive research on their geochemical composition and petrogenesis. His studies, which culminated in a full academic thesis, explored the origins and formation processes of this volcanic terrain, placing Jabal An-Nabī Shuʿayb firmly within the broader narrative of Earth’s geological evolution.

Although the summit isn’t snow-capped like peaks in Lebanon or Syria, it’s not untouched by winter. Snowfall has been reported at the top, and frost is common during colder months. Wind conditions are severe—gusts at the summit can be intense, often making the area difficult to access or stay on for long. In April 2019, Ahmad Zein Al-Yafei, a security officer from Dubai, claimed to have reached the summit in 69 hours, where he raised a Dubai Police flag—a rare account of a successful ascent to the restricted peak.

Taken together, the mountain exists at the intersection of myth, memory, and matter. It doesn’t seek to represent Yemen—but in many ways, it reflects it: layered, complex, and not easily reduced.

Unfortunately, amid decades of conflict, Yemen has come to be seen almost exclusively through the lens of war. International attention rarely moves beyond political breakdowns or emergency headlines. But behind those headlines is a country with a landscape that defies reduction—mountains like Jabal An-Nabī Shuʿayb, volcanic highlands, untouched coasts, and fertile valleys that continue to shape daily life. Yemen’s natural beauty hasn’t vanished—it’s just been overshadowed. And remembering that matters. Because a place isn’t defined only by what breaks it, but also by what quietly holds.

source/content: cairoscene.com (headline edited)

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YEMEN

Mawhiba is a nonprofit foundation dedicated to nurturing gifted students at local, regional and international levels, playing a pivotal role in fostering young talent.

The King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba) has announced that Saudi gifted students secured 129 international awards in 2025 across 26 Olympiads and the International Science and Engineering Fair.

The achievement, the result of collaboration with the Ministry of Education, maintained the Kingdom’s second-place ranking at the ISEF global competition, with Saudi national teams winning 996 awards in scientific competitions by year-end.

Mawhiba’s report highlighted that more than 31,000 students benefited from Mawhiba programs, with more than 14,000 enrolled in academic and research initiatives offered through 105 local and international initiatives, partnered with 70 academic and scientific entities across 24 cities.

In a significant milestone, registration for the National Program for Gifted Identification exceeded 95,000 students this year.

Moreover, the Mawhiba Advanced Program for Science and Mathematics supported more than 2,770 students across 100 cities and governorates, aimed at enhancing their skills in science and mathematics.

Mawhiba is a nonprofit foundation dedicated to nurturing gifted students at local, regional and international levels, playing a pivotal role in fostering young talent with a globally recognized methodology for high performance and creativity.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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Mawhiba has announced that Saudi gifted students secured 129 international awards in 2025. (SPA)

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SAUDI ARABIA