
Diriyah welcomes Trump to the birthplace of Saudi Arabia
During his official visit, Trump toured the UNESCO World Heritage site of At-Turaif, the historic birthplace of the Kingdom, the capital of the First Saudi State, and the ancestral home of the Al-Saud royal family.
Diriyah is located adjacent to the capital city of Riyadh and is a transformative destination contributing to Vision 2030, with At-Turaif standing as a cornerstone of Saudi Arabia's rich heritage and a symbol of its ambitious future.
Trump was briefed on the significance of At-Turaif and enjoyed a traditional Saudi Samri performance before posing for a commemorative photo in front of Salwa Palace, one of Diriyah's iconic historical landmarks and once the seat of government.
Commenting on the visit, Jerry Inzerillo, GCEO of Diriyah Company, said: 'It was a tremendous honor for us in Diriyah to have hosted President Trump on his visit to At-Turaif, the birthplace of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the ancestral home of the Al-Saud royal family – a place where we celebrate the past and are building the future.
'It was also a unique opportunity to present our future vision for Diriyah and to share with the president the three centuries of history echoing through the palaces and passageways of At-Turaif. President Trump expressed his admiration for what he saw and experienced during this exceptional visit to Diriyah.'
This marks Trump's first visit to At-Turaif and the Diriyah project.
The site was under restoration during his first official visit to Riyadh during his initial presidential term.
He now joins a distinguished list of world leaders who visited Diriyah in the past year, including French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Bhutan's king.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Arab News
27 minutes ago
- Arab News
How Sudan became the world's worst and most neglected humanitarian disaster
DUBAI: Sudan is now ground zero for the world's largest — and most overlooked — humanitarian catastrophe. Since fighting broke out in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, more than 12 million people have been forcibly displaced, including 4 million forced to flee across borders, according to Refugees International. The vast majority are women and children, many of whom have been displaced multiple times, arriving at informal settlements with nothing but the clothes on their backs — and receiving little to no aid or protection. 'This is the largest displacement and humanitarian crisis in the world,' Daniel P. Sullivan, director for Africa, Asia, and the Middle East at Refugees International, told Arab News. 'More than half the population is facing severe food insecurity, with several areas already experiencing famine.' Amid this deepening humanitarian disaster, Sudan is also edging toward political fragmentation. The paramilitary RSF has declared a rival administration called the 'Government of Peace and Unity' across Darfur and parts of Kordofan. Meanwhile, the SAF has retaken Khartoum and retains control over the eastern and central regions. Experts warn that this emerging divide could either lead to a protracted power struggle similar to Libya's fragmentation or result in a formal split, echoing South Sudan's independence. Inside Sudan, the situation is rapidly deteriorating. The country's health system has collapsed, water sources are polluted and aid access is severely restricted. Cholera is spreading and children are dying of hunger in besieged areas. Aid groups have accused the RSF and SAF of weaponizing food and medicine, with both sides reportedly obstructing relief efforts and manipulating access to humanitarian corridors. In East Darfur's Lagawa camp, at least 13 children have died due to complications associated with malnutrition. The site is home to more than 7,000 displaced people, the majority of them women and children, who are grappling with acute food insecurity. The UN children's fund, UNICEF, reported a 46 percent increase in cases of severe child malnutrition across Darfur between January and May, with more than 40,000 children receiving treatment in North Darfur alone. Several areas, including parts of Darfur and Kordofan, are now officially experiencing famine. With ethnic tensions fueling a separate but parallel conflict, allegations of genocide are mounting once more in Darfur. 'Sudanese in Darfur face genocide,' said Sullivan. 'And those in other parts of the country face other atrocity crimes including targeting of civilians and widespread sexual violence.' Elena Habersky, a researcher and consultant working with Sudanese refugee-led organizations in Egypt, told Arab News the violence is not just wide-reaching but also intimate in its brutality. 'There is widespread cholera and famine within Sudan and the threat of the RSF burning villages, sexually abusing and raping civilians, and killing people by shooting them, burning them or burying them alive, is very much a reality,' she said. The RSF has routinely denied targeting civilians and accused its rivals of orchestrating a media campaign, using actors and staged scenes, to falsely incriminate it. Those who flee across borders face a new set of challenges. Sudanese refugees in Egypt often struggle to obtain residency, work permits or access to health care and education. In Chad and South Sudan, refugee camps are severely overcrowded, and food shortages are worsening due to global funding cuts. In Libya and the Central African Republic, they are at the mercy of smuggling networks and armed groups. 'Sudanese in Egypt face discrimination and the risk of forced repatriation,' said Sullivan. 'Others in Ethiopia, Uganda and South Sudan face their own risks of abuse and lack of support.' All the while, international attention is limited. The few headlines that break through are usually buried beneath coverage of other global crises. Despite the scale of the catastrophe, donor fatigue, budget cuts and political disinterest have left Sudanese aid groups carrying the bulk of the humanitarian response. 'It truly feels like the international community is basically non-existent or only existent in words,' said Habersky. 'Most of the work I see being done is by refugee-led organizations, grassroots efforts by the diaspora, and community aid kitchens inside Sudan,' she said. Groups such as the Emergency Response Rooms — local networks of doctors, teachers and volunteers — have been on the front lines. But they lack consistent funding and are increasingly targeted by both warring factions. 'Local Sudanese groups have become targets of abuse,' said Sullivan. 'The most critical funding gap is in the amount of support going directly to them.' Aid efforts are not only underfunded, but actively blocked. In areas such as Khartoum, humanitarian deliveries are hampered by bureaucratic hurdles and security threats. 'Even if aid enters Khartoum, it then faces other blocks to go to Darfur,' said Habersky. 'There's destruction of infrastructure, political infighting and looting.' • 12m People forcibly displaced by the conflict in Sudan since April 15, 2023. • 4m Forced to flee across borders to states such as Egypt, Chad and South Sudan. Source: Refugees International In February, UN officials launched a $6 billion funding appeal for Sudan — a more than 40 percent increase from the previous year — citing what they described as the world's worst hunger crisis and displacement emergency. The call for aid comes as global humanitarian budgets are under immense pressure, further strained by a recent US funding freeze that has disrupted life-saving programs worldwide. Earlier this year, Tom Fletcher, UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, urged donors to answer the appeal on behalf of nearly 21 million Sudanese in need, while describing Sudan as 'a humanitarian emergency of shocking proportions.' 'We are witnessing famine, sexual violence and the collapse of basic services on a massive scale — and we need urgent, coordinated action to stop it.' While some aid agencies say they have received waivers from Washington to continue operations in Sudan, uncertainty remains around how far those exemptions extend — particularly when it comes to famine relief. The UN's 2025 humanitarian response plan is the largest and most ambitious proposed this year. Of the $6 billion requested, $4.2 billion is allocated for in-country operations, with the rest earmarked for those displaced across borders. However, the window for action is closing, with the rainy season underway and famine spreading. Experts warn that unless humanitarian access is restored and the conflict de-escalates, Sudan could spiral into a catastrophe on a par with — or worse than — Rwanda, Syria or Yemen. 'There needs to be a surge in humanitarian assistance to areas of greatest need,' said Sullivan. 'Diplomatic pressure must also be mobilized to urge external actors to stop enabling atrocities and to press for humanitarian access.' Sullivan believes that failure to act now could result in hundreds of thousands of preventable deaths. Meanwhile, Habersky stressed the urgency of the situation, adding that 'non-earmarked funding must be given to all organizations working to better the situation within Sudan and the region.' 'Refugee rights in host countries must be protected — we are seeing too many cases of abuse and neglect,' she added. The stark reality is that while global attention drifts elsewhere, Sudan continues to collapse in real time. Behind the statistics are millions of lives — waiting for aid that has yet to arrive.


Arab News
27 minutes ago
- Arab News
Saudi Arabia condemns Netanyahu comments supporting a ‘Greater Israel'
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Wednesday strongly condemned statements made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in support of a so-called 'Greater Israel.' In an interview with i24 News on Tuesday, Netanyahu said he is 'very attached' to the vision of a 'Greater Israel.' The term is understood to refer to an expansionist concept of Israeli territory that includes East Jerusalem, the West Bank, Gaza, the Sinai Peninsula, the Golan Heights and parts of other neighboring Arab countries. The Kingdom's Foreign Ministry said it completely rejected the 'settlement and expansionist ideas and projects' adopted by Israeli authorities. The ministry also said the Palestinian people had a historical and legal right to establish an independent, sovereign state on their lands, based on relevant international laws. 'The Kingdom warns the international community against the Israeli occupation's persistence in flagrant violations that undermine the foundations of international legitimacy, blatantly violate the sovereignty of states, and threaten regional and global security and peace,' the ministry said. The Israeli military said on Wednesday that it had approved the framework for a new offensive in the Gaza Strip. The approved plan for the expanded offensive comes days after Israel's security cabinet called for the capture of the Palestinian territory's largest 22 month war on Gaza has killed more than 61,000 people and created dire humanitarian conditions.


Asharq Al-Awsat
41 minutes ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
What to Know About the Putin-Trump Summit in Alaska
The US-Russia summit in Alaska is happening where East meets West — quite literally — in a place familiar to both countries as a Cold War front line of missile defense, radar outposts and intelligence gathering. Whether it can lead to a deal to produce peace in Ukraine more than 3 1/2 years after Moscow's invasion remains to be seen. Here's what to know about the meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump, the first summit in four years: When and where is it taking place? The summit will take place Friday at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson outside Anchorage, according to a White House official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal planning. It played a key role in the Cold War in monitoring and deterring the Soviet Union. It's Putin's first trip to the US since 2015 for the UN General Assembly in New York. Because the US isn't a member of the International Criminal Court, which in 2023 issued a warrant for Putin on war crimes accusations, it's under no obligation to arrest him. Is Zelenskyy going? Both countries confirmed a meeting between only Putin and Trump, despite initial suggestions that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy might take part. The Kremlin has long pushed back against Putin meeting Zelenskyy -– at least until a peace deal is reached by both sides and is ready to be signed. Putin said last week he wasn't against meeting Zelenskyy "but certain conditions need to be created" and were "still a long way off." That raised fears about excluding Ukraine from negotiations. Kyiv and its European allies stressed that peace cannot be achieved without Kyiv's involvement. Zelenskyy was in Berlin for virtual meetings Wednesday with Trump and European leaders to try to ensure Ukraine and its allies are heard before the summit. The Ukrainian president told the group Putin "is bluffing" about his military might and the effectiveness of sanctions, and "is trying to apply pressure ... on all sectors of the Ukrainian front" to try to show that Russia is "capable of occupying all of Ukraine." In reality, sanctions are "hitting Russia's war economy hard," Zelenskyy said. What's Alaska's role in Russian history? It will be the first visit by a Russian leader to Alaska, even though it was part of the czarist empire until 1867, the state news agency Tass said. Alaska was colonized by Russia starting from the 18th century until Czar Alexander II sold it to the United States in 1867 for $7.2 million. When it was found to contain vast resources, it was seen by Russians as a naïve deal that generated remorse. After the USSR's collapse, Alaska was a subject of nostalgia and jokes for Russians. One popular song in the 1990s went: "Don't play the fool, America ... give back our dear Alaska land." Sam Greene of King's College London said on X the symbolism of Alaska as the site of a summit about Ukraine was "horrendous — as though designed to demonstrate that borders can change, land can be bought and sold." What's the agenda? Trump has appeared increasingly exasperated with Putin over Russia's refusal to halt the bombardment of Ukraine. Kyiv has agreed to a ceasefire, insisting on a truce as a first step toward peace. Moscow presented ceasefire conditions that are nonstarters for Zelenskyy, such as withdrawing troops from the four regions Russia illegally annexed in 2022, halting mobilization efforts, or freezing Western arms deliveries. For a broader peace, Putin demands Kyiv cede the annexed regions, even though Russia doesn't fully control them, and Crimea, renounce a bid to join NATO, limit the size of its armed forces and recognize Russian as an official language along with Ukrainian. Zelenskyy insists any peace deals include robust security guarantees to protect Ukraine from future Russian aggression. Putin has warned Ukraine it will face tougher conditions for peace as Russian troops forge into other regions to build what he described as a "buffer zone." Some observers suggested Russia could trade those recent gains for territory under Ukrainian control in the four annexed regions annexed by Moscow. Zelenskyy said Saturday that "Ukrainians will not give their land to the occupier." But Trump said Monday: "There'll be some land swapping going on. I know that through Russia and through conversations with everybody. To the good, for the good of Ukraine. Good stuff, not bad stuff. Also, some bad stuff for both." Zelenskyy said Tuesday that Putin wants Ukraine to withdraw from the remaining 30% of the Donetsk region it still controls as part of a ceasefire deal, a proposal the Ukrainian categorically rejected. Kyiv won't give up territory it controls, he added, saying that would be unconstitutional and would serve only as a springboard for a future Russian invasion. He said discussions led by the US on ending the war have not addressed key Ukrainian demands, including security guarantees to prevent future Russian aggression and including Europe in negotiations. French President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday that Trump was "very clear" in a virtual meeting with European leaders and Zelenskyy that the US wants to achieve a ceasefire. Macron added that Trump had been clear that "territorial issues relating to Ukraine ... will only be negotiated by the Ukrainian president." What are expectations? Trump said Wednesday there will be unspecified "very severe consequences" if Putin does not agree to stop the war after the summit. Putin sees a meeting with Trump as a chance to cement Russia's territorial gains, keep Ukraine out of NATO and prevent it from hosting any Western troops so Moscow can gradually pull the country back into its orbit. He believes time is on his side as Ukrainian forces are struggling to stem Russian advances along the front amid swarms of Moscow's missiles and drones. The meeting is a diplomatic coup for Putin, isolated since the invasion. The Kremlin sought to portray renewed US contacts as two superpowers looking to resolve various global problems, with Ukraine being just one. Ukraine and its European allies are concerned a summit without Kyiv could allow Putin to get Trump on his side and force Ukraine into concessions. "Any decisions that are without Ukraine are at the same time decisions against peace," Zelenskyy said. "They will not bring anything. These are dead decisions. They will never work." European officials echoed that. "As we work towards a sustainable and just peace, international law is clear: All temporarily occupied territories belong to Ukraine," European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said. "A sustainable peace also means that aggression cannot be rewarded." NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said Sunday he believed Trump was "making sure that Putin is serious, and if he is not, then it will stop there." "If he is serious, then from Friday onwards, the process will continue. Ukraine getting involved, the Europeans being involved," Rutte added. Since last week, Putin spoke to Chinese leader Xi Jinping, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, as well as the leaders of South Africa, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Belarus and Kyrgyzstan, the Kremlin said. That suggested Putin perhaps wanted to brief Russia's most important allies about a potential settlement, said pro-Kremlin analyst Sergei Markov.