COMMUNITY

Sheikh Mohammed congratulates Dr Nabil Seidah on Arab Minds 2025 Medicine Award

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, congratulated Dr Nabil Seidah on receiving the Great Arab Minds 2025 award in the medicine category.

His Highness said the Arab world has a long record in medical science and that exceptional Arab talent continues to advance medical progress today.

His Highness wrote on X, “We congratulate the winner of the Great Arab Minds award 2025 in medicine, Dr Nabil Seidah, from Egypt’s scientific community, Director of Biochemical Neuroendocrinology Research Unit at Clinical Research Institute of Montreal (IRCM).

“He made pioneering scientific contributions to understanding heart health and cholesterol regulation, focusing his studies on the biological processes that control how the body processes fats. This contributed to the development of a new generation of drugs widely used today to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. He published more than 820 scientific papers, and his research has been cited more than 71,000 times.”

His Highness added, “Medicine is a humanitarian mission, and our region has contributed for centuries to the development of medical sciences, practices, tools, and research. Today’s and tomorrow’s generations are capable of continuing this vital journey for humanity.”

Great Arab Minds is a strategic initiative launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to recognise outstanding Arab talent across six fields, including medicine, engineering and technology, natural sciences, architecture and design, and economics.

The initiative aims to renew the Arab region’s contribution to global knowledge and scientific progress.

The 2025 Medicine Award was presented to Dr Seidah, Director of the Neuroendocrine Biochemistry Research Unit at the Montreal Clinical Research Institute, for his contributions to heart health and cholesterol regulation. His research focuses on the biological processes that govern how the body manages fats and has helped protect millions from heart attacks and strokes.

Among his most notable achievements is the discovery of the PCSK9 enzyme, which plays a central role in controlling blood cholesterol levels. This breakthrough showed that increased activity of the enzyme can lead to high cholesterol, enabling the development of PCSK9 inhibitors, a class of medicines now widely used to lower cholesterol and reduce cardiovascular risk.

Dr Seidah has published more than 820 studies, cited over 71,000 times. In addition to his work on heart health, he has contributed to research on fatty liver disease, obesity disorders, cancer prevalence, and the mechanisms through which certain viruses enter human cells. His findings have supported the development of new treatments across multiple medical disciplines.

Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Chair of the Higher Committee for the Great Arab Minds initiative, informed Dr Seidah of his win during a video call. He commended his research, noting its impact on the development of new medicines and specialised treatments that apply advanced scientific methods, data, and technology.

Al Gergawi said, “The launch of the Great Arab Minds initiative by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the largest of its kind in the region, recognises Arab innovators and achievers who have made significant contributions to the advancement of science and human development. Dr Nabil Seidah is among these distinguished scientists and doctors who have dedicated their lives to improving public health and introducing new treatment and prevention approaches that have marked a new chapter in medical science.”

The 2025 committee included Dr Amer Sharif, CEO of Dubai Health and President of Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences; Prof Elias Zerhouni, Professor Emeritus at Johns Hopkins University; Prof Alawi Sheikh Ali, Director General of Dubai Health Authority; and Prof Huda Akil, Professor of Neuroscience in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Michigan Medical School.

Great Arab Minds is the largest initiative of its kind in the Arab world. It highlights the achievements of leading Arab specialists and aims to encourage the next generation to play an active role in scientific and intellectual progress.

Now in its third edition, the initiative provides the highest regional recognition across six key disciplines, supporting scientific, intellectual, cultural, and creative productivity in the Arab world.

It has become a leading platform that empowers a new generation of scientists, doctors, engineers, innovators and inventors, highlighting the achievements of Arab minds whose contributions have gained global prominence.

WAM

COMMUNITY

AlUla Club Marks International Day of the Arabian Leopard

AlUla Club organized an awareness event yesterday to mark the International Day of the Arabian Leopard, with broad participation from residents of AlUla Governorate and visitors. The event is part of the club’s efforts to enhance environmental awareness and support wildlife protection initiatives.
The event aimed to educate youth and the community at large, and especially visitors to the governorate, about the importance of conserving biodiversity. It also sought to reinforce positive behaviors that support wildlife protection, underscoring the role of community initiatives in supporting national efforts to protect the environment, and sustain it.
— SPA

COMMUNITY

Saudi Arabia to issue passports for millions of camels

Saudi Arabia has announced plans to issue official passports for camels, a move aimed at better regulating and managing one of the kingdom’s most culturally and economically significant assets.

In a statement this week, Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture said the initiative would help improve oversight of camel ownership while enhancing ‘productivity and efficiency in the sector’ by creating a centralised and reliable reference database.

According to state-backed broadcaster Al Ekhbariya, the document will be used to regulate the sale, transport and trade of camels, while also helping protect owners’ rights and simplify proof of ownership.

Saudi authorities estimate that the kingdom is home to around 2.2 million camels, based on government figures released in 2024. The animals remain deeply embedded in Saudi society — historically as a primary means of transport and today as symbols of heritage, prestige and wealth.

In recent years, camels have also become central to a lucrative breeding and competition industry, particularly at large annual festivals such as the King Abdulaziz Camel Festival, where prize-winning animals can sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars.

That growing commercial value has prompted authorities to tighten oversight, especially after repeated scandals involving cosmetic manipulation of camels entered into beauty contests. Organisers have banned practices such as injections and fillers used to enhance lips, noses and humps, with offenders facing fines and disqualification.

Officials say the passport system is part of a broader effort to modernise agricultural governance while preserving traditional industries — using documentation, data and traceability to manage practices that once relied entirely on oral record and custom.

COMMUNITY

Saudi Arabia suspends 1,800 foreign Umrah agencies after review

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has suspended contracts with about 1,800 foreign travel agencies operating in the Umrah sector, giving them 10 days to rectify their status following a periodic performance review, the ministry said.

The affected agencies are among roughly 5,800 foreign firms authorised to provide Umrah services. The decision was taken after evaluations identified performance deficiencies and weak service quality, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday

The ministry said the suspension applies only to the issuance of new Umrah visas and is intended as a regulatory measure to allow agencies to address classification issues and improve compliance with approved standards. Contracts will be reactivated once the requirements are met within the specified grace period, it added.

The ministry stressed that Umrah pilgrims holding valid visas or existing reservations will not be affected, confirming that services to them will continue without disruption.

Applying approved classification criteria and performance indicators is a core regulatory tool to raise compliance among service providers and ensure that services meet required standards, the ministry said, adding that protecting the rights of Umrah performers and ensuring service continuity remain central priorities.

Ghassan Alnwaimi, the ministry’s spokesperson, said regulatory action would be taken against any agency that fails to correct deficiencies by the deadline. He added that the ministry would continue to rely on monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to strengthen the reliability of the Umrah sector and safeguard pilgrims’ rights.