Scientists at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, in collaboration with NEOM, have launched the first nursery of the KAUST Coral Restoration Initiative. “KCRI is the largest coral restoration project in the world and represents a significant step towards restoring reefs globally with a primary nursery officially in operation and a second facility in development, both in the Red Sea,” according to a statement released on Thursday.

LONDON: German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier’s visit to Turkiye this week has stirred controversy after he brought along a 60-kg kebab skewer as part of his diplomatic mission. Starting his three-day tour in Istanbul instead of Ankara, Steinmeier served kebabs at a reception, viewing it as a symbol of cultural exchange between the two nations. “It is these special and intense relationships that bridge distances, and also some differences, today,” he said.

BEIRUT: Lebanon’s parliament on Thursday delayed municipal elections for a third time in two years, state media reported, as militants in the country’s south exchanged near-daily fire with Israel for over six months. The powerful Iran-backed Hezbollah group has been trading fire with Israeli forces across the border since the day after its Palestinian ally Hamas carried out a deadly attack on Israel on October 7, triggering the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip.