Al-Khaleej’s Mo Adams praises ‘incredible’ SPL revolution

Al-Khaleej’s Mo Adams praises ‘incredible’ SPL revolution
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Updated 20 June 2024
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Al-Khaleej’s Mo Adams praises ‘incredible’ SPL revolution

Al-Khaleej’s Mo Adams praises ‘incredible’ SPL revolution
  • Saudi Arabia-born British-raised footballer is latest guest on Arab News’ ‘The Mayman Show’
  • Midfielder, 27, describes journey from early setback at Blackburn Rovers to stints in the US

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia-born British-raised football player Mohammed Adams has praised the “incredible” revolution taking place in Saudi football in his appearance on the latest episode of Arab News’ “The Mayman Show.”

The Al-Khaleej star recalled his journey from the fields of England and the US to the Saudi Pro League.

Adams was set to start his professional career with Blackburn Rovers in England. He took part in a two-week training camp and was offered a professional contract, but a last-minute injury brought an end to his plans.

 

“On a Friday I’m supposed to sign the contract. In training, I’m dribbling down the line, cut the ball back. Some guy smashes my ankle. OK, at that point I’m like, damn, this is painful, I can’t walk,” he said.

“So, at that point it was like, go home, get scanned, and then the club rang me. They said ‘Mo, if you snap four ligaments in your left ankle, you can’t sign the contract.’ So, at that point, I was that close from turning pro, and it just gets snatched at the moment, you know what I’m saying?”

 

The 27-year-old recalled his somber spirits as a result of the setback. “Just honestly, at that point, I kind of wanted to stop playing football because I felt like everything I’d ever worked for was just snatched from me, like, in an instant,” he said.

Adams contemplated taking his efforts to the US since his attempts at turning professional in UK had hit a roadblock. “But even prior to that, like, you know how competitive it is in the UK, you know, if you get released at a certain age, you can’t expect to jump back at that same age or that same level. It’s like a pyramid. You gotta start at the bottom.”

Despite the setback, he continued playing the sport on a part-time basis. “People were working two jobs at the same time. So, it was like I had this little dream, but this wasn’t the right environment for me. So, that’s when I obviously took the step to the US and inspired a lot of people, because I was one of the first people out of the UK.

 

“So, I’d say that was probably like, seeing my actual dream come true and the perseverance that I went through eventually paid off.”

In the US’ Major League Soccer, the 27-year-old enjoyed stints with Chicago Fire, Atlanta United and Inter Miami.

After playing for five years in the US, Adams moved to Al-Shabab in the Kingdom in 2022.

Now at Al-Khaleej, the midfielder is full of praise for the revolution taking place in Saudi football as a result of Vision 2030.

 

 

“It’s incredible, honestly, and I’m honestly blessed to actually be in the Saudi Pro League and even, like, thinking about it —  I came I think in July, and Ronaldo came in December,” he said.

“I was so blessed to come at that time because now to come to Saudi and play in the Saudi league is not easy, man. I got all my friends hitting me up saying ‘yo, what’s the Saudi League like, man? I want to come’.”

The signing of top international players to the Saudi Pro League is more than a marketing strategy, Adam said. “They’re actually able to pull all these world-class players and to see that and to remember like, you know, my debut against Al-Ittihad and then playing against Benzema,” he added.

 

Facing off against top players in the Kingdom is adding “skills and knowledge” to Adams’ game.

“But it has so much potential. And I think people are really starting to tap in and pay attention to what Saudi is doing, not just in the sports sector, but in everything, you know, as a whole.”

 


Red Sea Fund opens registration for post-production grants

Red Sea Fund opens registration for post-production grants
Updated 07 August 2024
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Red Sea Fund opens registration for post-production grants

Red Sea Fund opens registration for post-production grants
  • Period for the fourth phase runs until Aug. 21

RIYADH: The Red Sea International Film Festival has opened registration for the fourth phase of the Red Sea Fund, which supports post-production film projects.

The registration period runs until Aug. 21, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

The fund supports films needing final touches after filming. It seeks to attract works in the region from the documentary, fiction, animation, episodic, short, and feature film genres.

The fund accepts applications from directors of Arab and African origin, while the works are required to have a minimum duration of 60 minutes.

The Red Sea Fund has supported more than 250 films, initiated industry support programs, helped to celebrate women, and funded graduation films since its inception in 2021.

It also collaborates with international festivals and provides awards for exceptional projects.

Interested applicants who wish to register for the fourth phase should access redseafilmfest.com/en/red-sea-fund-2/.


118 colleges added to Saudi Cultural Scholarship Program

118 colleges added to Saudi Cultural Scholarship Program
Updated 07 August 2024
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118 colleges added to Saudi Cultural Scholarship Program

118 colleges added to Saudi Cultural Scholarship Program

RIYADH: The Ministry of Culture has expanded its Cultural Scholarship Program, adding 118 colleges to its list of accredited educational institutions, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

The move aims to support national cadres, respond to the growing needs of the labor market and achieve the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 in relation to culture, the ministry said.

The additions take the number of institutions involved in the program to 278 in 15 countries, of which 58 are in the US, 40 in the UK and one in Russia.

Among the newcomers are the University of San Francisco, Arizona State University, University of Colorado Boulder, Royal Holloway, University of London, the University of Liverpool, Padova University in Italy and Lund University in Sweden.

The program offers students the chance to obtain scholarships in 13 cultural and artistic fields. The awards cover the cost of their tuition fees, living expenses, medical insurance and travel. Their academic development is also monitored and evaluated.


Who’s Who: Edward Byrne, new president of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology 

Who’s Who: Edward Byrne, new president of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology 
Updated 49 min 5 sec ago
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Who’s Who: Edward Byrne, new president of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology 

Who’s Who: Edward Byrne, new president of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology 
  • Byrne succeeds Tony Chan, who joined KAUST as president in 2018

Edward Byrne was appointed as the new president of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology on Wednesday, with the appointment effective from Sept. 1.

Byrne’s appointment marks a significant milestone for the university as it continues its transformative journey through the implementation of its Accelerating Impact Strategy.

Byrne succeeds Tony Chan who joined KAUST as president in 2018. Chan significantly enhanced KAUST’s alignment with Vision 2030, expanding its global research and academic influence.

Byrne said: “It is an honor to join an academic community at the forefront of translating research into economically productive innovations for the benefit of society across the Kingdom and the world.

“Drawing on my extensive career leading top-ranked global universities and visionary approaches to scientific discovery, I welcome the opportunity to lead an institution that is paving the way for future progress and is committed to making the discoveries that will power tomorrow.”

Byrne has been serving as the global chief medical officer of Ramsay Health Care Group since 2021, where he extended his leadership beyond academia into global healthcare governance and strategic advisory roles.

He is also vice chancellor’s distinguished fellow at The Australian National University and chairs various boards and think tanks.

He was the president and principal of King’s College London from 2014 to 2021, chairing King’s Health Partners and spearheading the university’s Vision 2029.

His efforts made significant contributions to society and positioned KCL at the forefront of the national agenda.

Byrne was the president and vice chancellor of Monash University in Melbourne from 2009 to 2014, where he demonstrated his capacity for innovation and impact by establishing a new campus in Suzhou, China, and fostering a major alliance with the University of Warwick.

He had previously left Australia for London in 2007 and held the positions of executive dean of the Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, head of the Medical School, and vice provost at University College London until 2009.

The Yazidi nightmare
Ten years after the genocide, their torment continues
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Madinah governor cites King Salman Medical City’s for obtaining accreditation

Madinah governor cites King Salman Medical City’s for obtaining accreditation
Updated 07 August 2024
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Madinah governor cites King Salman Medical City’s for obtaining accreditation

Madinah governor cites King Salman Medical City’s for obtaining accreditation

MADINAH: Madinah Gov. Prince Salman bin Sultan received King Salman Medical City CEO Abdulrahman Al-Harbi in Madinah, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
Prince Salman congratulated the staff of the medical institute for obtaining accreditation from the Saudi Central Board for Accreditation of Healthcare Institutions.
He hailed recent advances in the health sector and encouraged staff to continue improving integrated health services.


Saudi deputy FM meets with Palestine’s representative to UN on sidelines of OIC meeting

Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji meets with the Permanent Representative of Palestine to the United Nations.
Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji meets with the Permanent Representative of Palestine to the United Nations.
Updated 49 min 46 sec ago
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Saudi deputy FM meets with Palestine’s representative to UN on sidelines of OIC meeting

Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji meets with the Permanent Representative of Palestine to the United Nations.
  • Al-Khuraiji condemned the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh at OIC meeting, saying it was a “flagrant violation of the sovereignty” of Iran

RIYADH: Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji met with the Permanent Representative of Palestine to the United Nations Riyad Mansour on Wednesday.

During the meeting on the sidelines of an Organization of Islamic Cooperation summit in Jeddah, the two officials discussed the latest developments in the Palestinian crisis.

They also reviewed regional developments, Saudi Press Agency reported. 

Al-Khuraiji also met with Iran’s Acting Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani and Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Nuh Yilmaz, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Gambian Foreign Minister Mamadou Tangara, and Abu Bakr Mohamed Hanafi.

At the OIC meeting, Al-Khuraiji condemned the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh, saying it was a “flagrant violation of the sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran, its territorial integrity and national security, international law and the Charter of the United Nations and constitutes a threat to regional peace and security.”

The Yazidi nightmare
Ten years after the genocide, their torment continues
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