News

Omar Yaghi Becomes Saudi Arabia’s First Nobel Laureate In Chemistry

The award marks a historic moment for Saudi science and underscores Vision 2030’s focus on research and innovation.

Published

7 months ago

October 14, 2025

omar yaghi becomes saudi arabia's first nobel laureate in chemistry

Professor Omar Yaghi has won the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, the first Saudi citizen to receive the prestigious honor. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences recognized him for founding the field of reticular chemistry and developing metal-organic and covalent organic frameworks — materials now used in clean energy, environmental technologies and clean water harvesting.

Yaghi’s discoveries have reshaped material science, allowing molecules to form complex, functional networks with applications from carbon capture to hydrogen storage. His frameworks have opened routes to new industrial materials and commercial uses, bridging basic chemistry and engineering. As a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, he has published more than 300 papers and been cited over 250,000 times, placing him among the world’s most influential chemists.

Dr. Munir Eldesouki, president of King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), said the award “reflects the wise leadership’s vision of making the Kingdom a global center for science, knowledge, and innovation”. He added that Yaghi’s work on nanomaterials capable of pulling water from air “is a remarkable example of how science transforms passion into impact”.

Yaghi’s career has also brought him major international honors, including the King Faisal Prize in Science, the Wolf Prize in Chemistry, and the Albert Einstein World Award of Science. His recognition extends across both academic and industrial sectors for advancing sustainability-focused technologies.

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Recently granted Saudi citizenship, Omar Yaghi serves as co-director of the KACST-UC Berkeley Center of Excellence for Nanomaterials for Clean Energy Applications, advisor to the KACST president, and board member of the Research, Development, and Innovation Authority. His appointment aligns with the Kingdom’s push to attract global talent and strengthen research partnerships as part of Vision 2030.

His Nobel win anchors Saudi Arabia on the global research map, a signal of how far its science ambitions have advanced under Vision 2030.

News

Lebanon Ministers Meet Visa Over National Digital Payment Platform

Finance and technology ministers say a comparative study and roadmap will follow before any decision on adopting a model.

Published

4 days ago

May 5, 2026

Joanna Melki

lebanon ministers meet visa over national digital payment platform

Lebanon’s finance and technology ministers met representatives from Visa last week to discuss a proposed unified national digital payment platform for government services, according to a readout from the Ministry of Finance.

The meeting brought together Finance Minister Yassin Jaber, Minister of State for Technology and Artificial Intelligence Kamal Shehadeh, a Visa delegation, and experts from both ministries. Discussion focused on whether Lebanon could establish a single platform through which citizens and institutions would pay taxes, fees, fines and other official transactions electronically, using mobile phones and other digital channels.

The Visa delegation presented examples from countries that have adopted unified government payment platforms, including the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Estonia and Jordan. According to the readout, the examples were presented as having increased collection rates and expanded financial inclusion.

Talks covered settlement mechanisms, direct transfer to the treasury account, financial reconciliation, risk management, cybersecurity, fees, and an operational model that would involve the private sector. The parties agreed to continue technical and institutional consultations, prepare a comparative study, and develop an implementation roadmap before any decision on adopting a model for Lebanon.

Jaber said the Ministry of Finance had already enabled citizens to pay using credit cards and e-wallets through transfer companies, but described the proposed platform as a further step. He framed the development of electronic payment and collection systems as a priority within the ministry’s modernization plan.

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Shehadeh outlined the citizen-facing concept as a single mobile application through which users could settle obligations to ministries, government institutions and other bodies.

“The idea, in short, is that any citizen downloads an application on their mobile phone, through which they can pay all service obligations for all ministries, government institutions, or those owned by the Lebanese state, and others as well, as the platform is not limited only to state institutions,” he said.

Shehadeh added that the platform would not displace banks and money transfer companies that currently provide collection services to the state, calling it complementary to their work.