الثقافة السعودية تحتفي بتاريخ «حاتم الطائي» في مسقط رأسه

فعاليات في حائل تبرز قيمه وأعماله الشعرية

مدينة حائل تكرم حاتم الطائي (واس)
مدينة حائل تكرم حاتم الطائي (واس)
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الثقافة السعودية تحتفي بتاريخ «حاتم الطائي» في مسقط رأسه

مدينة حائل تكرم حاتم الطائي (واس)
مدينة حائل تكرم حاتم الطائي (واس)

تحتضن مدينة حائل (شمال السعودية) يوم الجمعة المقبل مهرجان «في ضيافة الطائي»، الذي تنظمه وزارة الثقافة ضمن مبادرات عام الشعر العربي، للاحتفاء بابن المدينة، الذي أصبح مثالاً للكرم بين العرب، وأحد أبرز شعرائهم على مدار التاريخ.
وتحتفل الوزارة بشخصية حاتم الطائي، وقِيمه الحميدة، وأعماله الخالدة في ذاكرة الشعر العربي، ومكانته الثقافية، ويتضمن المهرجان حزمة من الأنشطة والفعاليات الثقافية التي تُجسد حياة الشاعر، وقصائده الشهيرة، وتُحاكي ثقافة المنطقة في تلك الفترة الزمنية.
وسيضم المهرجان رحلة ثقافية إبداعية تبدأ من منطقة «الأطفال» التي تهدف إلى تعريف النشء بالشعر العربي وقصص الطائي بطرق مبتكرة عبر أربعة أركان هي الراوي، والتشكيل، والتلوين، ومسرح العرائس، تسرد لهم قصصاً من التاريخ العربي وأشهر الأبيات والمكارم التي اشتهروا بها عبر وسائل تعليمية مناسبة للأطفال.
كما سيحتوي المهرجان على مسرح يحكي من خلال عروضه ومضات مهمة في تاريخ حاتم الطائي بدءاً من طفولته، مروراً بشبابه، وبعض وصاياه، ترسم مشاهد تعكس مجلسه في تلك الفترة وأبرز قصص الكرم، التي اشتهر بها في خيمته التي كانت تستقبل الضيوف من كل حدب وصوب.
وستأخذ منطقة «ساحة في حياة الطائي» الزوار في رحلةٍ تفاعلية للتعرف بطبيعة الحياة اليومية خلال الفترة الزمنية التي عاشها الطائي عبر متاجر تعرض الحرف والفنون التي اشتهرت بها المنطقة في ذلك الزمن.
وسيحتضن «معرض الطائي» أعمالاً فنية متنوعة مستلهمة من أشهر الأبيات التي كتبها الطائي تُحاكي أحاسيس ومعاني قصائده بواسطة أعمال فنية تصل إلى عُمق قصائده، تستخدم بها فنون متنوعة مثل الفن التجريدي والمعاصر والرسم والنحت وغيرها.
ويعد حاتم الطائي الذي توفي عام 605م أحد أبرز الشعراء العرب، الذين ذاع صيتهم في أقطار العالم، وهو حاتم بن عبد الله بن سعد الطائي؛ الشاعر والفارس الجواد ومضرب المثل بالجود في فترة ما قبل الإسلام في جبل طيء شمالي نجد – حائل حالياً ويعد من أشهر العرب بالكرم والجود والشهامة.
ويأتي المهرجان ضمن مسار الشعر العربي، الذي أطلقته وزارة الثقافة في وقتٍ سابق للاحتفاء برموز الشعر العربي أمثال عنترة بن شداد، ولبيد بن ربيعة، وزهير بن أبي سلمى، وامرؤ القيس، وحاتم الطائي والأعشى، حيث نظمت للأخير مهرجاناً بعنوان «هُنا كان الأعشى» في عام 2021 - 2022 بالرياض، ومهرجان عنترة الثقافي في عام 2022م بالقصيم. وذلك إيماناً بأهمية الشعر والشعراء في التاريخ الثقافي السعودي، واستعادة لإرثها الثقافي العريق، وإعادة تقديمه في قوالب إبداعية معاصرة عبر استخدام التقنية الحديثة وتمكين المواهب واستثمار الطاقات الخلاّقة، نحو تحقيق أهداف الوزارة في تعزيز الهوية الوطنية وتحويل الثقافة كنمط حياة.



'People Could Get Hurt': Conservationists Decry AI Wildlife Visuals

Conservationists warn AI visuals of wild animals make it harder for people to discern what is real. Alex Ogle / AFP/File
Conservationists warn AI visuals of wild animals make it harder for people to discern what is real. Alex Ogle / AFP/File
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'People Could Get Hurt': Conservationists Decry AI Wildlife Visuals

Conservationists warn AI visuals of wild animals make it harder for people to discern what is real. Alex Ogle / AFP/File
Conservationists warn AI visuals of wild animals make it harder for people to discern what is real. Alex Ogle / AFP/File

The black-and-white image appears to show the unlikeliest of interactions: an orangutan cradling endangered leopard cubs deep in the jungles of Malaysia's Sabah state.

But the viral image is not just unlikely, it is fake, part of a trend of wildlife images generated by artificial intelligence that experts warn endanger animals and people.

AFP fact-checkers have debunked scores of similar synthetic visuals, from an elephant climbing a tree to escape flooding in Myanmar to a pink dolphin leaping out of water in the Philippines.

The images are often accompanied by heartwarming anecdotes and have circulated widely in multiple languages on platforms such as Facebook, TikTok and X.

They may seem more like feel-good fiction than dangerous misinformation, but experts warn hyper-realistic visuals of wild animals behaving like pets, or even like humans, can distort public perceptions of wildlife and harm conservation efforts.

"This misunderstanding can lead people to approach animals too closely or interact with them in unsafe ways," Jose Guerrero-Casado, a zoology professor at Spain's University of Cordoba, told AFP.

He cited a widely reported incident in China's northwest Xinjiang region in January, where a woman was attacked by a rare snow leopard after trying to get closer for a photo.

China's forestry department said it stepped up patrols after the incident and warned the public to maintain a safe distance when encountering wild animals.

- Sowing doubt -

Conservationists say AI visuals portraying wild animals as cute or cuddly make it harder for social media users to discern what is real and can fuel exploitation.

They increase demand for certain species "to be used in the tourism industry as photo props, exploited to make social media content or to be kept as pets", said Chris Lewis, a researcher at the international wildlife charity Born Free.

And while the visuals could encourage some people to support animal protection, "the negative impacts outweigh that completely," said Jenny Roberts of conservation group WWF.

"People could get hurt," she told AFP.

WWF uses real images for its fundraising efforts, but fake content online "desensitizes" people to even the most incredible original visuals, she said.

"When you do have something remarkable, people question it," Roberts said, recounting an incident where a camera trap set up by her charity captured a tiger with five cubs in China.

Such footage had never been filmed before in the East Asian country, she said.

"But when we put the content out there, we were questioned on social media: 'Is this AI-generated?'"

- 'Major threat' -

A September study in the journal Conservation Biology, co-authored by Guerrero-Casado, concluded that the rapid spread of AI misinformation and its potential to harm environmental efforts is a "major threat" to society.

The researchers highlighted another challenge for those working in conservation: AI images "could affect the ability of people to identify species" and cause misunderstandings about the abundance and distribution of wildlife.

Scientists often mine data from citizen science platforms that accept photos and recordings of wildlife submitted by users.

But AI generation and manipulation could lead to flawed research, several experts warned in a recent commentary in the journal Nature.

They called for more robust authentication of submissions, and education of users about the risks of manipulating images and recordings.

Meta, Facebook's parent company, and TikTok require users to label realistic visuals that have been generated or significantly altered using AI. They also say their platforms have tools that automatically label content as AI-generated.

However, AFP fact-checkers spotted multiple wildlife posts without clear labels -- even when users had already said in their captions that they were fake.

Meta and TikTok pay AFP to fact-check posts with potentially false information.

"Conservation depends on a well-informed society that understands the ecological and conservation needs of wild species," Guerrero-Casado said.

"AI-generated fake content does not contribute to this goal."


North Korea’s Kim, Russia’s Putin Reaffirm Ties on Korean Liberation Day

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un speaks with Russian President Vladimir Putin during their visit to Beijing to attend China's commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two, in Beijing, China, September 3, 2025, in this picture released by the Korean Central News Agency. (KCNA via Reuters)
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un speaks with Russian President Vladimir Putin during their visit to Beijing to attend China's commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two, in Beijing, China, September 3, 2025, in this picture released by the Korean Central News Agency. (KCNA via Reuters)
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North Korea’s Kim, Russia’s Putin Reaffirm Ties on Korean Liberation Day

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un speaks with Russian President Vladimir Putin during their visit to Beijing to attend China's commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two, in Beijing, China, September 3, 2025, in this picture released by the Korean Central News Agency. (KCNA via Reuters)
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un speaks with Russian President Vladimir Putin during their visit to Beijing to attend China's commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two, in Beijing, China, September 3, 2025, in this picture released by the Korean Central News Agency. (KCNA via Reuters)

North ‌Korean leader Kim Jong Un reaffirmed the deepening of ties with Russia in a message to President Vladimir Putin as Pyongyang marked the anniversary of independence from Japan's colonial rule, KCNA state news agency said on Sunday.

Kim was replying to a message of congratulations from Putin marking Saturday's 81st anniversary of Tokyo's surrender in World War Two. The Russian leader said the bond was forged as Soviet soldiers fought against ‌Japan and that ‌cooperation would continue "in all the sectors".

The ‌North ⁠Korean leader expressed ⁠hope for the future of ties that had "carried forward the history of common struggle for justice and precious traditions of friendship".

Pyongyang and Moscow have grown closer since the reclusive state began deploying troops and weapons to support Russia's war against Ukraine in what ⁠has been Pyongyang's most significant involvement in a ‌war since the 1950s.

The ‌Russian ship Pallada arrived at Wonsan port for a goodwill ‌visit on Saturday tied to the liberation ‌anniversary, and was greeted by North Korean provincial officials and Russian embassy staff, KCNA said.

Also on Saturday, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung called for talks with the rival ‌North aimed at peaceful coexistence, telling Seoul's Liberation Day ceremony that the two Koreas need ⁠safeguards ⁠to prevent conflict and should work to replace their armistice with a "peace regime".

Lee urged dialogue to formally end the 1950-1953 Korean War, which ended in a ceasefire but no peace treaty, and said the talks could explore ways to curb Pyongyang's nuclear program.

Pyongyang has rejected Lee's overtures and criticized US-South Korean military exercises as provocations.

On Thursday, Putin drew Tokyo's condemnation with a visit to an island off Hokkaido, claimed by Japan, that Moscow seized in the days after Japan's 1945 surrender.


Gaza Health Sector Faces Mounting Crises, Risk of Total Collapse

A Palestinian carries a child wounded in an Israeli strike that killed the child’s parents at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, July 15, 2026 (Reuters) 
A Palestinian carries a child wounded in an Israeli strike that killed the child’s parents at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, July 15, 2026 (Reuters) 
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Gaza Health Sector Faces Mounting Crises, Risk of Total Collapse

A Palestinian carries a child wounded in an Israeli strike that killed the child’s parents at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, July 15, 2026 (Reuters) 
A Palestinian carries a child wounded in an Israeli strike that killed the child’s parents at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, July 15, 2026 (Reuters) 

Gaza’s health sector is facing a deepening series of crises amid the devastation caused by the Israeli war that followed Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack.

Israel has not only damaged hospitals through raids and strikes but continues to control the entry of medicines and medical supplies, as well as the departure of patients seeking treatment abroad, further complicating an already dire health situation.

Gaza’s Health Ministry warned Saturday that the operating capacity of the remaining oxygen stations had been fully exhausted and that they were working beyond their limits amid repeated breakdowns.

Only 12 of 34 oxygen stations remain operational, under highly difficult technical and mechanical conditions that make it increasingly hard to meet the needs of health facilities and other service providers. The ministry said just four of 30 oxygen-cylinder filling units remain functional and could stop at any moment because engineering teams lack the means to carry out emergency maintenance.

It warned that the remaining stations risk complete shutdown, threatening oxygen supplies to hospitals and patients receiving care at home. The ministry called for the immediate entry of spare parts and technical equipment, as well as the urgent supply of new oxygen stations.

The crisis is also placing severe pressure on kidney patients. The Hind al-Daghma Dialysis Center at Nasser Medical Complex is treating more than 200 patients from across Gaza amid acute shortages of medical supplies, medicines and equipment.

Riyad Barbakh, head of the dialysis department, said demand was rising as equipment and treatment supplies dwindled, creating harsh conditions that had contributed to patient deaths.

Dialysis sessions are the only barrier between life and death for these patients, Barbakh said, warning that any disruption to supplies or equipment could pose an immediate threat to hundreds of lives.

Cancer patients face similarly grave conditions

Mohammed Abu Nada, medical director of the Gaza Cancer Center, warned of an unprecedented deterioration in the condition of cancer patients, saying severe shortages of essential treatments and restrictions on travel threaten about 11,000 people.

Abu Nada said three cancer patients were dying each day from complications, while about 4,000 patients holding official medical referrals for treatment or diagnosis abroad remained unable to leave because of tight restrictions and continued crossing closures.

He pointed that Gaza lacks radiotherapy entirely and faces severe shortages of chemotherapy, with cancer drugs accounting for 61% of medicines in short supply. The destruction of specialized treatment centers has forced medical teams to make difficult clinical decisions, including performing full mastectomies in some early-stage breast cancer cases because radiotherapy is unavailable and travel abroad remains difficult.

Abu Nada called on international health organizations to urgently provide sufficient and sustainable supplies of chemotherapy and specialized medicines and facilitate the evacuation of patients requiring treatment abroad.

The crisis comes as Israel has failed to implement humanitarian provisions of a recent agreement reached in Cairo, including commitments to repair hospitals and allow medicines and medical equipment into Gaza.

Field tensions have also continued despite a partial reduction in Israeli strikes deep inside the enclave.

Three Palestinians were wounded shortly before noon Saturday, one seriously, in an Israeli drone strike targeting a motorcycle in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza. They were taken to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital.

Israeli artillery also shelled several areas, particularly near the Yellow Line, while major demolitions were reported east of Khan Younis. Israeli vehicles and drones opened fire in several locations, while naval vessels targeted fishing boats operating within one nautical mile of the coast off Gaza City, central Gaza and Khan Younis.