RIYADH // Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah yesterday underwent more medical tests after feeling pain in the back and has been advised by doctors to rest, the state news agency SPA said. Saudi, on Tuesday, said doctors had ordered the king to rest because of a slipped disc.
However the Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak was to hold talks with the king today, state-owned media reported.
Mr Mubarak was to "visit Saudi Arabia for a few hours for talks with King Abdullah on regional issues," the leading government-owned daily Al Ahram said without elaborating.
It recalled that on Wednesday the 86-year-old president insisted he was "in good health" after suffering a slipped disc.
The king's health problems come while the crown prince, Sultan, also in his 80s, has been abroad for unspecified health treatment for much of the last two years. He left in August for what was described as a holiday in Morocco. Khaled al Dakhil, a Saudi political analyst based in Riyadh, said he saw no cause for alarm at present.
"I don't see anything alarming. There is no implication of a serious issue with his health," he said.
With both the king and crown prince indisposed, the interior minister Prince Nayef has featured heavily in state media over the past week. Prince Nayef was appointed second deputy prime minister in 2009 in a move which analysts say will avert a power vacuum in the event of serious health problems afflicting the king and crown prince. The veteran security chief, thought to be around 76, was in an ebullient mood when he met reporters in Mecca before the Haj pilgrimage last week and state media made a formal announcement that he would oversee the Haj in the king's place, receiving guests there in recent days.
On Wednesday, the king transferred control of the National Guard, an elite Bedouin corps that handles domestic security, to his son Mitab. Mitab was also named by the king as a minister of state and a member of the Council of Ministers.
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A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
Where to apply
Applicants should send their completed applications - CV, covering letter, sample(s) of your work, letter of recommendation - to Nick March, Assistant Editor in Chief at The National and UAE programme administrator for the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism, by 5pm on April 30, 2020.
Please send applications to nmarch@thenational.ae and please mark the subject line as “Rosalynn Carter Fellowship for Mental Health Journalism (UAE programme application)”.
The local advisory board will consider all applications and will interview a short list of candidates in Abu Dhabi in June 2020. Successful candidates will be informed before July 30, 2020.
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Breaking News: The Remaking of Journalism and Why It Matters Now
Alan Rushbridger, Canongate