RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Project Masam cleared 1,375 mines in Yemen — which had been planted by the Houthi militia — between May 18 to 24, according to a recent report.
Overseen by the Kingdom’s aid agency KSrelief, the project’s specialist teams destroyed 1,345 pieces of unexploded ordnance, 15 improvised explosive devices, 11 anti-tank mines, and four anti-personnel mines.
The explosives, which were planted indiscriminately by the Houthis across Yemen, posed a threat to civilians, including children, women and the elderly.
A total of 443,452 mines have been cleared since the start of the initiative in 2018, according to Ousama Al-Gosaibi, the project’s managing director.
Masam teams are tasked with clearing villages, roads and schools to facilitate the safe movement of civilians and the delivery of humanitarian aid.
Abdulrahman and Ghaith Boksmati are the first Saudis to complete Manhattan’s 20 Bridges swim
Updated 17 August 2024
Tamara Aboalsaud
RIYADH: Abdulrahman Boksmati and Ghaith Boksmati from Jeddah are the first Saudis to complete the 20 Bridges swim in Manhattan, New York.
The 48.5 km loop around the island is one of three swims that constitute “the triple crown” of open-water swimming. The title is bestowed on swimmers who complete the Catalina Channel, the English Channel, and the largest of the three, the Manhattan 20 Bridges.
Abdulrahman, who has been swimming with Ghaith for more than 13 years, completed the English Channel swim in 2021, making him only the fourth Saudi to do so — and bringing him one swim away from earning the title.
The Saudi brothers completed Manhattan’s 20 Bridges swim, a 48.5 km loop around the island, and one of three swims that constitute ‘the triple crown’ of open-water swimming. (Supplied)
Both brothers are engineers at Saudi Aramco: Abdulrahman, 26, has a degree in electrical and electronics engineering and has been working as a control engineer for three years, and Ghaith, 23, holds a degree in computer science and engineering and has been working as a metrics engineer for a year.
“I have to attribute our start with swimming to our father, to our parents,” Abdulrahman told Arab News. “My father used to be a national team swimmer, and he got us (siblings) into swimming at an early age.”
While it started as a pastime, the brothers quickly picked up the sport professionally and started training with Al-Ittihad. They joined the Golden Swimmer team in middle and high school — founded by coach Abdullah Al-Jehani — participating in both local and international swimming competitions.
HIGHLIGHTS
• Abdulrahman Boksmati completed the English Channel swim in 2021, making him only the fourth Saudi to do so.
• The 'triple crown' title is bestowed on swimmers who complete the Catalina Channel, the English Channel, and the largest of the three, the Manhattan 20 Bridges.
Even though the hot Saudi climate should encourage more swimming facilities, the brothers said that growing up it was a struggle to find accessible and affordable 25-meter pools outside of schools, compounds and gyms — and this continues to be the case.
Abdulrahman said that local swimmers are often forced to seek out other clubs’ reservation times and join their sessions.
The brothers expressed their desire to continue the swimming tradition with their families in the future as well, citing its physical and psychological benefits. (Supplied)
It was during their years at university that the brothers were first introduced to open-water swimming through Red Top Swim, a UK team led by coach Tim Denyer.
Abdurahman said that he was unhappy with the progress he had been making in swimming and during his last year at university decided that it was time for a challenge, which is how he came to swim the English Channel.
As the only prior experience that they had was in a pool — a controlled environment — one of the first lessons the Boksmati brothers learned was how dependent open-water swimming is on the conditions of the day. Swimming the English Channel, according to Abdulrahman, can “take anywhere between eight to 16 hours.”
It was very important to keep the spirits up, push each other to the finish.
Ghaith Boksmati, Saudi swimmer
Abdulrahman swam the English Channel 40 years after the last Saudi achieved this, in 1981.
While open-water swimming has not gained much traction in the Saudi swimming community, the brothers are hopeful that many more swimmers will want to attempt such challenges once word gets around, especially since age and speed are not a prerequisite.
“A lot of people I’ve seen do the English Channel would be anywhere from their mid-20s to their mid-60s. Anyone can do it if they train well enough for it,” Abdulrahman said.
The 20 Bridges swim, unlike the English Channel’s Atlantic Ocean setting, was in the middle of a bustling metropolitan city. And with city views came city troubles.
“It was the waviest water I’ve ever swam in,” Abdurahman said, adding that the experience can make swimmers very dizzy and nauseous.
Ghaith said that because the swim took place on a Saturday, the amount of boat traffic was unusually high: “Whenever the boats pass by, it adds more waves to the mix … that slows us down.”
He explained that the combination of the waves, waft of gasoline from boats and unpleasant smells coming from some sections of the dirty water, as well as occasionally being hit by unknown foreign objects, made the eight hour and 36 minute swim a test of patience and mental endurance.
“At one point I thought maybe this is a bit too much … you’re not swimming in a pool, you’re swimming in an ecosystem,” Ghaith said.
Abdulrahman remembered the advice he was given by Denyer before the swim to get him through: “Just imagine this is your nine-to-five, eight-hour job today. Instead of control engineering, it’s swimming. No way around it.”
And most importantly, don’t look forward. “Looking toward the end defeats the purpose, it actually demotivates you,” he said. “You swim for 30 minutes and then you look up again and it’s the same view. It takes a toll on you mentally.”
However, at the end of the day, all the troubles were worth it for the experience. “Yes, there were many obstacles we didn’t account for,” Abdulrahman said, “but it was truly a pleasure, honestly, to witness Manhattan and New York from another lens, through the water.”
When asked about training for a swim like this, the brothers emphasized the importance of cold plunges to adjust the body to low temperatures.
In the months and weeks leading up to the 20 Bridges, Abdulrahman and Ghaith woke at 5am every day to practice before their workdays started, coordinating their pace as much as possible.
They also had to work around unforeseen circumstances after Ghaith suffered a collarbone fracture during a sprint triathlon two months prior to the swim and was benched for four weeks.
On a six-hour practice swim that they completed prior to the challenge to ensure their ability to handle long distances, the brothers tested the feeding schedule they would have on swim day. The feeds come in 30-minute intervals and include a mix of carbohydrate powders and fizz-free Coca Cola to keep the swimmers’ energy levels high.
They would also use this time during the swim to check in with one another. “That was very important to keep the spirits up, push each other to the finish,” Ghaith said.
When asked what drove them to keep pursuing the sport over the years, they highlighted both personal and communal motivators.
“I want to see what I can accomplish and how much I can push myself,” Ghaith said. “The problem faced by a lot of swimmers is that swimming can get boring … you’re in the water all the time, there’s no teamwork.”
Abdulrahman said that senior swimmers would hold him accountable during training by tracking his progress online and sending a “You’re going to drown in the Channel” message anytime he missed a session. Terrifying, yet effective.
“There’s a lot of inspiration from our peers,” Ghaith said. He added that the swimming community in Saudi Arabia did a good job of keeping track of one another across different clubs, achievements and phases in life, bonded by mutual admiration and the desire to constantly improve and better themselves.
In the quest for the triple crown, the brothers hope to make it a family affair by completing the English Channel as a relay swim along with their two other brothers and father later this year, an achievement that could cement the Boksmati family name as a powerhouse in the Saudi swimming community.
The brothers also expressed their desire to continue the swimming tradition with their families in the future as well, citing its physical and psychological benefits.
“It (swimming) instills a lot of good values when it comes to things like discipline, keeping your cool, being competitive, patience,” Abdulrahman said.
The brothers, along with athletes such as 16-year-old swimmer Zaid Al-Sarraj, the youngest member of the Saudi Olympic team this year, and taekwondo star Dunya Abu Taleb, the first Saudi female to qualify for the Olympics on merit without the need for a wildcard invitation, are inspiring a new generation to keep raising the bar for sport in the Kingdom.
Jeddah band Strangers perform at Alkhobar’s Bohemia
“Every time we go on stage, there are different people coming and going,” he told Arab News before his performance
Updated 18 August 2024
Jasmine Bager
ALKHOBAR: Jeddah-based indie band Strangers performed at Alkhobar’s Bohemia Art Cafe and Records on Friday night, bringing their west-coast cool to the chill east -coast space.
“You are the house of indie music in Saudi Arabia,” guitarist Mostafa Fahmi told the full house at the start of their set. “We’ve been wanting to come here for a while, and it’s only befitting that we’re here as our first gig outside of my hometown, Jeddah.”
Image of Arkan of Arkan Blues Experience. (Photo/Hussam Algallaf)
Fahmi was joined by Zaid Faouri on drums, Sultan Al-Ghamdi on bass and Qusai Asaad on guitar.
Wesam Al-Bassam, Bohemia’s creative director and brand manager, told Arab News that she has been trying to book Strangers for some time.
It’s really good to play in my hometown because it just feels like home — especially playing around your friends and family, around ‘your people.’
Arkan, Saudi musician
“I knew Qusai through Instagram. I saw him playing with his friends back in maybe 2019 or 2020 and I texted him, asking him, ‘Hey, do you want to perform at Bohemia?’ He was, like, ‘We don’t really have any material yet, we’re still finding our voice.’”
Five years on, Asaad and his band finally took to Bohemia’s stage.
Image of Strangers during sound check. (AN photo)
Local act Arkan Blues Experience, led by Arkan, who prefers to go by his first name, opened the show.
“Every time we go on stage, there are different people coming and going,” he told Arab News before his performance. “So, for tonight’s show, I will be doing the lead guitar and vocals, Ibrahem on drums, Mansour on the rhythm guitar, Abdulaziz on bass. And I have two special guests: Ian on keyboard and Mohammed on saxophone.
“It’s really good to play in my hometown because it just feels like home — especially playing around your friends and family, around ‘your people’,” he added. “Bohemia is actually where it all started. The (local) music community got started in Bohemia.”
Arkan cited local music veteran Nader Al-Fassam — lead guitarist with the psychedelic punk band Sound of Ruby, who has been part of Alkhobar’s underground music scene since the Nineties and was also present on Friday — as one of his biggest inspirations.
Asaad paid homage by stealthily changing into a Sound of Ruby t-shirt before his band’s set.
After their show, Strangers posted on social media: “Thank you, Sharqiya. You’re lucky to have Bohemia. Let’s play the next one soon.”
Who’s Who: Saleh Al-Enezi, director and official spokesman at IMSIU
Updated 17 August 2024
Arab News
Saleh Al-Enezi is the official spokesman and general director of the General Administration of Public Relations and Media at Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University since February 2024.
He has been a staff member at the university’s department of journalism and media in the faculty of information and communication since 2014.
Al-Enezi also works as a media consultant in the field of editing and identity-building for various companies and media and consulting centers. This experience has also qualified him to prepare and formulate strategic media plans for government agencies.
From 2020 to 2022, Al-Enezi supervised the Saudi Ministry of Education’s e-portal and later worked as a media advisor to the ministry.
In 2019, he became the vice dean of the faculty of media and communication for development and quality and was the acting editor in chief of a number of electronic and print newspapers.
Al-Enezi has headed various media committees including the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Program for Foreign Scholarships in 2006; the Gulf Universities Sports Game in 2003; the Community Partnership Forum organized by IMSIU in partnership with the Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha); and the Forum on the Role of Universities in Promoting National Belonging and Peaceful Coexistence.
In 2019, he became a member of the media committee and supervisor of the Saudi Media Award website.
In 2006, he was a member of the media team that documented the biography of King Khalid bin Abdulaziz.
Al-Enezi has held several training programs locally and internationally, including on media impact for the Saudi Students' Club in Kuala Lumpur and on crisis media for leaders of the department of education in the Ministry of Education.
He holds a Ph.D. in e-journalism from Universiti Teknologi MARA in Malaysia and a master’s degree in e-journalism from IMSIU, where he also earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and public relations.
He has written two books: “Communication Theories” and “Cultural Communication.”
Makkah imam meets Cambodian deputy minister of sects and religions
Ayub praised the Saudi government’s efforts to serve Muslims globally and expressed appreciation for the Kingdom’s support for Cambodia and its people
Updated 17 August 2024
Arab News
PHNOM PENH: Dr. Bandar bin Abdulaziz Baleelah, imam of the Grand Mosque in Makkah and member of the Council of Senior Scholars, met Cambodian Deputy Minister of Sects and Religions Hajj Ashari Ayub while on an official visit to the country.
During the meeting, the two sides discussed issues of common interest, especially Islamic affairs, including serving Muslims in Cambodia, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.
In an official statement, Ayub praised the Saudi government’s efforts to serve Muslims globally and expressed appreciation for the Kingdom’s support for Cambodia and its people, including providing scholarships for students and building mosques.
Qur’an contest participants laud Saudi efforts during Makkah cultural tour
The visit was part of the cultural programs organized by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs
Updated 17 August 2024
Arab News
MAKKAH: Several contestants in the 44th King Abdulaziz International Competition for the Memorization, Recitation and Interpretation of the Qur’an visited Makkah’s Clock Tower Museum.
The visit was part of the cultural programs organized by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs for this edition’s 174 contestants, who hail from 123 countries, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The contestants expressed their gratitude and appreciation to King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for their efforts in serving Islam and Muslims, as well as for their care and attention to the Qur’an in printing, publishing, teaching and honoring Qur’an memorizers.
They praised the Kingdom’s efforts in expanding the Grand Mosque and serving visitors, including pilgrims, Umrah performers and worshipers.
Bilal Hassan, a contestant from New Zealand, said that the attention of the Kingdom’s leadership on serving Islam and Muslims, and their care for the Qur’an, was “unsurprising.”
The Kingdom is the land of Islam, the place where the message of Prophet Muhammad was revealed and the “center of its radiance,” he added.
Hassan said that the competition is evidence of the Kingdom’s commitment to Islam, and he prayed for Allah to reward the king and crown prince for their great efforts in serving Muslims.
Nihat Hamshimli, a contestant from Azerbaijan, expressed his pride in taking part in the competition, which is held within the precincts of the Grand Mosque.
He praised the Kingdom, represented by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, in organizing the event and arranging spiritual programs for contestants.
Omar Abdullah, a contestant from Sweden, also expressed his gratitude to the king and the crown prince for their service to Islam and Muslims.
