Saudi Arabia opens ‘air bridge’ to assist victims of war in Lebanon
The plane that left from King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh carried food, medical supplies and relief materials
The Saudi aid plane was accompanied by a relief team for rescue operations
Updated 13 October 2024
Arab News
Riyadh: Saudi aid agency, KSrelief, on Sunday opened an “air bridge” to transport medical supplies and food aid to Lebanon, state news agency reported on Sunday.
The initiative follows the directives of Saudi King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to support those impacted by the war in Lebanon.
The plane that left from King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh carried more than 40 tonnes of food, medical supplies and relief materials.
The Saudi aid plane, which landed in Beirut International Airport, was accompanied by a relief team for rescue operations.
KSrelief chief, Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Rabiah, said the initiative was part of Saudi Arabia’s commitment to aid people and countries in need across the world.
فيديو | أكثر من 40 طنًا من المساعدات السعودية الطبية والإغاثية والإيوائية لإغاثة الشعب اللبناني في أولى رحلات الجسر الجوي الإغاثي
Since Sept. 23, Israel has launched an intense air campaign mainly targeting Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon, killing more than 1,150 people and displacing more than one million people.
The UAE, Turkiye, Iraq, Egypt, Jordan, Romania and France are among the countries to have sent aid to Lebanon.
Winners of ninth Iqra competition crowned in Dhahran
Amin Nasser, Saudi Aramco’s president and CEO, and other senior officials attended the two-day event in Dhahran
Nobel literature laureates Abdulrazak Gurnah and Olga Tokarczuk were also present and offered insights during speaking sessions
Updated 10 sec ago
Arab News
DHAHRAN: Boasting an attendance of 16,000 people, including Nobel laureates in literature, the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture concluded its ninth annual Iqra competition on Saturday.
Amin Nasser, Saudi Aramco’s president and CEO, and other senior officials attended the two-day event in Dhahran.
Nobel literature laureates Abdulrazak Gurnah and Olga Tokarczuk were also present and offered insights during speaking sessions.
Visitors experienced a series of activities, culminating in the announcement of the competition’s winners.
Moroccan Meryem Bououd was awarded Reader of the Year, while 10-year-old Moroccan Fatima Kettani won the Promising Reader prize.
Iraqi Hira Karkhi secured the Text of the Year prize, while the Reading School award went to Tarbiyat Al-Ajial of the Private International School, Hafr Al-Batin, Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Safia Al-Ghubari claimed the People’s Reader award, while teacher Najla Ghazi Al-Suhaimi took home the Reading Ambassador prize.
Noura Al-Zamil, Ithra’s program director, spoke of the competition’s significant milestones since its inception in 2013.
Over nine editions Iqra has attracted more than 225,000 applicants and offered 48,000 hours of educational programming.
It has also engaged more than 600 speakers from 30 countries, bringing three Nobel Prize-winning authors to its stage.
Al-Zamil stressed Ithra’s continued efforts to innovate, introducing new elements like the Iqra Travels, Iqra Marathon, and Kitabiya Exhibit, to foster a reading culture among Arab youngsters.
The closing event featured cultural sessions, including a talk by Tokarczuk, who discussed literature as a tool for bridging languages and cultures.
Discussing the future, Tokarczuk expressed both optimism and caution, adding: “I embrace modern tools like ChatGPT but remain concerned about their potential misuse.”
Gurnah, reflecting on his roots, said: “Zanzibar will always be my true homeland, despite my long absence.”
The method involves an iron wire net set up in the shade of large trees
Updated 3 min 58 sec ago
Arab News
RIYADH: Falconers rely on a variety of traditional hunting techniques, with Al-Manashbia being among the most notable, requiring extensive experience and precision.
The method involves an iron wire net set up in the shade of large trees. After a falcon eats its prey, it seeks shade, where it then falls into the trap.
Khamis Al-Saqri, a falconry enthusiast, said that constructing Al-Manashbia takes one to two days, depending on the hunter’s experience. It is considered a difficult and complex method due to the need for a professional and innovative arrangement of the net holes.
While Al-Manashbia is well-known, other techniques exist as well, including Khadj Al-Tayr, where falcons are followed and captured with a large net after sunset.
Falconry involves training rituals, such as Haddad Al-Tayr, where falcons are released for long distances to train them to hunt prey. Another technique involves the use of a melwah, a decoy bird or bait, to attract and accustom a falcon to hunting.
Al-Hamad Desert in the Northern Borders region is a popular destination for falconers from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council.
It is along a migratory route for falcons, including the peregrine falcon. Many valuable falcons are released or sold at auctions held in the region.
Khalaf Al-Anzi, a skilled craftsman with a visual impairment, has captivated visitors at the International Saudi Falcons and Hunting Exhibition with his handmade falcon trapping nets.
Al-Anzi, who has been crafting these nets for over 30 years, demonstrated his expertise at the exhibition, held in Malham, north of Riyadh, from Oct. 3 to 12.
Khalaf Al-Anzi has become a regular participant in falconry-related events throughout the Kingdom. (SPA)
He inherited this craft from his forefathers and hopes to pass it on to the next generation in Turaif, the Northern Borders region.
With the assistance of his sons, he has become a regular participant in falconry-related events throughout the Kingdom, especially during the falcon migration season in the fall.
The process of creating falcon trapping nets involves meticulous work. Al-Anzi told the Saudi Press Agency in an interview that he uses silk threads and thin nylon wires to handcraft these lightweight nets, which weigh only a few grams.
The nets are attached to pigeons or jerboas (hopping desert rodents) as bait to attract falcons. It takes Al-Anzi over half an hour to create a single net.
Al-Anzi said his handmade nets are highly sought after by Saudi falconers, who often visit him at home to buy them.
He ships his nets to falconers and enthusiasts in the Gulf countries, relying on his craft as a primary source of income.
The authority has planted 2.4 million native seedlings and 4 tonnes of seeds, including yarrow, artemisia and haloxylon
Updated 23 min 33 sec ago
Arab News
RIYADH: The King Salman bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority celebrated its inclusion in the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Green List.
The celebration took place on the sidelines of the International Saudi Falcons and Hunting Exhibition in Malham, north of Riyadh.
The recognition came after a comprehensive assessment of the reserve by IUCN experts, who evaluated its environmental and developmental accomplishments, as well as its community engagement and preservation efforts.
The authority has planted 2.4 million native seedlings and 4 tonnes of seeds, including yarrow, artemisia and haloxylon, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.
It has restored 250,000 hectares of degraded habitats and relocated 1,235 wildlife species, including Arabian oryx, sand gazelles, Arabian gazelles, and Arabian leopards.
The authority manages protected areas through sustainable programs focused on conservation, community involvement and development, in alignment with international standards.
Boxing, world-class performances, luxury giveaway light up Kingdom Arena
Updated 13 October 2024
Sulafa Alkhunaizi
Riyadh: Riyadh Season 2024 began on Saturday night with boxing, musical performances by hip-hop moguls Busta Rhymes, Missy Elliott, and Ciara, and a luxury-prize giveaway.
The season’s opening was led by Turki Al-Sheikh, the chairman of the General Entertainment Authority, at the Kingdom Arena.
He expressed his gratitude to King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for their unwavering support of the entertainment sector and Riyadh Season, which has garnered worldwide recognition.
A member of the audience was selected to win a Mercedes-Benz G-Class, presented by Al-Sheikh, during the opening ceremony.
Joseph Makhuvele, from South Africa, told Arab News that he was excited by Riyadh Season every year, adding: “I can't wait for tonight … Riyadh Season is the best. I look forward to it every year, and I’ve always enjoyed it.”
Makhuvele expressed excitement about seeing Busta Rhymes again, just three weeks after attending his concert in South Africa, saying: “I can’t wait for the three artists who will be performing: Missy Elliott, Ciara, and Busta Rhymes.”
Taif Ibrahim Albayahi, a Saudi local, said she attended the opening ceremony to enjoy a night of musical performances.
She said: “Music has been a really big part of my life, especially with my mom. Everything we do has to involve music. Any music-related events, I’m always there.”
Al-Sheikh also crowned Russian boxer Artur Beterbiev as the undisputed world light heavyweight champion.
Beterbiev, who already held the IBF, WBC, and WBO titles, defeated Russian Dmitry Bivol in the IV Crown Showdown to capture the WBA belt.
Riyadh Season’s grand opening was a dazzling spectacle featuring captivating performances, vibrant fireworks, and a stunning drone show.
The season’s logo was illuminated in the night sky above Boulevard World, one of the largest and most popular destinations in the city.
Riyadh Season 2024 features 14 entertainment zones, 11 world championship events, and 10 exhibitions and festivals.
