JEDDAH: Yemen’s central bank will get a much needed boost after Saudi Arabia’s King Salman ordered a $200 million grant be given to the institution on Monday.
The bank hiked interest rates to nearly doubled last month after demonstrations against the plunging currency.
The move is aimed at stabilizing the country’s economy to alleviate the financial burden on Yemenis.
Saudi Arabia is the biggest donor of aid to Yemen and has been engaged, along with Arab allies, in restoring legitimacy to Yemen’s internationally recognized government against Iranian backed Houthi militia who have illegally captured parts of the country.
In March, Saudi Arabia agreed to deposit an additional $2 billion into Yemen’s central bank, bringing the total aid to the lender to $3 billion.
King Salman announces $200 million grant to Yemen central bank
King Salman announces $200 million grant to Yemen central bank
- Saudi Arabia is the biggest donor of aid to Yemen
Cultural Communication Center holds human communication diwaniya
- The diwaniya tackled three themes
SAKAKA: The King Abdulaziz Center for Cultural Communication in cooperation with Al-Jouf Youth Association, held the Cultural Communication Diwaniya “Basic Pillars for Human Communication in the Kingdom” in Sakaka on Thursday.
The diwaniya tackled three themes: the ethics of human communication; the dimensions of human communication according to Vision 2030; and human communication according to international law.
Abdulaziz bin Abdulwahad Al-Hamwan, the center’s supervisor in Al-Jouf, said the goals of diwaniya were to “enhance national and human communication, consolidate the values of national cohesion, and spread the culture of human communication skills among beneficiaries.”
Minister of Islamic affairs holds meeting to discuss this year’s Hajj season
- Focus on various volunteering opportunities
RIYADH: Saudi Minister of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance Sheikh Abdullatif Al-Asheikh held a meeting in Jeddah on Thursday to discuss the ministry’s activities and projects during this year’s Hajj season.
The meeting was held in the presence of the ministry’s undersecretaries, the directors general of the ministry’s branch in the Makkah region, and the secretary-general for Islamic awareness in Hajj, Umrah and visitation, as well as several other officials.
The minister focused on the most prominent ongoing projects, and progress in the preparation of the ministry’s facilities and services, including the mosques at the holy sites, the central area in Makkah, and activities provided by the ministry.
He looked at the importance of volunteering opportunities during this year’s Hajj season, and following up on special projects at the mosques and holy sites that serve pilgrims during this year’s Hajj.
Meet Rima Al-Harbi, the first Saudi female to win at the AlUla Camel Cup
ALULA: “Our dream, as athletes, is to be able to represent our country; and for me to live my dream for my country — in my country — is the ultimate triumph,” Rima Al-Harbi told Arab News after making history this week as the first Saudi woman to win at the AlUla Camel Cup.
At last year’s inaugural competition, Al-Harbi was the only woman to compete in a field full of male riders. This year, the event included a women’s category. Al-Harbi returned. And this time she won.
“Most of the women I competed against this year have way more experience than me; it was truly a difficult race, in general,” Al-Harbi said. “But somehow, thanks to Allah, I didn’t feel like anyone challenged me. From the moment we started to when we reached the finish line, I was in first place.”
The 22-year-old, who was raised in nearby Madinah, where she still resides, grew up around camels. Both her father and grandfather competed in camel racing and she has a fierce love for the animal and for the sport. She credits her grandfather for encouraging her to learn how to ride when she was just seven years old. Now, she trains with her camel, Auf, for about two hours every day. She is continuing the family tradition and breaking records along the way.
Al-Harbi said that three of her sisters also ride camels, but “as a hobby.” She is the only one of her siblings to compete professionally.
Al-Harbi has opened a small training club for local women who want to try their hand at camel racing. Her aim is to strengthen the community and to find fellow Saudi women to join her journey.
“Since I have a deep love for the sport and have the opportunity and capability, why wouldn’t I want to help other women also get into the sport? These women want to try it as a hobby and we all have to start somewhere. I don’t take any funds for this; it is done out of pure passion. It is just about introducing the sport to women who are interested. I offer them guidance and advice, and we walk through the sport,” she said.
The four-day AlUla Camel Cup ends on Saturday. Al-Harbi did return the day after her victory to soak up the atmosphere and cheer on other riders, but don’t count on her being back for the final day.
“I will stay home to rest,” she told us with a laugh.
Endangered red-necked ostrich chicks born in royal reserve
- Birds are part of resettlement program launched in 2021
- Sand gazelle, Arabian oryx among species being protected
RIYADH: The Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Nature Reserve Development Authority has announced the birth of three endangered red-necked ostrich chicks.
The birds have been considered extinct in the northern region of the Kingdom for a century and have now returned thanks to the efforts of the ITBA, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Friday.
The ITBA had initiated an ostrich-resettlement program in late 2021, aiming to establish a suitable natural habitat for a pair of the birds. This initiative bore fruit as the ostriches successfully adapted to the reserve’s environment, producing 12 eggs in the spring of 2024.
The ITBA has aimed to reintroduce rare species into their natural environments, as part of a broader commitment to wildlife development, biodiversity conservation, and environmental restoration.
Among the numerous rare creatures benefiting from these efforts are the sand gazelle and Arabian oryx.
The ITBA has 138 species in its care including Arabian wolf, various types of foxes, felines, hares, the Asian bustard among other birds, and reptiles.
The reserve covers an area of 91,000 sq. km in the northeastern part of the Kingdom. It is a popular destination for those interested in eco-tourism, bird watching and hiking.
The reserve also offers cultural experiences, allowing visitors to interact with the local Bedouin communities, learn about their traditional way of life, and enjoy authentic cuisine.
In February, the ITBA signed a memorandum of understanding with the King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives to document the heritage of the reserve.
The pact will ensure collaboration to conduct archaeological surveys and excavations, inventory inscriptions, document intangible heritage and social history, and identify grazing locations.
Saudi, UAE and Qatar secure wins on second day of AlUla Camel Cup
- Minister of Interior’s entry takes first race in the Hagayeg category
ALULA: Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar provided the big winners on Day 2 of the second annual AlUla Camel Cup.
Held in unseasonably hot conditions, Thursday’s competition consisted of two 5 km categories, the Hagayeg and the Lagaya, with two races run in each.
Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Interior Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif won the first Hagayeg race, much to the delight of spectators.
The Prince’s camel, aptly named AlUla, won in a time of 5 minutes 59.3 seconds. In the second Hagayeg race of the day, Shart, owned by Emirati Mohammed Al-Kutbi, took first place in a time of 5:57.8.
The day’s total prize pool of $6.83 million was split equally between the two categories.
Winners in each of the races received $870,000, second-place finishers earned $266,666, and those in third place received $133,333. The balance of the prize pool was distributed among the other finishers.
The event was organized by the Royal Commission for AlUla as part of the AlUla Moments calendar, in partnership with the Saudi Camel Racing Federation.
The 2024 AlUla Camel Cup offers spectators and participants a new and more expansive experience after the inaugural edition in March last year.
This year, designated Year of the Camel by the UN and the Ministry of Culture, the event pays homage to the desert animal that is so integral to the Kingdom’s heritage.
“The AlUla Camel Cup attracts the best riders and the best camels throughout not just the region, but the world,” said Mahmoud AlBalawi, executive director of the SCRF. “Qualification for the AlUla Camel Cup is deliberately challenging, with 11 camel races taking place under the federation’s jurisdiction throughout the season to qualify for this illustrious competition.”
AlBalawi said that the Saudi Camel Racing Federation’s programs “target all corners of Saudi Arabia in a bid to continue to grow and improve the cherished sport of camel racing. There are more than 50 camel racing tracks across the country, including the elite AlUla venue where the AlUla Camel Cup takes place.”
RCU’s chief sports officer, Ziad Al-Suhaibani, praised the participants and said: “The AlUla Camel Cup reflects the importance of camel racing as a symbol of the Kingdom’s heritage and culture.”
While the heritage sport dates from the seventh century, the event this year includes a more contemporary setup that caters to all the family. There are opportunities to take camel selfies, sample camel smoothies or listen to live folk music by local performers.
The final races take place on Saturday.
