RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman made a phone call on Thursday to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
At the beginning of the call, Putin thanked the crown prince “for his active and distinguished contribution to the success of the prisoner exchange process.”
Prince Mohammed affirmed the Kingdom’s readiness to exert all efforts and support to help reach a political solution to the crisis.
Putin noted the Kingdom’s accession to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization as a dialogue partner, stressing the members’ aspiration for the Kingdom’s active contribution to the organization’s work.
During the call, they discussed aspects of cooperation between the two countries and ways to enhance them in various fields.
The crown prince held a successful mediation session on Wednesday to release 10 prisoners from various countries as part of a prisoner swap between Russia and Ukraine.
Earlier on Thursday, Prince Mohammed received a phone call from Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, where he expressed his country’s congratulations on the occasion of the Saudi National Day and his wishes for further progress and prosperity for the Kingdom.
Sharif also thanked the Kingdom’s leadership for its continuous support to Pakistan and its people in providing relief to the flood victims.
During the call, they reviewed aspects of cooperation between the two countries and ways to develop them.
Saudi crown prince holds calls with Russian president, Pakistan PM
https://arab.news/5cgjp
Saudi crown prince holds calls with Russian president, Pakistan PM
- Crown prince thanked ‘for his active and distinguished contribution to the success of the prisoner exchange process’
Winners soar at King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival
- Global falconers celebrate Milwah victories and Mazayen beauty contests in Riyadh
RIYADH: Twelve international professionals were recently crowned winners of the King Abdulaziz Cups in the Milwah lure-racing competition at the King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival.
Organized by the Saudi Falcons Club, the festival is being held at its headquarters in Malham, north of Riyadh, until Saturday, with wide international participation.
The international rounds featured 224 competing falcons. Bahraini falconers claimed four cups, while Emirati participants also won four titles, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.
The Mazayen beauty pageant also began on Monday, attracting falconers and enthusiasts from within the Kingdom and abroad. The competition will run until Jan. 8.
Cash prizes are awarded for each Mazayen round: SR300,000 ($80,000) for first place, SR175,000 for second, SR100,000 for third, SR30,000 for fourth, and SR20,000 for fifth.
The festival includes participants from the Gulf, Spain, Italy, Ireland, Pakistan, and the Syrian Arab Republic, the SPA reported.
The event has attracted exceptional numbers since its launch in 2019. It continues to expand its global profile, having previously set three Guinness World Records as the world’s largest falcon festival in terms of participating birds.
The festival features 139 rounds and offers 1,012 prizes worth over SR38 million, including for the Milwah (400 meters) and Mazayen competitions.
The Milwah race includes categories for owners, amateurs, professionals, and elite competitors, with separate rounds for local and international falconers. The Mazayen contest evaluates falcons based on strict beauty standards.
