RIYADH: The Open Kingdom Championship 2023, organized by the Saudi Muaythai Federation, concluded on Saturday with an awards ceremony.
The three-day Muay Thai event, which was held at Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium, witnessed the participation of 375 fighters from 24 different countries, showcasing the growing global appeal of this martial art. Thai Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Darm Boontham was also in attendance.
Prince Fahd bin Jalawi, vice president of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee crowned the fighters in the adult category while SMF President Prince Fahad Bin Mansour awarded the winners in the youth category.
SMF CEO Abdulaziz Al-Bana crowned the winners of the female aged 10-11 category.
Since its inception in 2019, the SMF has been at the forefront of developing Muay Thai in the Kingdom. The federation has organized developmental courses for nearly 100 referees and coaches.
Winners of Saudi Arabia’s Muay Thai boxing championship crowned
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Winners of Saudi Arabia’s Muay Thai boxing championship crowned
- Event witnessed the participation of 375 fighters from 24 different countries
US invests in counter-drone tech to protect FIFA World Cup venues
The US will invest $115 million in counter-drone measures to bolster security around the FIFA World Cup and America’s 250th Anniversary celebrations, the Department of Homeland Security said on Monday, the latest sign of governments stepping up drone defenses. The FIFA World Cup will be a major test of President Donald Trump’s pledge to keep the US secure, with over a million travelers expected to visit for the tournament and billions more watching matches from overseas. The threat of drone attacks has become a growing concern since the war in Ukraine has demonstrated their lethal capabilities. And recent drone incidents have worried both European and US airports. “We are entering a new era to defend our air superiority to protect our borders and the interior of the United States,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement. Defense companies are developing a range of technologies aimed at countering drones, including tracking software, lasers, microwaves and autonomous machine guns. The DHS did not specify which technologies it would deploy to World Cup venues. The announcement comes weeks after the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which sits under DHS, said it granted $250 million to 11 states hosting World Cup matches to buy counter-drone technologies.
Last summer, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, called on Trump, a Republican, to bolster federal support for defending against drone attacks.
