Barkah News

 In 2023, funding for SMEs in Saudi Arabia totaled approximately $3.2 billion.                                                                             Source arabnews.com RIYADH: As of December 2023, SR12.1 billion ($3.22 billion) had been allotted to 5,476 initiatives by Saudi Arabia's Kafalah program, which supports small and medium-sized businesses. Over SR15.6 billion in finance was given to SMEs through the initiative, which also guaranteed 7,178 loan requests in 2023. According to the Saudi Press Agency, the effort gave priority to providing support to businesses located in different parts of the Kingdom. A number of localities, like Asir (66%) and Al-Jouf (45%) and Tabuk (42) have demonstrated significant increases in guarantee values for potential regions. According to SPA, cooperation with numerous government agencies was essential to SMEs' support in 2023. With the help of the Kafalah program, SMEs can obtain the necessary funding for growth, drawing in new owners

 In the past, there existed a distinct species of dolphin in the Amazon, and it was enormous. 23 March 2024 - NATURE By Michelle Starr Source SCIENCEalert.com Perhaps the largest freshwater toothed whale ever seen by humans was a dolphin that lived in the Amazon basin 16 million years ago. The extinct creature reached a length of 3.5 meters (11.5 feet), which is far greater than the present-day 2.7-meter (9-foot) pink Amazon river dolphins that consume piranhas in its natural habitat. The recently unearthed species does, however, demonstrate the ancient richness present in the waterway's past, although being far smaller than the largest dolphin in today's waters—the orca. It's interesting to note that the recently discovered Pebanista yacuruna is more closely connected to dolphins found in the Ganges and Indus rivers of India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh than it is to the modern Amazon dolphins. According to Swiss paleontologist Aldo Benites-Palomino of the University o

 A Saudi professor is named a young ambassador by a UK museum.                                                                            Source arabnews.com RIYADH: The Victoria and Albert Museum, one of the world's top museums, in London has named Saudi professor Ghadah Al-Harthi as its ambassador of young patrons. Al-Harthi is a UK-based academic who has positions as associate professor at Central Saint Martins, consultant at Barker Langham, a cultural consultancy in London, and adviser at the global think tank Chatham House. "I am happy to be chosen as an ambassador by this prestigious museum that has a significant influence on the international cultural scene," she remarked after being appointed. "My efforts will be focused on education and innovation to ensure the youth's participation in cultural influence," she continued. "I will be able to assist the senior management of the museum in creating international cultural communication strategies and

  Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodriguez visit the Saudi Arabian Red Sea beachfront.                                                                       Source arabnews.com DUBAI: Soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo is traveling around Saudi Arabia with model Georgina Rodriguez, an Argentinean. The model just posted a photo from their trip to the Kingdom's coastline to social media. "Paradise for love. From a Red Sea resort, Rodriguez shared, "We keep discovering Saudi Arabia." She tagged @VisitSaudi, the country's official tourism account. The couple and their kids are shown in the pictures having a great time at the beach before posing for pictures on an overwater deck.                                                                       Source arabnews.com In December, the Al-Nassr football player—who frequently takes advantage of his free time to travel—was sighted in AlUla. At the time, he posted on Instagram, saying, "Amazed by the extraordinary human

 UNESCO and KSA will use translation to bridge cultural divides                                                             Source arabnews.com RIYADH: To create the UNESCO Chair in Translating Cultures, the King Faisal Centre for Research and Islamic Studies and the UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation recently inked an agreement. Audrey Azoulay, the director general of UNESCO, and Princess Maha bint Mohammed Al-Faisal, the secretary-general of the centre, signed the agreement. Dr. Moneera Al-Ghadeer will serve as the chair's director, and it will be formed with the help of the Saudi Arabian Commission on Literature, Publishing, and Translation. It will support the expanding demands for cultural diversity, inclusive and fair education, and interdisciplinary research in the humanities and social sciences. By encouraging partnerships between academics with expertise in translation, culture, intangible heritage, the humanities, and artificial intelligence at the loca

 The Alaliyah Museum displays the rich history of Jazan.                                                                  Source arabnews.com RIYADH: In the Jazan region, many individuals like collecting antiques and artifacts from the past. Some set out on solitary missions, searching for objects across valleys, forests, and historical locations. And as a result, a large number of private museums have been established, aiding in the education of future generations about their nation's past and offering researchers invaluable information. According to the Saudi Press Agency, Alaliyah Museum, which is located in Dhagareer Village in the province of Samtah, has contributed to the preservation of the human and cultural history of the area. A vintage sofa that has been around for more than 160 years is one of the most remarkable items in the museum. It still has its original jujube tree wood legs. Some exhibits depict earlier eras in the Jazan area.                                     

  Indonesia reports on its efforts in Geneva on Wednesday, March 13, 2024, to uphold and advance civil and political rights.                                                                       Source kemlu.go.id Geneva, the Swiss Republic On March 11 and 12, 2024, the Indonesian administration and the Human Rights Committee held a constructive dialogue in Geneva. The Indonesian government reported on a number of achievements and difficulties in enforcing political and civil rights throughout the two-day conference. The International Covenant on Civilian and Political Rights (ICCPR), which Indonesia adopted in 2005, is to be monitored for implementation by the Human Rights Committee, which is composed of eighteen impartial experts. The Indonesian Permanent Mission in Geneva, along with a delegation of allied ministries and agencies, was led by Ambassador Tri Tharyat, the Director General of Multilateral Cooperation in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "The Constructive Dialogue is