Barkah News

 Henan province in China's AlUla fortifies cultural links to preserve its legacy                                                                            Source arabnews.com RIYADH: In an effort to preserve cultural legacy, the Cultural Heritage Administration of the Chinese province of Henan and the Royal Commission for AlUla have formed a strategic alliance. According to Saudi Press Agency, the signing supports RCU's objectives to expand its international network within the context of the Saudi-Chinese collaboration. The agreement is in line with the "AlUla, Wonder of Arabia" exhibition, which is on view through April 11 at Beijing's Palace Museum, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Featuring multiple parts, displays, archaeological artefacts, and heritage objects from historical places in AlUla, the festival has drawn over 250,000 visitors thus far. With an emphasis on archaeology, protecting cultural assets and museums, research collaboration, talent development,

 Unlocking the secrets of the 'bling' Roman helmet found in a field By Greig Watson, BBC News, East Midlands                                                                            Source bbc.com A "bling" Roman helmet found in a Leicestershire field offers a tantalising glimpse into a world in flux, experts have said. The artefact, lavishly decorated with silver and gold, was uncovered in 2000, along with 5,000 coins, near the village of Hallaton. It has gone on display at Market Harborough with previously unseen artefacts after further study revealed new insights into its decoration, construction, and historical period it was made in. The helmet has been dated to the mid 1st Century AD, a crucial time for Britain as this saw the full-scale invasion of the island by four Roman legions in 43 AD.                                                                            Source bbc.com Helen Sharp, curator of archaeology at Leicestershire County Council museums, said

 Riyadh's youth are forging a new global narrative in everything from arts to apps.                                                                            Source arabnews.com RIYADH: The Saudi capital's youth are prepared to transform the city's environment and position Riyadh as a center of vibrant social advancement. From innovative entrepreneurship and cultural innovation to grassroots community organizing, the new generation of changemakers positions itself as the engine for constructive change within their community. Arab News spoke with a few of those promoting change. According to entArabi's chief editor Talal Al-Hammad, these trailblazers are leading a big movement in the direction of inclusive and sustainable development. "You might be surprised to learn that young entrepreneurs in Riyadh—both male and female—are quite interested in the newest business ideas. "We have real problem solvers who come up with creative solutions to problems that are sp

 Indonesian physicians in Gaza are "shocked" at the magnitude of the humanitarian crisis .                                                                             Source arabnews.com JAKARTA: Indonesian medical professionals on a rescue mission in Rafah report seeing the greatest suffering scenes of their lives and are astounded by the scope of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Last week, a group of eleven Indonesian physicians and surgical nurses, led by the World Health Organization, arrived in Gaza as part of an emergency deployment coordinated by the Jakarta-based Medical Emergency Rescue Committee.  In Rafah, a city on the southern tip of the Gaza Strip where over a million Palestinians have sought safety and Israel's lethal bombardment have increased, they are currently employed at several health facilities.  They are undoubtedly taken aback. The chairman of MER-C's executive committee, Sarbini Abdul Murad, told Arab News on Thursday that "these are medi

 Searching for evidence of the "extinct" Javan tiger, Indonesia DNA testing on a single hair strand taken from a West Javan fence inspired a search for a huge cat.                                                                       Source aljazeera.com 26 March 2024 Indonesia is looking for proof that the supposedly extinct Javan tiger may not be completely extinct. An official from the nation's environment ministry disclosed the search for evidence of the big cat's survival on Tuesday. The search will involve the use of camera traps and comprehensive DNA sweeps. It is thought that the 1980s saw the extinction of the species. The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) proposed in a research published last week that a solitary tiger hair strand discovered in West Java in 2019 matched the traits of the unique species, prompting the start of the inquiry. According to the study, which was released by Cambridge University Press, a local named Ripi Yanur Fajar cla

 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