Barkah News

RIYADH: According to the Saudi Ministry of Tourism, the Kingdom had an 8.2 percent increase in international tourist expenditure in the first half of 2024 as compared to the same period in 2023. Approximately SR92.6 billion ($24.5 billion) was spent in all. According to the Saudi Press Agency, the Kingdom also declared a surplus in the travel account, estimated to be worth SR41.6 billion. The Kingdom has seen a rise in visitor expenditure, which is one of the major trends in the tourism industry. According to the UN World Tourism Organization, during the first seven months of 2024, compared with the same period in 2019, the Kingdom led the list of G20 countries in terms of growth in the number of foreign visitors and growth in international tourism income. The data released validates the efficacy of the measures implemented by the tourism system to attain worldwide leadership in the industry. These measures include the utilization of optimal tourism development practices, enhancement o...

RIYADH: AlUla, the iconic center of the Incense Road, has announced that tickets for this year's Ancient Kingdoms Festival, which kicks off on November 7, are now available for purchase. The festival offers a range of unique experiences situated among historical landmarks. According to an official statement, the festival, which is presented by AlUla Moments, is back this year with an incredible lineup of daytime discoveries, action-packed exploration, and theatrical after-dark journeys that are inspired by the ancient stories of AlUla and are performed by some of the best immersive experience creators in the world. Among the participating heritage sites are the mudbrick maze of AlUla's Old Town, which is regarded as one of the best tourist villages in the world; Wadi Al-Naam, a breathtaking valley filled with famous rock art; and the Nabataean city of Hegra, which was named Saudi Arabia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site. One of the events is the "Incense Road Experien...

The United States' New York On Friday, September 27, 2024, Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi met with Azerbaijan's Minister of Foreign Affairs Jeyhun Bayramov at the High-level Week of the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York, USA (27/9). The two foreign ministers signed the Diplomatic and Service Visa Free Agreement (PBVDD) between Russia and Azerbaijan to begin the meeting. "I believe that this agreement will enhance diplomatic relations and facilitate closer cooperation between the two countries... which will bring greater collaboration in the future," Retno stated. In a bilateral discussion at the UN headquarters in New York, Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Bayramov referred to Indonesia as a crucial ally. Bayramov emphasized that Azerbaijan wants to keep up its highest level of bilateral cooperation with Indonesia. Additionally, the two foreign ministers decided to intensify their collaboration in a number of international cooperation pl...

RIYADH: On Tuesday, the King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language, in partnership with a number of Saudi universities, administered the Hamza Arabic language proficiency test for non-native speakers.  The academy strives to improve Arabic's standing internationally, encourage its use, and support the objectives of the Human Capacity Development Program under Vision 2030.  The computerized exam, which lasts 155 minutes and consists of 75 questions, evaluates non-native speakers in four language skills: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. It is designed to target Arabic language teachers and students at universities and educational institutions. Participating universities include Umm Al-Qura University, Islamic University of Madinah, King Abdulaziz University, King Faisal University, Taif University, Qassim University, and Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University.  By administering the Hamza test, the academy seeks to elevate Arabic’s scientific and global status,...

Indonesia's Jakarta "Harmony for the Pacific: Connecting Indonesia and the Pacific through Culture and Shared Heritage" (HfP) is a cultural diplomacy and collaboration mission that will take place in Suva, Fiji and Indonesia from September 9–27, 2024. It is being organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemlu) and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology (Kemendikbudristek). A major component of Pacific Elevation's big goal, Harmony for the Pacific, is to improve ties between Indonesians and Pacific Islanders. The two (two) primary components of Harmony for the Pacific are art and cultural performances and artist residencies. From September 9–17, 2024, 24 music and dance artists from the Pacific (Fiji, Vanuatu, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, New Caledonia) and Indonesia (Maluku, NTT, and Papua) participated in the first phase of the artist residency program in Labuan Bajo and Maumere. September 10, 2024 marked the opening of the firs...

Because of a zoo's effective breeding program, an extremely endangered mountain bongo calf was welcomed. On September 4, the male baby bongo was born in Marwell Zoo, which is close to Winchester. He has been "extremely confident, energetic, and adventurous right from the start," according to keepers at the Hampshire zoo. There are only roughly 100 mountain bongos remaining in the wild because to factors like habitat loss, disease from domestic cattle, and poaching. The huge type of antelope is indigenous to highland forests in portions of Kenya. The newcomer "appears quite feisty and has been confidently exploring more and more of his habitat every day," according to animal keeper Rhiannon Wolff. "This calf is an essential component of the European Ex-situ Program and Breeding Program, which aims to ensure the survival of this species," she went on. At the moment, the calf spends most of his time in his bed stall, where his mother Jumapili comes to nur...

  RIYADH: Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz met on Thursday in Doha. King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's greetings and their hopes for further development and success for the Qatari government and people were sent forward by Prince Abdulaziz during the meeting. The two nations' security cooperation and bilateral ties were also discussed at the meeting, according to the Saudi Press Agency. Source arabnews.com