Saudi teen promotes passion for cycling outdoors

Arab News
September 5, 2017

Jeddah, Sept 5: Nadima Abulaynain, 18, is setting the scene for women who are keen to cycle the streets of Jeddah.

“I’ve liked riding a bicycle since I was a child,” the high school student told Arab News. “Why not spread interest in the activity and help other try it?”

All she needed was a bicycle, a helmet and social media to start a cycling club. Abulaynain started with her family, encouraging them to start cycling around their house in Jeddah.

“In the beginning, people were surprised to see us on the road in the neighborhood. They then became more supportive.”

She started an Instagram page, posting photos of her family’s cycling. The page soon became popular, which “I didn’t expect,” Abulaynain said.

She started a WhatsApp group for those interested in cycling to agree on a time and place to meet.

“We started meeting every Saturday and Wednesday for an hour or an hour and a half. We helped each other.”

She said some lacked the skills to ride a bicycle, but were interested in the activity. Abulaynain wears a helmet on top of her headscarf.

“Nothing in Islam forbids sports,” she said, adding that her school supports the activity she is trying to promote.

A few months after she started the club, she and her group had to stop because “it came to our attention that we needed to have permits to be able to keep our cycling group active.” They have applied for the permits, and are waiting to hear back from the governorate.

The group consists of 20 members, and is open to anyone who wishes to join. Her Instagram page is under Jeddah Woman Cyclist (@Jeddah_Woman), which directs those who are interested to a form they need to fill out in order to join. The form includes health and safety information.

Abulaynain and other young Saudi women have been increasingly proactive in introducing fitness into their daily lives in recent years.

Many women have even turned their passion for physical activity into home businesses, including zumba, Pilates, yoga and kickboxing classes.

A 2014 report by the National Health Information Center of the Saudi Health Ministry said only 29 percent of women in Saudi Arabia include physical activity in their daily lives. The report linked lack of physical activity to diseases such as diabetes and hypertension.

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Agencies
August 8,2020

Beirut, Aug 7: A devastating explosion that destroyed much of Beirut might have been the result of a missile attack or bomb, Lebanese President Michel Aoun said, as the death toll from the blast rose to 154.

More than 2,700 tons of ammonium nitrate had been sitting in a port warehouse for six years, but there have been conflicting accounts about why Lebanese authorities decided to empty the shipment of explosive material. The vessel carrying the flammable cargo was heading from Georgia to Mozambique when it stopped in the Lebanese port to load up on iron, according to the ship’s captain.

By Friday, 19 suspects had been arrested and Lebanon’s former director general of customs Chafic Merhy had been questioned by military police.

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News Network
June 26,2020

Dubai, Jun 26: As summers in Dubai bloom in its full glory, the most savoured summer fruit - Mongo - is getting the most special treatment in the city as it gets delivered to customers via an emperor like ride of a Lamborghini.

As per a video report by Gulf News, the Pakistan Supermarket in Dubai is delivering the king of fruits to the doorsteps of its customers in a green coloured Lamborghini to match the level of its supremacy among fruits.

"The king should travel like a king," says the managing director of the store, Mohammad Jehanzeb who delivers the pulpy fruit by himself and also takes the customers on a short ride in the luxury car.

In order to avail the offer rolled out on the Facebook page of the famous supermarket, customers are required to make a minimum order of Dh100, reports the Gulf News.

"The idea is to put a smile on people's faces and make them feel special," says Jehanzeb who has put a smile on the face of dozens of Dubai residents amidst the throes of a pandemic with his 'Mangoes in Lamborghini' campaign.

The delicacy this year has gone viral with videos of delighted mango lovers taking a joy ride in the supercar doing rounds over the internet.

"The joy ride was essentially meant for kids who have been sequestered at homes because of the coronavirus but adults are equally thrilled at the prospect of getting behind the wheels of my Lamborghini Huracan. I am happy to oblige them too," says Jehanzeb.

"Each order takes about an hour. We do about 7-8 home deliveries a day but are hoping to ramp up the numbers to 12," he adds.

Arshad Khan who hails from the Indian city of nawabs - Lucknow- ordered the 'nawabi' varieties - Sindhri and Anwar Ratol - and said that his children were exhilarated after hearing the roar of the Lamborghini outside their Falcon City villa.

"For someone who hails from Lucknow -- the land of the famous dussheri and landga mangoes -- I was a bit skeptical about the taste of Pakistani mangoes. I ordered them for the sheer experience of seeing them come to my place in a luxury supercar," Gulf News quoted Khan as saying.

"It was quite exhilarating and I must confess that the mangoes were as delicious as the ones back home," he added.

Mango fruit has been a delicacy in the 16th-century Hindustan sub-continent. It holds a fascinating narrative in Babur Nama which is an autobiography of the Mughal emperor Zahiruddin Muhammad Babur.

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Agencies
June 20,2020

Riyadh, Jun 20: Saudi Arabia will end a nationwide curfew and lift restrictions on businesses from Sunday morning after three months of lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus, state news agency SPA quoted a source in the interior ministry as saying on Saturday.

The curfew will be lifted as of 6 AM local time on Sunday. Restrictions will remain, however, for religious pilgrimages, international travel and social gatherings of more than 50 people.

The kingdom introduced stringent measures to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus in March, including 24-hour curfews on most towns and cities.

In May, it announced a three-phase plan to ease restrictions on movement and travel, culminating in the curfew completely ending on June 21.

The number of coronavirus infections has risen in recent weeks following a relaxation of movement and travel restrictions on May 28.

The kingdom has recorded 154,223 cases of COVID-19 and a total of 1,230 deaths, the highest in the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council.

Saudi Arabia plans to limit numbers at the annual haj pilgrimage to prevent a further outbreak of coronavirus cases, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters earlier this month.

Some 2.5 million pilgrims visit the holiest sites of Islam in Mecca and Medina for the week-long haj, a once-in-a-lifetime duty for every able-bodied Muslim who can afford it. Saudi Arabia asked Muslims in March to put haj plans on hold and suspended the umrah pilgrimage until further notice.

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