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Janbiya Demand Surges During Eid at Souq Khamis Mushait

The souq caters to every taste and budget - SPA
The souq caters to every taste and budget - SPA
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Janbiya Demand Surges During Eid at Souq Khamis Mushait

The souq caters to every taste and budget - SPA
The souq caters to every taste and budget - SPA

Eid Al-Fitr witnesses a surge in demand for janbiyas -- short, curved daggers -- as they are considered a symbol of festivity and adornment during this Eid.
Souq Khamis Mushait, a bustling marketplace in Khamis Mushait city, southern Saudi Arabia, is a haven for traditional janbiyas. Visitors from across the region come to explore this treasure trove, a captivating glimpse into the Kingdom's rich heritage, SPA reported.
The janbiya, a symbol of pride and honor, is a cherished part of Saudi culture. Worn during celebrations, it is a reminder of the country's deep traditions.
The souq caters to every taste and budget, offering intricately crafted silver janbiyas alongside rare antiques. Prices depend on craftsmanship, materials, engravings, and rarity, ranging from SAR1,000 to over SAR100,000.
Khamis Mushait's commercial roots run deep, with the city serving as a major trading center for centuries. Beyond janbiyas, the souq offers livestock, dates, and a variety of other goods.

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Australia Bans Uranium Mining at Indigenous Site

A view shows a sign at the Energy Resources Australia (ERA) Ranger Project Area in Kakadu National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Northern Territory, Australia, July 11, 2024. (Reuters)
A view shows a sign at the Energy Resources Australia (ERA) Ranger Project Area in Kakadu National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Northern Territory, Australia, July 11, 2024. (Reuters)
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Australia Bans Uranium Mining at Indigenous Site

A view shows a sign at the Energy Resources Australia (ERA) Ranger Project Area in Kakadu National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Northern Territory, Australia, July 11, 2024. (Reuters)
A view shows a sign at the Energy Resources Australia (ERA) Ranger Project Area in Kakadu National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Northern Territory, Australia, July 11, 2024. (Reuters)

Australia moved Saturday to ban mining at one of the world's largest high-grade uranium deposits, highlighting the site's "enduring connection" to Indigenous Australians.

The Jabiluka deposit in northern Australia is surrounded by the heritage-listed Kakadu national park, a tropical expanse of gorges and waterfalls featured in the first "Crocodile Dundee" film.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the national park would be extended to include the Jabiluka site -- which has never been mined -- honoring the decades-long desires of the Mirrar people.

"They were seeking a guarantee that there would never be uranium mining on their land," Albanese told a crowd of Labor Party supporters in Sydney.

"This means there will never be mining at Jabiluka," he added.

Archaeologists discovered a buried trove of stone axes and tools near the Jabiluka site in 2017, which they dated at tens of thousands of years old.

The find was "proof of the extraordinary and enduring connection Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander have had with our land", Albanese said.

"The Mirrar people have loved and cared for their land for more than 60,000 years.

"That beautiful part of Australia is home to some of the oldest rock art in the world," he added.

Discovered in the early 1970s, efforts to exploit the Jabiluka deposit have for decades been tied-up in legal wrangling between Indigenous custodians and mining companies.

It is one of the world's largest unexploited high-grade uranium deposits, according to the World Nuclear Association.

Rio Tinto-controlled company Energy Resources of Australia previously held mining leases at Jabiluka.

The conservation of Indigenous sites has come under intense scrutiny in Australia after mining company Rio Tinto blew up the 46,000-year-old Juukan Gorge rock shelters in 2020.

Australia's conservative opposition has vowed to build nuclear power plants across the country if it wins the next election, overturning a 26-year nuclear ban.