Asharq Al-Awsat to Have Special Coverage on International Women’s Day

SRMG’s CEO Jomana Alrashid
SRMG’s CEO Jomana Alrashid
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Asharq Al-Awsat to Have Special Coverage on International Women’s Day

SRMG’s CEO Jomana Alrashid
SRMG’s CEO Jomana Alrashid

An all-women team of journalists and media practitioners is set on Monday to take over Asharq Al-Awsat’s editorial content and press coverage, including special interviews, op-eds and dedicated articles, to mark International Women’s Day.

In addition, “By women, for all” initiatives are set to be launched by the media platforms, under the Saudi Research and Marketing Group (SRMG), namely Asharq Al-Awsat, Arab News, Sayidaty and Hia Magazines, and Asharq News.

The initiatives come in line with Saudi Vision 2030, and in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals, signaling the importance of women’s active and effective participation in public life.

They also reflect SRMG’s long-established commitment and support towards women empowerment and inclusion in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East and North Africa region.

“The Arab world in general and Saudi Arabia in particular are rich in stories that demonstrate the pivotal role women play in our everyday lives, business, society, education, healthcare and beyond,” SRMG’s CEO Jomana Alrashid said.

“This year, we celebrate International Women’s Day, across our media platforms, with remarkable women, each in her respective area of expertise… as well as with our female colleagues who are qualified to assume executive roles; and take on managerial and career positions within the group. Simultaneously, we pay tribute to distinguished Arab women who play an important role in the public and private history of our countries and communities,” she said.

“We are thrilled and privileged to witness the unwavering commitment and steadfast support of Saudi Arabia's youthful and visionary leadership to women’s causes. More than ever, Saudi women have now become an integral part of the growth, prosperity and advancement of our country. We at SRMG are fully prepared to play our part,” she added.

Some of the women’s issues tackled by the various SRMG platforms on International Women’s Day include the roles of governments and private institutions in advancing women’s issues, exceptional female journalists and their journeys to success, women in public, women in business, women entrepreneurs, and women-owned and women-run businesses.

The coverage also includes topics on women Medical Doctors and nurses, women in healthcare – especially those on the frontline fighting pandemics and infectious diseases, women’s contributions in “Cultural and Creative Industries,” and women in the world of beauty, luxury, fashion and design.



Buyer Splashes Out $1.3 Million for Tokyo New Year Tuna

 The head of a 276-kilogram bluefin tuna that was auctioned for 207 million Japanese yen (about 1.3 million US dollars), which was bought jointly by sushi restaurant operator Onodera Group and wholesaler Yamayuki, is carried by a sushi chef at an Onodera sushi restaurant after the first tuna auction of the New Year in Tokyo, Japan January 5, 2025. (Reuters)
The head of a 276-kilogram bluefin tuna that was auctioned for 207 million Japanese yen (about 1.3 million US dollars), which was bought jointly by sushi restaurant operator Onodera Group and wholesaler Yamayuki, is carried by a sushi chef at an Onodera sushi restaurant after the first tuna auction of the New Year in Tokyo, Japan January 5, 2025. (Reuters)
TT

Buyer Splashes Out $1.3 Million for Tokyo New Year Tuna

 The head of a 276-kilogram bluefin tuna that was auctioned for 207 million Japanese yen (about 1.3 million US dollars), which was bought jointly by sushi restaurant operator Onodera Group and wholesaler Yamayuki, is carried by a sushi chef at an Onodera sushi restaurant after the first tuna auction of the New Year in Tokyo, Japan January 5, 2025. (Reuters)
The head of a 276-kilogram bluefin tuna that was auctioned for 207 million Japanese yen (about 1.3 million US dollars), which was bought jointly by sushi restaurant operator Onodera Group and wholesaler Yamayuki, is carried by a sushi chef at an Onodera sushi restaurant after the first tuna auction of the New Year in Tokyo, Japan January 5, 2025. (Reuters)

The top bidder at a Tokyo fish market said they paid $1.3 million for a tuna on Sunday, the second highest price ever paid at an annual prestigious new year auction.

Michelin-starred sushi restauranteurs the Onodera Group said they paid 207 million yen for the 276-kilogram (608 pound) bluefin tuna, roughly the size and weight of a motorbike.

It is the second highest price paid at the opening auction of the year in Tokyo's main fish market since comparable data started being collected in 1999.

The powerful buyers have now paid the top price for five years straight -- winning bragging rights and a lucrative frenzy of media attention in Japan.

"The first tuna is something meant to bring in good fortune," Onodera official Shinji Nagao told reporters after the auction. "Our wish is that people will eat this and have a wonderful year."

The Onodera Group paid 114 million yen for the top tuna last year.

But the highest ever auction price was 333.6 million yen for a 278-kilogram bluefin in 2019, as the fish market was moved from its traditional Tsukiji area to a modern facility in nearby Toyosu.

The record bid was made by self-proclaimed "Tuna King" Kiyoshi Kimura, who operates the Sushi Zanmai national restaurant chain.

During the Covid-19 pandemic the new year tunas commanded only a fraction of their usual top prices, as the public were discouraged from dining out and restaurants had limited operations.