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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
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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.

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KAUST: Unexpected Ecosystem Found Deep Below Red Sea Coral Reef

Located in Difat Farasan, also known as the Farasan Bank near the border between Saudi Arabia and Yemen, the deep waters were found to be inhabited by corals, fish, and other marine life not typically expected to survive in environments with such low oxygen and high acidity. (SPA)
Located in Difat Farasan, also known as the Farasan Bank near the border between Saudi Arabia and Yemen, the deep waters were found to be inhabited by corals, fish, and other marine life not typically expected to survive in environments with such low oxygen and high acidity. (SPA)
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KAUST: Unexpected Ecosystem Found Deep Below Red Sea Coral Reef

Located in Difat Farasan, also known as the Farasan Bank near the border between Saudi Arabia and Yemen, the deep waters were found to be inhabited by corals, fish, and other marine life not typically expected to survive in environments with such low oxygen and high acidity. (SPA)
Located in Difat Farasan, also known as the Farasan Bank near the border between Saudi Arabia and Yemen, the deep waters were found to be inhabited by corals, fish, and other marine life not typically expected to survive in environments with such low oxygen and high acidity. (SPA)

Scientists from Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) and the National Center for Wildlife (NCW) have reported the discovery of an unusual ecosystem beneath the world’s third-largest coral reef system—and the largest in the Red Sea.

Located in Difat Farasan, also known as the Farasan Bank near the border between Saudi Arabia and Yemen, the deep waters were found to be inhabited by corals, fish, and other marine life not typically expected to survive in environments with such low oxygen and high acidity.

According to a statement by KAUST, several of the species displayed unexpected coping strategies in the extreme conditions. Fish exhibited slower swimming patterns, and corals remained healthy despite environmental factors that would normally inhibit the calcification process essential for coral growth and survival.

KAUST Research Scientist Dr. Shannon Klein, who led the study, said: “The ability for these animals to live in warm, oxygen-depleted zones suggests they have an unusual ability to reduce how much oxygen they use to sustain life. This discovery highlights the need for greater marine exploration of deeper layers in tropical coastal areas, as they may hold unexpected ecosystems.”

“Although underwater, fish, corals, and many other sea creatures need oxygen to survive. While their bodies have evolved differently from land animals to metabolize oxygen, they too asphyxiate if oxygen levels drop dangerously low. However, in the Red Sea, there are resistant ecosystems,” Klein added.

“Considering that oxygen depletion in the sea is one consequence of rising temperatures, greater study of how these creatures exist there may help us understand how marine life can withstand the challenges of climate change. Coral reefs usually exist in shallow waters. But the study found depressions that went more than 200 meters deep throughout the Farasan Bank coral reef system,” she said.

CEO of the National Center for Wildlife and contributor to the study Dr. Mohammad Qurban stated: “This research highlights the significance of the Red Sea as a natural laboratory for studying marine resilience. Discovering ecosystems that thrive in extreme conditions expands our understanding of how marine life adapts and reinforces the need for continued exploration and conservation of these unique habitats.”