عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Varieties

Arab Gulf Program for Development, UNICEF Sign Cooperation Agreement

The agreement was signed in Riyadh. SPA
The agreement was signed in Riyadh. SPA
    Asharq A-Awsat
TT
TT

Arab Gulf Program for Development, UNICEF Sign Cooperation Agreement

The agreement was signed in Riyadh. SPA
The agreement was signed in Riyadh. SPA

The Arab Gulf Program for Development (AGFUND) announced funding to support UNICEF's response to the cholera outbreak in Lebanon and to prevent the spread of waterborne diseases again.

The agreement was signed in Riyadh on Monday by Prince Abdulaziz bin Talal bin Abdulaziz, Chairman of the Board of Directors of AGFUND, and UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa Adele Khodr on the sidelines of the Riyadh International Humanitarian Forum.

UNICEF and AGFUND stressed the importance of expanding the scope of partnership to new areas, and this comes after four decades of joint work, the latest of which are programs that have benefited children and families in Yemen, Sudan, Palestine and Jordan.

UNICEF and AGFUND identified the field of early childhood development, which is one of the focus areas of UNICEF programs in the Gulf, as a major priority for the partnership. The new cooperation includes the establishment of the Center of Excellence for Early Childhood Development, based in Riyadh.

The cooperation between UNICEF and AGFUND will also include steps aimed at addressing the climate crisis, as AGFUND, as a member of the Arab Coordination Group, has an important role in regional programming on climate change.

Most Viewed

 
 
Varieties

International Fiesta Fills New Mexico's Sky With Colorful Hot Air Balloons

FILE - Nearly 500 balloons begin to take off during the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, Oct. 7, 2023, in Albuquerque, N.M. (AP Photo/Roberto E. Rosales, File)
FILE - Nearly 500 balloons begin to take off during the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, Oct. 7, 2023, in Albuquerque, N.M. (AP Photo/Roberto E. Rosales, File)
TT
TT

International Fiesta Fills New Mexico's Sky With Colorful Hot Air Balloons

FILE - Nearly 500 balloons begin to take off during the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, Oct. 7, 2023, in Albuquerque, N.M. (AP Photo/Roberto E. Rosales, File)
FILE - Nearly 500 balloons begin to take off during the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, Oct. 7, 2023, in Albuquerque, N.M. (AP Photo/Roberto E. Rosales, File)

One of the most photographed events in the world is set to kick off Saturday with a mass ascension of color for the 52nd annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.
The nine-day gathering draws hundreds of thousands of spectators and pilots to New Mexico each fall for the rare opportunity to be within arm’s reach as the giant balloons are unpacked and inflated. Propane burners roar and hundreds of the uniquely shaped balloons speckle the sky with vibrant colors.
Everyone usually bundles up in layers to protect against a morning chill that helps pilots stay in the air longer, but this year’s fiesta could be the warmest on record, organizers say.
Morning lows and afternoon highs are expected to be above average for days in a city that on Monday recorded its hottest temperature this late in the year, at 93 degrees Fahrenheit (33.8 Celsius), according to the National Weather Service.
Globally, things have been trending hotter too. It's likely this year will end up as the warmest humanity has measured, the European climate service Copernicus reported in early September.
While past fiestas have had a warm day here or there, spokesman Tom Garrity said the prediction for prolonged heat is rare, The Associated Press reported.
For pilots, it could mean less time aloft or carrying less weight in their baskets.
Typically, when the mornings are cool, less fuel is needed to get the balloons to rise. Fiesta veterans explain it's all about generating lift by heating the air inside the envelope to temperatures greater than what's on the outside.
“With cooler weather, pilots are able to fly for longer duration,” Garrity said. “But when you have warmer temperatures, it just means that you pop up, you go up a little bit and you come back down. So just some shorter flights.”
Still, ballooning happens year-round in many places, including in the Phoenix area, which has seen its share of record-breaking temperatures over recent months.
“These are really non-issues from a spectator’s standpoint," said Troy Bradley, an accomplished balloon pilot who has been flying for decades. “I don’t see any difference other than they won’t be freezing in the pre-dawn hours.”
Even the fiesta's official meteorologist has joked about the possibility of wearing shorts this year.
This year's fiesta also features 106 balloons in special shapes, 16 of which will be making their fiesta debut. That includes Mazu, modeled after the sea goddess of the same name who is deeply rooted in Taiwanese culture and traditions.