Saudi Space Agency, Airbus Discuss Ways to Enhance Cooperation

Deputy Chairman of the Saudi Space Agency (SSA) Dr. Mohammed Saud Al-Tamimi held a meeting with the head of Aerospace at Airbus
Deputy Chairman of the Saudi Space Agency (SSA) Dr. Mohammed Saud Al-Tamimi held a meeting with the head of Aerospace at Airbus
TT

Saudi Space Agency, Airbus Discuss Ways to Enhance Cooperation

Deputy Chairman of the Saudi Space Agency (SSA) Dr. Mohammed Saud Al-Tamimi held a meeting with the head of Aerospace at Airbus
Deputy Chairman of the Saudi Space Agency (SSA) Dr. Mohammed Saud Al-Tamimi held a meeting with the head of Aerospace at Airbus

Deputy Chairman of the Saudi Space Agency (SSA) Dr. Mohammed Saud Al-Tamimi held a meeting on Tuesday with the head of Aerospace at Airbus, Dr. Jean-Marc Nasr, to discuss ways of enhancing cooperation in the field of space and its future sectors.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 54th edition of the Paris Air Show, held in the French capital, Paris.

Al-Tamimi and Nasr discussed opportunities for cooperation to develop the space sector and investment in future joint projects in the sector, to achieve common goals in the economic and strategic fields in the domain of space and its technologies.

Saudi Arabia has witnessed a rapid development in this field, and very recently, two Saudi astronauts, Rayana Barnawi, the first Arab and Muslim female astronaut, and Ali Al-Qarni, went on a mission to the International Space Station (ISS).

Also Tuesday, chairman of the Board of Directors of SSA Eng. Abdullah Al-Swaha met in Paris with President of the French National Center for Space Studies (CNES) Dr. Philippe Baptiste and with Chairman and CEO of the French company Thales Eng. Patrice Caine.

The meetings addressed ways of strengthening the strategic partnership between SSA, research centers, and international space companies, as well as ways to support cooperation mechanisms in the fields of space and innovation.

Al-Swaha and Baptiste discussed the scope of cooperation between the CNES and the SSA, as well as ways to increase sustainable development efforts through space activities held by the two sides, while with Caine, talks focused on the growth of the Saudi space sector and cooperation in transferring and developing human capabilities and investment opportunities between the SSA and Thales.



Lion Cub Gifted to Pakistani YouTube Star Causes Wedding Chaos

A lion cub confiscated from Pakistani YouTube star Rajab Butt growls inside his enclosure at a zoo in Lahore - AFP
A lion cub confiscated from Pakistani YouTube star Rajab Butt growls inside his enclosure at a zoo in Lahore - AFP
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Lion Cub Gifted to Pakistani YouTube Star Causes Wedding Chaos

A lion cub confiscated from Pakistani YouTube star Rajab Butt growls inside his enclosure at a zoo in Lahore - AFP
A lion cub confiscated from Pakistani YouTube star Rajab Butt growls inside his enclosure at a zoo in Lahore - AFP

A Pakistani YouTube star who was gifted a lion cub on his wedding day has avoided jail after promising a judge to upload animal rights videos for a year.

Rajab Butt has one of the largest online followings in the South Asian country and his week-long nuptials in late December were plastered over celebrity gossip websites.

When a sleepy lion cub, resembling young Simba from the 2019 "Lion King" film, was presented to him in a gold-chained cage in front of thousands of guests who partied late into the night in the eastern megacity of Lahore, pictures spread rapidly online.
The morning after, police raided his house, confiscated the cub and kept the newly-wed in custody overnight.

"We found out about the lion cub through social media," said Faisal Mushtaq, an inspector from the Punjab provincial wildlife department.

Police officers went to Butt's house and found the lion cub roaming around the garage, he said, AFP reported.

"It was in a poor condition, as it was very cold," said Mushtaq.

Last week, Butt pleaded guilty to owning an undocumented wild animal but the judge waived a possible fine and prison sentence of up to two years for a more tailored punishment.

Every month for one year, he must post a five-minute video dedicated to animal rights, said the order by judge Hamid Ul Rahman Nasir.

The social media influencer agreed to the conditions, after admitting in a court statement that he "set a poor example" by accepting the gift and going on to "glorify it".

Butt is one of the country's highest-paid YouTube stars, according to the platform, and usually posts videos about his family's daily life, from arguments to new car purchases.

Tanvir Janjua, a veteran wildlife official in Punjab, said the cub was likely bought for between 700,000 and 800,000 Pakistani rupees ($2,500-$2,900).

"It is so wrong, morally and legally, to take away such a small cub from its mother," which was likely still feeding it, he told AFP.

- New regulations -

A week after the YouTuber was arrested, an adult lion escaped from his cage, running through the narrow streets of a Lahore neighbourhood as residents clambered to their rooftops.

The full-grown adult male was eventually shot dead by a security guard, prompting heated outrage on social media about the dangers of keeping a big cat in a residential area.

Big cats are imported and bred across Pakistan, seen as symbols of wealth and power to the elite that own them.

Last year, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, which rules the government, banned supporters from bringing lions -- the symbol of the party -- to political rallies.

However, stringent new regulations banning private ownership of big cats in residential areas are currently making their way through Punjab's provincial government.

Breeders would have to buy a licence and have at least 10 acres (four hectares) of land on a site approved by wildlife officials.