One Million Trees Planted at Saudi Arabia's Rawdat Al-Khafs

The King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority has completed the planting of one million trees in Rawdat Al-Khafs. (SPA)
The King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority has completed the planting of one million trees in Rawdat Al-Khafs. (SPA)
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One Million Trees Planted at Saudi Arabia's Rawdat Al-Khafs

The King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority has completed the planting of one million trees in Rawdat Al-Khafs. (SPA)
The King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority has completed the planting of one million trees in Rawdat Al-Khafs. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia's King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority, in cooperation with the National Center for Vegetation Cover and Combating Desertification (NCVC), has completed the planting of one million trees in Rawdat Al-Khafs, located south of the reserve.

The first phase of planting 500,000 trees in the northern and southern parts of Rawdat Al-Khafs was completed in August 2022 and the remaining 500,000 trees were planted in 2023.

Through this initiative, the authority seeks to support national efforts to realize the objectives of the Saudi Green Initiative by increasing vegetation cover, combating desertification and preserving natural resources to achieve sustainable environmental and economic development and improve the quality of life.

The planting of the trees in the reserve comes within the agreement signed between the authority and NCVC on the sidelines of the International Exhibition and Forum on Afforestation Techniques in May 2022.

The King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve is one of the seven royal reserves in Saudi Arabia. It is known for its broad geographical scope, which includes Al-Tanhat, Al-Khafs, and Noura parks, and parts of the Al-Summan plateau and the Al-Dahna desert, covering approximately 28,000 sq. km.



French Bikers Race to Buy Harleys before Possible Tariffs

 The logo of American motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson is seen at an Harley-Davidson dealership in Paris, France, April 8, 2025. (Reuters)
The logo of American motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson is seen at an Harley-Davidson dealership in Paris, France, April 8, 2025. (Reuters)
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French Bikers Race to Buy Harleys before Possible Tariffs

 The logo of American motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson is seen at an Harley-Davidson dealership in Paris, France, April 8, 2025. (Reuters)
The logo of American motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson is seen at an Harley-Davidson dealership in Paris, France, April 8, 2025. (Reuters)

Sales are brisk at the Villiers-Sur-Marne Harley-Davidson dealership outside Paris, where French bikers reckon they had better hurry if they want the American motorcycle of their dreams before trade war puts them out of reach.

"It's now or never," said 55-year-old carpenter Stephane Roger as he inspected the gleaming machines. He had been thinking about buying a Harley anyway, he said. But when he heard the news of US President Donald Trump's "Liberation Day" tariffs, he figured he had better hurry.

Motorcycles were on a list of American goods due to be hit by EU tariffs announced this week in response to Trump. After Trump rowed back on some of his tariffs, the EU suspended its levies but said they could still kick in if negotiations fail.

"Yeah, I think it's time to buy a Harley," said Theo Mottet, a 30-year-old French soldier. If tariffs put the price up, it will no longer be possible for regular people to own one, he said. "It's going to be an elitist pleasure."

Jean-Luc Peschel, a 65-year-old retired musician in a leather blazer and a red necktie, said Harleys conjured up images of Americana that had been swirling around in his head since childhood.

"I'm an old man," he said. "Harley-Davidson rocked my childhood. American films make you dream, and so I think there are people who need to dream today."