Saudi Arabia set to send its first woman astronaut to space
Riyadh: Saudi Arabia will send its first woman astronaut on a space mission this year, continuing the effort to change the ultra-conservative image of the Kingdom, as reported by the state media.
Rayyana Barnawi will join Ali Al-Qarni, her fellow Saudi astronaut, on a mission on the International Space Station (ISS), during the second quarter of 2023, the official Saudi Press Agency said on Sunday.
The agency added that the astronauts will join the crew of the AX-2 space mission and the space flight will launch from the US.
Saudi Arabia had an earlier space enthusiast in Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, who was an air force pilot and participated in a US-organized space mission in 1985, becoming the first Arab to travel into space.
With the heads of state in the Gulf striving to diversify their economies through a variety of projects, the official leader of Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been trying to get his Kingdom to shake off its austere image.
Pushing for reforms since his rise to power in 2017, women have been permitted to drive and also to travel abroad without a male guardian. The proportion of women in the workforce too has more than doubled since 2016, from 17 percent to 37 percent.
In 2018, Saudi Arabia set up a space program and in 2022 launched another program to send its astronauts into space. All of these have been a part of Prince Salman’s ‘Vision 2030’ agenda for economic diversification.
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Karnataka Speaker Khader finishes fourth in Dirt Prix event
Mangaluru (PTI): Karnataka Legislative Assembly Speaker U T Khader on Sunday finished fourth in a dirt track racing event organised by the Indian Motor Sports Club here.
Driving a Volkswagen Polo GT, Khader narrowly missed a podium finish, ending just seconds behind the third-place finisher.
An avid motorsport enthusiast since his college days, Khader has participated in several racing events involving both motorcycles and cars.
Organisers said his performance on the dirt track was consistent with his previous racing record.
Speaking informally after the event, Khader said he continues to follow motorsport and enjoys driving, describing the experience as a "refreshing change" from his official responsibilities.
The Dirt Prix event saw participation from multiple racers and was aimed at promoting grassroots motorsport.
