Fossils of extinct marine animals ranging between 16 and 80 million years old have been discovered in Saudi Arabia's Azlam Formation in the Tabuk region along the Red Sea coast, between the governorates of Duba and Umluj.
The discoveries were made by a team of experts during their fossil research exploration for the Saudi Geological Survey, which started at the beginning of February.
The discoveries of fossil sites will be developed into tourist attractions in the future, as part of the Red Sea Development Company projects.
“The spirit of adventure has always been tied to the essence of discovery. Our destination is already home to the site of Saudi Arabia’s first underwater excavation, but above the water, we are now finding geological and paleontological evidence of millions of years of activity in the region,” says John Pagano, chief executive of the development company.
Some of the fossils were from marine reptiles found buried in the sediments of the Late Cretaceous period, and they were identified as Mosasaurs and Plesiosaurs.
The Red Sea and Amaala project areas also contain fossils of different types of vertebrates and invertebrates and the remains of plants that lived in shallow and coastal marine environments dating back to modern medium and modern geological life.
Mosasaurs are marine reptiles characterised by huge cylindrical bodies like crocodiles that lived in the Mesozoic era. Plesiosaurs had smaller skulls, longer necks and thin bodies.
The Red Sea Development Company and the Saudi Geological Survey will continue to carry out advanced geological and paleontological research across both Red Sea Project and Amaala sites in the kingdom.
The five pillars of Islam
THE BIO
Favourite car: Koenigsegg Agera RS or Renault Trezor concept car.
Favourite book: I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes or Red Notice by Bill Browder.
Biggest inspiration: My husband Nik. He really got me through a lot with his positivity.
Favourite holiday destination: Being at home in Australia, as I travel all over the world for work. It’s great to just hang out with my husband and family.
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Chelsea 2
Willian (13'), Ross Barkley (64')
Liverpool 0
RESULTS
6.30pm: Handicap (rated 95-108) US$125,000 2000m (Dirt).
Winner: Don’t Give Up, Gerald Mosse (jockey), Saeed bin Suroor (trainer).
7.05pm: Handicap (95 ) $160,000 2810m (Turf).
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8.15pm: UAE 2000 Guineas Trial (Div-1) Conditions $100,000 1,400m (D)
Winner: Gold Town, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
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Winner: Promising Run, Patrick Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor.
9.25pm: UAE 2000 Guineas Conditions $100,000 1,400m (D).
Winner: El Chapo, Luke Morris, Fawzi Nass.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Company Profile
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Started: March, 2020
Co-founders: Sami Elayan, Saed Elayan and Zaid Azzouka
Based: Dubai
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Investor: Dtec Startupbootcamp
Future plan: Looking to raise $400,000
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
The biog
Name: Marie Byrne
Nationality: Irish
Favourite film: The Shawshank Redemption
Book: Seagull by Jonathan Livingston
Life lesson: A person is not old until regret takes the place of their dreams
GAC GS8 Specs
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
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Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 325bhp
Torque: 450Nm
Price: Dh289,000
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