Riyadh’s Souq Al Zal - Saudi Arabia

Riyadh’s Souq Al Zal - Saudi Arabia

Atmosphere near the Souq Al Zal in Riyadh, Saoudi Arabia on September 25, 2022. Souq al-Zal is a traditional marketplace and a popular tourist attraction in the ad-Dirah neighborhood of Riyadh. It is situated east of the al-Hukm Palace compound in the Qasr al-Hukm District and is one of the oldest marketplaces in the city that specialize in carpets trading and the sale of agarwoods. Photo by Jean-Michel Psaila/ABACAPRESS.COM

Riyadh’s Souq Al Zal - Saudi Arabia

Riyadh’s Souq Al Zal - Saudi Arabia

Atmosphere near the Souq Al Zal in Riyadh, Saoudi Arabia on September 25, 2022. Souq al-Zal is a traditional marketplace and a popular tourist attraction in the ad-Dirah neighborhood of Riyadh. It is situated east of the al-Hukm Palace compound in the Qasr al-Hukm District and is one of the oldest marketplaces in the city that specialize in carpets trading and the sale of agarwoods. Photo by Jean-Michel Psaila/ABACAPRESS.COM

Riyadh’s Souq Al Zal - Saudi Arabia

Riyadh’s Souq Al Zal - Saudi Arabia

Atmosphere near the Souq Al Zal in Riyadh, Saoudi Arabia on September 25, 2022. Souq al-Zal is a traditional marketplace and a popular tourist attraction in the ad-Dirah neighborhood of Riyadh. It is situated east of the al-Hukm Palace compound in the Qasr al-Hukm District and is one of the oldest marketplaces in the city that specialize in carpets trading and the sale of agarwoods. Photo by Jean-Michel Psaila/ABACAPRESS.COM

Riyadh’s Souq Al Zal - Saudi Arabia

Riyadh’s Souq Al Zal - Saudi Arabia

Atmosphere near the Souq Al Zal in Riyadh, Saoudi Arabia on September 25, 2022. Souq al-Zal is a traditional marketplace and a popular tourist attraction in the ad-Dirah neighborhood of Riyadh. It is situated east of the al-Hukm Palace compound in the Qasr al-Hukm District and is one of the oldest marketplaces in the city that specialize in carpets trading and the sale of agarwoods. Photo by Jean-Michel Psaila/ABACAPRESS.COM

Eid al-Fitr celebrated in Indian capital

STORY: Eid al-Fitr celebrated in Indian capital DATELINE: April 23, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:37 LOCATION: New Delhi CATEGORY: CULTURE SHOTLIST: 1. various of India gate 2. various of crowded market for Eid al-Fitr 3. various of food STORYLINE: Muslims in the Indian capital New Delhi purchased new clothes and traditional delicacies in celebration of Eid al-Fitr despite the rise in COVID-19 cases in the city. The marketplaces in Muslim neighborhoods were flooded with people, and shops selling sweets, fruits, and other delicacies were popular. The festive season has provided a much-needed boost to local businesses that have been hit hard by the pandemic. Eid al-Fitr marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from New Delhi. (XHTV)

Turkey's inflation hits two-decade high of 78.6 pct

STORY: Turkey's inflation hits two-decade high of 78.6 pct DATELINE: July 5, 2022 LENGTH: 0:01:04 LOCATION: Ankara CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. Turkish central bank 2. various of the lira 3. various of marketplaces STORYLINE: Turkey's annual inflation surged to 78.62 percent in June, the highest since 1998, the Turkish Statistical Institute announced on Monday. It said the consumer prices increased by 4.95 percent month-on-month in June. The highest annual price surge was in the transportation sector with 123.37 percent. The cost of food and non-alcoholic drinks increased 93.93 percent, while furnishings and household equipment prices were up 81.14 percent, according to the official statistics. The domestic producer price index climbed 6.77 percent month-on-month in June, with an annual rise of 138.31 percent. Turkey's annual inflation was 73.5 percent in May. The country is undergoing financial woes unseen in decades, with the Turkish lira losing its value since the COVID-19 pandemic

Syrians balk at buying "pricey" Eid al-Fitr sweets amid soaring prices

STORY: Syrians balk at buying "pricey" Eid al-Fitr sweets amid soaring prices DATELINE: April 30, 2022 LENGTH: 00:03:28 LOCATION: Damascus CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the sweets shops in Damascus 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Arabic): MISBAH KANDAH, Sweets maker 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Arabic): ALI IBRAHIM, Sweets maker STORYLINE: Due to the soaring prices of everything, much fewer customers seem to be willing to squeeze money to buy traditional sweets of the Eid al-Fitr feast. Previously, when the Muslim holy month of Ramadan would come to an end, the popular marketplaces such as in Midan, or Bab Srijeh among other ancient souks in Damascus, would be thronged by hundreds of people rushing to buy the sweets of Eid. This is an old tradition as Muslim celebrate the end of the fasting month with a lot of local sweets. During the crisis, the purchasing power of the people decreased but the tradition remained alive. This year, however, the economic situation has become excruciating as a result of the prolonged crisis