DUBAI: Saudi Arabian billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal has been released from detention, family sources said on Saturday, more than two months after he was taken into custody in the kingdom’s sweeping crackdown on corruption.
His release came hours after he told Reuters in an exclusive interview at the opulent Ritz-Carlton hotel in Riyadh that he expected to be cleared of any wrongdoing and be released from custody within days.
Family sources said Prince Alwaleed was released on Saturday.
“He has he arrived home,” one told Reuters.
Saudi officials could not immediately be reached for comment and the terms of his release were not immediately clear.
A senior Saudi official said Prince Alwaleed was freed after he reached a financial settlement with the attorney general.
"The attorney general has approved this morning the settlement that was reached with Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, and the prince returned home at 11:00a.m. (0800 GMT)," the official told Reuters, without giving details of the terms.
Prince Alwaleed had been confined at the Ritz-Carlton since early November, along with dozens of others, part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s plan to consolidate control and reform oil superpower Saudi Arabia.
In his first interview since he was taken into custody in November, Prince Alwaleed told Reuters he was continuing to maintain his innocence of any corruption in talks with authorities.
He said he expected to keep full control of his global investment firm Kingdom Holding Co. without being required to give up assets to the government.
Reuters: Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal released, family sources say
Reuters: Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal released, family sources say
Saudi health sector displays 20 innovations at Geneva exhibition of inventions
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health and the health sector participating in the 51st International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva, being held from March 11 to 15, are showcasing 20 innovations that reflect the progress of healthcare innovation in the Kingdom.
The Saudi pavilion brings together several key entities from the national health ecosystem, including Health Holding Co., the Council of Health Insurance (Dhaman), the National Institute for Health Research, and the Saudi Red Crescent Authority, according to a ministry of health press release on Thursday.
The innovations presented highlight solutions aimed at enhancing healthcare sustainability, improving service efficiency and enriching patient experience, in line with the goals of the Health Sector Transformation Program, a key pillar of Saudi Vision 2030 aimed at building a more efficient and innovation-driven healthcare system focused on prevention and quality of life.
The ministry said the participation reflects the Kingdom’s growing capabilities in healthcare innovation and demonstrates the integrated efforts of the national health ecosystem to advance medical solutions and strengthen Saudi Arabia’s contribution to global health innovation.
The Geneva International Exhibition of Inventions, organized in cooperation with the World Intellectual Property Organization, is one of the world’s leading innovation events, attracting participants from more than 40 countries and presenting more than 1,000 inventions, providing a global platform for sharing innovative solutions and strengthening international collaboration.
