LONDON: So far, it has been all about meeting Donald Trump and other political bigwigs. But there is much more on the agenda for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in his first official visit to the US.
In his seven-city tour of America, the prince is also meeting corporate CEOs with a view to striking deals with companies dealing in renewable energy, high tech, sport, tourism and, perhaps most importantly, entertainment.
When it comes to the entertainment industry, Saudi Arabia is virtually a blank page. There are no cinemas or concert halls or amusement parks — yet. The message from the crown prince is that Saudi Arabia is not only open for business, it is open for fun too, with a large young generation — his generation — crying out for entertainment on their own doorstep, that does not entail a drive or flight to neighboring Bahrain or the United Arab Emirates.
Six Flags, the world’s largest amusement park company, with 20 sites in the US, Canada and Mexico, is to build its first property outside the American continent in Saudi Arabia. The company announced last June that it had begun talks with the Saudi government and it was subsequently reported that the first of three initial amusement parks was set to open in 2020, with Riyadh the most likely location.
That turned out to be overstating the situation but the project is certainly not dead.
Sandra Daniels, vice president of corporate communications at Six Flags head office in Grand Prarie, Texas, told Arab News, “We do not have a formal agreement to build a park in Saudi Arabia yet; however, Six Flags is excited to be in discussions to do so and to be part of an important cultural movement, along with other western brands, in support of the Vision 2030 commitment to bring world-class entertainment experiences to Saudi Arabian families.”
Executive chairman Jim Reid-Anderson said the parks were likely — but not guaranteed — to be owned by the Saudi government, adding that there was “great support” for the project.
Saudi audiences will not have to wait that long for the Greatest Royal Rumble wrestling extravaganza, which WWE is staging on April 27 at the 70,000-capacity King Abdullah stadium in Jeddah. The entertainment conglomerate, which is based in Stamford, Connecticut, is shipping out 50 of its WWE “Superstars” and promising “a spectacle of historic proportions.”
WWE prefers a six-month lead-in time period but the agreement to stage this event was signed only at the beginning of March, leaving only six weeks of promotion time. Nonetheless, confidence is still high that tickets will sell out after they go on sale on March 31.
Saudi Arabia and its sports-mad young audiences clearly offer an unprecedented opportunity for WWE to build a new fanbase almost from scratch. WWE has already made one foray into the country, testing the waters with an event 18 months ago in Riyadh, earning a “great reaction.”
Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon said the forthcoming April event is part of a 10-year partnership with the Saudi General Sports Authority supporting Vision 2030, a clear indication that WWE sees Saudi Arabia as a long-term prospect.
According to Britain’s The Sun newspaper, there were comments on Twitter about WWE because the line-up for the Jeddah show does not include any female fighters.
WWE stresses that while its shows are “inclusive and progressive” they always “respect local values and customs.”
Cinema chains and leisure conglomerates are falling over themselves to gain a foothold in a market that is not only almost completely new but also affluent.
Saudis currently spend $22 billion a year on entertainment and tourism outside the country. The government wants at least 25 percent of that sum to be spent at home.
AMC Entertainment, based in Leawood, Kansas, have announced an agreement with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia to “explore opportunities” within the Kingdom and IPic Entertainment of Boca Raton, Florida have struck a partnership with the BAS Global Investments Company, a Saudi company, to develop cinemas and restaurants throughout the country, with the aim of opening in 30 locations within a decade.
Cinema chains, amusement park operators queue up to enter Saudi Arabia market
Cinema chains, amusement park operators queue up to enter Saudi Arabia market
Saudi health officials investigate food poisoning outbreak at Riyadh restaurant chain
- The outbreak was linked to the consumption of food from the local Hamburgini fast-food restaurant chain
- Clostridium botulinum contamination in food can cause botulism, a serious illness resulting from the neurotoxin the bacteria produces
RIYADH: Riyadh experienced a wave of food poisoning cases caused by Clostridium botulinum on Thursday.
The outbreak was linked to the consumption of food from the local Hamburgini fast-food restaurant chain, leading to several hospitalizations.
Ministry of Health spokesperson Dr. Mohammed Al-Abd Al-Aly provided an update on his X account on Saturday, detailing the impact of the outbreak and the steps being taken to manage it.
He said: “Six cases have fully recovered after receiving appropriate health care, and two have been safely discharged. However, 35 individuals remain hospitalized, with 28 of them in intensive care.”
Clostridium botulinum contamination in food can cause botulism, a serious illness resulting from the neurotoxin the bacteria produces. Botulism can cause severe complications, paralysis and death, if not treated promptly. CB is commonly associated with improperly processed canned goods, home-canned vegetables, and cured meats.
The symptoms of this type of food poisoning can range from mild gastrointestinal issues to more severe signs like double vision, difficulty breathing, and paralysis.
The outbreak was first brought to light on Thursday when Riyadh Municipality received a report of food poisoning cases linked to the Hamburgini restaurant chain.
In response, health oversight teams promptly initiated an investigation and began monitoring the situation. By 10 p.m. Thursday all locations, branches, and the main catering factory of the restaurant chain in Riyadh were ordered to close.
Strict health protocols were implemented to contain the outbreak and prevent additional cases of food poisoning.
Delivery services through the facility or via applications were suspended, and coordination efforts were initiated with key bodies, including the Ministry of Health, the Food and Drug Authority, and the Public Health Authority.
On Friday, Nawaf Al-Fozan, the founder and CEO of Hamburgini, uploaded an official video response to the restaurant’s Instagram page, confirming the chain is involved in the outbreak.
Even though the municipality ordered the closing of all restaurants and related facilities due to food poisoning, Al-Fozan said: “We took the initiative to close directly and cancel all orders from all sales outlets and delivery applications. However, the reason, of course, has not been disclosed by the authorities.”
He stated that Hamburgini operates according to global quality standards in food hygiene and safety. “We strive to provide an ideal experience for our customers with high quality and standard specifications. We wish health and safety to everyone who has suffered harm.”
Al-Fozan added: “We are working with all concerned authorities to take all necessary measures and precautions, and we will keep you updated.”
The Health Ministry emphasized the importance of obtaining information from official sources to ensure accurate and reliable guidance. It also expressed gratitude for the authorities’ efforts in reducing the risk of infection and treating those affected.
Saudi citizens visiting Honduras now exempt from entry visa requirements
RIYADH: Honduras announced on Saturday that Saudi citizens wishing to visit the country are now exempt from requiring entry visas, Saudi Press Agency reported.
The announcement was made by the Honduran Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Consular and Immigration Affairs Antonio Garcia, who posted the decision on the social media platform X.
The visa exemption decision comes after a recent meeting between the Saudi deputy minister of foreign affairs, Waleed Elkhereiji, and his Honduran counterpart Enrique Reyna in Tegucigalpa.
As well as the visa exemption decision, the two discussed relations between Honduras and the Kingdom and the promotion of tourism links between the two countries.
Riyadh prepares for WEF meeting on collaboration, growth and energy
- Meeting aims to bridge growing North-South divide and find ‘collaborative solutions to shared challenges’
- Will drive ‘action-oriented dialogue’ on three key themes: Inclusive Growth, Energy for Development, and Global Collaboration
RIYADH: Around 1,000 leaders from 92 countries will convene in Riyadh for the World Economic Forum’s Special Meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy for Development on Sunday and Monday.
Building on the inaugural Growth Summit in Switzerland last year, the Riyadh meeting will, according to the WEF, “promote forward-thinking approaches to interconnected crises, while remaining realistic about shorter-term trade-offs” and “work to bridge the growing North-South divide on issues such as emerging economic policies, the energy transition and geopolitical shocks.”
Børge Brende, WEF’s President said in a press release: “With geopolitical tensions and socio-economic disparities deepening divides globally, international collaboration and purposeful dialogue has never been more urgent.”
The special meeting, held under the patronage of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, provides an opportunity for leaders, according to Brende, to “turn ideas into action and unlock scalable solutions to the many interconnected challenges being faced.”
Saudi Economy and Planning Minister Faisal Al-Ibrahim said in the release: “At this global inflection point, revitalizing international collaboration has never been more important. In Saudi Arabia, the World Economic Forum has chosen an established and dynamic global platform for thought leadership, solutions and action, as the host of a critical meeting at such a critical moment.
“We are working to ensure that progress for one part of the world does not come at the expense of another. And we are committed to meeting this moment with a determination to co-author a shared future that is secure, stable and sustainable,” he continued.
The event’s three themes are: ‘A Compact for Inclusive Growth,’ ‘Catalyzing Action on Energy for Development,’ and ‘Revitalizing Global Collaboration.’
Participants will include Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the Emir of Kuwait; Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Kamal Madbouly; Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani; Bisher Al-Khasawneh, Jordan’s Prime Minister; Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim, Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif; Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas; Qatari PM Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani; US Secretary of State Antony Blinken; Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy; Stéphane Séjourné, French minister for Europe and foreign affairs; Annalena Baerbock, Germany’s federal minister of foreign affairs; David Cameron, UK secretary of state for foreign, Commonwealth and development affairs; Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of the International Monetary Fund; UN Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza Sigrid Kaag; and World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Adhlal organizes tech workshops
RIYADH: Consulting services company Adhlal, a social enterprise based in the Kingdom, recently organized three technology workshops at the studios of Faiiida, an industrial design company, in Riyadh.
Tanja Ludwig, founder of w3-ff venture builder; Rakan Al-Shehri from Adhlal; and Abdulaziz Alobaid, who developed Faiiida, ran the workshops, which looked at ways in which technology, including artificial intelligence, can enhance creative workflow.
Ludwig, a German national who has visited Saudi Arabia several times, explored how blockchain’s “decentralized identities can empower Saudi design professionals.”
Alobaid’s workshop was on virtual and augmented reality design. Alobaid discussed creating items for the fashion, consumer, and automobile industries.
Al-Shehri’s workshop, titled “Al for design: Boosting creativity with smart tools,” explored how Al tools can help boost creativity in various fields of design.
Saudi authorities arrest 19,050 illegals in one week
RIYADH: Saudi authorities arrested 19,050 people in one week for breaching residency, work and border security regulations, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.
According to an official report, a total of 11,987 people were arrested for violations of residency laws, while 4,367 were held over illegal border crossing attempts, and a further 2,696 for labor-related issues.
The report showed that among the 1,011 people arrested for trying to enter the Kingdom illegally, 61 percent were Ethiopian, 36 percent Yemeni, and 3 percent were of other nationalities.
A further 24 people were caught trying to cross into neighboring countries, and 18 were held for involvement in transporting and harboring violators.
The Saudi Ministry of Interior said that anyone found to be facilitating illegal entry to the Kingdom, including providing transportation and shelter, could face imprisonment for a maximum of 15 years, a fine of up to SR1 million ($260,000), as well as confiscation of vehicles and property.
Suspected violations can be reported on the toll-free number 911 in the Makkah and Riyadh regions, and 999 or 996 in other regions of the Kingdom.
