Saudi king Salman to launch 'entertainment city' near Riyadh

Agencies
April 24, 2018

Riyadh, Apr 24: Saudi King Salman will launch the construction of an "entertainment city" near Riyadh on Wednesday, authorities said, part of a series of multi-billion dollar projects as the kingdom seeks to diversify its oil-reliant economy.

The 334-square kilometre project in Qiddiya, southwest of Riyadh, would rival Walt Disney and include high-end theme parks, motor sport facilities and a safari park, officials say.

The facility highlights a "relentless effort to develop giga-projects that will help achieve many direct and indirect economic returns", project official Fahd bin Abdullah Tounsi was quoted as saying in a government statement on Monday.

Qiddiya chief executive Michael Reininger said he expects the project will draw foreign investors in entertainment and other sectors, but did not specify the total cost of construction.

Such projects are the brainchild of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a self-styled liberal change agent who is the chief architect of the sweeping "Vision 2030" reform programme.

Saudi Arabia has dazzled investors with several plans for hi-tech "giga projects", funded in part by its sovereign wealth fund, but some sceptics question their viability in an era of cheap oil.

The kingdom has unveiled blueprints to build NEOM, a mega project billed as a regional Silicon Valley, in addition to the Red Sea project, a reef-fringed resort destination -- both worth hundreds of billions of dollars.

Analysts say the projects could create funding pressures at a time when the government faces a yawning budget deficit and growth in the kingdom`s non-oil economy is only slowly gathering pace.

The reform stems partly from an economic motive to boost domestic spending on entertainment as the kingdom has been reeling from an oil slump since 2014.

Saudis currently splurge billions of dollars annually to see films and visit amusement parks in neighbouring tourist hubs like Dubai and Bahrain.

In February, Saudi Arabia`s General Entertainment Authority (GEA) announced it will stage more than 5,000 festivals and concerts in 2018, double the number of last year, and pump $64 billion in the sector in the coming decade.

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abdul
 - 
Friday, 27 Apr 2018

next dance bar in Salaman palace 

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News Network
June 26,2020

Dubai, Jun 26: As summers in Dubai bloom in its full glory, the most savoured summer fruit - Mongo - is getting the most special treatment in the city as it gets delivered to customers via an emperor like ride of a Lamborghini.

As per a video report by Gulf News, the Pakistan Supermarket in Dubai is delivering the king of fruits to the doorsteps of its customers in a green coloured Lamborghini to match the level of its supremacy among fruits.

"The king should travel like a king," says the managing director of the store, Mohammad Jehanzeb who delivers the pulpy fruit by himself and also takes the customers on a short ride in the luxury car.

In order to avail the offer rolled out on the Facebook page of the famous supermarket, customers are required to make a minimum order of Dh100, reports the Gulf News.

"The idea is to put a smile on people's faces and make them feel special," says Jehanzeb who has put a smile on the face of dozens of Dubai residents amidst the throes of a pandemic with his 'Mangoes in Lamborghini' campaign.

The delicacy this year has gone viral with videos of delighted mango lovers taking a joy ride in the supercar doing rounds over the internet.

"The joy ride was essentially meant for kids who have been sequestered at homes because of the coronavirus but adults are equally thrilled at the prospect of getting behind the wheels of my Lamborghini Huracan. I am happy to oblige them too," says Jehanzeb.

"Each order takes about an hour. We do about 7-8 home deliveries a day but are hoping to ramp up the numbers to 12," he adds.

Arshad Khan who hails from the Indian city of nawabs - Lucknow- ordered the 'nawabi' varieties - Sindhri and Anwar Ratol - and said that his children were exhilarated after hearing the roar of the Lamborghini outside their Falcon City villa.

"For someone who hails from Lucknow -- the land of the famous dussheri and landga mangoes -- I was a bit skeptical about the taste of Pakistani mangoes. I ordered them for the sheer experience of seeing them come to my place in a luxury supercar," Gulf News quoted Khan as saying.

"It was quite exhilarating and I must confess that the mangoes were as delicious as the ones back home," he added.

Mango fruit has been a delicacy in the 16th-century Hindustan sub-continent. It holds a fascinating narrative in Babur Nama which is an autobiography of the Mughal emperor Zahiruddin Muhammad Babur.

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Agencies
February 5,2020

Paris, Feb 5: Saudi Arabia has reported an outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5N8 bird flu virus on a poultry farm, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) said on Tuesday, February 4.

The outbreak, which occurred in the central Sudair region, killed 22,700 birds, the OIE said, citing a report from the Saudi agriculture ministry.

The other 385,300 birds in the flock were slaughtered, it said.

The case was the first outbreak of the H5N8 virus in Saudi Arabia since July 2018.

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News Network
April 23,2020

Riyadh, Apr 22: In an extraordinary initiative, the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has decided to facilitate the travel of expatriates who have an exit and reentry visa or final exit visa to return to their countries.

This is in line with the order of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

According to the initiative, called “Auda” (return), expatriates can apply seeking permission for travel to their countries through the Absher portal of the ministry.

Announcing this, Saudi's Ministry of Interior said that the initiative will be implemented in cooperation with a number of relevant government agencies.

Requests for travel from expatriates will be received and approved in coordination with the relevant authorities to complete their travel procedures on board international flights.

As per the initiative, a text message will be sent to the beneficiary stating the travel date, ticket number and reservation details, and by which the beneficiary can obtain his travel ticket and complete the travel procedures.

Clarifying the procedures for the travel, the ministry said that the applicant shall select the icon (Auda) after visiting the Absher portal and fill the following fields: iqama (residency permit) number, date of birth, mobile number, departure city and airport of arrival.

It is not mandatory for the expatriate to have his own Absher account for availing of the service, the ministry said, adding that this facility is to enable expatriates to benefit from this initiative.

The departure will be through the following airports: King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Prince Muhammad International Airport in Madinah, and King Fahd International Airport in Dammam.

Those expatriates who are outside these cities can benefit from the service through entering airport of departure after completion of their travel procedures in sufficient period of time.

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