Saudi health inspectors close 16 outlets over COVID-19 breaches
The violations included noncompliance with social distancing and mask-wearing, leniency in measuring the temperature of customers
Updated 07 February 2022
SPA
DAMMAM: Saudi municipalities are continuing health and safety inspection tours to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the Kingdom.
Eastern Province authorities carried out 6,809 visits to commercial centers and facilities in one week, identifying 474 violations. Field teams closed seven commercial outlets for breaching COVID-19 health protocols.
Baha municipality also carried out 2,458 inspection tours, identifying 35 violations. Authorities closed nine commercial outlets for health breaches.
Violations included noncompliance with social distancing and mask-wearing, leniency in measuring the temperatures of customers, overcrowding issues and a failure to effectively use the Tawakkalna app.
Officials have urged the public to report any suspected health breaches by phoning the 940 call center number, or by contacting authorities through the Balady app.
Saudi Arabia’s National Events Center launches Event Pioneers program for graduates
The year-long program, beginning with applications opening on Sunday, will provide hands-on experience in collaboration with the Qiddiya Investment Co. and the Asir Development Authority
Updated 9 sec ago
Arab News
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s National Events Center has opened applications for a new training and employment initiative aimed at young Saudis seeking a career in the fast-growing events sector, it was announced on Sunday.
Launched in partnership with the Mohammed bin Salman Foundation, the Event Pioneers program will offer recent graduates practical training across eight key disciplines, including event content, protocol management, visitor experience, marketing and communications, event management, event operations, crowd management, and health and safety.
The year-long program, beginning with applications opening on Sunday, will provide hands-on experience in collaboration with the Qiddiya Investment Co. and the Asir Development Authority.
Participants will undergo intensive training while working in various areas of the events industry, with a focus on developing practical skills and preparing graduates for full-time roles in the sector.
Organizers say the program is designed to support Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals of empowering young people and expanding the Kingdom’s workforce in emerging industries.
It also aims to build a pipeline of skilled Saudi talent to meet the demands of a sector that has seen rapid expansion through entertainment, cultural and sports events.
“The Event Pioneers program is part of broader efforts to develop human capital, enhance local content, and create sustainable job opportunities for Saudi youth,” the National Events Center said in a statement.
Training will be delivered in partnership with leading local and international institutes to ensure that participants are equipped with the latest industry expertise.
Officials hope that the initiative will help shape the next generation of leaders in the Kingdom’s growing events sector, providing a career pathway at a time when demand for skilled professionals is rising.
A closer look at the Great Reef off Jeddah’s coast
The reef has a growing reputation as a tourism destination, and has become increasingly popular for swimming, recreation, diving, and underwater exploration
Updated 19 sec ago
Arab News
RIYADH: The Great Reef, just 24 kilometers off Jeddah’s coastline, is a marine heritage site known for its stunning coral formations.
Covering almost six sq. km, the reef showcases the diversity of aquatic ecosystems in the heart of the Red Sea.
The reef has a growing reputation as a tourism destination and is also popular for recreational activities like diving, swimming, and underwater exploration. (SPA)
The reef is shaped not only by natural coral structures but also by cavities and openings formed by marine organisms and through weathering processes, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
Despite pressure from sea currents, tides, and human activity, waters around the reef remain strikingly pure, providing an ideal environment for coral growth and marine life to flourish.
FASTFACTS
• Covering almost six sq. km, the Great Reef showcases the diversity of aquatic ecosystems in the heart of the Red Sea.
• It offers a key anchorage for small vessels, and is also a nesting and breeding site for numerous seabird species.
According to Saudi Geological Survey’s spokesperson Tariq Al-Khail, the Great Reef offers a key anchorage for small vessels, and is also a nesting and breeding site for numerous seabird species.
The reef has a growing reputation as a tourism destination and is also popular for recreational activities like diving, swimming, and underwater exploration. (SPA)
The reef has a growing reputation as a tourism destination, and has become increasingly popular for swimming, recreation, diving, and underwater exploration, he said.
Conservation efforts have focused on raising environmental awareness among visitors to preserve this natural landmark for future generations, Al-Khail added.
Saudi National Guard minister visits Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah
The minister was briefed on the key exhibits, which highlight the journey of Islamic arts through the ages
Updated 28 sec ago
Arab News
JEDDAH: The Minister of the Saudi National Guard Prince Abdullah bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz has visited the second edition of the Islamic Arts Biennale, which is being held at the Western Hajj Terminal of King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah.
The minister was briefed on the key exhibits, which highlight the journey of Islamic arts through the ages.
He also explored a diverse collection of rare artworks and historic artifacts, alongside contemporary pieces by Saudi and international artists showcasing the richness of the Islamic civilization and presented in collaboration with major global museums and cultural institutions.
Wrth strengthens Saudi-Chinese relations through traditional arts
Two-day event aimed to promote cultural exchange between the two countries and strengthen relations between China and Saudi Arabia
Updated 27 April 2025
Arab News
RIYADH: An event to promote cross-cultural exchange between Saudi Arabia and China in design and traditional arts was held in Riyadh this weekend.
In a collaboration with the Chinese Academy of Arts and Design at Tsinghua University, the Royal Institute of Traditional Arts, known as Wrth, hosted the event from Friday to Sunday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The two-day event aimed to promote cultural exchange between the two countries and strengthen relations between China and Saudi Arabia.
The event aligns with the Ministry of Culture’s theme for 2025 as the “Year of Handicrafts,” emphasizing the importance of tradition in Saudi Arabia, delivering messages to future generations and telling stories through art.
Activities included conversations on traditional handicrafts and a presentation by Reema Al-Dossari, who is a lecturer at the College of Visual Arts, showing examples of Saudi arts on UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Workshops also showed the art of Najdi decorations on wood, especially Najdi traditional designs on windows, in addition to other workshops displaying traditional Chinese metal crafting of hairpins.
Wrth was established as an initiative to improve the quality of life in Saudi Arabia, as part of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 reform plan.
New Jersey governor promotes stronger relations with Kingdom
Phil Murphy says trade, education, technology are pathways to mutual growth
US state’s focus on AI, energy, innovation aligns with Kingdom’s Vision 2030
Updated 27 April 2025
Tamara Aboalsaud
RIYADH: New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has arrived in Saudi Arabia on the first stop of a three-country Gulf tour to strengthen economic ties and expand investment opportunities.
New Jersey, the most densely populated and diverse state in the US, is a leader in the “innovation economy,” according to the governor.
Technology and artificial intelligence, life sciences and pharmaceuticals, film and television, financial technology, and the green economy are top priorities for the delegation’s discussions in the Kingdom.
Murphy said: “We think that with Saudi Vision 2030 we match up very well. So, that is among the other reasons why we’re very excited to be here, to share best practices.”
Murphy’s trip, which is sponsored by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, comes two weeks before President Donald Trump’s official state visit to the Kingdom.
The governor said: “The Kingdom is one of the most important relationships the US has anywhere in the world.
“I know President Trump well enough to know that he would not be coming here unless he thought he could meaningfully build on what is already a good foundation.”
He noted the enormous opportunity to help advance Vision 2030, benefiting not only Saudi Arabia but also the rest of the world.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy speaks to the press during his visit to Saudi Arabia, the first stop of a three-country Gulf state tour. (Supplied)
As part of his economic mission, Murphy aims to foster educational growth, witnessed by the signing of a letter of intent between King Saud University and Rutgers University to establish an academic collaboration in public policy research, facilitated by Choose New Jersey.
The letter outlines a collaborative framework between the two institutions in public policy, business administration, management, urban planning, city development, and other fields.
It prioritizes research that supports continued development within the state, attracts businesses, and boosts investment in urban areas.
The partnership aims to introduce students to new academic and cultural perspectives to foster innovative solutions for challenges in both regions, said Antonio Calcado, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Rutgers University.
“King Saud University strategically partners with institutions that share our commitment to innovative research in diverse industries on a global scale,” said Prof. Yazeed Al-Sheikh, vice president for graduate studies and scientific research at King Saud University.
The governor also highlighted a major investment opportunity in the Greater New York-New Jersey area to deploy capital, renewable energy, and alternative energy sources.
When asked how New Jersey and Saudi Arabia can benefit each other in areas of AI and digitalization, the governor recounted a delegation he and first lady Tammy Murphy led in northern California three years ago.
A group of the smartest and most influential leaders in AI gathered to exchange ideas, and from those discussions came the question of creating an AI hub in New Jersey.
Murphy said: “If you look three years ago, the overwhelming AI presence was in the greater San Francisco Bay Area … that’s now begun to shift a little bit.”
With the No. 1 public education system in the US, the highest concentration of scientists and engineers per square mile, and respected institutions of higher education such as Princeton University and Rutgers University, the governor wanted to shift the conversation.
He added: “The two words that drive us are talent and location.”
The NJEDA — whose CEO Tim Sullivan is also on this visit — along with Princeton University, Microsoft, and CoreWeave, a New Jersey company, have come together in a joint venture with the state of New Jersey to drive AI innovation forward.
Murphy said: “I know Saudi Arabia is as invested in generative AI as any country in the world … my guess is this could easily be a memorandum of understanding, maybe a cross-investment, maybe an investment into our fund, maybe something on our side into an investment here, talent exchange, let’s say all of that is on the table.”
As New Jersey now requires all state employees to train in generative AI to improve government efficiency, a lot can be learned from the Saudi approach, Murphy said.
Considering the current economic climate with Trump’s tariffs, which range from 10 percent to 40 percent based on country and industry (10 percent on Saudi Arabian imports), “there is too much volatility in the system right now,” the governor said.
“I am not a big tariff guy,” he said. “Unless they are deliberately punitive on somebody who’s a bad actor.”
He added: “OK, I get it. Let’s continue to pursue smart ways to manufacture more in the US. Let’s make our government as lean and efficient and as impactful as possible. I am good with both, but let’s do it in each case in a strategic way, in a smart way.
“I think it is headed that way. I pray that it gets there soon.”
The governor wants the volatility in the markets to decrease. The objectives are there, but the methods need to change. He believes that the Kingdom and the region as a whole will be strong allies in an increasingly challenging world.
He also mentioned a bill he is sponsoring, and hoping to get signed in the next month, that will put a significant manufacturing incentive in place to encourage the production of goods in New Jersey.
Murphy also hopes that global conflict and geopolitical tensions will be addressed in the same statesmanlike, tactical way, citing Trump’s brief talks with President Zelensky in Rome on Saturday.
The governor was scheduled to meet the US-Saudi Business Council on Sunday to introduce the delegation to several prominent private sector players, opening the door for further conversations.
Other areas of cooperation with potential for expansion are sports, film, and television.
New Jersey will host eight matches for the FIFA World Cup 2026, one of which will be the final. It is an experience it can use to advise Saudi Arabia ahead of its hosting of the competition in 2034.
Murphy said: “We have a very good relationship with FIFA, which has been important. But thanks to FIFA we’ve had a very good relationship with Qatar, and lessons learned from their World Cup that we can benefit from.
“And I am sure the same will be true as we learn to pass (information) on to the Saudi delegation.”
The state of New Jersey will also be hosting the first World Club Cup this summer, a tournament Saudi club Al-Hilal is expected to take part in.
Murphy added: “We are (also) making New Jersey a global player in film and television, and that means we are not just making content in New Jersey, but we are also building sound stages and campuses.”
Since the cinema ban was lifted in Saudi Arabia in 2018, the Kingdom has made significant strides in developing its film industry, with efforts such as the Red Sea Film Festival and the growth of local productions and stars, aiming to make it a $1 billion industry by 2030.
Following his visit to the Kingdom, Murphy is set to visit Bahrain and the UAE for similar talks on economic and cultural cooperation.
