Saudi Arabia's Riyadh metro project has opened the door for national and foreign companies to bid for the right to name stations, with the money raised being reinvested in the public transport system, an approach previously adopted by Dubai's metro system.
The Arriyadh Development Authority (ADA) on Sunday launched the Naming Rights Programme for the capital's public transit network, which is due to begin operating in 2019.
The metro network, with a parallel bus network, will have six lines traveling 175 kilometres with 85 metro stations. However, only 15 stations are up for naming by "well-known national and international companies." Of that number, ADA will only award naming rights for 10 stations, the authority said.
“The income from the Naming Rights Programme and other commercial initiatives will be reinvested in the Riyadh Public Transit Network and will contribute to keep its operational cost down,” said Alwalid Al Ekrish, ADA’s vice president for programmes and projects. “This is a good example of how commercial initiatives could benefit Saudi society.”
Businesses can submit offers which include naming rights as well as retail and advertising space at a station. Main metro hubs are not on offer to "prevent over-commercialisation of the network", and only companies that are "compatible with Saudi values and culture will be selected", according to ADA.
“Banks and telecoms companies are examples of possible partners which will contribute to improve Riyadh residents’ lifestyle,” said Khalid Al Hazani, ADA director of architectural projects programme and public affairs.
The strategy of selling naming rights for stations was used by Dubai for its metro system. The emirate's
Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) by early 2014 had raised Dh2 billion by selling the naming rights of 13 stations.
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Read more:
Names of more Dubai metro stations to be sold
Firms pay up for naming rights on Dubai metro
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Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
Tomorrow 2021
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
WISH
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The advice provided in our columns does not constitute legal advice and is provided for information only. Readers are encouraged to seek independent legal advice.
ICC Intercontinental Cup
UAE squad Rohan Mustafa (captain), Chirag Suri, Shaiman Anwar, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Saqlain Haider, Ahmed Raza, Mohammed Naveed, Imran Haider, Qadeer Ahmed, Mohammed Boota, Amir Hayat, Ashfaq Ahmed
Fixtures Nov 29-Dec 2
UAE v Afghanistan, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Hong Kong v Papua New Guinea, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Ireland v Scotland, Dubai International Stadium
Namibia v Netherlands, ICC Academy, Dubai
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Stage: Bootstrapped, self-funded
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Saturday
Brescia v Atalanta (6pm)
Genoa v Torino (9pm)
Fiorentina v Lecce (11.45pm)
Sunday
Juventus v Sassuolo (3.30pm)
Inter Milan v SPAL (6pm)
Lazio v Udinese (6pm)
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Napoli v Bologna (9pm)
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* if needed
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Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
