This year, Saudi Arabia has a lot celebrate on its 92nd Saudi National Day.
The festivities take place on Friday, September 23, as the nation lauds its economic, technological and cultural transformation, in line with its Vision 2030 strategy.
An official website has been launched by the kingdom's Entertainment Authority to celebrate the day, with in-depth information and traditional artwork that can be downloaded by residents to mark the occasion.
Here are eight of Saudi Arabia's most ambitious projects that aim to create a better quality of life for residents and attract more tourists.
Diriyah Gate
Located in the heart of the capital, the historic city of Diriyah will reveal 300 years of culture and history through heritage and educational experiences, plus shopping, entertainment and dining venues.
It is home to Unesco sites including At-Turaif, a World Heritage Site and open-air museum of Saudi Arabia’s history.
Diriyah was an ancient trade and pilgrimage route and a meeting point for those travelling between Asia, Africa and Europe.
Salwa Palace is the largest standing structure in the citadel and is known as the “home of kings and heroes”. The project is extremely popular with local people and international tourists during Riyadh Season, held at the end of each year.
Saudi Arabia aims to make Diriyah the cultural and heritage capital, “a landmark for Saudis and an icon for the whole world” as it became the capital of the First Saudi State in 1727 and is the legacy of the founding royal family, Al Saud.
The $50.6bn heritage project aims to attract 27 million domestic and international visitors by 2030.
Shaheen Sat
The Saudi satellite Shaheen Sat is one of a new generation of miniaturised satellites, weighing 75 kgs.
Shaheen Sat carries a camera telescope and marine traffic automatic identification system.
It was launched by King Abdul-Aziz City for Science and Technology, which has launched 17 satellites between 2000 and 2021, while also participating in space tests in collaboration with Nasa and Stanford University.
Shaheen Sat aims to serve development objectives in the kingdom and provides the public and private sectors with images from space.
Saudi Arabia is seeking to contribute space technologies and systems to the space sector through national and international collaborations.
Train Projects
Saudi Arabia plans a “large transformation in public transportation” to provide easier, more comfortable and safer transport.
This year, the kingdom announced that it would more than triple the size of its rail network, with 8,000 kilometres of new track added to the 3,650km of track on the Saudi rail network, on three lines.
“New rail that will criss-cross the kingdom and add to the network we already have,” Investment Minister Khalid Al Falih said. He said the Gulf nation was working on a new investment law that would address both domestic and foreign investors.
The Line (Neom)
Saudi Arabia's Neom, the kingdom's $500 billion city of the future, will be powered entirely by clean energy, a major step in Saudi Arabia's shift away from an oil-based economy.
The Line is to be built in Neom and will be home to nine million people, who will live in interconnected societies run by artificial intelligence designed to co-exist with nature. The Line will be 170km long and up to 500 metres tall, with a mirror facade that will allow its footprint to “blend with nature”.
It will be the first city in the world to be powered by renewable energy, including wind, solar and hydrogen power.
By 2050, it is predicted that a billion people will have to relocate owing to rising carbon dioxide emissions and sea levels.
“We are building 120 Burj Khalifas' worth of real estate in the first phase,” said Giles Pendleton, executive director of development at The Line in Neom who confirmed they are “very much” under construction.
Qiddiya
Qiddiya, a Public Investment Fund project, will be the capital of entertainment, sports and arts.
The project's portfolio consists of parks and attractions; sports and wellness; motion and mobility; arts and culture; and nature and environment. The project will include will host a Six Flags theme park, a water park, a Formula One racing track and sports stadiums including venues for young Saudi athletes, and other cultural activities spread across 366 square kilometres.
The first phase is to be launched next year, with more than 60 projects and 300 activities featuring arts and culture, entertainment, hospitality and sports. A metro connection from Riyadh airport is planned to make the site more accessible.
Trojena (Neom)
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman this year announced plans for Trojena, a global destination for mountain tourism, that will be located in the $500 billion high-tech city Neom.
The mountain tourism destination will be the first major outdoor skiing site in the GCC.
Trojena will support Neom's aim of supporting and developing tourism in the region.
In line with Vision 2030 goals, it aims to create more than 10,000 jobs and add 3 billion Saudi riyals ($800 million) to the economy by 2030.
The year-round destination will feature a ski village, nature reserve, luxury resorts, stores and restaurants, with sporting attractions including a ski slope, water sports and mountain biking.
It will include six districts: Gateway, Discover, Valley, Explore, Relax and Fun.
The project is set for completion by 2026.
The National Renewable Energy Programme
The National Renewable Energy Programme is part of Vision 2030 and the King Salman Renewable Energy Initiative, which aims to maximise the potential of renewable energy in Saudi Arabia.
NREP is an integrated programme which aims to increase sustainable renewable energy from the total energy sources in the kingdom.
The programme aims to achieve 58.7 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity and 50 per cent electricity through renewable energy projects by 2030.
Amaala
Amaala is a year-round ultra-luxury coastal destination planned for the north-western Tabuk province.
It will have its own airport and target luxury travellers seeking “transformative personal journeys” inspired by wellness, arts, culture and the “purity of the Red Sea”. It borders the city of Neom and the Red Sea Project within the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Natural Reserve.
Amaala will offer 3,000 hotel rooms in 25 hotels, and 900 private residential villas, along with a retail area with 200 outlets.
If you go
Flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh with a stop in Yangon from Dh3,075, and Etihad flies from Abu Dhabi to Phnom Penh with its partner Bangkok Airlines from Dh2,763. These trips take about nine hours each and both include taxes. From there, a road transfer takes at least four hours; airlines including KC Airlines (www.kcairlines.com) offer quick connecting flights from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville from about $100 (Dh367) return including taxes. Air Asia, Malindo Air and Malaysian Airlines fly direct from Kuala Lumpur to Sihanoukville from $54 each way. Next year, direct flights are due to launch between Bangkok and Sihanoukville, which will cut the journey time by a third.
The stay
Rooms at Alila Villas Koh Russey (www.alilahotels.com/ kohrussey) cost from $385 per night including taxes.
Dubai World Cup factbox
Most wins by a trainer: Godolphin’s Saeed bin Suroor(9)
Most wins by a jockey: Jerry Bailey(4)
Most wins by an owner: Godolphin(9)
Most wins by a horse: Godolphin’s Thunder Snow(2)
Wenger's Arsenal reign in numbers
1,228 - games at the helm, ahead of Sunday's Premier League fixture against West Ham United.
704 - wins to date as Arsenal manager.
3 - Premier League title wins, the last during an unbeaten Invincibles campaign of 2003/04.
1,549 - goals scored in Premier League matches by Wenger's teams.
10 - major trophies won.
473 - Premier League victories.
7 - FA Cup triumphs, with three of those having come the last four seasons.
151 - Premier League losses.
21 - full seasons in charge.
49 - games unbeaten in the Premier League from May 2003 to October 2004.
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
'Panga'
Directed by Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
Starring Kangana Ranaut, Richa Chadha, Jassie Gill, Yagya Bhasin, Neena Gupta
Rating: 3.5/5
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
Company profile
Company: Rent Your Wardrobe
Date started: May 2021
Founder: Mamta Arora
Based: Dubai
Sector: Clothes rental subscription
Stage: Bootstrapped, self-funded
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
No more lice
Defining head lice
Pediculus humanus capitis are tiny wingless insects that feed on blood from the human scalp. The adult head louse is up to 3mm long, has six legs, and is tan to greyish-white in colour. The female lives up to four weeks and, once mature, can lay up to 10 eggs per day. These tiny nits firmly attach to the base of the hair shaft, get incubated by body heat and hatch in eight days or so.
Identifying lice
Lice can be identified by itching or a tickling sensation of something moving within the hair. One can confirm that a person has lice by looking closely through the hair and scalp for nits, nymphs or lice. Head lice are most frequently located behind the ears and near the neckline.
Treating lice at home
Head lice must be treated as soon as they are spotted. Start by checking everyone in the family for them, then follow these steps. Remove and wash all clothing and bedding with hot water. Apply medicine according to the label instructions. If some live lice are still found eight to 12 hours after treatment, but are moving more slowly than before, do not re-treat. Comb dead and remaining live lice out of the hair using a fine-toothed comb.
After the initial treatment, check for, comb and remove nits and lice from hair every two to three days. Soak combs and brushes in hot water for 10 minutes.Vacuum the floor and furniture, particularly where the infested person sat or lay.
Courtesy Dr Vishal Rajmal Mehta, specialist paediatrics, RAK Hospital
Herc's Adventures
Developer: Big Ape Productions
Publisher: LucasArts
Console: PlayStation 1 & 5, Sega Saturn
Rating: 4/5
Four tips to secure IoT networks
Mohammed Abukhater, vice president at FireEye in the Middle East, said:
- Keep device software up-to-date. Most come with basic operating system, so users should ensure that they always have the latest version
- Besides a strong password, use two-step authentication. There should be a second log-in step like adding a code sent to your mobile number
- Usually smart devices come with many unnecessary features. Users should lock those features that are not required or used frequently
- Always create a different guest network for visitors
UAE Premiership
Results
Dubai Exiles 24-28 Jebel Ali Dragons
Abu Dhabi Harlequins 43-27 Dubai Hurricanes
Fixture
Friday, March 29, Abu Dhabi Harlequins v Jebel Ali Dragons, The Sevens, Dubai
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
Dates for the diary
To mark Bodytree’s 10th anniversary, the coming season will be filled with celebratory activities:
- September 21 Anyone interested in becoming a certified yoga instructor can sign up for a 250-hour course in Yoga Teacher Training with Jacquelene Sadek. It begins on September 21 and will take place over the course of six weekends.
- October 18 to 21 International yoga instructor, Yogi Nora, will be visiting Bodytree and offering classes.
- October 26 to November 4 International pilates instructor Courtney Miller will be on hand at the studio, offering classes.
- November 9 Bodytree is hosting a party to celebrate turning 10, and everyone is invited. Expect a day full of free classes on the grounds of the studio.
- December 11 Yogeswari, an advanced certified Jivamukti teacher, will be visiting the studio.
- February 2, 2018 Bodytree will host its 4th annual yoga market.
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
Types of bank fraud
1) Phishing
Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
2) Smishing
The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
3) Vishing
The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
4) SIM swap
Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
5) Identity theft
Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
6) Prize scams
Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
