RIYADH: Monster Jam lived up to its hype on the opening of its two-night show at the King Fahd International Stadium in the Saudi capital late Friday.
The wide parking area around the stadium started to fill early, while many truck fans walked long distances and then queued up for their tickets with prices starting SR30.
The Monster Truck jam is the first in Saudi Arabia and part of an aggressive push by the General Authority for Entertainment to bring quality entertainment acts from Western countries and the Gulf to the Kingdom.
By providing broader entertainment opportunities for Saudis, the government expects to create more jobs and infuse the economy with additional revenue. From a cultural standpoint the added entertainment provides an outlet for Saudi youths that encourages them to become more engaged in the community.
While waiting for the show to kick off, a remote-controlled drone equipped with a camera caught the attention of the crowed as it flew around the stadium. This broke the boredom of the waiting crowd who often broke into applause or shouted their approval.
Abdulrauf Al-Baijan, executive managing director of Global Sports Gate, had his hands full as he went around the 67,000-seat stadium to make sure that everything was all right.
Al-Baijan said 30,000 tickets had been sold for opening night for the fans to watch the legendary drivers in 4-meter-tall, 5-ton Monster Jam trucks perform stunts.
Built for short, high-powered bursts of speed, the vehicles generate 1,500 to 2,000 horsepower and can reach up to 100 miles per hour. Monster Jam trucks can fly across 130 feet, a distance greater than 14 cars side by side, and up to 35 feet in the air.
The trucks, which loomed like monsters out of a “Transformers” movie, were emblazoned with names like Mohawk Warrior, Blue Thunder, Hot Wheels and Superman, among others and did not fail to impress the crowd.
Spectators reacted with excitement over the antics of the vehicles as well as the motorcyclists who displayed dazzling acrobatic skills, inevitably evoking a mixture of fear and excitement among the adoring crowd.
The stentorian voice of the announcer — Turki Binmusaibih — punctuated the entertainment as he described developments inside the stadium with the noise of the Monster Jam trucks as a backdrop.
Faisal Al-Basher, an engineer who watched the show with his two boys, said, “It is good and it is the first time being held here.”
Wessam Al-Sarhi, an engineer, added, “the show is nice and it should be held in the Kingdom every six months or even every year since Saudis like to see something new.”
Al-Baijan told Arab News, “For the success of the event, I want to extend my thanks to Samer Al-Mishehal, CEO of Live Entertainment Company which organized the event.”
Monster Jam lives up to its hype; drawing at least 30,000 in Saudi capital
Monster Jam lives up to its hype; drawing at least 30,000 in Saudi capital
Henan University boosts academic ties with visit to KAU
- Delegation met KAU’s Acting Vice President Prof. Hana Abdullah Al-Nuaim to discuss strategies for joint initiatives in research, training and education
- Visiting delegation commending KAU’s state-of-the-art research and training capabilities
JEDDAH: A delegation from Henan University in China visited King Abdulaziz University, or KAU, in Jeddah on Wednesday to explore opportunities for strengthening academic collaboration.
During their visit, the delegation met KAU’s Acting Vice President Prof. Hana Abdullah Al-Nuaim, to discuss strategies for joint initiatives in research, training and education.
The Chinese delegation toured several facilities at KAU, including the King Faisal Convention Center, the Central Library and the Sports Village. Their visit also included the Chinese Culture and Science Institute, a bridge for cultural and knowledge exchange between the Kingdom and China.
The visiting delegation expressed their admiration for the academic standards of KAU, commending its state-of-the-art research and training capabilities.
They underscored the importance of the visit in deepening academic collaboration between the two universities and facilitating the exchange of expertise and knowledge across academic and research domains.
Saudi reforms have ‘reinforced unwavering principles of justice, equality,’ says HRC president
- Since Vision 2030 launched, Kingdom has ‘witnessed unprecedented openness’: Hala bint Mazyad Al-Tuwaijri
- ‘Number of women serving as chairpersons or vice-chairpersons of boards reached 327, and the number of women board members reached 1005,’ delegation says
GENEVA: Saudi Arabia has implemented sustained reforms that have reinforced its unwavering principles of justice and equality, the president of the Kingdom’s Human Rights Commission said on Wednesday.
Since the launch of Vision 2030, the Kingdom has “witnessed unprecedented openness to diverse races, cultures and religions,” said Hala bint Mazyad Al-Tuwaijri.
She is heading the Kingdom’s delegation to the 114th session of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in Geneva, Saudi Press Agency reported.
Al-Tuwaijri said: “The Kingdom’s territory is now home to over 13 million residents of more than 60 nationalities, constituting over 40 percent of the population.”
She added that these residents enjoy equal rights and protection from racial discrimination.
The HRC chief highlighted the issuance and amendment of regulations promoting protection from discrimination.
She said that national policy to encourage equal opportunities and treatment in employment and occupation is a key initiative to eliminate labor market discrimination.
Al-Tuwaijri highlighted national policy to prevent child labor. She also pointed to the establishment of labor courts as a qualitative advancement in the realm of labor justice.
The late King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman established the Kingdom on the bedrock principles of justice, equality and the rejection of racism and discrimination, she said.
Under the Saudi leadership, a contemporary interpretation of these steadfast principles has led to the development of a comprehensive legislative, institutional and judicial framework to combat racism and racial discrimination, she added.
Meanwhile, a statement issued by the Saudi delegation to the CERD session said that many regulations and bylaws in the Kingdom have been amended to achieve equality between men and women.
These include the Travel Documents Law, Civil Status Law, Labor Law and Social Insurance Law.
As a result, by the third quarter of 2024, women’s participation in the labor market reached 35.4 percent, with a change rate of 108 percent since 2017, surpassing Vision 2030 targets, the statement said.
“The number of women serving as chairpersons or vice-chairpersons of boards reached 327, and the number of women board members reached 1005. Women held 43.8 percent of mid and senior management positions in the private sector.
“The number of female ambassadors abroad stood at six, with 204 female diplomats and 246 women working in international institutions abroad,” the statement said.
Saudi interior minister, Algerian president hold meeting
RIYADH: Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz met Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune on Thursday.
During the meeting at the presidential palace in Algiers, they reviewed Saudi-Algerian relations and security cooperation between the two countries, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Prince Abdulaziz passed on the best wishes of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and expressed hope for Algeria's “continued success and prosperity.”
Saudi Arabia, Brazil partner on space technology
- Scheme will promote the sustainable use of orbital resources and enable the use of modern technologies in space data analysis
- Forms part of the commission’s efforts to enhance international partnerships and leverage its expertise in communications, space and technology
RIYADH: The Saudi Communications, Space and Technology Commission has launched an initiative for a research study in space sustainability in collaboration with Brazil’s National Telecommunications Agency.
It is the result of a previous agreement between the two parties.
The scheme will promote the sustainable use of orbital resources and enable the use of modern technologies in space data analysis.
It was launched on the platform of the 2024 International Forum on Non-Terrestrial Networks, where Mohammed bin Saud Al-Tamimi, governor of the commission, invited the international community to take part and support research on space sustainability for the benefit of future generations.
The scheme is part of the commission’s efforts to enhance international partnerships and leverage its expertise in communications, space and technology.
Saudi FM meets with GCC ministers ahead of Supreme Council session in Kuwait
- Israeli military campaign in Gaza, ceasefire in Lebanon is discussed during a preparatory GCC ministerial meeting
- Saudi ambassador to Kuwait attended meeting
RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan took part on Thursday in a preparatory ministerial meeting ahead of a GCC Supreme Council session due to take place in Kuwait on Sunday.
The meeting was chaired by Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Abdullah Al-Yahya, Saudi Press Agency reported.
Prince Faisal discussed with his counterparts the latest developments in regional and international issues, including the Israeli military campaign in the Gaza Strip, achieving a comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue and the ceasefire deal between Israel and Lebanon.
The GCC ministers also discussed the progress in implementing the decisions agreed upon during the former 44th session of the GCC Supreme Council, as well as dialogue and strategic cooperation among GCC members and international organizations.
Prince Sultan bin Saad, Saudi ambassador to Kuwait; Abdulrahman Al-Rassi, Saudi undersecretary of multilateral international affairs; Mohammed Al-Yahya, an adviser to Prince Faisal; Walid Al-Samaeel, the director-general of Prince Faisal’s office; and Anas Al-Wassidi, the director of the GCC department in the Foreign Ministry, attended the meeting.
Prince Faisal will attend on Sunday the 45th session of the GCC Supreme Council in Kuwait City. The session will include leaders and top officials from GCC countries, including Oman, Qatar, the UAE and Bahrain.
Earlier on Thursday, Prince Faisal was received at Kuwait International Airport by his Kuwaiti counterpart; Prince Sultan; and the secretary general of the GCC, Jasem Al-Budaiwi.
