LONDON: A visit by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman drew to a close on Friday after a three-day official trip that helped redefine the priorities for both countries. The crown prince’s visit resulted in new agreements with the British government and the signing of a raft of business deals.
Prime Minister Theresa May’s own words captured the mood that surrounded the visit: “The link that we have with Saudi Arabia is historic, it is an important one, and it has saved the lives of potentially hundreds of people in this country.”
The prime minister was referring to the importance of Saudi Arabia as an ally with a special relationship linking the two kingdoms over the past eight decades.
The crown prince and the delegation of Saudi officials and business leaders held talks with the PM at Downing Street, where May extended a warm welcome to the Kingdom’s heir apparent.
That meeting saw the launch of the UK-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council; a broad understanding was agreed for a £65 billion ($90 billion) mutual trade and investment target, which would include direct investment in Britain and new Saudi public procurement from British companies. This would be spread across sectors including finance, education, health care, renewable energy and defense, May’s office said. Britain is also vying to land the stock market listing of state oil firm Saudi Aramco, but no decision emerged during the visit.
“This is a significant boost for UK prosperity and a clear demonstration of the strong international confidence in our economy as we prepare to leave the European Union,” a spokeswoman from May’s office said after the meeting.
On Wednesday, the first official engagement for the crown prince was a visit to Buckingham Palace to see Queen Elizabeth II — a rare honor usually reserved for heads of state.
After lunch with the Queen, Prince Charles and Prince William, second and third in line to the British throne, held a dinner party at Clarence House in honor of the crown prince.
On the second day of the visit, the crown prince established a milestone in demonstrating a tolerant and inclusive Saudi Arabia by visiting the Archbishop of Canterbury at Lambeth Palace in south London. The Archbishop showed the prince a rare copy of an ancient Qur’an manuscript that was discovered a few years ago at Birmingham University. The crown prince extended an official invitation for the archbishop to visit the Kingdom, another step demonstrating an open and tolerant Saudi Arabia.
Defense and security are at the heart of bilateral relations between Britain and Saudi Arabia. The crown prince discussed strategic cooperation with UK Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson, in addition to discussing the latest developments in the Middle East and the war on terror, and the fight against extremism everywhere in the world.
During this meeting, the crown prince and defense secretary signed two memorandums to improve Saudi defense capabilities and to increase cooperation and partnership in the fields such as knowledge transfer, manufacturing partnership, training, research and technical support, as detailed by Vision 2030.
“The crown prince’s visit has opened a new chapter in our two countries’ historic relationship,” Williamson said.
The crown prince’s itinerary in London was largely private, including meetings with bankers, executives and lawmakers, and he did not speak publicly during the trip. However, his first visit was accompanied by a large campaign that included adverts promoting the crown prince and Saudi Arabia in national newspapers, on taxis ndon, and praising the “United Kingdoms.”
Saudi crown prince’s UK visit draws to close
Saudi crown prince’s UK visit draws to close
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Doctor describes difficulties in separating twins joined at the skull
- “Conjoined twins are rare, as has been said, but ‘cranomalies’ are extremely rare,” Dr. Felice D’Arco said
RIYADH: A London-based medical expert at a conference in Riyadh revealed the difficulties in separating a rare form of conjoined twins in which the patients are joined at the skull.
Dr. Felice D’Arco, consultant pediatric neurologist at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, spoke during the International Conference on Conjoined Twins on Sunday about the condition, which occurs in about one of every 2.5 million births worldwide.
“Conjoined twins are rare, as has been said, but ‘cranomalies’ are extremely rare,” he said.
For radiologists, this means there are no standardized CT and MRI scanning protocols in place for such complex cases, and very few recent cases from which to learn.
“We have protocols for everything, epilepsy, tumors, neurogenetic disorders, this is not the case for craniopagus twins because of their rarity,” D’Arco said.
Medical teams must be set in place, and there must be two of everything; two anesthetic teams, two sets of MRI monitoring, etc., the whole hospital staff is involved in what is considered as an operation taking place on two patients simultaneously, D’Arco explained.
While there is a need to standardize procedures, Dr. D’Arco acknowledged that every set of twins is unique.
“As a radiologist, you need to have the flexibility to change your protocol as needed.”
Therefore, he said, it is best to start with a series of questions relating to different critical parts of the body.
One potential issue is the bones. A dual source CT scan can inform radiologists which parts of the skull of each patient is infused, or “missing,” in the other.
Another problem is the relationship between the brains. D’Arco said that small breaches connecting the two brains, identified by 3D sequencing, present a risk that surgery will cause damage.
Considering the possible ethical and medical complications that could come up in cases in which one of the twins is at risk of dying, he said: “Sometimes you need to ask, can we separate without jeopardizing the lives of the children? These cases are complicated, baffling, and confusing.”
Riyadh Music Week to spotlight Saudi talent, creativity
- Event will include global summits, local performances, awards and cultural displays
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's Music Commission, in collaboration with MDLBeast and the Saudi Research and Media Group, is poised to launch the inaugural Riyadh Music Week, running from Dec. 5 to 14 at various venues in the Saudi capital.
The event will spotlight the Kingdom’s growing music sector, highlighting its creative and commercial evolution. It will also serve as a platform for dialogue with international stakeholders on music policy and development.
Among the highlights is the Global Music Makers Summit, a premier gathering of industry leaders and policymakers from around the world.
The event will also celebrate Saudi traditional music, with small venues in Riyadh hosting performances to show off local musicians’ diversity and talent.
The week will also host the Music Cities Convention and Awards, which will be held in the Middle East for the first time.
Riyadh Music Week will include panel discussions, seminars and workshops led by industry experts, covering the latest global music trends.
The program incorporates key events from Riyadh’s music calendar, such as XP Music Futures, SoundStorm, and the inaugural Billboard Arabia Music Awards.
The week provides a unique platform for local and international collaboration, celebrating Saudi Arabia’s rich musical heritage and dynamic contemporary scene.
By supporting emerging and established artists, Riyadh Music Week underscores the Kingdom’s commitment to nurturing talent and growing its music industry.
The Saudi Music Commission, established in February 2020, leads this transformation, focusing on equal access to education, empowering talent and boosting the local economy.
Its efforts aim to enhance the Kingdom’s global musical identity while building world-class infrastructure and creating new industry opportunities.
Bangladesh Days celebrates heritage in Riyadh
RIYADH: The Bangladesh Days, held as part of Riyadh Season under the theme “Global Harmony,” concluded Saturday night at Al-Suwaidi Park, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Organized by the Ministry of Media and the General Entertainment Authority, the event attracted people of all ages and backgrounds, who were able to enjoy a rich cultural experience reflecting the diversity of Bangladeshi heritage.
Bangladesh Days offered visitors the opportunity to taste renowned Bengali cuisine, purchase traditional clothing and artisanal items, and attend folkloric performances.
The activities provided a comprehensive experience, offering a close-up look at the vibrant traditions of Bangladesh and reflecting the cultural diversity Riyadh Season seeks to highlight.
The “Global Harmony” initiative celebrates a variety of cultures, including those of India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Sudan, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Bangladesh, and Egypt.
Riyadh Season has already drawn more than 6 million visitors from around the world, according to Turki Al-Sheikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority.
The inspiring story behind Saudi Arabia’s Conjoined Twins Program
RIYADH: Ahead of the International Conference on Conjoined Twins held in Riyadh, Saudi aid agency KSrelief Supervisor-General Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah hosted a media roundtable on Saturday to discuss the goals and expectations of the two-day conference that concludes on Nov. 25.
Recalling the inspiration behind the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program, Al-Rabeeah explained that in 1990, amid the Second Gulf War, a set of Sudanese conjoined twins, Samah and Heba, were seeking financial support from King Fahd to get treatment abroad.
King Fahd brought the issue to Al-Rabeeah’s team at the time at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, and after months of tests and deliberations, they completed the first successful conjoined twins separation surgery in the Kingdom.
The operation took 18 and a half hours.
“We started to invest in the nationalization of the medical team until … all specialties were from Saudi Arabia,” Al-Rabeeah said. “Today we have seen 143 sets over 34 years. We have separated 61 sets with 100 percent success … and we have 7 sets waiting to be separated.”
King Abdullah Specialized Children’s Hospital now has the only known conjoined twins operating room.
King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman moved this program under KSrelief to support low-income families and families from conflict zones.
“Humanity has no politics, no boundaries, no religion, and no color,” said Al-Rabeeah.
The conference will cover a range of topics, including the candidacy process, antenatal and post-natal care, cardiac conditions, ethical considerations, reconstruction, and 3D imaging.
Al-Rabeeah also said the conference is set to discuss and sign several UN agreements related to children, including on conjoined twins, polio vaccination in Afghanistan, artificial limbs, infectious diseases in children, and the children of Gaza.
He also spoke about the importance of combining medical knowledge in the Gulf and working together to create specialized centers across the region for different matters, to make operations more cost-effective and advanced.
“Science is not owned, it is for everybody,” the Saudi aid agency chief said.
On the technological developments that are optimizing this procedure, Al-Rabeeah mentioned the use of argon lasers, ultrasonic knives, new electric coatings to avoid bleeding, less sensitive prosthetics, and, most importantly, early diagnosis.
Al-Rabeeah said that the greatest research in this program has been done on early detection of conjoined twins in the womb. They are now capable of detecting conjoined twins sometimes at just eight to 10 weeks.
Al-Rabeeah’s most crucial piece of advice is urging women to start prenatal care early.
The importance of psychological care for both the patients and the families was also discussed. Al-Rabeeah pointed out what is referred to as “separation trauma” that twins endure when learning how to adjust to their bodies after having been connected all their lives.
“The twins, they have pain, they have suffered. I have seen two kinds of tears in my life. We all know about the tears of despair, the tears of pain. But with conjoined twins, I have seen clearly the tears of happiness and joy.
“When I come out of the operating room, going in with one bed, and coming out with two beds … this is the best moment in my life.”
Separated twins, families visit 2034 World Cup exhibit, historic At-Turaif district
RIYADH: Saudi aid agency KSrelief organized a special visit for conjoined twins who had undergone separation surgeries in the Kingdom, along with their families, to Saudi Arabia’s 2034 World Cup bid exhibition.
The visit was organizaed on the sidelines of the International Conference on Conjoined Twins, held in Riyadh from Nov. 24-25.
The twins and their families also toured the historic At-Turaif district, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its stunning architecture, which reflects Saudi Arabia’s scientific and cultural advances.
At the end of the visit, the twins and their families expressed their gratitude to the Kingdom, represented by KSrelief, for organizing the visit and for the warm hospitality of the Saudi people.
