RIYADH: Riyadh’s “Winter Wonderland” returns on Oct. 26 with a 40 percent wider space than its first edition in 2019.
Due to high demand, the GEA announced that it has increased the venue to 376,025 sq km. More than 103 games spread across six sections will be available for visitors of all age groups. The area will hold several entertainment shows, competitions, performances, and art displays.
Visitors can visit the Dream Land Carnival, the Snow Forest with an ice-skating rink right in the heart of the desert, Disney on Ice, the Magic Box area, Horror Adventures, and a circus with acrobatic music shows.
There will be 51 adult games that include the Haunted House, Sky Loop, and several international games held for the first time in the Kingdom.
Riyadh’s Winter Wonderland returns on Oct. 26
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Riyadh’s Winter Wonderland returns on Oct. 26
Kingdom arrests 18,407 illegals in one week
RIYADH: Saudi authorities arrested 18,407 people in one week for breaching residency, work and border security regulations, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.
A total of 12,995 people were arrested for violations of residency laws, while 3,512 were held over illegal border crossing attempts, and a further 1,900 for labor-related issues.
The report showed that among the 1,260 people arrested for trying to enter the Kingdom illegally, 66 percent were Ethiopian, 28 percent Yemeni, and 6 percent were of other nationalities.
A further 67 people were caught trying to cross into neighboring countries, and 21 were held for involvement in transporting and harboring violators, the SPA reported.
The Ministry of Interior said that anyone found to be facilitating illegal entry to the Kingdom, including providing transportation and shelter, could face imprisonment for a maximum of 15 years, a fine of up to SR1 million ($260,000), as well as confiscation of vehicles and property.
Suspected violations can be reported on the toll-free number 911 in the Makkah and Riyadh regions, and 999 or 996 in other regions of the Kingdom.
Authorities foil drug trafficking across Kingdom
RIYADH: Saudi authorities carried out multiple drug-related arrests across the Kingdom, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.
In Asir’s Al-Raboah sector, Border Guard land patrols thwarted the smuggling of 540 kg of qat.
In two other operations, authorities arrested two Ethiopians for smuggling 25 kg of qat and three Yemenis for smuggling 66 kg of qat in the same area.
Land patrols in the Al-Tawwal sector of the Jazan region foiled the smuggling of 51.4 kg of hashish.
The General Directorate of Narcotics Control arrested two Pakistanis in Riyadh with 1.6 kg of methamphetamine, locally known as shabu.
In Jeddah, authorities arrested an Ethiopian, two Yemenis, and a Palestinian with 6 kg of hashish.
The directorate also arrested a citizen in Asir with 30 kg of hashish.
Another citizen was arrested in the Jouf region for selling amphetamine.
In Jazan’s Al-Dayer sector, Border Guard patrols arrested eight Ethiopians for smuggling 144 kg of qat.
Preliminary legal procedures were completed, and all seized items were handed to the relevant authorities.
The public is urged to report drug smuggling or sales by calling 911 in Makkah, Riyadh, and the Eastern Province, or 999 in other regions.
Reports can also be submitted confidentially to the General Directorate of Narcotics Control at 995 or via email at 995@gdnc.gov.sa.
KSrelief helps crisis-hit regions worldwide
RIYADH: The Kingdom’s aid agency, KSrelief, is providing humanitarian assistance to some of the world’s most vulnerable people, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.
In the Syrian Arab Republic, KSrelief distributed 125 food baskets in Rif Dimashq governorate, helping 125 families.
In northern Lebanon, 828 Syrian refugee families in Western Beqaa, Akkar, and Danniyeh received food aid. In Beirut, 237 food baskets reached 1,185 vulnerable people.
In Yemen’s Hodeidah governorate, KSrelief pumped 3.5 million liters of drinking water and 448,000 liters of non-potable water in one month as part of its water and sanitation project.
A KSrelief mobile medical clinic in Hajjah governorate served 1,691 patients during the same period, the SPA reported.
In Sudan, 2,000 food packages were distributed to displaced and needy families in Atbara, River Nile State, aiding 12,001 people.
Since its launch in May 2015, KSrelief has carried out 3,389 projects worth almost $7.9 billion across 106 countries, in partnership with over 300 organizations.
How AI technology is changing the beauty industry
- Algorithms are used to recommend salons to customers in Saudi Arabia
- Millions of gigabytes of data on hair and skin is being fed into AI engines
RIYADH: Artificial intelligence is increasingly being used in the beauty industry, both in Saudi Arabia and internationally.
Mohamed Hassan, CEO of Saudi-based Glamera, spoke to Arab News about how the company uses AI to recommend services to customers.
“The system analyzes user behavior and preferences to offer personalized service suggestions,” he said.
Founded in Egypt in 2020, where it still covers Cairo and Alexandria, Glamera then relocated to Saudi Arabia, where it covers Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Taif, Qassim, and Madinah.
Another technology implemented by some beauty companies is augmented reality, which allows users to ‘try out’ beauty products using their smartphones.
L’Oreal uses AI technology for a wide range of features including analyzing customer reviews and evaluating product formulas, Vismay Sharma, president of L’Oreal South Asia Pacific, Middle East, and North Africa, told Arab News.
The company’s Beauty Genius, which provides users with analysis, product recommendations and personalized routines for hair and makeup, is powered by generative AI.
L’Oreal has also created SkinConsultAI, which “measures skin aging” and offers personalized skincare regimens.
Sharma said that the company has collected a vast amount of data on hair and skin — more than 11 million gigabytes — which is fed into the AI engine.
“We have by far the highest amount of data … that is what we are now feeding into all of our AI engines such as LLMs (large language models), which is allowing us to do significant exploration of formula evaluation,” Sharma said.
Stressing how important it is to use technology responsibly, Sharma added that L’Oreal has been transparent about its commitment to not using computer-generated photos of results.
“We never use GenAI on our models, because that, in a way, is faking results,” he said. “There are very clear ethical rules that we put around the use of technology and I very strongly believe that if technology is in the hands of responsible people, using it responsibly can significantly enhance the quality of experience, the beauty journey of consumers, and the overall efficiency of an organization.”
Saudi king, crown prince congratulate Senegal’s president on independence day
- West African country celebrates yearly on April 4, the day in 1960 it signed a transfer of power agreement with France
JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Friday congratulated Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye on his country’s Independence Day.
In a cable, King Salman wished the president “continued good health and happiness,” and the government and people of Senegal “steady progress and prosperity.”
The crown prince issued a similar statement, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The west African country celebrates its independence yearly on April 4, the day it signed a transfer of power agreement with France in 1960 to form the Mali Federation with French Sudan. The union, however, was short-lived as the two parted ways in August of the same year and the former French Sudan became the Republic of Mali.
In early 1982, Senegal and neighboring Gambia formed the Confederation of Senegambia, only to be dissolved in 1989 as the integration was never carried out.
Faye, the current president, was an opposition candidate who rose to power after defeating incumbent president Macky Sall in the March 2024 election.
