SAUDI ARABIA JEDDAH ART

SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS

RESTRICTIONS: AP CLIENTS ONLY

LENGTH: 4:14

SHOTLIST:

ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Jeddah - 8 February 2019

1. Close of art installation 'I Am Here' by Nasser Alshemimry

2. Tilt up from man to art installation 'I Am Here'

ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Jeddah - 7 February 2019

3. Various of interactive art installation 'Daydban, Tree House' by Ayman Yossri at the Athr Gallery

4. Various of 'A kingdom where no one dies,' by Sara Abdu

5. Sara Abdu speaking with guests

6. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Sara Abdu, Saudi artist:

"So 21,39 is an opportunity for the local artists to meet people from all around the world - people who have connections with museums, art institutions, and people who have an interest in art. It is a meeting point between the outside world and the artists from Saudi."

7. Exterior of the studio of Saudi artist Ahmed Sami Angawi

8. Various of Ahmed Sami Angawi working in his studio

9. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ahmed Sami Angawi, Saudi artist:

"Thanks to God, and it is a blessing from God, that the craft of "al mangour" which is well known in Mecca, Medina, and Jeddah, can now permanently be seen in the British Museum's Islamic gallery where this practice is classified as a Saudi craft, alongside other good crafts. I created a workshop in London to make the piece. The work needed lots of studies - documentation and analysis - for it to get to this stage, of providing five screens for windows inside the British Museum."

ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Jeddah - 6 February 2019

10. Various of site specific installation 'Gardens of Time' by Maryam Beydoun

11. Maryam Beydoun with visitors

12. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Maryam Beydoun, Saudi artist:

"The work demonstrates the importance of Islamic gardens in the contemporary era. It uses plastic mats instead of rugs, and so represents the current time in the modern era."

13. Various of a workshop with Saudi and visiting Egyptian artists

14. SOUNDBITE (English) Aarnout Helb, Director of the Greenbox Museum, Amsterdam:

"Saudi works are being sold not only at auctions. Actually the best way to buy them are from gallery owners that give long term support to artists and allow them to build a practice and help them printing books. That is the best way to do, I think, buying Saudi art. Then sometimes they do appear at auction and in one or two cases there was a charity auction and prices went very high."

ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Jeddah - 7 February 2019

15. Various of art works in the Al Obour exhibition at the Saudi Arts Council Headquarters, 21,39

LEADIN:

The sixth edition of Saudi Arabia's eagerly art event 21,39 has taken place in Jeddah.

It's named after the city's geographic co-ordinates and offers a platform for established and emerging artists of Saudi contemporary art.

STORYLINE:

Visitors to the Saudi city of Jeddah are coming across a few surprises.

Outdoors, in Al Balad, the atmospheric old town, hangs a piece titled, 'I Am Here.'

It's part of "21,39", an art initiative named after the city's geographic coordinates and funded by the Jeddah-based Saudi Art Council.

Artworks are peppered throughout the city.

Leading gallery Athr has also put on an exhibition with specially commissioned works.

Young artist Sara Abdou wrote a poem, recorded it and used the sound waves to create the troughs and peaks of a miniature sand-dune landscape.

Abdou says the week devoted to art has a beneficial effect for artists, and gives them a wider platform.

"21,39 is an opportunity for the local artists to meet people from all around the world - people who have connections with museums, art institutions, and people who have an interest in art," she says.

21,39 also offers the public a chance to visit artists' studios and to see work being created.

Ahmed Angawi crafts shapes and forms that interlock, much like the structure of bee hives.

He is using these forms to make screens that are inspired by the traditional mangour - or mashrabiya screens - found in Mecca and Medina.

His screens were recently commissioned for a new gallery in the British Museum.

"I created a workshop in London to make the piece," says Ahmed Angawi.

"The work needed lots of studies - documentation and analysis," he adds.

Some of the art is displayed outside in private galleries.

In an overgrown garden, artist Maryam Beydoun has installed her modern interpretation of the ancient tradition of Islamic gardens.

"Gardens of Time" includes plastic mats made in China which replace the traditional rugs of old.

Instead of pure clear water running from fountains, Beydoun has substituted shattered shards of glass.

"The work demonstrates the importance of Islamic gardens in the contemporary era," she explains.

This year's 21,39 includes workshops which bring Saudi artists together with their counterparts from Egypt in a shared studio space.

Aarnout Helb, who runs the Greenbox of Contemporary Art in Amsterdam, says gallery owners are crucial in this field.

"The best way to buy them (artwork from Saudi Arabia) is from gallery owners who give long term support to artists and allow them to build a practice and help them printing books."

The main exhibition is in the Saudi Art Council's spacious headquarters at the Gold Moor Mall.

The space is called "Al Obour," meaning "transitions," and has 25 participating artists on show.

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STORYLINE:

Saudi Arabia trained and spoke to the media at King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Sunday (14th October), on the eve of their friendly international against Iraq.  

SCRIPTING INFORMATION:

Saudi Arabia head coach Juan Antonio Pizzi put his players through a light training session at King Saud University in Riyadh on Sunday, on the eve of their friendly international against Iraq.

Both sides are in a re-building phase as they look towards the 2019 AFC Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates in January and already have a game under their collective belts this week.

Pizzi's 'Green Falcons' were beaten 2-0 by Brazil in Riyadh on Friday and Pizzi will have been pleased that Neymar and company were kept quiet for long periods in the game - however they posed little threat to the Brazil goal.

Iraq were well beaten on the same night by an Argentina side that travelled without the considerable talents of Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuain and Sergio Aguero.

Saudi defender Omar Hawsawi, who plays his club football with Al-Nassr FC in the domestic league, said on Sunday that there are plenty of reasons to take on the so-called big teams in international friendlies, despite the fact that defeat is the likely outcome.  

"We as players benefit from high-level matches technically, the players try to perform in every game," he said. "Saudi Arabia at continental level have a great history, we as players want to win the Asian Cup competition."

"If you go back a bit, Saudi Arabia... had a drop in level, this is normal in football," he continued. "The closest example would be Germany's team now, they are fluctuating. We as players are going to the Asian Cup and our goal is to win the title."

The home side will start the game against Iraq as slight favourites, but the visitors came out on top in the most recent encounter between the two teams, a 4-1 friendly international win back in February in Basra.

That broke a run of four straight victories for Saudi Arabia, but all of those games were competitive fixtures in qualification for either the Asian Cup or the World Cup itself.

King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 14th October 2018

1. 00:00 Various of Saudi Arabia team meeting with head coach Juan Antonio Pizzi

2. 00:10 SOUNDBITE (Spanish): Juan Antonio Pizzi, Saudi Arabia head coach:

(on whether Monday's friendly against Iraq will be at the same level as the game against Brazil and on facing teams from Asia)

+++ ROUGH TRANSLATION +++

"Regarding the first part of your question, it's logical and self-evident that tomorrow's match will not be like the match against Brazil, in terms of the different nature of the opposition and in terms of finding our strengths and our style of play in this game. As for the second part of the question, in the FIFA competition coming in the next camp, we will play against Asian teams from the same region and some of the teams that will play in the Asian Cup."

3. 01:21 Wide shot of Saudi Arabia training session

4. 01:29 Mid shot sprint training with 27 Mohammed Kanoo and 12 Hussein Abdul Ghani

5. 01:38 Mid shot sprint training with 12 Hussein Abdul Ghani, 5 Omar Hawsawi and 10 Salem Al Dawsari

6. 01:51 Wide shot of squad stretching

7. 01:56 Close up 5 Omar Hawsawi

8. 02:01 SOUNDBITE (Arabic): Omar Hawsawi, Saudi Arabia Defender:

(on the Saudi Arabia players' ambitions in the Asia Cup)

"We as players benefit from high-level matches technically, the players try to perform in every game. I might agree with you a little bit, Saudi Arabia at continental level have a great history, we as players want to win the Asian Cup competition. If you go back a bit, Saudi Arabia, I agree with you, the team had a drop in level, this is normal in football. The closest example would be Germany's team now, they are fluctuating. We as players are going to the Asian Cup and our goal is to win the title."

9. 03:02 Various of goalkeepers training

10. 03:14 Further of sprint training

11. 03:23 Mid shot Pizzi

12. 03:28 Mid shot ball control training

SOURCE: SNTV

DURATION: 03:35

LEADIN:

As Saudi Arabia lifts its female driving ban, women are ready to buy their first vehicles.

And one has her eye on an iconic sportscar.

STORYLINE:

It's a V8 engine, 460 horsepower, Mustang GT.

Seeing it on the streets of Riyadh is a regular sight.

But this time, it's being driven by a woman.

Nawal Baraja is taking the sportscar for a spin around the block - she's given herself two months to buy a car and this one is a favourite.

"When I was young I used to always see it (Mustang) in movies with my brothers. It has certain charm to it, it stood out," Baraj says.

She's wasted no time in going out for a test drive - she's behind the wheel the day the ban on driving was lifted in Saudi Arabia.

The kingdom ended the world's last remaining ban on women driving on 24 June.

Many women drove to work and ran errands immediately on the first day, while some didn't wait until the morning to drive, jumping in their cars at the stroke of midnight and steering their way through the capital's still busy streets.

"It will be such a beautiful feeling, imagine the happiness of being able to drive a car, now imagine that car is mine, it will be such a great feeling. It's enough that I can make that decision, that I have a choice of being able to get in my car whenever I need to," Baraj says.

For nearly three decades, outspoken Saudi women and the men who supported them had called for women to have the right to drive as a symbol of other changes they said were needed.

While there was never explicitly a law against women driving in Saudi Arabia, a ban was enforced by police and licenses were not issued to women.

Although women can now drive in Saudi Arabia and don't need male permission to obtain a license, most will still need the support of a father or husband to drive.

With state-backed support for women driving, more Saudis are openly expressing their support for the decision, saying it is long overdue.

Baraj says her family has been "very supportive".

"They said as long as I'm ready then I can go ahead and drive, their only rule is that I feel comfortable. And I was ready," she says.

The overwhelming majority of women in Saudi Arabia still don't have licenses.

Many haven't had a chance to take the gender-segregated driving courses that were first offered to women only three months ago. There's also a waiting list of several months for the classes on offer in major cities. And the classes can be costly, running to several hundred dollars.

Other women already own cars driven by chauffeurs and are in no rush to drive themselves.

In many cases, women say they'll wait before rushing to drive to see how the situation on the streets pans out and how male drivers react.

For Baraj, the reaction on the roads on the first day was pleasing

"Everything was organised, there was nothing scary or terrifying about driving here, there was mutual respect (on the roads)," she says.

In 1990, during the first driving campaign by activists, women who drove in the capital, Riyadh, lost their jobs, faced severe stigmatisation and were barred from traveling abroad, even as women in other conservative Muslim countries drove freely.

Ultraconservatives in Saudi Arabia had long warned that allowing women to drive would lead to sin and expose women to harassment.

Ahead of allowing women to drive, the kingdom passed a law against sexual harassment with up to five years in prison for the most severe cases.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - 24 June 2018

1. Nawal Baraj, Saudi woman, driving a Mustang

2. Various of Mustang approaching

3. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Nawal Baraj, Saudi woman:

"When I was young I used to always see it (Mustang) in movies with my brothers. It has certain charm to it, it stood out."

4. Various of Baraj driving

5. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Nawal Baraj, Saudi woman:

"It will be such a beautiful feeling, imagine the happiness of being able to drive a car, now imagine that car is mine, it will be such a great feeling. It's enough that I can make that decision, that I have a choice of being able to get in my car whenever I need to."

ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - 23 June 2018

6. Various of cars driving on the streets of Riyadh

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - 24 June 2018

7. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Nawal Baraj, Saudi woman:

"Thankfully I am surrounded by a very supportive family. They saw this as normal and an inevitable decision that had to be made, eventually it was going to happen. They said as long as I'm ready then I can go ahead and drive, their only rule is that I feel comfortable. And I was ready."

ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - 23 June 2018

8. Various of Riyadh skyline and buildings

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - 24 June 2018

9. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Nawal Baraj, Saudi woman:

"Everything was organised, there was nothing scary or terrifying about driving here, there was mutual respect (on the roads)."

10. Baraj inside Mustang

11. Baraj getting out of Mustang

SAUDI MAKE-UP SALES ON THE RISE AS MORE FEMALES JOIN THE WORKFORCE

In Saudi Arabia, where most women cover their faces and hair, makeup sales are one of the biggest spends among women who are increasingly joining the workforce and have their own salaries to spend from.

It's also in part because, unlike in many Western countries where more natural makeup looks are en vogue, women across Arab Gulf countries often lean toward bright, eye-catching makeup styles and accessories that offset the utilitarianism of black abayas.

"I know they say selling makeup is hard here, considering women from the gulf cover their faces, but not it's not hard, not hard at all, it's easy," says Abeer, an employee of Sephora in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh.  

"We like to wear makeup and it doesn't have to be for men, even when it's just women together, it's nice to be able to look good," she adds.

The newest make up brand to launch across Sephora make up stores is Fenty Beauty by superstar Rihanna.

The Bajan singer tweeted the news on April 7th "I'm so happy to announce that @FentyBeauty is coming to Saudi Arabia on April 19th!! #SephoraMiddleEast"

Rihanna's brand has received a lot of hype since it's launch in 2017, perhaps because of its inclusivity of all skin colors. The artist introduced 40 foundation tones to match all ethnicities.

Fenty Beauty is the latest in a line of celebrity makeup brands, following others by Kim Kardashian and her sister Kylie Jenner.   

"The publicity around (the celebrity makeup lines) makes it very popular and in demand," says Jihan Sheib, a Bahraini singer who admits her biggest spend is makeup.  

"Even if you haven't tried the product at all, because of the hype on social media – like Snapchat and Instagram – you become curious about it and want to try it."

Dubai-based makeup artist and entrepreneur Huda Kattan made a name for herself after launching a makeup line in 2013, going on to become one of "ten most powerful influencers in the world of beauty" in 2017 according to Forbes.

Huda Beauty has a following 25 million people on Instagram

Employees at Sephora in Saudi Arabia say their sales have increased since a law was enforced in 2012, only allowing women to work in beauty and lingerie shops. Female Saudi shoppers who spoke to AP say they felt empowered by their own salaries from entering the workforce.

Empowering more women to enter the workforce is seen as a necessary step toward strengthening the economy and creating millions of jobs for young Saudis who will be seeking employment in the coming years.

To satiate the desires of young Saudis and to make the country more resilient in the face of lower oil prices, Saudi Arabia's heir to the throne, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, is trying to boost what citizens spend locally on entertainment and fun.

To achieve this, the crown prince has pushed through a number of sweeping social reforms curbing the influence of ultraconservatives. Religious police, for example, no longer patrol malls looking for signs of nail polish or women's faces showing.

Prince Mohammed is also behind a decision to lift a ban on women driving, which will allow women to more easily get to work instead of having to rely on male relatives or costly personal drivers.

The decision was largely supported by the Saudi public, though ultraconservative clerics criticized the measure and said allowing women to work in stores would open the door to lasciviousness and sin.

Previously, women who wanted to buy makeup or lingerie in Saudi Arabia would have to purchase these often personal and intimate products from an all-male staff of mostly lower-wage workers from the Philippines.

It created for awkward encounters when, for example, a woman wanted to try on a new eye shadow or foundation, but couldn't lift her face veil in front of the salesman or allow him to touch her skin due to the country' Islamic mores governing gender segregation. Sifting through lingerie pieces and having a male employee suggest the right bra size wasn't any easier.

"We could never feel comfortable. It's hard to buy makeup when a man is trying it out for me, testing it on my hand or my face," said Haifa Alwathlan, who started working in clothing and makeup stores in Saudi Arabia soon after women were allowed.

Earlier this week, Saudi Arabia opened its first movie theatre, showing the blockbuster film "Black Panther" to a select audience. Tickets for the public are expected to go on sale in the coming days.

Other reforms include the return of musical concerts and performances that were once unthinkable only a few years ago. The kingdom also recently held its first ever fashion week.

Riyadh, April 19, 2018

1. Woman with face cover applying makeup

2. Makeup stands in Sephora

3. Close of makeup stand

4. Various of Saudi women in Sephora

5. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Abeer, Saudi employee at Sephora in Riyadh:

"I know they say selling makeup is hard here, considering women from the Gulf cover their faces, but it's not hard, not hard at all, it's easy. We like to wear makeup and it doesn't have to be for men, even when it's just women together, it's nice to be able to look good."

6. Fenty Beauty stand

7. Various of women looking at Fenty Beauty makeup

8. Close of employee's shirt with Rihanna images

9. Woman wearing green lipstick from Fenty Beauty

10. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Jihan Sheib, Bahraini singer:

"The publicity around (the celebrity makeup lines) makes it very popular and in demand. Even if you haven't tried the product at all, because of the hype on social media – like Snapchat and Instagram – you become curious about it and want to try it."

11. Various of Huda Beauty stand

12. Entrance to Sephora shop

13. Sign reading (Arabic) "For families only"

14. Various of woman wearing headscarf with Saudi emblem

15. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Haifa Alwathlan, Saudi woman and Sephora employee:

"We could never feel comfortable. It's hard to buy makeup when a man is trying it out for me, testing it on my hand or my face, it's very hard. I used to try it quickly and then take it, they wouldn't even ask what my skin type is or what color works better for me. We would just take whatever is there."

16. Fenty Beauty stand in Sephora

17. Close of Fenty Beauty product with woman's reflection in mirror

In Saudi Arabia, where most women cover their faces and hair, makeup sales are one of the biggest spends among women who are increasingly joining the workforce and have their own salaries to spend from.

It's also in part because, unlike in many Western countries where more natural makeup looks are en vogue, women across Arab Gulf countries often lean toward bright, eye-catching makeup styles and accessories that offset the utilitarianism of black abayas.

"I know they say selling makeup is hard here, considering women from the gulf cover their faces, but not it's not hard, not hard at all, it's easy," says Abeer, an employee of Sephora in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh.  

"We like to wear makeup and it doesn't have to be for men, even when it's just women together, it's nice to be able to look good," she adds.

The newest make up brand to launch across Sephora make up stores is Fenty Beauty by superstar Rihanna.

The Bajan singer tweeted the news on April 7th "I'm so happy to announce that @FentyBeauty is coming to Saudi Arabia on April 19th!! #SephoraMiddleEast"

Rihanna's brand has received a lot of hype since it's launch in 2017, perhaps because of its inclusivity of all skin colors. The artist introduced 40 foundation tones to match all ethnicities.

Fenty Beauty is the latest in a line of celebrity makeup brands, following others by Kim Kardashian and her sister Kylie Jenner.   

"The publicity around (the celebrity makeup lines) makes it very popular and in demand," says Jihan Sheib, a Bahraini singer who admits her biggest spend is makeup.  

"Even if you haven't tried the product at all, because of the hype on social media – like Snapchat and Instagram – you become curious about it and want to try it."

Dubai-based makeup artist and entrepreneur Huda Kattan made a name for herself after launching a makeup line in 2013, going on to become one of "ten most powerful influencers in the world of beauty" in 2017 according to Forbes.

Huda Beauty has a following 25 million people on Instagram

Employees at Sephora in Saudi Arabia say their sales have increased since a law was enforced in 2012, only allowing women to work in beauty and lingerie shops. Female Saudi shoppers who spoke to AP say they felt empowered by their own salaries from entering the workforce.

Empowering more women to enter the workforce is seen as a necessary step toward strengthening the economy and creating millions of jobs for young Saudis who will be seeking employment in the coming years.

To satiate the desires of young Saudis and to make the country more resilient in the face of lower oil prices, Saudi Arabia's heir to the throne, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, is trying to boost what citizens spend locally on entertainment and fun.

To achieve this, the crown prince has pushed through a number of sweeping social reforms curbing the influence of ultraconservatives. Religious police, for example, no longer patrol malls looking for signs of nail polish or women's faces showing.

Prince Mohammed is also behind a decision to lift a ban on women driving, which will allow women to more easily get to work instead of having to rely on male relatives or costly personal drivers.

The decision was largely supported by the Saudi public, though ultraconservative clerics criticized the measure and said allowing women to work in stores would open the door to lasciviousness and sin.

Previously, women who wanted to buy makeup or lingerie in Saudi Arabia would have to purchase these often personal and intimate products from an all-male staff of mostly lower-wage workers from the Philippines.

It created for awkward encounters when, for example, a woman wanted to try on a new eye shadow or foundation, but couldn't lift her face veil in front of the salesman or allow him to touch her skin due to the country' Islamic mores governing gender segregation. Sifting through lingerie pieces and having a male employee suggest the right bra size wasn't any easier.

"We could never feel comfortable. It's hard to buy makeup when a man is trying it out for me, testing it on my hand or my face," said Haifa Alwathlan, who started working in clothing and makeup stores in Saudi Arabia soon after women were allowed.

Earlier this week, Saudi Arabia opened its first movie theatre, showing the blockbuster film "Black Panther" to a select audience. Tickets for the public are expected to go on sale in the coming days.

Other reforms include the return of musical concerts and performances that were once unthinkable only a few years ago. The kingdom also recently held its first ever fashion week.

Riyadh - April 19, 2018

1. Woman with face cover applying makeup

2. Makeup stands in Sephora

3. Close of makeup stand

4. Various of Saudi women in Sephora

5. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Abeer, Saudi employee at Sephora in Riyadh:

"I know they say selling makeup is hard here, considering women from the Gulf cover their faces, but it's not hard, not hard at all, it's easy. We like to wear makeup and it doesn't have to be for men, even when it's just women together, it's nice to be able to look good."

6. Fenty Beauty stand

7. Various of women looking at Fenty Beauty makeup

8. Close of employee's shirt with Rihanna's pictures

9. Woman wearing green lipstick from Fenty Beauty

10. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Jihan Sheib, Bahraini singer:

"The publicity around (the celebrity makeup lines) makes it very popular and in demand. Even if you haven't tried the product at all, because of the hype on social media – like Snapchat and Instagram – you become curious about it and want to try it."

11. Various of Huda Beauty stand

12. Entrance to Sephora shop

13. Sign reading (Arabic) "For families only"

14. Various of woman wearing headscarf with Saudi emblem

15. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Haifa Alwathlan, Saudi woman and Sephora employee:

"We could never feel comfortable. It's hard to buy makeup when a man is trying it out for me, testing it on my hand or my face, it's very hard. I used to try it quickly and then take it, they wouldn't even ask what my skin type is or what color works better for me. We would just take whatever is there."

16. Fenty Beauty stand in Sephora

17. Close of Fenty Beauty product with woman's reflection in mirror

Saudis were making feverish preparations on Friday for the visit of US President Donald Trump.

The Saudi authorities are making every effort to dazzle and impress Trump on his first overseas trip, seizing on the visit to cement Saudi Arabia as a major player on the world stage and shove aside rival Iran.

The kingdom has arranged a dizzying schedule of events for the two days Trump will be in Riyadh.

Trump's decision to make Saudi Arabia his first overseas stop sends a powerful message to the kingdom: the strained ties that marked U.S.-Saudi relations under President Barack Obama are over.

The kingdom wants Trump to align US interests with Saudi Arabia's, and is literally counting down the seconds until Trump starts his meetings on Saturday.

Saudi information minister Awwad Saleh Al-Awwad told journalist as he was visiting the press centre in Riyadh that he is looking for the the summit to have a single united stance against terrorism and extremism.

King Salman is convening more than 50 Arab and Muslim leaders for a summit in Riyadh on Sunday.

They will toast Trump at a banquet and forge a new partnership against extremism.

Iran and Syria were not invited to the summit and they are not part of an Islamic military alliance that Saudi Arabia is establishing to fight terrorism.

The kingdom backs efforts to topple the Syrian government, which counts Iran and Russia as its closest allies.

Riyadh - 19 May 2017

1. Wide of billboard poster depicting image of US President Donald Trump and Saudi King Salman Bin Abdulaziz on highway

2. Close-up of poster

3. Poster and US flag in background

4. US and Saudi flags

5. Highway traffic

6. US and Saudi flags

7. Saudi Minister of Information Dr. Awwad Saleh al-Awwad (centre left) talking to journalists

8. SOUNDBITE: (English) Dr. Awwad Saleh al-Awwad, Saudi Information Minister:

"We would like to have one single message, that we are all united against extremism and terrorism, we have united stance, united efforts and united message that Islam is all about peace and prosperity."

9. Wide of electronic billboard on highway with message reading (Arabic) "Riyadh is hosting peace and co-existence summit"

10. Close of billboard

11. Billboard with US and flags of Islamic countries

12. Close-up of billboard

13. SOUNDBITE: (English) Hisham Al-Ghannam, political analyst:

"Definitely the visit (of US President Donald Trump to Saudi Arabia) has a great symbolic value for both countries,yet I expect that the Saudis would like to hear a clear US Middle East strategy that they can work with and engage in positively, a policy that is tangible and executable at the same time."

14.Tilt-down from Kingdom tower to traffic

15. Wide of King Abdulaziz road with traffic

16. US and Saudi flags

17. Wide of traffic

RESTRICTION SUMMARY: AP CLIENTS ONLY

SHOTLIST

AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Riyadh - 15 April 2015

1. Saudi military spokesman Brigadier General Ahmed Asiri arriving for briefing

2. Asiri approaching lectern

3. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Brigadier General Ahmed Asiri, Saudi military spokesman (responding to reports that Egypt and Saudi Arabia are considering whether to hold joint military exercises in the kingdom involving Egyptian, Saudi and other Gulf forces):

"Everybody knows that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Arab Republic of Egypt are the main players in the coalition."

4. Cutaway of journalist

5. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Brigadier General Ahmed Asiri, Saudi military spokesman:

"A quantity of materials were stored in this warehouse, which I confirm is in the northern area of Yemen, in the Saada area or around it."

6. Journalist watching screen showing footage of a Saudi-led coalition airstrike on a munitions depot, UPSOUND (Arabic), off camera, Brigadier General Ahmed Asiri, Saudi military spokesman: "Look at the size of the explosion, the amount of material that was stored in that warehouse."

7. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Brigadier General Ahmed Asiri, Saudi military spokesman:

"In the field of marine operations, members of the (Saudi-led coalition) navies are continuing (their work), and the coalition is doing its duties regarding easing ship movements, searching and visiting ships and in stopping support for the (Shiite) militias with any kind of supplies."

8. Model of Saudi military aircraft

9. Pan of military officials at briefing and Asiri speaking at lectern, UPSOUND (Arabic): "There are measures that the legal Yemeni government is taking from its members on the ground, documenting all the violations by the Houthi militias."

10. Saudi military emblem reading (Arabic) "Saudi Armed Forces"

11. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Brigadier General Ahmed Asiri, Saudi military spokesman (responding to a call on Tuesday by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif for a peace plan for Yemen):

"The Iranian minister knows what door to knock if there is a political initiative."

12. Journalists and military officials leaving briefing room

STORYLINE

A military spokesman in Riyadh showed video on Wednesday that purportedly showed a Saudi-led coalition airstrike on a large munitions depot in Yemen.

The airstrikes targeting Yemeni rebels known as Houthis began on 26 March in an effort to halt their advance across the Arab world's poorest country.

Brigadier General Ahmed Asiri said in Riyadh on Wednesday that coalition naval ships were also continuing to search vessels off Yemen's coast to stop any supplies reaching the rebels.

The Houthis have captured Yemen's capital, Sanaa, and forced Western and Gulf-backed President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi to flee the country.

Asiri did not address in detail reports from Cairo that Egypt and Saudi Arabia are discussing joint military exercises in the kingdom that would include Gulf Arab countries participating in the coalition.

"Everybody knows that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Arab Republic of Egypt are the main players in the coalition," he said.

A statement issued late on Tuesday from Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi's office after he met Saudi Defence Minister Mohammed bin Salman said they had agreed to form a commission to investigate whether to hold "a major strategic exercise" in the kingdom involving Egyptian, Saudi and other Gulf forces.

Separately, Asiri responded to a call on Tuesday by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif for a peace plan for Yemen, saying Saudi Arabia knows "on which door to knock if there is a political initiative".

Zarif spoke in Madrid on Tuesday about a plan including humanitarian aid, dialogue and the formation of a broad-based Yemeni government.

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The Saudi Arabia football team trained and spoke in Jeddah on Tuesday (7th October 2014) ahead of their friendly match at home to Uruguay on Friday (10th October 2014).

SCRIPTING INFORMATION:

The Saudi football team continued their preparation at King Abdullah Sport City in Jeddah for their two international games in four days against Uruguay on Friday (10th October) and four days later with Lebanon in Jeddah.

The matches are in preparation for the coming Gulf Cup which will be hosted by the Saudis in November this year - and the Asian Cup which will be held in Australia in January 2015.

The Saudis have won the Asian Cup three times before, in 1984, 1988 and 1996.

But in recent years have failed to thrive at the Championship - or to qualify for the World Cup.

They have missed out twice in a row, in 2010 and 2014, after playing in the final four times in a row from 1994.

It is likely that the match will feature Luis Suarez for his first appearance for Uruguay since biting Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup.

Suarez has played in a youth game and a friendly for Barcelona this season. He will not return to the full side until later this month - possibly for the 'el Clasico' clash with Real Madrid.

Former Anderlecht centre-back and now of Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia, Osama Housawy said he knows the danger of the Uruguay national team especially Suarez, but added that "if you want to be among the big teams, you have to play against big teams."

King Abdullah Sport City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. 7 October 2014

1. 00:00 Saudi Head coach Juan Ramon Lopez Caro entering the training ground

2. 00:05 Fawaz Al Gharny (green top) and Shaye Ali Sharahili entering the training ground

3. 00:11 Saudi footballers entering the pitch

4. 00:17 Various of Saudi players exercising

5. 00:28 Players warming-up on the pitch

6. 00:34 Osama Housawy with orange top passing the ball with team mate

7. 00:39 SOUNDBITE (Arabic): Osama Housawy, Saudi centre-back

"If you want to be among the big teams, you have to play against big teams, we used to play against weak teams, and we never had a strong challenge, but against big teams is better. We played against Argentina in Riyadh, and we drew nil-nil, and no one expected us to gain have a positive result."

8. 00:58 Various of Saudi players exercising

9. 01:08 Close-up Hussain Abdal Ghany (no.24) exercising

10. 01:13 Saudi players exercising

11. 01:17 SOUNDBITE (Arabic): Osama Housawy, Saudi centre-back

"Am I scared more of his biting? No, no. He is a great player and also he has with him the striker Falcao (he meant Edinson Cavani) that is why you have to concentrate on them during the whole match, because they are top players."

12. 01:31 Various of Saudi players exercising

13. 01:45 Players stretching on the pitch

14. 01:51 Striker Mukhtar Falata (no.20) stretching

15. 01:54 Players stretching on the pitch

Saudi women are driving freely through busy city streets for the first time after years of risking arrest if they dared to get behind the wheel.

And with the longstanding ban now lifted, a new opportunity has emerged; working as drivers.

It's a job that had been reserved for men only and one that until recently even many Saudi males rejected as socially taboo.

Driving was almost entirely the job of foreigners, often lower-income and from countries like India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Saudi women who want to work as drivers - for ride-hailing services, for example - are challenging an even wider array of traditional limits on women's rights and are part of a wave of change that has drawn resistance from parts of the male community in the deeply conservative country.

"It is not beneath anyone and it is an excellent job and it is an amazing opportunity for a woman in Saudi Arabia," said Ammal Farahat, an affluent mother of two with a master's degree who runs her own consultancy.

Farahat, who had a driver's licence from the US before obtaining a Saudi one, signed up to be a driver for Careem, a local competitor to Uber.

She and her sister, who grew up in Saudi Arabia with a German mother who could drive freely in her home country, are trying out becoming drivers together.

Farahat says she decided to take on the job to defy stereotypes that working as a driver is beneath Saudi women.

For many women who sign up to become drivers, the job provides another source of income and greater financial independence.

"By opening our platform now to women, we are empowering them to be their own boss, to drive or to work whenever they want, and to work how long they want, as well. Perfect for women who are in the workforce," said Careem co-founder Abdullah Elyas.

It's not just women. In recent years, thousands of young Saudi men have started moonlighting as drivers for the two ride-hailing services.

The change reflects the shift in Saudi lifestyles mirrored by the kingdom's shrinking ability to rely solely on its vast oil exports for wealth.

While 70 percent of Saudis who work are employed by the public sector, those jobs alone are not enough to keep pace with the number of Saudis entering the workforce.

Official statistics show that the average public sector salary for Saudis is about 10,600 riyals a month (2,800 US dollars), far from enough to comfortably cover the costs of one-income households in major cities like the capital, Riyadh.

Unemployment is close to 12 percent.

The overwhelming majority of job seekers in Saudi Arabia are women, and around 34 percent of Saudis seeking employment are between 25 and 29 years old.

The lifting of the driving ban on Sunday is expected to gradually improve women's participation in the workforce and buoy the economy.

Careem says 2,000 women have registered with the company to sign up as drivers since the kingdom announced in September the driving ban on women would be lifted.

"There is a need (for) being driven by a woman in Saudi and we're opening with that whole new customer segment," he said.

While there has been a loosening of social restrictions in recent years, the culture here still shuns the mixing of unrelated men and women.

A male driver initiating conversation with a female passenger can lead to a complaint.

Careem says its drivers can decide to confirm or decline an order based on the rider's gender by seeing their name.

As she drove around the streets of Riyadh, Farahat talked about how her daughter and niece, both under 5, will never know the challenges her generation went through in getting from one place to another and needing to rely on a man for transportation.

Riyadh - 24 June 2018

1. Various of Ammal Farahat, Saudi woman who has signed up to be a driver for Careem, a regional ride-hailing service, getting into car

2. Various setup shots of Abdulla Elyas, co-founder of regional ride-hailing service, Careem

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Abdulla Elyas, co-founder of Careem:

"By opening our platform now to women, we are empowering them to be their own boss, to drive or to work whenever they want, and to work how long they want, as well. Perfect for women who are in the workforce. So we believe actually that our product is very, very good for women, in specific, and our investment in Saudi at the moment is to ensure that they have a very safe experience and that wherever we have barriers for them to come and ride for Careem, that we understand those barriers, whatever those barriers might be."

4. Various of Farahat driving

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Ammal Farahat, Saudi woman who has signed up to be a driver for Careem, a regional ride-hailing service:

"When on twitter, I saw somebody make a negative remark that being a Careem 'Captainah' (driver) is something beneath Saudi women and I said nope, I have to prove them wrong. It is not beneath anyone and it is an excellent job and it is an amazing opportunity for a woman in Saudi Arabia."

6. Various of Elyas in his office

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Abdulla Elyas, co-founder of Careem:

"Saudi is a very specific country and we believe there is a need for being driven by a woman in Saudi. And we are opening up with that whole new customer segment."

8. Various of Farahat driving

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Ammal Farahat, Saudi woman who has signed up to be a driver for Careem, a regional ride-hailing service:

"(When asked how she felt when she got her Saudi driver's licence) Mixed feelings, it was between where I wanted to wave at everyone at every single car passing by, and then going like, wait a minute no, no, no. Let's not attract attention. We don't want any police officers to stop us or anything. But it was like no, no its okay, we are not doing anything illegal. So it was actually quite emotional."

Riyadh - 23 June 2018

10. Cars on the road

Riyadh - 24 June 2018

11. SOUNDBITE (English) Ammal Farahat, Saudi woman who has signed up to be a driver for Careem, a regional ride-hailing service:

"They (Saudi Arabian women today) are not growing up in the same Saudi Arabia I grew up in at all and it's exciting but I also know that every generation has their own challenges, so it's just, okay so what challenges will they go through. It'll be just different."

12. Various of Farahat driving

13. SOUNDBITE (English) Ammal Farahat, Saudi woman who has signed up to be a driver for Careem, a regional ride-hailing service:

"I know for any change, I believe that any change that happens, especially for driving for women, it's an accumulation of years and years and efforts from so many people, some names are known and a lot more, tons of more names are in the background that nobody has heard of. But every little drop makes a difference. It is like they say the ocean is make of little drops of water and that is exactly how I feel today. It's s the efforts of all these little, everyone, little drops of sweat."

Riyadh - 23 June 2018

14. Farahat driving

15. Traffic in Riyadh

As Saudi Arabia prepares to lift a ban on women driving, thousands have rushed to get their licenses on time.

On Sunday, women will be allowed to drive, ending a ban that had stained the kingdom's reputation globally and kept women subjugated in the backseat.

"This feeling is indescribable, my happiness cannot be contained. Until now I can't believe that tomorrow is the big day, sometimes I can't even sleep because of how happy I am," said Mabkhouta Al Meri, a driving instructor at the Saudi Driving School (SDS).

In March, officials at Princess Nourah University established the first driving school for women in the capital, Riyadh.

The Saudi Driving School is one of a few catered to women across the country, with plans of expansion across all major cities.

"We end up now for over 85,000 registered and already enrolled throughout the training with the different levels we have over 5,000. And we have more than 700 already graduated and got their license," said Amel Attia from Emirates Driving Institute, who set up SDS.

Granting women the right to drive is part of a wider blueprint for the future drawn up by the country's crown prince Mohammed bin Salman.

In an era of sustained lower oil prices, the government is pushing Saudis to become less reliant on the government for jobs, handouts and subsidies.

Some 70 percent of Saudis who work are employed in the public sector and rely on the government for their wages.

The move places Saudi women at the heart of a major transformation being spearheaded by the crown prince.

It also places women at the centre of a tug-of-war between those agitating for more openings and a religious majority that remains wary of changes that could be influenced by the West.

It was only a few years ago that religious police - known for their long beards and shorter white robes -  enforced an austere interpretation of Islam that banned music of any kind in public, much less the sound of a woman's voice on loudspeakers.

They could detain groups of unmarried men and women for simply standing around or sitting together.

Unlike previous Saudi monarchs who took cautious, incremental steps to reform the country, King Salman has granted his 32-year-old son and heir, the crown prince, a free hand to usher in dramatic moves.

Under the crown prince, the message pushed by officials is that Saudi Arabia is modernizing.

However, just last month, several prominent women's rights activists who were at the forefront of calls to lift the driving ban were arrested.

At least 10 are still being held in an undisclosed location with no access to lawyers.

The arrests highlight how quickly the levers of reform can be pulled back.

Three of the women still detained— Aziza al-Yousef, Loujain al-Hathloul and Eman al-Nafjan— are seen as icons of a larger democratic and civil rights push in the kingdom.

The women had also been calling for an end to guardianship laws that give male relatives final say over whether a woman can marry, obtain a passport or travel abroad.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - 23 June 2018

1. Woman driving

2. Over the shoulder shot of woman driving

3. Woman's eyes in rear view mirror

4. SOUNDBITE (Arabic): Mabkhouta Al Meri, driving instructor:

"This feeling is indescribable, my happiness cannot be contained. I still can't believe that tomorrow is the big day, sometimes I can't even sleep because of how happy I am."

5. Various of Al Meri driving the instructors' car

6. SOUNDBITE (Arabic): Nouf Khamis, Saudi woman:

"The difference now is that when I want to go out all I have to do is get in my car, I don't need to wait for the driver or my husband or my father to drop me off anymore. It's a lot easier for me now, I can just get in my car and go do whatever I need to do."

7. Al Meri inside car opening window  

8. Various of student getting in the car with instructor

9. SOUNDBITE (Arabic): Halah Aloqeil, student at Saudi Driving School:

"As soon as I can I will (get the license), I think I can take two hours of classes a day, so I can get it as soon as possible. I still have not chosen my car, I will drive one of the cars at home until I buy a car."

10. Driving school entrance

11. Close of sign reading (English/Arabic) "SDS Saudi Driving School"

12. Various of women at registration desks

13. SOUNDBITE (English): Amel Attia, Emirates Driving Institute manager:

"We end up now for over 85,000 registered and already enrolled throughout the training with the different levels we have over 5,000. And we have more than 700 who already graduated and got their license."

14. Various of women during driving lessons

15. SOUNDBITE (Arabic): Nouf Khamis, Saudi woman:

"(Girls) will become self-sufficient, if they want to go somewhere they will do it themselves. They won't wait for someone to take them. They will be independent. Why not? My daughter will get her license and drive once she is of age."

16. Various of driving lesson

When the time came to buy a new car, women in Saudi Arabia used to look for controls in the backseat so they could adjust the vehicle's features without interacting with their male drivers.

Looking for a car to drive themselves was unthinkable. But this Sunday the kingdom is preparing to lift the world's only ban on women driving.

One of the new hopeful drivers is Nour Obeid.

Cradling her four-month-old daughter in her arms, Obeid scans the car showroom and heads for the mid-sized SUV's.

She checks out the driver's seat and picturing herself at the wheel of the car on everyday errands from grocery store runs to school drop-offs to visits to see relatives.

She's interested in a red Mazda CX-3 she saw at another showroom.

"I have two children and my husband is constantly traveling so to be honest I'm sick and tired of taking Uber and Careem," she said, referring to the two ride-hailing services in Saudi Arabia.

"That's it, I have to get this sorted and start going out (driving) on my own."

It marks a milestone for women in the kingdom who've had to rely on drivers, male relatives, taxis and ride-hailing services to get to work, go shopping and simply move around.

"Before they sat in the backseat but now they're trying front seat to be honest. Before they would always think about 'do I have space between me and the driver, is it comfortable for me in the back?" said Maram Al-Hazer, a manager who oversees several car showrooms.

"Now they're trying the front seat and they're always asking about the things in the front. And this is to be honest a new thing for us."

The move could also help boost the Saudi economy.

Women being able to drive helps ensure stronger female participation in the workforce and increases household incomes.

At the Al-Jazirah Ford showroom in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, a steady trickle of families are coming to see the latest models on this weekday evening.

Not all, though, are women like Obeid looking to immediately buy a car.

The overwhelming majority of women in Saudi Arabia still don't have Saudi driving licences.

Many haven't had a chance to take the gender-segregated driving courses that were first offered to women only a few months ago.

There's also a wait-list of several months for the course at Princess Nora University in Riyadh.

And the classes are costly for most, running several hundred dollars.

Others already own cars that are driven by chauffeurs and see no reason to rush out and drive themselves.

The cost of buying a new car has also gone up with the introduction of a value-added tax in January, which means a five percent hike in prices.

Still, car companies see a financial opportunity in Saudi Arabia with women behind the wheel.

Earlier this month, Saudi Arabia issued its first driver's licences to 10 women who already held driving licenses from other countries.

They took a brief driving test and eye exam before being issued the licences at the General Department of Traffic in Riyadh.

Since then, dozens more women with licences from abroad have received Saudi licenses across the country, but none can drive until the ban is officially lifted this weekend.

With more women expected to buy cars, the government recently began allowing women to sell cars, a position that had been reserved for men only in the highly conservative country where unrelated men and women cannot freely mix.

Despite women not needing a male relative's approval to obtain a driver's licence or buy a car, the moral and even financial support of a husband or father is key in this still male-dominated society where men have final say over a woman's ability to marry, travel abroad or obtain a passport.

Nourah Almehaize started selling cars for the first time two months ago, but had already worked for six years before that in a call centre for the Al Jazirah Vehicles Agencies, handling a range of queries about the vehicles.

She's eager to learn how to drive so she can test-drive the Ford Explorer and Edge she's been selling to customers.

"We sell (cars) to two to three women a day. The turnout of women has been great here. Today I had a customer who came in and she wanted to buy a car. A lot of women, including myself, are shopping for a car for their driver but they're thinking that in a few months the driver won't be needed any more and the car will be hers," she said.     

Uzma Chohan, 38, has never driven before and relies on a driver or her husband to go places.

She prefers to run errands with her husband, which means waiting until he's back from work in the evening or until the weekend.

The couple from Pakistan, who have two boys, have lived in Saudi Arabia for the past 17 years.

They're looking at larger SUV's for the family, but it won't be her driving the car, she said.

"In the beginning years, like two and three, I'm a little bit scared about the people, (there are) some naughty guys you know (laughs). Little bit, but after two or three years, after one year it (will) become normal, Inshallah (God willing)."

Meanwhile, Obeid, who already has a driver's licence from Jordan, plans to obtain a Saudi licence when she's back from traveling abroad this summer.

Her Saudi husband, Mustafa Radwan, is encouraging her to drive and says he'd feel safer knowing that his wife and two kids don't need to rely on ride-hailing services.

He's optimistic and hopeful that Saudi men will be courteous to female drivers on the road.

Riyadh - 21 June 2018

1. Various of woman looking at car

2. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Nour Obeid, Riyadh resident:

"I have two children and my husband is constantly travelling so to be honest I'm sick and tired of taking Uber and Careem (taxi hailing services), so I said that's it, I have to get this sorted and start going out (driving) on my own."

3. Close of two Saudi women talking

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Maram al-Hazer, manager overseeing Al-Jazirah Ford showroom:

"Before they sat in the backseat but now they're trying the front seat to be honest. Before they would always think about 'do I have space between me and the driver, is it comfortable for me in the back? What thare e things that I want to have?'. They want the luxury cars, they always have the sound systems and these (things) that she can control by herself, and the air conditioning and that. Now no, they're thinking, they're trying the front seat and they're always asking about the things in the front. And this is to be honest, it's a new thing for us."

5. Cars travelling along road

6. Yellow street signs

7. Cars travelling along road

8. Ford showroom

9. Cars inside the showroom

10. Woman looking at car brochures

11. Woman sitting in the front seat of a car

12. Saleswoman checking herself in wingmirror

13. Various of saleswoman showing customer a car

14. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Nourah Almehaize, Ford saleswoman:

"We sell (cars) to two to three women a day. The turnout of women has been great here. Today I had a customer who came in and she wanted to buy a car. A lot of women, including myself, are shopping for a car for their driver, but they're thinking that in a few months the driver won't be needed any more and the car will be hers."

15. Various of family looking at an SUV

16. SOUNDBITE (English) Uzma Chohan, Riyadh resident:

"In the beginning years, like two and three, I'm a little bit scared about the people, (there are) some naughty guys you know (laughs). Little bit, but after two or three years, after one year it (will) become normal, Inshallah (God willing)."

17. Cars in showroom

18. Close of poster showing car with red heel peeping out

LEADIN:

The once closed kingdom of Saudi Arabia is to open its doors by offering its first tourist visas.

The historic Al Saud fort and surrounding areas of Diriyah have already welcomed tourists, mostly visiting on short business trips to Riyadh.

STORYLINE

This mysterious city will soon be open to tourists from all over the world. Later this year, Saudi Arabia will enter the tourism industry by giving out its first tourist visas.

The country, which has largely been closed to the outside world, is hoping to market itself to outside visitors. For those interested in history, Saudi is offering many sites including Diriyah 20 minutes outside the capital Riyadh.

Salah Altaleb is an official with the Project for the Tourism and Investment Initiative. He says the country is going through a massive renovation process to take in the first batch of tourists who are expected to come later this year.

200,000 visas will be issued in the first year.  

For decades, visitors to Saudi Arabia have been mostly pilgrims heading to Mecca and Medina or business travellers heading to the capital, Riyadh, or other major cities like Jiddah and Dammam.

Saudi Arabia's 32-year-old heir to the throne, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, is trying to change that. It's part of a much larger plan to prepare the country for an era of sustained lower oil prices.

Tourism is seen as a way to create more jobs for Saudis, attract greater foreign investment, boost the economy and improve the country's image abroad.

The government's sovereign wealth fund, which the Crown Prince oversees, has already identified a 125 mile-stretch (200 kilometres) of coastline along the Red Sea which it plans to transform into a global luxury travel destination.

The Red Sea project will include diving attractions and a nature reserve, with some areas resembling the hotels, islands and lagoons of the Maldives.

The Public Investment Fund says the area will be a semi-autonomous, visa-free travel destination "governed by laws on par with international standards".  This suggests rules on female dress won't apply.

Prince Mohammed is also spearheading a 500 billion US Dollar project called "Neom", an independent economic zone in the northwestern region of the country near Egypt and Jordan that sits on 10,230 square miles (26,500 square kilometres) of untouched land along the Red Sea. He's described it as a hub for technological innovation and artificial intelligence that will create jobs and attract investments.

Other attractions are historical sites like Diriyah. Diriyah is considered to be Saudi Arabia's first capital and the home of the Saudi Royal Family.

The old city, which stretches 15 km kilometres along a narrow valley has been considered an agricultural hub and for the last five years. The area has gone through a renovation process to be ready for visitors.

Abdel Aziz AlYahya is the Assistant Manager at the Archeological office of Diriyah. He says this World Heritage site will attract many visitors to the four museums within its quarters.

The renovated site is expected to open in a few months. In the meantime visitors can enjoy the parks around the historic site.

The country is hoping that by opening up it can shake off Saudi Arabia's reputation as a country ruled by an austere version of Islam known as Wahhabism. The Crown Prince has brought back musical concerts that had been banned for 20 years.

He's also promised the return of movie theatres and Saudi Arabia's ban on women driving will be lifted this summer.

While most of the visitors who come to Diriyah are Saudi, there are a few international visitors who get a glimpse of the historic city. Chris Brooks from the UK is in Saudi for business. With a few hours to spare he decided to visit Diriyah, but he's not sure he can convince his family to come.

"It needs to be more welcoming, more accessible. It takes a lot of time to get a visa to come here and if they address those issues then I think yeah more people will come here. There is just so much to see," he says.

An Emirati tourist, one of the few countries that have visa free access to Saudi, enjoys the simple gatherings within Saudi.

And for the Saudis themselves, they are happy to welcome tourists and see it as a long overdue. Mohammed Ibrahim Altamimi is visiting a traditional Saudi restaurant.

The law student hopes that this is a sign of a more open future in Saudi.

"I see this as a beautiful thing. We were missing the tourism sector from a long time ago. It was missing, there were no tourists. But when the decision came out to open up tourism and to grant visas to tourists, it's a beautiful thing. I think tourism is an important thing for the country," he says.

Diriyah, Saudi Arabia - 8 March 2018

1. Various beauty shots of Diriyah historical sites

2. Walking shot of Salah Altaleb, Vice President/ General Supervisor, Project for the Tourism and Investment Initiative

3. SOUNDBITE (English): Salah Altaleb, Vice President/ General Supervisor, Project for the Tourism and Investment Initiative

"The country is going through a product development, they are developing sites and places to visit as well as making sure all the procedures to come to Saudi and access the country is in a very smooth way for the international tourists to use."

4. Various of 'Historic Diriyah' signs

5. Various of old mosque in the middle of renovation

6. SOUNDBITE (Arabic): Abdel Aziz AlYahya- Assistant Manager at the Archeological office of Diriyah

"We joined the UNESCO and it was certified as a world heritage site and now for the last 5-6 years we have been working on restoring and revamping to reopen it as a heritage site. Inside the neighbourhood, there will 4 museums, in addition to Salwa Palace which will become the main museum in Diriyah."

7. Various of construction worker working

8. SOUNDBITE (English): Salah Altaleb, Vice President/ General Supervisor, Project for the Tourism and Investment Initiative

"We are expecting the tourism visa to take place hopefully during the second half of this year. There are logistical issues that we are working on, system development, system testing and integration with other government partners and as soon as this is finished we will start implementing the tourism visas, and we expect this to take place in the second half of 2018."

9. Various of Tiref neighbourhood in Diriyah

10. SOUNDBITE (Arabic): Abdel Aziz AlYahya, Assistant Manager, Archeological office of Diriyah

"The Tiref neighbourhood is one of a kind, because the first Saudi kingdom was started there and it was the first capital. Diriyah is represented by the Tiref neighbourhood and its one of a kind. There are others like historical Jeddah but this is different from historical Jeddah because the rulers of the first Kingdom of Saudi Arabia lived there."

11. Various of Tiref neighbourhood in Diriyah

12. SOUNDBITE (English): Salah Altaleb, Vice President/ General Supervisor, Project for the Tourism and Investment Initiative

"It is true that from a visa point of view the country was closed to international tourists but now we have an international tourism visa that will be available and they would have a chance to come and see for themselves and correct that image. Of course we will have to deal with tour operators and travel agents in different countries to communicate a message a welcoming message to the country and once they come here and see the country, I think the marketing literature tells us that they would go back and tell their family and friends and relatives about the experience and things will start to change then."

13. Various of Saudis hanging out in the park

14.SOUNDBITE (English): Chris Brooks, British visitor

"There's a lot of history, there is an amazing amount of history here and yeah of course I would love to see some of that. I think it's going to take some convincing families to want to come here. You know, I have been here on business and I have been lucky enough to have a couple of hours here. I think to open up you need, it needs to be more welcoming, more accessible. It takes a lot of time to get a visa to come here and if they address those issues then I think yeah more people will come here. There is just so much to see."

15. Wide pan of leisure area

16. SOUNDBITE (Arabic): Omer Hassan, Emirati tourist

"The guys here have gatherings and their discussions are so different. They talk about so many topics by comparison to us. We are always on our phones in the Majlis. Everyone is using their phone. Here no, they talk with you, they discuss things like sports, politics. That is the difference."

17. Various of Saudi students eating

18. SOUNDBITE (Arabic): Mohammed Ibrahim Altamimi, Saudi tourist

"I see this as a beautiful thing. We have been missing the tourism sector from a long time ago. It was missing, there were no tourists. But when the decision came out to open up tourism and to grant visas to tourists, it's a beautiful thing. I think tourism is an important thing for the country."

19. Various of Tiref neighbourhood in Diriyah

20. SOUNDBITE (Arabic): Anas Alshuqayr, Saudi tourist

"I think a mix of everything is good. The preserving of our general culture and the traditions is very positive with a kind of openness to the other, I think is a positive thing. A mix of everything is a good thing. We should not abandon our culture completely and be completely open. I think a happy medium is a good thing."

21. Wide pan of Diriyah

LEADIN:

The once closed kingdom of Saudi Arabia is to open its doors by offering its first tourist visas.

The historic Al Saud fort and surrounding areas of Diriyah have already welcomed tourists, mostly visiting on short business trips to Riyadh.

STORYLINE

This mysterious city will soon be open to tourists from all over the world. Later this year, Saudi Arabia will enter the tourism industry by giving out its first tourist visas.

The country, which has largely been closed to the outside world, is hoping to market itself to outside visitors. For those interested in history, Saudi is offering many sites including Diriyah 20 minutes outside the capital Riyadh.

Salah Altaleb is an official with the Project for the Tourism and Investment Initiative. He says the country is going through a massive renovation process to take in the first batch of tourists who are expected to come later this year.

200,000 visas will be issued in the first year.  

For decades, visitors to Saudi Arabia have been mostly pilgrims heading to Mecca and Medina or business travellers heading to the capital, Riyadh, or other major cities like Jiddah and Dammam.

Saudi Arabia's 32-year-old heir to the throne, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, is trying to change that. It's part of a much larger plan to prepare the country for an era of sustained lower oil prices.

Tourism is seen as a way to create more jobs for Saudis, attract greater foreign investment, boost the economy and improve the country's image abroad.

The government's sovereign wealth fund, which the Crown Prince oversees, has already identified a 125 mile-stretch (200 kilometres) of coastline along the Red Sea which it plans to transform into a global luxury travel destination.

The Red Sea project will include diving attractions and a nature reserve, with some areas resembling the hotels, islands and lagoons of the Maldives.

The Public Investment Fund says the area will be a semi-autonomous, visa-free travel destination "governed by laws on par with international standards".  This suggests rules on female dress won't apply.

Prince Mohammed is also spearheading a 500 billion US Dollar project called "Neom", an independent economic zone in the northwestern region of the country near Egypt and Jordan that sits on 10,230 square miles (26,500 square kilometres) of untouched land along the Red Sea. He's described it as a hub for technological innovation and artificial intelligence that will create jobs and attract investments.

Other attractions are historical sites like Diriyah. Diriyah is considered to be Saudi Arabia's first capital and the home of the Saudi Royal Family.

The old city, which stretches 15 km kilometres along a narrow valley has been considered an agricultural hub and for the last five years. The area has gone through a renovation process to be ready for visitors.

Abdel Aziz AlYahya is the Assistant Manager at the Archeological office of Diriyah. He says this World Heritage site will attract many visitors to the four museums within its quarters.

The renovated site is expected to open in a few months. In the meantime visitors can enjoy the parks around the historic site.

The country is hoping that by opening up it can shake off Saudi Arabia's reputation as a country ruled by an austere version of Islam known as Wahhabism. The Crown Prince has brought back musical concerts that had been banned for 20 years.

He's also promised the return of movie theatres and Saudi Arabia's ban on women driving will be lifted this summer.

While most of the visitors who come to Diriyah are Saudi, there are a few international visitors who get a glimpse of the historic city. Chris Brooks from the UK is in Saudi for business. With a few hours to spare he decided to visit Diriyah, but he's not sure he can convince his family to come.

"It needs to be more welcoming, more accessible. It takes a lot of time to get a visa to come here and if they address those issues then I think yeah more people will come here. There is just so much to see," he says.

An Emirati tourist, one of the few countries that have visa free access to Saudi, enjoys the simple gatherings within Saudi.

And for the Saudis themselves, they are happy to welcome tourists and see it as a long overdue. Mohammed Ibrahim Altamimi is visiting a traditional Saudi restaurant.

The law student hopes that this is a sign of a more open future in Saudi.

"I see this as a beautiful thing. We were missing the tourism sector from a long time ago. It was missing, there were no tourists. But when the decision came out to open up tourism and to grant visas to tourists, it's a beautiful thing. I think tourism is an important thing for the country," he says.

Diriyah, Saudi Arabia - 8 March 2018

1. Various beauty shots of Diriyah historical sites

2. Walking shot of Salah Altaleb, Vice President/ General Supervisor, Project for the Tourism and Investment Initiative

3. SOUNDBITE (English): Salah Altaleb, Vice President/ General Supervisor, Project for the Tourism and Investment Initiative

"The country is going through a product development, they are developing sites and places to visit as well as making sure all the procedures to come to Saudi and access the country is in a very smooth way for the international tourists to use."

4. Various of 'Historic Diriyah' signs

5. Various of old mosque in the middle of renovation

6. SOUNDBITE (Arabic): Abdel Aziz AlYahya- Assistant Manager at the Archeological office of Diriyah

"We joined the UNESCO and it was certified as a world heritage site and now for the last 5-6 years we have been working on restoring and revamping to reopen it as a heritage site. Inside the neighbourhood, there will 4 museums, in addition to Salwa Palace which will become the main museum in Diriyah."

7. Various of construction worker working

8. SOUNDBITE (English): Salah Altaleb, Vice President/ General Supervisor, Project for the Tourism and Investment Initiative

"We are expecting the tourism visa to take place hopefully during the second half of this year. There are logistical issues that we are working on, system development, system testing and integration with other government partners and as soon as this is finished we will start implementing the tourism visas, and we expect this to take place in the second half of 2018."

9. Various of Tiref neighbourhood in Diriyah

10. SOUNDBITE (Arabic): Abdel Aziz AlYahya, Assistant Manager, Archeological office of Diriyah

"The Tiref neighbourhood is one of a kind, because the first Saudi kingdom was started there and it was the first capital. Diriyah is represented by the Tiref neighbourhood and its one of a kind. There are others like historical Jeddah but this is different from historical Jeddah because the rulers of the first Kingdom of Saudi Arabia lived there."

11. Various of Tiref neighbourhood in Diriyah

12. SOUNDBITE (English): Salah Altaleb, Vice President/ General Supervisor, Project for the Tourism and Investment Initiative

"It is true that from a visa point of view the country was closed to international tourists but now we have an international tourism visa that will be available and they would have a chance to come and see for themselves and correct that image. Of course we will have to deal with tour operators and travel agents in different countries to communicate a message a welcoming message to the country and once they come here and see the country, I think the marketing literature tells us that they would go back and tell their family and friends and relatives about the experience and things will start to change then."

13. Various of Saudis hanging out in the park

14.SOUNDBITE (English): Chris Brooks, British visitor

"There's a lot of history, there is an amazing amount of history here and yeah of course I would love to see some of that. I think it's going to take some convincing families to want to come here. You know, I have been here on business and I have been lucky enough to have a couple of hours here. I think to open up you need, it needs to be more welcoming, more accessible. It takes a lot of time to get a visa to come here and if they address those issues then I think yeah more people will come here. There is just so much to see."

15. Wide pan of leisure area

16. SOUNDBITE (Arabic): Omer Hassan, Emirati tourist

"The guys here have gatherings and their discussions are so different. They talk about so many topics by comparison to us. We are always on our phones in the Majlis. Everyone is using their phone. Here no, they talk with you, they discuss things like sports, politics. That is the difference."

17. Various of Saudi students eating

18. SOUNDBITE (Arabic): Mohammed Ibrahim Altamimi, Saudi tourist

"I see this as a beautiful thing. We have been missing the tourism sector from a long time ago. It was missing, there were no tourists. But when the decision came out to open up tourism and to grant visas to tourists, it's a beautiful thing. I think tourism is an important thing for the country."

19. Various of Tiref neighbourhood in Diriyah

20. SOUNDBITE (Arabic): Anas Alshuqayr, Saudi tourist

"I think a mix of everything is good. The preserving of our general culture and the traditions is very positive with a kind of openness to the other, I think is a positive thing. A mix of everything is a good thing. We should not abandon our culture completely and be completely open. I think a happy medium is a good thing."

21. Wide pan of Diriyah

Substitute Fahad Al Muwallad's second-half goal ensured Saudi Arabia qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup as Group B runners-up after a narrow 1-0 win over table-toppers Japan on Tuesday night at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah.

The win for Saudi Arabia took them ahead of Australia on goal difference and into their first FIFA World Cup since 2006 and fifth overall.

The 'Socceroos' must settle for a place in the continental play-offs against Syria despite seeing off Thailand 2-1 earlier on Tuesday.

King Abdullah Sports City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia - 5th September 2017

1. 00:00 Wide of players leaving mixed zone

2. 00:18 SOUNDBITE: (English) Maya Yoshida, Japan

"It was very difficult because of temperature, humidity, atmosphere in the stadium because they have to win today. I think we organised very well. Not so high intensity but we controlled the game, managed the game very well, especially first half. Second half they got only one chance and they scored. After that we got (into) trouble, and couldn't score then.... (it was) finished and they could fight."

3. 00:48 Yoshida in camera viewfinder

4. 00:52 SOUNDBITE: (Japanese) Maya Yoshida, Japan

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5. 01:20 Shinji Okazaki

6. 01:23 SOUNDBITE: (English) Shinji Okazaki, Japan

"This (was a tough) match because (it was) too hot, and too (humid). So yeah, mist. But we want to win, we want to try (to) win, but we lost. (We are) Bit disappointed."

7. 01:47 Japanese team logo.

8. 01:52 SOUNDBITE: (Japanese) Shinji Okazaki, Japan

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9. 02:07 Wide of Saudi players leaving mixed zone

10. 02:17 Qualifications logo

11. 02:22 Wide of Saudi players leaving mixed zone

12. 02:34 SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Motaz Hawsawi, Saudi Arabia:

"We are pleased with this victory. We played with great concentration from the first to the last minute of the match. This victory is a result of our hard work in the last few days."

13. 02:49 Wide of Saudi players leaving mix zone

14. 02:54 SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Motaz Hawsawi, Saudi Arabia:

"Nothing is impossible in football. When we wear the Saudi emblem we play to the last breath. Thankfully we managed today to achieve the three points and qualify."

15. 03:11 Wide of mixed zone

16. 03:16 SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Nasser Al-Shamrani, Saudi Arabia:

"We know that as long as we have our players on the field we have hope. We achieved our goal today. People doubted us and our coach after the UAE match, but we replied today by winning the match and qualifying for the World Cup."

17. 03:34 Cameraman

18. 03:38 SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Nasser Al-Shamrani, Saudi Arabia:

"Playing in the World Cup is every player's dream. We achieved today this dream for all our players. Playing in the World Cup is the best way to end your career."

19. 03:55 Wide of Saudi players leaving mixed zone

SOURCE: SNTV

DURATION: 03:42

Saudi Arabia and Japan trained and faced the media on Monday (4th September) ahead of the following day's World Cup qualifier in Jeddah.

SCRIPTING INFORMATION:

Saudi Arabia will go into Tuesday's (5th September) crucial World Cup qualifying Group B fixture with Japan knowing exactly what they have to do to advance to the next year's finals.

Japan confirmed their place in Russia with a 2-0 victory over Australia last Thursday (31st August), but Saudi Arabia's 2-1 loss to the United Arab Emirates means they go into the final round of fixtures level on points with the 'Socceroos' but above them on goal difference.

Australia are two goals worse off than the Saudis and face Thailand earlier on Tuesday, so a win in Melbourne would move them three points ahead of the Gulf state.

Bert van Marwijk's men will know the margin of victory needed to confirm a top-two spot after that though.

The 'Green Falcons'' defeat in Al Ain was their second in a row, but they remain unbeaten at home support and will be confident of sealing a first World Cup appearance since 2006.

When Saudi Arabia visited Saitama in November, Japan emerged 2-1 winners, with the Saudis ending the game with 10 men.

This time around the 'Samurai Blue' will be without captain Makoto Hasebe and Shinji Kagawa as they look to maintain their unbeaten away record.

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. 4th September 2017.

1. 00:00 Various of Japan squad and coach Vahid Halilhodzic walking around King Abdullah Sports City pitch

2. 00:13 Various of players jogging

3. 00:30 News conference

4. 00:35 SOUNDBITE: (French/with Japanese translation) Vahid Halilhodzic, Japan coach:

"This morning I met with the players. There is no release. I will prepare a team to make more than Australia match. I am talking about the France team - the team surprised by a "small team" lke Luxembourg at such high level as World Cup qualifiers. There is no small match, especially when competing with an opponent that plays in his home with such quality as this. It is for the team another challenge that we will rise to, to progress and go to the World Cup with ambition."

5. 01:48 Various of Japan training

6. 02:09 Various of Saudi Arabia training

7. 02:23 Saudi Arabia coach Bert van Marwijk

8. 02:28 SOUNDBITE: (English) Bert van Marwijk, Saudi Arabia coach:

"Tomorrow we play against the best team of this group, I think. They deserved to go to Russia. They are already qualified, congratulations from this (group of) players. It will be a very tough match for us, but also a little bit strange, because, tomorrow I think seven hours before our game we know the result of Australia against Thailand, and that's very important. We trained very well for this game. We failed (to qualify) in the (United Arab) Emirates, and we want to take this chance."

9. 03:18 Various of Saudi Arabia players jogging

10. 03:33 SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Osama Hawsawi, Saudi Arabia captain:

"Hope in God that in our existing abilities, tomorrow's game we will do everything we can. This match cannot be divided in two, without three points we will never benefit. We are all confident in ourselves we trained well and we are ready and with the coach's instructions we will achieve victory."

11. 04:10 Various of training

12. 04:25 SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Osama Hawsawi, Saudi Arabia captain:

"It is possible that for more than five players this will be their last qualifier. The defeat in the Emirates game is on everyone's mind and everyone feels responsible. We will not disappoint the public."

13. 05:06 Various of training

SOURCE: SNTV

DURATION: 05:35

Reaction after Saudi Arabia beat Iraq 1-0 in their World Cup qualifying Group B encounter on Tuesday (28th March).

SCRIPTING INFORMATION:

Yahya Al Shehri scored the only goal of the game as Saudi Arabia backed up their win over Thailand with a 1-0 victory over Iraq on Tuesday.

The result puts Bert van Marwijk's side in a strong position to qualify for next year's FIFA World Cup.

Al Shehri netted in the 53rd minute with a curling left-foot strike from outside the penalty area.

Saudi Arabia have16 points with three games of their qualification campaign remaining.

King Abdullah Sports City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. 28th March 2017

1. 00:00 Close up of qualification logo.

2. 00:14 SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Radhi Shanaishil, Iraq team coach:

"We knew that the match was difficult against the Saudi team and in front of their fans. But I think our team today played a good match and we stopped the Saudi team to create many chances, and that is the reason that our players played a good game physically and tactically "

3. 00:55 Cutaway to qualification logo.

4. 01:04 SOUNDBITE (Arabic ) Radhi Shanaishil, Iraq team coach:

"I think the qualification chances still on, even the UAE team, If you calculate an accurate calculation, the away matches are great importance, I think the Japanese and Australian teams are the hardest because they have more games at home, the three teams ( Japan - Saudi Arabia- Australia) have strong chances. For sure we hope an Arabic team qualify, but the Saudi team has a personality and experience to manage the strong and sensitive games"

5. 01:22 Wide of Saudi team press conference start.

6. 01:30 SOUNDBITE (English ) Lambertus van Marwijk / KSA coach

"As I said before this is for me the most difficult game in the period I'm coach of Saudi Arabia. You have to respect your opponent and not be afraid, I think we had today maybe little bit to much respect for Iraq "

7. 01:58 Cutaway to qualification logo.

8. 02:03 SOUNDBITE (Arabic ) Yahya Al-Shehri / Saudi player ( man of the match):

"I congratulate the Saudi fans. Everyone knows that the Iraqi team had a chance to get third place if they won, that's why they appeared today at a great level. They were good opponents, but we managed to reach the stage we never go back, from the start of the qualification and we were with a high rhythm and now we got to a big stage In qualifying to the World Cup in Russia. I hope the next game will decide our qualification with all of our efforts with the help of the supporters"

9. 02:26 Wide of Saudi players leaving mix zone.

SOURCE: SNTV

DURATION: 03:17

Saudi Arabia talked and trained on Monday (27th March) ahead of their World Cup qualifier against Iraq on Tuesday (28th March).

SCRIPTING INFORMATION:

Saudi Arabia are currently top of their AFC World Cup qualifying group and will look to cement that position at the summit of Group B with three points against visitors Iraq on Tuesday.

The home side are currently on 13 points - the same haul as Japan - but lead the way by virtue of goal difference and look to be very strong contenders to reach their first World Cup since 2006.

Saudi Arabia cruised past Thailand last Thursday (23rd March) - winning 3-0 in Bangkok.

Their confidence will be reinforced still further thanks to the return of captain Osama Hawsawi and Hassan Fallatah who are available once again after serving suspensions.

Saudi Arabia coach Bert van Marwij vowed that his side would do "everything to win," while opposite number Radhi Shenaishil struck an optimistic tone, insisting that "chances are still there" for his side to qualify.

Iraq have to put together a remarkable run of results to have a chance of making the top three - the first two teams qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, with a third placed finish earning a two-legged play-off with a team from CONCACAF.

It is looking increasingly likely that Iraq will need to battle it out with Australia for the third spot and they showed their credentials to compete in that dual after achieving a 1-1 draw against the 'Socceroos' also on Thursday.

The chase remains a daunting one however - Shenaishil's men are second bottom in Group B and six points adrift of third-placed Australia, making their visit to the King Abdullah Sports City a must-win match to keep their World Cup dream alive.

The Saudi's defeated Iraq in the reverse fixture in September 2016 - winning 2-1 in dramatic style.

The late win came courtesy of two penalty strikes from Nawaf Al Abid in the last ten minutes to break Iraqi hearts.

King Abdullah Sports City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. 27th March 2017.

1. 00:00 Various of Iraq team training.

2. 00:23 SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Radhi Shanaishil, Iraq coach:

"I wish our match with the Saudi team rises to all the aspects that bind us - fair play, artistic performance and the long history of the two teams. I hope the game will be played with a high and technical value. The Saudi team is stable from all sides, even the staff coaching has been stable for a long time. The match will not be easy for both teams, even the qualifying places so far are still on the pitch (qualification places are still there to win). The chances are still there."

3. 01:04 Various of Iraq team training

4. 01:42 SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Saad Abdul-Amir, Iraq midfielder:

"We prepared well, we worked on weaknesses and strengths of the Saudi team with the coaching staff. Today is the last training session, we are determined to achieve a positive result to satisfy us as players and coaching staff and satisfy our fans, they support us everywhere. I hope it will be a fun game for both parties and for our fans."

5. 02:11 Close of qualification logo

6. 02:15 Various of Saudi Arabia team training

7. 02:40 SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Osama Hawsawi, Saudi Arabia defender:

"We played a tough game in Thailand. It was fateful that this game is harder - Saudi Arabia and Iraq matches always have a great competitive element, it is fun and exciting. We hope the fans support us in Jeddah. As players we are all determined with a combat spirit and we will not disappoint our fans."

8. 03:12 Various of Saudi Arabia team training

9. 03:27 SOUNDBITE (English) Bert van Marwijk, Saudi Arabia coach:

"This is also again a very very important game for us and we had a good few days to prepare almost 100 percent for this game. We don't underestimate our opponent. It's completely different to paying against Iraq, compared to Thailand. A complete different style of play, so we all well prepared and we will do everything to win this game. We are glad to play here in this beautiful stadium. There's new grass, I already saw it and I am very happy with it."

10. 04:16 Various of Saudi Arabia team training

SOURCE: SNTV

DURATION: 04:41

Reaction after Saudi Arabia netted claimed a 3-0 victory over United Arab Emirates in Group B of the FIFA World Cup Russia 2018 Asian Qualifiers Third Round on Tuesday (11th October).

King Abdullah Sports City/Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. 11th October 2016.

1. 00:00 Wide of UAE players leaving mix zone

2. 00:14 SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Ahmed Khalil, UAE player:

"We got only two chances in the first half but we didn't exploit them. We should respect the Saudi team, the Saudi team played with a strong tactical manner and they played a good game. We were not at the level required. We hope in the future we can have more success."

3. 00:55 Wide of Emirati players leaving mix zone

4. 01:04 SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Taiseer Al-Jassam, Saudi player:

"It was a very important match to lead this (qualifying) group. We have succeeded and the public deserve this joy, we still have difficult games and we need to intensify our work in the coming period."

5. 01:22 Wide of Saudi players leaving mix zone

6. 01:30 SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Fahad Al-Muwallad, Saudi player:

"The coach talked to me a lot when he saw the UAE defencive errors, there was a heaviness there and he wanted me to play striker and exploit the space. I succeeded and scored a goal thanks for the players. Congratulations to the Saudi people and hard luck for the UAE team."

7. 01:58 Cutaway to Saudi team badge

8. 02:03 SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Naif Ahmad Hazazi, Saudi player:

"Three important points and the UAE team did it's best today. We succeeded and we have the Japan match. We wish to succeed and qualify."

9. 02:26 Wide of Saudi players leaving mix zone

10. 02:29 SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Ahmed eid, President of Saudi Arabian Football Federation:

"I expected to win but I did not expect the collapse of the UAE team in the second half but this football. The UAE team is a respectable team. We are one people and everyone knows that this is a just football match in the group."

11. 03:04 Close of qualifications logo

12. 03:09 SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Prince Abdullah bin Messaed, General President of Youth Welfare:

"Everyone should change his bad opinions about the Saudi team. The team is in good condition and evolve from one match to another and with fighting spirit. We are happy with the first position (in the group), but we do not get anything now. Still we have six games but in the eyes of the players I saw a determination that makes us optimistic of qualifying for the World Cup."

13. 03:40 Wide of mix zone..

14. 03:45 SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Prince Turki bin Khalidbin, President of the Union of Arab Football Associations:

"We are still at the beginning of the road, we are top of the group, but the next (match) is harder. This spirit must continue with the players and the public. No substance so far, but we are optimistic with the determination of these players "

15. 04:02 Wide of Saudi players leaving mix zone

SOURCE: SNTV

DURATION: 04:06