Omoda and Jaecoo held a grand launch in Riyadh

Omoda and Jaecoo held a grand launch in Riyadh
1 / 2
Omoda and Jaecoo held a grand launch in Riyadh
2 / 2
Short Url
Updated 31 July 2024
Follow

Omoda and Jaecoo held a grand launch in Riyadh

Omoda and Jaecoo held a grand launch in Riyadh

Omoda and Jaecoo held a grand brand launch event on July 29 at the Fairmont Hotel in Riyadh. 

The event attracted over 250 renowned local media and industry key opinion leaders (KOL) and received significant attention from the Saudi Ministry of Investment and the Ministry of Energy. 

Several high ranking government officials were also present to witness the launch.

The event commenced with a dazzling light show, and digital hologram host made a surprise appearance to host the live event. 

This innovative approach not only provided a stunning visual and auditory experience for the audience but also showcased Omoda and Jaecoo’s commitment to future technology and fashion trends.

Omoda and Jaecoo target new generation lifestyle enthusiasts and urban elites, respectively. The former aims to explore new avenues in the smart and electric vehicle era, while the latter, with its fearless spirit of exploration, strives to break boundaries in the global off-road vehicle market.

In the Omoda series, the C5, with its "Art in Motion" design philosophy, embodies a unique and stylish crossover SUV style. 

Its exterior design combines a diamond-cut geometric matrix grille, dynamic and powerful waistline, 18-inch dual-color blade wheels, and the signature coupe SUV fastback silhouette, exuding a futuristic technological feel. 

In terms of safety, the C5's body is made of 78 percent ultra-high-strength steel and comes standard with advanced intelligent driving assistance systems, providing world-class safety and comfort for passengers.

At the event, the Omoda C5, as one of the star models in the OMODA series, showcased its distinctive and stylish crossover SUV style with its "Art in Motion" design philosophy. 

Its exterior design features a diamond-cut geometric matrix grille, dynamic and powerful waistline, 18-inch dual-color blade wheels, and a couple of SUV fastback silhouette, highlighting its futuristic technological feel. 

This model, with world-class safety capabilities, has a body made of 78 percent ultra-high-strength steel and is equipped with advanced intelligent driving assistance systems to ensure the safety and comfort of passengers.

The Jaecoo J7, equipped with the ARDIS all-terrain intelligent system, exemplifies the Jaecoo series' "From Classic to Beyond Classic" concept. 

This system endows the J7 with excellent passability on various complex terrains such as sand, mud, and off-road, ensuring Saudi users can enjoy an ultimate driving experience in any travel scenario. 

In terms of power, the J7 is equipped with a 1.6TGDI engine with a peak torque of 290N·m, paired with a 7-speed wet dual-clutch transmission, providing an excellent driving experience. All J7 models are built to extremely high safety standards, featuring an innovative energy-absorbing cage body design, over 80 percent high-strength steel, and leading ADAS systems, collectively constructing a "Beyond Classic" safety system and intelligent protection.

Omoda and Jaecoo CEO Shawn Xu delivered a strategic speech at the launch event, sharing the brand's remarkable achievements in the global market. 

In just over a year since its establishment, Omoda and Jaecoo has achieved cumulative global sales exceeding 260,000 units, with export sales in the first half of 2024 seeing a 54 percent year-on-year increase. 

This achievement not only confirms the brand's status as one of the fastest-growing automotive brands globally but also demonstrates its strong competitiveness in the global automotive market.

Behind these achievements is Omoda and Jaecoo's relentless pursuit of deep market penetration and product innovation.

In the future, Omoda and Jaecoo will continue to deepen their presence in the Saudi market, positioning it as a crucial hub for rapid advancement in the Middle East and the global market. 

As a personalized new energy vehicle brand, Omoda and Jaecoo will focus on the new energy field, offering models with various power options, including BEV, PHEV, and ICE, to meet diverse consumer needs.

Omoda and Jaecoo's global strategy extends beyond the Middle East. In Europe, the brand is expanding rapidly. 

From the launch event in Spain this February, the establishment of the first factory in Barcelona, to the market layout in Poland and Italy, Omoda and Jaecoo are not only expanding their sales and service network and supply chain system rapidly but also demonstrating their service capabilities and system construction ability in the global automotive industry. 

Additionally, the "Go Paris" tour event held during the centennial sports event in Paris further highlighted the brand's charm and determination to expand in the European market.

Looking globally, Omoda and Jaecoo view the European market as a testing ground for the survival of technology and products and as a key area for building an international brand. 

According to the "2030 Strategy" plan, the brand aims to enter over 60 countries and regions worldwide, establish more than 3,000 global sales and service networks, and lead the automotive industry trend through continuous technological innovation and product upgrades, providing global consumers with safer, greener, and smarter travel experiences.


PSG to curb political slogans in wake of ‘Free Palestine’ banner

PSG to curb political slogans in wake of ‘Free Palestine’ banner
Updated 1 min 34 sec ago
Follow

PSG to curb political slogans in wake of ‘Free Palestine’ banner

PSG to curb political slogans in wake of ‘Free Palestine’ banner
  • PSG promised to “guarantee the absence of political messages” in the stands
  • “The club was not aware of the plan to display such a message“

PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain say they will make sure there is no repeat of a midweek unfurling by fans of a banner proclaiming “Free Palestine.”
The huge banner covered an entire section of the stadium at the Parc des Princes Wednesday night ahead of PSG’s defeat at the hands of Atletico Madrid.
As well as the slogan “Free Palestine,” the banner showed a bloodstained Palestinian flag, a gesticulating man with a keffiyeh scarf covering all his face except his eyes, the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem and a young boy wrapped in the Lebanese flag.
On Friday, after a meeting with the French football federation and government officials, PSG promised to “guarantee the absence of political messages” in the stands.
“A frank and constructive dialogue made it possible to identify solutions that PSG is committed to putting in place from the next match at the Parc des Princes,” a government spokesperson told AFP.
The banner, which was unfurled by the Paris Ultras Collective (CUP) hard-core fan group, was shown above another slogan which read: “War on the pitch but peace in the world.”
“The club was not aware of the plan to display such a message,” PSG said in a statement Wednesday evening.


UK court awards Manchester bomb victims £45,000 over hoax claims

UK court awards Manchester bomb victims £45,000 over hoax claims
Updated 22 min 16 sec ago
Follow

UK court awards Manchester bomb victims £45,000 over hoax claims

UK court awards Manchester bomb victims £45,000 over hoax claims
  • Martin Hibbert and his daughter Eve sued Richard Hall over claims made in videos and a book that they were “crisis actors“
  • Judge Karen Steyn called Hall’s behavior “a negligent, indeed reckless, abuse of media freedom”

LONDON: Two survivors of the 2017 bomb attack at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England, on Friday won £45,000 ($58,000) in damages from a former TV producer who claimed the attack was a hoax.
Martin Hibbert and his daughter Eve sued Richard Hall over claims made in videos and a book that they were “crisis actors” employed by the state as part of an elaborate deception.
Hibbert sustained a spinal cord injury in the attack, and his daughter suffered severe brain damage.
Hall argued that he was acting in the public interest by filming Hibbert’s daughter outside her home, but the High Court in London agreed with Hibbert’s claim for harassment.
Judge Karen Steyn called Hall’s behavior “a negligent, indeed reckless, abuse of media freedom” and on Friday ordered him to pay Hibbert and his daughter each £22,500 in damages.
Hall must also pay 90 percent of their legal costs, currently estimated at £260,000.
“The claimants are both vulnerable. The allegations are serious and distressing,” said the judge.
Jonathan Price, lawyer for the claimants, said that Hall “insisted that the terrorist attack in which the claimants were catastrophically injured did not happen and that the claimants were participants or ‘crisis actors’ in a state-orchestrated hoax, who had repeatedly, publicly and egregiously lied to the public for monetary gain.”
Hibbert welcomed the ruling, adding: “I want this case to open up the door for change, and for it to protect others from what we have been put through.
“It proves and has highlighted... that there is protection within the law, and it sends out a message to conspiracy theorists that you cannot ignore all acceptable evidence and harass innocent people.”
Islamic extremist Salman Abedi, aided by his brother, Hashem Abedi, killed 22 people and injured 1,017 during the suicide bombing at the end of the concert by the US singer.


Al-Hilal win again to pile pressure on Gerrard at Al-Ettifaq

Al-Hilal win again to pile pressure on Gerrard at Al-Ettifaq
Updated 23 min 3 sec ago
Follow

Al-Hilal win again to pile pressure on Gerrard at Al-Ettifaq

Al-Hilal win again to pile pressure on Gerrard at Al-Ettifaq
  • Three fine goals from Aleksandar Mitrovic, Malcom and Mohammed Al-Qahtani did the damage

RIYADH: Al-Hilal returned to the top of the Saudi Pro League on Friday, defeating Ettifaq 3-1 to rack up the pressure on under-fire coach Steven Gerrard.

Three fine goals from Aleksandar Mitrovic, Malcom and Mohammed Al-Qahtani did the damage as the champions moved a point clear of Al-Ittihad, who won 2–0 at Al-Orubah on Thursday. 

The loss means that Ettifaq, who started the season with three straight wins, have taken just one point from the last six games in the league. It may mean a nervous international break for Gerrard, though the Liverpool legend will know that this was a battling performance from his players, who just did not quite have the quality when needed.

While Ettifaq tried to keep it tight at the back, it was not all one-way traffic. Moussa Dembele had a couple of opportunities when the ball simply wouldn’t fall for him and Karl Toko-Ekambi shot just over from the left side, though it could have been a mishit cross.

All know, however, that you have to be ruthless and clinical when playing the 19-time Saudi champions as wastefulness is almost always punished. It took the Blues some time to get going but they started to look ominous as half-time approached.

Just before the break, Al-Hilal should have taken the lead. This season Mitrovic has been lethal inside the area and the league’s leading scorer was picked out in space near the penalty spot; the stadium held its breath but former Fulham teammate Marek Rodak got his foot to the low shot and Malcom fired the rebound wide.

Mitrovic didn’t miss in added time. Renan Lodi picked up possession on the left and the Brazilian then bent a beautiful low cross behind the Ettifaq defense and Mitrovic could not miss from inside the six-yard box for his 11th of the season.

Ettifaq were still very much in the game and ten minutes after the restart, Toko-Ekambi stretched for a low cross, and while the Cameroonian did make contact and forced a good save from Yassine Bounou, it was a great chance.

The easterners thought they were going to regret that as Mitrovic had the ball in the net once more but his close-range header was ruled out for offside. There was a lengthy VAR review but it only confirmed the referee’s original decision.

The second goal did come eventually, and when it did — in the 81st minute — it was one to remember, for the home fans at least. Malcolm was running in from the left side of the area when he was found by a smart backheel from Abdullah Al-Hamdan. The Brazilian then took the ball past the goalkeeper with his first touch and then rolled the ball home.

It seemed that there was no coming back from that — Hilal are not a team that gives up two-goal leads — but as injury time started, Ettifaq were handed a lifeline in the shape of a penalty, and up stepped Vitinho to place the ball into the bottom corner.

Unfortunately for the visitors, it served just to wake up the hosts, who quickly restored their two-goal lead, though Gerrard angrily told officials that Mitrovic had committed a foul in the build-up. The home fans enjoyed the goal, however, as Malcom fed Mohammed Al-Qahtani who turned 360 degrees to make a little space in the area and then fired a low shot home.

It got even worse for Ettifaq as Abdullah Radif was sent off for shoving Ali Al-Bulaihi in the neck. There really was no coming back from that.

All in all, it was a perfect evening’s work for Al-Hilal, even if Saudi Arabia coach Herve Renard will be a little concerned that star man Salem Al-Dawsari seemed to pick up an injury — with the trip to Australia for a vital World Cup qualifier next Thursday.

Elsewhere, Al-Ahli bounced back from their defeat in the Jeddah Derby to defeat Al-Raed 2-0.


Dozens arrested in southwest Pakistan as clashes between police, Imran Khan’s party injure 14

Dozens arrested in southwest Pakistan as clashes between police, Imran Khan’s party injure 14
Updated 36 min 52 sec ago
Follow

Dozens arrested in southwest Pakistan as clashes between police, Imran Khan’s party injure 14

Dozens arrested in southwest Pakistan as clashes between police, Imran Khan’s party injure 14
  • PTI members tried to stage a rally near the Chief Minister House in Quetta, seeking Khan’s release
  • Quetta’s deputy commission says two of the arrested people were carrying guns and hand grenades

QUETTA: Dozens of protesters were rounded up by police in southwestern Balochistan on Friday after clashes broke out between former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters and law enforcement personnel, leaving at least 14 people injured, including eight policemen.
The incident occurred in the provincial capital of Quetta after PTI protesters attempted to stage a rally near the Chief Minister House, demanding the release of the ex-premier from a high-security jail in Rawalpindi. Khan has faced prison trials on multiple charges since his arrest last year in August, which he claims are fabricated to keep him out of the country’s political landscape.
Police officials said the PTI organized the rally without securing official permission, violating Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure imposed in the city, which prohibits gatherings of four or more people to maintain order or address urgent threats to public safety.
“The protesters were carrying weapons that they used against the police,” said Station House Officer (SHO) of Civil Line Police Naseebullah Khan while speaking to Arab News. “They pelted stones and even hit our officials with their vehicles. Fifty-five protesters have been arrested and a first information report has been lodged against the PTI workers.”

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party's supporters protest to demand the release of former prime minister Imran Khan, in Quetta on November 8, 2024. (AFP)

The SHO informed a senior police officer was among the injured, adding that both of his legs were fractured after a protester tried to run him down with a car.
Quetta’s Deputy Commissioner Saad bin Asad said the PTI was protesting without official permission, which had been denied despite the party’s decision to appeal to the court.
He added that authorities informed the judge they would not permit the gathering and provided reasons for the decision.
“But they deliberately came out for a rally,” Asad said, adding that among the arrested individuals, “two were carrying guns and hand grenades while participating in the protest.”
He confirmed that at least 14 people, including eight policemen, were injured in the clashes.
Asad said PTI supporters began pelting police with stones, prompting law enforcement to use tear gas to disperse them.
Dawood Shah, PTI’s provincial president in Balochistan, told Arab News the party was holding a peaceful rally near Quetta Railway Station because the government had “refused its workers permission to hold the rally at the designated venue.”
“Unknown people disguised as protesters started pelting stones and instigated PTI workers,” he said, adding that 67 PTI supporters were arrested and nine were injured in the clashes.
“Peaceful protest is our democratic right,” Shah continued. “We scheduled a peaceful rally at the Hockey Ground for the release of Imran Khan, but the administration did not give us permission.”
He accused the authorities of “attempting to repeat the 9th May episode,” referencing last year’s riots where people carrying PTI flags targeted government buildings and military installations after Khan’s brief arrest on corruption charges.
The incident triggered a crackdown on the party, whose leaders distanced themselves from the protests, alleging that they were intended to discredit the PTI.


Saudi foreign minister, Blinken discuss regional crises

Saudi foreign minister, Blinken discuss regional crises
Updated 55 min 49 sec ago
Follow

Saudi foreign minister, Blinken discuss regional crises

Saudi foreign minister, Blinken discuss regional crises
  • Two discussed ongoing efforts to address the issues in Gaza and Lebanon

RIYADH: Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan spoke on the phone on Friday with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Saudi Press Agency reported.

During the call, they reviewed regional issues, with a particular focus on Gaza and Lebanon and ongoing efforts to address the issues there, SPA added.

In a separate call on Friday with UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Blinken stressed the need to stop the fighting in Sudan and the need to support efforts to form a civilian government, the State Department said.

Blinken also discussed the need to expand humanitarian access to Sudan and thanked the UAE for its provision of aid for Gaza and Lebanon, according to a State Department statement.