Saudi Arabia’s GEA to Host 1st Entertainment Forum in Mideast

General Entertainment Authority logo
General Entertainment Authority logo
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Saudi Arabia’s GEA to Host 1st Entertainment Forum in Mideast

General Entertainment Authority logo
General Entertainment Authority logo

The General Entertainment Authority (GEA), in partnership with the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA), will organize the International Entertainment Forum on March 5-8, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Considered the first of its kind in the Middle East, the forum will have a number of panel sessions that will bring together international experts in the entertainment industry and will introduce its visitors to the Kingdom’s largest entertainment cities, facilities, and projects, SPA said.

An exhibition will be organized on the sidelines of the forum for local and global companies specialized in show business. The exhibition will provide unique networking opportunities and exchange of expertise for participating international investors.

The forum, where IAAPA will be participating for the first time in the Middle East since its establishment in 2018, also aims at exploring the latest innovations in the entertainment industry and enhancing the performance of relevant initiatives, as well as introducing participants to the business and event success measurement tools and challenge solving mechanisms, SPA said.

A specialized vocational development program, presented by IAAPA’s Institute for Attractions Managers, will be organized during the forum with the aim of exchanging expertise and best practices in the entertainment industry applied by top global companies in the field.

A number of panel sessions have been organized on the Kingdom’s major projects being developed, and there will be an exhibition with accompanying pavilions where companies can display their products and services.



Out-of-Control Australia Bushfire Will Burn for Days, Officials Say

 22 December 2024, Australia, Halls Gap: A general view of a smokey Lake Bellfield at Halls Gap. Immediate evacuation orders are in place for towns across Victoria as out-of-control blazes and sweltering temperatures begin Australia's bushfire season. Photo: James Ross/AAP/dpa
22 December 2024, Australia, Halls Gap: A general view of a smokey Lake Bellfield at Halls Gap. Immediate evacuation orders are in place for towns across Victoria as out-of-control blazes and sweltering temperatures begin Australia's bushfire season. Photo: James Ross/AAP/dpa
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Out-of-Control Australia Bushfire Will Burn for Days, Officials Say

 22 December 2024, Australia, Halls Gap: A general view of a smokey Lake Bellfield at Halls Gap. Immediate evacuation orders are in place for towns across Victoria as out-of-control blazes and sweltering temperatures begin Australia's bushfire season. Photo: James Ross/AAP/dpa
22 December 2024, Australia, Halls Gap: A general view of a smokey Lake Bellfield at Halls Gap. Immediate evacuation orders are in place for towns across Victoria as out-of-control blazes and sweltering temperatures begin Australia's bushfire season. Photo: James Ross/AAP/dpa

An uncontained bushfire raging in Australia's Victoria state that has prompted an evacuation order for hundreds of residents will burn for several days, officials said on Sunday.

The order to leave immediately, set at the highest danger rating, remained in place for the fire in and around Grampians National Park, about 241 km (149 miles) west of state capital Melbourne, Victoria's emergency services agency said on its website.

"There's a lot of unburnt fuel in the Grampians still, so it's quite a challenge for the days ahead", Country Fire Authority deputy chief officer Garry Cook told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, referring to the fire that now covered 34,000 hectares (84,000 acres) of bush.

The blaze, sparked on Tuesday by lightning, prompted authorities on Saturday to urge residents of several rural towns such as Halls Gap, population 495, to evacuate.

Hundreds of firefighters have battled the bushfire, using more than 100 tankers and 25 aircraft, ABC reported on Saturday.

Authorities have warned of a high-risk bushfire season this Australian summer after several quiet seasons. The 2019-2020 "Black Summer" fires destroyed an area the size of Türkiye and killed 33 people.