Saudi Arabia: ‘Sleeping Prince' Alwaleed bin Khaled Passes Away After 20-Year Coma
Prince Khaled stated that funeral prayers for his son will be held on Sunday at Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh, following Asr prayer.
Known widely as 'The Sleeping Prince,' Prince Alwaleed fell into a complete coma after the accident during his studies in the UK.
He remained under close medical supervision for almost 20 years, never regaining consciousness despite brief episodes of limited movement that offered fleeting moments of hope.
Throughout this period, Prince Khaled firmly resisted removing life support, expressing unwavering faith that life and death rest solely in God's hands.
His son's condition attracted immense sympathy across the Kingdom and beyond, with millions closely following his story over the years.
Prince Alwaleed's prolonged medical struggle came to an end with the announcement of his death on Saturday, closing a chapter that deeply touched the hearts of many.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
a minute ago
- Yahoo
Starbucks Opens Free Study Rooms in China to Lure Customers
(Bloomberg) -- Starbucks Corp. has launched free 'study rooms' in some of its China outlets, the company's latest initiative to help boost consumer traffic as domestic competition surges in its second-biggest market. Trump Awards $1.26 Billion Contract to Build Biggest Immigrant Detention Center in US Why the Federal Reserve's Building Renovation Costs $2.5 Billion Salt Lake City Turns Winter Olympic Bid Into Statewide Bond Boom Milan Corruption Probe Casts Shadow Over Property Boom How San Jose's Mayor Is Working to Build an AI Capital The study areas have been launched in some stores in southern Guangdong Province — home to millions of young workers at the country's export, manufacturing and technology hubs — Starbucks China said in a statement on its official Weibo account this week. People won't be required to purchase anything from Starbucks to use the spaces. The rooms are Starbucks's latest initiative in China this year as it tries to revive sales growth amid stiff competition from cheaper local rivals like Luckin Coffee Inc., which regularly rolls out new products and flavors, and the soaring popularity of Chinese tea chains. The Seattle-based coffee giant has also been weighing options for its China business, including a stake sale, Bloomberg has reported. Under new China chief Molly Liu, some of Starbucks's latest moves in the mainland are taking an opposite approach to policies in the US, where starting earlier this year people must buy items to use its cafes, patios and restrooms as the company prioritizes paying customers. Starbucks China has also expanded its drinks menu to include more sugar-free options and teas catering to local tastes, slashed prices on a slew of beverages and upped its options for customizing orders. That's in contrast to recent moves at home, where the chain has simplified its menu to boost operational efficiency. 'Starbucks is looking for ways to create fun entry drink experiences for Gen Z consumers,' said Jessica Gleeson, a former Starbucks China executive who now runs a Shanghai-based retail consultancy firm. 'In-store activities both bring new customers to the cafes and create a relationship between Starbucks and the community. It is a simple but effective tactic.' A newly-hired China chief growth officer has led to more tie-ups with movie and cartoon franchises and pop singers to lure Gen Z customers, adopting a playbook that's helped local rivals. The measures appear to have helped stem a sales decline in the mainland in the most recent quarter. There's no time limit or reservation needed to use the new study spaces. Book-donation areas have also been set up for customers — an initiative expected to boost foot traffic and ultimately revenue. New stores are also opening in heritage or scenic locations to draw people in, including a recent unveiling on tourist-friendly Yulong Snow Mountain in Yunnan Province. --With assistance from Karthikeyan Sundaram. (Updates throughout with more information on Starbucks's China business.) Elon Musk's Empire Is Creaking Under the Strain of Elon Musk Burning Man Is Burning Through Cash A Rebel Army Is Building a Rare-Earth Empire on China's Border Thailand's Changing Cannabis Rules Leave Farmers in a Tough Spot How Starbucks' CEO Plans to Tame the Rush-Hour Free-for-All ©2025 Bloomberg L.P.
Yahoo
a minute ago
- Yahoo
'Dancing queen' wants donations for 100th birthday
For her 100th birthday, a woman in south-east London wants donations to a hospice instead of gifts - and plans to dance to ABBA at her birthday party. Gwynneth Pedler, from Dulwich said she "set a target of getting to a hundred" and has learned a routine for her chosen song, Dancing Queen. In the run up to her special day, she has received physiotherapy at St Christopher's Hospice in Sydenham and credits them with getting back the use of her left leg after an accident. Born on 23 July 1925, Ms Pedler, a former head teacher of three schools and an air mechanic in the WRNS, once "accidentally" invited a whole class of students in Poland to come and stay with her in England. She also admits to being "a rather unruly child" as an evacuee during World War Two. Oldest person in the UK: How has life changed? The times and life of the world's oldest man When the physiotherapists asked if she had a goal, she told them she wanted to do a routine to ABBA's Dancing Queen at her birthday party, attended by more than 100 people, to celebrate her centenary. She said, "I thought it was ambitious but they said no - it wasn't." So they have choreographed steps and wiggles with sweeping arm movements, which has also helped build strength and balance. She said: "They do such wonderful work - not only with physiotherapy and art therapy - but all the other things that they do, in all sorts of other areas. The drivers are so calm, so helpful - it's a really lovely atmosphere." As a child, she was evacuated from London to the countryside during WWII, where she recalls a very long walk to school, something she wasn't keen on. "So we didn't go! We went out to where the farmer was thrashing the corn and he let us have a stick - to hit the rats as they ran out," she chuckles. It was her time in the Women's Royal Naval Service (WRNS) that taught her discipline, she says. And there followed a career in education - one of the things she attributes to having had such a long life. "Keep yourself surrounded by people younger than you and get to know them and socialise with them - because you'll then learn how to be young," she advises. 'I'll get you to England' After her retirement, Ms Pedler taught English in Poland - and once inadvertently invited her students to stay with her in England. All 27 of them. "One of them said, 'We've never been to England'. And I said, 'Oh, don't worry, I'll get you to England'," she recalls. They took that literally and went home to tell their mothers. Word got to the head and rather than cause disappointment, Ms Pedler made it happen. "I hadn't got room for them - my bungalow was big but it certainly wouldn't fit 27 students. So I borrowed tents from the Scouts, tables to put food on and raised some money." With an infectious can-do attitude, she talked her neighbours into bringing dinners for the children - for the next fortnight. "Everybody helped out, all sorts of people. I was just the figurehead really," she says modestly. Several of her Polish students went on to become teachers themselves and some are coming to her birthday party. Raising money and awareness for St Christopher's Hospice, is the latest mission in this determined woman's remarkable life. Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to Related internet links St Christopher's Hospice
Yahoo
a minute ago
- Yahoo
Renault second-quarter sales volumes flat on drop in demand for vans
PARIS (Reuters) -Renault reported zero growth in second-quarter sales volume on Wednesday, after a plunge in demand for vans in Europe offset growth in passenger cars. The French automaker, which had warned last week of weaker than expected June sales volumes, said its second-quarter sales were down 0.1%, despite a raft of new vehicle launches. That compared with growth of 2.8% in the first quarter. "Throughout the first half of the year, we have seen increasingly fierce competition between players in the European commercial vehicle market," said Ivan Segal, global sales and operations director for the Renault brand, which represents 70% of the French automaker's sales. "Demand is difficult, we sense an economic context full of uncertainty, certainly leading companies to postpone a certain number of purchases," he told reporters. Renault is currently being run by its finance chief Duncan Minto as it searches for a new chief executive to replace Luca de Meo, who departed this month. The company, which will publish its full half-year figures on July 31, also last week revised down its full-year operating margin and free cash flow forecasts. While Renault brand car sales increased by 8.4% in the first half, thanks in particular to the Clio, a best-seller in Europe, sales of highly profitable vans and light commercial vehicles, which make up a fifth of Renault sales volumes, fell by 29%. The decline was exacerbated by an unfavourable base effect and an update to its product offering. Sales of Renault brand electric vehicles jumped 57%, however, outperforming a market that grew by 25%, thanks to the success of the R5 in France, Germany and Spain. The A290, the new electric model under Renault's Alpine premium sports brand, helped the brand post an 85% jump in registrations in the first half of 2025. Segal said he expects the Renault brand to regain market share in commercial vehicles in the second half. He added overall growth would be "in line" with the first half while the brand would see double-digit growth outside Europe. Renault generates more than 70% of its sales in Europe, which has protected it from the trade disruptions linked to U.S. tariffs but makes it vulnerable to any slowdown on the continent where competition from new Chinese entrants is rising. Seeking higher growth markets, the Renault brand has been rolling out new models in Latin America, Turkey, Morocco and Korea, which resulted in a 16.3% increase in sales outside Europe in the first half of the year. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
