RIYADH, Saudi Arabia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb 10, 2026--
Umm Al Qura for Development & Construction Company, the owner, developer, and operator of Masar Destination in Makkah, has concluded its participation as a strategic partner in this year’s Real Estate Forum (RFF). The forum was held in Riyadh from January 26 to 28 under the patronage of His Excellency, the Minister of Municipal Rural Affairs and Housing, Mr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Hogail.
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The company’s pavilion, which drew strong interest from investors and visitors, presented Masar Destination’s key components, available investment opportunities, and recent project developments. It also highlighted the significant progress achieved in recent months.
During the forum, Umm Al Qura for Development & Construction announced the launch of a unified digital ownership platform through approved developers. The platform provides accurate and comprehensive information in both Arabic and English, enhancing transparency and governance across the development process.
Coinciding with its participation in the forum, Masar Destination also recently received LEED Gold certification in the Communities category, marking a key milestone for the project. The recognition reflects Masar’s commitment to the highest international sustainability standards and to creating an integrated urban environment that balances environmental, social, and economic considerations.
This achievement reinforces Masar’s position as a leading urban development in the heart of Makkah and reflects its continued alignment with the objectives of Vision 2030, contributing to the creation of a sustainable urban model that enhances quality of life and meets future aspirations.
Through its active participation in RFF, Umm Al Qura for Development & Construction reaffirmed its commitment to developing Masar in accordance with the highest international standards and to strengthening strategic partnerships that advance sustainable urban development. These efforts support both visitors and residents of the Holy City, while reflecting the Kingdom’s aspirations for a well-planned and sustainable urban future.
Source:AETOSWire
Masar Promenade View (Photo: AETOSWire)
MILAN (AP) — U.S. figure skater Amber Glenn says she has smoothed out copyright concerns with the artist behind one of the pieces of her free skate music, and that the Olympic team gold medalist may have struck up a new friendship with him because of it.
Canadian artist Seb McKinnon, who produces music under the name CLANN, had taken to social media after Glenn performed her free skate to conclude the team event Sunday and expressed surprise that his song, “The Return,” was used as part of the program.
“So just found out an Olympic figure skater used one of my songs without permission for their routine. It aired all over the world ... what? Is that usual practice for the Olympics?” McKinnon posted to X, before eventually congratulating Glenn on her medal.
Figure skaters are required to obtain copyright permission for the music they use. But the process is confusing and prone to mistakes, and several skaters at the Milan Cortina Games have had to change programs at the last minute because of it.
“The issue of music rights can be complex and confusing,” Glenn said in a statement. “Seems like there was a hiccup in that whole process. I’m glad we cleared things up with Seb and I look forward to collaborating with him.”
It was not clear where the hiccup occurred. Glenn has been performing to “The Return” for the past two years without any issues.
“It was a dream come true to perform at the Olympic Games and to have Seb acknowledge my performance and congratulate me afterward made the moment even more special,” Glenn said. “It’s my sincere hope that I was able to help create new fans of both figure skating and Seb. We will move forward and continue supporting both artists and the skating community.”
McKinnon, whose debut feature film will be released soon, said he was not trying to cause a controversy with his social media post.
“There's absolutely no hate on my side,” he said. “At the same time I just want to make sure the artist rights are respected.”
The issue of copyright is a relatively new problem in figure skating, because for generations the only music that could be used was mostly part of the public domain. But when the International Skating Union relaxed its regulations in 2014 and athletes began using more modern music reflective of their own personality, some artists began to demand compensation for their work.
The ISU has been working to help skaters avoid copyright problems, but several still have popped up during the Winter Games.
Spanish skater Tomas-Llorenc Guarino Sabate had to work feverishly to obtain approval for the music to his short program, set to a medley from the animated film “Minions.” Sabate had been performing the popular program all season, only to learn Universal Studios was poised to reject its use during the Winter Games. He got the final approval he needed last Friday.
Russian skater Petr Gumennik did have to change his short program two days before the start of competition Tuesday night because he did not have the proper permission for music from “Perfume: The Story of a Murderer,” a psychological thriller. He pivoted to “Waltz 1805” by Edgar Hakobyan, for which Gumennik was able to get permission.
As for Glenn, the three-time U.S. champion has become an unintentional lightning rod during the Olympics.
An outspoken LGBTQ+ rights activist, Glenn said she has been receiving threats following a pre-Olympics press conference in which she said that the queer community is going through a “hard time” amid the political climate under President Donald Trump.
“I was disappointed because I’ve never had so many people wish me harm before, just for being me and speaking about being decent — human rights and decency,” Glenn said Sunday night, wearing an LGBTQ+ pin on her team jacket during the team medal ceremony.
“So that was really disappointing,” Glenn added, “and I do think it kind of lowered that excitement for this.”
Glenn spent most of Monday making the TV rounds with several of her teammates to celebrate their gold medals, the second straight for the Americans in the Olympic team event. Then she planned to head to a training camp outside of Milan to prepare for the women's individual competition, which begins with the short program on Feb. 17.
“For all of us first-time Olympians, you saw our nerves, and (it was good) just getting them out,” Glenn said following the team event. "So I’m really grateful that I was able to have this opportunity ahead of the individual.”
AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
Amber Glenn of the United States competes during the figure skating women's team event at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
From left, Amber Glenn and ice dance team Madison Chock and Evan Bates celebrate winning the gold medal after the figure skating team event at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Team USA's Amber Glenn celebrates with her gold medal after the figure skating team event at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
