Author: Editorial Team

Kawa Junad. Kawa Junad, Founder and Shareholder, First Iraqi Bank, explains why simplicity, trust, and everyday use cases hold the key to financial inclusion in a cash-heavy economy Iraq’s journey towards digital finance is unlike that of most markets in the region. With fewer than one-third of adults holding a bank account, the country’s transformation is not simply a shift from cash to digital payments but, for many citizens, a first step into formal financial services altogether. Building adoption in such an environment demands more than technology. Education, trust, accessibility, and a growing ecosystem of everyday use cases all play…

ASIR — Saudi Border Guard arrested four Ethiopian nationals in the Asir Region for attempting to smuggle 34 kilograms of hashish. Border Guard land patrols in the Raboua Sector of the Asir Region arrested the suspects for violating the Border Security Law after they were caught attempting to smuggle the narcotic substance. Authorities said the necessary preliminary legal procedures had been completed, and the suspects, along with the seized drugs, were referred to the competent authority. The Border Guard urged the public to report any information related to drug smuggling or trafficking by calling 911 in Makkah, Riyadh and the…

MAKKAH — The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has introduced a multiple-entry Umrah visa that allows pilgrims to enter Saudi Arabia multiple times over a one-year period and stay in the Kingdom for up to 90 days in total. Valid for 365 days from the date of issuance, the visa enables pilgrims to make multiple visits throughout its validity period. The total permitted stay of 90 days is calculated cumulatively based on the number of days spent in the Kingdom during each visit. The ministry clarified, however, that the multiple-entry Umrah visa cannot be used to enter Saudi Arabia during…

BEIJING — A food delivery rider who turned the struggles of life on the road into poetry has won one of China’s top literary honors. Wang Jibing, a 57-year-old delivery rider from Jiangsu province, has been awarded the prestigious Lu Xun Literary Prize for his poetry collection “Low Flight”. Named after Lu Xun, widely regarded as the father of modern Chinese literature, the award is among China’s most respected literary recognitions. Wang, who became a delivery rider around 2019, gained traction on social media for his poems and essays. He is part of a growing group of blue-collar workers who…

Children referred for autism assessments in Abu Dhabi will be seen by a specialist within two weeks, and in some cases, therapy will begin before a final diagnosis is confirmed, according to Sakina for Children. The newly launched neurodevelopmental centre aims to provide early support during critical brain development and to reduce the average age of autism identification from three to four years to approximately two. The centre stated that all eligible children referred through the Department of Health’s Autism Hub pathway are seen by a specialist within two weeks, and diagnostic assessments are completed within six weeks of the…

The first group of beneficiaries of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ Guests Program for Hajj, Umrah, and Visit, implemented by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance for 1448 AH, completed their departure today, returning to their home countries after a comprehensive spiritual journey during which they performed Umrah and prayed at the Prophet’s Mosque. The guests expressed their gratitude to the Saudi leadership for the generous hospitality and services provided, commending the ministry for its integrated services and distinguished care, reflecting the Kingdom’s attention to serving Islam, Muslims, Umrah performers, and pilgrims. Source: Riyadh Daily

Magdalena König, General Counsel, Sirius International Holding.  For much of the past three years, the global conversation around artificial intelligence has been driven by scale: who can build the fastest models, deploy the most compute, attract the deepest pools of capital, and move from experimentation to execution at speed. Yet as AI begins to move beyond pilots and proof-of-concept deployments into the systems that shape economies, industries, and daily life, the real competitive advantage is beginning to shift from capability to credibility.  The question is no longer simply who can build AI, but who can build AI that people, institutions,…

OSLO — Norway has unveiled a permanent memorial in Oslo dedicated to the 77 victims of the country’s deadliest peacetime terror attack carried out far-right extremist Anders Behring Breivik, just days before the 15th anniversary of the tragedy. On July 22, 2011, Breivik, a neo-Nazi, killed eight people in a bomb attack in Oslo before shooting dead 69 mostly teenagers at a youth camp on Utoeya island. Hundreds more were injured in the worst attack in Norway’s modern history. On Sunday, survivors and relatives of the victims gathered in Oslo for the unveiling of a large artwork showing a bird…

EAST RUTHERFORD — US President Donald Trump and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez came face to face at the 2026 FIFA World Cup final in New Jersey on Sunday, their first public appearance together after nearly two years of strained diplomatic relations. The two leaders greeted each other in the VIP section at MetLife Stadium before Spain took on Argentina in the tournament’s final, according to Euronews. Spain’s King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia and Princesses Leonor and Sofía were also present, alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino and several other world leaders. The interaction came after months of tensions between Washington…

Shakira has officially surpassed 100 million followers on Instagram, becoming the third South American in history to reach the milestone. The Colombian superstar joins football legends Lionel Messi and Neymar as the only South Americans to achieve the feat. The milestone came a day before Shakira took centrestage at the Fifa World Cup final halftime show, where she performed alongside Justin Bieber, Madonna, BTS, and Burna Boy during the 11 minute performance. According to The New York Times, an estimated 1.8 billion people watched the 2026 Fifa World Cup final between Argentina and Spain across television and livestreams, while more…