Author: Editorial Team
MAKKAH — In three separate incidents, three Saudi citizens and 19 residents were arrested for violating Hajj regulations. Hajj Security Forces arrested two citizens for violating Hajj regulations and instructions by transporting 17 Pakistani residents through unpaved roads and valleys in an attempt to enter Makkah and remain there without obtaining a Hajj permit. Authorities apprehended them and took legal action against them. In a related incident, Makkah region police arrested a citizen for posting fraudulent and misleading advertisements on social media offering fake entry permits to Makkah. He was referred to the Public Prosecution after taking the necessary legal…
JEDDAH — For many Saudi travelers last Eid, it was a rediscovery of destinations closer to home, as Red Sea resorts entered a more active phase and became increasingly accustomed to receiving guests at scale. That shift was reflected in the numbers. Red Sea resorts emerged as one of the strongest-performing segments of Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector in the first quarter of 2026, driven by a surge in domestic travel during Ramadan and Eid. According to the Ministry of Tourism’s Q1 2026 performance report, occupancy at ultra-luxury Red Sea resorts reached 82% during the final 10 days of Ramadan, reflecting…
As students across Dubai juggle a mix of in-person and remote learning after a prolonged stretch of online classes, the transition has brought its own set of challenges, particularly when it comes to rebuilding social connections and a sense of routine. For 16-year-old Dubai student Mehrin Shiras, the changing state of affairs highlighted a gap that needed to be filled. As a result, the Year 12 student and Head Girl at Repton Dubai launched ‘The Third Space’, a student-led initiative offering free creative sessions for children struggling with the loss of routine, social interaction and a sense of belonging. “The…
The Presidency for Religious Affairs at the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, in partnership with the King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language, has launched a program to enhance Arabic language teaching for non-native speakers, aiming to strengthen the educational impact of Quranic study circles and enrich visitors’ experience. The program provides a specialized training track for Arabic teachers in Quranic study circles at the Grand Mosque, equipping them with skills to teach language fundamentals while connecting learning to the Holy Quran. It also offers simplified training materials to improve teaching effectiveness. This initiative reflects ongoing collaboration to develop…
Ryan Courson. Seasoned finance executive combines dual expertise as both a technology investor and a CFO of fast-growth AI companies Dubai — IFS, the world’s leading provider of Industrial AI software, today announced the appointment of Ryan Courson as Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Courson joins IFS at a moment of considerable momentum, as the company continues to set the pace for Industrial AI adoption at enterprise scale, and as demand for IFS.ai capabilities accelerate across every region and industry it serves. Mark Moffat, CEO, IFS, said: “IFS is executing at a level that very few software businesses in the world can match…
MAKKAH — Minister of Commerce and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi General Authority of Foreign Trade (GAFT) Majid Al-Qasabi chaired the 70th meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Trade Cooperation Committee, held via video conference, on Thursday. Commerce ministers from GCC member states and GCC Secretary General Jasem Albudaiwi attended the meeting. The meeting discussed updates on free trade agreement negotiations with countries and international blocs and reviewed progress on implementing unified commercial laws across GCC states. It also examined a proposal for a virtual Gulf business incubator and reviewed the work of committees under…
JEDDAH — The National Center for Meteorology (NCM) stated that the Saudi regions experienced exceptional weather during April, marked by moderate to heavy rainfall across all regions in a notable climatic scene reflecting the diversity of the Kingdom’s atmosphere and its exposure to spring weather conditions. NCM spokesperson Hussein Al-Qahtani said that what the Kingdom’s regions experienced during April represents a distinctive climatic condition. He noted that most Saudi regions were affected by varying rainfall levels, reflecting the nature of weather fluctuations during spring, while also supporting water reserves and contributing to improved vegetation cover. Al-Qahtani said that the Kingdom…
UAE residents who may qualify for newly approved oral obesity pills such as Foundayo (orforglipron) and Wegovy — which are expected to enter the market soon — may face a question: will my insurance pay for it? Industry experts said that the answer is not clear yet. While Foundayo has been approved by the Emirates Drug Establishment (EDE), insurance experts said regulatory approval does not mean a medicine is added to insurance coverage. Decisions on whether the treatment will be covered and under what conditions, are expected to be assessed. Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT…
Saudi Ambassador to Tunisia Abdulaziz Al-Saqr welcomed a Saudi athletics delegation on the sidelines of the Kingdom’s participation in the 21st Arab U20 Athletics Championships in Tunis. The delegation included President of the Saudi Arabian Athletics Federation Ali Al-Shaikhi, Managing Director of the federation Majed Basonbul, and members of the national team. During the meeting at the embassy headquarters, Ambassador Al-Saqr praised the team’s participation in the championship and commended the athletes’ notable efforts in regional and international competitions. Source: Riyadh Daily
Prominent technology companies in China including ByteDance, Tencent and Alibaba are reportedly racing to secure AI chips from Huawei due to demand driven by the release of DeepSeek’s latest V4 AI model. Sources told Reuters cloud computing companies and GPU rental services also approached Huawei to place new orders for its Ascend 950 chip series. The spike follows the release of DeepSeek V4, a model optimised specifically for Huawei’s chips that opens a window for the Chinese vendor to push its in-house semiconductors. Following the launch of DeepSeek V4, domestic cloud giants Alibaba Cloud and Tencent Cloud immediately integrated the…