Author: Editorial Team
JEDDAH — Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Jeddah on Wednesday to review bilateral relations and regional developments, including ongoing US-Iran talks. The meeting focused on the strong ties between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, exploring opportunities to expand cooperation across various sectors. The Crown Prince praised Sharif’s efforts to drive economic growth in Pakistan and strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries. Discussions also covered regional and international developments, with particular focus on the situation in the region and the ongoing negotiations between the United States and Iran, currently hosted by Pakistan.…
The first half of April 2026 has been marked by historic milestones for Saudi Arabia, showcasing a nation pushing the boundaries of science, securing its global logistical and energy resilience, and rapidly transforming its domestic quality of life. Scientific Frontiers: From Artemis II to Gene Therapy Saudi Arabia made global history by becoming the first Arab nation to participate in the Artemis program, successfully launching the “Shams” satellite aboard NASA’s Artemis II mission to monitor space weather. This technological leap was mirrored on Earth by pioneering medical achievements. King Faisal Specialist Hospital (KFSH) successfully implemented gene therapy for sickle cell disease and…
Maliha Jilani, Partner-in-Charge at Heidrick & Struggles Middle East & North Africa and Dr. Jay Bevington, Global Board Advisory Leader and CEO and Board of Directors Leader in the Middle East & North Africa. New Heidrick & Struggles survey finds leaders across the region are confident in managing cybersecurity risks while governance and leadership capabilities around AI continue to evolve. Dubai — Heidrick & Struggles’ latest CEO & Board Monitor report, which surveyed 148 leaders across the Middle East at the end of last year, reveals that cybersecurity has emerged as the most significant issue organisations in the region expect to face in 2026. …
NEW DELHI — India is preparing for a redraw of its political map, driven by what the government says is a push to reserve one-third of seats for women in parliament and state assemblies. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has framed the moment as historic, calling the proposed amendments “the fulfillment of an important responsibility towards the women of our country,” while urging parties to support the legislation in “one voice.” Parliament begins a high-stakes debate on Thursday on bills that would activate women’s reservation and expand the Lok Sabha, the lower house of parliament, with the government seeking a quick…
BEIRUT — Three successive Israeli attacks killed at least three paramedics in southern Lebanon on Wednesday,a day after landmark talks with a Lebanese government envoy in Washington, Lebanese officials said. The officials accused Israel of deliberately targeting health workers as it pressed the war against Hezbollah.“The Israeli enemy targeted paramedic teams in the town of Mayfadoun, Nabatiyeh District, three consecutive times,” the Lebanese health ministry said. “This resulted in the martyrdom of three paramedics and the injury of six others, while one paramedic remains missing.”A team from the Islamic Health Association was attacked as it tried to rescue people from…
The town of Vacoas-Phoenix in the Republic of Mauritius will host a graduation ceremony for 300 students. The ceremony marks the completion of a project focused on supporting the curriculum for teaching the Arabic language to non-native speakers. The initiative was implemented by the Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud Foundation in partnership with the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the Blue Cross and Blue Crescent Society. Launched in January 2025, the program has been commended by the government of Mauritius, which expressed its appreciation for the efforts of Saudi Arabia in promoting the Arabic language through various official and…
Dubai — Google today announced the launch of Personal Intelligence to users in the Arab world. Personal Intelligence securely connects information from apps like Gmail and Google Photos to make Gemini uniquely helpful. Users can control exactly which apps to link, and each one supercharges the experience. Personal Intelligence was introduced in the U.S earlier this year. This capability has two core strengths: reasoning across complex sources and retrieving specific details from, say, an email or photo to answer questions. It often combines these, working across text, photos and video to provide uniquely tailored answers. This capability helps answer questions—such as…
RIYADH — The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has notified the establishments under its supervision that it will begin classifying violations, penalties and values of fine based on the size of the establishment and its commercial activity. In a recent circular, the SFDA announced an update to its schedule of violations, in accordance with its regulations and the corresponding penalties. This update is based on royal order no. 32043, which pertains to classifying violations, penalties, and fines according to the size of the establishment and its economic activity. The SFDA stated that it aims to achieve compliance and enhance…
RIYADH — The Saudi Land Bridge project has seen significant progress after the Spanish firm Sener won the design contract. The contract was awarded following a competitive bidding process launched by the Saudi Railway Company (SAR) in 2025, with bids being evaluated until the end of last year, according to MEED magazine. The move represents a major milestone in the Kingdom’s railway program, as this reflects a renewed momentum for the long-awaited project, which aims to connect the Red Sea to the Arabian Gulf, thus bolstering the Kingdom’s logistical ambitions within the framework of Vision 2030. The selection of Sener…
In recent years, the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Saudi Arabia has steadily deepened, delivering tangible investment outcomes across key sectors such as energy, infrastructure, renewable energy, the digital economy, and advanced manufacturing. This expanding cooperation has not only strengthened bilateral economic ties but also contributed to broader regional growth. However, rising geopolitical tensions—particularly in the context of U.S.–Iran dynamics—have introduced new uncertainties to global energy markets and regional supply chains. These developments have inevitably created short-term pressures on foreign investments, including those of Chinese companies operating in Saudi Arabia. Yet, despite these external challenges, Saudi Arabia has demonstrated…