Author: Editorial Team

The third edition of the Umrah and Ziyarah Forum concluded on Wednesday. The forum was held under the patronage of Governor of Madinah Region Prince Salman bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, and organized by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, in partnership with the Pilgrim Experience Program.  The event took place from March 30 to April 1 at the King Salman International Convention Center in Madinah.  The Umrah and Ziyarah Forum saw broad local and international participation over its three days, attracting more than 50,000 registrants from 165 countries. This participation reflects its growing status as a leading global platform advancing…

According to recent reports, Apple is testing a major upgrade to Siri which would allow the voice assistant to handle multiple commands in a single request. This update looks to bring the voice assistant closer to the capabilities of AI assistants. Bloomberg reported the feature being tested would let users bundle tasks including checking weather, creating a calendar event and sending a message into one prompt, rather than issuing individual commands. The feature is part of Apple’s broader effort to modernise Siri and make it more context-aware by comprehending personal data and on-screen content. Bloomberg stated Apple is developing the…

MAKKAH — The General Department of Education in the Makkah region announced that the new summer timing for all schools in the region will take effect from Sunday, April 5. The department said that the morning assembly in morning shift schools will be at 6:45 a.m., with the first period of classes beginning at 7:00 AM. This is aimed to contribute to creating a more suitable learning environment for students and school staff, in alignment with the climatic changes during the summer season. The department also stated that classes in the Continuing Education Schools will begin at 5:00 p.m. for…

Abu Dhabi’s newly opened biobank is expanding beyond traditional blood and DNA collection to include a wide range of biological materials, from eye samples to fertility and IVF-related tissues, as part of a broader push towards predictive and preventive healthcare. Officials said the facility, launched by the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi and M42, is designed to collect, store and analyse diverse human samples to better understand disease patterns and improve health outcomes across the population. “The Abu Dhabi Biobank can store a wide range of samples, including cord blood, stem cells, eye samples, fertility and IVF materials, as…

RIYADH — Officials from the National Program to Combat Commercial Concealment (Tasattur) have carried out as many as 2,611 inspection visits across various regions of Saudi Arabia during the last month of March. During these inspection visits, 71 cases of suspected commercial concealment were detected. The violators were referred to the competent authorities to complete the investigation procedures and the application of deterrent penalties against those involved in the crime. The inspection raids were conducted on the basis of indications and evidence of suspected concealment activities. These visits aimed to verify the compliance of the regulations from the part of…

The Traditional Arts Festival 2026, organized by the Ministry of Culture, is drawing strong crowds of visitors and tourists in Diriyah amid pleasant spring weather.  The festival, held from March 26 to April 8 and from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m., features a range of performing arts from across the Kingdom. Live shows in a dedicated traditional performance arena allow visitors to explore those traditions and their varied forms, reflecting the depth and diversity of Saudi cultural heritage.  The event is part of the Ministry of Culture’s ongoing efforts to support the national cultural scene and highlight traditional performing arts…

Stronger sound, smarter noise control, and a more refined design make the Galaxy Buds4 Series a compelling choice for Galaxy users seeking an everyday premium audio companion. Samsung’s Galaxy Buds4 Series arrives as more than a routine refresh. Positioned alongside the Galaxy S26 line, the Buds4 and Buds4 Pro reflect Samsung’s effort to make audio feel like a natural extension of its wider AI-led device ecosystem. Strong focus on comfort, sound quality and convenience gives the new range broad everyday appeal. Design stands out as one of the biggest strengths of the new series. Samsung says the range introduces a…

BEIRUT — The Israeli military on Thursday claimed to have killed 40 Hezbollah fighters in 24 hours, as it targeted weapons depots and launch sites. The Lebanese group has not issued statements to deny or confirm the killings. In its latest war update, Israel’s military said it launched air strikes targeting dozens of Hezbollah’s military sites and infrastructure over the past 24 hours, including weapons depots and launch sites. It also said Israeli ground troops, which are invading parts of southern Lebanon, identified and “eliminated” a Hezbollah cell and attacked extensive Hezbollah infrastructure. Meanwhile, Israel’s navy also hit a weapons…

If you thought the news of a massive KitKat heist was just an elaborate April Fool’s prank, think again. Nestlé has doubled down on the drama, proving that the disappearance of 12 tonnes of chocolate is, indeed, very real. And that’s not all. They want you to help solve the crime. Following the theft of over 400,000 bars in Europe, the brand has launched an official ‘Stolen KitKat Tracker’. It’s a live web tool that turns every chocolate lover into a digital detective, allowing you to check if the snack in your hand is actually part of the world’s “chocolatiest”…

RIYADH — Saudi Arabian courts received more than one million cases during the year 2025. “Of these cases, 938,500 cases were resolved, and more than 917,000 judgments were issued,” according to official data from the Ministry of Justice. These cases included more than 151,000 personal status cases, approximately 54,000 injunction cases, 77,000 commercial cases, 27,400 enforcement cases, 150,000 criminal cases, 391,200 general cases, and 157,000 labor cases. The ministry’s data indicates that the Riyadh region had the highest number of cases received by the courts, with their number reaching 279,000, followed by the Makkah region with 210,200 cases. Al-Baha region…