Author: Editorial Team

The Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA) has called on establishments subject to withholding tax in the Kingdom to submit their May 2026 withholding tax forms by June 10, 2026.  Submissions must be completed via the authority’s website at zatca.gov.sa to avoid a late payment penalty of 1% of the unpaid tax for every 30 days past the due date.  The authority also invited business sector taxpayers seeking further information on withholding tax to contact its unified call center at 19993, available 24/7, or to reach out through X at @Zatca_Care, by email at info@zatca.gov.sa, or via live chat on…

Over the past decade, Middle East countries have sought to emerge as global innovation hubs, with governments across the region making unprecedented tech investments as part of wider economic diversification agendas. To cite just two examples: Saudi Arabia’s announcement of $14.9 billion in technology and AI investments at LEAP 2025 complemented a broader $100 billion AI initiative under Project Transcendence, and the UAE is home to the $15.2 billion Microsoft-backed AI and cloud build-out.  The result is a large and expanding market. Digital transformation in the Middle East was valued at approximately $145 billion in 2024, with AI representing more than $40 billion of that total. It is projected to expand more than sixfold…

MUMBAI — In a significant turnaround, a major Indian film workers’ union has withdrawn its directive issued just nine days ago to its members asking them not to work with Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh after his alleged abrupt exit from an upcoming film. The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) issued the informal ban on May 25 after the producers of Don 3 complained that Singh had quit the film just weeks before filming was set to begin. The boycott withdrawal comes after Singh reportedly sent a legal notice to the federation. Announced in 2023, Farhan Akhtar’s Don 3…

WASHINGTON — The US House of Representatives passed a resolution on Wednesday directing President Donald Trump to withdraw American forces from the conflict with Iran or win approval from Congress to continue the war, after four Republicans sided with Democrats in a striking sign of growing opposition to a military campaign now in its fourth month. The House vote is a significant rebuke to the US president and his handling of the war. Democrats have repeatedly forced votes to limit Trump’s war powers in both the House and the Senate but the campaign has gradually picked up more Republican support…

In summer, the farms of Al-Baha Region are adorned with a diverse range of seasonal fruits that reflect the region’s agricultural and environmental identity. With the arrival of the season, terraced fields and mountain slopes are covered with apricots, plums, grapes, hamat (wild figs), almonds, and apples, in a scene that highlights the area’s unique natural features that have made Al-Baha a fertile environment for long-standing agricultural activity passed down through generations.  The Saudi Press Agency (SPA), during a field tour of the region’s farms, observed intensive agricultural activity at the start of the harvest season, as farmers continue to…

SYDNEY — New Zealand said on Thursday it would express its concerns to Beijing after China unexpectedly barred four New Zealand lawmakers from entering Hong Kong, Macau and ‌the Chinese mainland as punishment for visiting Taiwan last month. China has banned four New Zealand Members of Parliament for a year over their visit to Taiwan, New Zealand’s foreign ministry said. The visit in May comprised lawmakers from the ruling coalition — Maureen Pugh, David Wilson and Laura McClure — as well as Duncan Webb from the opposition Labour Party. The MPs learned of the ban, which the Chinese Embassy said…

RIYADH — More than 1,700 artifacts have been uncovered at the archaeological site of Miqat al-Juhfah by the Heritage Commission. The abundance of artifacts was uncovered during the Commission’s completion — in collaboration with the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom— of the first season of survey and documentation work at the archaeological site of Al-Juhfah Miqat. The discoveries included pottery, glass, and stone fragments, as well as shells, crafted objects, and other archaeological remains, underscoring the site’s significance along the historic Egyptian Hajj route. The variety of artifacts was used in different aspects of daily life, including shells,…

The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) central kitchen continued distributing hot meals in the Gaza Strip as part of the Saudi campaign to provide relief for the Palestinian people in the Strip.  The kitchen has distributed 24,500 hot meals to the most vulnerable groups in the central and southern Gaza Strip, benefiting 24,500 individuals.  These efforts come within the framework of the humanitarian role carried out by the Kingdom through its humanitarian arm, KSrelief, to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people and support affected families amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis. Source: Riyadh Daily

KYIV — Ukraine’s key European allies are working on plans with Kyiv to engage Russia in negotiations to end the war as they see a shift in momentum strengthening President Volodymyr Zelensky’s position. Officials from Europe’s three biggest economies — Germany, France and the UK — have been discussing the possibility of holding talks involving both sides, according to people familiar with the matter. They have also talked about the matter with their Ukrainian counterparts, said the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations. The mediation efforts come as Russia’s air attacks have grown in sheer…

SEOUL — North Korea has unveiled a new facility to produce weapons-grade nuclear material as the South Korean military said it was closely coordinating with the United States to monitor Pyongyang’s nuclear activities. Kim Jong Un inspected the new plant on Wednesday and announced plans to “beef up our state’s nuclear forces at an exponential rate,” according to a report from state-run media on Thursday. The North’s official Korean Central News Agency said the facility used “more sophisticated technology” but didn’t provide further details. It’s not clear where the plant is or when it began operations. State media photos showed…