RIYADH — Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman has approved the regulations governing judges' professional affairs. Minister of Justice and Acting President of the Supreme Judicial Council Sheikh Walid Al-Samaani expressed his gratitude and appreciation to King Salman and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman following the issuance of…
RIYADH — Saudi oil exports are on course to record their second-highest monthly level since the outbreak of the Iran-US War in late February 2026, according to data from Kpler, a company specializing in tracking shipments and commodities. The data showed that the Kingdom's average oil exports reached 5.55 million barrels per day (bpd) from October 1 to 15,…
RIYADH — The 52nd session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has approved the establishment of an OIC council of ministers of cybersecurity, following a proposal by Saudi Arabia. The Jeddah-based OIC groups 57 Arab and Islamic countries.The council aims to strengthen cybersecurity across OICmember states,…
RIYADH — The Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Investment have announced the first batch of projects approved under the Hospitality Investment Enablers (HIE) Program at a joint event held in Riyadh. The announcement ceremony was attended by Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb and Minister of Investment Fahad Al-Saif.Under this program, the Ministry…
RIYADH — Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan received on Monday phone calls from Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.During the call, Prince Faisal and Sheikh Abdullah discussed the latest developments in the…
RIYADH — The Future Investment Initiative (FII) Institute announced Monday that the 10th edition of its flagship investment conference, originally scheduled for October 26–29, 2026, in Riyadh, has been postponed until 2027.The milestone event, titled “The Power of Legacy,” was expected to mark the initiative’s 10th anniversary, bringing together…
RIYADH —Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman has received a written message from Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. The message was pertaining to further improving bilateral relations between the two countries. Qatar’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Bandar Mohammed Al-Attiyah handed the message to Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Eng.…
JEDDAH — The Jeddah Governorate Mayoralty has begun implementing the project to develop and expand a 1.9-kilometer section of Prince Majid Road, extending from its intersection with the Old Makkah Road to its intersection with Al-Falah Road. The project forms part of the mayoralty’s efforts to enhance road network efficiency, improve traffic flow, and…
RIYADH — The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development continues to develop the skills of Saudis working in the private sector through its 'Skills Accelerator' initiative, which offers training programs tailored to labor-market needs. The initiative aims to develop the skills of more than 300,000 Saudi beneficiaries and has delivered over 590…
RIYADH — Health Holding Company has announced 4,291 new job opportunities for Saudi healthcare practitioners across various specialties, distributed among its 20 health clusters throughout the Kingdom. The initiative forms part of the company’s ongoing efforts to attract national talent, meet the evolving needs of the healthcare sector, and enhance the…
ISLAMABAD — Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Ishaq Dar and Egypt's Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty strongly condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia. The condemnation came during a phone call between Dar and Abdelatty on Sunday. During the call, they affirmed…
JEDDAH — Moderate to heavy rainfall and thunderstorms are forecast to affect several regions across Saudi Arabia from Monday, October 19, through Wednesday, October 28, with rainfall of varying intensity expected across much of the Kingdom, according to the National Center for Meteorology (NCM). The NCM released an animated weather map showing the expected…
MADINAH — The General Authority for the Care of the Two Holy Mosques announced that a total of 21,615,977 people visited the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah in September 2026. The authority said 1,449,791 visitors prayed in Al-Rawdah Al-Sharifah. It noted that 355,130 visitors used wayfinding services, while 287,886 used the guest care centers. As part of…
RIYADH — Attorney General Dr. Khalid Al-Yousef received Minister of Commerce Dr. Majid Al-Qasabi in Riyadh on Monday to discuss strengthening cooperation in combating commercial violations and protecting the national economy.During the meeting, Al-Yousef, who also chairs the Public Prosecution Council, and Al-Qasabi reviewed ways to enhance coordination,…
RIYADH — French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot condemned the Houthi militia's attacks on Saudi Arabia and reaffirmed France's solidarity with the Kingdom during talks with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan in Riyadh.The two ministers discussed regional developments and ongoing efforts to contain the repercussions of escalating tensions,…
RIYADH — The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has denied claims that it approved a medicine derived from camel urine for the treatment of cancer. The clarification follows circulating claims that a medicine extracted from an active substance in camel urine had received SFDA approval and was effective in curing advanced stages of cancer. The authority…
ALULA — The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) has launched its 2026–2027 archaeological fieldwork season across AlUla and Khaybar, expanding research into prehistoric settlements, ancient kingdoms, historic pilgrimage routes and the civilizations that shaped northwestern Arabia over thousands of years.The new season brings together Saudi and international…
RIYADH — Saudi Arabia’s active commercial registrations for tourist accommodation facility management increased by 29 percent year-on-year by the end of the third quarter of 2026, according to the Ministry of Commerce. The Kingdom recorded 20,560 active commercial registrations for tourist accommodation facility management by the end of Q3 2026, an…
RIYADH — Saudi Arabia’s railway passenger numbers surged by 266.5 percent to approximately 156.4 million in 2025, compared with 42.7 million in 2024, according to the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT). The authority’s Railway Transport Statistics 2025 showed that intracity railway passengers increased by 368 percent to 145.4 million, up from 31.1…
RIYADH — Saudi Arabia has ranked first globally in the activation of Resource Public Key Infrastructure Route Origin Validation (RPKI RoV), a technology that helps verify that an internet router is sending network traffic through the correct and authorized networks and reduces the risk of traffic being directed to untrusted websites or online services. The…
RIYADH — Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Alswaha held meetings with his counterparts responsible for communications and information technology in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar. The meetings were held on the sidelines of the 30th Ministerial Committee Meeting for Postal and Telecommunications Affairs of the Gulf Cooperation…
ABU DHABI — Minister of Defense Prince Khalid bin Salman met with United Arab Emirates Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.During the meeting, they reviewed Saudi-UAE relations and underscored the importance of continuing coordination and cooperation to…
MANAMA — Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan attended the 168th session of the Ministerial Council of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in Manama on Sunday. The meeting was chaired by Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bahrain and Chair of the current session of the GCC Ministerial Council Dr. Abdullatif Al Zayani. It was attended by the…
MANAMA — The Ministerial Council of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) called for designating the Houthi militia as a terrorist group and dealing with it in the same manner the international system addresses terrorist groups that threaten security, peace, development, and prosperity. In a final communique, issued at the end of the 168th session of the…
ABU DHABI — The United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan received Saudi Minister of Defense Prince Khalid bin Salman in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. During the meeting, they discussed the fraternal relations between the two countries and ways to further enhance joint cooperation. Sheikh Mohammed and Prince Khalid also reviewed the latest…
MANAMA — Six Saudi citizens were injured and three homes and three vehicles sustained material damage when a projectile launched by the terrorist Houthi militia struck a residential area in the city of Najran on Sunday, the General Directorate of Civil Defense revealed. **media[2781803]** The Civil defense teams responded to the incident and followed…
MANAMA — Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan met with Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov in Manama on Sunday. The meeting was held on the sidelines of the ninth Gulf Cooperation Council—Russia Joint Ministerial Meeting for Strategic Dialogue.Prince Faisal and Lavrov reviewed bilateral relations between the two friendly…
RIYADH — Minister of Justice Dr. Walid Al-Samaani affirmed that the rules governing the work of technical offices, recently approved by the Supreme Judicial Council, will enhance institutional maturity and quality of judicial work.The minister noted that the development of judicial work is founded on establishing quality standards, integrating roles, and…
RIYADH — The rules governing the work of technical offices, recently approved by the Supreme Judicial Council, establish an institutional framework for organizing case preparation and technical review processes in the courts, based on artificial intelligence technologies, Okaz reported quoting well-informed sources.The framework defines responsibilities…
RIYADH — Saudi Arabia's economy remains resilient despite the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, supported by strong financial buffers, a well-capitalized banking system and prudent economic policies, Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) Governor Ayman Al-Sayari said during the 2026 IMF and World Bank Annual Meetings in Thailand.In the Kingdom's statement to the…
RIYADH — The King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC) received two Best Paper Awards at the 25th WPC Energy Congress in Riyadh, recognizing its research contributions to global energy challenges, including the energy transition and clean cooking solutions in Africa.The center concluded its participation as a National Partner at the…
RIYADH — Students in public schools across Saudi Arabia will enjoy their first extra school holiday of the current academic year next Sunday, Oct. 25. This holiday was approved by the education departments across the Kingdom but is not included in the academic calendar issued by the Ministry of Education. These include six extended school holidays during…
MANAMA — The ninth Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)—Russia Joint Ministerial Meeting for Strategic Dialogue commenced in Manama on Sunday afternoon, with the participation of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and foreign ministers of other GCC states.Bahraini Foreign Minister Dr. Abdullatif Al Zayani, who…
RIYADH — As of July 2026, industrial investments in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states reached $426 billion, with the number of factories standing at nearly 22,000. The industrial sector in the Gulf has employed more than 1.7 million people, according to the latest statistical data released by the GCC Statistical Center (GCC-Stat). The report showed…
RIYADH — Two Saudi National Guard officers died when an AH-6i reconnaissance helicopter crashed in the Najran region due to a technical malfunction, the Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen announced Sunday.Coalition spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki Al-Maliki said the helicopter, belonging to the Ministry of National Guard, crashed inside Saudi territory in…
RIYADH — Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Commerce seized more than 1.3 million noncompliant products during Q3 of 2026, alongside more than 144,000 inspection visits to combat commercial fraud and strengthen compliance among commercial establishments. According to the ministry’s Q3 2026 Consumer Protection Bulletin, 1,399,251 products violating the Commercial…
JEDDAH — Red alerts for heavy rain have been issued across parts of Jazan, Asir, Al-Baha and Makkah on Sunday, as moderate to heavy thunderstorms are forecast across several Saudi regions, according to the National Center for Meteorology (NCM). The red alerts cover parts of the four regions, with heavy rainfall expected in the affected areas. The…
RIYADH — Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan received a phone call from his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi to discuss regional developments and ongoing efforts to contain conflicts. During the call on Saturday, Prince Faisal and Safadi, Jordan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, reviewed efforts to limit…
RIYADH — The Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen announced early Sunday that it had intercepted and destroyed two Houthi ballistic missiles targeting Khamis Mushait and three drones over the Riyadh and Eastern regions.Coalition spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki Al-Maliki said the two ballistic missiles were launched by the Houthi militia toward Khamis Mushait…
RIYADH — Saudi security forces arrested a total of 13,822 illegal residents in a week. The arrests were made in joint inspections, carried out in cooperation with the relevant government agencies, during the period between October 8 and 14, the Ministry of Interior announced on Saturday. Those who were arrested include 6,547 violators of the Residency Law,…
BANGKOK — Saudi Minister of Finance Mohammed Al-Jadaan affirmed that investments by countries such as Saudi Arabia had helped mitigate the impact of the energy shock on the global economy. “The shock would have been far more severe without these investments,” he said. Al-Jadaan, who is also chairman of the International Monetary and Financial Committee…
CAIRO — Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi affirmed that Egypt would take all necessary measures to protect and defend Saudi Arabia, in accordance with the directives of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman. He stressed that any Egyptian action, if requested, would be strictly defensive…
RIYADH — The General Directorate of Civil Defense urged the public to exercise caution and stay in safe places amid forecasts of thunderstorms to continue across most regions of the Kingdom through Wednesday. It called on people to keep away from valleys and flood-prone areas, refrain from swimming in them, and follow instructions issued through the media…
ISLAMABAD — Prime Minister of Pakistan Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif received the new Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan Dr. Rajeh Albugamy in Islamabad on Friday.Sharif congratulated the ambassador on his appointment, stressing that Pakistan-Saudi relations have developed significantly in recent years, and reaffirmed his country's commitment to strengthening…
RIYADH — The Ministry of Tourism has launched a service allowing private and non-profit tourism establishments to pay financial penalties in installments, under Cabinet Decision No. 105 and the installment rules approved by the Ministry of Finance.The ministry started receiving applications for this service from Tuesday, Oct. 13 until the expiry of the…
NAIROBI — President of Senegal Bassirou Diomaye Faye has awarded Saudi Ambassador to Kenya Saad Al-Nofaia the rank of Commander of the National Order of the Lion, one of Senegal's highest national honors. This is in recognition of his efforts and contributions to strengthening bilateral relations between Saudi Arabia and Senegal during his tenure as the…
RIYADH — Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani condemned the Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and reaffirmed his country's solidarity with the Kingdom during talks with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan in Riyadh on Friday.The two ministers discussed regional developments amid escalating Houthi attacks targeting Saudi Arabia, with…
RIYADH — The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and 18 other Arab and Islamic countries strongly condemned Colombia's decision to inaugurate its embassy in Jerusalem, calling the move a violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions and a setback to international efforts to achieve a two-state solution.In a joint statement issued Friday, the…
RIYADH — Saudi Arabia welcomed a United Nations Security Council presidential statement strongly condemning escalating Houthi attacks against the Kingdom, reaffirming its inherent right under international law to defend its security and protect citizens and residents.In a statement issued Friday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed appreciation for…
RIYADH — The specialized medical and surgical team of the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program have achieved a new medical milestone on Thursday by successfully separating Fijian conjoined twins—Jasepeli and Desicia. The operation was performed at King Abdullah Specialized Children's Hospital, part of King Abdulaziz Medical City under the Ministry of National…
RIYADH — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed Saudi Arabia's sincere condolences and sympathy to Pakistan following the collapse of parts of a school building in Peshawar, which resulted in the death and injury of several students.The ministry affirmed Saudi Arabia's solidarity with the government and people of Pakistan over this tragic incident and…
RIYADH — Minister of Defense Prince Khalid bin Salman held talks with the Greek Minister of National Defense Nikos Dendias in Riyadh on Thursday.During the meeting, the ministers condemned the terrorist attacks carried out by the Houthi militia against the Kingdom. They reviewed ways to further strengthen the defense partnership between the two friendly…
CAIRO — Deputy Minister for International Cooperation at the Ministry of Health Nouf Alnumair highlighted Saudi Arabia’s experience in health sector transformation under Saudi Vision 2030, including efforts to develop the healthcare model and improve service efficiency and quality. She made the remarks while addressing the 73rd session of the World Health…
RIYADH — The Ministry of Commerce has announced the recall of 3,108 model-year 2025 Ford Explorer and Taurus, and Lincoln Nautilus and Corsair vehicles due to a defect in the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve. The defect could cause reduced acceleration and loss of driving power, increasing the risk of an accident.The ministry urged owners of the…
RIYADH — Maj. Gen. Turki Al-Maliki, spokesperson of the Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen, announced on Thursday that the Coalition inflicted huge losses to the Houthi terrorist militia, including destruction of 127 weapons depots, numerous launch platforms and vital sources of funding. Addressing a press conference in Riyadh on Thursday, Al-Maliki…
RIYADH —The Producer Price Index (PPI) in Saudi Arabia recorded an increase of 5.1 percent in August 2026 compared with the same month in 2025, according to data released by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT). The authority attributed the increase to a 5.3 percent rise in manufacturing prices, a 4.2 percent rise in prices for water supply,…
RIYADH — Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan received on Thursday a phone call from Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan Toshimitsu Motegi. During the call, the ministers discussed the terrorist Houthi militia's attacks against the Kingdom. The Japanese foreign minister expressed his country's strong condemnation of these repeated attacks…
BANGKOK — Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan affirmed that Saudi Arabia’s investments in alternative routes have helped ensure the continuity of energy supplies and trade flows amid the regional uncertainty and shipping disruption. He stressed that economic resilience depends on diversifying sources of economic strength, safeguarding the foundations of…
RIYADH — Saudi Arabia’s annual inflation rate remained steady at 1.9 percent in September 2026, while consumer prices were unchanged month-on-month. The stability comes amid risks to global trade and energy supplies arising from tensions along maritime routes, which could exert upward pressure on shipping costs and disrupt supply chains.Data released on…
RIYADH —Minister of Energy and Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman held a series of bilateral meetings over two days with ministers and senior officials participating in the 25th WPC Energy Congress, which will conclude in Riyadh on Thursday. These include ministers from Germany, Algeria, Iraq, Tunisia, Uzbekistan, Libya…