Saudi Arabia News — AKHBAR.COM

DIRIYAH — Diriyah Company has announced the completion of the relocation of the Ministry of Culture to its new headquarters in Diriyah’s Northern District, developed as part of the company’s integrated urban master plan. The move underscores the growing presence of national cultural institutions within Diriyah, reinforcing its role as a fully integrated destination for…

It has welcomed marathon runners, rock stars and the first modern Olympic athletes. Now it’s time for a monumental scrub. Athens’ U-shaped Panathenaic Stadium — made entirely of white marble — is getting its first…

Saudi Arabia’s General Directorate of Traffic has warned motorists against violating vehicle window tinting regulations, saying offenders could face fines ranging from SR500 to SR900. The authority said rear window tinting is permitted provided it does not exceed 30 per cent, a level intended to balance privacy with road safety while helping reduce heat inside…

King’s College Riyadh is giving families in the capital a glimpse into the future of its highly anticipated SEDRA campus through the opening of its new Parent Experience Centre at ROSHN Front — an immersive space designed to bring the school’s vision, facilities and educational offering to life. The opening comes as King’s College Riyadh,…

GAZA CITY: Saudi Arabia’s aid agency KSrelief has recently provided 24,000 hot meals to vulnerable people displaced by conflict in Gaza’s central and southern areas. A central kitchen was established by KSrelief in Gaza in February to provide the food. In Khan Younis, 820 food baskets were delivered, benefiting 4,920 people. This aid is a…

NEW YORK — Google announced a deal Tuesday to buy rapidly growing cybersecurity firm Wiz for $32 billion. It would be the tech giant’s biggest-ever acquisition.The all-cash takeover of privately held Wiz represents a big bet by Google on cloud security and cybersecurity in this period of explosive growth for artificial intelligence.The Wiz deal, which…

RIYADH — The Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO) revealed that it conducted periodic technical inspections on more than 6.5 million vehicles during 2025, an increase of approximately 500,000 vehicles compared to 2024. SASO stated receiving 37,690 reports concerning periodic technical inspection stations during the last year.The organization reported that 2025 witnessed significant expansion…

The King Fahd Glorious Quran Printing Complex in Madinah welcomed more than 154,000 visitors from 18 countries during July to learn about Saudi Arabia's efforts to serve, print, and translate the meanings of the Holy…

(MENAFN - Khaleej Times) The resident said the savings were the result of five years of hard work and were intended to help him and his family start a new chapter upon returning home By: ...

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia and Russia’s mutual visit visa waiver agreement has entered into force to boost tourism and cultural exchange between the two countries and support broader people-to-people engagement. The Kingdom and Russia signed the mutual visa-exemption agreement on the sidelines of the Saudi–Russian Investment and Business Forum, held in Riyadh on Dec. 1, 2025. …

NEW DELHI — Two years after ChatGPT took the world by storm, China's DeepSeek has sent ripples through the tech industry by collapsing the cost of developing generative artificial intelligence applications.But as the global race for AI supremacy heats up, India appears to have fallen behind, especially in creating its own foundational language model that's…

RIYADH — King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh began on Tuesday the first phase of the gradual implementation of its ‘Silent Airport’ project at Terminal 5. The airport explained that the project aims to provide passengers with a quieter and more comfortable travel experience by reducing public announcements and limiting them to departure gates, while…

Al-Ulaya historical district in Hail stands as a key heritage landmark, preserving the city's architectural and social history spanning over 150 years. Located in Hail’s former commercial center, the district retains authentic Najdi architectural features…

(MENAFN - Jordan News Agency) Amman, May 31 (Petra) -- The Public Security Directorate (PSD) has mobilized its specialized units across border centers to provide security, humanitarian, and ...

MAKKAH: The Presidency of Religious Affairs at the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque has launched the Dalalah wa Tibyan program as part of its Hajj season plan. The program aims to raise religious awareness and support pilgrims’ educational and spiritual experience by distributing guidance booklets and awareness materials in several languages throughout the Grand…

PHOENIX — Chris Pelkey died in a road rage shooting in Arizona three years ago.But with the help of artificial intelligence, he returned earlier this month at his killer's sentencing to deliver a victim's statement himself.Family members said they used the burgeoning technology to let Pelkey use his own words to talk about the incident…

JEDDAH — The Jeddah Mayoralty, through its Agency for Branch Municipalities and affiliated municipalities, has intensified simultaneous field inspection campaigns to combat negative practices across several neighborhoods and locations within the governorate. The campaign resulted in dismantling a number of illegal markets and seizure of food items unfit for human consumption. The campaigns were carried…

Saudi Arabia’s Dammam Metropolitan Area, comprising the city of Dammam, Al-Khobar and Al-Bayda governorates, and Dhahran Center, has joined the global Quality of Life Initiative, led by the United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN-Habitat) in…

(MENAFN - Khaleej Times) 'The return of pilgrims to their homeland is an occasion that carries profound spirituality and humanitarian meanings,' a top official at GDRFA Dubai said By: WAM ...

RABAT: Saudi Arabia concluded its participation in the 31st Rabat International Book Fair, held from May 1 to 10, highlighting the nation’s cultural and intellectual ties with Morocco. Abdullatif Al-Wasel, CEO of the Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission, said the participation reflects the relations between the two countries and aims to introduce Saudi literary and…

WASHINGTON — Billionaire SpaceX, Tesla, and X owner Elon Musk says he plans to sue Apple for not featuring X and its Grok artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot app in its top recommended apps in its App Store.Musk posted the comments on X late Monday, saying, “Hey @Apple App Store, why do you refuse to put…

RIYADH — The Saudi Civil Defense urged residents in Al-Baha and Asir to take precautions after the National Center for Meteorology (NCM) issued red alerts for heavy rainfall affecting both regions. The Civil Defense said the NCM alerts cover parts of the Al-Baha and Asir regions amid heavy rainfall. Residents were urged to exercise caution…

Saudi Arabia’s Heritage Commission, in cooperation with the Royal Commission for Riyadh City and Riyadh Municipality, has completed the registration and coding of 180 modern urban heritage landmarks in Riyadh. The registered landmarks represent prominent…

(MENAFN - Khaleej Times) Although the documents revealed the identity of the bag's owner, locating and contacting her required forming a team to trace her movements By: Laraib Anwer Dubai ...

A number of Saudi students have achieved outstanding results in a national test recognizing academic giftedness, with several securing places at top universities around the world. This year’s students from Downe House Riyadh who were recognized for their scores in the Mawhiba Multiple Cognitive Aptitude Test include Aseel Al-Bagieh (year eight), Safanah Al-Homood (year five),…

WASHINGTON — A court will not force Google to sell off its Chrome browser or Android, a federal judge said in a court filing on Tuesday. The decision serves as a significant win for the tech company, which has avoided the most extreme possible outcome from a landmark antitrust case that determined the company was…

YANBU — Search and rescue teams from the Border Guard in Yanbu governorate in the Madinah region rescued five citizens after their boat broke down at sea.The General Directorate of Border Guard urged beachgoers and sea users to adhere to maritime safety guidelines and instructions, as well as to ensure the seaworthiness of their vessels…

The Royal Commission for Makkah City and Holy Sites is implementing an integrated strategy to conserve historical and enrichment sites and transform them into sustainable cultural destinations, enhancing Makkah's position as a city of ancient…

The Madinah Buses project, overseen by the Al Madinah Region Development Authority, has announced the temporary suspension of its public transportation services from noon on the 9th of Dhu Al Hijjah, 1447 AH, as part of preparations for the Hajj season, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported. Normal operations are set to resume on the morning…

JEDDAH: At just 15, Sulaf Al-Johani is the first Saudi Arabia female to participate in and win the Most Inspiring Young Leader award at the Impact CEO Awards in Dubai earlier this year, for her leadership and scientific contributions at international gatherings. She is “proud” of several projects and innovations, most notably research in the…

LONDON — The number of data centers in the UK is set to increase by almost a fifth, according to figures shared with BBC News.Data centers are giant warehouses full of powerful computers used to run digital services from movie streaming to online banking - there are currently an estimated 477 of them in the…

ABHA — A stationary truck rolled away and crashed into several vehicles in the city of Abha on Sunday after it was not properly secured, Saudi traffic authorities said.The General Traffic Department in the Asir Region said it responded to the accident, which occurred after the parked truck began moving and collided with a number…

These small stones were once walls and roofs that made those beneath them believe they were protected from summer heat, winter cold and treacherous winds. Under those roofs, mothers held their children close and cooked…

(MENAFN - Khaleej Times) Civil aviation regulator in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia has issued new directives to all airlines operating at the Gulf state's airports regarding carrying portable chargers ...

RIAYDH: Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan discussed the latest regional developments with his Iranian and Pakistani counterparts in separate calls, the Saudi Foreign Ministry said on Monday. Prince Faisal spoke on the phone with Iran’s Abbas Araghchi, during which they discussed “the latest developments related to Pakistani mediation efforts and the ongoing diplomatic talks…

BOSTON — OpenAI has announced a series of parental controls for its AI chatbot ChatGPT, which includes notifying parents when their child is distressed.It comes after a lawsuit was filed against the company and its CEO Sam Altman by the parents of 16-year-old Adam Raine, who committed suicide in April.The parents alleged that ChatGPT created…

RIYADH — The Ministry of Municipalities and Housing affirmed that regulations governing the mobile vendor activity identify nine locations where the activity is prohibited. This is after taking into account of the aspects of safety, as well as maintaining smooth traffic flow and the proper use of public facilities, apart from enhancing quality of life…

Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Tabuk, operated by Cluster2 Airports, welcomed the first seasonal direct flight of 2026 from the Russian city of Sochi, in cooperation with Azimuth Airlines, the Saudi Press Agency…

(MENAFN - The Peninsula) The Peninsula Online Doha, Qatar: As the first group of Qatari pilgrims arrived in Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj, Hamad International Airport has extended additional support ...

GAZA CITY: A delegation from the UN’s humanitarian office has praised Saudi Arabia’s operations in Gaza after visiting projects run by the Kingdom’s aid agency, KSrelief. The delegation from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs toured KSrelief’s facilities and aid distribution sites across the enclave as living conditions continue to deteriorate amid…

WASHINGTON — A US federal court has told Google to pay $425m (£316.3m) for breaching users' privacy by collecting data from millions of users even after they had turned off a tracking feature in their Google accounts.The verdict comes after a group of users brought the case claiming Google accessed users' mobile devices to collect,…

JEDDAH — A new Cloud Seeding Operations Briefing Room, accommodating five operational teams, up to 60 people, and 16 office spaces, was inaugurated by National Center for Meteorology (NCM) CEO Dr. Ayman bin Salem Ghulam. Ghulam, who is also General Supervisor of the Regional Cloud Seeding Program, inaugurated the facility on Tuesday at the NCM…

Under the patronage of Governor of Al-Ahsa and CEO of the Al-Ahsa Development Authority Prince Saud bin Talal bin Badr, the first seasonal direct flight for 2026 between Al-Ahsa International Airport and Rize–Artvin International Airport…

(MENAFN - Khaleej Times) This year, the Hajj rituals will take place between May 25 and May 27, and Dubai has put in place dedicated services to assist pilgrims and ease their travel By: ...

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture has opened applications for nonprofit organizations to join its “Support for Performance Program.” The program offers eligible entities the opportunity to apply for six financial support products aimed at strengthening the Kingdom’s nonprofit cultural sector.

LONDON — When actress Sorcha Cusack left the BBC drama Father Brown in January, it made headlines, including for the newspapers owned by Reach, among them The Mirror, and the Daily Express.But the story did not generate the traction the Reach newspapers would have expected a year ago, or even at the start of the…

RIYADH — The unified emergency number 911 received more than 2.73 million calls across Makkah, Madinah, Riyadh and the Eastern Province during July 2026, the National Center for Security Operations said.The Unified Security Operations Centers handled a total of 2,733,359 calls during the month, receiving emergency reports and directing them to the relevant security and…

In a city more familiar with rockets than school bells, a different morning begins at the Model Complex for Gifted Students in Marib. Built and fully funded by the Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for…