RIYADH: Startups across the Middle East and North Africa continued to attract fresh capital and strategic backing this week, with funding rounds, acquisitions and investments across sectors including artificial intelligence, fintech, and logistics. UAE-based data and artificial intelligence company»»»

Aleppo, June 20 (SANA) Syria’s Civil Aviation and Air Transport Authority said Saturday that Air Arabia UAE is set to launch direct flights between Sharjah and Aleppo on July 4. The Authority said the new route will strengthen air links between Syria and the UAE and offer travelers more options, im»»»

DOHA: Japan and Tunisia will face off in a crucial Group F encounter at the FIFA World Cup 2026 on Sunday, with both teams eager to strengthen their chances of reaching the knockout stage after contrasting results in their opening matches. The match, scheduled for 7am (Qatar time) at Monterrey Stad»»»

TOKYO: CEO of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority Dr. Hisham S. Aljadhey conducted a series of site visits to specialized medical and research centers in the US last week. The visits aimed to leverage global expertise in the latest technologies, as well as developments within advanced therapies and b»»»

JEDDAH: The cultural and historical links between Taif and Historic Jeddah were explored in a recent session at the Red Sea Museum in Historic Jeddah, also known as Al-Balad. Titled “Majlis Jeddah: The Essence of Taif in Historic Jeddah,” the event brought together heritage specialists, artists, an»»»

Baku, June 20 (SANA) Syria has called on the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) to prioritize post-conflict countries in access to its new concessional financing fund, as well as to provide greater flexibility in financing tools to support recovery and reconstruction efforts. Syrian Finance Minister M»»»

DOHA: If it was the luck of the draw that sent Japan and Tunisia to Monterrey, Mexico, to contest the 1,000th match in FIFA World Cup history, then it was luck that was enhanced significantly by football’s rapid and relatively recent spread across the globe. That evolution into a universally belove»»»

BEIRUT: Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam met with Saudi Arabia’s newly accredited ambassador to Lebanon, Fahd bin Abdulrahman Al-Dossari, in Beirut on Saturday. During the meeting, Al-Dossari conveyed the greetings of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the Lebanese premier, the »»»

H.E. Hakan Fidan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye, will pay a visit to Egypt on 20-21 June 2026 and participate in the fourth meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye-Egypt-Pakistan-Saudi Arabia.»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia reaffirmed the importance of strengthening international cooperation to ensure the responsible use of artificial intelligence and to harness its potential for advancing sustainable development. On behalf of the Arab Group, the Kingdom delivered a statement during the UN General»»»

RIYADH: On a quiet street in Riyadh, behind an ordinary door and inside a modest room packed with amplifiers, guitars and recording equipment, some of Saudi Arabia’s heaviest music is being created. For years, Saudi rock and metal musicians faced a common problem: finding a place that understood th»»»

Riyadh: The National Center for Palms and Dates has launched the early date harvest season campaign, coinciding with the start of the first fresh harvest in Saudi Arabia. The initiative highlights the seasonal calendar of early and mid-season dates across regions, supports marketing, enhances econo»»»

RIYADH: Saudi authorities arrested 15,288 people in one week for breaching residency, work and border security regulation. A total of 7,864 people were arrested for violations of residency laws, while 4,576 were held over illegal border crossing attempts, and a further 2,848 for labor-related issue»»»

by Maye Sadek Continuing its effort to diversify its sources of armament, Egypt signed an agreement with France to purchase two Mistral helicopter carriers for 950 million Euros ($1.06 billion). The ships should be handed over in early March after the training of about 400 Egyptians in France, whic»»»

Charlotte, North Carolina: A Kuwaiti student has died after being stabbed multiple times during an apparent robbery attempt in the US city of Charlotte, North Carolina, according to local authorities. The victim, identified as Saeed Ali Al Tabtabai, 27, was found suffering from multiple stab wounds»»»

Dubai: The UAE has cemented its position among the world's leading economies after ranking 10th globally in the 2026 Best Countries report, becoming the only Arab nation to secure a place in the top 10 and the highest-ranked country in the Middle East. The ranking, published by the Wharton School o»»»

LONDON: Spanish knowhow is helping Saudi Arabian football to develop and at the same time using that inside knowledge to warn their countrymen to expect a tough test in Sunday’s crucial 2026 World Cup clash in Atlanta. Before the 48-team tournament kicked off, few predicted that these two teams wou»»»

Atlanta: Lamine Yamal is hard to avoid on the approach to Atlanta's futuristic stadium where adverts featuring the 18-year-old adorn the sides of giant skyscrapers, but it is on the pitch that Spain desperately need the Barcelona superstar. The European champions flunked their opening test of the W»»»

RIYADH: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) is continuing to implement training programs for vulnerable groups and persons with disabilities in Gaza under its Economic Empowerment Project, in partnership with the Saudi Center for Culture and Heritage, the Saudi Press Agenc»»»

RIYADH: The Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF) on Friday floated HMS AlMadinah, the first vessel of the second phase of the Sarawat Program, at Spanish shipbuilder Navantia’s shipyard in San Fernando, Spain, marking a major milestone in the Kingdom’s naval modernization efforts. The float-out follows »»»

RIYADH: Scotland spent almost 89 minutes searching for a response, but the damage had already been done. Ismael Saibari’s goal in the second minute of the game proved enough to give Morocco a 1-0 victory in Foxborough and send the Atlas Lions to the top of Group C. Saibari’s goal is now officially »»»

RIYADH: Abundant winter rainfall followed by widespread spring showers has transformed large swaths of Saudi Arabia’s landscape, turning desert expanses green and reviving valleys, ravines, and open plains across the Kingdom. The seasonal rains have highlighted the country’s ecological diversity, w»»»

Share: Lebanon’s Minister of Interior and Municipalities Ahmed Al-Hajjar Lebanon Minister of Interior stressed that there is no salvation for Lebanon except by rallying around the state and we have achieved tangible progress in combating drug smuggling by dismantling trafficking networks Minister o»»»

LONDON: When President Donald Trump withdrew the US from the Iran nuclear deal in May 2018, Barack Obama, who as his predecessor had forged the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, warned that doing so “without any Iranian violation of the deal is a serious mistake.” The US, Obama added, “could even»»»

BAKU: Azerbaijan and the Islamic Development Bank on Thursday signed two agreements aimed at enhancing water security and strengthening development cooperation during the 2026 IsDB Group Annual Meetings in Baku. The agreements were signed in the presence of Ilham Aliyev, the president of Azerbaijan»»»

ATLANTA, USA: Lamine Yamal is not feeling 100 percent fit and is not likely to start for Spain in the match against Saudi Arabia on Sunday at the World Cup. Yamal came into the tournament nursing a left hamstring injury and was only a substitute in the team’s opener on Monday — a disappointing 0-0 »»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif spoke on the phone on Friday, the Saudi Press Agency reported. During the call, the crown prince welcomed the agreement between the United States and Iran to end military operations and commended Pa»»»

Cairo, June 19 (SANA) The foreign ministers of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan will hold a meeting in Cairo on Sunday to discuss regional developments and enhance joint coordination, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry announced Friday. According to a ministry statement cited by AFP, the minis»»»

SAPPORO: Dr. Ghazi Faisal Binzagr, Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Japan, paid a courtesy visit to Hokkaido Governor Suzuki Naomichi in Sapporo on Wednesday. The meeting reaffirmed the strong Saudi Japanese relationship and explored opportunities for future cooperation. Governor Suzuki warmly greeted »»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has provided more than SR224 million ($59.7 million) in additional support to help the Yemeni government cover the salaries of public sector employees, Saudi Ambassador to Yemen Mohammed Al-Jaber said on Friday. Al-Jaber added that the funding was disbursed through the Saudi Pr»»»

Air Force One arrives at the Yokota Air Base in Tokyo, Japan, on in 2022. One of the two planes being actively used as Air Force One is retiring. Photo by Keizo Mori/UPI | License Photo June 19 (UPI) -- A Boeing 747-200 made its last flight as Air Force One after it brought President Donald Trump h»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke on the phone with Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa on Friday, during which the two leaders reviewed the latest developments in the region. The call focused on ongoing efforts to enhance security and stability across the region, according t»»»

VIENNA: A Saudi delegation, represented by the Communications, Space and Technology Commission and the Saudi Space Agency, participated in the 69th session of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, held in Vienna from June 10 to 18. The Kingdom’s participation reflects its commitment»»»

RAFHA: The stone buildings across the Kingdom’s Northern Borders region serve as architectural landmarks that highlight the relationship between people and their natural surroundings. These houses stand as enduring reminders of desert communities’ ability to adapt to a harsh environment. Built usin»»»

Mediators in the U.S.-Iran conflict, including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, are due to gather for talks in Egypt on Sunday, Cairo and Islamabad said. Pakistan's foreign ministry said on Friday that the four-way meeting would bring together the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turk»»»

Dubai: Saudi Arabia has documented 1,293 underwater cultural heritage sites and assets along its Red Sea and Arabian Gulf coastlines and recovered more than 1,000 artefacts through a series of marine archaeological expeditions. The findings were unveiled by the Heritage Commission during Saudi Arab»»»

Dubai: Saudi Arabia recorded a historic high of nearly 123 million domestic and international tourists in 2025, thanks to the rapid transformation of the Kingdom's tourism sector into one of the country's most significant non-oil economic engines. According to the Ministry of Tourism's Annual Stati»»»

In a move set to expedite the remittance landscape, the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) is gearing up to introduce the “Instapay” application, facilitating money transfers from Egyptians living overseas. This initiative, expected to launch within the next two months, aims to streamline the remittance p»»»

RIYADH: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center has extended the contract for the Masam project to clear Yemen of landmines for another year, with a budget of $52,531,168. The project is implemented by Saudi personnel and international experts through Yemeni teams trained to remove all t»»»

RIYADH: The endangered Arabian oryx has been reintroduced to King Salman bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve after an almost century-long hiatus. The reserve development authority’s breeding and return of the endangered species to its natural habitat marks a significant environmental achievement for the Ki»»»

Cocktail 2 review: Glossy romance with Sicily sheen, but shallowDirector: Homi AdjaniaCast: Kriti Sanon, Rashmika Mandanna and Shahid Kapoor★★★Dubai: When I watched director Homi Adajania's Cocktail back in 2012, I remember walking out with mixed feelings. It was glossy, entertaining and undeniably»»»

MAKKAH: When Taif claimed the top spot among Saudi Arabia’s apricot-producing regions it was no statistical fluke — it was the payoff of a long apprenticeship; generations of farming knowledge passed down, paired with an unusual fit between what the land offers and what its people are willing to pu»»»

JEDDAH: Late-night and early-morning 2026 World Cup broadcasts are severely disrupting football fans’ routines and habits in Saudi Arabia, with matches from the US, Mexico and Canada airing as late as 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. To cope with this, enthusiasts are adjusting their sleep schedules, taking naps, »»»

RIYADH: The General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises, also known as Monsha’at, in partnership with the National Center for Development of the Non-Profit Sector and the Social Development Bank, concluded its Social Entrepreneurship Week activities. This event, part of a series of business »»»

Just days after US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a landmark agreement aimed at ending months of war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, the deal is facing its first major test. Negotiations that were supposed to begin in Switzerland have been postponed. Fight»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has an opportunity to turn retirement savings into a new source of long-term capital that could deepen financial markets and support economic diversification, according to a report by BlackRock. The world’s largest asset manager said expanding funded retirement schemes could he»»»

RIYADH: Middle East boards are among the most forward thinking in the world when it comes to artificial intelligence, according to a survey of more than 400 company officials. The research, published in Board Intelligence’s summer 2026 Board Value Index, shows that AI governance engagement is parti»»»

Dubai: DFM-listed Amanat Holdings PJSC has completed the full acquisition of Cambridge Health Group after buying an additional 10.03 per cent stake for Dh105 million. Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The deal gives Amanat 100 per cent ownership of Cambridge Health Group»»»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s point-of-sale transactions held above $3.5 billion in the week ending June 13, although total spending slipped 3.9 percent from the previous week, official data showed. According to the latest figures from the Saudi Central Bank, POS transaction values totaled SR13.2 billion »»»

Dubai: As modern family dynamics across the Gulf continue to evolve, parents are increasingly seeking products that seamlessly integrate into fast-paced, flexible lifestyles without compromising comfort or convenience. Responding to this shift, Momcozy, the global leader in wearable breast pumps, i»»»