SEOUL — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw a navigation test of the Kang Kon destroyer and called for strengthening the country’s naval combat capabilities and nuclear deterrence, state media reported on Saturday. According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim, accompanied by his daughter Ju-ae, boarded the destroyer on Thursday to inspect its maneuverability and operational readiness. During the visit, Kim said building a powerful navy capable of contributing to North Korea’s nuclear deterrent and conducting operations “under the water or on the water” remains a key objective of the ruling Workers’ Party’s five-year defense development plan.…
Author: Editorial Team
Marking World Environment Day, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Saudi Arabia highlighted its collaboration with national partners to support environmental protection, ecosystem restoration, and the sustainable management of natural resources in line with Saudi Vision 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals. Saudi Arabia continues to advance efforts to rehabilitate degraded land, combat desertification, and expand vegetation cover through ambitious initiatives and large-scale programs. FAO Programme Director in Saudi Arabia Dr. Nizar Haddad, said: “Land restoration is not only an environmental imperative but also a direct investment in food security, water security, and sustainable livelihoods. Saudi Arabia’s…
JEDDAH — Saudi investor Hussein Alharthy is part of a new generation of professionals helping connect regional capital with some of the world’s most closely watched technology companies. Through his work at international investment firm Disruptive, he has spent the past several years working with investors seeking opportunities in sectors such as artificial intelligence, enterprise software, and digital infrastructure. A recent Forbes profile spotlighted Alharthy’s career and his role in helping build investment links between the Gulf and the U.S. technology sector, as regional investors become increasingly active participants in global private markets. Starting as an intern at Disruptive in…
BEIRUT — A senior Lebanese army officer and his driver were killed on Saturday in an Israeli airstrike that targeted a military vehicle in southern Lebanon, according to the Lebanese army and state media. The Lebanese army said the strike occurred on the Khardali-Nabatieh road but did not specify the total number of military personnel killed. Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported that the victim was a Lebanese Army brigadier general whose four-wheel-drive vehicle was struck on the Khardali-Jarmaq road in Nabatieh Governorate. The Israeli military has not immediately commented on the incident. The strike comes despite a fragile ceasefire…
The Cultural Front at Umm Al-Qura University is utilizing digital technologies to enrich the pilgrim experience with diverse educational and historical content. Available in multiple languages, the university launched a project that introduces visitors to the Kingdom’s Islamic, historical, and cultural sites through reliable information and interactive media. Part of the university’s efforts to harness technology for Hajj and Umrah services, the project aligns with Saudi Vision 2030 goals to enhance service quality. By providing accessible historical data, the platform fosters cross-cultural communication and showcases the Kingdom’s rich heritage. The project highlights the vital role of academic institutions in combining…
RIYADH — Land, sea, and air Customs ports across Saudi Arabia recorded 686 seizures of contraband last week. The seizures included 82 narcotic substances, such as hashish, cocaine, heroin, crystal methamphetamine, Captagon pills, and other illicit drugs, in addition to 323 other prohibited items. Customs authorities also foiled attempts to smuggle 1,484 units of tobacco and tobacco-related products, as well as 22 cash-related violations and two cases involving weapons and associated equipment. The seizures were part of the ongoing efforts of the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA) to strengthen security and safeguard society from all forms of prohibited substances.…
RIYADH — Saudi security forces arrested a total of 7,760 illegal residents in a week. The arrests were made in joint inspections, carried out in collaboration with the relevant government agencies, during the period between May 28 and June 3, the Ministry of Interior announced on Saturday. Those who were arrested include 4,060 violators of the Residency Law, 2,574 violators of the Border Security Law, and 1,126 violators of the Labor Law. The total number of people who were arrested while trying to cross the border into the Kingdom accounted for 1,184, of whom 28 percent were Yemeni nationals, 70…
Nearly 500 Ebola cases have now been confirmed in the deadly outbreak raging in central Africa, a WHO overview showed Saturday, amid mounting concern over the swelling scale of the epidemic. In its daily update on the situation, the World Health Organization tallied 452 confirmed cases, including 82 deaths, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the outbreak was declared three weeks ago. In neighbouring Uganda, meanwhile, it counted 19 confirmed cases, including two deaths. The total of 471 cases and 84 deaths, based on numbers reported by the DRC and Ugandan governments, marked a hike of 100 cases and…
Novo Nordisk today announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) under the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has adopted a positive opinion, recom-mending marketing authorisation of Wegovy® pill (once-daily oral semaglutide 25 mg) to re-duce excess body weight and maintain long-term weight reduction. The positive opinion also includes SELECT data in the label, demonstrating that Wegovy® reduces the risk of major ad-verse cardiovascular events (MACE)*. Wegovy® pill is the first oral glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist therapy recom-mended for approval by CHMP for weight management in the EU. The recommendation is based on the OASIS trial programme…
ROME — Dr. Abdulaziz Alwasil, Saudi permanent representative to the United Nations, called for an immediate halt to the displacement of Palestinians from Gaza. Addressing the United Nations, he expressed deep concern over the continued suffering of civilians in the Gaza Strip. Alwasil reaffirmed his country’s unequivocal rejection of any displacement of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, regardless of the justification. He stated that the Arab Group at the UN rejects what it described as hostile Israeli practices. Alwasil also condemned Tel Aviv’s targeting of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).…