RIYADH — The founding members of the Multinational Maritime Defense Alliance on Thursday approved the establishment of the coalition as a framework for maritime defense cooperation, with Saudi Arabia designated as its founding nation, leader and permanent headquarters. In a joint statement, the founding states said growing threats to global maritime security require stronger collective cooperation to protect freedom of navigation, international trade routes and global energy supply lines through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The alliance said it will operate in accordance with international law, United Nations conventions and internationally recognized norms…
Author: Editorial Team
JERUSALEM — At least four people have been killed and dozens injured in Israeli attacks on Gaza in the latest violation of a ceasefire that was meant to help end the genocide. According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health on Thursday, hospitals across the Gaza Strip received six bodies and 34 injured people in the past 24 hours. These include four new deaths, as well as one person who died from previous injuries and one body that was recovered. A man and an eight-year-old child were killed in an Israeli air strike on the southern city of Khan Younis, health officials…
RIYADH — Saudi Arabia on Thursday hosted an international meeting to advance its proposal for a multinational maritime defense alliance aimed at strengthening maritime security, protecting international shipping lanes and countering threats to global trade. The meeting brought together chiefs of staff and their representatives from 43 countries, as well as the European Union Delegation to Saudi Arabia, underscoring growing international support for enhanced maritime defense cooperation. Participants reviewed escalating threats to maritime security, including attacks on commercial vessels, energy tankers and critical maritime infrastructure, warning that such incidents pose risks to freedom of navigation, global supply chains and the…
As Saudi Arabia accelerates its ambitions during the Year of Artificial Intelligence, the question facing enterprises is no longer whether to adopt AI, but how to do so securely. With autonomous agents beginning to access data, make decisions, and act across business systems, the cybersecurity conversation is shifting from protecting infrastructure to governing how AI itself behaves. Against this backdrop, TrendAI™️ has launched in the Kingdom. Riyadh Daily spoke with Wasna Ben Gassem, Managing Director for Saudi Arabia at TrendAI™️, about the capabilities being introduced to the market, the security implications of agentic AI and what sets TrendAI™️ apart in…
Archit Gupta, Founder and CEO, ClearTax. Global tax technology company strengthens its presence in Oman as the Sultanate prepares to begin phased e-invoicing implementation in August 2026 Dubai — ClearTax, a global tax compliance and e-invoicing technology company, today announced that Defmacro Software SPC, its Oman entity, has been officially accredited by the Oman Tax Authority as an E-Invoicing Service Provider under the Sultanate’s Fawtara programme. The accreditation authorises ClearTax to support businesses in Oman with the validation, exchange and reporting of electronic invoices in accordance with the technical and security requirements established by the Oman Tax Authority. The development…
KUWAIT CITY — An Iranian attack struck a building belonging to a Chinese company in northern Kuwait on Thursday, killing one worker and causing extensive damage, the Kuwaiti military said. Defense Ministry spokesperson Saud Al-Atwan described the incident as “Iranian aggression,” saying the strike hit the company’s building and resulted in significant material losses. He said the relevant authorities immediately launched the necessary response measures in coordination with other government agencies. The Kuwaiti Armed Forces said they would continue carrying out their duties and take “all necessary measures to protect the nation’s sovereignty and safeguard its security and stability.” Source:…
RIYADH — Saudi Arabia recorded a SR34.3 billion ($9.1 billion) budget deficit in the second quarter of 2026 as government revenue rose 12% year-on-year, according to the Ministry of Finance’s quarterly budget performance report released Thursday. Total revenue reached SR338.8 billion ($90.3 billion) during the quarter, while expenditure rose 11% from a year earlier to SR373.1 billion ($99.5 billion). Oil revenue increased 22% year-on-year to SR185.1 billion ($49.4 billion), up from SR151.7 billion in the second quarter of 2025. Non-oil revenue also grew 3% to SR153.7 billion ($41 billion). The second-quarter performance lifted total government revenue for the first half…
Madinah Dates Season 2026 is attracting growing numbers of visitors, offering a seasonal celebration of the region’s renowned date varieties, including Ajwa, Safawi, and Barni, while highlighting Madinah’s economic and cultural significance as one of Saudi Arabia’s leading date-producing regions. The season provides visitors with the opportunity to explore a wide range of date varieties and value-added products in an experience that reflects the quality of local produce and the hospitality for which Madinah is known. It also supports local farmers, producers, and entrepreneurs in the date industry, strengthening appreciation for the region’s agricultural heritage. Among the event’s key attractions is the…
Vikas Panchal, Sr. General Manager – MENA, Tally Solutions. Dubai — Tally Solutions, the leading international business management software provider for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), today announced that it has been officially listed as a fully Accredited Service Provider (ASP) by the UAE Ministry of Finance. The milestone reinforces Tally’s commitment to supporting the UAE’s digital transformation by enabling businesses to seamlessly adopt e-invoicing while simplifying compliance and driving business growth. As an ASP, Tally combines business management with integrated compliance, enabling businesses to generate compliant e-invoices directly from TallyPrime in line with the UAE Ministry of Finance’s e-invoicing framework. Customers using the latest release of TallyPrime with…
DUBAI — The US military announced on Thursday it had completed “a heavy wave of strikes against Iran” conducted in response to earlier Iranian attacks on American forces in the Middle East. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed Thursday it targeted Al-Azraq Air Base in Jordan’s eastern desert with ballistic missiles, destroying three F-35 fighter jets and heavily damaging three others, according to Iranian media. The IRGC statement came hours after a missile struck a house on Qeshm Island, killing three people during a wave of US attacks across southern Iran, according to Mehr News Agency Following the US…