Member of the Council of Senior Scholars Sheikh Dr. Abdul Salam Al-Sulaiman emphasized the importance of integrated security efforts in ensuring compliance with Hajj regulations, while highlighting the critical need to counter rumors and misinformation through effective communication and the dissemination of official, reliable information. Speaking at a Ministry of Interior’s Hajj symposium in Makkah, Sheikh Al-Sulaiman commended the ministry and other government agencies for raising awareness of Hajj procedures. He noted that these efforts contribute to the safety of pilgrims, rapid response times, and professional crowd management. Source: Riyadh Daily
Author: Editorial Team
Verizon has recently determined that exploiting vulnerabilities surpassed stolen credentials to become the number one data breach entry point in 2025, thanks to the use of AI by threat actors. In the 19th edition of its annual Data Breach Investigations Report, the US operator stated software flaws rather than stolen passwords had become the dominant entry point. In a review of more than 31,000 incidents, Verizon found 31% started with vulnerability exploitation. Verizon stated attackers are using AI to spot and exploit known vulnerabilities at machine speed, with the technology accelerating attacks from months to hours. It also noted hackers…
RIYADH — The construction cost index in Saudi Arabia rose by 2.4 percent in April 2026 compared to the same month of the previous year. This increase is primarily attributed to a 2.4 percent rise in construction costs for the residential sector and a 2.7 percent increase in costs for the non-residential sector, according to the report of the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT). The residential sector index recorded a year-on-year increase of 2.4 percent, largely driven by a 4.7 percent rise in equipment and machinery rental costs. This increase reflects a 6.3 percent rise in rental costs for equipment…
RIYADH — The Saudi Health Authority (Weqaya) reaffirmed the Kingdom’s preparedness to address potential Ebola and Hantavirus outbreaks. It was revealed that there are no confirmed or suspected cases of Ebola and Hantavirus within the Kingdom. “The health status of pilgrims remains reassuring, under continuous, round-the-clock monitoring in full coordination with authorities inside and outside the Kingdom,” the Weqaya said. Precautionary measures are being reinforced, with daily health monitoring conducted for pilgrims arriving from countries neighboring outbreak zones. Weqaya stated that its ongoing surveillance of the Ebola virus outbreak in Congo and Uganda, is underway, in coordination with international health…
Why do writers feel the need to ‘escape’ to write? While I’d been writing for years, I didn’t know much about these glorified getaways and I’d never applied for one. So, I was pleasantly surprised when I answered a phone call asking me if I would be interested to travel to a residency in the US. Unsure what to expect, I attended the International Writers Program at the University of Iowa as one of 32 writers in residence from all over the world. What I discovered was a unique combination of calm and community that inspired me then, and long…
Saudi Ambassador to the Kingdom of Bahrain Naif bin Bandar Al-Sudairi bid farewell today to a group of pilgrims traveling aboard Saudia flights to perform Hajj rituals for this year, in the presence of Bahraini Minister of Justice and Islamic Affairs Nawaf bin Mohammed Al Maawda. Al Maawda emphasized the importance of joint efforts and ongoing coordination between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia in serving pilgrims. He praised the comprehensive capabilities and distinguished services provided by Saudi Arabia to the pilgrims, reflecting the Kingdom’s continuous care for the Two Holy Mosques and their visitors. Al-Sudairi expressed his wishes for the pilgrims…
RIYADH — Saudi Arabia’s Capital Market Authority has referred 17 suspects linked to Cenomi Retail to the Public Prosecution over suspected violations of the Capital Market Law, Market Conduct Regulations and Companies Law. The suspects include former and current board members, a chief executive officer, several financial managers at the company, and members of the audit team at the company’s former external auditor. The CMA said the Public Prosecution has already filed a penal case against the suspects before the Committee for Resolution of Securities Disputes. According to the authority, the referral followed a decision by the CMA board based…
Mistral AI, a French company, recently entered into a deal to acquire Austrian start-up Emmi AI. This move is part of a larger strategy to expand Mistral’s offering to industrial customers in Europe. Founded in 2024, Emmi AI develops models to improve operations across various sectors including aviation, energy, semiconductors and automotive, using its engineering capabilities to adapt and train AI based on data provided by customers. It raised €15 million in an Austrian funding round in 2025, pumping cash into models dealing with complex areas such as airflow and heat transfer, Reuters reported. In a statement announcing the sale…
RIYADH — Saudi Arabia’s Capital Market Authority announced the issuance of a final ruling against 11 former board and audit committee members of Middle East Healthcare Company over violations related to manipulation of the company’s financial statements between 2018 and 2021. The ruling was issued by the Appeal Committee for the Resolution of Securities Disputes and included collective fines totaling nearly SR18 million, along with work bans for several of the convicted individuals. According to the CMA, the violations involved breaching Article 49(a) of the Capital Market Law and Article 7 of the Market Conduct Regulations through inflating the company’s…
Less than 20 minutes after an Air India Express flight took off from Dubai on May 12, panic spread inside the cabin. A 32-year-old passenger collapsed and had become unresponsive. As frightened passengers stood up in confusion, Akilaoviyan Neelakandan, a nurse at RAK Hospital, rushed ahead from the back of the aircraft to help stabilise the man. She used limited medical supplies available onboard, monitoring him continuously for nearly two hours until the flight landed safely in India. Neelakandan was travelling home for her first vacation and was only on her second-ever flight when cabin crew announced that a medical…