The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) has officially declared the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia free of equine viral arteritis (EVA) after the Kingdom fulfilled the technical requirements and international standards for declaring countries free of animal diseases. This official recognition followed WOAH’s evaluation of the technical file prepared by the National Center for the Prevention and Control of Plants Pests and Animal Diseases (Weqaa Center), which included the surveillance and preventive measures and epidemiological monitoring programs applied in the Kingdom, in compliance with WOAH’s requirements and standards. This international recognition reflects the level of progress in the Kingdom’s animal…
Author: Editorial Team
RIYADH — On behalf of Minister of Defense Prince Khalid bin Salman, Deputy Minister of Defense Prince Abdulrahman bin Mohammed bin Ayyaf attended the graduation ceremony of students of the National Defense University, under the Ministry of Defense, for the academic year 1447 AH in Riyadh on Thursday. Upon his arrival at the university headquarters in Riyadh, the deputy minister was received by the Chief of the General Staff Gen. Fayyad Al-Ruwaili, and the University President Maj. Gen. Mohammed Al-Ruwaili. A visual presentation, depicting the university’s programs and strategic plans, its role in the military education system, and its plans…
Saudi Arabia ranked third globally in the “Creation of Firms” indicator in the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2026, due to streamlined procedures and accelerated business startup processes through reduced requirements and automated procedures. Saudi Arabia advanced to fourth place in the “Equal Opportunity” indicator by enabling individuals and establishments to practice economic activity and access facilities and enablers fairly and effectively. In the “Large Corporations” indicator, the Kingdom advanced to seventh place globally, reflecting the ability of large companies to operate with high efficiency and productivity and compete with major global firms. The Ministry of Commerce stated that efforts to…
RIYADH — The King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority announced a significant environmental achievement during the first half of 2026, recording 34 new bird species added for the first time to the reserve’s biodiversity list. This raises the total number of recorded bird species to 225—a 15 percent increase in the reserve’s documented avian diversity. The authority explained that this achievement stems from continuous improvement in field monitoring efficiency and comprehensive geographic coverage within the reserve’s boundaries, enhancing the accuracy of biodiversity documentation. Abdulaziz Al-Furaih, spokesperson of the authority, said that the new findings reflect the accelerating development of the…
Verizon recently unveiled an overhaul of its consumer offerings, scrapping activation and upgrade fees alongside launching two new plans designed to cut through complexity and friction. Verizon CEO Dan Schulman stated the industry has for too long burdened customers with complex plans and forced upgrades when announcing the new offerings and loyalty programme. “We’re fundamentally reshaping Verizon inside and out to put the customer at the centre of everything we do”, he stated. “We’re listening, designing for them, and moving faster than we ever have before”. The $40 activation fee, which Verizon raised from $35 as recently as last August,…
MIAMI — FIFA World Cup 2026 has already delivered goals, drama and a series of unexpected results after the completion of the opening round of group-stage matches. A total of 75 goals were scored across the first 24 matches, producing an average of 3.13 goals per game, the highest rate at this stage of a World Cup since 1958. The expanded 48-team format had raised concerns about competitiveness before the tournament, but the opening round has largely silenced those doubts. Nine of the 24 matches ended in draws, representing 37.5 percent of all games, the highest figure after the first…
RIYADH — Saudi Arabia and seven other Islamic states strongly condemned the continued and escalating settler violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Indonesia, Pakistan, Egypt, and Türkiye emphasized that these attacks constitute a clear violation of the sanctity of places of worship and religious sites, international law, including international humanitarian law, and relevant United Nations resolutions. They specially mentioned the recent attacks on the Grand Mosque in the village of Jiljilya and Al-Farouq Mosque in the village of Mazar’a al-Nubani, north of…
TEXAS — England manager Thomas Tuchel has called on FIFA to reconsider the positioning of photographers during pre-match ceremonies after saying they blocked his view of his players during the national anthem ahead of England’s World Cup opener against Croatia. Tuchel made the comments after England’s 4-2 victory over Croatia on Wednesday, a match that marked his World Cup debut as England coach. The German said he had been looking forward to watching his team during the playing of “God Save the King” but was unable to do so because photographers were stationed directly in front of the England bench.…
ABIDJAN — Ivory Coast forward Elye Wahi has been denied entry to Canada ahead of his country’s crucial FIFA World Cup match against Germany, the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) confirmed on Wednesday. The 23-year-old Nice striker will miss Saturday’s Group E clash in Toronto after failing to obtain the necessary authorization to enter Canadian territory. The development comes amid an ongoing investigation in France related to allegations of spot-fixing during a Ligue 1 match last season. French authorities confirmed that a 23-year-old Ligue 1 player was arrested last month as part of an investigation into alleged organized fraud, sports corruption,…
MIAMI — Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha is set for an emotional reunion with his mother ahead of his country’s next FIFA World Cup match after his heroic display against Spain turned him into one of the tournament’s breakout stars. The 40-year-old goalkeeper revealed after Cape Verde’s stunning 0-0 draw with Spain that his mother had been unable to travel to the United States because of visa-related costs and logistical challenges. Days later, that situation has changed. Vozinha’s mother, Ana Candida Evora, confirmed she will travel to Miami in time for Cape Verde’s Group H clash against Uruguay on Sunday. “I’m…