RIYADH — Qiwa, the digital labor platform operated by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, said holders of Premium Residency are required to obtain a dedicated work permit available through the platform at a fee of SR100, Okaz newspaper reported. The platform said subscription fees vary according to the size of each establishment and are calculated based on the total number of employees registered under the entity’s unified number. Qiwa also confirmed that training contracts for beneficiaries of the Tamheer program can be documented through the platform. However, it noted that training contracts are not counted toward Saudization…
Author: Editorial Team
Secretary-General of the Muslim World League (MWL) and Chairman of the Organization of Muslim Scholars Mohammed Al-Issa met in London with Islamic religious leaders and businessmen from across the United Kingdom, discussing topics related to the Islamic civilizational position on issues of concern to Muslim communities in non-Muslim countries. Attendees praised the MWL’s role worldwide and its initiatives in clarifying the true nature of Islam in confronting extremist ideologies. He also delivered a keynote address at the opening of the high-level meeting of the Experts Group at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, addressing topics of dialogue and affirming its…
LOS ANGELES — Celebrated British American painter David Hockney, whose vibrant portraits and sun-drenched depictions of the everyday made him one of contemporary art’s most beloved figures, has died at 88. The English artist, whose deftly designed and suavely colored paintings turned trans-Atlantic attention to figurative and narrative art beginning in the late 1950s and early 1960s, died “peacefully at home” on Thursday, one month short of his 89th birthday, according to a statement by his longtime publicist Erica Bolton. Over a seven-decade career, Hockney explored and reimagined classical portraiture, landscape painting and pop art, working in painting, collage, photography…
RIYADH — The Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA) has foiled an attempt to smuggle 46,968 amphetamine pills into Saudi Arabia through the Al Haditha border crossing. ZATCA spokesperson Hamoud Al-Harbi said the narcotics were discovered during an inspection of a truck arriving in the Kingdom. The pills were concealed inside a shipment of metal containers carrying cheese. Following the seizure, ZATCA coordinated with the General Directorate of Narcotics Control to identify and apprehend the intended recipient of the shipment inside Saudi Arabia. Al-Harbi said authorities successfully arrested the recipient after completing the customs operation. ZATCA said it remains committed…
The Arab Tourism Organization honored business leaders, influencers, and executives with the 2026 Ibn Battuta Award at its annual ceremony, held at the organization’s headquarters in Jeddah under the theme “Investment and Tourism.” Arab Tourism Organization President Dr. Bandar Al-Fehaid said the honors are part of the organization’s efforts to support tourism investment, attract capital to Arab countries, and develop the sector to help diversify income sources and promote sustainable development. At the conclusion of the ceremony, Al-Fehaid presented certificates of recognition and commemorative shields to participating entities in appreciation of their efforts to serve the tourism industry and support…
Telefonica recently revealed it had reused or recycled over 4 million devices in 2025, a significant number as the operator steps up its efforts to hit its zero-waste target by 2030. The Spanish operator said 95% of its waste was reused or recycled during the year, including 3 million routers and set-top boxes. Devices were collected from customers, operations and offices, with 75% reused and the remaining 25% recycled. Telefonica also reused more than 780,000 units of network equipment in 2025, adding this enabled it to meet the GSMA-backed industry commitment to reuse and recycle 100% of collected equipment. In…
NEW YORK — Saudi Arabia has underscored the importance of strengthening international efforts to protect older persons, particularly those with disabilities, and ensuring their rights, dignity and full participation in society. The call was made by Saudi Arabia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Abdulaziz Al-Wasel, speaking on behalf of the Group of Friends of Ageing and Sustainable Development during a side event held on the sidelines of the 19th session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in New York. Al-Wasel said the mistreatment of older persons is a…
TEHRAN — Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Friday that the proposed Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding between Iran and the United States is closer than ever to being finalized. In a post on X, Araghchi said negotiations had made significant progress and that the agreement was nearing completion. “The Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding has never been closer,” he wrote. Araghchi urged media organizations and commentators to refrain from speculating about the contents of the proposed agreement while negotiations remain underway. “Pending its finalization, the media should refrain from entering speculation about its content,” he said. The Iranian foreign minister added…
Nokia’s upcoming addition of an agentic AI framework into its network services platform (NSP) is being positioned as giving operators the ability to adopt agents using trusted data within secure boundaries. The vendor stated the move would provide the means for customers to introduce AI operations for IP networks, with agents able to take guided, explainable actions based on real network data. Commercial availability of the functionality is expected by the end of the year. Nokia’s NSP is its management and automation platform for multi-vendor IP networks. It asserted the addition of the AI framework supports communication with external agents…
A Saudi delegation led by Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb met with a French delegation headed by France’s Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises, Trade, Crafts, Tourism and Purchasing Power Serge Papin in Toledo, Spain, on 11 June 2026, on the sidelines of the 126th session of the UN Tourism Executive Council. The two delegations discussed the longstanding strategic relationship between Saudi Arabia and France in tourism, emphasizing the sector’s importance as a key driver of prosperity and economic growth. They also explored ways to strengthen collaboration in support of shared priorities, including sustainable growth, destination competitiveness, investment attraction, and…