RIYADH — The Ministry of Defense announced the dates and locations of air shows to mark the National Day celebrations. The shows will begin in Jeddah and conclude in Al-Khobar. The Ministry of Defense will organize air shows in the skies of Jeddah, Riyadh, and Al-Khobar to celebrate Saudi National Day, which the Kingdom observes on September 23 every year. The shows in Jeddah will begin at 5:00 pm on Friday, Sept. 18 at the Roshan Waterfront in front of the Jeddah Hilton Hotel and will continue until Sunday. The air shows in Riyadh will begin at 4:00 pm on…
Author: Editorial Team
The CEO of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), H.E. Dr. Hisham S. Aljadhey, met today with the Chief Executive Officer of Singapore’s Health Sciences Authority (HSA), Adjunct Professor (Dr) Raymond Chua. The meeting took place on the sidelines of Dr. Aljadhey’s visit to Singapore to participate in the 30th Annual Meeting of the International Medical Device Regulators Forum (IMDRF) and the Drug Information Association (DIA) Singapore Annual Meeting. The meeting explored strengthening cooperation in the regulation of pharmaceuticals and medical devices, and exchanged expertise and information regarding artificial intelligence applications in regulatory functions. Discussions also centered on opportunities…
Abdullah Khorami, Chief Business Officer, Etihad Salam Telecom Company (Salam). Tourism has cleared every Vision 2030 target ahead of schedule, and whether smart hospitality can work at giga-project scale is an execution problem that is redrawing the telecom industry’s role. Saudi Arabia no longer has to prove it can attract tourists. The Kingdom welcomed 122 million visitors in 2025, passed its original 100-million target six years early, and has reset the goal to 150 million by 2030. Hotel supply is following: more than 300,000 rooms are due by the end of the decade, part of a development pipeline valued near…
JEDDAH — Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman has sent a cable of condolences to Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Andy Burnham, following the passing of his father. The Crown Prince offered his deepest condolences and sincere sympathy to the prime minister and his family. The Crown Prince wished Burnham continued good health. Roy Burnham, father of UK prime minister, died on Monday after suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Source: Saudi Gazette
MAKKAH — The Makkah Mayoralty began accepting applications for the qualification of catering contractors for the 1448 AH (2027) Hajj season, starting Saturday, Rabi Al-Akher 1, corresponding to September 12. This is part of the mayoralty’s early preparations to enhance the readiness of services provided to pilgrims and improve the efficiency of field operations in accordance with the highest standards of quality and food safety. The mayoralty clarified that applications are being received through the electronic platform for contractor qualification. It called upon entities wishing to provide catering services to complete and update their data in accordance with the approved…
Musafir Holdings, the diversified regional travel group, announced today that it has signed an agreement to acquire FLYCT MEA Holdings, which operates the Cleartrip.ae and Flyin.com online travel platforms in the Middle East. Musafir Holdings currently holds a 25% stake in FLYCT and intends to acquire 75% from the founding management team, taking full ownership of the business, subject to customary regulatory approvals. The acquisition underscores Musafir’s long-term confidence in the regional travel market and its commitment to continuing to invest in the sector through all market conditions. The two businesses are a natural strategic fit. FLYCT brings leading consumer…
Ransomware activity targeting the Middle East surged to its highest level during the 17-month period assessed by CloudSEK, jumping from 17 threat intelligence feeds in April 2025 to 357 in June 2026 — more than a 20-fold increase. The sharp ransomware escalation is part of a wider shift in the region’s cyber threat landscape, where financially motivated cybercrime is increasingly operating alongside politically driven hacktivism, state-linked espionage, destructive attacks and rapid exploitation of critical vulnerabilities. CloudSEK’s new Middle East Cyber Threat Landscape 2025–2026 analyses threat activity across ransomware, hacktivism, dark web sources, adversary intelligence, malware and vulnerability intelligence between April…
RIYADH — Saudi Arabia commemorates World Patient Safety Day 2026, observed on September 17 under the theme “Safe Care for Life,” amid national health indicators reflecting significant progress in healthcare quality, prevention, and patient safety. Key achievements include a 40 percent reduction in chronic disease-related mortality, an increase in average life expectancy from 74 to 79.7 years, and an improvement in the Healthcare Services Quality Index to 70.4 percent in 2025, exceeding the annual target of 60 percent. These indicators reflect the transformation taking place across Saudi Arabia’s healthcare system and its shift toward a model centered on prevention, early…
RIYADH — One person was killed and two others injured after falling debris from a drone that was intercepted and destroyed in Taif on Thursday, spokesperson of the Civil Defense said. The Civil Defense in Taif governorate responded to debris resulting from a drone that had been launched by the Houthi terrorist militia. The incident resulted in the death of a Yemeni resident and injuries to a Saudi woman and a Pakistani resident, whose condition is critical. The attack caused material damage to several buildings and vehicles, the spokesperson said, adding that the standard emergency procedures were carried out following…
JEDDAH — Heavy rainfall — accompanied by hail and flash floods — is expected to continue across parts of Saudi Arabia through Tuesday, September 22, according to the National Center for Meteorology (NCM). With varying levels of rainfall forecast across several regions, parts of Jazan, including Al-Aridah, Sabya, Abu Arish, Al-Darb, Al-Harth, Al-Dayer, Al-Raith, Al-Tuwal, Damad, Fayfa, Harub and Samtah, are expected to experience moderate to heavy rain. Meanwhile, Jazan city and Farasan are forecast to experience moderate rain, which may become heavy on Sunday and Monday. In Asir, moderate to heavy rain is expected across several areas, including Abha,…