A routine casting call from Dubai turned into a career-defining moment for UAE-based actor Puneet Sud, who found himself sharing the screen with Oscar-winning actor Jeremy Irons in Rihana, an international feature film that premiered at the Cannes Film Festival last month. The 67-year-old actor said he initially knew very little about the project when he was approached by a casting agency in Dubai and invited to travel to Sri Lanka for filming. He boarded a flight to Colombo expecting another acting assignment. It was only after arriving on set that he realised the scale of the production. “It was…
Author: Editorial Team
GENEVA — The head of the UN nuclear watchdog on Thursday welcomed the interim peace deal signed by Washington and Iran, saying it would now be involved in technical discussions to implement the agreement. “We believe the fact that the indispensable role of the IAEA is recognized is a sound point of departure,” said Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, in reference to the reported text of the memorandum. “Now it’s for us to sit down with our American colleagues, our Iranian colleagues and start formulating the concrete steps that will have to be taken. So,…
RIYADH — The World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) has officially declared that Saudi Arabia is free of equine viral arteritis (EVA). This is 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…
ROME — Saudi Minister of Transport and Logistics Eng. Saleh Al-Jasser said that the Strait of Hormuz crisis had necessitated Saudi Arabia implementing precautionary countermeasures to avert the crisis. “Riyadh had activated 41 business continuity and emergency plans that had been previously prepared and tested to protect supply chains, enabling a swift and effective response from the earliest stages of the crisis,” he said while addressing a session at the European Summit of the Future Investment Initiative in Rome. The region is currently experiencing challenging conditions, Al-Jasser said while emphasizing that Saudi Arabia was well prepared to manage such developments.…
RIYADH — Saudi Arabia recorded a new historical high of around 123 million inbound and domestic tourists during the year 2025, representing growth of approximately six percent compared to 2024. Total tourism spending posted record growth of seven percent, amounting to SR304 billion last year compared to 2024, according to the Annual Statistical Report for 2025 released by the Ministry of Tourism. The report highlighted Saudi tourism’s robust performance and ongoing transformation. It underscores the sector’s rapid growth aligned with the National Tourism Strategy and Saudi Vision 2030. Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb stated that the strong performance outlined in…
RIYADH — Saudi Arabia has advanced four positions in the 2026 IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook, including ranking 13th globally among 70 economies and securing third place among G20 countries. Published annually by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD), the yearbook is one of the world’s leading benchmarks for measuring national competitiveness and is closely monitored by the Saudi Competitiveness and Business Center in collaboration with relevant government entities. The Kingdom’s ranking reflects a sustained upward trajectory in recent years, improving from 36th place in 2017 to 13th place in 2026, which was driven by improvements across all four main…
MOSCOW — A major oil refinery in Moscow was attacked for the second time in a week on Thursday with close to 200 Ukrainian drones hitting targets around the Russian capital and setting columns of thick smoke billowing high into the sky. This was the largest Ukrainian attack on Moscow since the start of the full-scale war over four years ago, officials said. Ukraine has repeatedly targeted Russian oil facilities, aiming to cut Moscow’s revenue for the war and make Russians feel the consequences of the invasion. Some areas have reported fuel shortages. The attack by dozens of drones came…
King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSH) in Madinah has launched a pioneering endoscopic nipple sparing mastectomy program with immediate breast reconstruction, enabling affected breast tissue to be removed through a small hidden incision under the armpit, with reconstruction performed during the same operation, helping reduce visible scarring and the emotional impact associated with breast loss. The program has been integrated into clinical practice as a permanent treatment option for eligible patients, following a clinical implementation phase that began in December 2023, when the first successful endoscopic mastectomy was performed through a small incision under the armpit, preserving the…
ALBAHA — Minister of Interior lays the foundation stone for the headquarters of the Special Force for Environmental Security in the Baha region. Saudi Minister of Interior (MOI), Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud, laid the foundation stone for the headquarters of the Special Forces for Environmental Security in the Al-Baha Region, in the presence of Prince Fahd bin Saad and a number of senior officials accompanying the Minister of Interior. The event, which took place on Thursday, was held in the presence of theGovernor of Al-Baha Region, Prince Hussam bin Saud, and the Deputy Governor of Al-Baha Region. Prince Abdulaziz was…
QBS Software Middle East, formerly known as emt, recently announced a strategic partnership with ZINAD, a leading provider of AI-powered Human Threat Intelligence and cybersecurity awareness solutions, to strengthen cyber resilience across META-EURASIA. Through this partnership, QBS Software Middle East will deliver ZINAD’s innovative ZiSoft platform to partners and their end customers across the region, helping organisations transform cybersecurity awareness into an intelligent, real-time layer of defence. At the core of ZiSoft is Reflex 360, a unique capability that integrates directly with SIEM, User Behaviour Analytics (UBA), and Threat Intelligence Platforms (TIP) to connect awareness initiatives with live security events.…