Author: Editorial Team

JEDDAH — The National Center for Meteorology (NCM) stated that the Saudi regions experienced exceptional weather during April, marked by moderate to heavy rainfall across all regions in a notable climatic scene reflecting the diversity of the Kingdom’s atmosphere and its exposure to spring weather conditions. NCM spokesperson Hussein Al-Qahtani said that what the Kingdom’s regions experienced during April represents a distinctive climatic condition. He noted that most Saudi regions were affected by varying rainfall levels, reflecting the nature of weather fluctuations during spring, while also supporting water reserves and contributing to improved vegetation cover. Al-Qahtani said that the Kingdom…

MAKKAH — Minister of Commerce and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi General Authority of Foreign Trade (GAFT) Majid Al-Qasabi chaired the 70th meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Trade Cooperation Committee, held via video conference, on Thursday. Commerce ministers from GCC member states and GCC Secretary General Jasem Albudaiwi attended the meeting. The meeting discussed updates on free trade agreement negotiations with countries and international blocs and reviewed progress on implementing unified commercial laws across GCC states. It also examined a proposal for a virtual Gulf business incubator and reviewed the work of committees under…

SHARJAH, 1st May, 2026 (WAM) — The UAE’s fisheries and fishing sector is witnessing a new expansion of the “SFS Fisheries” system, the first digital platform of its kind at the national and regional levels, specialised in tracking and documenting fish landings and the origin of local catch. This comes as Fujairah has become the latest emirate to adopt SFS Fisheries, the country’s first integrated digital platform for tracking fishing operations and verifying the origin of local catch. The expansion builds on the system’s initial deployment in Sharjah and signals a broader national shift toward transparency, efficiency, and long-term resource…

UAE residents who may qualify for newly approved oral obesity pills such as Foundayo (orforglipron) and Wegovy — which are expected to enter the market soon — may face a question: will my insurance pay for it? Industry experts said that the answer is not clear yet. While Foundayo has been approved by the Emirates Drug Establishment (EDE), insurance experts said regulatory approval does not mean a medicine is added to insurance coverage. Decisions on whether the treatment will be covered and under what conditions, are expected to be assessed. Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT…

[Editor’s Note: Follow Khaleej Times live blog for the latest regional developments with the US-Israel-Iran ceasefire now in effect.] The UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Mofa) has announced on Thursday, April 30, a travel ban on UAE nationals traveling to Iran, Lebanon and Iraq in light of current regional developments. It further callen on UAE nationals who are currently in these countries to expedite their immediate return to the UAE. The decision comes as part of the UAE’s commitment to monitoring the wellbeing of its nationals abroad and ensuring their safety. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs underscored the importance of adhering to…

Prominent technology companies in China including ByteDance, Tencent and Alibaba are reportedly racing to secure AI chips from Huawei due to demand driven by the release of DeepSeek’s latest V4 AI model. Sources told Reuters cloud computing companies and GPU rental services also approached Huawei to place new orders for its Ascend 950 chip series. The spike follows the release of DeepSeek V4, a model optimised specifically for Huawei’s chips that opens a window for the Chinese vendor to push its in-house semiconductors. Following the launch of DeepSeek V4, domestic cloud giants Alibaba Cloud and Tencent Cloud immediately integrated the…

RIYADH — The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has finalized its comprehensive, integrated operational plan for the 2026 Hajj season. This readiness aligns with the directives of Saudi Arabia’s leadership to prioritize the health and well-being of pilgrims, leveraging all available resources to ensure a safe and seamless Hajj journey. These efforts underscore the Kingdom’s longstanding commitment to the service and care of the Two Holy Mosques and their visitors. The SFDA’s operational plan focuses on integrated monitoring and proactive pathways. Key pillars include strengthening supply chain oversight, enhancing the readiness of field teams, intensifying inspection visits of regulated…

RIYADH — Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan received on Thursday phone calls from his Canadian and Kuwaiti counterparts. During the call, Prince Faisal and Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Anita Anand reviewed bilateral relations between the two friendly countries. They discussed the latest developments in the region and the efforts being made in this regard. During the phone conversation, the Saudi foreign minister and Kuwait’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah discussed the latest developments in the region. The continuing bilateral coordination and consultations were also figured in their talks. Source: Saudi Gazette

RIYADH, 30th April, 2026 (WAM) — Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), affirmed on Thursday that industrial cooperation among member states has achieved significant progress. This advancement, he said, is reflected in strengthened integration, the development of joint policies, reinforced supply chains, and unified standards, all of which enhance the global competitiveness of Gulf economies. His remarks were delivered during the 56th meeting of the GCC Industrial Cooperation Committee, held via videoconference and chaired by Bahrain’s Minister of Industry and Commerce, Abdullah Fakhro, with the participation of GCC industry ministers. Albudaiwi stated that the committee plays…

From Thursday, April 23 to 30, one of the café’s soundproof work pods at Julith Coffee & Roastery is being transformed into a one-person library in collaboration with Bookends. The space measures just 128cm by 198cm, but packs in over 500 books across multiple genres and five languages. The idea is simple: step in, unplug, and read. Sessions are free, but must be booked in advance through the cafe website, with each slot capped at one hour to keep things calm and uninterrupted. Unlike a typical pop-up, this leans into what both brands already do: Julith offers quiet, focused spaces,…