Saudi Arabia

Saudi flight develops mid-air technical snag, lands safely in Lucknow

Sparks observed during the flight landing in Lucknow, all 250 passengers have been reported to be in safe condition

OpenAI eyes India, Saudi, UAE backing in $40 billion AI funding round

The AI firm is in talks with Reliance, Saudi PIF, and UAE's MGX to raise billions for its Stargate project and next-gen models, with SoftBank leading the effort

Over 1.5 million foreign pilgrims arrive in Saudi Arabia for Hajj

More than 1.5 million foreign pilgrims are in Saudi Arabia for this year's Hajj, a government spokesperson said Wednesday. Hajj is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, a religious obligation involving rituals and acts of worship that every Muslim must fulfil if they have the money and are physically able to do it. Hajj Ministry spokesperson Ghassan Al-Nuwaimi provided an approximate number for foreigners at this year's pilgrimage. He did not say how many domestic pilgrims were taking part. Last year, there were 1,611,310 pilgrims from outside the country. On Wednesday, pilgrims streamed into Arafat, some making the journey on foot, carrying their luggage through temperatures nudging 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). Others carried the elderly. People paused to sit on the ground to rest or eat before heading to their camps. Mount Arafat, a rocky hill southeast of Mecca, holds immense significance in Islam. Arafat is mentioned in the Quran and it is where the Prophet Muhamma

Multi-party delegation meets and receives feedback from S Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday met members of a multi-party delegation and received feedback from them on how they exposed Pakistan in various countries over its support to terrorism. The delegation led by BJP leader Baijayant Panda met Jaishankar at his office here after the key diplomatic tour and presented their report. The delegation returned home Tuesday morning after visiting Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and Algeria. In these countries, the delegation members met foreign dignitaries and Indian diaspora during a series of meetings and exposed Pakistan's support to terrorism in the wake of Pahalgam terror attack and subsequent Operation Sindoor. "It was a very good meeting, and we gave External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar our feedback. All members of the delegation provided their inputs and shared their views with him," said delegation member Harsh V Shringla, a former foreign secretary. Asked what the minister told them, he said, "He (Jaishankar) told us

Saudi Arabia aims at 25% of leisure travellers from India by 2030

The West Asian country's global vision is to attract 150 million tourists annually, generating 10 per cent of its gross domestic product (GDP)

Syria, Saudi Arabia to boost economic ties as Western sanctions ease

Syria and Saudi Arabia said Saturday they aim to boost economic cooperation for their mutual benefit and create jobs for Syrians after Western sanctions imposed on the war-torn country were eased earlier this month. The announcement was made during a visit to Damascus by Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, who met Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and other Syrian officials. The easing of Western sanctions is likely to open the way for foreign investors into the country, where a civil war has been ongoing since March 2011. In early December, 54 years of Assad family rule came to an end, when gunmen opposed to then-president Bashar Assad captured his seat of power in Damascus. The Saudi foreign minister said that the easing of sanctions by the US, the European Union and Britain earlier this month will help in reactivating the Syrian economy that had been at a standstill for decades. Prince Faisal, who is heading an economic and business delegation, said Saudi businessme

Indian all-party delegation wraps up Saudi visit, calls it 'productive'

An all-party Indian delegation wrapped up a key visit to Saudi Arabia, reaffirming strong India-Saudi ties and India's firm zero-tolerance stance on cross-border terrorism amid rising regional tension

Govt likely to exempt Saudi fund from foreign portfolio investment rules

The exemption granted to the fund will allow its various arms to invest separately, enhancing their flexibility in deploying capital into Indian equity markets without breaching regulatory thresholds

Saudi Arabia denies plans to lift alcohol ban ahead of 2034 World Cup

A Saudi official has rejected media reports claiming the kingdom plans to allow controlled alcohol sales, reaffirming strict Islamic laws remain in place

Saudi Arabia unveils 'TOURISE' platform to chart future roadmap for tourism

Saudi Arabia on Thursday announced the launch of a global platform which seeks to create a "powerful partnership" between public and private sectors and chart a future roadmap for tourism. Saudi Arabia's Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb launched the platform, 'TOURISE', and also announced that the TOURISE Summit will be held in Riyadh from November 11 to 13. The announcement was made in the Saudi capital during a press conference that was attended virtually by a large number of journalists from around the world. TOURISE is a "bold new initiative", structured for year-round impact through collaboration, and will be anchored with a high-profile global advisory board. In his address, the Saudi minister said the platform seeks to chart the course for tourism for the next 50 years. It will bring public and private sectors together. He said this initiative is "no ordinary endeavour". Saudi Arabia seeks to deliver practical, visible and permanent solutions, and this initiative will

World's first AI medical clinic opens in Saudi Arabia with Dr Hua system

Tencent-backed Synyi AI opens a clinic in Saudi Arabia where patients are diagnosed by AI and treatment plans are reviewed by human doctors for safety

Trump's West Asia tour: Royal welcomes, big business deals - key Takeaways

In a striking departure from the past US presidents, Trump opted for silence on human rights concerns while being lavishly hosted by Gulf autocrats

Trump wraps up Mideast tour with business talks, interfaith site visit

President Donald Trump President Donald Trump wraps up a Mideast tour in the United Arab Emirates with a breakfast for business leaders and a visit to an interfaith place of worship named for the Abraham Accords he negotiated. As part of the accords, the UAE and some other countries in the Middle East recognised Israel. Trump departs Abu Dhabi after his visit to the Abrahamic Family House . During his visit to the region, violence flared in the West Bank, with more than 120 people being killed in Gaza. Here's the latest: Trump to visit Abrahamic House on last day of his Mideast trip President Donald Trump will make several stops before taking off on Air Force One to end his Mideast trip on Friday. He'll attend a business summit in the morning in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. Trump later will visit the Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi. It is home to a mosque, a church and a synagogue. The UAE built it after diplomatically recognizing Israel in an agreemen

Saudi Crown Prince hopes 'ceasefire' will restore calm between Pak, India

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Wednesday welcomed the "ceasefire" agreement between Pakistan and India, expressing hope that it will restore calm between the two neighbours. Prince Mohammed made the remarks while delivering a speech during a meeting of leaders from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and US President Donald Trump in the Saudi capital Riyadh. "We welcome the ceasefire agreement between Pakistan and India," he was quoted as saying by the state-owned Saudi Press Agency. The powerful prince hoped that this would "contribute to containing the escalation and restoring calm between the two countries." India carried out precision strikes under 'Operation Sindoor' on terror infrastructure early on May 7 in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people. Following the Indian action, Pakistan attempted to attack Indian military bases on May 8, 9 and 10. The Indian armed forces launched a fierce counter-attack on several Pakistani ...

US signs record $142 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia for defence

CEOs from RTX Corp Boeing Co, Northrop Grumman Corp were expected to be in the kingdom, but the White House did not verify any specific equipment or makers as a part of the potential sale to Saudi

Trump-Saudi Arabia historic $142 billion arms deal: Key takeaways | Riyadh | World news

Donald Trump wants to make a deal with Iran: Here are his conditions

US President Donald Trump warns Iran against pursuing nuclear weapons, says any deal depends on Tehran halting terrorism, proxy wars, and complying with strict verification measures

Jailed over a tweet? British banker faces 10 years in Saudi Arabia prison

British banker Ahmed al-Doush sentenced to prison in Saudi Arabia over a since-deleted 2018 tweet, as rights groups slam trial process and family pleads for UK government intervention

Musk eyes to launch robotaxi in Saudi Arabia, where Uber leads the race

Tesla CEO Elon Musk's interest in launching robotaxis in Saudi Arabia comes at a time when the Kingdom's transport authority has already signed MoU with Uber to roll out self-driving cars by 2025

In Donald Trump's world, aircraft are key to unlocking political favours

The US president is a noted aviation buff - branding his personal Boeing 757 "Trump Force One" and seeking to acquire a Qatari luxury jet to serve as a the new presidential aircraft