Middle East

Saudi Gazette report BEIJING — Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef discussed on Friday with senior officials of the Chinese mining companies about enhancing bilateral cooperation in the mining sector. They also explored the joint investment opportunities in processing and producing lithium used in electric car batteries …

Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) will host the first international edition of the International AI Olympiad (IAIO) from September 8 to 12, with participation expected from around 25 countries. The event is being organized in collaboration with the International Center for Artificial …

TOKYO — In a significant milestone for Japan’s royal family, Prince Hisahito turned 18 on Friday, becoming the first male royal family member to reach adulthood in nearly 40 years. His coming of age marks a critical moment for the imperial family, which has ruled Japan for over a millennium …

BANGKOK — Thailand’s new Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and her 34-member Cabinet took an oath of office before King Maha Vajiralongkorn on Friday, local media reported. Shinawatra, 37, of the Pheu Thai Party, and her Cabinet members pledged their allegiance to the King and Queen Suthida during a ceremony at …

WASHINGTON — US President Joe Biden will host British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for a bilateral meeting on September 13, the White House announced on Friday. “The leaders will have an in-depth discussion on a range of global issues of mutual interest, including continuing robust support to Ukraine in its …

ALGIERS — Algerians began voting on Saturday in a snap presidential election in which incumbent Abdelmadjid Tebboune is widely expected to win a second term. Polling stations opened at 8 a.m. (0700 GMT) and are set to close at 7 p.m. The North African country has over 24 million registered …

RIYADH – The Saudi Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA) has announced waiving the fees for all customs services for exports. The authority also reduced customs service fees for imports through a new mechanism for calculating import service fees, which involves a fee of 0.15 percent of the value of …

Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — The Human Resources Development Fund (HADAF), under the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, has approved a new regulation aimed at preventing violations of its Private Employment Support system. A recent meeting of the board of directors of HADAF adopted the regulation that stipulates …

Israeli forces battle Hamas in several Gaza locations Diplomacy struggles to achieve Gaza ceasefire, Blinken urges agreement UNRWA vaccinates 355,000 children against polio in Gaza Israeli military strikes killed at least 27 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip on Friday, medics said, as health officials resumed vaccination of tens of thousands …

White House ‘disturbed’, calls for investigation Turkey says citizen was shot in head Follows rise in Israeli settler attacks in West Bank Israeli troops shot and killed a Turkish-American woman who had been taking part in a protest against settlement expansion in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on Friday, Palestinian and …