RIYADH: The Saudi Ministry of Tourism has rolled out stringent new policies to curb outsourcing of jobs designated for Saudi nationals, reinforcing the Kingdom’s commitment to boosting local employment and empowering national talent within the tourism sector. Under the newly introduced regulations, outsourcing of roles subject to Saudization decisions is strictly prohibited to entities or workers outside Saudi Arabia. The Ministry mandates that only establishments licensed by the Ministry of Tourism or authorized by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development to employ Saudis are eligible to outsource these positions. Aimed at fostering employment opportunities for Saudi citizens and…
Author: Imran Ali Khan
ALULA, Saudi Arabia:In a significant diplomatic engagement, Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan held talks with Syria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Asaad Al‑Shaibani on Wednesday, on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference’s leaders meeting in AlUla. The meeting focused on deepening bilateral ties and exploring ways to support Syria’s security, economic recovery, and post-conflict restoration in a manner aligned with the aspirations of its people. The gathering brought together a pivotal moment in the evolving relationship between Riyadh and Damascus after years of tension. Saudi and Syrian officials reviewed the existing trajectory of diplomatic normalization…
Muzaffarabad: A high-level Pakistani delegation arrived in Muzaffarabad, Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK) on Thursday to initiate formal talks with the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), aiming to end the region’s escalating unrest. The protest was triggered by the collapse of negotiations over elite privileges and reserved refugee seats, paralyzing AJK with a communications blackout. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry confirmed the opening of dialogue via an X post, while Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif deeply concerned over the turmoil directed the negotiating team to immediately address the crisis. The negotiation committee comprises prominent figures including Senator Rana Sanaullah, federal…
Gaza City: Israel’s defense minister issued a stark final warning urging residents of Gaza City to flee south as the military tightened its grip on the city amid escalating bombardments. The warning comes as Hamas deliberates over a US-brokered peace plan aimed at ending nearly two years of relentless conflict in the Palestinian territory. Witnesses reported heavy and continuous shelling in Gaza’s largest urban center, where Israeli forces have reportedly captured the Netzarim corridor in the central Gaza Strip, effectively severing the northern and southern parts of the enclave. Defense Minister Israel Katz declared on social media platform X that…
NEW YORK: Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has reached a new financial milestone, becoming the first person in history to amass a personal net worth of $500 billion, according to Forbes. The landmark was reached on Wednesday, October 1, when shares of Musk’s flagship electric vehicle company, Tesla Inc, surged nearly 4 per cent, adding approximately $9.3 billion to his already record-breaking fortune. This development cements Musk’s position as the world’s richest individual, placing him a staggering $150 billion ahead of Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, who briefly overtook Musk last month before slipping back to second place. Tesla’s recent rally has…
Pakistan has strongly condemned the Israeli navy’s interception of the Global Sumud Gaza Flotilla, calling it a “dastardly attack” on a peaceful humanitarian mission. The flotilla, consisting of 45 vessels and carrying over 450 aid workers and activists from 44 countries including former Pakistani senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan was en route to deliver essential supplies to Gaza, which remains under a crippling blockade. The flotilla had set sail from Spain last month and aimed to break Israel’s siege on the Palestinian enclave, where the United Nations has warned of famine. On Wednesday, Israeli forces intercepted 13 vessels of the flotilla,…
QUANTICO, Virginia: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday declared that it would be an insult to the United States if he is not awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, citing his claimed role in advancing peace initiatives from Gaza to Ukraine. Speaking at a meeting of top military commanders, Trump accused the Nobel Committee of bias, suggesting the honor often goes to those who didn’t do a damn thing. He said that will I get the Nobel Prize? Absolutely not. They’ll give it to some guy that didn’t do anything. It’d be a big insult to our country. Turning to the…
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture has announced that cultural infrastructure investments in the Kingdom have surpassed $21.6 billion (SAR 81 billion) since the launch of Vision 2030, underscoring the country’s drive to embed culture at the core of its economic and social transformation. According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the milestone places the Kingdom among the leading investors in the creative economy in the Middle East, with projects spanning heritage restoration, museums, art galleries, training facilities, and cultural production centers. Officials emphasized that the funding drawn from public, private, and non-profit contributions supports the National Culture Strategy’s vision…
DOHA: Hamas has demanded amendments to US President Donald Trump’s proposed Gaza peace plan, particularly rejecting clauses on disarmament and the expulsion of its cadres, according to a Palestinian source close to the group’s leadership. The source told AFP on Wednesday that Hamas negotiators held talks with Turkish, Egyptian and Qatari officials in Doha a day earlier, adding that the group would likely present its official response within two or three days at most. Trump’s plan strongly backed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calls for a ceasefire, the release of hostages by Hamas within 72 hours, the group’s disarmament,…
ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Wednesday expressed optimism that Pakistan’s ongoing talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) were progressing in the right direction as the Fund reviews the country’s $7.1 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and $1.1bn Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF). Speaking to reporters after a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue, Aurangzeb said the discussions with the IMF mission, led by Iva Petrova, had so far been constructive. So far, so good. Whatever discussions are happening, they are moving in the right direction, he remarked. The IMF delegation began its two-week visit…
