Saudi Arabia News

‘Art of the Kingdom’ Exhibition Opens in Beijing July 30

1 year ago

‘Art of the Kingdom’ Exhibition to Open in Beijing’s National Museum on July 30

The Museums Commission announced that the traveling exhibition “Art of the Kingdom: Poetic Visions” will open at the National Museum of China in Beijing on July 30, marking a cultural milestone in celebration of Saudi Arabia and China’s diplomatic ties under the “Saudi-Chinese Cultural Year 2025” initiative. This exhibition is the first of its scale to showcase contemporary Saudi artists abroad and features more than 30 artists of diverse backgrounds and styles. It offers a platform to explore bold themes such as identity, memory, tradition, and transformation — through painting, installation, video art, and multimedia works — presenting a powerful portrait of Saudi Arabia’s evolving creative landscape. The show follows previous stops in Rio de Janeiro (November 2024) at the historic Imperial Palace and Riyadh (early 2025) at the Saudi Museum of Contemporary Art in JAX. Its arrival in Beijing marks the third leg of its international tour. Among the featured artists are renowned names such as Manal AlDowayan, Muhannad Shono, Lina Qazzaz, Ahmed Mater, Ayman Yossri Daydban, Dana Awartani, and Shadia Alem, offering visitors an in-depth journey through Saudi Arabia’s visual culture and artistic narratives. The Beijing edition also includes a new section honoring Saudi modern art pioneers from […]

Commerce Names Violator for Unsafe Products in Khamis Mushait

1 year ago

Commerce Ministry Names Violator for Selling Non-compliant Electrical Products in Khamis Mushait

The Ministry of Commerce has publicly named a business and its representative following a final court ruling convicting them of violating the Kingdom’s Anti-Commercial Fraud Law by possessing and selling substandard electrical products. Inspection teams from the ministry discovered 125 non-compliant electrical extensions offered for sale at the establishment during routine field visits in Khamis Mushait. A final ruling by the Court of Appeals in the Asir region imposed a financial penalty, ordered the closure of the business for three days, and mandated the confiscation and destruction of the fraudulent items. The verdict was also published at the violators’ expense. The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to enforcing the law and taking action against violators. Penalties under the Anti-Commercial Fraud Law may include up to three years in prison, fines of up to SR1 million, or both, in addition to public naming of offenders. Also read: Saudi Arabia Arrests 12 Expats Over Prostitution Ring In Residential Apartment

1 year ago

Saudi Arabia Arrests 12 Expats Over Prostitution Ring In Residential Apartment

Saudi authorities have arrested 12 expatriate residents — five men and seven women — on charges of engaging in prostitution in a residential apartment in the southern city of Najran, Al Riyadh Arabic daily reported. The arrests were carried out by the Special Tasks and Duties Force of the Najran Police, in coordination with the General Directorate of Community Security and the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit. Authorities described the operation as part of ongoing efforts to combat violations of public morality and crack down on human trafficking. All detainees were taken into custody, and legal procedures have been initiated. The case has been referred to the Public Prosecution, according to a statement from the Ministry of Interior. Officials have not disclosed the nationalities of the suspects or the details of the investigation. Saudi Arabia maintains strict laws prohibiting prostitution, and enforcement efforts are often conducted in coordination with anti-trafficking units to determine whether individuals were coerced or exploited.

1 year ago

Saudi Arabia Shuts Illegal Cosmetics Facility, Suspends European Pharmaceutical Factory Over Safety Breaches

In a sweeping enforcement campaign aimed at protecting consumer health, the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has taken decisive action on two separate fronts — seizing 1.5 million non-compliant cosmetic products stored illegally in a residential facility and suspending a European pharmaceutical factory after uncovering serious violations of manufacturing standards. In Najran, SFDA inspectors shut down an unauthorised warehouse disguised as a residential facility, where approximately 1.5 million units of cosmetic products with manipulated expiration dates were being stored and distributed. The items, which violated national safety regulations, posed a direct risk to consumer health. The authority has referred the case to the Public Prosecution for further legal action. “This type of fraud represents a serious threat to public safety and will not be tolerated,” the SFDA said in a statement, adding that it remains committed to combating all forms of non-compliance in the cosmetics sector. Under Article 31 of the Kingdom’s Cosmetics Law, offences such as tampering with expiration dates or distributing falsified products can result in up to five years in prison, fines of up to SR5 million or both. In a separate case, the SFDA announced the suspension of a European pharmaceutical manufacturer’s registration following an […]

1 year ago

Saudi Arabia To Expand Rail Network By 50%, Double Airport Passenger Capacity In Transport overhaul

Saudi Arabia has announced a sweeping set of targets to overhaul its transport and logistics sector, including a more than 50 per cent expansion of the national railway network and a plan to more than double passenger capacity at its airports, as part of its broader goal to position the Kingdom as a global logistics powerhouse. The plans, according to Saudi Akhbar24.com, were outlined by Minister of Transport and Logistics Services, Saleh Al Jasser, during a high-level panel titled “Shaping the Future of Transport: People, Technology, and Policy” at the Global Aviation and Maritime Transport Summit. Al Jasser said the government is making steady progress toward building a fully integrated, people-centric transport ecosystem powered by technology and forward-thinking policy. At the heart of the Kingdom’s strategy, he said, is the National Transport and Logistics Strategy, launched in mid-2021 as a core component of Vision 2030 aimed diversifying its economy and reducing its reliance on oil. Among the key initiatives is the development of specialised logistics zones designed to enhance multimodal integration by linking sea, air, and land transport systems with customs operations and digital infrastructure. A notable example is the integrated logistics zone at Jeddah Islamic Port, which will soon […]

1 year ago

Saudi Arabia Plans Massive Expansion Of Its Transport Network

Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Transport and Logistics Services has outlined the Kingdom’s ambitious plans to double the transport and logistics sector’s contribution to its gross domestic product (GDP). This will include expansion of its railway network by over 50 per cent, and more than double the current passenger capacity at its airports. Minister Saleh Al-Jasser revealed the targets during a ministerial session titled “Shaping the Future of Transport: People, Technology, and Policy” at the Global Aviation and Maritime Transport Summit. He said the Kingdom is advancing steadily to build an integrated transport ecosystem centered on people and powered by technology and modern policies and highlighted ongoing efforts to develop logistics zones and enhance multimodal integration by connecting transport systems with customs and digital infrastructure, improving service efficiency and nationwide coverage. A key initiative for Saudi is the integrated logistics zone at Jeddah Islamic Port, directly linked to the main seaport, customs warehouses, and air cargo facilities. The minister said that the zone will soon be connected by rail to King Abdulaziz International Airport through an upcoming land bridge project. Launched in mid-2021, the National Transport and Logistics Strategy is part of Saudi Vision 2030. It aims to unify the country’s […]

1 year ago

Is Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Going To Be The ‘Super Hub Of The Future’?

Riyadh as a ‘super hub of the future’? That’s what the real estate consultancy Knight Frank is projecting as the Saudi city oversees one of the most ambitious and fast-track developments, whether it’s infrastructure, housing, office towers, or creating retail and entertainment destinations. “The Saudi capital is rapidly transforming into a dynamic destination for global wealth… strategically diversifying its economy away from oil dependence and evolving into a powerhouse for finance, culture and lifestyle,” says Knight Frank. Lowering Saudi unemployment Riyadh continues to attract ‘significant domestic and international business activity’ – and which led to nation-wide unemployment rate fall to a record low of 7% in Q4-2024′. In the final quarter of last year, Saudi Arabia issued more than 160,000 new business licences, which is a 67% increase from the same period the year before. It brought the total number of registered commercial entities in the Kingdom to more than 1.6 million. “A key initiative is the ‘Regional Headquarters Programme‘, which has already surpassed its 2030 target, with around 600 international companies,” says the report. This includes corporate giants such as Bechtel, Northern Trust and PwC,w which have committed to ‘establishing regional bases in Riyadh’. All of which has led […]

1 year ago

Sun Aligns Directly Over Kaaba In Rare Celestial Event, Offering Muslims Precise Qibla Direction

In a rare and striking celestial event, the sun aligned directly over the Holy Kaaba in Mecca on Tuesday, allowing Muslims around the world to determine the Qibla — the direction of prayer — with remarkable accuracy. At the moment of alignment, the sun stood precisely above the Kaaba, causing shadows to vanish completely in its immediate vicinity. “The sky over Mecca witnessed the sun directly aligning with the Kaaba, causing shadows to disappear completely. The Qibla can be precisely determined from any location where the sun can be seen,” the Jeddah Astronomy Society said in a statement. The phenomenon occurs as the sun travels southward from the Tropic of Cancer and crosses Mecca’s latitude at approximately 21.4 degrees North. Known as a Solar Zenith, the event typically occurs twice a year, around late May and mid-July, due to the Earth’s axial tilt of 23.5 degrees. Majed Abu Zahra, President of the Jeddah Astronomy Society, noted that the zenith coincides with the Dhuhr prayer in Mecca, imbuing the event with both scientific and spiritual significance. For a moment, sunlight descends vertically upon the Kaaba, creating a powerful and symbolic alignment. Beyond its visual impact, the event provides a traditional means […]

1 year ago

SFDA Suspends European Pharmaceutical Factory Over Critical GMP Violations

The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has suspended the registration of a European pharmaceutical factory following the discovery of serious violations of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) during an external inspection. The decision came after SFDA inspectors identified fundamental lapses in the factory’s manufacturing procedures and internal quality systems, posing a direct risk to the safety of pharmaceutical products intended for export to Saudi Arabia. The suspension was enacted as a precautionary measure to prevent the distribution of potentially unsafe medicines in the Kingdom. The inspection, conducted under the SFDA’s foreign factory oversight program, aligns with international regulatory standards and involved a comprehensive review of the facility’s manufacturing operations, quality controls, and distribution protocols. Several European regulatory agencies have since reached out to the SFDA to examine its technical findings and take further actions, reflecting growing international recognition of the SFDA’s regulatory rigor and global role in pharmaceutical safety. The Authority stressed that the monitoring of overseas manufacturing sites is a key pillar of its regulatory framework and is carried out independently using scientific and technical data. It reaffirmed its commitment to consumer safety and pledged to continue taking decisive action against any manufacturer found to be in violation of […]

1 year ago

Saudi Drivers Face Fines Up To SR 2,000 For Shoulder Driving And Phone Use

The General Directorate of Traffic in Saudi Arabia has issued a warning against driving on road shoulders, sidewalks, or in prohibited lanes, emphasising that such violations disrupt traffic flow, confuse other drivers and pose serious risks to road safety. In a statement, the authority stressed that this behaviour violates traffic regulations and is punishable by fines ranging from SR1,000 to 2,000, as outlined in the official schedule of violations. Drivers were reminded to stay within designated lanes and avoid using shoulders or sidewalks, except in emergency situations, to ensure public safety and maintain smooth traffic movement. The Directorate also highlighted that using a mobile phone while driving remains one of the primary causes of road accidents. The distraction leads to loss of focus, increasing the risk of running red lights, veering off lanes, losing control, or failing to notice pedestrians, other vehicles, or sudden road hazards. Motorists were urged to avoid using mobile phones while driving, with penalties ranging from SR500 to 900, depending on the circumstances and the assessment by traffic officers. “Such practices not only violate the law but endanger lives — including your own,” the authority said.

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‘Art of the Kingdom’ Exhibition to Open in Beijing’s National Museum on July 30

Commerce Ministry Names Violator for Selling Non-compliant Electrical Products in Khamis Mushait

Saudi Arabia Arrests 12 Expats Over Prostitution Ring In Residential Apartment

Saudi Arabia Shuts Illegal Cosmetics Facility, Suspends European Pharmaceutical Factory Over Safety Breaches

Saudi Arabia To Expand Rail Network By 50%, Double Airport Passenger Capacity In Transport overhaul

Saudi Arabia Plans Massive Expansion Of Its Transport Network

Is Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Going To Be The ‘Super Hub Of The Future’?

Sun Aligns Directly Over Kaaba In Rare Celestial Event, Offering Muslims Precise Qibla Direction

SFDA Suspends European Pharmaceutical Factory Over Critical GMP Violations

Saudi Drivers Face Fines Up To SR 2,000 For Shoulder Driving And Phone Use

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One visa for 6 Gulf countries: GCC chief says scheme will launch ‘soon’

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