GCC News

1 day ago

Saudi Arabia Wins Six Medals at North African Olympiad in Informatics 2026

Saudi Arabia won two gold, three silver, and one bronze medals at the second edition of the North African Olympiad in Informatics (NAOI) 2026 held in Libya on April 18. The first edition launched in Algeria; this year’s edition included 58 competitors from nine North African countries and guest nations. With the aim of enhancing regional cooperation in competitive programming, the NAOI helps identify young talent in computer science and prepares them for international competitions, most notably the International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI). The Kingdom’s achievements in the second NAOI fare results of intensive training programs comprising multiple stages of theoretical and practical preparation, as well as domestic and international training camps, all designed to develop students’ competitive programming skills. Also Read : Commerce Ministry conducts over 33,000 inspection tours in Makkah and Madinah ahead of Hajj

1 day ago

Commerce Ministry conducts over 33,000 inspection tours in Makkah and Madinah ahead of Hajj

The Ministry of Commerce has carried out more than 33,000 inspection tours in Makkah, Madinah, and the roads leading to the Two Holy Mosques since the beginning of Dhul Qada (April 19). This was part of the ministry’s proactive inspection plan for the 2026 Hajj season to monitor the sufficient availability of goods, products, and their alternatives, and the readiness of markets to receive pilgrims. The inspection tours covered commercial establishments, sales outlets, central markets, car service centers, and gold and jewelry shops. During the inspections, the ministry officials verified the availability of essential goods and food and consumer products, and ensured establishments’ compliance with regulations and instructions in a manner that guarantees providing high-quality services to pilgrims, in addition to verifying price clarity and the validity of discounts and commercial offers. The ministry stressed the continuation of inspection tours during the coming period to ensure commercial establishments’ compliance and the provision of products and services to meet all the needs of pilgrims. Also Read : 1,750 Prisoners To Be Released In Yemen Exchange Deal, Including 7 Saudis

1 day ago

1,750 Prisoners To Be Released In Yemen Exchange Deal, Including 7 Saudis

The Joint Forces Command of the Coalition announced on Thursday that an agreement had been signed for the release of 1,750 prisoners of war and detainees from all Yemeni parties and Coalition forces, including seven Saudi prisoners of war. In a statement, Official Spokesman of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen Major General Turki Al-Maliki said the agreement includes the release of 27 detainees affiliated with Coalition forces. The agreement was signed in the Jordanian capital Amman on Thursday under the auspices of the Office of the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, headed by UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg, and attended by the Joint Forces’ Negotiations Committee. Al-Maliki said the prisoners and detainees file remains a humanitarian priority for the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen until all detainees and prisoners are safely returned. “The Joint Forces Command reaffirms that the POWs and detainees file is of pure humanitarian nature and utmost importance for the Joint Forces Command of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen until all POWs and detainees are returned safely,” the statement said. Also Read : Oman introduces mandatory pre- arrival medical checks for Filipino workers

1 day ago

Oman introduces mandatory pre- arrival medical checks for Filipino workers

Oman’s Ministry of Labour has announced a mandatory pre-arrival medical examination and visa processing system for workers arriving from the Philippines, with the new measures taking effect on Monday, May 18. The ministry said the system was introduced in coordination with relevant authorities and Oman Post as part of efforts to streamline expatriate recruitment procedures and improve the efficiency and quality of services provided to employers and workers. Under the new rules, recruitment agencies must comply with approved procedures when submitting applications to hire Filipino workers, including completing mandatory medical examination requirements through a designated electronic platform before workers enter Oman. The ministry said operational procedures and guidelines would also be circulated to overseas recruitment agencies in coordination with the Embassy of the Philippines in Oman. Applications for online medical examinations can be submitted through the official Online Medical Examination Application System platform, the ministry said. Authorities said the initiative aims to strengthen regulatory oversight, improve procedural efficiency and facilitate recruitment processes for both employers and expatriate workers. Also Read : Separate Peace? Saudi Arabia Floats Regional Non-Aggression Pact With Iran

1 day ago

Separate Peace? Saudi Arabia Floats Regional Non-Aggression Pact With Iran

Are regional Gulf countries seeking to forge there own separate peace deals with Iran, apart from the United States? That’s what fresh Thursday reporting in the Financial Times suggests. The report says Saudi Arabia is supposedly considering a non-aggression pact between the Middle East states and Iran after the military conflict between the United States and Iran ends, the FT indicates. Citing diplomatic sources, it describes that Riyadh is assessing a model of the Helsinki Process, which helped reduce tensions in Europe during the Cold War, and created an uneasy East-West peace in post-WW2 Europe. The driving rationale behind the potential diplomatic framework is that while Iran is “weakened,” the reality is that it still “poses a threat to its neighbors.“ An Arab diplomat cited by FT said that a non-aggression pact modelled along the lines of the Helsinki process is something likely to be embraced by most Arab and Muslim states, as well as by Iranian leader. “It all depends on who is in it – in the current climate, you are not going to be able to get Iran and Israel… Without Israel, it could be counterproductive because after Iran, they are seen as the biggest source of conflict. But Iran is not going anywhere, and this is […]

2 days ago

Qatar Asks Vessels at Key LNG Port to Go Dark for Safety

Qatar has requested LNG vessels near its Ras Laffan LNG port to switch off their transponders as part of safety measures at the key export port of the world’s second-largest LNG exporter before the war, anonymous sources with knowledge of the plan told Bloomberg on Tuesday. The de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz has trapped about 20% of daily global LNG flows, mostly those previously shipping out of Qatar and part of the UAE’s LNG flows. In addition, Iranian drone and missile strikes on energy infrastructure in the region has damaged Qatar’s key LNG liquefaction complex Ras Laffan, the world’s single largest such facility. Due to the attacks, QatarEnergy has been forced to declare force majeure for up to five years on some long-term LNG contracts and has advised that full capacity could take up to five years to restore following extensive damage from the strikes. The waters around Qatar have seen increased security threats since the war began on February 28. After more than two months of total blockage of Qatari shipments out of the Strait of Hormuz, the major Gulf LNG exporter is now apparently seeking to avoid being targeted. At least nine LNG tankers that were anchored near Qatar […]

2 days ago

Israel’s Netanyahu Made Clandestine Trip to UAE During Height of Iran War

Amid the fog of the Iran conflict, some serious geopolitical chess moves were happening in the shadows, with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu having slipped behind what were once enemy lines, into the the quarters of UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, for a clandestine summit which could help realign the region. “This visit has led to a historic breakthrough in relations between Israel and the UAE,” Netanyahu’s office confirmed in a Wednesday statement. It provides top level confirmation of a new CBS report, which revealed that “Netanyahu made a secret visit to the United Arab Emirates recently, where he met with Mohammed bin Zayed, the country’s president.” The clandestine meeting occurred in late March, and out of that grew out of the Abraham Accords, given UAE was the first to sign onto normalization with Israel back in 2020. Strangely, later in the day Wednesday, the UAE Foreign Ministry denied the trip ever took place. It was also revealed this week Israel actually deployed its prized Iron Dome batteries and IDF personnel directly onto UAE soil during the conflict to defend against the significant Iranian attacks. But the diplomacy didn’t stop with the heads of state. Intelligence sources indicate that Mossad chief David Barnea has been a […]

2 days ago

Dubai Announces Five-Day Eid Al Adha Holiday

The Dubai Government Human Resources Department (DGHR) has announced that the Eid Al Adha holiday for Dubai government entities, departments, and institutions for the year 1447 AH will commence on Monday, May 25, 2026, and conclude on Friday, May 29, 2026. Official working hours will resume on Monday, June 1, 2026. Entities operating on a shift basis, or those responsible for customer services and public service facilities, may determine working hours in line with their operational requirements to ensure continuity of services throughout the holiday period. On this occasion, Dubai Government Human Resources Department extended its sincere congratulations and best wishes to the UAE’s leadership, government, and people, as well as residents across the country and the Arab and Islamic nations, praying that this blessed occasion returns with continued prosperity, wellbeing, and blessings for all. Authorities in Dubai will hold a public moon-sighting event for the Dhu Al Hijjah crescent on May 17, 2026. According to Ibrahim Al Jarwan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Emirates Astronomical Society and member of the Arab Union for Astronomy and Space Sciences, the new moon for Dhu Al Hijjah will be born on Sunday, May 17, 2026, at 12:01am UAE time. […]

2 days ago

Dubai Court Changes Child Visitation Over Father’s Work Hours

Dubai’s highest court has revised a child visitation arrangement after finding that a father’s Friday work schedule made part of the order impractical, in a ruling that highlighted the need to balance parental rights with the child’s wellbeing and daily routine. Visitation refers to the legal right of a non-custodial parent to see, spend time with, and in some cases take the child out or keep the child overnight under a mutually agreed or court-approved schedule. In a significant family case, the Dubai Court of Cassation stressed that visitation schedules must take into account the realities of parents’ working lives and should not be arranged in a way that makes meaningful access difficult to exercise. The case centred on a father seeking more time with his son, including regular weekly visits and access to school-related information. A lower court had initially granted the father the right to see and take his son out on Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesdays from 4pm to 8pm. The ruling also allowed him to visit the child’s school once a week in line with school regulations. However, the arrangement was later amended on appeal, with Friday replacing one of the visitation days. The Court of Cassation […]

2 days ago

Qatar Airways Resumes Abu Dhabi Flights With Double-Daily Service

Qatar Airways has resumed passenger flights to Abu Dhabi, restoring the twice-daily service between Doha and the UAE capital as the airline continues rebuilding its regional network. The airline said the Abu Dhabi route is now operational again, expanding its UAE operations to three destinations — Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah. The resumption comes as Qatar Airways gradually restores services across the Middle East following recent disruptions to regional air travel. Alongside Abu Dhabi, the carrier recently restarted flights to Baghdad, Basra and Erbil in Iraq. Daily services have also resumed to Bahrain, Damascus and Kozhikode. Qatar Airways said it is continuing the phased restoration of its wider international network spanning six continents. The airline advised passengers to regularly check its website or mobile app for updates and ensure their contact details are up to date. It also said flight schedules could still change or be cancelled for operational, regulatory, or safety-related reasons. The resumption of flights to Abu Dhabi comes as airlines across the Gulf gradually restore regional schedules after a major offensive phase of the US-Israel-Iran war. The war, which began on February 28, has upended the aviation and tourism sector in the Gulf. As the fragile ceasefire continues to […]

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Saudi Arabia Wins Six Medals at North African Olympiad in Informatics 2026

Commerce Ministry conducts over 33,000 inspection tours in Makkah and Madinah ahead of Hajj

1,750 Prisoners To Be Released In Yemen Exchange Deal, Including 7 Saudis

Oman introduces mandatory pre- arrival medical checks for Filipino workers

Separate Peace? Saudi Arabia Floats Regional Non-Aggression Pact With Iran

Qatar Asks Vessels at Key LNG Port to Go Dark for Safety

Israel’s Netanyahu Made Clandestine Trip to UAE During Height of Iran War

Dubai Announces Five-Day Eid Al Adha Holiday

Dubai Court Changes Child Visitation Over Father’s Work Hours

Qatar Airways Resumes Abu Dhabi Flights With Double-Daily Service

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“Send Us A Tip”: U.S. Dangles $15 Million Reward For New Intel On Iran’s Drone Network

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