ABU DHABI, 15th August, 2026 (WAM) — The organising committee of the 32nd Abu Dhabi International Chess Festival 2026 has announced the participation of 763 players across four major tournaments, with the first day of competitions set to take place Saturday, 15 August at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Abu Dhabi. A total of 112 players will compete in the International Masters Tournament, while 152 will participate in the Open “A” Tournament, 280 in the Open “B” Tournament, and 219 in the Juniors Tournament. The committee highlighted the significance of the participation of 300 UAE players, out of a total…
Author: Editorial Team
ABU DHABI, 14th August, 2026 (WAM) — Space42, the UAE-based AI-powered SpaceTech company with global reach, on Friday announced that its proposed share buyback programme of up to 2.5 percent of the company’s issued share capital, has been approved by the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX), following shareholder approval in April at the General Assembly Meeting. The programme will be funded from the company’s existing cash resources and executed through open-market transactions in accordance with ADX and the Capital and Market Authority’s (CMA) regulations. All completed buybacks will be regularly disclosed by the company via the ADX website as required…
JEDDAH — Customs authorities have foiled an attempt to smuggle 58.6 kilograms of methamphetamine, locally known as shabu, concealed inside a shipment of men’s shoes arriving through Jeddah Islamic Port. Hammoud Al-Harbi, spokesperson for the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA), said customs officers discovered the drugs after the shipment underwent customs procedures and was inspected using security technologies and detection methods. The methamphetamine was found concealed inside cavities in the shoes. Following the seizure, ZATCA coordinated with the General Directorate of Narcotics Control to identify and arrest those due to receive the drugs in Saudi Arabia. Three people were…
Nikita Astionov. A staff member receives a video call from a senior manager. Nothing seems unusual; both face and voice match. During the call, the manager makes one urgent request: approve the transfer before the end of the day. The threat of deepfakes isn’t the accurate cloning of an individual’s physical appearance, it is that synthetic media can create enough urgency and authority to influence a human decision. Rapid AI adoption across the UAE is reshaping human risk. Traditional employee training focused on suspicious links or poorly written emails is no longer sufficient. Employees may now encounter convincing voice notes,…
ABU DHABI, 14th August, 2026 (WAM) — The Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of ADGM, the international financial centre of Abu Dhabi, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), the UAE’s federal regulator for commercial gaming, establishing a formal framework for regulatory cooperation and the exchange of information in support of their respective supervisory responsibilities. The MoU reinforces the shared commitment of both authorities to maintaining high regulatory standards through effective collaboration, information sharing and coordinated engagement on matters of mutual interest. It provides a framework for cooperation that supports the effective supervision…
TEHRAN — An oil spill has reached Iran’s Qeshm Island while a far larger spill from a stricken Russian shadow fleet tanker is fouling Oman’s southern coastline, as the war in the Gulf produces its first significant environmental fallout. Iran on Friday attributed oil pollution along Qeshm Island’s shores to “foreign military aggression” in the Strait of Hormuz, even as a US-based tanker tracker traced the spill to an Iranian strike on a bulk carrier earlier this month. Dark oily residues appeared along the shores of Qeshm Island earlier this week, spreading from Soza beach to the Shib Deraz area…
DUBAI, 14th August, 2026 (WAM) — Approximately 20,000 successful applicants have benefited from ‘A Dubai Invite’ since its launch on 20th July, prompting the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) to triple the programme’s capacity in response to strong demand, as registration approaches its final capacity. Noor Al Geziry, AVP, Special Projects and MENA at DET, said the strong response reflects the important role Dubai residents play in sharing their positive experiences of the city with others. She added that collaboration with partners had enabled the programme to triple its capacity. DET encouraged residents to register as soon as…
Google recently showcased its Pixel 11 series phones alongside expanded hardware at an annual event, introducing processor and camera upgrades along with adjusted memory configurations. The range spans the base Pixel 11 (priced at $899), Pixel 11 Pro ($1,099), Pixel 11 Pro XL ($1,299) and Pixel 11 Pro Fold ($1,899), which all run on Google’s Tensor G6 processor. Google stated Tensor G6 provides a 50% increase in compute performance than its previous generation and is built to accelerate on-device execution of the Gemini Nano generative AI model. The company noted on-device AI workloads run up to 3.5-times faster and cut…
RIYADH — The Saudi Organization for Chartered and Professional Accountants (SOCPA) has detected a commercial establishment advertising professional services without the required license and referred the case to the Public Prosecution after taking the necessary legal measures. SOCPA said preliminary inspection and evidence-gathering procedures found that the establishment had advertised on its website professional services that fall under the organization’s supervision without obtaining the required license. The organization said such practices constitute offenses under Article 10 of the Law of the Accounting and Auditing Profession, which prohibits misleading the public by any means into believing that a person is authorized…
JEDDAH — Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman met with Commander of the US Central Command (CENTCOM) Adm. Brad Cooper in Jeddah on Thursday. During the meeting, the two sides discussed a number of issues related to defense cooperation between Saudi Arabia and the United States. They also reviewed the latest regional developments and ongoing efforts to reduce tensions and strengthen security and stability across the region. Source: Saudi Gazette