BOLOGNA — Police have clashed with demonstrators during a protest in Bologna after a Moroccan-born man died pleading for help while being forcibly restrained by two police officers in the northern city. Human rights campaigners and Italy’s opposition parties have demanded urgent answers over the death on Sunday of Abderrahim Fakir, 42, who had lived in Italy since he was five years old and ran a small removals and cleaning business. A video shared widely on Italian media shows Fakir, who reportedly had heart issues and asthma, repeatedly calling out “aiuto, aiuto, basta” (Help, help, that’s enough) as two officers…
Author: Editorial Team
RIYADH — The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and the Muslim World League (MWL) have strongly condemned recent allegations made by the Houthi militia against Saudi Arabia, reaffirming their support for the Kingdom and stressing the need to safeguard international maritime navigation. GCC Secretary-General Jassim Al-Budaiwi denounced the statements issued by the Houthi militia’s so-called military spokesman, describing them as baseless allegations aimed at distorting facts and evading responsibility for actions that have deepened the suffering of the Yemeni people and threatened regional security and stability. Al-Budaiwi said the accusations could not obscure Saudi Arabia’s longstanding efforts to…
When Shaukat Ali Rana opens the front door of his villa in Mirdif to visitors, they quickly realise they have stepped into something far more than an ordinary home. Walls are lined with black-and-white photographs. Vintage cameras sit beside film projectors, Polaroids and wooden field cameras. Glass cabinets display yellowing newspapers, old passports, pre-Union border permits, coins, stamps, driving licences and documents that many people would have discarded decades ago. However, Rana does not begin the tour with any of these. Instead, he walks to a framed black-and-white photograph of Al Maqta Fort near Abu Dhabi. “This was the first…
ABU DHABI, 21st July, 2026 (WAM) — The Federal Tax Authority (FTA) confirmed a significant increase in the number of beneficiaries of the VAT Refund Scheme for UAE Nationals Building New Residences in the first half of 2026. The authority stated that approximately 4,000 refund applications submitted by UAE nationals for VAT incurred during the construction of their new residences were approved in H1 2026, with total refunds reaching AED353.5 million. The authority said this compares to 3,100 approved applications worth AED284.8 million in H1 2025, representing a 27.5 percent increase in the number of approved applications and a 24.1…
BEIRUT — Lebanon has said its troops have begun deploying to a “pilot zone” in the south of the country following the withdrawal of Israeli forces under a US-brokered agreement reached last month. A statement from the Lebanese army command said units had entered Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh in Nabatieh district on Tuesday morning. Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh is one of the three towns it is expected to take control of in the first phase of a “pilot zone” project that’s part of a larger framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel signed in Washington. Dozens of displaced residents had on Monday begun to return…
PARIS — Saudi Ambassador Faisal Al-Mujfel arrived in the French capital, Paris, on Tuesday to assume his duties as the Kingdom’s ambassador to France and non-resident ambassador to Monaco. He was received at Charles de Gaulle Airport by Didier Le Bret, chief of protocol at the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, along with Chargé d’Affaires Majdi Mahram and members of the Saudi Embassy. Al-Mujfel expressed his gratitude to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman for the trust placed in him. He pledged to serve the Kingdom’s interests…
FARNBOROUGH, 21st July, 2026 (WAM) — Mubadala Investment Company (Mubadala), an Abu Dhabi sovereign investor, and Embraer, a leading global aerospace company headquartered in Brazil, today signed a Strategic Framework Agreement at the Farnborough International Airshow, establishing a pathway to a long-term collaboration across supply, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), human capital development, and research and development. The agreement was signed by Amer Siddiqui, Executive Director at Mubadala’s UAE Investments Platform on behalf of Mubadala, and Dimas Douglas Tomelin, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer of Embraer S.A. on behalf of Embraer. The partnership draws on the UAE’s integrated aerospace ecosystem,…
Planning to host family or friends in Dubai? You could unlock hotel, dining and attraction offers worth more than Dh3,000 when they visit the emirate. Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism on Tuesday announced the launch of ‘A Dubai Invite’, which will run from July 20 to October 31, 2026. Under the initiative, residents who successfully nominate family members or friends and verify their visit can access a range of rewards, from hotel stays and restaurant offers to experiences at some of the city’s attractions. How can residents unlock ‘A Dubai Invite’ benefits? To take part, residents must nominate their…
RIYADH — The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) has released the first edition of its AI Bias Reference Guide, identifying more than 100 types of bias that could affect the accuracy and fairness of artificial intelligence systems. The guide defines different forms of AI bias, explains how they arise, examines their potential impact on society, and provides real-world examples and practical strategies to mitigate their effects. SDAIA said the rapid adoption of AI across critical sectors, including justice, healthcare and education, has heightened the need to address biases that may influence decision-making due to the complexity of AI…
RIYADH — The Ministry of Interior electronic platform, Absher, processed 48,854,788 digital transactions during June through its Absher Individuals and Absher Business platforms. The Absher Individuals platform accounted for 46,113,483 transactions, including 38,026,828 digital document viewing services through the platform’s Digital Documents Wallet, which is available to citizens, residents and visitors via the Absher app. The Absher Business platform processed 2,741,305 transactions during the month. The General Directorate of Public Security recorded 3,322,837 transactions, including 3,228,059 through the General Department of Traffic. The General Directorate of Passports completed 3,924,073 transactions, while the Ministry of Interior’s Civil Affairs Agency processed 684,964…