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Lebanon bets on diplomacy to avert another war, amid reports of Hezbollah preparing for battle

29 October 2026 at 22:23
LONDON: Lebanon’s leaders are looking to US-mediated diplomacy in an effort to avert another war with Israel, even as Israeli forces remain in southern Lebanon and Hezbollah refuses to surrender its weapons. This leaves authorities in Beirut with little control over the decisions that could plunge the country back into conflict. Caught between Israeli demands for security guarantees and Hezbollah’s insistence that its arsenal is essential for efforts to resist occupation, the Lebanese government

Syrian man sentenced to 42 months in US prison for pro-Assad hacking

29 October 2026 at 22:19
WASHINGTON: A Syrian man was sentenced to 42 months in prison on Thursday for his role in computer hacking on behalf of the regime of former Syrian president Bashar Assad, the US Justice Department said. Ahmad Umar Agha, 32, and co-conspirators hacked Western media outlets, businesses, non-governmental organizations and US and allied government entities “to spread the former Syrian government’s propaganda,” the department said in a statement. The hacking group known as the Syrian Electronic A

Israel’s Arab parties emerge as kingmakers — but coalition doors remain closed

29 October 2026 at 21:46
Israel’s Arab parties have emerged as potential kingmakers after securing a record 19 seats in the Knesset, but turning their electoral gains into political influence may prove far harder than winning the votes. A surge in turnout among Palestinian citizens of Israel has complicated the calculations of rival blocs led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Gadi Eisenkot, neither of which has an easy route to a governing majority. Exit polls on Tuesday night initially put Eisenkot’s anti-Netany

Anger after Netanyahu claims Arab election success was bought

29 October 2026 at 21:46
JERUSALEM: There was growing anger among Arab political parties in Israel on Thursday after unsubstantiated claims by Prime ​Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that unprecedented Arab gains in this week’s Knesset elections were driven by foreign funding. Parties representing Israel’s 21 percent Arab minority won 19 seats in the 120-member parliament, Netyanhu’s bloc won 53, and his main rival Gadi Eisenkot won 48 seats. The results mean that neither of the two main coalitions can form a government with

Viral meningitis on rise in Gaza as overcrowding, damaged sanitation fuel disease, UN warns

29 October 2026 at 21:30
NEW YORK: Viral meningitis is spreading in the Gaza Strip, the UN warned on Thursday. Overcrowding, battered water and sanitation networks and shortages of essential treatments are driving up the risk of transmission across the enclave. Acute respiratory infections remained the most prevalent health condition reported in Gaza in September, UN associate spokesperson Shirin Yaseen said, citing a World Health Organization report. “To scale up services, we once more call for the lifting of restricti

House of Hype

29 October 2026 at 21:05
Discover the Wonderverse, an immersive experience at the House of Hype where reality meets trippy worlds, outrageous style and wild games. You can find the theme park at Boulevard Riyadh City and learn more at riyadh.platinumlist.net.

Board games

29 October 2026 at 21:04
Every Monday, Level Up social hub invites people to enjoy a night of board and card games, laughter and fun. Anyone attending alone as will be grouped with new people, so there is no need to worry about flying solo. For more information, check out riyadh.platinumlist.net.

Cultural activity

29 October 2026 at 21:01
A creative hands-on program will teach children to make a macrame inspired by Qatt Asiri, a traditional art from the Kingdom’s southern region. It takes place at the Children’s Museum in Ithra until Dec. 30. More details are available on the Ithra app.

Houthi detentions mean aid is ‘untenable’ in militia-held Yemen, UN says, with 800,000 cut off in Taiz

29 October 2026 at 20:51
NEW YORK CITY: The continuing detention by the Houthis of 71 members of UN staff renders humanitarian operations in parts of Yemen controlled by the militia “untenable,” the UN said on Thursday. It came as more than 800,000 people in and around the besieged city of Taiz remained cut off from deliveries of food and other life-saving aid. Shirin Yaseen, associate spokesperson for the UN secretary-general, Antonio Guterres, told Arab News that the arbitrary detentions “directly affect millions of p

1 injured in Riyadh after Saudi air defenses shoot down Houthi missiles

29 October 2026 at 17:41
RIYADH: One person was injured after two ballistic missiles fired by the Houthi militia in Yemen toward Riyadh were shot down by Saudi Arabia’s air defenses on Thursday. The missiles were “intercepted and destroyed,” the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen said on Thursday evening. Saudi Arabia’s civil defense said one person in the Saudi capital received minor injuries and a house and vehicle were damaged. The civil defense earlier issued warnings for Riyadh, Najran and Al-Kharj, before an

Saudi medical team successfully completes surgery to separate Tanzanian conjoined twins

29 October 2026 at 13:02
RIYADH: A Saudi medical team successfully completed an operation on Thursday to separate Tanzanian conjoined twins Laitience and Loveness, aged 2 years and 2 months, at King Abdullah Specialist Children’s Hospital in King Abdulaziz Medical City. The surgery took more than 14 hours and involved nine stages, Saudi Press Agency reported. The operation was part of the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program, led by Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, supervisor general of the Saudi aid agency KSrelief and head of the pr

Saudi, Kuwaiti ministers discuss bilateral ties, regional developments

29 October 2026 at 20:54
RIYADH: Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, the Saudi minister of energy and minister of industry and mineral resources, has met in Riyadh Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, the minister of foreign affairs of Kuwait, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday. The ministers reviewed bilateral relations and discussed ways to deepen cooperation in energy, industry and mineral resources, as well as joint efforts to strengthen energy security and ensure stable supplies. They also discussed the latest

Ronaldo’s 15-minute hat-trick the difference as Al-Nassr beat stubborn Al-Kholood

29 October 2026 at 20:51
DUBAI: After a tough run of four successive winless games, Al-Kholood were determined to give Al-Nassr a hard time on Matchday 12 of the 2026/27 Saudi Pro League. By halftime, Des Buckingham’s side had scored twice against the defending champions and looked far from losing. But, by the end, the man in search of a record 1,000 career goals ensured Al-Nassr emerged with the three points. Cristiano Ronaldo scored three times in 15 minutes to put Al-Nassr clear of the Al-Kholood pressure that had ke

Houthi detentions mean aid is ‘untenable’ in rebel-held Yemen, UN says, with 800,000 cut off in Taiz

29 October 2026 at 20:51
NEW YORK CITY: The continuing detention by the Houthis of 71 members of UN staff renders humanitarian operations in rebel-controlled areas of Yemen “untenable,” the UN said on Thursday. It came as more than 800,000 people in and around the besieged city of Taiz remained cut off from deliveries of food and other life-saving aid. Shirin Yaseen, associate spokesperson for the UN secretary-general, Antonio Guterres, told Arab News that the arbitrary detentions “directly affect millions of people

The battle to define AI is really a battle for power

29 October 2026 at 20:28
When the 2026 Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group convened in Bangkok from Oct. 12 to 18, most headlines focused on wars, supply chains, and sovereign debt. But buried in one document, the chair’s statement of the 54th meeting of the International Monetary and Financial Committee, issued on Oct. 17, was what may prove to be a defining moment in the evolving relationship among technology, money, and power. Before reading that statement, it helps to remembe

How AI is changing cyberbullying for Gen Alpha

29 October 2026 at 20:21
RIYADH: For a generation that has grown up with social media, smartphones and increasingly accessible artificial intelligence, cyberbullying is no longer confined to hurtful comments or anonymous messages. Generative AI has introduced new ways to manipulate images, create misleading content and amplify harassment, making it increasingly difficult for young people to distinguish between what is real and what has been digitally fabricated. For 15-year-old Saudi content creator, public speaker and

South Korean president, Spanish PM condemn Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia

29 October 2026 at 20:10
RIYADH: South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung condemned Houthi attacks targeting civilian facilities in the Kingdom during a phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Thursday. The two leaders also discussed Saudi-South Korean relations and ways to further develop them across various fields, the Saudi Press Agency reported.  In a separate call with the crown prince, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez also condemned hostile Houthi attacks on the Kingdom, affirming Spain’

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