Saudi Arabia Calls for Reducing Tension, Promoting Dialogue 

Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji during his participation in the first session of the Manama Dialogue Forum on Saturday. (SPA)
Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji during his participation in the first session of the Manama Dialogue Forum on Saturday. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Calls for Reducing Tension, Promoting Dialogue 

Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji during his participation in the first session of the Manama Dialogue Forum on Saturday. (SPA)
Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji during his participation in the first session of the Manama Dialogue Forum on Saturday. (SPA)

Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji stressed that Saudi Arabia continues to support efforts aimed at reducing tensions, confronting challenges, promoting dialogue and strengthening partnership between all countries.  

Addressing the Manama Dialogue on Saturday, Al-Khuraiji said his country has offered many initiatives in this regard, adding: “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will continue to play its role as a source of energy in the world, as we deal with energy in its comprehensive concept, and pay attention to international obligations towards climate change.”  

He added: “In light of the Economic Vision 2030, the Kingdom has set plans to find a stable base that fosters investments and projects, with the aim to advance economic development.”  

Al-Khuraiji stressed that geopolitical conflicts affect all countries and sensitive sectors such as security, food and energy. He emphasized the need to encourage the peaceful resolution of disputes in order to face the common challenges that afflict the international community.  

The Saudi Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs stated that the Kingdom has ambitions and priorities in light of Vision 2030, which “necessitates harnessing its diplomatic efforts to provide a secure and stable regional and international environment that fosters investments, enables development and encourages the establishment of new international partnerships and the strengthening of existing ties.”  

Kuwait and energy security 

Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kuwait, stressed the need to unite efforts to confront challenges related to energy, food security and climate change. 

He noted that fateful decisions must be taken to move energy supply chains, adding that all countries were encouraged to participate positively in this framework, amid warnings of an imminent recession in many regions. 

In his speech during the first session of the 18th session of the Manama Dialogue, the FM underlined that the effects of the energy crisis on the climate could not be ignored, adding that the international community have decisive obligations to confront the challenges in the areas of food and energy security, climate change, growth and prosperity.  

Bahrain, and the impact of conflicts in the region 

Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdul-Latif bin Rashid Al-Zayani said on Saturday, that external conflicts and competition between foreign countries have greatly contributed to shaping the modern Middle East and increased challenges and crises in the region. 

During his participation in the second dialogue session of the Manama Dialogue Conference, under the title, “The Impact of Conflicts outside the Region on the Security Situation in the Middle East,” Al-Zayani noted that given the geostrategic importance of the region, “external forces are likely to continue to focus and directly interfere in its affairs.” 

He explained that the conference, which is held amid ongoing global turmoil, was an opportunity for participants to emphasize the pivotal role of peaceful dialogue in preventing and resolving conflicts. 



UAE Bars Iranian Airline Flights as US Sanctions Bite

An Airbus A340-600 airplane of Mahan Air is seen at Simon Bolivar International Airport outside Caracas, Venezuela April 8, 2019. (Reuters)
An Airbus A340-600 airplane of Mahan Air is seen at Simon Bolivar International Airport outside Caracas, Venezuela April 8, 2019. (Reuters)
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UAE Bars Iranian Airline Flights as US Sanctions Bite

An Airbus A340-600 airplane of Mahan Air is seen at Simon Bolivar International Airport outside Caracas, Venezuela April 8, 2019. (Reuters)
An Airbus A340-600 airplane of Mahan Air is seen at Simon Bolivar International Airport outside Caracas, Venezuela April 8, 2019. (Reuters)

The United Arab Emirates said on Thursday it would no longer accept flights by Iranian airlines as it joins US sanctions aimed at raising economic pressure during the Middle East war.

Dubai, the UAE's commercial hub, is a major destination for Iran's carriers, with multiple daily flights, a large Iranian community and close business links.

Several other countries have suspended Iranian flights, although routes to Türkiye and China were among those that remained open.

"The General Civil Aviation Authority announced the suspension of all flights operated by Iranian airlines to and from the UAE," said a statement carried by the official WAM news agency.

The suspension, from Thursday, was "based on the US sanctions imposed on Iranian airlines preventing them from using airports around the world", the statement said.

The UAE was targeted by thousands of Iranian missiles and drones in the war's early stages. Last month, it suspended trade and financial exchanges with Iran.

On Wednesday, the UAE central bank blocked transactions to and from Iran by branches of Iran's Bank Melli, accusing it of violating laws on money laundering, terrorism and arms proliferation.

Iranian media had reported the UAE's suspension earlier on Thursday.

An Iran Airtour flight from Tehran to Dubai was cancelled shortly before its scheduled departure in the morning, after tickets had been issued, one passenger told AFP.

Dubai airport -- which offers connections to Europe, Asia and Africa -- often serves as a transit point for Iranian travelers, and is a common destination for business trips.

In early September, the US imposed sanctions on Iran's aviation sector and vowed to come down hard on companies that work with it.

Those companies had until Wednesday to comply -- by stopping refueling Iranian plans, for example -- or face the possibility of being cut off from the dollar-based financial system.

Starting on Wednesday, the main Iranian airlines were forced to cancel their international flights as neighboring countries adopted restrictive measures.

Turkmenistan also joined the list on Thursday, turning back a flight from Tehran to Dushanbe.

"Turkmenistan's refusal to allow the Iranian aircraft to pass through its airspace meant the flight could not continue on its route and had to return," Iran's Civil Aviation Organization spokesman Majid Akhavan told state news agency IRNA.

Regarding the UAE, he said "diplomatic and aviation talks are underway to remove the restrictions and restore flights" to the country.

Despite the sanctions, several small Iranian carriers continue to fly abroad, notably to China, which refuses to bow to US pressure, as well as to Armenia.

Iran has nearly 30 airlines, most operating domestic regional routes.

Iran Air, the national carrier, and Mahan, a private company, are the largest for international travel.


Civil Defense Announces Danger Has Passed in Five Saudi Cities, Including Makkah

Early Warning Sirens Activated in Makkah and Four Other Saudi Cities (SPA)
Early Warning Sirens Activated in Makkah and Four Other Saudi Cities (SPA)
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Civil Defense Announces Danger Has Passed in Five Saudi Cities, Including Makkah

Early Warning Sirens Activated in Makkah and Four Other Saudi Cities (SPA)
Early Warning Sirens Activated in Makkah and Four Other Saudi Cities (SPA)

Saudi Civil Defense announced on Thursday that the danger had passed in Makkah, Jeddah, Taif, Yanbu, and Tabuk, shortly after early warning sirens were activated as part of emergency procedures to warn of a potential danger.

Through its official account on the X platform, Saudi Civil Defense urged residents to continue following instructions, avoid gathering and filming altogether, and contact the emergency number 998 when necessary.

Earlier, Civil Defense had announced the activation of an alert through the National Early Warning Platform for Emergencies in Makkah, Jeddah, Taif, Yanbu, and Tabuk to warn of a potential danger, urging residents to remain calm and follow official instructions.

According to the safety guidelines issued by Civil Defense, residents were instructed to immediately move to the nearest safe location, either inside a building or in an interior room away from windows, and remain there until the danger had passed. They were also advised not to leave their homes or buildings during the warning period.

Civil Defense stressed the importance of staying away from open areas, windows, and glass, and of not standing on balconies or rooftops. It explained that anyone outside a building should enter the nearest building or seek shelter behind a solid barrier.

It also warned against gathering, filming, and approaching dangerous locations. Drivers who receive a warning message while driving were advised to pull over to the side of the road, away from bridges, tunnels, and high-rise buildings.

Civil Defense emphasized the importance of obtaining information from official sources and warned against circulating rumors or footage from unknown sources. It stressed the need to follow instructions issued by the relevant authorities through official channels.


Google Plans First Test of AI Chips in Space under Project Suncatcher

FILE PHOTO: A specially designed Google logo, during the opening of Google's new Artificial Intelligence (AI) centre in Berlin, Germany, March 5, 2026. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse//File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A specially designed Google logo, during the opening of Google's new Artificial Intelligence (AI) centre in Berlin, Germany, March 5, 2026. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse//File Photo
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Google Plans First Test of AI Chips in Space under Project Suncatcher

FILE PHOTO: A specially designed Google logo, during the opening of Google's new Artificial Intelligence (AI) centre in Berlin, Germany, March 5, 2026. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse//File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A specially designed Google logo, during the opening of Google's new Artificial Intelligence (AI) centre in Berlin, Germany, March 5, 2026. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse//File Photo

Alphabet's Google said on Thursday it will launch a prototype satellite next week in its first in-orbit test of Project Suncatcher, a research effort to explore whether space could potentially host large-scale AI computing infrastructure.

Companies including SpaceX and Starcloud are pursuing plans to deploy data centers in low Earth orbit, aiming to harness near-continuous sunlight to power energy-intensive AI computing and sidestep terrestrial constraints on electricity supplies.

The new mission, scheduled to fly on SpaceX's upcoming Transporter-18 rideshare launch in partnership with satellite company Planet Labs, will assess how Google's AI hardware withstands launch forces, radiation and extreme temperatures in LEO.

After the launch, it will send a prototype satellite carrying Google Tensor Processing Units into low Earth orbit to assess if the AI chips can operate reliably in space, according to Reuters.

Space radiation can disrupt or degrade electronics, including by causing data errors known as bit flips.

Google said it tested its TPUs while running AI workloads in a facility at the University of California, Davis, but that orbital testing was needed to understand how the hardware performs in the real environment.

The company will also evaluate its design to cool the power-intensive chips in the vacuum of space, where conventional airflow cooling is impossible, by combining heat pipes with radiators.

But experts have said that the concept remains years from being commercially viable given high launch costs, engineering constraints and satellite production bottlenecks.

The first Suncatcher mission is designed to gather in-orbit data and identify potential failure points, rather than demonstrate an operational orbital data center, Google said.

It aims to launch two satellites in 2027 to test the high-bandwidth laser links needed to connect future computing clusters.