
Saudi interior minister holds meeting with employees on scholarship in London
During the meeting, Prince Abdulaziz highlighted the ministry's commitment to offering scholarships and distinguished educational opportunities to its employees, adding that investing in individuals is key to achieving the Kingdom's Vision 2030.
He said that scholarship holders will return to the Kingdom after acquiring academic and professional skills, bringing science and knowledge to contribute to Saudi Arabia's development.
Assistant Minister of Interior Dr. Hisham bin Abdulrahman Al-Falih and several senior officials from the ministry attended the meeting in the English capital.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Arab News
4 hours ago
- Arab News
UK's Royal Ballet and Opera cancels Tel Aviv ‘Tosca' after staff protest over stance on Gaza
LONDON: The UK's Royal Ballet and Opera has canceled a planned 2026 production of 'Tosca' at the Israeli Opera in Tel Aviv, after nearly 200 members of staff signed a letter criticizing the organization's ties to Israel amid the war in Gaza, it was reported on Monday. For the latest updates, follow us on Instagram @ Company chief executive officer Alex Beard confirmed the decision in an internal message in which he acknowledged the letter and told staff: 'We have made the decision that our new production of 'Tosca' will not be going to Israel.' A total of 182 members of the Royal Opera and Ballet, including dancers, musicians, singers and technical staff, signed the open letter on Friday denouncing the 'recent actions and decisions taken by the RBO in the context of the ongoing genocide in Gaza.' In particular, they condemned the recent hiring out of the organization's 'Turandot' production to the Israeli Opera for performances that took place last month, The Guardian newspaper reported on Monday. 'The decision cannot be viewed as neutral,' they wrote. 'It is a deliberate alignment, materially and symbolically, with a government currently engaged in crimes against humanity. 'The venue itself, the Israeli Opera, publicly offers free tickets to soldiers of the Israeli Defense Forces 'in recognition of their work,' as stated on their website. 'The RBO is clearly making a strong political statement by allowing its production and intellectual property to be presented in a space that openly rewards and legitimizes the very forces responsible for the daily killings of civilians in Gaza.' The letter demanded that the organization 'withholds our productions from institutions that legitimise and economically support a state engaged in the mass killing of civilians,' and rejects 'any current or future performances in Israel.' It also offered support for performer Daniel Perry, who raised a Palestinian flag on stage during a curtain call on July 19 in what the letter described as 'an act of courage and moral clarity.' It accused the RBO's director of opera, Oliver Mears, of reacting aggressively. 'We witnessed (Mears) attempting to forcibly snatch the flag from the performer, displaying visible anger and aggression in front of the entire audience,' the letter said. 'Far from being a neutral administrative intervention, (his) act was itself a loud political statement. It sent a clear message that any visible solidarity with Palestine would be met with hostility.' Perry has stated that Mears subsequently told him he would 'never work for the Opera House ever again.' The employees who signed the letter also highlighted what they described as a 'deafening' double standard, noting the organization's open support for Ukraine following the invasion by Russia in 2022, adding: 'We understood then that silence was unacceptable. Why is it different now?' In response, Beard said: 'I am appalled by the crisis in Gaza and recognize the deep emotional impact this has had across our community and wider society. On this issue, we acknowledge and respect the full range of views held by our staff, artists and audiences. 'The events at the curtain call on July 19 were without precedent. We have reflected carefully and reviewed our internal protocols. We always endeavor to act with integrity and compassion. We want our stage to remain a space for shared cultural appreciation, free from individual political statements.' The RBO's support for Ukraine was 'aligned with the global consensus at the time,' he added, but global geopolitics had become more complex and so the organization's stance had changed to ensure its actions reflected its 'purpose and values.' The Israeli Opera removed details of the production of 'Tosca' from its website but has not commented on the cancellation.

Al Arabiya
4 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Police arrest UK far-right figure ‘Tommy Robinson' over serious assault
Police arrested British far-right activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known by the pseudonym Tommy Robinson, on Monday on suspicion of committing assault last week at a London train station. British Transport Police said in a statement they arrested a 42-year-old man at Luton airport, north of London, 'in connection to an assault at St Pancras station on 28 July.' 'The man had been wanted for questioning after leaving the country to Tenerife in the early hours of 29 August following the incident at St Pancras,' it said. Although the statement did not directly name Yaxley-Lennon, he was seen in a video widely shared on social media last week of an incident at Saint Pancras. Yaxley-Lennon is seen walking next to a motionless man laying on the floor, alleging that the man had 'come at me.' He was arrested on Monday after returning to Britain on a flight from Portugal 'on suspicion of ... grievous bodily harm and will now be taken to custody for questioning.' Yaxley-Lennon has become a champion for far-right and anti-immigrant factions. The former football hooligan, who founded the far-right English Defense League in 2009, has repeatedly been convicted for public order and contempt offences. He has also been blamed for helping fuel racially aggravated riots that rocked the country in 2024, which he denies.


Arab News
16 hours ago
- Arab News
Australia lifts foreign student cap to 295,000 and prioritizes Southeast Asia
SYDNEY: Australia will raise its cap on foreign students by 9 percent to 295,000 next year and prioritize applicants from Southeast Asia, the government said on Monday. Limits on places were announced last year as a way to rein in record migration that had contributed to a surge in housing prices, with 270,000 places made available for 2025. An additional 25,000 places were being granted in 2026 as the policy was successfully bringing down 'out of control' international student numbers, the government said. 'This is about making sure international education grows in a way that supports students, universities and the national interest,' Education Minister Jason Clare said in a statement. Australia granted nearly 600,000 student visas in the 2023 financial year, as international students returned to the country in record numbers following COVID-19. Australia's largest cohorts of students come from China and India. As well as introducing the cap on numbers, the government also more than doubled the visa fee for foreign students in 2024 and pledged to close loopholes in rules that allowed them to continuously extend their stay. The government's measures to curb migration were 'bearing fruit' and allowed for a modest increase in the cap in 2026, International Education Assistant Minister Julian Hill said. 'The numbers were growing out of control,' Hill told national broadcaster ABC. 'The government has taken tough decisions over the last 12 months, not always loved by the sector, to get the numbers down and get them to a more sustainable footing.' Roughly two-thirds of places will be allocated to universities and one-third to the vocational skills training sector. Larger, public universities would need to demonstrate domestic and international students had 'access to safe and secure housing' and recruit more students from Southeast Asia to increase their individual allocations, the government said. It was important 'for Australia's future soft power that we continue to bring the best and brightest from our (Southeast Asian) neighbors to have a bit of Australia with them for the rest of their life,' Hill said. Relations with Southeast Asia have been a focus of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's Labor government as it looks to reduce Australia's economic dependence on China. Universities Australia welcomed the 'sensible' increase in places. 'Universities have called for growth in this critically important sector, and the government has honored this,' CEO Luke Sheehy said. Australia has one of the highest shares of international students globally. The sector contributed more than A$51 billion ($33.05 billion) to the economy in 2024, the country's top services export.