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Cabinet shake-up puts 9 new ministers at the helm

December 9, 2014

Cabinet shake-upRiyadh, Dec 9: Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah on Monday announced a major Cabinet reshuffle, removing six ministers and appointing eight new ministers for health, higher education, transport, agriculture, social affairs, communications and information technology, culture and information, and Islamic affairs.

The current oil and finance ministers would remain in place. The vacant health post has now been filled with Mohammed Alhayazie, former rector of Jazan University.

Abdul Aziz Al-Khodairy, former chief executive officer of King Abdullah Public Education Development Project (Tatweer), takes over the vacant culture and information post.

King Abdullah appointed Khaled Al-Sabti new higher education minister replacing Khaled bin Mohammed Al-Anqari. Al-Sabti was the deputy minister of education.

Sulaiman Al-Humaid is the new social affairs minister, replacing Yousuf bin Ahmad Al-Othaimeen. Al-Humaid was a member of the Shoura Council and a former governor of the General Organization of Social Insurance.

Fahaad Al-Hamad becomes new minister of communications and information technology, replacing Mohammed Jamil bin Ahmad Mulla. Al-Hamad was the assistant chairman of the Shoura Council.

Abdullah Al-Muqbil is the new minister of transport replacing Jabara Al-Seraisry. Al-Muqbil was the mayor of Riyadh.

Walid Al-Khereiji becomes agriculture minister replacing Fahd bin Abdulrahman Balghuneim. Al-Khereiji was president of the Grain Silos and Flour Mills Organization.

Sulaiman Abalkhail is the new Islamic Affairs minister, replacing Saleh Al-Asheikh.

The king appointed Essam bin Saad bin Saeed a state minister in addition to his current position as the chief of Cabinet’s Experts Commission.

In the decrees related to security commanders, the King ordered the promotion of Maj. Gen. Sulaiman bin Abdullah Al-Amr, director general of the Civil Defense, to the rank of lieutenant general, and Maj. Gen. Othman Al-Muhrij, director general of public security, to the rank of lieutenant general.

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News Network
April 23,2020

Riyadh, Apr 22: In an extraordinary initiative, the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has decided to facilitate the travel of expatriates who have an exit and reentry visa or final exit visa to return to their countries.

This is in line with the order of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

According to the initiative, called “Auda” (return), expatriates can apply seeking permission for travel to their countries through the Absher portal of the ministry.

Announcing this, Saudi's Ministry of Interior said that the initiative will be implemented in cooperation with a number of relevant government agencies.

Requests for travel from expatriates will be received and approved in coordination with the relevant authorities to complete their travel procedures on board international flights.

As per the initiative, a text message will be sent to the beneficiary stating the travel date, ticket number and reservation details, and by which the beneficiary can obtain his travel ticket and complete the travel procedures.

Clarifying the procedures for the travel, the ministry said that the applicant shall select the icon (Auda) after visiting the Absher portal and fill the following fields: iqama (residency permit) number, date of birth, mobile number, departure city and airport of arrival.

It is not mandatory for the expatriate to have his own Absher account for availing of the service, the ministry said, adding that this facility is to enable expatriates to benefit from this initiative.

The departure will be through the following airports: King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Prince Muhammad International Airport in Madinah, and King Fahd International Airport in Dammam.

Those expatriates who are outside these cities can benefit from the service through entering airport of departure after completion of their travel procedures in sufficient period of time.

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News Network
May 7,2020

Dubai, May 7: The holy month of Ramadan is expected to be a 30-day month this year, said Ibrahim Al Jarwan, member of the Arab Union for Astronomy and Space Sciences.

According to Arabic daily Emarat Al Youm, he said that Sunday, May 24, will mark the end of the holy month of Ramadan and the beginning of Shawwal.

Additionally, he said that the crescent of Shawwal will occur on Friday, May 22, at 9.39pm, after sunset, and will be visible on Sunday, May 24, the beginning of Shawal, which makes Ramadan a 30-day month this year.

He added that the next Ramadan is expected to start on April 13, 2021, and the one after that on April 2, 2022.

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Agencies
August 4,2020

Beirut, Aug 4: A massive explosion has shaken the Lebanese capital of Beirut, with a very high number of casualties expected.

A warehouse at the Beirut Port caught fire on Tuesday afternoon, triggering a huge explosion, Lebanon’s official National News Agency (NNA) reported.

Several smaller explosions were heard before the bigger one occurred.

Abbas Ibrahim, the head of Lebanon’s General Security, said that “highly explosive materials” confiscated earlier had been stored at the site.

Footage shared on social media captured the moment of the bigger explosion, with a colossal shock wave seen traveling fast across several hundreds of meters and shrouding the area in thick smoke.

The blast left enormous material damage to the surrounding buildings and structures. But it was not immediately known how big an area was affected.

There was also no immediate casualty count. Graphic amateur video from the scene showed bodies strewn on the ground, with their clothes blown off.

The NNA said rescue operations were underway. Ambulances were seen heading toward the scene in central Beirut.

Lebanese LBC television channel quoted Lebanon’s Health Minister Hamad Hasan as saying that the blast had caused a “very high number of injuries” and “extensive damage.”

Beirut Governor Marwan Abboud said an unspecified number of firefighters dispatched to extinguish the initial fire had been killed in the explosion.

“As they were putting out the fire, the explosion took place and we’ve [lost them],” he said, breaking down on live TV.

The explosion comes at a time when the Arab country is passing through its worst economic and financial crisis in decades, and amid rising tensions with Israel.

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