Saudi Arabia celebrates 87th National Day

Agencies
September 23, 2017

Riyadh, Sept 23: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Saturday celebrated the 87th anniversary of its National Day amid increasing regional challenges.

On this day, late King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman declared the unification of the country under the name of “Kingdom of Saudi Arabia” on the 19th of the month of Jumada I of 1351 AH. The unification was achieved after 32 years of struggle during which late King Abdulaziz laid strong foundations for the Kingdom adhering to the teachings of his ancestors.

On this occasion, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Premier and Minister of Defense, delivered a speech commending the Kingdom’s growth and prosperity under the great leadership of King Salman.

The Prince said that this great anniversary happens while the Kingdom witnesses a glorious era and a blessed renaissance with more security and stability under the great leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.

He affirmed that the 87th anniversary of the Kingdom’s unification is an occasion to recall the achievements of the founder and builder of our country’s renaissance, late King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman.

“We thank Allah Almighty for honoring this country for the service and care of the two holy mosques and their pilgrims, Umrah performers and visitors, so it has exploited all its capabilities to achieve this great message. We also thank Allah Almighty for the blessing and giving of security, safety, tranquility and prosperity of our country whose success depends on adhering to the Holy Quran and the teachings of Sunnah of His Messenger as an approach in all matters and dealings,” the Crown Prince reiterated.

In his speech, the Crown Prince said: “We thank Him for the abundant resources, potential and qualified human resources of our country and its strategic position qualifying it to be among the world’s top developed countries, leading us to maintain our gains and continue to work for further progress and success.”

The Crown Prince stated that what the Kingdom is witnessing today is due to King Salman’s efforts to continue what has been done by the former kings of this country.

The Crown Prince lauded the role of King Salman and his outstanding deed in the service of his people, the homeland and the nation.

He asserted the Kingdom’s effective and influential status and role at regional and international levels, with its commitment to work for the achievement of international peace and security and its pursuit for the good of all humanity.

The Crown Prince also mentioned that as an active member of the Economic Group of Twenty (G20), which includes the world’s strongest economies, “we aspire the Kingdom becomes a pioneering model at all levels, depending on the role of male and female young citizens in this regard with the strive for the achievement of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, which marks the beginning of a new phase of development and hard work for future advancement as well as the pursuit for everything in the interest of the country and continues moving closer to top-ranked developed countries, while adhering to the principles of our religion and our noble values.”

The Prince stated that under the leadership of the Custodian the country affirmed its right to uphold the truth and commitment to its principles to achieve justice as well as its quest for the achievement of regional security and world peace.

Crown Prince Mohammed commended the efforts of the protectors of the country and its heroic soldiers who risk their lives to save their religion and homeland, as well as the efforts of the security forces to maintain the security of the country.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman became an influential leading person through the success he achieved and his outstanding presence on the political, social, and economic arenas in the Kingdom.

Due to the Prince’s efforts and leadership of King Salman, Saudi Arabia launched the initiative to restore legitimacy in Yemen through operations “Decisive Storm” and “Restoring Hope”.

The prince also announced Saudi Arabia’s adoption of the Islamic Military Alliance to Combat Terrorism headquartered in Riyadh. He also toured several countries around the world and discussed several issues on the Arab, Islamic, and international arenas.

Prince Mohammed bin Salman is the “godfather” of Saudi Vision 2030 set as a road-map for Saudi Arabia’s economic development.

Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif also delivered a speech during which he considered the National Day “an occasion to understand the true meaning of pride and respect for the efforts exerted by our ancestors to achieve development, growth and prosperity, which was the founder king’s wish.”

The Prince stated that stability is one of the best things in the Kingdom, the most important factor that helped the state grow, thrive and develop to become an internationally pioneering state.

“Since its establishment, the Kingdom has exerted all possible efforts to serve Saudis, expatriates, and pilgrims from all over the world, and preserve the sacred sites. It faced the most difficult and dangerous challenges that threatened the security of many states, such as terrorism that disrupted regional stability and security,” Prince Abdulaziz asserted.

“However, the Kingdom was able to thwart many terrorist plans and dismantle terrorist networks thanks to the government’s support of the Ministry of Interior and the security forces,” he concluded.

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News Network
April 25,2020

Apr 25: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday spoke to his counterparts from Qatar, the UAE, Niger, Palestine and Czech Republic and held discussions around the coronavirus infection.

In conversation with Qatar Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Jaishankar discussed their experience of dealing with coronavirus infection and also thanked him for taking care of the Indian community.

"A cordial conversation with FM @MBA_AlThani_ of #Qatar. Discussed our #coronavirus experiences. Thanked him for taking care of the Indian community. Such challenging times will only further strengthen our friendship," he said in a tweet.

Jaishankar also spoke to United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed.

"Pandemics further highlight the need for international cooperation. Few better examples than our relationship with #UAE. Applaud the generosity of spirit and clarity of policy that has characterised its approach. Thank HH @ABZayed for the warm conversation today," he said in another tweet.

Jaishankar also spoke to Niger Foreign Minister Kalla Ankourao and assured him of India's support in meeting the coronavirus challenge, including medicines.

"Just spoke with FM @kallaankourao of #Niger. Assured him of India's support in meeting the #coronavirus challenge, including medicines. Discussed its global implications in the context of the United Nations," he tweeted.

Jaishankar also discussed the coronavirus situation with Palestine Foreign Minister Riad Al Malki. "Welcomed speaking with FM Riad Al Malki of #Palestine. Discussed the #coronavirus situation. Assured him of Indian medical assistance," he said in a tweet.

He also exchanged experiences on coronavirus response with Czech Foreign Minister Tomas Petricek.

The minister said the two leaders agreed that there are valuable lessons for international cooperation.

"Glad to catch up with FM @TPetricek of #CzechRepublic. Exchanged our experiences on #coronavirus response. Agreed that there are valuable lessons for international cooperation. Look forward to keeping in touch," he said in a tweet.

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Agencies
June 9,2020

Dubai, Jun 9: Dubai's Emirates airline has begun laying off employees to reduce cost and save cash as the carrier looks to rightsize its workforce.

"We at Emirates have been doing everything possible to retain the talented people that make up our workforce for as long as we can. However, given the significant impact that the pandemic has had on our business, we simply cannot sustain excess resources and have to rightsize our workforce in line with our reduced operations. After reviewing all scenarios and options, we deeply regret that we have to let some of our people go," the spokesperson said in the statement.

Citing sources, Reuters and Bloomberg earlier reported that a majority of those being made redundant are cabin crew workers as well as a minority of its engineers and pilots, including those flew the Airbus A380.

"This was a very difficult decision and not one that we took lightly. The company is doing everything possible to protect the workforce wherever we can. Where we are forced to take tough decisions we will treat people with fairness and respect. We will work with impacted employees to provide them with all possible support," said the statement.

The spokesperson, however, didn't disclose how many employees are being made redundant in this latest round of rightsizing the workforce.

Emirates on Sunday confirmed that it extended the period of reduced pay for its staff for another three months till September. It had previously reduced basic wages by 25 to 50 per cent for three months from April, with junior employees exempted.

The airline had employed around 60,000 people at the end of its 2019-20 financial year.

Saj Ahmad, chief analyst at StrategicAero Research, said the announced job cuts at Emirates will likely not be the last given the unprecedented damage that Covid-19 has had not just on air travel, but on the entire aviation industry as a whole.

"Emirates' massive international network means that job reductions were always a last resort option as the company staves off cash burn and expenses at a time when revenues are dried up. While Emirates SkyCargo is enjoying a resurgence in activities, the reality is that this income will never offset the lost money from passenger operations," he added.

"Whilst some salary reduction schemes have prevented bigger job cuts for now, the absence of a cure or medicinal suppressant of Covid-19 means that air travel is unlikely to even reach pre-9/11 levels within 3-5 years, let alone pre-Covid-19 levels in that same time period. For that reason, Emirates' reduction in headcount is necessary to stay competitive, agile and be ready for when air travel can resume with a degree of normalcy that we have been accustomed to for decades," said Ahmad.

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Agencies
July 28,2020

Dubai, Jul 28: Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB) (ADCB.AD) is letting go hundreds of employees, sources said, the latest in a round of lay-offs by regional banks as pressure mounts to cut costs amid lower oil prices and the coronavirus crisis.

The UAE’s third-biggest lender is laying off 400 employees, two sources familiar with the matter said, after it had committed to not cutting staff because of the crisis.

In a statement, a spokesman said ADCB had pursued efficiency over the last decade by managing out its lowest underachievers after regular reviews, while ensuring talent was deployed in high-growth areas, such as digital banking.

“A certain number of redundancies are therefore expected every year in the normal course of business,” the bank spokesman added.

The sources said the cuts would involve ADCB’s consumer business and several in top management were among those being let go. One source said the bank was looking to close 20 branches.

In March, ADCB had declared, “No employee will be made redundant during 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

UAE banks have been hit by government measures to rein in the spread of the virus, forcing many businesses to shut temporarily.

Last week, Dubai’s largest bank, Emirates NBD, reported a slump of 58% in profits. In June, sources told Reuters the bank started a new round of hundreds of lay-offs.

In May, ADCB reported a fall of 84% in first-quarter net profit as it took impairments of $292 million on debt exposure to troubled hospital operator NMC Health and payments group Finablr.

It was a major lender, with an exposure of about $981 million, to NMC Health, which went into administration this year after months of turmoil following questions over financial reporting.

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