Saudi Cabinet slams chemical attack in Syria, expresses support for US military strike

April 11, 2017

Riyadh, Apr 11: The Saudi Cabinet on Monday condemned the use of the chemical attack on Khan Sheikhun in Syria, which resulted in many deaths including children and women, committed by the Syrian regime and, expressing full support to the recent US military operation against selected targets in Syria was articulated.

kingThe Kingdom’s long-standing rejection of terrorism in all forms and manifestations was stressed upon. They condemned the two explosions in Egypt and similar terrorist attacks in St. Petersburg, Russia, and Stockholm, Sweden, which resulted in several deaths and injuries.

The Cabinet also lauded the Arab Coalition forces’ support for restoration of peace and stability in Yemen as well as the Kingdom’s humanitarian efforts through King Salman Center for Humanitarian and Relief Aids, and stressed what the deputy crown prince highlighted earlier during his meeting with key Yemeni tribal chiefs that the Kingdom sees Yemen as strategic depth for the Arab and GCC countries as well as the Kingdom; and it is a duty to stand by the Yemeni people against Houthi aggression.

The Kingdom’s keenness to contribute to Arab joint action which was embodied in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also highlighted; it was for the establishment of a common Arab market for electricity, within 14 countries, during the 12th Arab ministerial council for electricity in Cairo.

The Cabinet also appreciated the king’s efforts to unify Arab and Muslim ranks in facing the difficult conditions experienced by Arab and Islamic countries.

He was praised for awarding Prince Naif, the Order of Arab Security at the conclusion of the 34th Arab Interior Ministers meeting in Tunis, for his leading role in supporting Arab and Islamic causes, and his efforts in preserving international peace and security.

The Cabinet noted recommendations and decisions issued at the Arab Interior Ministers meeting including Arab strategies on combating illegal use of drugs, terrorism, traffic safety and intellectual security.

On a local level, the Cabinet welcomed the announcement made by Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on launching the largest cultural, sports and entertainment city in southwest Riyadh in support of Vision 2030, and diversifying the sources of national income.

Later, the Cabinet approved a series of decisions.

They authorized the minister of foreign affairs to hold political consultations (and sign an MoU) between the Saudi and Filipino foreign ministries.

They authorized the minister of environment, water and agriculture to cooperate in the area of agriculture and fisheries between the governments of Saudi Arabia and South Africa, and sign an MoU.

The Cabinet approved an MoU for joint cooperation in the area of housing between the Saudi Ministry of Housing and the South Korean Ministry of Land, Transport and Infrastructure.

The Cabinet also approved a similar MoU for joint cooperation in the area of housing between the governments of Saudi Arabia and People’s Republic of China.

They authorized the minister of education to discuss scientific and educational cooperation between the Saudi and UAE ministries of education, and sign an MoU.

The Cabinet authorized the president of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (Nazaha) to discuss an MoU with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

They approved that the General Authority for Sports be structurally linked to President of the Council of Economic Affairs.

The Cabinet approved Saudi Arabia’s accession to the international convention for the control and management of ships’ ballast water and sediments for 2004.

The Cabinet approved that state budget will bear the entry visa fee for seasonal workers on the sacrificial meat project.

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Agencies
June 28,2020

Kuwait, Jun 28: Measures imposed to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus in Kuwait are believed to have increased suicide cases in the country, according to a media report.

Forty suicide cases and 15 failed attempts, mainly among Asian expatriates, have been recorded in Kuwait since late February, Gulf News quoted the Al Qabas newspaper report, citing sources as saying on Saturday.

Investigations into the majority of cases have revealed that those who committed suicide had experienced psychological and economic troubles due to dire financial circumstances after their employers stopped to pay them as a result of economic fallout from the coronavirus-related measures.

In one case, an expat livestreamed his suicide while chatting with his fiancee on a social networking platform, the newspaper report said.

Suicide cases have increased by around 40 per cent since the start of the COVID-19 crisis, according to the sources.

Some 70 to 80 suicide cases are recorded annually in Kuwait. Last year, they reached 80 suicides against 77 in 2018.

"Suicide cases have started to go up in Kuwait during the coronavirus pandemic due to fear, anxiety, isolation and instability experienced by people and absence of daily aims that could help the person to spend time regularly as before," the newspaper quoted social psychology consultant Samira Al Dosari as saying.

Uncertainty for some expatriates, whose countries have refused to take them in, is another motive for attempting suicide, according to Jamil Al Muri, a sociology professor at the Kuwait University.

"This is in addition to greed of the iqamat traders, who have brought into the country workers in names of phantom companies and abandoned them on the streets," he added.

Starting from Tuesday, Kuwait will embark on the second phase of a stepwise plan to bring life to normal, Gulf News reportd.

According to Phase 2, a nationwide night-time curfew will be reduced by one hour to run daily from 8 p.m. until 5 a.m. for three weeks.

Kuwait has so far reported 44,391 COVID-19 cases, with 344 deaths.

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Angry indian
 - 
Tuesday, 30 Jun 2020

YA ALLah save all dispressed people in the earth..

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Agencies
June 18,2020

Riyadh, Jun 18: Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb said that Saudi Arabia will resume tourist activities at the end of Shawwal (June 21) after a hiatus of more than three months due to lockdown measures imposed following the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic.

The minister made the remarks during a television interview after chairing the emergency meeting of the Arab Ministerial Council for Tourism on Wednesday. He said that the current indications are positive and that the Kingdom is ready to launch the summer program, which will be a boost for domestic tourism.

“It was revealed in a research study carried out by the Tourism Authority that 80 percent of Saudi citizens want to take advantage of domestic tourism. We will launch the domestic tourism program for the public after having made necessary coordination with the Ministry of Health and the concerned higher authorities,” he said.

Several Arab tourism ministers and officials of the relevant organizations attended the meeting, which discussed the challenges that the region’s tourism sector is facing due to the pandemic. Al-Khateeb pointed out that the Arab Ministerial Council for Tourism, headed by Saudi Arabia, held the virtual session in exceptional circumstances to discuss ways to get out of this pandemic and revitalize the tourism sector.

“Saudi Arabia has initiated a package of financial stimulus activities with a total value of more than $61 billion to protect jobs and businesses and reduce the economic burden of the crisis. The domestic tourism sector has benefited from it as one of the important economic sectors, as it covered 60 percent of salaries of Saudi employees in the private sector for a period of three months,” he added.

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Agencies
June 20,2020

Riyadh, Jun 20: Saudi Arabia will end a nationwide curfew and lift restrictions on businesses from Sunday morning after three months of lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus, state news agency SPA quoted a source in the interior ministry as saying on Saturday.

The curfew will be lifted as of 6 AM local time on Sunday. Restrictions will remain, however, for religious pilgrimages, international travel and social gatherings of more than 50 people.

The kingdom introduced stringent measures to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus in March, including 24-hour curfews on most towns and cities.

In May, it announced a three-phase plan to ease restrictions on movement and travel, culminating in the curfew completely ending on June 21.

The number of coronavirus infections has risen in recent weeks following a relaxation of movement and travel restrictions on May 28.

The kingdom has recorded 154,223 cases of COVID-19 and a total of 1,230 deaths, the highest in the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council.

Saudi Arabia plans to limit numbers at the annual haj pilgrimage to prevent a further outbreak of coronavirus cases, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters earlier this month.

Some 2.5 million pilgrims visit the holiest sites of Islam in Mecca and Medina for the week-long haj, a once-in-a-lifetime duty for every able-bodied Muslim who can afford it. Saudi Arabia asked Muslims in March to put haj plans on hold and suspended the umrah pilgrimage until further notice.

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