Saudi Cabinet throws its support for inter-Arab investments

April 25, 2017

Riyadh, Apr 25: The Cabinet on Monday threw its support to the Arab finance ministers in their call for diversification of income sources and to promote inter-Arab investments during their meeting in Rabat.

Saudi3The Cabinet also gave their support for the finance ministers’ urging to improve the regional business environment, enhance regional economic integration and attract foreign investments.

The Cabinet’s endorsement occurred during its regular weekly meeting presided over by King Salman at Al-Yamamah Palace.

Members also focused on the Kingdom’s permanent position at the UN Security Council in its support to the Palestinian people to obtain their rights including self-determination and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the occupied Palestine lands, including Al-Quds, in accordance with the UN Charter and its resolutions. They also formally recalled for the record the Kingdom’s call for the Israeli withdrawal from all occupied Arab lands and to stop building settlements on the Palestinian lands since they are illegal settlements and detrimental to peace.

In other matters, the Cabinet expressed Kingdom’s thanks to the Iraqi government for its efforts in releasing the kidnapped Qataris and two Saudis.

Cabinet members also expressed the Kingdom’s strong condemnation of the terror attacks at a military base in Afghanistan, which resulted in a number of deaths and injuries, and another one that killed a police officer in Paris.

Locally, the Cabinet expressed thanks and appreciation to King Salman for issuing royal decrees on the new appointments in a number of government agencies.

The Cabinet said the restoration of the suspended or canceled financial allowances for civil servants and military personnel, based on the recommendation of deputy crown prince, demonstrated the king’s willingness to care for the public.

The king expressed thanks and appreciation to former officials for welcoming the newly-appointed officials.

The Cabinet also lauded the king’s directives on the establishment of the national security center and the payment of two months’ salary for participants in the frontlines of the “decisive storm” and “restoration of hope” operations of the personnel of the ministries of interior, defense, national guard and public intelligence.

The Cabinet also praised the king’s decision on ending exams of the second term for general and higher education before the start of the holy month of Ramadan. The decision, the Cabinet said, showed cohesion between the leadership and citizens.

Later, the Cabinet approved a series of decisions.

The Cabinet approved a memo of understanding between the ministries of health of Saudi Arabia and South Korea for cooperation in the health areas.

The Cabinet authorized the minister of labor and social development to discuss with the South Africa a draft memo of understanding on labor issues between two countries.

The Cabinet authorized the minister of transport and board chairman of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) to sign two draft agreements between Saudi Arabia and the governments of Benin and Djibouti in the area of air transport services.

The Cabinet approved a cooperation agreement on sea transport and seaports between the Saudi and Egyptian governments.

The Cabinet approved a memo of understanding for cooperation in agricultural areas between the Saudi and Egyptian ministries of agriculture.

The Cabinet agreed that the appointment of members of board of directors of Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (SABIC), who represent the government including board chairman and his deputy, be made through the general assembly of the company.

The Cabinet agreed the continuation of payment of overtime work for those occupying health jobs in hospitals, medical centers and labs at 20 percent for three years.

The Cabinet approved amendments on some articles of the Officer Service System.

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Agencies
July 31,2020

Makkah, Jul 31: Organising this year's scaled-down hajj required "double efforts" by Saudi authorities amid the coronavirus pandemic, King Salman said Friday after being discharged from hospital following gall bladder surgery.

Only up to 10,000 people already residing in the kingdom are participating in this year's pilgrimage, compared with 2019's gathering of some 2.5 million from around the world.

"Holding the ritual in the shadow of this pandemic... required reducing the numbers of pilgrims, but it obliged various official agencies to put in double efforts," 84-year-old King Salman said in a speech read out on state television by acting media minister Majid Al-Qasabi.

"The hajj this year was restricted to a very limited number of people from multiple nationalities, ensuring the ritual was completed despite the difficult circumstances," he said.

The speech came on the occasion of Eid al-Adha, the Muslim festival of sacrifice, a day after the king left hospital following a 10-day stay for surgery to remove his gall bladder.

The hajj, which began on Wednesday, is one of the five pillars of Islam and a must for able-bodied Muslims at least once in their lifetime.

Authorities implemented the "highest health precautions" during the rituals, the king said.

Pilgrims, who were all tested for the virus, are required to wear masks and observe social distancing.

For Friday's "stoning of the devil", the last major ritual of the hajj, Saudi authorities offered the pilgrims pebbles that were sanitised to protect against the pandemic.

In a sign that its strict measures were working, the health ministry reported no coronavirus cases in the holy sites on Wednesday or Thursday.

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News Network
May 4,2020

Dubai, May 4: An Indian salesman in the UAE has won a whopping 10 million dirhams at an Abu Dhabi draw, a media report said.

Dileep Kumar Ellikkottil Parameswaran, from Kerala’s Thrissur, works with an auto spare parts company in Ajman and earns 5,000 dirhams (USD 1,361) a month, Gulf News reported on Sunday.

Parameswaran, who won the 10 million dirhams (USD 2.7 million) prize at the Big Ticket draw in Abu Dhabi, will spend a big part of the money to repay a loan of 700,000 dirhams (USD 190,574 ), according to the report.

He said that a good part of the prize money will be spent on the education of his two children.

Parameswaran, who has been a resident of the UAE for 17 years, lives in Ajman along with his family.

Big Ticket is the largest and longest-running monthly raffle draw for cash prizes and dream luxury cars in Abu Dhabi.

A live monthly draw is organized at the Abu Dhabi International Airport on 3rd of each month.

Tickets are sold for 500 dirhams (USD 136).

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Agencies
May 26,2020

Dubai, May 26: An Indian expat, who recently recovered from COVID-19, fell to his death from a building in Dubai, police said.

The 26-year-old Indian national identified as Neelath Muhammed Firdous from Kerala, fell from the seventh floor balcony of his building where he stayed with six others including his uncle, Naushad Ali, 33.

A Dubai Police official confirmed the incident to Gulf News on Monday and said it had been a suicide.

"He was suffering from a mental disorder and there is no criminal suspicions behind his death," said the official.

"The incident happened on Sunday," the official confirmed.

The victim's relative said: "(He) awoke early to perform prayers and everyone was getting on with their daily morning chores when he walked to the balcony and jumped.

"He was suffering from a mental disorder and had been disturbed for some time. He thought everyone was out to attack him and had stopped eating his food as he thought people were feeding him poison. He was refusing to even take water from us."

The victim had tested positive for COVID-19 on April 10. On May 7, he was discharged from a Dubai hospital after clearing all tests.

The relative told Gulf News that he had registered the victim in the Department of Non-Resident Keralites Affairs (NORKA) last month in order to repatriate him, however he was unsuccessful in procuring a ticket.

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