73 percent of expansion work at Grand Mosque completed

April 4, 2015

Makkah, Apr 4: Construction work at the Grand Mosque in Makkah is in full swing and the projects are expected to be completed before the Holy month of Ramadan.

Grand Mosque

The projects administration director, Sultan bin Aati Al-Qurashi, said 73 percent of the work has been completed.

The mega projects, ordered by the late King Abdullah, include expansion of the Grand Mosque, which is in the third and final stage.

He said the work is being carried out in coordination with Abdulrahman Al-Sudias, chief of the Presidency of the Holy Mosques Affiars.

Al-Qurashi said the projects were in three stages and have been divided into three years. The first one, launched on Nov. 29, 2012, includes Al-Safa to Al-Fatah Gate, the second from Al-Fatah Gate to Al-Umrah Gate and the third stage from the King Fahd Gate to Al-Safa.

Al Qurashi said painting and decoration works already started in the beginning of this year.

The works also include a mezzanine floor designed for push-chairs for those with special needs, he said.

A light base was established at the Al-Umrah Gate with columns and domes on the Abbasid porch on the northern side, Al-Qurashi added.

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Agencies
February 5,2020

Paris, Feb 5: Saudi Arabia has reported an outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5N8 bird flu virus on a poultry farm, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) said on Tuesday, February 4.

The outbreak, which occurred in the central Sudair region, killed 22,700 birds, the OIE said, citing a report from the Saudi agriculture ministry.

The other 385,300 birds in the flock were slaughtered, it said.

The case was the first outbreak of the H5N8 virus in Saudi Arabia since July 2018.

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News Network
March 25,2020

Riyadh, Mar 25: A 46-year-old man died of coronavirus in Saudi Arabia, becoming the Kingdom’s second death, according to a health ministry’s spokesman.

The health ministry recorded 133 new infections, bringing the total to 900.

Of those newly confirmed cases, 18 are associated with recent travel, and were placed in quarantine upon their arrival in the Kingdom, the spokesman said.

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News Network
March 23,2020

Dubai, Mar 23: The United Arab Emirates announced on Monday it will temporarily suspend all passenger and transit flights amid the novel coronavirus outbreak.

The Emirati authorities "have decided to suspend all inbound and outbound passenger flights and the transit of airline passengers in the UAE for two weeks as part of the precautionary measures taken to curb the spread of the COVID-19", reported the official state news agency, WAM.

It said the decision -- which is subject to review in two weeks -- will take effect in 48 hours, adding: "Cargo and emergency evacuation flights would be exempt."

The UAE, whose international airports in Abu Dhabi and Dubai are major hubs, announced on Friday its first two deaths from the COVID-19 disease, having reported more than 150 cases so far.

Monday's announcement came hours after Dubai carrier Emirates announced it would suspend all passenger flights by March 25.

But the aviation giant then reversed its decision, saying it "received requests from governments and customers to support the repatriation of travellers" and will continue to operate passenger flights to 13 destinations.

Emirates had said it will continue to fly to the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Australia, South Africa, the United States and Canada.

"We continue to watch the situation closely, and as soon as things allow, we will reinstate our services," said the airline's chairman and CEO, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum.

Gulf countries have imposed various restrictions to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus pandemic, particularly in the air transport sector.

The UAE has stopped granting visas on arrival and forbidden foreigners who are legal residents but are outside the country from returning.

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