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Abu Dhabi launches second satellite

April 25, 2012

Setalight


Abu Dhabi, April 25: Abu Dhabi’s second communications satellite was sent successfully into the orbit early morning on Tuesday, from a space station in Kazakhstan.


A Mubadala Development Company unit, Al Yah Satellite Communications Company or Yahsat, confirmed that the launch of Y1B took place at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan at 2.18am, Abu Dhabi time.


Yahsat’s first satellite Y1A was successfully launched in April 2011.


The space vehicle will provide a range of broadband telecommunications and satellite services to the Middle East and Africa. It will also provide connectivity to remote areas across the region.


The Y1B weighs more than 6,000kg and features a spacecraft power of 14kW and has a 15-year design lifetime.


The space craft is equipped with a commercial multi-beam Ka-band payload, which will be used to provide a variety of government and commercial applications, including ‘YahClick’, a new reliable and affordable satellite broadband service for the MENA and South West Asia.


Jassem Mohamed Al Zaabi, Mubadala ICT Director said: ‘The successful launch of Y1B satellite reaffirms Abu Dhabi’s commitment to developing the ICT sector across the region.’


Tareq Abdul Raheem Al Hosani, Yahsat Chief Executive Officer was happy on achieving the milestone.


‘With the satellite in orbit, we are on track in our mission to connect communities around the region with reliable, affordable broadband services with our ‘YahClick’ service.’


Communications, he said was ‘a vital factor for economic and social growth in today’s world and we are very excited to be bringing this pioneering vision into reality.’


Satellite connectivity has the advantage of providing high bandwidth and easily accessible broadband services to these markets, with minimal time required to set up communications, the firm said in a statement.


Yahsat has established partnerships across 28 countries within the region, selecting reputable communications companies that understand the needs and conditions of each local market.


The partners have been carefully selected to ensure that the ‘YahClick’ service will be reliably and effectively marketed, installed and supported for customers.


Yahsat is working closely with key telecommunications providers to ensure comprehensive availability of the ‘YahClick’ service to homes, schools and businesses throughout the region.


Abu Dhabi-based Yahsat provides multipurpose satellite solutions for the government as well as commercial use for broadband, broadcast, military and communications use across the Middle East, Africa and South West Asia.


It is the first company in the Middle East and Africa to offer multi-purpose satellite services including satellite connectivity service, end-to-end satellite solutions and solutions for telecommunication carriers.

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News Network
July 5,2020

Riyadh, Jul 5: Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman has approved the extension of the validity of the expired iqama (residency permit) and exit and reentry visas of expatriates who are outside the Kingdom for a period of three months without any fee.

The iqama of expatriates inside the Kingdom as well as the visa of visitors who are in the Kingdom of which the validity expires during the period of suspension of entry and exit from the Kingdom will also be extended for a period of three months without any charge.

The validity of final exit visas as well as exit and reentry visas issued for expatriates, who are in the Kingdom, but were not used during the lockdown period will be extended for a period of three months without any fee, the Saudi Press Agency reported quoting an official source at the Ministry of Interior.

The ministry source said that these measures were taken as part of the continuous efforts made by the government of King Salman to mitigate the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on individuals as well as on private sector establishments and investors, economic activities in the Kingdom, following the adoption of the preventive measures to stem the spread of the pandemic.

The beneficiaries of the King’s order include all expatriates who are outside the Kingdom on exit and reentry visas, which expired during the lockdown period and after lifting of the lockdown.

These expatriates are not in a position to return to the Kingdom due to the enforcement of suspension of international flight service and temporary ban on entry and exit from the Kingdom.

The beneficiaries also include those expatriates who are still in the Kingdom after issuance of final exit visas or exit and reentry visas but could not travel because of the suspension of entry and exit from the Kingdom.

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News Network
March 26,2020

Riyadh, Mar 26: Leaders of the Group of 20 nations will hold a summit today via video conference to discuss measures to protect the global economy, amid coronavirus pandemic which has claimed over 18,000 lives globally.
The summit, which will be chaired by Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, aims to "advance a coordinated global response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its human and economic implications," according to the statement published by the G20 Secretariat on Tuesday.
The lethal virus which was first detected in December last year in the Chinese city of Wuhan, has since, infected over 4,14,179 people around the world.
The coronavirus has already resulted in major disruption of global supply chains, volatility and large drops in the stock market and could cause a financial crisis as stated by IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva.
India is a member nation of the G20 group.
Speaking on the summit on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the Group of 20 (G20) has an important role to play in the fight against coronavirus.
He said: "The G20 has an important global role to play in addressing the #COVID19 pandemic. I look forward to productive discussions tomorrow at the G20 Virtual Summit, being coordinated by the Saudi G20 Presidency."
The other members include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, France, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the UK, the US, and the European Union.
In view of the coronavirus outbreak situation, several international organisations -- including the United Nations, World Bank, the World Health Organization and the World Trade Organization will take part.
Leaders from the Food and Agriculture Organization, the Financial Stability Board, the International Labour Organization, International Monetary Fund, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development -- will also be the part of the conference.

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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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