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Busted Pak firm ‘sold 1,198 fake degrees to Saudis’

June 25, 2015

Riyadh, Jun 25: A Pakistani firm under investigation for fraud allegedly sold 1,198 fake degrees to Saudis between 2011 and 2015, a local publication reported on Wednesday.

fake degreesPakistani authorities have already arrested the owner of Axact Company, Shoaib Ahmed Shaikh, in Karachi for allegedly selling thousands of fake degrees to customers worldwide during this period.

Saudis received 1,198 fake degrees from nonexistent universities, for between SR50,000 and SR100,000, the report stated. Axact allegedly forged the certificates, with several consulates and government offices in certain countries around the world attesting these documents.

Jasim Al-Khaldi, Saudi chargé de a’ffairs in Islamabad, said the embassy and cultural mission were following up on the investigations. He said the Saudi government wants to know the names of citizens who obtained degrees from the company, and those of Pakistanis working in the Kingdom using these bogus qualifications.

Khayyam Akbar, Pakistani chargé de a’ffairs in the Kingdom, said his government would provide the Saudi government with the names of its citizens with fake degrees as soon as investigations are completed.

The multimillion-dollar fake degree scandal was first scooped by Arab News in 2009. Pakistan’s top investigative agencies launched a probe after the New York Times ran a report in May this year detailing what Arab News had already revealed.

Arab News had followed up on a report that a certain Rochville University had awarded a master’s in business administration to a bulldog named Chester.

The application had been made by the dog’s owner, Vicky Phillips, founder of GetEducated.com, in an attempt to expose the fake university. Rochville’s physical location was a mystery and Arab News learned from a courier company official in Dubai that the degree originated from Axact’s office in Karachi.

When the story was published in Arab News, it received a legal threat from Axact’s lawyers, and the article had to be removed from the Internet. There was, however, no retraction in the print edition and Arab News stood by the story.

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Agencies
July 30,2020

Kuwait will allow citizens and residents to travel to and from the country, starting August 1, the government communication center tweeted on early Thursday, citing a cabinet decision.

The decision excludes residents coming from Bangladesh, Philippines, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Iran, Nepal.

Last month, Kuwait announced it would partially resume commercial flights from August, but does not expect to reach full capacity until a year later, as its aviation sector gradually recovers from a suspension sparked by the Covid-19 crisis.

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News Network
April 27,2020

Dubai, Apr 27: Saudi Arabia has reported 1,289 new Covid-19 cases on April 27, its Ministry of Health tweeted.

Of the newly diagnosed cases, Jeddah recorded 294 infections, followed by Makkah (218) and Madinah (202).

The ministry also confirmed five additional coronavirus-induced deaths, spiking the total death toll to 144.

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Since the outbreak of the virus strain in the Chinese city of Wuhan late last year, Saudi Arabia has reported a total of 18,811 Covid-19 infections.

As many as 2,531 patients have till now recovered from the virus.

Oman
The sultanate registered 51 new Covid-19 cases on April 27, including 37 nationals and 14 expatriates, spiking the total number of infections to 2,049, Oman News Agency tweeted.

Meanwhile, 10 coronavirus-related deaths have been confirmed in the country.

Qatar
The Ministry of Public Health has reported 957 Covid-19 cases among the 3,420 people tested in the last 24 hours.

As many as 85,709 people have been tested for the virus across the country.

The total number of Covid-19 infections since the outbreak has now risen to 11,244.

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Saudi Gazette
May 27,2020

Riyadh, May 27: Following the announcement of easing of lockdown measures, which includes reopening of all mosques for daily congressional as well as Friday prayers across the Kingdom except the holy city of Makkah, the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance has set mandatory guidelines.

In a circular issued to mosque staff, Minister of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance Sheikh Abdullatif Al-Asheikh has instructed that all mosques must comply with the following precautionary measures and instructions:

1. Open mosques 15 minutes before the Adhan and close them 10 minutes after prayer

2. Reduce the waiting period between the Adhan and Iqamah to 10 minutes

3. Open windows and doors from entering time to the end of the prayer

4. Remove copies of Holy Qur’an and other books temporarily from mosques

5. Ensure attendees keep a distance of two meters between each other

6. Ensure one space is left between each row

7. Close all water coolers and refrigerators

8. Do not allow distribution of water or food in mosques

9. Close toilets and places of ablution

Precautionary measures on Friday prayers are as follows:

1. Open mosques 20 minutes before Friday prayer and closing them 20 minutes after prayer.

2. Friday sermon with prayer should not exceed 15 minutes.

The circular also stipulates to keep the suspension of the religious courses, programs and lectures, as well as the memorizing Holy Qur'an sessions in the mosques and to continue education and lectures remotely until further notice.

The circular pointed out that the imams of mosques should urge the worshipers to take the following precautionary measures:

1. Wear a face mask

2. Bring their own prayer rugs and not leave them after the prayer

3. Prevent accompanying children under 15 years of age from entering mosques

4. Perform ablution at home

5. Avoid crowding when entering or exiting mosques

Meanwhile, the spokesman of the Ministry of Interior clarified later in the day that people are allowed to perform congressional prayers in their locality during the time of curfew.

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