Secure, serene Hajj: King Salman hails interior minister

Agencies
August 27, 2018

Jeddah, Aug 27: King Salman sent a thank-you note to Prince Abdul Aziz bin Saud bin Naif, interior minister and chairman of the Supreme Hajj Committee, congratulating him for Al-Adha and the success of this year’s Hajj.

The king said that the comprehensive security, regulatory and traffic plans for this year’s Hajj allowed 2.3 million pilgrims “to perform their duties with ease, security and reassurance in a serene environment.”

Significant efforts had been made by government and non-government bodies to serve pilgrims, he said.

The king said he prayed for God’s acceptance of pilgrims’ prayers and their safe return to their homelands, and wished success for Islam and Muslims.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also sent a thank-you note to the prince. “We thank your Highness, provincial governors, members of the Supreme Hajj Committee, all participants in serving pilgrims, security personnel of all military sectors, governmental and non-governmental bodies for your congratulations and for what has been achieved thanks to everyone’s efforts and their readiness to serve pilgrims, under the supervision, follow-up and guidance of King Salman,” he wrote.

Earlier, the prince sent a thank-you note to the crown prince on behalf of princes, the Supreme Hajj Committee, provincial governors, members of the Interior Ministry and their co-workers, congratulating them for Al-Adha and the success of this year’s Hajj.

He said: “On my own behalf and on behalf of princes, members of the Supreme Hajj Committee, security personnel and the people who supported them from governmental and non-governmental bodies participating in this year’s Hajj work, I am honored to send you my most sincere congratulations on the pious occasion of Al-Adha, and may you be blessed with good health and wellness,” he wrote.

“I am also honored to congratulate you for the success of this year’s Hajj season, thanks to God, your Highness and King Salman’s care, support and guidance, which enabled pilgrims to perform Hajj with ease, security and reassurance with the services and facilities provided by Saudi Arabia, through an accurate implementation of Hajj’s security, preventive, regulatory and traffic plans with 2,371,675 pilgrims arriving in Arafat on the most important day of Hajj and standing in that mighty site.

“The traffic plan was implemented with accuracy; the arrival to Arafat was completed in record time, mobilization from Arafat to Muzdalifah then Mina was completed with ease and in accordance with careful organization, and the beginning of throwing pebbles, influx to the Grand Mosque to perform Tawaf Al-Ifada and completion of Hajj rituals following the guidance of the Chosen One were also performed with ease.

“The security situation was stable without the occurrence of any incidents, and was in accordance with strict discipline, immediate and careful surveillance of pilgrims’ conditions and all their movements during the performance of Hajj rituals. Health conditions were reassuring, and thanks to the exerted efforts, there was no emergence of epidemics,” he wrote.

The prince said that the success of this year’s Hajj was thanks to the “royal care and directions of King Salman and the crown prince, as well as the dedication of security personnel, members of civilian and military sectors that supported them in this Hajj season to perform this great duty.”

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Gulf News
May 29,2020

Dubai: There aren’t that many job vacancies right now – but be prepared for a 15-20 per cent cut in salary expectations even for those positions that are still open. Businesses in the UAE are definitely not in a generous mood when it comes to hiring, with salary cuts now part of the new normal.

And they are definitely not willing to take on new hires without extracting some cost benefit from them. “We have seen major [salary] cuts across the board in hospitality, real estate, professional services and in retail,” said Vijay Gandhi, regional head at Korn Ferry Digital, the recruitment consultancy.

“And once the headcount correction is complete in [the local] financial services and energy sector, we may see more cuts in rewards and benefits in these categories as well.”

The salary cuts are slowly extending their way into the healthcare sector as well – just about every non-COVID-19 facing medical category is coming across cuts in the number of working hours and, by extension, their take home packages.

By end of June, more businesses and sectors in the UAE will have a better understanding of their short-term revenue prospects. By then, they will also have a better reading on what their staff strength should be – and whether there should be more trimming of the workforce. Or whether they should consider a few hires as well.

A long summer
So, realistically, it could be September before such decisions need to be taken. The coming weeks will then prove to be laden with anxiety for those who are expecting to land a job option after being laid off at their current employers.

There are multiple instances of recruitment decisions having been made in February/March, and then the companies rescinding those offers to the chosen candidates citing the business uncertainty.

“The decision to hire is taking longer – so job creation is now 4-6 weeks from interview and selection compared to 4-6 days in the past,” said Gandhi.

The lucky ones
Recently, free zones and other entities had made it easier for personnel on the visa of one entity being able to smoothly transfer to another if they are likely to be made redundant. “We are seeing more flexibility being offered by the authorities given the circumstances, and the visa transfer process is happening,” said Gandhi.

“But in the vast majority of cases, businesses are going to wait and watch before normal hiring activity starts. Organizations will look to hire from September.”

A few hires are still happening
Even in the business turmoil set off by COVID-19, a few categories are still offering jobs. At the entry level, logistics services personnel and drivers with experience remain in demand.

Not just “routine jobs, there have been confirmations in more technical roles such as procurement and operations in healthcare and e-commerce,” said Gandhi. “Employers should keep an eye for good talent and have the talent acquisition team actively looking for good profiles.

“As such, organizations are not only looking at “right sizing” in numbers but also “future proofing” on what kind of skilled talent will help them in the post-COVID-19 world.”

But for the candidates, the present will be about waiting around for the call to come.

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Agencies
April 26,2020

Riyadh, Apr 26: The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia has issued an order to partially lift the curfew in all regions of the Kingdom, to become from 9am to 5pm, starting Sunday through Wednesday May 13, while keeping a 24-hour curfew in the holy city of Makkah and in previously isolated neighbourhoods, state news agency (SPA) said early on Sunday.

The order also allowed the opening of some economic and commercial activities, which include wholesale and retail shops in addition to malls.

They can operate for two weeks, beginning on April 29 (Wednesday) until May 13 (Ramadan 6-20), however, certain shops within malls like beauty clinics, barber salons, gyms, cinemas, and restaurants will continue to be restricted from reopening.

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Agencies
August 8,2020

Beirut, Aug 7: A devastating explosion that destroyed much of Beirut might have been the result of a missile attack or bomb, Lebanese President Michel Aoun said, as the death toll from the blast rose to 154.

More than 2,700 tons of ammonium nitrate had been sitting in a port warehouse for six years, but there have been conflicting accounts about why Lebanese authorities decided to empty the shipment of explosive material. The vessel carrying the flammable cargo was heading from Georgia to Mozambique when it stopped in the Lebanese port to load up on iron, according to the ship’s captain.

By Friday, 19 suspects had been arrested and Lebanon’s former director general of customs Chafic Merhy had been questioned by military police.

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