King Salman invites Emir of Qatar to visit Saudi Arabia

 King Salman invites Amir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to visit Saudi Arabia At the King's invitation, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan handed over to the Emir of Qatar. The invitation was handed over by the King during a meeting between the Foreign Minister and the Emir of Qatar. The two discussed ways to further strengthen bilateral ties between the two countries in all areas, as well as new developments in the region and globally, as well as issues of common interest. The meeting was also attended by the Saudi Embassy in Doha in charge of Affairs Ali Al-qahtani and the Director General of the Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdurrahman Aldawood.

In Saudi Arabia, the lockdown does not move on Eid

In Saudi Arabia, the lockdown does not move on Eid

 A spokesman for the Ministry of Health said: Muhammad al-Abdul Ali informed. There is no need to go for more drastic measures because of the reserve measures we have implemented. With the completion of vaccination, the country will recover from the Kovid crisis. He said everyone should be prepared to receive the Kovid vaccine and that it would be readily available at places set up by the ministry.
It takes two to three weeks for immunizations to reach those who have been vaccinated. Negotiations are underway between the concerned departments to start international flights from May. He said.

The ban on entry into the UAE from India has been extended

 

The ban on direct entry into the UAE from India has been extended till May 14, sources said.

The entry ban, which came into effect on April 24, at 11.59 pm, has been extended for another 10 days before it expires on May 4.

The UAE has banned direct entry in India amid a spate of corona outbreaks.

New 200 riyal note issued in Saudi Arabia

 Saudi Central Bank issues new 200 riyal note The note will be available in the market from Sunday.

The new 200 riyal note was issued to coincide with the fifth anniversary of the Vision 2030 announcement.
The new 200 riyal note bears the logo of Vision 2030, along with the image of King Abdul Aziz, the father of the Saudi nation.

On the reverse of the note is a portrait of the Al Hukm Palace in Riyadh.

number of users of the Abshir platform 2.1 crore - Home Minister

 Prince Abdul Aziz bin Saud, the interior minister, said the number of users of the Abshir platform, the home ministry's online service portal, had risen from 80 lakh to 2.1 crore in three years. Four years ago, King Salman, a servant of the shrines, ordered the formation of a committee chaired by the Crown Prince for the comprehensive development of the home ministry.
The development program was initiated by conducting more than 100 field visits to provinces, cities and border crossings to assess the current situation. In a short period of time, Saudi Arabia has been able to reach the top of many international security indicators and reach the highest levels of public safety awareness. In the first phase, the integrated launch of the development program has helped Abshir increase the number of users from 80 lakh to 2.1 crore in three years.
Special forces for environmental protection have been set up and training programs have been developed in line with international best practices and systems have been developed to equip Home Ministry officials through training. The Home Minister said that with the constant support of the authorities, the Home Ministry will continue to strive to achieve a high performance system to strengthen the security of the country and the community and to provide quality services. At the same time, the Abshir platform warned users not to respond to messages claiming to be related to the Abshir platform or the Home Ministry's main portal. Visitors should make sure the links are correct when using the Abshir platform. Abshir warned users of the Platform that it was aware that attempts were being made to trick users through fake links to access the Abshir platform, with the aim of leaking users' personal information and using it for suspicious transactions.

Do not disclose OTP to anyone; Saudi Central Bank

 The Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) has demanded that OTP numbers coming to mobile phones not be disclosed to anyone. Financial institutions are not required to disclose OTP to users via telephone and SMS. Do not share OTP with any parties or departments.
Sharing an OTP with other parties may result in the theft of money from the account and the misuse of account information. OTP is a one-time password. The central bank said that while trying to access the account, access the service and complete the procedures, the OTP is sent via SMS to the mobile phone number registered with the financial institution.

Air travel in Saudi Arabia only for those who have been vaccinated and those who have not confirmed positive

 Air travel in Saudi Arabia only for those who have been vaccinated and those who have not confirmed positive

In Saudi Arabia, air travel is linked to Tawakkalna. The Saudi Civil Aviation Authority issued the directive. The decision not to issue a boarding pass if the status of Tawakkalna is not correct. As part of this, the Civil Aviation Authority has directed to link the health status of passengers. The new move follows a report by government and private agencies that the Tawakkalna service is in a much better condition and a decision not to look at paper certificates.

Boarding passes will be issued only to those who have been vaccinated and those who have not confirmed positive. Passengers who do not meet the criteria set by the Health Status Authority will be instructed to cancel their tickets and a mobile messaging system will be set up.

Travel ban from India to UAE; Ten-day ban from Saturday, Singapore with ban

 Travel ban from India to UAE due to severe spread of Kovid. The ban is for ten days from Saturday. The ban also applies to those who have stayed in India for two weeks or traveled through India on a transit visa.

Although no official announcement has been made in this regard, various airlines have been instructed.

The ban may be extended or withdrawn after assessing the situation. The new decision is a setback for expatriates returning home for urgent needs. Earlier, Oman had also banned travelers from India. Bans remain in place in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Saudi Arabia has banned 20 countries, including India, from May 17.

At the same time, Singapore has imposed a travel ban on people from India. Citizens have been advised not to travel to India. The ban applies to long-term visa holders and visitors. It is understood that the ban will continue until further notice.

In Saudi Arabia, 55 percent of Kovid victims are women

 

A spokesman for the Ministry of Health said that 55 percent of Saudi Arabia's Kovid victims are women. Said Muhammad al-Abdul Ali. He said women were also less likely to receive the vaccine. He added that Saudi Arabia was at the forefront of diagnoses and had already tested 16 million people. In the last 24 hours, 906 people in Saudi Arabia have been freed, according to the Ministry of Health. The assessment is that this is an advantage compared to the number of survivors of the disease in a few days.

International flights from Saudi Arabia; The new decision can be expected at any time

 

Although international flights to Saudi Arabia have been announced to resume on May 17, the new decision can be expected at any time, said Dr. Mohammad Al-Hashimi, secretary of the Committee on Kovid Controls. Talal al-Tuwairiji.

The decision will take into account the impact of the epidemic in many parts of the world. He said the concerned authorities were studying in detail all aspects of the resumption of international service.

This was made clear in a program on the Rotana Khaleejia television channel. The final decision depends on many factors. All these matters will be considered before the date is announced. He did not rule out the possibility of announcing an unexpected decision.

He said the study was continuing on whether vaccination would be mandatory before departure and that it would be notified before the flight service resumes.
He said that while Kovid is spreading in different countries, one should travel only if necessary.

'Messages and Requests' Service in Absher has now been changed to the 'Tawasul' service.

 The General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat) in Saudi Arabia announced that, in the framework of improving the efficiency of electronic transactions, the name of the 'Messages and Requests' Service in Absher has now been changed to the 'Tawasul' service

The problems that contribute to solving them include a communication service, Saudi passport and travel permits, procedures for the iqama of a resident inside the Kingdom, services of dependents and the sponsored, procedures for the iqama of a resident outside the Kingdom, and final exit and exit re-entry visas, according to the Jawazat.

 

The Deputy Hajj and Umrah Minister said that foreigners also have the opportunity to perform the Umrah

 Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah Abdul Fattah Mushat said. Umrah permits will be issued to all through the 'Ithamarna' and 'Tawakkalna' apps, depending on the health conditions. The ability of the harem to receive pilgrims during the holy month of Ramadan has been enhanced. The requirement that all employees serving in the harem receive the corona vaccine.

The relevant departments will oversee the application of health conditions in both harems. The Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dr. Ibrahim al-Hashimi, said that Umrah permits should be issued and that such advertisements should not be caught on social media. Abdul Fattah Mushat asked everyone.

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has stated that the conditions apply to the issuance of permits for Umrah pilgrims from Gulf countries. Those who receive the corona vaccine and arrive on Umrah visas from the Gulf countries must arrive at the Inaya (Care) Center in Makkah six hours before performing Umrah. This will ensure that the pilgrims receive the vaccine according to the type of vaccine approved in Saudi Arabia. After this, special bracelets will be handed over to the pilgrims. Pilgrims will be ensured to wear the bracelet during their stay at the center. After this, the pilgrims will be taken to the Al Shubaika Reunion Center. Pilgrims have to show their bracelets to check the permit information here. The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah said that pilgrims can then perform Umrah on a fixed date and time.

In Saudi Arabia, the leave of health workers has been postponed

 

The Ministry of Health has decided to extend the leave of health workers working in the Corona war zone. The leave of those serving in hospitals, health centers, vaccine centers and supervisory departments under the Ministry of Health has been extended until further notice. The circular was issued by Abdurrahman Alu Aliban, Under Secretary, Ministry of Health for Human Resources.

The provincial health department heads and health cluster CEOs are empowered to allow employees up to a maximum of five days off in unavoidable circumstances, regardless of employment interests and not affecting the services provided to customers. Eid leave will be granted to other employees. Eid holidays will begin on Thursday, the 24th of Ramadan, after the end of duty, according to the Umm al-Qura calendar, for Saudi office workers under the Ministry of Health. They will resume duty on Tuesday, Shawwal 6, after the Eid holiday. For foreign employees, the Eid leave will begin after the end of duty on Tuesday, the 29th of Ramadan, and resume after the holiday on Sunday, the 4th of Shawwal.

A fixed proportion of employees should be assigned to work during the festive holidays. Priority should be given to those working in the medical departments in assigning duty during the festive holidays. The circular also said that they will be compensated as per the law.

Saudi Air Transport Minister Saleh Al-Jasser has announced that Saudi Arabian Airlines' international flights will start flying from May 17.

 

Saudi Air Transport Minister Saleh Al-Jasser has announced that Saudi Arabian Airlines' international flights will start flying from May 17. The Minister held discussions with the Saudi Board of Directors as part of preparations for the service. Travel to Saudi Arabia is banned until May. Preparations for the trip will begin before this time is up. With the lifting of the travel ban, land, air and sea transport will resume. The Minister commended the Saudi team for handling the domestic services smoothly and safely even during the Kovid crisis.

moon does not appear in Saudi Arabia; The ramadan begins on Tuesday

 

The month of Ramadan has not been observed in Saudi Arabia. Menstruation monitoring committees in Tumair and Sudair areas said the moonlight was not visible even though it was set up with equipment in several places as per the Supreme Court order. Notices from the Supreme Court and the Royal Court in this regard will be issued shortly
However, the new moon is unlikely to appear today. Dr. Abdullah Almisnad commented. Today, the moon sets at 29 minutes after sunset. There will be no moonrise after that. Therefore, Ramadan fasting will start on Tuesday. He said.

In Saudi Arabia, petrol prices rise to close to two riyals

Saudi Aramco has revised petrol prices in the country for the next one month.

The price of 91 petrol and 95 petrol has been increased. The price of 91 petrol has been hiked from 1.90 to 1.99 riyals and 95 from 2.04 to 2.13 riyals.
According to the Aramco report, diesel is priced at 0.52 halal and kerosene at 0.70 halal.

Fuel prices in Saudi Arabia are revised on the 10th of every month based on the export rate to the international market.

Preparations for the resumption of international flights to Saudi Arabia were discussed

 Riyadh: Officials have discussed preparations for the resumption of international flights to Saudi Arabia next month.

The board of directors of the Saudi Arabian Airlines General Organization, headed by Saudi Transport Minister Salih al-Jasser, has discussed preparations for the resumption of flights next month.
On January 29, the authorities delayed the decision to resume international flights.

At the same time, the number of people returning to Saudi Arabia after a 14-day stay in various countries is on the rise as there is no guarantee that direct flights from there countries will be allowed, even if flights resume next month.

In Saudi Arabia, 66 lakh movie tickets were sold last year

 The Ministry of Culture said last year that 66 lakh movie tickets were sold in Saudi Arabia, despite measures taken to combat the spread of the corona epidemic and reduce the number of spectators in theaters. In 2019, 40 lakh movie tickets were sold in the country. Riyadh had the highest number of movie tickets sold in 2020. 34 lakh tickets were sold in the capital. Jeddah, in second place, sold 21 lakh tickets, followed by Dammam with 5,43,000, Dahran with 186,000, Hufuf with 130,000 and movie tickets last year.

Ministry with 3 important announcements including 100% Saudiization of shpping malls

 

Ahmed al-Rajhi, the Saudi Minister of Human Resources, made 3 important announcements to create 51,000 jobs for Saudi women and men. These are the decisions‌.

100% Saudiization will be implemented in malls and closed business and management centers.

Increase in the rate of Saudiization in restaurant and cafe outlets as determined.

The key decisions are the Saudiization of a fixed proportion of the sales outlets in the big supermarkets.

Discounts of up to 50 per cent on coffee shops, 40 per cent on restaurants, hypermarkets and supermarkets are fully waived.

Professions such as cleaning worker, loading and unloading worker, toy maintenance technician and barber are exempted from the Saudiization requirement. At the same time, their number should not exceed 20 per cent in outlets and shifts.

The Saudiization decision will take effect in the first week of August this year.

Saudi Supreme Court calls for monitoring Ramadan

 The Saudi Supreme Court has asked believers across the country to observe the start of this month's Ramadan.

The call to observe the new moon is on the evening of Sunday, April 11, the end of Sha'ban 29.

Those who have seen menstruation with the naked eye or binoculars should inform the nearest court.

The apex court said in a statement that this was part of the Prophet's practice and that all possible believers should observe the new moon as part of good deeds.

Those who sell cigarettes to children will be fined 5,000 riyals

 Legal expert Rami al-Sharif has revealed that the anti-smoking law in Saudi Arabia imposes a fine of 5,000 riyals on those who sell cigarettes to children. Minors under the age of 18 are prohibited from entering areas specially reserved for smokers. Toys and candies in the form of cigarettes should not be imported. It also prohibits the display of scenes that encourage children to smoke.

The Public Prosecution is responsible for investigating and prosecuting offenses under the Anti-Smoking Act. Saudi Arabia bans tobacco cultivation and production of tobacco products. Violators will be fined 20,000 riyals. Smoking is prohibited in the courtyards around mosques, ministries, government departments and public institutions. Smoking is also prohibited in educational, health, sports, cultural, social and voluntary organizations, workplaces in private companies and institutions, factories and banks, public transport and food preparation.

Smoking is also prohibited in petrol and by-products and gas production and disposal areas, distribution centers, treatment plants, warehouses, lifts and toilets.
Rami al-Sharif also revealed that Section 8 of the Anti-Smoking Act prohibits the sale of cigarettes through vending machines, the sale of cigarettes inside transport systems, the sale of cigarettes to persons under the age of eighteen, the sale of cheap cigarettes and the distribution of cigarettes as samples and gifts.

fine of 10,000 riyals for performing Umrah without permission during Ramadan

 The Saudi Interior Ministry has said it will impose a fine of 10,000 riyals on anyone caught performing Umrah without permission during the holy month of Ramadan.

The ministry said on Twitter that anyone entering the Masjid al-Haram without permission would have to pay a fine of 1,000 riyals.

The Deputy Hajj and Umrah Minister said that the service of issuing Umrah permits has also been started through the Tawakkalna app. Abdul Fattah Mushat had earlier informed.
The Hajj and Umrah permit service has been added to the 'Tawakkalna' app through an update on Wednesday. He also said that the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has plans to add the 'Itamarna' app to the 'Tawakkalna' app.

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has introduced new regulations for those attending prayers at the Holy Haram and Masjidunnabavi. Permits will be issued for those who have completed two doses of corona vaccine and those who have received the first dose of the vaccine fourteen days after attending both harams. The health status of the permit applicants will be ensured through the 'Tavakkalna' app. Tavakkalna app should show Kovid status when entering both harems.

The number of new corona victims in Saudi Arabia has risen sharply; Health expert explaining the reason

 Huge increase in the number of daily corona victims in Saudi Arabia. In the last 24 hours, 728 new coronas were confirmed.

With this, the number of people currently receiving treatment in Saudi Arabia has risen to 5768. Of these, 735 are in critical condition. 8 more deaths were reported.
At the same time, Dr. Nasir Tawfeeq of King Saud University explained the reason for the huge increase in the number of corona victims in the country.

Dr Nasir said the increase in the spread of the virus was due to the fact that people under the age of 18 and other ages were living together beyond the permissible limits.

Dr. Nasir called for going out of the house and spending more time in the markets as part of some preventive measures.

The private sector has more than 85 lakh registered employees in Gosi

 

At the end of last year, there were 85 lakh private sector employees registered with the General Organization for Social Insurance (GOSI). 20.3 lakh nationals and 64.8 lakh foreigners. There are 12.7 lakh employees in the country under the Civil Service Act. Of these, 12.3 lakh are Saudis and 22,700 are foreigners. In addition to these are foreigners who are contract employees working in the Ministry of Health and others. Saudi Arabia's unemployment rate fell to 12.6 percent in the fourth quarter of last year. The unemployment rate in the third quarter was 14.9 percent. The unemployment rate in the country was 8.5 per cent in the third quarter. It fell to 7.4 percent in the fourth quarter.

Male unemployment fell from 4.4 per cent to 4 per cent and female unemployment fell from 24.6 per cent to 20.2 per cent. The unemployment rate among Saudi men fell to 7.1 percent in the fourth quarter. It was 7.9 percent in the third quarter. According to Gosi sources, the unemployment rate among indigenous women fell to 24.4 per cent in the fourth quarter from 30.2 per cent in the previous quarter.

Military uniform manufacturing centers were closed

 in the Riyadh governorate has closed three military uniform manufacturing centers that operated without a license. More than 400 uniforms used by various military and security forces and more than 80,000 military insignia affixed to uniforms were seized during the raid. Some of the military uniforms are imported from abroad.

Two foreign nationals of Arab descent who were selling military uniforms illegally were arrested during the raid. They were handed over to the patrol police. A special committee under the Riyadh Governorate conducted inspections at military uniform manufacturing facilities in collaboration with the Ministry of National Guard, Ministry of Commerce, National Security Agency, Riyadh Municipality, Police, Javasat, Special Task Force and Riyadh Labor Office. Authorities also seized military uniforms and military insignia found at illegal establishments.

1,35,400 foreigners lost their jobs in three months

 

According to official figures, 1,35,400 foreigners have lost their jobs in Saudi Arabia in the past three months. This is up from the fourth quarter of last year. The number of foreign workers fell by 1.3 per cent during the period. At the end of the fourth quarter, the country had a total of 10.01 million foreign workers, including government and private sector workers and domestic workers. It was 10.2 million in the third quarter of last year.

At the end of the fourth quarter, the country had a total of 13.32 million employees, both national and foreign, in the public and private sectors. It was 13.46 million in the third quarter. A decrease of one per cent in three months. The company reported a decline of 1,36,440 employees in the fourth quarter.
As of the end of the fourth quarter, there were a total of 32.5 million Saudi employees in the public and private sectors. 20.8 lakh males and 11.7 lakh females.

At present, the total Saudiization in the country, including the public and private sectors, is 24.4 per cent. It was 24.2 percent in the third quarter. In the third and fourth quarters, the Saudiisation of government service was 96.2 percent. But in the private sector, Saudiization rose to 24.2 percent. It was 23.8 percent in the third quarter.

According to the data available from 2016, Saudiization in the private sector was the highest in the fourth quarter of last year. The Vision 2030 plan aims to reduce the unemployment rate to seven percent by 2030.

Saudiisation in the private sector has increased significantly since the announcement of the Vision 2030 plan. Saudiization in the private sector increased by 18.1 per cent in 2016, 19.9 per cent in 2017, 21.8 per cent in 2018, 23.2 per cent in 2019 and 24.2 per cent by the end of last year.

CCTV footage of businesses will be checked to ensure compliance with Saudiisation

 

Directors of the Ministry of Human Resource Development have been instructed to check the CCTV footage of businesses to ensure that they are compliant with Saudi nationalization.

This will be a setback for the institutions that are going ahead with Saudiization only on paper.

Officers can check the CCTV record if they try to escape from the inspectors by saying that the Saudi employee had temporarily left the shop by the time the inspectors arrived.

In any case, if the inspector is not allowed to inspect the CCTV footage, the officer has the right to evaluate the findings of the inspection and record the violation.

Google opens office in Riyadh

 

The move to open an office in Riyadh was also revealed by a few global companies. Companies including Google and CSG International are opening offices in Riyadh. CSG, an American technology company, has announced that it will relocate its regional office from Dubai to Riyadh. Indian hotel chain Oyo has also announced plans to set up a regional headquarters in Riyadh. American energy company Chevron has announced plans to set up a new headquarters in Al Khafji. American railway company Greenbrier also has plans to open a headquarters in Riyadh. Saudi Arabia has recently stated that it will not allow government contracts from 2024 for global companies that do not have regional headquarters in Saudi Arabia.

Oman Air Riyadh service resume from tomorrow

 Oman Air Riyadh services will resume from tomorrow. The company operates four services a week to Riyadh. Oman Air resumed Dammam service on March 28. The company operates four services a week to Dammam.

The Kovid vaccine is not mandatory for those performing Umrah during Ramadan

 

The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has stated that it has not yet made it mandatory for those intending to perform Umrah during Ramadan to receive the corona vaccine.

The ministry was responding to a question raised by a person in this regard.
At the same time, from Ramadan 1, authorities have advised Umrah service providers and employees of commercial establishments in Makkah to be vaccinated.

Saudi Arabia has so far administered more than 43 million Kovid vaccines