RIYADH: Worshippers performed the first Tarawih prayer at the Two Holy Mosques on Monday amid strict COVID-19 measures.
King Salman issued a decision on Sunday approving the evening prayer in mosques across the Kingdom during the month of Ramadan, but that they be reduced and combined with the Isha prayer.
Only vaccinated or immune worshippers will be allowed to enter the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah and those who do not have a permit will face a hefty fine in a bid to prevent the spread of the virus.
The General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques said it had intensified disinfection and sterilization operations, and is distributing single-use Zamzam water bottles to the prayer halls, areas, squares and to visitors, in general.
The authority said it had recruited more than 100 personnel to welcome worshippers at entrances and direct them to designated places and installed screening points. Thermal cameras have been set up to detect any signs of illness among those entering the mosques.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Islamic Affairs said it has completed all preparations for the Muslim holy month. The program includes a number of projects, namely distributing dates through Islamic centers and religious attaches in a number of countries, the King Salman break fast initiative in 16 countries, campaigns to limit the spread of the coronavirus in mosques, as well as a series of virtual lectures throughout the month.
The ministry also issued a circular to all mosques, calling on imams and muezzins to commit the Maghrib and Isha prayers to a two-hour period throughout Ramadan. It also said that the waiting period between the call to prayer and Iqama (the start of the prayer) will be 10 minutes, except for the Fajr prayer, which will be 20 minutes.
Muslims perform first Tarawih prayer at Saudi Arabia's Two Holy Mosques
https://arab.news/ceyj8
Muslims perform first Tarawih prayer at Saudi Arabia's Two Holy Mosques
- Only vaccinated or immune worshippers will be allowed to enter the Two Holy Mosques
- Tarawih and Qiyaam prayers will be combined with the Isha prayer in all mosques across the Kingdom
UK Deputy PM Dowden sets £30bn Saudi-UK 2030 bilateral trade goal
- Dowden led largest UK overseas trade delegation of the past decade to the GREAT Futures Conference in Riyadh
- Deputy PM praises ‘stronger than ever’ relationship between the two kingdoms
RIYADH: During an interview with Arab News on the sidelines of the GREAT Futures Conference, UK Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden underlined London’s goal of reaching £30 billion ($37.7 billion) of bilateral trade by 2030.
“The idea of this (GREAT Futures Conference) is to be a sort of shop window to show the opportunities for our two countries and then out of that, I think there’s huge opportunities for further trade and investment,” he said.
“We set an ambitious goal by 2030 of £30 billion of bilateral trade. It’s already growing quite rapidly. It’s about £17 billion. I think we can push it to that.”
The two-day conference from May 14, hosted at King Abdullah Financial District, features 47 sessions and workshops with 127 speakers from both the public and private sectors.
The conference aims to spark and strengthen Saudi-UK partnerships in 13 sectors such as tourism, culture, education, health, sports, investment, trade and financial services.
It welcomed 450 British delegates and company heads to meet with Saudi businesses and officials.
Dowden said he that he thinks “the relationship between our two kingdoms is stronger than it’s ever been.
“It’s based on very firm foundations, whether that’s diplomatic, military or the relationship, indeed, between His Majesty (King Charles III) and (Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman) in the royal family of Saudi Arabia.”
Dowden underlined that what he has witnessed during the GREAT Futures Conference and through the previous visits is “the huge opportunities for the future.
“The crown prince has set out the Vision of 2030. UK companies … want to be part of that vision, and that’s why I’ve brought the largest trade delegation the UK has taken to any country in the world in the past decade, the largest ever, to Saudi Arabia,” he said.
In the opening remarks of day one, the deputy prime minister spoke on a panel alongside Dr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi, the Saudi minister of commerce.
He said there is a lot more that the two countries can do in the fields of technology and artificial intelligence.
“I think there’s a lot more we can do to collaborate together there because there’s huge expertise in artificial intelligence in Saudi Arabia,” Dowden said.
During his interview with Arab News Dowden also underlined that North East England is poised to receive investments worth £3 billion from the Kingdom.
“If you look at the North East of England, just one part of the UK, we’ve agreed £3 billion worth of investment that will support 2,000 jobs. I think there’s much more that we can do like that,” he said.
Leading up to the conference, the deputy prime minister stressed the importance of the event in building partnerships between the business sectors of Saudi Arabia and the UK.
“It (GREAT Futures) also allows British companies to familiarize themselves with relevant business regulations, incentives, and advantages for conducting business in Saudi Arabia,” Dowden said.
49th Saudi relief plane for Gazans arrives in Egypt
- The food baskets will be transported to Palestinian people inside the Gaza Strip and is part of the Kingdom’s support for them
RIYADH: The 49th Saudi relief plane carrying food baskets for Gazans arrived at Egypt’s El Arish International Airport on Tuesday.
The plane was operated by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center in coordination with the Ministry of Defense, Saudi Press Agency reported.
The food baskets will be transported to Palestinian people inside the Gaza Strip and is part of the Kingdom’s support for them.
The war in the Strip has pushed much of Gaza’s population to the brink of famine, the UN says, and has devastated its medical facilities, where hospitals, if working at all, are running short of fuel to power generators and other essential supplies.
Riyadh forum to combat financial crime and corruption
- Brings together key stakeholders from the Middle East and North Africa to combat financial crime, money laundering, and terrorist financing
- Two-day forum aims to establish impactful collaboration among Saudi agencies, counterpart organizations, and regional and international bodies to combat financial crime
RIYADH: The inaugural Arab Forum of Anti-Corruption Agencies and Financial Intelligence Units begins Wednesday in Riyadh, hosted by the Presidency of State Security.
It brings together key stakeholders from the Middle East and North Africa to combat financial crime, money laundering, and terrorist financing through enhanced cooperation and capabilities.
The two-day forum aims to establish impactful collaboration among Saudi agencies, counterpart organizations, and regional and international bodies to combat financial crime effectively, according to the forum’s website.
Recognizing the need for a multi-faceted approach, the forum focuses on cooperation across borders, sectors, and disciplines to combat corruption.
Through international collaboration, elevating local institutional integrity, and engaging citizens, the forum aims to tackle corruption and financial crime challenges effectively.
Leveraging private sector efforts, deploying technology for transparency, and addressing root causes of corruption are also part of the agenda.
The event will feature 75 speakers from 25 countries, including Sheikh Ahmed Al-Thani, head of Qatar Financial Information Unit; Samya Abou Sharif, director of the Jordanian Anti Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing Unit; Dr. Raed Radwan, head of the Palestinian Anti-Corruption Commission; and Richard Attias, CEO of FII Institute.
By uniting government agencies, law enforcement bodies, financial intelligence units, civil society organizations, and the private sector, the forum harnesses collective wisdom and expertise against financial crime.
The forum also facilitates networking, knowledge-sharing, and capacity-building, fostering partnerships and concrete initiatives for progress in anti-corruption efforts.
Saudi FM meets with Kuwaiti counterpart
- The ministers discussed ways of strengthening bilateral relations and regional and international developments of common interest
RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan met with his Kuwaiti counterpart Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya on Tuesday, Saudi Press Agency reported.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of a preparatory meeting for Arab League foreign ministers in Manama, Bahrain.
The ministers discussed ways of strengthening bilateral relations and regional and international developments of common interest.
Saudi cabinet welcomes UN resolution supporting Palestine’s full membership
RIYADH: The Saudi cabinet welcomed on Tuesday the United Nations assembly's resolution supporting Palestine's full membership, the Saudi State Agency reported.
The council of ministers emphasizing the need to halt Israeli military escalations and violations against civilians and humanitarian workers.
Minister of Information, Salman bin Youssef Al-Dosari, reiterated the Kingdom's commitment to global security, active participation in international relief efforts, and advocacy for issues affecting Arab and Islamic nations.
The council also discussed the recent reception of pilgrims arriving for Hajj.
Directives were issued to maintain high standards of procedures and services at entry points in Makkah, Medina, and the Holy Sites.
The council also received a comprehensive briefing on recent diplomatic dialogues with various nations, including discussions between the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the President of Ukraine.
