Saudi Cabinet lauds king’s orders on easing citizens’ living conditions

King Salman presides over a cabinet meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (REUTERS)
Updated 10 January 2018
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Saudi Cabinet lauds king’s orders on easing citizens’ living conditions

RIYADH: The Saudi Cabinet has expressed its appreciation of King Salman’s royal decrees on the payment of annual bonuses and cost of living allowances for civilians and military employees in the Kingdom.
Chaired by King Salman at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh Tuesday, the Cabinet also praised the king’s orders on the payment of financial rewards to military personnel serving at the Kingdom’s southern frontline, and cost of living allowances for retired employees and social security beneficiaries, as well as the increase of stipend payments for students.
The Cabinet also appreciated the king’s orders on the government’s bearing the value-added tax (VAT) of citizens benefiting from private health and education services and the payment of VAT in the purchasing price of a citizen’s first house, as long as it does not exceed SR850,000 ($226,636).
The Cabinet stressed that the king’s orders came from his keen desire to care for the country’s citizens and provide continued support to them toward a decent life, and to ensure a distinct living standard for all segments of society.
King Salman also briefed the Cabinet on the phone call made to Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah; his talks with Malaysian Prime Minister Mohammed Najib Abdul Razzaq and President Nicos Anastasiades of Cyprus, during which agreements of cooperation were signed; and the results of his meeting with the Speaker of House of Representatives of Arab Republic of Egypt Dr. Abdel-Aal.
At the regional level, the Cabinet welcomed the statement issued by Arab foreign ministers at their meeting in Jordan on the consequences of a US decision to recognize Al-Quds as a capital of Israel, which stressed that Al-Quds will remain a central issue for the Arabs and key to peace in the region. It also supported the reference in the statement that no peace or stability will be achieved unless an independent Palestinian state is established with its capital in East Quds.
The Cabinet further expressed the Kingdom’s strong condemnation of a terrorist attack on a mosque in Nigeria and renewed the Kingdom’s rejection of such terrorist acts.
Later, the Cabinet approved a series of memos of understanding on cooperation in the areas of Islamic affairs, minerals and energy, education and science, telecoms and information technology between the Kingdom and Djibouti, China, Sweden and Russia, respectively.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet ordered the activation of anti-begging offices at the Ministry of Labor and Social Development and continuation of the security forces at the two holy mosques in Makkah and Madinah to fully undertake their responsibility in fighting begging at the Two Holy Mosques.


200 students will compete to represent Saudi Arabia at top science events

Mawhiba and the Ministry of Education announced the qualification of the 200 students who are pictured above. (@mawhiba)
Updated 7 sec ago
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200 students will compete to represent Saudi Arabia at top science events

  • Mawhiba, Ministry of Education select students from a record 291,057 applications

RIYADH: A total of 200 students have been chosen to compete for a chance to represent the Kingdom at next year’s prestigious International Science and Engineering Fair and other international competitions.

The King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity, or Mawhiba, and the Ministry of Education announced the qualification of the 200 students, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday.

The announcement took place at the National Olympiad for Scientific Creativity, or Ibdaa, exhibition for science and engineering. The Ibdaa event is held to create a competitive and creative environment for pre-college scientific researchers.

The students were selected from among 480 participants in the recent regional exhibitions held as a part of the fourth stage of the Olympiad.

The final qualifying stage for the Olympiad will be held at the Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University conference center in Riyadh from Feb. 2 to 6.

The Ibdaa 2025 Olympiad had a record registration of 291,057 students.

The Olympiad is an annual international contest for middle and high school students in standards and technology. It started as a local event in Korea in 2006, and became an international contest in 2014.


Beekeepers’ association launches green campaign

Updated 26 December 2024
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Beekeepers’ association launches green campaign

RIYADH: The Beekeepers Cooperative Association in Rijal Almaa in the Asir Region on Thursday launched an initiative to plant 1,000 sidr trees in Wadi Hiswah as part of an environmental sustainability plan aligning with the Saudi Green Initiative.

Inaugurated in 2021, the Saudi Green Initiative unites environmental protection, energy transition and sustainability programs with the overarching aims of offsetting and reducing emissions, increasing afforestation and land restoration, and supports Saudi Arabia’s ambition to reach net zero emissions by 2060.

The Beekeepers Association launched the green campaign in collaboration with the National Center for Vegetation Development and Combating Desertification, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The chairman of the association’s board of directors, Ali bin Yahya Al-Hayani, said that this initiative aims to enhance air quality and combat climate change.

He identified the environmental benefits of the sidr tree, highlighting its resilience, its role in combating desertification, and its contribution to soil health and biodiversity.


Reconstituted Saudi IP authority’s board of directors approved 

Updated 26 December 2024
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Reconstituted Saudi IP authority’s board of directors approved 

  • Shihana Alazzaz, who is an adviser at the Royal Court, will continue to serve as chair

RIYADH: The Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property’s newly-reconstituted Board of Directors was approved for a three-year term, the Saudi Press Agency reported Wednesday.

In the reconstituted board, Shihana Alazzaz, who is an adviser at the Royal Court, will continue to serve as chair. She previously served as the deputy secretary-general of the Council of Ministers and was the first Saudi woman to hold the position.

The approval includes extending the membership of Eng. Haitham Al-Ohali, Eng. Osama Al-Zamil, and Dima Al-Yahya.

Badr Al-Qadi and Dr. Mohammed Al-Otaibi join the board as new members. 

Alazzaz expressed her thanks and gratitude to King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for their generous and continuous support for the authority.

She also thanked the previous board members for their efforts and wished the new members success.

The authority’s CEO Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Suwailem, said that the new formation of the board reflects the continued generous support of the leadership for the authority, wishing the Board success.


Grand Mosque authority announces free storage for Umrah performers

Updated 26 December 2024
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Grand Mosque authority announces free storage for Umrah performers

  • Storage facilities are located near the Makkah Library and Gate 64

MAKKAH: Authorities in the holy city of Makkah announced on Wednesday free luggage storage for Umrah performers.

The General Authority for the Care of the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque announced that free storage facilities are available to the east of the Grand Mosque, near the Makkah Library, and to the west, near Gate 64.

Umrah performers must present their permits through the Nusuk app to access the facilities, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Umrah performers can store bags, not loose items, weighing up to 7 kilograms for a maximum of four hours. Valuables, prohibited items, food, and medicine are not permitted. A claim ticket must be presented for retrieval.

The authority plans to extend the service to encompass all areas around the Grand Mosque to better assist visitors, the SPA added.


King Salman, Crown Prince send condolences to Azerbaijan president

Updated 26 December 2024
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King Salman, Crown Prince send condolences to Azerbaijan president

  • The King and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also extend sympathies to families of plane crash victims

RIYADH: King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman each sent messages of condolence and sympathy to Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev on Wednesday, after the tragic crash of a passenger plane.

The King and the crown prince also extended their heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their lives onboard the Azerbaijan Airlines plane, wishing a speedy recovery to the injured, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

On Wednesday morning, the passenger plane, traveling from Azerbaijan to Russia, crashed near Aktau, western Kazakhstan, with 62 passengers and five crew members on board.

Kazakh authorities announced that 28 people had survived.