RIYADH: Shoura Council called on the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance to strengthen control on the mosque workers to make sure they fulfil their duties properly.
The call came during the council's 25th ordinary session held on Tuesday and chaired by the president of the council Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed Al-Sheikh.
In a press conference following the session, Assistant Speaker of the council Dr. Yahya bin Abdullah Al-Samaan said the council took its decision after listening to the Islamic and Judicial Affairs Committee’s opinion on the members’ remarks regarding the ministry’s annual report for the fiscal year 2016-2017.
The council decided to call on the ministry to create accounts on social media and smart phone applications.
Al-Samaan added that the council requested the General Authority for Statistics (GAS) to develop the statistics of the 2020 Population Census and update the reports on Saudi family incomes, average spending and consumer purchasing power every six and 12 months.
The council also requested detailed statistical reports of women’s involvement in public and private sectors, adding gender to all bank and investment statistics.
As previously reported by Arab News, 60 percent of young women in the Kingdom are unemployed, compared to 17 percent of young men. The government of Saudi Arabia has prioritized increasing young women’s employment.
The committee also requested the ministry to study the impacts of increasing non-oil revenues and present recommendations to reduce negative impact on the economy.
After discussing the committee’s report and recommendations, one the council’s members indicated that the ministry has focused on the developmental sides without mentioning the economic side.
Another member wondered why the ministry had used foreign consultancy companies instead of ones in the Kingdom.
Al-Samaan said the council approved harmonization of the project proposal study regarding the control on video games.
The project on controlling video games is made up of 14 articles. It aims to limit the negative impact of video games on children. The project will control video games content and give information on the minimum age for each game as advice for parents and guardians.
Saudi Shoura council calls for better data on women working in public and private sectors
Saudi Shoura council calls for better data on women working in public and private sectors
Kingdom’s Masam project clears 1,058 bombs from Yemen
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Project for Landmine Clearance, or Masam, removed 1,058 explosive devices from several parts of Yemen during the first week of March.
The project of the Kingdom’s aid agency KSrelief cleared 1,034 unexploded ordnances and 24 anti-tank mines, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.
Since its launch, the Masam project has removed 484,401 explosive devices across the country.
Thousands benefit from KSrelief food aid
- The aid is a part of Saudi Arabia’s Etaam Ramadan food distribution project
RIYADH: The Kingdom’s aid agency KSrelief recently distributed more than 1,900 food aid parcels to some of the world’s most vulnerable people, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.
In Mauritania’s Tiaret district of Nouakchott, 3,390 people benefitted from 565 food parcels.
Also, 751 packages were handed out in the Karaan district of Somalia’s Banadir governorate, benefiting 4,506 people.
In addition, 590 parcels were distributed in the Romania cities of Bucharest and Constanta, benefiting 2,950 people.
The aid is a part of Saudi Arabia’s Etaam Ramadan food distribution project.
Saudi Arabia condemns Israel’s Gaza electricity cut
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has condemned Israel’s move to cut electricity to the Gaza Strip in what the Kingdom described as a practice of “collective punishment” against Palestinians in Gaza.
The Kingdom stressed its categorical rejection of Israeli violations of international humanitarian law, a foreign ministry statement said.
It reiterated its call on the international community to take urgent measures to restore electricity and the flow of aid to the Gaza Strip immediately without conditions or restrictions.
The Kingdom “renewed its call to activate international accountability mechanisms for these serious violations,” the statement concluded.
Israel cut off the electricity supply to Gaza, officials said Sunday, affecting a desalination plant producing drinking water for part of the arid territory.
It also suspended last week supplies of goods to the territory of more than 2 million Palestinians, an echo of the siege it imposed in the earliest days of the war.
Saudi Arabia welcomes Syrian agreement in northeast
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia welcomed an agreement between the interim Syrian government and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces that controls the country’s northeast.
The Kingdom praised the measures taken by the Syrian leadership to safeguard domestic peace in Syria and efforts made to complete the path of building state institutions, a Saudi foreign ministry statement said on Monday.
The deal includes a ceasefire and the merging of the main US-backed force there into the Syrian army.
The deal was signed by interim President Ahmad Al-Sharaa and Mazloum Abdi, the commander of the US-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces.
The deal to be implemented by the end of the year would bring all border crossings with Iraq and Turkiye, airports and oil fields in the northeast under the central government’s control. Prisons where about 9,000 suspected members of the Daesh group are also expected to come under government control.
— With input from AP
Saudi crown prince, US Secretary of State discuss regional developments
- Rubio in Kingdom ahead of crucial talks with Ukraine aimed at ending conflict with Russia
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday evening.
Rubio arrived in Saudi Arabia earlier on Monday ahead of crucial talks with Ukraine aimed at ending three years of conflict with Russia.
They reviewed relations between the two countries and opportunities to enhance and develop them in various fields, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
They also discussed the latest regional and international developments, exchanged views on them, as well as efforts made toward achieving security and stability, SPA added.
The reception was attended by Mike Waltz, US President Donald Trump’s national security advisor.
On the Saudi side, Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Defense and Saudi ambassador to Washington, Princess Reema bint Bandar, were also in attendance.
The top US diplomat is in Jeddah ahead of the talks with Ukrainian officials expected on Tuesday, leading a delegation that also includes Waltz.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also arrived in the Kingdom on Monday.
