Page 11 - Saudi Arabia

Rijiju embarks on 5-day Saudi visit, to sign agreement for Hajj pilgrimage

Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Saturday embarked on a five-day visit to Saudi Arabia to sign a bilateral agreement for the Hajj pilgrimage of 2025, where India is seeking an additional quota for 10,000 pilgrims. Rijiju is scheduled to meet Saudi Arabian Minister Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al Rabiah on Monday when the two leaders are expected to sign the bilateral agreement. I look forward to visiting the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to sign the bilateral agreement on Hajj 2025 and strengthen the people-to-people ties between our two great nations, Rijiju said in a post on X. Rijiju will also meet Saleh Al Jasser, the Saudi Minister of Transport and Logistic Services and discuss Hajj flight operations and the pilgrimage-related bus and train services with him. Rijiju will also visit the Jeddah Haj Terminal, used by Indian pilgrims, where the government has dedicated an office space for facilitation. Some Indian pilgrims use the Jeddah Airport Terminal One, which also has a high-speed

Germany says Saudi warned about Magdeburg Christmas market attack suspect

German authorities said they received tipoffs last year about the suspect in a car attack at a Christmas market in Magdeburg as more details emerged on Sunday about the five people killed. Authorities have identified the suspect as a Saudi doctor who arrived in Germany in 2006 and had received permanent residency. Police haven't publicly named the suspect, in line with privacy rules, but some German news outlets have identified him as Taleb A. and reported that he was a specialist in psychiatry and psychotherapy. Authorities say he does not fit the usual profile of perpetrators of extremist attacks. He described himself as an ex-Muslim who was highly critical of Islam and in many posts on social media expressed support for the far-right anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. He is being held in custody as authorities investigate him. The head of the Federal Criminal Police Office, Holger Mnch, said in an interview on the German broadcaster ZDF on Saturday that his off

Who is the Saudi-born suspect behind Germany Christmas market attack?

A 50-year-old doctor from Saudi Arabia, who has been living in Germany since 2006, is the prime suspect in the Christmas market attack in Magdeburg, which killed five people

Law firms across globe rush to cash in on $150 bn West Asia deal boom

The $150 billion of deals involving Gulf firms in 2024 marks a 62 per cent increase from the same period last year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg

Saudi Arabia officially announced as host for Fifa World Cup 2034

Saudi Arabia is eight years into a multi-trillion dollar transformation agenda aimed at freeing the economy from its reliance on petrodollars. The plan includes creating dozens of new industries

Norway to protest FIFA, abstain from 2034 World Cup vote for Saudi Arabia

Norway's soccer federation plans to abstain from giving its approval when Saudi Arabia is confirmed Wednesday as the 2034 World Cup host, saying FIFA has done too little to protect human rights around the tournament. FIFA's own guidelines for human rights and due diligence have also not been adequately integrated into the process, increasing the risk of human rights violations, Norway federation president Lise Klaveness said in a statement Tuesday. FIFA's 211 member federations are holding an online meeting on Wednesday to rubberstamp the decision to give Saudi Arabia the 2034 World Cup and award the 2030 edition to a six-nation project led by Spain, Portugal and Morocco that will see games played on three continents. (Wednesday's) vote is not about who gets the 2030 and 2034 World Cups that has already been decided, Klaveness said, adding that FIFA's approval without an itemized vote does not align with the principles of a sound and predictable governance system. FIFA shaped the

Saudi Arabia fixes Haj quota of India for 2025 at 175,025 pilgrims: Govt

The Haj quota of India for 2025 is fixed by Saudi Arabia at 1,75,025 pilgrims and has been distributed between the Haj Committee of India (HCoI) and Haj Group Organisers (HGO), the government informed the Rajya Sabha on Monday. In a written reply to a question in the Upper House of Parliament, Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said that for the year 2025, the quota has been distributed within the same range between HCoI and HGOs, in the ratio of 70:30, which has been communicated vide the Haj Policy-2025 issued on August 5, 2024. For Haj 2025, the quota of Haj pilgrims allotted to HGOs is 30 per cent of India's total of 1,75,025, i.e. 52,507, he said. The allotment of Haj quota and Haj Group Organisers related terms and conditions are governed by a bilateral agreement which is signed between India and Saudi Arabia factoring many ground realities into account, Rijiju said. The Haj quota of India for 2025 is fixed by Saudi Arabia at 1,75,025 pilgrims and has been distributed ...

Indian professionals flagbearers in global technological adaptation: Report

With a majority of Indian professional actively seeking opportunities to upskill, the country has emerged as the global leader in technological adaptation, according to a report. More than 70 per cent of Indian professionals are actively seeking opportunities to upskill, said the report released by the Riyadh (Saudi Arabia)-based Global Labor Market Conference (GLMC). The report highlights the dynamic nature of India's job market, where artificial intelligence, machine learning, and automation are becoming integral. "While global trust in governments to support upskilling remains low at 20 per cent, Indian respondents (31 per cent) and those in Saudi Arabia (35 per cent) demonstrated significantly higher confidence in their governments. "In contrast, countries like the USA (15 per cent) and UK (12 per cent) reported markedly lower trust levels. Indian respondents also expressed 49 per cent trust in businesses, further emphasizing the private sector's role in workforce development,"

Saudi Arabia extends $3 billion loan to Pakistan for another year

Saudi Arabia has extended the USD 3 billion debt repayment period with Pakistan for another year after the cash-strapped nation could not pay the debt, the country's central bank has said. The term of the deposit was maturing on Thursday. The State Bank of Pakistan stated that Saudi Arabia had placed the USD 3 billion deposit initially for one year in 2021 and subsequently rolled over it in 2022 and 2023, after the issuance of the royal directives that reflect the continuation of the close relationship between the two brotherly countries, the Express Tribune reported. It was the first extension in a series of debt extensions, which Pakistan would need from now till the end of June next year to avoid at least USD 13 billion more repayments to Saudi Arabia, China and the United Arab Emirates. Another USD 2 billion Saudi cash deposit will be maturing by mid-June next year, which Pakistan will again not pay back and get a rollover, said the Finance Ministry sources. "The Saudi Fund for

Saudi Arabia signs $9 bn metals deals with firms including Vedanta, Zijin

The kingdom's growing mining industry is part of the Vision 2030 plan to diversify the economy and cut reliance on fossil fuels.

India may land in top 5 with 12.7% growth in airline seat capacity

On a more positive note, the report points out that with two major airlines, Air India and IndiGo, both having placed large aircraft orders, India's growth in aviation sector is expected to take off

India's Russian oil imports up 3.3% in Oct from Sep, shows trade data

India, the world's third biggest oil importer and consumer, has been gorging on Russian oil

Saudi Arabia executes three Indians among record 101 foreigners in 2024

This year's executions include 21 from Pakistan, 20 from Yemen, and 14 from Syria, while three each from Sudan, India and Afghanistan, and one each from Sri Lanka, Eritrea and the Philippines

Saudi Arabia scales back on NEOM plans to prioritise sports as costs rise

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has poured hundreds of billions of dollars into development projects through the kingdom's PIF sovereign wealth fund

Soldier with Yemen's exiled govt opens fire on Saudi troops killing two men

A soldier for Yemen's exiled government opened fire on Saudi troops as they exercised in eastern Yemen, killing two of them and wounding another in a rare insider attack during the kingdom's nearly decadelong war there, officials said Saturday. The assault in eastern Hadramawt province comes as a yearslong cease-fire between Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Houthi rebels largely has held despite the militants' ongoing attacks against shipping in the Red Sea corridor. While the Houthis did not claim the attack, at least one Houthi official praised it as being the beginning and an indication of a harsh future awaiting the invaders. Meanwhile, US warplanes carried out new strikes targeting Houthi positions that lasted into early Sunday morning, the American military said. The strikes come after the militants likely shot down yet-another American reconnaissance drone over the country. The attack on the Saudi troops took place Friday night in Seiyun, a city some 500 kilometers (310 miles) east o

Saudi Arabia plans $100 billion AI powerhouse to rival UAE tech hub

The state-backed entity will invest in data centers, startups and other infrastructure to develop AI, the people said, asking not to be identified discussing plans that aren't yet public

Oil giant Saudi Aramco reports 15% drop in Q3 profit but maintains dividend

Aramco's shares are down about 17 per cent this year, trailing the performance of Western oil majors Exxon and Shell, but broadly in line with BP, which is down 18 per cent

Archaeologists discover bronze age town in Khaybar oasis, Saudi Arabia

The research points out that regions such as Khaybar were significant urban centers that permanently maintained the stability of their communities, particularly with the introduction of agriculture

UAE attends Global Alliance for two-state solution meeting in Riyadh

Ninety-four countries and international organisations joined the two-day conference in Riyadh from 30-31 October

Saudi revives India investment plans amid shrinking market share

Move aimed at ensuring a major captive market for its crude oil, even as Indian refiners mull reducing the share of expensive Saudi grades sourced under term contracts