Category: General

Riyadh: – The CEO of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), Dr. Hisham bin Saad Al-Jadhey, has presided over the roundtable discussion between the SFDA and representatives of food and drug companies in Singapore.

At the outset of the meeting, which was attended by the Saudi Ambassador to Singapore Abdullah Al-Madhi, Al-Jadhey presented an overview of SFDA, its scope of work, procedures related to food and drug safety, and registration.

The meeting also discussed the best practices provided by the SFDA to support the private sector and the electronic systems developed for this purpose.

The meeting was organized on the sidelines of the 5th Annual Meeting of the International Heads of Food Agencies Forum (IHFAF), held in Singapore from April 16 to 20, 2024.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Riyadh: – The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) released a report on enforcement actions taken during the first quarter of 2024, in which it shows that over SAR5.3 million were levied in fines from entities and individuals found to be in breach of the law, executive regulations, and GACA directives.

The report, compiled by the committee tasked with reviewing violations of the Civil Aviation Law, said 185 citations were issued. It identifies air carriers as the leading sources of violations, accounting for 111 infractions, which resulted in fines exceeding SAR3.6 million. Additionally, 31 violations were attributed to air carriers for non-adherence to the executive regulations safeguarding passenger rights, which resulted in penalties exceeding SAR1.3 million.

Individuals were issued 38 violations for a range of offenses, including unauthorized access to restricted areas, incidents aboard aircraft, and the unauthorized use of drones. One violation cited was operating a lightweight aircraft without p
roper authorization. These individual infractions were penalized, resulting in SAR252,700 in fines.

GACA emphasized that these measures were taken to uphold the principles of transparency and accountability. It also reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to its regulatory and supervisory role in the Kingdom’s aviation sector.

The authority’s actions aim to improve the passenger experience and elevate the overall quality of air transport services offered in Saudi Arabia.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Today, Friday, Israeli occupation forces stormed the village of Al-Mughair, east of Ramallah.

Local sources reported that the occupation forces stormed the village, searched a number of homes, and subjected their residents to a field investigation, noting that confrontations broke out in the village, during which the occupation soldiers fired stun grenades and toxic tear gas, but no injuries or arrests were reported.

The village of Al-Mughair is subjected to almost daily incursions and attacks by the occupation forces and colonialists. About a week ago, the young man Jihad Abu Alia (25 years old) was martyred by colonialist bullets, in addition to the burning of a number of homes and vehicles

Source: Maan News Agency

Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), said that the United States of America’s use of the veto in the United Nations Security Council to prevent the recognition of the State of Palestine as a full member of the UN is considered a step backward in the efforts to achieve a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East.

He reiterated the GCC’s unwavering support for the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. He urged the international community to take immediate and decisive action to ensure the recognition of Palestine and enable the Palestinian people to exercise their fundamental and legitimate rights in accordance with UN resolutions and international law.

The Secretary-General emphasised the need for the UN Security Council to take necessary and serious steps to reassess international peace mechanisms to prevent the erosion of the rights of peoples
and maintain regional and global security and stability.

He stressed that all countries and international organisations must stand by right and justice, and support efforts to restore rights and build a better future for all peoples in the region and the world.

Source: Bahrain News Agency

The commanding officer of UNIFIL’s Nepalese contingent, Lt. Col. Arjun Bikram Thapa, Mayor of Majdal Slim Ali Tamer Yassine, and the Nepalese civil-military cooperation team jointly accomplished a tea plantation project on land in Majdal Slim municipality. Nepalese peacekeepers planted almost 80 tea plants and monitor them regularly with municipality members and locals.

The Mayor of Majdal Slim is familiar with the tea farming traditions in Nepal and has a keen interest in agriculture. Therefore, he requested the trial of tea plants as Nepal is renowned for organic team farms. The Mayor of Majdal Slim Ali Tamer Yassine thanked Nepalese peacekeepers for the initiative and expressed his belief in the success of this new venture.

In addition, he mentioned that tea plantation is a new initiative in the area that might bring positive changes in the community. It is believed that the success of tea plantation would bring new economic opportunities to the area that ultimately will help to sustain the future of th
e locals.

The locals present at the plantation also learned about the tea plantation, its potential, and ways of harvesting. Nepalese peacekeepers explained the process of plantation, ideas of nurturing and potentialities of the tea farms to the locals.

This project is one of many activities undertaken by UNIFIL peacekeepers to support the communities in which they live and work.

Source: National news agency – Lebanon

The ‘Islamic Resistance’ announced on Friday in a statement, ‘In support of our steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, and in support of their brave and honorable resistance, our mujahideen, at 4:50 pm on Friday, April 19, 2024, targeted the spy equipment at the enemy’s Bayad Blida site, with appropriate weapons, and achieved direct hit.”

Source: National news agency – Lebanon

The Higher Institute of Music and the Armenian State Conservatory of Music (Komitas) signed a memorandum of understanding with the aim of increasing cooperation between the two sides and exchanging experiences.

Rector of Higher Institute of Music, Adnan Fathallah, and the Dean of the Armenian State Conservatory of Music (Komitas), Sona Hovhannissyan signed the memorandum after a discussion session in the Conservatory ‘s building in Yerevan.

Rector of the Institute, Hovhannissyan , stressed that the importance of signing this document, adding that the Conservatory is ready for cooperation with the Higher Institute of Music at all levels

Source: Syrian Arab News Agency

Cairo, Arab Parliament Speaker Adel bin Abdulrahman Al-Asoumi has denounced the UN Security Council inability to issue a resolution enabling the State of Palestine to obtain full UN membership, criticizing the US’ use of veto, which contributes to the usurpation of the legitimate right of the Palestinians to have a state and become full UN member.

In a statement today, Al-Asoumi stressed the need to enable the Palestinian people to fully exercise all their legitimate rights through international recognition of a Palestinian state, and to raise the flag of Palestine at the UN headquarters. He also called on the international community to assume its legal and historical responsibility to end the brutal occupation of the Palestinian territories and help reach a final and fair solution to the Palestinian issue, that sees the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem.

Al-Asoumi reaffirmed his continued support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinians at regional and internationa
l fora.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

The extremist “Return to the Temple Mount” group announced the allocation of financial rewards amounting to 50,000 shekels to anyone who succeeds in smuggling and slaughtering sacrifices inside the Temple Mount on the Jewish Passover, which falls on the coming Sunday and Monday. It also allocated other financial rewards to anyone who attempts to smuggle sacrifices. And it fails

Source: Maan News Agency

The total volume of non-oil foreign trade through the border crossings of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi amounted to AED281.903 billion during the year 2023, with a growth rate of 8 percent compared to AED260.435 billion in 2022.

According to Emirates News Agency (WAM), imports grew by 19 percent during the past year, reaching a value of AED136.45 billion, compared to AED114.355 billion in 2022. Re-export activities also achieved a growth of 11 percent, reaching a value of AED52.394 billion, compared to AED47.277 billion in 2022.

Source: Bahrain News Agency

The Israeli enemy’s military on Friday executed an aerial assault around 10:15 am, targeting a residential building in the Nakiz neighborhood of Ayta Al-Shaab with two air-to-ground missiles.

Source: National news agency – Lebanon

A young man was martyred today, Friday, during the ongoing Israeli occupation forces aggression against Nour Shams camp, east of Tulkarm.

Local sources reported that the young man, Salim Ghannam, was killed as a result of being hit by occupation bullets in Al-Damj neighborhood in Nour Shams camp, noting that the martyr’s body is still inside the camp, as the occupation forces prevent ambulances from reaching him

Source: Maan News Agency