Security officials went on high alert after heavy snowfall in the Tabuk region. (AN Photo)
By RIYADH: KHALID TAWALBEH, ARAB NEWS STAFF Published: Mar 3, 2012 23:44 Updated: Mar 3, 2012 23:44
Heavy snowfall and rain hit the northern border region of Tabuk at around 3 p.m. Friday.
The Border Guards acted on the directives of Tabuk Gov. Prince Fahd bin Sultan to provide aid and assistance to citizens and residents.
Top Border Guard officials supervised the preparations taken to face the heavy snow and rains, confirming patrols continued to work under all circumstances to protect the borders of the Kingdom.
The region of Tabuk is well known for its desert climate that is hot and dry in summer and cool and rainy in winter.
The maximum temperature in summer reaches 43 degrees Celsius, but in winter temperatures drop to 15 degrees during the day and 7 degrees at night, sometimes below zero. The region is affected by the Mediterranean climate, and sometimes temperatures drop to a point where it leads to snowfall. The region has a rate of 55 mm of rain but suffers from a lack of rainfall in the winter.
The Presidency of Meteorology and Environment expected a significant drop in temperatures yesterday in the north and east of the Kingdom including the Riyadh region, accompanied by an activity in surface winds that raise dust and reduce visibility to less than one kilometer, stretching to the region of Najran.
The presidency's daily report on weather conditions said light rains would fall in the northern areas of Qurayat and Turaif while there would be clouds in the southern highlands, with a chance of frost in the early morning hours in Qurayat, Turaif and Arar.
The report predicted the movement of wind over the Red Sea would be northwesterly to northerly at 20 to 40 km per hour in the afternoon.
The projections indicate the movement of wind over the Gulf will be northwesterly at 20 to 40 km per hour in the afternoon.
Delegates from Saudi Arabia and other countries attend the conference on Muslim minorities in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Saturday. (SPA)
By BUENOS AIRES: ARAB NEWS Published: Mar 4, 2012 01:32 Updated: Mar 4, 2012 01:32
Deputy Islamic Affairs Minister Abdul Aziz Al-Ammar yesterday highlighted Saudi Arabia's efforts to support Muslim minority communities in different parts of the world without interfering in the internal affairs of their countries.
Opening a conference for the development of Muslim communities in Latin America and the Caribbean, he emphasized Saudi endeavors to promote world peace and stability and solve regional conflicts through peaceful means.
"We are seeking to discover the common cultural and moral values of different nations," the minister said, adding the world is facing a big problem as a result of moral degradation. "We should achieve a balance between scientific and technological movement and moral and religious values," he added.
He said the government of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah has been exerting strenuous efforts in the service of humanity. "It supports the issues of Muslim minorities without interfering in their countries' internal and political issues."
Al-Ammar stressed the Kingdom's efforts to fight terrorism and extremism and promote the values of freedom, justice and equality.
Argentine Religious Affairs Minister Guillermo Oliveri emphasized the importance of such conferences to discuss matters related to the development of the Muslim community and promote peaceful coexistence among followers of different religious faiths.
Oliveri commended Saudi Arabia's efforts in the service of Muslim communities around the world. "I take this opportunity to commend the efforts of the Saudi Embassy in Buenos Aires to spread Islamic culture and values," the minister said.
Saad Al-Zuwaihery, director of the King Fahd Cultural Center in Buenos Aires, said the conference would discuss a number of topics to improve the condition of Muslims in Latin America and the Caribbean. He thanked the Argentine government for its support for the conference as well as the cultural center.
Saudi Ambassador in Argentina Turki Al-Madhi thanked Latin American governments for providing religious freedom to Muslim communities. He urged Muslims to stand united upholding the teachings of Islam.
"The real problem is within our ranks and not the creation of any other party," the ambassador said and urged Muslims to respect the rules and laws of their governments and play an effective role in the development of their countries.
one of the worlds leading photographer of the Islamic World
Peter ''Abd al-Adheem'' Sanders His images can be seenon the second page of The Green Dome thread
Peter Sanders was born in London in 1946. His professional career in photography began during the mid-sixties where he photographed most of the major stars in the music business including Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, The Who, the Rolling Stones etc. Towards the end of the 1970's, Sanders' attention turned inward which set him on a spiritual search to India and then eventually to the Muslim world where the spiritual beauty of Islam left an indelible impression upon him. After his return to England, he embraced Islam and was given the name Abd al-Adheem. In 1971 he was granted the unique opportunity to photograph the rituals of Hajj or annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca. These images appeared in the Sunday Times Magazine, The Observer, among many other major journals in recognition of their rareness.
For Peter Sanders, faith and photography have both been part of his spiritual development. It was his search to capture the essence of reality that led him to Islam and, with camera in hand, to the door of the Kaaba. From photographing the most famous of idols in the music industry to the most sacred places in the Islamic world, Peter Sanders' journey encompasses more than a change of focus for his camera lens.
"Having photographed almost every famous person in the music industry I got bored and started getting in to spritual things. I just wanted something else, and so I decided to go to India. I packed everything up and went, looking for a teacher. Eventually I found one, who was basically a Hindu but had a lot of what we consider 'Muslim Qualities'. I studied with him for about six months and when I cam back to England, some of my friends had become Muslim. Then there were other friends who had gotten heavy into drugs and alchohol. It was as if God was saying to me, 'which direction do you want to go?'.
"I didn't know very much about Islam but I had dreams and various other things happened to me. So I made a decision to become Muslim without knowing too much about it. I was 24 years old at the time and within three months of becoming Muslim, I decided to go on Hajj. I didn't have the money but I just made the intention. My elderly Muslim teacher at that time had also made the intention and I knew that I wanted to go too. Someone gave me a ticket and I went. It was at the Kaaba that I learnt that my teacher had died on the way."
At the time, back in 1971, photographs of the Hajj were quite rare. Peter Sanders was granted special permission to photograph the sacred places; a decision that still amazes him. "It was pretty unique for a Westerner to have taken pictures of the Hajj. I had to sl;og from offices to offices in Jeddaj and Makkah and eventually I found a man that had the authority to grant me permission. A lot of people didn't want to take responsibility at the time, and they were generally not too keen on photography anyway, especially by a convert. But this man was in a position to authorise me and he did so purely on trust."
For Peter Sanders, photography is essentially a means to capture the spirit of Islam. As he describes his efforts to do this, the words of an Urdu poet come to mind: 'To see the reality of Madinah you need more than just sight; you need vision'. As if seeking to possess this vision is not a great enough mission in itself, Peter Sanders attempts to then convey it to others. He has spent the last thirty years documenting the remains of traditional Islamic societies that are fast disappearing from the earth. One of his ongoing projects in trying to capture dying traditions has been the compilation of a photographic album of the great scholars and saints of our time. The two volumes, that he hopes to raise funds to publish, include pictures of people who were photographed for the first time and some of whom have passed away in recent months and years.
About Peter Sanders
Peter Sanders, internationally recognised as one of the worlds leading photographer of the Islamic World.
The photographer began his career in the mid-1960's covering Londons' seminal rock and roll scene, capturing now legendary music icons in a collection that is considered a classic by collectors.
Towards the end of the 1970's, Sanders' attention turned inward which set him on a spiritual search that took him to India and led him in the end to the Muslim world. All the while the photographer captured his surroundings on film, creating a striking and disparate record of the last vestiges of traditional Muslim societies in transition. Sanders' own deep commitment to and love of traditional Islamic culture has brought him into intimate contact with people and places few photographers reach.
"My photography has always been an extension of my life," he said. "Photography is a wonderful process - a gift from God - that has allowed me to learn so much about myself and the world around me. Its like chasing a moment, trying to capture a beautiful bird in flight." "The photographs are extremely, extraordinarily beautiful," claims Japanese Art Critic, Tsuyoshi Kawasoe.
"One should not under-estimate the importance of Peter Sanders' work," said American writer Michael Sugich. "He is the only photographer working today who has systematically and with great devotion to the task, covered vast areas of the Islamic world as an insider. Because of his deep understanding of the culture and his impeccable spiritual courtesy, he has been able to photograph places and people that virtually no western photographer would be able to access. He has left an indelible, poetic and ravishing record of an extraordinary time and a rich and fascinating culture."
It has also been quoted, "he captures the spritiual beauty of creation itself."
Sanders' photographs have appeared in many international publications, including Time Magazine, Paris Match, The Observer, The Sunday Times Magazine, Aramco World and the London based pan-Arab news magazine Al Majalla who published his work as a cover story.
His intimate photographs of the sacred cities of Makkah and Madinah are in great demand.
Peter Sanders Photography Limited includes travel, location and studio photography, a photographic library of over 120,000 slides, as well as the production of fine art prints.
This year will see the publication of his first photographic book, 'In The Shade of The Tree.' Another three are in mid-production, including one about the muslims in China.
EDDAH – The General Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques has prepared a comprehensive plan to provide services to an expected three million Umrah pilgrims this year, said Dr. Muhammad Bin Nasir Al-Khuzayyam, the vice-president of the organization.
These services will continue up to the first week of September this year, he added, in an interview with Saudi Gazette recently. The presidency has prepared booklets published in various languages to help pilgrims with the Umrah rituals.
Al-Khuzayyam said a number of renowned scholars deliver lectures after Fajr and Asr prayers, until Isha, on the Umrah, sayings of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and other important aspects of Islam.
A network of more than 150 telephones allows for inquiries about any matter pertaining to the Umrah.
Over 4,000 regular staffers, including seasonal staff, are equipped with electric cleaners and compact disposal garbage vehicles to clean the Grand Mosque around-the-clock. There is also technical staff available to fix the machines.
Zamzam water is supplied in 25,000 thermoses, with workers to clean and refill them. Hundreds of thousands of sterilized plastic cups are also available.
For Tawaf (circumambulating around the Ka’ba) and Sai (brisk walking between As-Safa and Al-Marwah hillocks), 10,000 wheelchairs are available for people with disabilities and the elderly. The wheelchairs can be accessed from earmarked places outside the mosque and on the first floor of As-Safa gate. Automatic wheelchairs can be hired for SR50 for the Sai only.
A security force has been deployed to tackle pickpockets and other crime on all four floors. The force is controlled from a central computerized room.
Khuzayyam said that with about one million visitors present in the Grand Mosque, 700 staffers are deployed at its 139 gates.
One million copies of the Holy Qur’an are being distributed in various languages including Urdu, French, Indonesian, Thai, Spanish, Bosnian, Turkish, Chinese, Somali and Malayalam.
In Madina, where the Prophet’s Mosque accommodates more than one million worshippers, nearly 3,000 maintenance workers are deployed. A total of 20 tankers supply Zamzam water daily to the Prophet’s Mosque, for 4,500 thermoses.
Haj MinisHaj Minister Bandar bin Mohammad Hajjar receives Pakistan
Ambassador Muhammad Naeem Khan at his office in Riyadh on Sunday.
By RIYADH: ARAB NEWS
Published: Mar 5, 2012 01:09
Pakistan Ambassador to the Kingdom Muhammad Naeem Khan held a meeting with Haj Minister Bandar bin Mohammad Hajjar in Riyadh yesterday.
A number of issues relating to bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to facilitate Haj operations were discussed during the meeting.
The ambassador thanked the minister and the government for the excellent hospitality extended to Pakistani pilgrims coming to the Kingdom for Haj and Umrah.
During Haj last year, 180,000 Pakistanis performed the pilgrimage and they were appreciative of the arrangements made by the Saudi government.
Referring to his recent meetings with Syed Khursheed Ahmad Shah, minister for religious affairs of Pakistan, in order to finalize the details of cooperation for the next Haj season, Hajjar termed the talks as "very constructive."
After talks with the minister Shah had said that the Saudi government agreed to an increase of 10,000 pilgrims from Pakistan for the upcoming Haj. The ambassador wished the minister success for the Haj and Umrah arrangements and extended all support from Pakistan in this regard.
MAKKAH — The Ministry of Haj is investigating a complaint by 11 French Umrah pilgrims that the Umrah company they had made the booking with duped them on their accommodation and visa period. Undersecretary of the Ministry of Haj Hatim Qadhi said investigations are underway into the program which was marketed at foreign Umrah pilgrims.
The pilgrims have alleged that they were not accommodated in the hotel in Madina the company had promised them earlier but were forced to accept an accommodation far from the Prophet’s Mosque. They also claim that despite being promised they’d be taken on a tour of historical places, they were only able to visit Jabal Uhud (Mount Uhud) and Quba Mosque all on their own expenses.
“The situation in Makkah was much worse than what we faced in Madina,” one of the pilgrims, Su’aad said. “We had to travel on a rundown minibus driven by a man who appeared to be unfit for the job, as he was driving recklessly. When we arrived in Makkah we couldn’t find the company’s representative.”
According to the pilgrims, they waited next to the Hilton Hotel where they were supposed to stay but to they soon realized that no such bookings had been made in their name.
“We waited for a long time and missed many obligatory prayers we intended to perform in the Grand Mosque,” Su’aad said. “We shuttled between various offices: to the Ministry of Haj branch in Makkah, Supervision and Monitoring Committee and the Complaints Committee, but all our efforts were in vain.”
Finally an employee of the Ministry of Haj employee arrived and contacted the company’s representative to sort out the accommodation for the pilgrims. He offered to provide accommodation in various hotels in Al-Ghazza District and on King Abdulaziz Road. However both of these hotels were far from the Grand Mosque and unacceptable to the pilgrims.
“We wanted our accommodation in Hilton Hotel as per our bookings from France,” Su’aad said. “But they provided us with accommodation in Al-Misfalah District.”
We realized that they had tampered with the contract prompting us to lodge an official complaint with the Ministry.
RIYADH - The Kingdom is continuing efforts to bring back Saudis detained in Guantanamo Bay prison, spokesman of the Ministry of Interior was quoted as saying by the Saudi Press Agency Sunday.
Maj. Gen. Mansour Al-Turki said a team of Saudi specialists had left for Guantanamo Bay to discuss the prospects of accelerating the procedures of bringing back the remaining Saudis to the Kingdom.
The team was sent to assess their situation, reassure their families about them and emphasize the Kingdom's concern to reunite them with their families, Al-Turki said.
The efforts are in accordance with the concern of King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Mosques, towards the Saudis detained at Guantanamo Bay, he added.
Al-Turki said the team interviewed eight Saudi detainees at Guantanamo Bay and held several meetings with those responsible for the administration of the prison. During the meetings, the Saudi team reaffirmed the Kingdom's interest to take back all detained Saudis and treat them in accordance with Kingdom's regulations, which include subjecting them to counseling and care programs.
The spokesman lauded the cooperation of US authorities.
He said that the families of the detainees have been briefed on the results of the visit and the health of their relatives.
They were also reassured on the Kingdom's intention to continue its efforts and do everything it can to bring the detainees back to the Kingdom at the earliest possible opportunity, Al-Turki added. - SG/SPA __
'Muslim Facebook' plans to be launched in İstanbul in Ramadan
The chairman of Salamworld, Abdulvahit Niyazov, at the company headquarters near İstanbul's Bosporus Bridge.
04 March 2012, Sunday / MEHMET SOLMAZ , İSTANBUL
Described as a "Halal Facebook," the new social networking phenomenon, Salamworld, set to hit the Muslim world during the fasting month of Ramadan, will createanInternet platform for Muslims of all ages. The headquarters of the company are located in İstanbul.
There are currently 800 million Facebook users around the world, 300 million of whom are Muslim. This number is expected to increase by 100 percent in 10 years' time. Speaking to Sunday's Zaman in an inclusiveinterview,thechairman of Salamworld, Abdulvahit Niyazov, said that the platform has been developed with the aim of providing a more "halal" (Islamically permissible) website for Muslims to interact with each other online.
Niyazov said İstanbul is seen as an ideal location due to its unique position between theEasternand Western worldsand thatTurkey is economicallystable, thus attracting many businessmen from all around the world. He added that Turkey is seen as a leading Muslim country among Islamic countries. Niyazov says this project is solely a business project that intends to serve needs of Muslims in the modern world and it is not supported by any political movements or countries. He added that he has always shown great respect to the works of Turkish scholars around the world, including well-respected figures Fethullah G�len and former Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan.
Salamworld states that its users will be provided many applications, including a vast collection of books on Islamic heritage in a number of eBook formats, certified distance learning programs tailored to various levels of education, interactive session with recognized scholars and qualified experts and consultants. A multilingual online Islamic encyclopedia will be available in interlinked pages created by multipleusers.
Another important application will betheonlinecityguide,whereuserswill beprovided with worldwidecity guides to mosques, Islamic centers, Halal restaurants and other Muslim businesses. Users will also be given opportunities to broadcast sermons, lectures and newsworthy events. Salamworld will provide daily updates of breaking news and a space for online discussions.
The company chairman stated thatthere will be an online store of Islamicgoodsand servicesand, additionally, tours will be advertised and organized for annual pilgrimages to the holy city of Mecca. Mentioning that 54 percent of the Muslim world is under the age of 25, Salamworld targetsMuslim children and youth to be educated on Islam with interactive online games.
Salamworld states that this project is not only going to be created to serve as an ordinary social networking platform. It describes its mission as being multi-faceted; an alternative to popular social networks, offering Islamic content generated by Muslims for Muslims, a place for Muslims to raise their voices, a platform for communication between Muslim communities, a channel between Muslims and the international community, offering a field of opportunities for Muslim youth and a range of Internet services for modern Muslim society.
Salamworld chairman Niyazov stated that he was inspiredto start this social networking project in April 2011 and he says the main reason for starting the projects was to provide a chance for Muslims to have their own space on the Internet and in social networks, taking into account that one-fifth of the Earth is Muslim.
Niyazov told Sunday's Zaman that they are in the process of actively developing the company. The product and the project is planned to be launched during the fasting month of Ramadan.
"Besides İstanbul, we have officesin Moscow, Russia and Egypt. Between March and April 2012 we plan to open a technical office in India's Hyderabad and Indonesia's Jakarta in June or July and another technical office in New York in October or November. Our plan for this year is also to open an officesomewhere in the Persian Gulf (either in Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Doha) and also in Iran. Our plans for the next year also include openings in Almaty or Astana to supervise the Central Asian region, Mecca and Medina as the Holy cities, Paris and London for Europe and Beijing and Kuala Lumpur for Southeast Asia. Our professional team now consists of experts from 12 countries. The executiveboard hasrepresentativesfrom 17countries," the Salamworld chairman said.
Salamworld says they aim to provide an alternative social network that is safe for young users, without the harmful content that is usually associated with social networks. Several leading Muslim countries such as Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Pakistan ban thousands of websites to protect their Internet users from harmful content. "I strongly believe that without a reliable alternative to choose from, and with a lack of Islamic content, young Muslim Internet users are unprotected against the harmful contents of websites and social networks that are devoted to today's popular culture," Niyazov added.
Many have previously tried to set up Islamic social networking projects but they failed and laterclosed.
"Speaking frankly, all of them failed. When a website has 20,000 users from the 1.5 billion Muslims in the world, this is also a failure. Having no competitors in this market of course increases the risk of failing; from the other side, it also increases the potential area of dissemination. As people have no alternatives, this gives us an opportunity to grow faster," said Niyazov.
The company chairman said that well-known scholars and intellectuals in the Muslim world support the project. Some of them joined the company's executiveboard and others have become Salamworld's "true friends."
According to the Salamworld development plan, the company plans to spend not less than $50 million in the next three years. Niyazov said he is absolutely confident that these figures are correct, and will give good results. He added that Salamworld's major goal for the next few years is to become a global company with a $1billion turnover."I can say with certainty that we're moving much more efficiently that we even planned to," he added. Moreover, within next four to six years, Salamworld plans to launch as a public company, with its head office in Hong Kong. However, it's very difficult to make any kind of forecasts for the next six years, especially regarding the economy and finances.
Two new models of the two Holy Mosques at the Makkah Museum
Replicas of Two Holy Mosques added to Makkah exhibition
A model of the Grand Mosque in Makkah at the exhibition. (SPA)(above)
By ARAB NEWS
Published: Mar 6, 2012 00:24
Makkah: Two magnificentreplicasof theGrand Mosque and Prophet’s Mosque have been added to an exhibition in Makkah.The replicas are a three dimensional presentation of the two mosques after completion of their expansion work.The replicas are showcased at the Two Holy Mosques Exhibition in the Umm Al-Joud district on the old Makkah-Jeddah road close to the Kiswa factory, the Saudi Press Agency reported yesterday.They show the latest construction projects such as the expansion of the Masaa (the area between Safa and Marwah) and the expansion of the courtyard of the Grand Mosque.Both the replicas have an exquisite internal illuminating system matching the spiritual environment of the two holy structures. Another feature of the replicas is an inbuilt screen displaying the history of the construction of the Two Holy Mosques over the past centuries as well as slides on different phases of the expansion of the mosques, director of the exhibition Mohsen Al-Sulami said.The exhibition also highlights the architectural fine points in the construction of the two mosques from the Umayyad period till the present. It also showcases a number of calligraphic inscriptions related to Islamic history.It also exhibits rare copiesof theHoly Qur’an, manuscripts, artifacts and inscriptions and photos in addition to many artifacts of ancient times.
Hadzic has been walking between 20 and 60 km per day
since December on route to Mecca for hajj.
Hadzic plans to arrive to Mecca in time of Eid al-Adha
2012-03-06
ISTANBUL - Bosnian Muslim Senad Hadzic, who left home in December to walk to Mecca for the hajj, on Monday said he had reached the Bosphorus in Turkey.
"Until now, I have been on the road for about sixty days, doing between 20 and 60 kilometers per day," Hadzic said by phone.
Hadzic, 47, left the Bosnian northeastern town Banovici on December 10. He reached Istanbul after crossing Serbia and Bulgaria on his 6,000 kilometre (3,600 mile) intended walk.
He plans to arrive to Mecca, a holy Muslim town in southwestern Saudi Arabia in mid-October, in time of Eid al-Adha, or the Feast of Sacrifice, one of the biggest pilgrimages in the world.
In his backpack, Hadzic carried only Koran, a prayer rug and maps and flags of the countries on his road to Mecca.
"After Turkey, I want to cross into Syria, despite the conflict but also because of the conflict. I will wave a Syrian flag with the word 'liberty' written on it and I will pray for the victims" of the conflict, he said.
The hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and must be performed at least once in a lifetime by all those who are able to.
Muslims make around 40 percent of 3.8 million population of Bosnia, with remaining inhabitants mostly Orthodox or Catholic Christians.
In the file photo, President Barack Obama meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the United Nations. (AP)
By REUTERS
Published: Mar 4, 2012 12:46 Updated: Mar 6, 2012 21:09
JERUSALEM: Israel said on Sunday it was ready to help with international efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to Syria without intervening directly in the bloody conflict enveloping its neighboring enemy.
Calling the bloodshed of President Bashar el-Assad's efforts to crush an uprising in Syria "more shocking than the worst horror movies in Hollywood," Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman also urged greater world efforts to end the violence.
"In Israel we think it is essential to stop this violence and we are ready to supply any humanitarian aid necessary," Lieberman told Israel's Army Radio in an interview, but stressed Israel would not act independently in this regard.
Israel and Syria have been enemies since the Jewish state was established in 1948 and have fought several wars as part of a dispute over land Israel captured in a 1967 war.
"We need to set all political considerations aside," Lieberman said. "What is happening there, in the 21st century, is intolerable. We must render assistance."
"Whatever is necessary, whatever will be asked of us we can provide."
Israel had long avoided taking sides publicly on the crisis in Syria, though Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned what he called "criminal massacres against innocent civilians in Syria" in remarks to Israel's cabinet last week.
Lieberman said he expected Netanyahu would discuss the subject of Syria in his talks on Monday in Washington with US President Barack Obama which are expected to focus on Iran's nuclear program which Israel sees as a real threat.
Lieberman, an ultranationalist, said the inability of the world community to stop the bloodletting in Syria raised questions as to how much Israel itself could rely on foreign pledges of support.
"The question arises that if the entire world cannot end the terrible massacre, the bloodshed, what is the value of all the promises of the world community to Israel that they will guarantee our security?" Lieberman asked.
Published: Mar 5, 2012 01:10 Updated: Mar 6, 2012 21:14
The Shoura Council approved the Arab Convention to combat information technology crimes and the Arab Convention for the anti-money laundering and financing of terrorism.
At its tenth regular session held yesterday under the chairmanship of Abdullah Al-Asheikh, the council also approved a draft memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs of Sweden.
Shoura Council Secretary-General Muhammed Al-Ghamdi said the conventions are part of the Arab League's efforts to fight cyber crimes and prevent money laundering and terror financing in Arab countries. These efforts would contribute to peace and stability in the region.
The secretary-general said the council's committee on Security Affairs submitted the proposal and it was passed unanimously at the session.
Al-Ghamdi said the Ministry of Health would cooperate with its Swedish counterpart to form a technical committee and implement the areas of cooperation stipulated in the MoU. These include research, training of manpower, exchange of expertise and the improvement of health services in the two countries.
The annual report of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) was tabled during the session.
A six-member delegation from the Shoura Council headed by Al-Asheikh will leave for Kuwait to take part in the 18th conference of the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union (AIPU), which will begin today.
Speakers of parliaments from 18 Arab countries will participate. The agenda of the conference includes elections of a chairman and a vice chairman. The participating delegates will discuss the chairman's report on the union's activities and the progress made by the AIPU executive committee since the last conference. They will review the secretary-general's report on the current state of affairs of the union.
The conference will also review a study of the Arab Labor Organization (ALO) on job seekers in the Arab World and the role of parliamentarians in their efforts to solve the unemployment problem.
This cannot be undone and I am sure it will be greatly appreciated.
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