Day: July 26, 2024

The General Directorate of Narcotics Control (GDNC) has arrested a citizen in Al-Jouf Region for attempting to distribute hashish and amphetamine. The suspect was detained and referred to the Public Prosecution.

The security authorities call upon citizens and residents to report information related to drug smuggling or trafficking by calling 911 for Makkah, Riyadh, and the Eastern Region, and 999 for the rest of the regions, or by contacting GDNC on 995 or via email at 995@gdnc.gov.sa. All calls are treated with the utmost confidentiality.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Twisted Minds team was defeated by the Falcons team in the exclusive Saudi match conducted in the group stage of the Overwatch 2 tournament, the Esports World Cup. This event is the largest in the history of the gaming and esports industry and offers extraordinary prizes totalling $60 million.

The Qiddiya Arena hosted the heated rivalry between the two teams in front of a huge crowd of esports enthusiasts. The Falcons took the lead with two straight wins, but Twisted Minds rallied for a third-match victory. However, the Falcons ultimately prevailed in the fourth match, ending the match and solidifying their first position as Group B’s undefeated champions. Twisted Minds was relegated to second place.

Sixteen teams, represented by 98 players from 23 countries worldwide, compete for the championship shield and the largest portion of the one million-dollar prize pool. The first-place finisher will receive 1,000 points in addition to their current standing in the esports World Cup standings table.

Source: Sau
di Press Agency

is Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has sent a cable of congratulations to President of the Republic of Liberia, Joseph Nyuma Boakai, on the anniversary of his country’s Independence Day.

HRH the Crown Prince wished the Liberian President continued good health and happiness and the government and people of the Republic of Liberia steady progress and prosperity.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

The Minister of Economy and Planning, Faisal F. Alibrahim, concluded his participation in the G20 Development Ministerial Meeting held on July 22-24 in Rio de Janeiro, under the Brazilian Presidency.

Alibrahim participated in several Development Working Group sessions addressing challenges hindering sustainable progress. He also held bilateral meetings with senior officials from G20 countries to discuss topics of common interest, including enhancing collaboration in various fields.

During a session titled ‘Fighting Inequalities and Trilateral Cooperation’, Alibrahim said: Half of the world’s population lacks access to essential healthcare services and social protection, and ensuring accessibility to vital public goods is the cornerstone of human capital development, including healthcare, education, housing, social protection and digital connectivity.

He added: Inequality is the core of the challenges we face within the framework of sustainable development, as the gap in opportunities between individuals r
epresents the main challenge in improving health care and education and addressing the most prominent social challenges facing the world today.

In a session titled ‘Ensuring Access to Water and Sanitation,’ the Minister of Economy and Planning noted that a lack of available freshwater resources and sanitation services hinders human capital development by causing severe health risks, including waterborne illnesses, dehydration, and malnutrition. Water inaccessibility also places significant constraints on agriculture, impacting global food security and leading to increased human conflict due to scarcity in resources.

He emphasized that this is not merely a policy concern. It is a basic human right that reflects the importance of the Sustainable Development Goals. Our current efforts to address water accessibility are impeded by fragmented and isolated initiatives.

Alibrahim highlighted the Kingdom’s establishment of the Riyadh-headquartered Global Water Organization (GWO), which was announced by His Roya
l Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.

The organization will serve as the much-needed platform for global collaboration, leveraging our collective strengths to support one another better. It will facilitate knowledge exchange and technical assistance so that best practices are not confined to specific regions but can promptly be disseminated to those who need it most. It will promote public and private partnerships, better-aligning government policies with innovative solutions, he said.

During the G20 Meeting under the Brazilian Presidency, Alibrahim also participated in the launch of the Task Force for a Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty by the G20 Brazilian Presidency, which aims to accelerate and align global efforts addressing the eradication of poverty and hunger.

Established in 2010, the Development Working Group sets the G20’s agenda for development and poverty reduction, prioritizing engagement with developing countries, primarily low-income nations.

Sinc
e 2016, the Development Working Group has served as the primary coordinator for all G20 actions towards sustainable development through the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, to which the Kingdom has been committed since its launch in 2015.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

The Minister of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD), Eng. Ahmed bin Sulaiman Al-Rajhi, headed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s delegation, participating in the meeting of the G20 Ministers of Labor and Employment, held from 25-26 July in Fortaleza in the Republic of Brazil. The meeting was held with the participation of a number of labour and employment ministers of the G20 member states, invited countries, heads of international and regional organizations, and representatives of civil society organizations.

During the meeting, Minister Al-Rajhi thanked the Brazilian presidency for the distinguished efforts exerted during the year, stressing the importance of the priorities of the Labor and Employment Group that aim to develop labour markets. The minister highlighted the Kingdom’s proactive steps and the impact of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 in preparing a distinguished national workforce by promoting values, developing basic and future skills, developing knowledge, and strengthening the labour market.

T
he minister affirmed the Kingdom’s commitment to improving standards and conditions of work, including social security, to empower beneficiaries through qualification, training, and job opportunities.

He also highlighted the Kingdom’s efforts to promote equality between males and females and the importance of this in achieving sustainable economic growth and social development. He also highlighted related initiatives to increase women’s participation in the labour market and empower women to assume more diverse roles in all sectors of the economy.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the HRSD minister thanked the Brazilian government for its exemplary hosting of the group’s work and the efforts it exerted in setting important priorities, wishing the Republic of South Africa all success in its next presidency of the group’s work.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

The death toll from floods, landslides and other accidents caused by Typhoon Gaemi in the Philippines has risen to 33, police said Friday.

According to The German Press Agency dpa, the victims include 11 people who died from drowning or electrocution in the capital, Manila, which was struck by one of the worst floods in more than a decade.

Main roads were impassable at the height of the flooding on Wednesday, and almost half a million residents in metro Manila were without electricity.

Ten people died in four provinces north of the capital, including one crew member of an oil tanker that sank in Manila Bay off Limay town in Bataan province after being battered by huge waves.

The sinking of the oil tanker has triggered an oil spill, which the coastguard has been working to contain to avoid a major environmental crisis.

Police also recorded 12 fatalities in the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas and Rizal, primarily due to drowning and landslides.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

The Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, Bandar Al-Khorayef, met with the CEO of the Brazilian Mining Association (IBRAM), Raul Jungmann, and a number of Brazilian investors, during the meeting organized by the association in Brasilia.

The meeting covered a range of topics, including reviewing the exploration incentives program that the Kingdom offers to investors worldwide, improving investment opportunities in mineral exploration, and fostering investment in iron and steel through joint projects to increase iron ore extraction in Brazil and establish a sustainable supply chain for both nations.

The Vice Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources for Mining Affairs, Eng. Khalid Al-Mudaifer engaged in talks with the Vice President of the Geological Survey of Brazil regarding the exchange of technical information and experiences, the development of joint research projects in the field of geological survey, and the exploitation of the most recent technologies and innovations in this field.

The meeting
was the site of a presentation on the Geological Survey of Brazil’s experience with the SIAGAS and RIMAS systems, which provide digital groundwater information and data. This comprehensive network is designed to prevent natural disasters and manage water resources. Additionally, the Geological Survey of Brazil reviewed its experience in geological risk management, monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, and prevention strategies in the field of geological risks.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has sent a cable of congratulations to the President of the Republic of the Maldives, Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, on the anniversary of his country’s Independence Day.

HRH the Crown Prince wished the Maldivian president continued good health and happiness, and the government and people of the Republic of the Maldives steady progress and prosperity.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, has sent a cable of congratulations to the President of the Republic of the Maldives, Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, on the anniversary of his country’s Independence Day.

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques wished the Maldivian president continued good health and happiness and the government and people of the Republic of the Maldives steady progress and prosperity.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

The Zakat, Tax, and Customs Authority (ZATCA) has established the criteria for selecting targeted establishments in the 14th group to implement the linking and integration phase of e-invoicing.

The ZATCA explained that the 14th group includes all establishments whose revenues subject to value-added tax exceeded SAR 5 million during 2022 or 2023. The authority will notify all targeted establishments in the 14th group in preparation for linking and integrating their e-invoicing systems with the (Fatura) system starting from February 1, 2025.

ZATCA stressed that the second phase (linking and integration phase) will be implemented gradually and in groups, with additional requirements compared to the first phase (issuance and preservation phase).

These requirements include linking taxpayers’ electronic billing systems with the Electronic invoicing (E-invoicing), issuing electronic invoices based on a specific formula, and including several additional elements in the invoice. The authority will notify subsequent
groups directly at least six months before the specified date for linking.

The authority also acknowledged the success of the first phase of electronic billing, which was part of the Kingdom’s economic renaissance and digital transformation.

This success story, which began with the first phase of implementing electronic billing, achieved many positive results, the most prominent of which was raising consumer protection throughout the Kingdom. The authority praised the great awareness it saw from taxpayers and their rapid response in implementing the project’s first phase.

Source: Saudi Press Agency