Government | Wednesday 19 August, 2015 2:02 am

Prince Khaled asks governors to fix ceiling for dowry

Makkah Emir Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, who is also adviser to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, has issued directives to all regional governors in the province to hold urgent meetings with tribal elders to finalize a document fixing a ceiling for dowry and discuss ways to end extravagant weddings,...

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Government | Tuesday 18 August, 2015 3:36 am

Over 39,500 register in Haj portal on first day

 As many as 39,594 Saudis and expatriates have registered in the Haj Ministry's e-gate for domestic pilgrims only eight hours after it was officially launched on Sunday. According to the ministry's undersecretary Hussain Al-Sharif, more than 18,000 pilgrims have completed their...

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Government | Monday 17 August, 2015 3:00 am

Registration for low-­cost Haj begins

Residents who want to benefit from the government’s low­cost Haj scheme can now register themselves on the localhaj.haj.gov.sa website. Because of the limited quota, the registration should be done early. The process began on Sunday (Dul Qaada 1) and packages available start from...

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Government | Saturday 15 August, 2015 5:50 am

Riyadh governor to open Top 100 Saudi Brands awards ceremony

Riyadh Gov. Prince Faisal bin Bandar will inaugurate the Top 100 Saudi Brands awards ceremony in the Kingdom at the Riyadh Marriott Hotel at 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 5. Usamah M. Al-Kurdi, president of Alagat Company, the organizing firm, said that the top 100 Saudi brands in the Kingdom are...

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Government | Saturday 15 August, 2015 4:47 am

Local Haj likely to get 40% cheaper

Prices for local Haj packages are expected to drop between 30 and 40 percent this year, according to an official at the Ministry of Haj. Most local Haj operators have begun to change their packages after the ministry announced the launch of the online portal for local pilgrims. According to the ...

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Government | Wednesday 12 August, 2015 5:28 am

300,000 e-visas issued to foreign Haj pilgrims

The Haj Ministry, in cooperation with the Foreign Ministry, has issued more than 300,000 Haj visas electronically to Haj pilgrims from abroad, local media said on Tuesday.  Issa Rowaas, Haj Ministry director-general and supervisor of the electronic portal, was quoted as saying that the...

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Government | Wednesday 12 August, 2015 5:23 am

Surveillance cameras to monitor new mosques

All new and larger mosques in Jeddah must install internal and external surveillance cameras under new directives announced by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs. These measures will allow the ministry to monitor all activities and ensure no extremist speeches and sermons are being delivered,...

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Government | Tuesday 11 August, 2015 7:29 am

Panel rejects ministry’s Haj cost package

The National Committee for Haj and Umrah has expressed reservations over Haj rates announced by the Haj Ministry, saying that the pricing should be jacked up. The committee, which ostensibly protects the interests of Haj operators, feels that the pricing will lead to heavy losses for the...

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Government | Sunday 9 August, 2015 4:49 am

Ministry takes precautionary measures against new virus

The Ministry of Health has put in place its precautionary plan and procedures aimed at preventing the entry of the Zika virus during the Haj season this year. This involves examining those arriving from countries affected by the virus, isolating infected individuals and providing treatment at...

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Government | Thursday 6 August, 2015 7:19 am

Government offices start moving out of holy sites

A number of government ministries and departments have vacated their offices in the holy sites and moved to the newly built Haj City in a move to create more space for accommodating pilgrims. Quoting an informed source, the Makkah daily said on Wednesday 49 out of 418 sites in the complex have...

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