RIYADH: Tourism companies around the world deceived foreign visitors to Saudi Arabia by issuing visas not intended for Hajj, while encouraging them to violate regulations by staying in Makkah two months before the pilgrimage, a Ministry of Interior spokesman said on Monday. The security spokesman for Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Interior Colonel Talal bin Abdul Mohsen bin Shalhoub said 1,301 people died during Hajj including 1,079 pilgrims who did not have Hajj permits. Those who died and were unauthorized to perform Hajj made up 83 percent of the total deaths.
Avec qui siégeront-ils à l’Assemblée nationale ? Que feront-ils pour faire avancer le dossier du nucléaire ? Quelles thématiques comptent-ils porter une fois élus ? Les candidats de la troisième circonscription ont partagé leur projet politique pendant une heure de débat, lundi 24 juin.
Jay, an apprentice bricklayer from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, vanished on Tenerife on the morning of Monday June 17.
The Princess royal, 73, is in hospital today after suffering minor injuries to her head and concussion. It is thought that she was kicked by a horse at her home in Gloucestershire.
MAILONLINE LIVE BLOG: Follow our live coverage of the Royal Family as the King and Queen welcome Japanese Emperor Naruhito on his UK state visit.
«We are not yet through with all our post-election processes and are now busy with setting up the government,» Mzuvukile Maqetuka added
Jacky Jhaj, 38, was pictured with a large group of children gathered around him and a £3.2million Bugatti Chiron outside dance school The Hub Studios in east London.
Craig Williams and Laura Saunders will no longer be 'supported' by the party 'as a result of ongoing internal enquiries'.
New research reveals Brits miss out on 17 hours of sleep per month over summer. With that in mind, The Sleep Charity's Lisa Artis, revealed ten top tips to combat the hotter nights.
Shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson argued that female facilities were the right place for people with gender recognition certificates.
Sotheby's Paris are auctioning off an extraordinary collection of over 140 pieces of luxury handbags, fashion and jewellery accessories.
Top EU diplomat Josep Borrell has warned Georgia that its recently adopted ‘foreign agent law’ could nix its accession aspirations Read Full Article at RT.com
Former Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa has told RT he is “happy” that WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange has been freed Read Full Article at RT.com
The US is co-hosting a defense conference in Botswana, as it looks for new military partners in Africa Read Full Article at RT.com
Russian President Vladimir Putin has urged the West to take his proposal on ending the Ukraine conflict seriously Read Full Article at RT.com
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has met with his Congo counterpart Read Full Article at RT.com
«Currently, as of 10:00 a.m. (7:00 a.m. GMT - TASS), 50 patients remain in the city's hospitals, including 12 children,» the agency source said
The International Boxing Federation and the World Boxing Organization lifted sanctions against Russian athletes earlier
The Academic Printing House (presently - the Nauka Publishing House), published a report by Alexander Middendorf, the North's researcher, where he named the Taymyr Peninsula for the first time
More than 51,000 people live there, and 26.4% of them are the North's low-numbered indigenous peoples
Top stories from the Russian press on Tuesday, June 25th
The monetary policy rate (MPR) will remain at 1.75 percent for the third quarter of 2024, a top official of the Central Bank of Seychelles (CBS) said on Tuesday. The decision comes in light of the ongoing positive performance of the tourism industry, which continues to support economic activity in Seychelles. The governor of the CBS, Caroline Abel, made the announcement during a quarterly press conference in which she explained that the board has noted that the CBS will need to continue to monitor the global situation at the moment. «We have to remain conscious of what is happening around the world, where in 2024 a lot of countries have had elections and with that comes a change of policies and ideologies, which can affect Seychelles' tourism sector and importations,» said Abel. The decision to keep the MPR steady was also influenced by the recent reversal of the deflationary trend in inflation. Global inflation is expected to decrease in 2024, providing some relief to the economy. In Seychelles, the year-on-year inflation rate in May 2024 stood at 0.6 percent, reversing the deflationary trend observed in average prices of goods and services since May 2023, signalling an uptick in year-on-year inflation. However, the 12-month average inflation rate over this period was -1.5 percent although a gradual increase in inflation is anticipated in the medium term. Additionally, oil prices are forecast to remain stable at around $85 per barrel, while food prices, although currently on a downward trajectory, still face potential upside risks. In line with this outlook, CBS has decided to maintain the Standing Deposit Facility and Standing Credit Facility rates at 0.25 percent and 3.25 percent, respectively. By keeping the MPR unchanged, the CBS aims to provide stability and support to the economy while ensuring price stability in the face of various external and internal challenges. «The CBS remains committed to closely monitoring economic developments and stands ready to take further action if necessary to support economic growth and maintain price stability in Seychelles,» added the governor. Overall, the economic outlook for Seychelles remains positive, with growth in the tourism sector and increased foreign exchange transactions contributing to economic activity. However, risks remain, particularly in the form of global geopolitical tensions and potential adverse weather conditions. It will be important for the government to closely monitor these developments and implement appropriate policies to mitigate any negative impacts on the economy, said the bank. Additionally, it said that efforts to diversify the economy and reduce reliance on tourism should be continued to ensure sustainable growth in the long term. «As of June 16, 2024, Seychelles welcomed a total of 166,366 tourists, which was an increase of 4.0 percent compared to the same period in 2023,» explained Governor Abel. She added; «This is primarily attributed to a rise in visitor arrivals from the traditional Western European markets, particularly Germany, France and Russia.» Estimated earnings generated by the sector grew by 7.4 percent over the period of January to May 2024, compared to the previous year. «While the economic outlook of key tourism source markets, particularly the Eurozone and United Kingdom, has improved following a mild recession in those regions in 2023, a seasonal reduction in air connectivity as of May 2024 through to October 2024, coupled with highly anticipated international sporting events occurring in Europe over the summer, is expected to impact domestic tourism activity during that period,» said Abel.
Commonly considered an eyesore by members of the public, the infamous rock pigeons have constantly made headlines for their loud chattering and nesting on HDB blocks. Residents have also complained about the stinky and unsightly droppings, which can pose health and hygiene concerns. To rein in the population of this invasive species, various government agencies including the National Parks Board (NParks), the National Environment Agency (NEA) and the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) are rolling out a six-months-long pilot action plan to address this issue from June. The agencies, in a joint press briefing today, said they will work with the Ang Mo Kio Town Council, Bishan-Toa Payoh Town Council and Tanjong Pagar Town Council where the estates have been identified as pigeon hotspots. The plan? To actively manage the pigeon population in these areas through the reduction of food source and to control the numbers there.
How much would you pay for extra chilli sauce? A vegetarian stall at the food court in People's Park Complex has recently gotten some heat for charging diners $2 for an extra spoonful of chilli sauce. The stall, which sells Thunder Tea Rice and other vegetarian dishes, offers diners the option to add extra ingredients such as vegetables, wantons and braised tofu, which are priced from $1 to $3.50. While the prices of the other ingredients are considered acceptable, some diners took issue with the charge for the extra chilli sauce. Despite the negative reactions from some, stall owner Cai Youzhao maintained that the charge is not a money-making tactic. The 37-year-old told Shin Min Daily News that he usually gives customers the chilli for free, and only charges them if they return for a third helping. «We just don't want customers to take [the chilli] and waste it. Previously a customer insisted that we should provide as much chilli as they want, and it's their choice whether they eat it or not.» However, Cai said that there are customers who genuinely enjoy his chilli and have no issue paying extra for it.
[allAfrica] Young Kenyans involved in the anti-Finance Bill demonstrations are being abducted under suspicious circumstances, raising concerns about police conduct and human rights abuses.
The Russian-led CSTO alliance could add new members in the future, the secretary-general has said Read Full Article at RT.com
White House associate communications director Tyler Cherry has been accused of anti-Semitism Read Full Article at RT.com
Colombian President Gustavo Petro has invited Julian Assange to Bogota after the news about his planned plea deal became public Read Full Article at RT.com
Julian Assange has been freed from a UK prison and is expected to strike a deal with the US Justice Department Read Full Article at RT.com
Authorities in Seychelles have identified four locations as priority areas for the coastal infrastructure development project, a top official said on Monday. The chosen areas are the eastern Mahe district of Au Cap, North East Point and Beau Vallon in the north of Mahe, and Anse La Blague on Praslin. The Minister for Agriculture, Climate Change and Environment, Flavien Joubert, said, «The Seychelles Meteorological Authority has confirmed that the sea level in Seychelles is increasing by about 3mm (millimetres) every year which is faster than previously estimated, therefore it is necessary to find ways to protect the country's coastal infrastructure.» He added that a list of priority areas has been compiled with over 30 locations identified as urgent. Joubert said that given the financial cost, the different projects needed to mitigate the effects of coastal erosion and sea level rise will be implemented by phase and that «Seychelles cannot cope with these challenges on its own, we have to look for additional support from outside.» He said that there are several funds Seychelles will apply for funding such as the Global Environment Facility (GEF), Adaptation Fund and Loss and Damage Fund among others. The minister said the government intends to set up mechanisms to help people with climate mitigation in the future and other measures will be implemented in the long term to facilitate the private sector. The panel of ministers and chief executives at the press conference. (Seychelles Nation) Photo License: CC-BY The Minister for Transport, Antony Derjacques, described this issue as a crisis and not just a national problem. He said many infrastructure such as roads and pavements are already being damaged by coastal erosion in several areas of the country, notably Anse La Blague on Praslin, which he described as being in a critical situation. «If you live in the south, (Mahe) you will see how the sea reaches the road, especially during high tides. At North East Point, there is a lot of sand that ends up on the road because of the tide. At Anse La Blague, if we are not careful and if we do not raise the level of the road, it will be affected and even may cut off access to the other side for the residents who live there,» said Derjacques. «All relevant agencies are working together to tackle these challenges, either locally or internationally, especially with other Small Island Developing States (SIDS) that may be facing the same challenges. A common approach is important,» he added. The principal secretary for Climate Change, Tony Imaduwa, added that in the meantime, given the limited number of financial resources available for the country, «the different projects identified have to be grouped according to their similarities, to maximise what resources we have. We have to do more in-depth studies to understand what could happen in the long term.» The chief executive of the Seychelles Land Transport Authority, Parinda Herath, clarified that the list with 30 projects is not a final one as more will be added to it in the future depending on how the situation develops. «Our technicians from different agencies are already working on the project details including the cost estimates. The Ministry of Finance has given us a positive indication that there will be some financing to be able to at least implement some of the projects in the meantime,» said Herath. «Another major challenge is that sometimes the damage to the road is not necessarily visible at first, erosion happens below and suddenly you find a sinkhole and emergency repairs have to be done immediately. In some places, we had to install rock armouring,» he added. Highlighting the importance of working together and using the resources well, the chief executive of the Seychelles Infrastructure Agency, Jitesh Shah, said that this should be a collective effort. «We are also helping the Local Government with certain community drainage projects, which are also important. All drainage works together, it starts from the mountain and down to the sea. We need to ensure that whatever solution is implemented in one place does not affect an area further away,» said Shah.
This Saturday on the 29th of June 2024 Malawians will hold an event in Northampton to remember their late Vice President, Saulos Klaus Chilima. Kondi Munthali, who is one of the main organisers of the event said “We have cried as individuals over the tragic death of VP Chilima. The event will give a chance […] The post Malawians in UK organises remembrance event for the departed vice president Chilima, 8 others appeared first on Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi.
Nyasatimes can reliably confirm, from its investigations, that have revealed John Bizwick is serving his second term in office as Commissioner-General and according to the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) Act Section 17 Sub- Section 4, he is not eligible for reappointment or contract renewal. The law bars him from having contract renewed or reappointment because […] The post Time up for John Bizwick at MRA: Serving his last term, not eligible for reappointment as Commissioner General appeared first on Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi.
Chief Resident Magistrate (CRM) Madalitso Chimwaza Monday committed proceedings to the High Court in a case involving K5 billion alleged fraud at the disposed of Malawi Savings Bank (MSB). This case involves Leston Mulli, Lloyd Muhara and Cliff Kenneth Chiunda, who were arrested in July 2022 and were given bail. Addressing the court, Chimwaza said […] The post Mulli’s K5 billion Malawi Savings Bank case moved to High Court appeared first on Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi.
Reserve of Malawi(RBM) says the country stands to benefit alot from investments if only investors embrace the ATM strategy which the country has launched recently. Central Bank governor Wilson Banda said investments in the field of Agriculture, Mining and Tourism(ATM) pose to boost the country’s economy as the sectors would help to generate alot of […] The post RBM urges investors to embrace the ATM strategy. appeared first on Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi.