Category: General

Seoul, North Korea fired what appeared to be an intermediate-range missile into the East Sea on Tuesday, the South Korean military said.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) in South Korea said it detected a missile presumed to be intermediate-range class fired from the Pyongyang region towards the East Sea, according to South Korea’s News Agency (Yonhap).

“Our military has heightened surveillance and alertness in preparation for additional launches. We are maintaining a full readiness posture while sharing information related to North Korean ballistic missile launches with US and Japanese authorities,” the JCS said.

Japan’s defense ministry said the North Korean ballistic missile fell into waters outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone.

The latest ballistic missile launch comes 15 days after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un guided firing drills involving super-large multiple rocket launchers in the country’s western region.

Source: Qatar News Agency

Al-Dhahran, Aramco, one of the world’s leading integrated energy and chemicals companies, today awarded engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contracts worth $7.7 billion for a major expansion of its Fadhili Gas Plant in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.

The project is expected to increase the plant’s processing capacity from 2.5 to 4 billion standard cubic feet per day (BSCFD).

This additional 1.5 BSCFD will help the company realize its strategy of raising gas production by more than 60% over the 2021 levels by 2030.

The Fadhili Gas Plant expansion, expected to be completed by November 2027, is also expected to add 2,300 metric tons to the daily sulfur production.

Aramco Executive Vice President of Technical Services Wail Al Jaafari said: ‘These contracts reflect Aramco’s goal to increase natural gas supplies, help efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and free up more crude oil for value-added refining and export. Together with leading international companies, we are advancing our g
oal to increase gas production. The expansion also supports our ambition to develop a lower-carbon hydrogen business, while associated liquids from gas are an important feedstock for the petrochemical industry.’

Aramco awarded the EPC contracts for the Fadhili Gas Plant expansion project to SAMSUNG Engineering Company, GS Engineering and Construction Corporation, and Nesma and Partners.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Riyadh: The National Center for Security Operations (NCSO) received in March 2,643,174 emergency calls, through the 911 hotline, from Riyadh, Makkah, and the Eastern Region.

These calls were efficiently dealt with by the 24/7 Unified Security Operations Centers 911 personnel, who directed each call to the relevant security service or service provider.

With the aid of advanced automated systems and a skilled multilingual team, the center ensured professional, accurate and efficient call routing.

The Unified Security Operations Center 911 in the Makkah region received 933,935 calls, in Riyadh 1,192,387 calls, and in the Eastern Region 516,852 calls.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Geneva: The Israeli occupation army carried out a massive, shockingly horrific military operation in Al-Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza City over the course of the past two weeks, indiscriminately targeting and attacking Palestinians regardless of their civilian status, professional standing, gender, age, or health condition, Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor said.

Though the exact number of casualties from the atrocity is still unknown, preliminary reports suggest that over 1,500 Palestinians have been martyred, injured, or are reported missing as a result of the massacre at Al-Shifa, with women and children making up half of the casualties, Euro-Med Monitor said in a statement Monday.

The massacre claimed the lives of at least 22 patients who were martyred in their hospital beds during the Israeli siege of the Medical Complex, amid the willful deprivation of their access to food, medical care, and supplies. The occupation army also purposefully prevented relief teams and representatives of international organis
ations from entering Al-Shifa to carry out humanitarian missions or evacuations, plus purposefully cleared the Complex of all working personnel particularly medical personnel either by summary execution or forced displacement or arrest, Euro-Med Monitor said.

Al-Shifa Medical Complex is currently out of service due to the Israeli occupation army bombing and setting fire to every one of its buildings, including the mortuary and all internal and external courtyards and corridors, it added.

Members of the Israeli army forced more than 25,000 Palestinian civilians to evacuate their homes in the vicinity of Al-Shifa Medical Complex. These forced evacuations occurred after Israel committed horrendous crimes against local families, including killing, direct targeting, besieging, and starving them, as well as arbitrary arrests and destroying and burning homes and civilian objects. According to initial estimates, the Israeli army demolished and set ablaze over 1,200 housing units in the vicinity of Al-Shifa Medical
Complex, the Geneva-based organization said.

Israel is still implementing its policy to forcefully evacuate the people of Gaza City and the surrounding areas, through forced displacement orders, extensive military operations, starvation, siege, and denial of the basic necessities of life, including medical care, Euro-Med Monitor said.

Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor said that the international community must act swiftly and forcefully to defend Palestinian civilians against the genocide that Israel has been committing in the Gaza Strip for the past six months, an apply genuine pressure on Israel to cease its grave crimes in the region.

Source: Qatar News Agency

Gaza: Dozens of Palestinians were martyred and injured on Tuesday as a result of Israeli occupation’s bombing of various areas in the Gaza Strip According to the Palestinian News and Information Agency (WAFA), civil defense and ambulance crews recovered six bodies of martyrs and several people injured from under the rubble of a house in the city of Rafah south of Gaza after it was bombed by an aircraft.

Many Palestinians were also martyred and injured in Khan Yunis due to bombings of homes in the eastern region and city center.

In Deir Al Balah, several Palestinians, including children, were martyred after occupation aircraft targeted Al Bashir Mosque in the center of the city. Nearby homes were also damaged as a result of the bombing.

In Gaza, occupation aircraft bombed two houses in the Al Zeitoun neighborhood. The occupation fired several shells at the Tal Al Hawa and Sheikh Ijlin neighborhoods, causing the martyrdom of three Palestinians and the injury of six others.

The number of victims due to the
ongoing Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip rose to 32,845 martyrs, the majority of whom were children and women, while 75,392 were injured. Thousands of Palestinians are still missing under the rubble and on the roads.

Source: Qatar News Agency

Beirut, The Israeli entity intensified its bombing of villages and towns in southern Lebanon.

Field sources reported that Israeli warplanes carried out two raids targeting the town of Khiam, while another air strike with four missiles targeting the town of Kafr Kila.

Israeli drones targeted the town of Mays Al-Jabal, and the occupation artillery also targeted the outskirts of the town of Zabqin, the sources added.

The Israeli entity continues its escalation against the towns and villages of southern Lebanon, coinciding with its ongoing aggression on the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, murdering and injuring tens of thousands of Palestinians and forcing hundreds of families to flee their homes.

Source: Qatar News Agency

Manama, His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, today issued Edict (20) of 2024, appointing two directors at the Civil Service Bureau (CSB), based on a proposal by the President of CSB.

Article (I)

The following shall be appointed at the Civil Service Bureau (CSB):

1- Haitham Ali Khalil Nass as Director of Employee Performance and Relations Directorate.

2- Hamad Mohammed Abdulrahman Al Mulla as Director of Shared Human Resource Services Coordination Directorate.

Article (II)

The President of the CSB shall implement the provisions of this edict, which comes into effect upon its issuance and will be published in the Official Gazette.

Source: Bahrain News Agency

Amman, His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein of Jordan today met with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez here at Al Husseiniya Palace.

On discussing the developments in Gaza, the King of Jordan stressed the importance of stopping the war and protecting civilians, in addition to maximising efforts to provide sustained humanitarian, relief and medical aid to the Gaza Strip.

King Abdullah reiterated that peace and stability in the region will only be achieved by reaching a fair solution to the Palestinian cause through a two-state framework. He underscored the importance of continuing to support the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) to ensure the fulfillment of its mandate in providing essential services.

Source: Bahrain News Agency

Gaza – Together – Israeli aircraft continued their bombing of various areas of the Gaza Strip on the 179th day of the war, leaving dozens of martyrs and hundreds wounded.

The Israeli occupation committed six massacres against families in the Gaza Strip, leaving 63 martyrs and 94 injured during the past 24 hours, bringing the toll of the Israeli aggression to 32,845 martyrs and 75,392 injuries since the seventh of last October.

Israel expanded its war on the Gaza Strip by targeting a foreign team of British, Polish and Australian nationalities and their Palestinian driver, west of Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip.

The number of victims of the occupation bombing of a car of the World Central Kitchen organization in Deir al-Balah rose to 7, including 6 foreigners.

The team works in the international food kitchen overlooking the dock south of Gaza City.

The crime of assassinating the relief team received widespread Palestinian condemnation, amid calls from international organizations to condemn it and
hold Israel fully responsible.

In the middle of the Gaza Strip

and in Deir al-Balah, the occupation army bombed Al-Bashir Mosque in the mosque’s sanctuary, which led to the death of a child and the injury of 20 citizens.

The occupation artillery bombarded the village of Al-Mughraqa, north of Al-Nuseirat camp.

Gaza and the North:

The occupation’s withdrawal from the west of Gaza City and from Al-Shifa Hospital revealed widespread destruction in the hospital and its surroundings.

Residents found dozens of bodies, including those with their hands tied, indicating field executions.

The victims included doctors, health sector workers, and entire Palestinian families.

The government media office in Gaza indicated that about 400 citizens were martyred within two weeks of the invasion, in addition to the arrest of about 900 others.

The destruction affected large parts of residential buildings.

South of the Gaza Strip:

12 citizens were martyred in the city of Rafah, south of the Strip, in two separate bombi
ngs.

Six citizens were killed in a bombing that targeted a house for the Zorob family, west of Rafah, while six were martyred in the bombing of a group of citizens in the Brazil neighborhood, east of the city.

The occupation forces continue to invade the western parts of the city of Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip,

and paramedics were able to transport the bodies of five citizens to the European Hospital as a result of the bombing.

Source: Maan News Agency

Riyadh: The Transport General Authority (TGA) announced today the commencement of the first phase of decisions aimed at regulating the order delivery sector. This phase includes three key decisions: mandating non-Saudis to join licensed companies for light transport, restricting self-employment to Saudis in four regions of the Kingdom, and issuing regulations governing the use of motorcycles for order delivery in collaboration with the General Directorate of Traffic. Additionally, the TGA stated that drivers will be required to wear uniforms.

In the initial phase, non-Saudi drivers must work for licensed light transport companies, and self-employment will be limited to Saudis in the regions of Al-Baha, Jazan, Najran, and Northern Borders. The current situation in the rest of the Kingdom will remain unchanged until the second phase of decisions is announced.

The TGA, in collaboration with the General Directorate of Traffic, has established regulations for motorcycle usage, encompassing general requirements,
registration prerequisites, technical specifications for bicycles, driver responsibilities, and permitted geographic areas for operating. These regulations emphasize obtaining a valid operating card, adhering to weight and dimension limitations, and avoiding restricted roads.

This initiative by the TGA aims to ensure service quality in the delivery sector, protect consumer rights, and mitigate traffic risks associated with the increasing use of motorized bikes. Compliance with these regulations is crucial for fostering a safe and organized environment, ultimately enhancing the delivery experience for both consumers and drivers. Detailed information regarding the regulations is available on the Authority’s website.

Furthermore, the TGA has introduced uniforms for non-Saudi drivers, consisting of two models: one designated for employees of licensed companies in light transport and another for establishments offering delivery services through applications. Saudi drivers are also required to adhere to general a
ppearance standards, which contribute to a professional image and enhance service quality and reliability.

The TGA confirmed that self-employment will continue in other regions, with the second phase of decisions set to be announced before July 1, 2024. The Authority remains committed to monitoring the implementation of decisions and evaluating their impact on the sector, as part of its broader efforts to enhance professionalism among drivers and improve service quality in the delivery sector, while also facilitating effective citizen engagement.

Source: Saudi Press Agency