Saudi Arabia lifts Meningitis vaccine requirement for Umrah pilgrims
Riyadh: In a significant policy shift, Saudi Arabia has removed the mandatory meningitis vaccination requirement for Umrah pilgrims. The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) issued a circular on Thursday, informing all airlines operating in the Kingdom, including private carriers, of the updated vaccination guidelines.
The latest directive overturns a previous mandate that required all Umrah travellers to be vaccinated against Neisseria meningitidis. Under the earlier rule, the meningitis vaccine had to be administered no more than three years and no less than ten days before arrival in Saudi Arabia. However, with the new update, Umrah pilgrims will no longer need to provide proof of this vaccination.
This revision follows a series of changes in health regulations for religious travellers. In March last year, Saudi authorities introduced a rule requiring all Haj and Umrah pilgrims to receive the flu vaccine before their journey. While the meningitis vaccine has now been scrapped as a prerequisite, health officials continue to recommend pneumococcal vaccination for individuals aged 65 and above, as well as those with chronic illnesses.
Additionally, the Kingdom’s authorities have extended the recommended window for taking flu and other required vaccines from ten to fifteen days before departure. This adjustment aims to provide travellers with a broader timeframe to ensure adequate immunization before undertaking their pilgrimage.
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Bihar govt to constitute 100 fast-track courts to expedite disposal of criminal cases: Home min
Patna (PTI): Bihar Home Minister Samrat Choudhary on Sunday announced that the state government will establish 100 fast-track courts (FTCs) to ensure the swift disposal of pending cases.
He said that the move also aims to ease the burden on regular courts for them to accord due attention to sensitive cases.
Choudhary said the decision in this regard has been made considering that over 18 lakh cases are pending before different courts in the state.
The constitution of FTCs will "bring in a big relief" to the judicial system and litigants, he said.
"To operationalise 100 FTCs across 38 districts and sub-divisions, the government will undertake large-scale recruitment," the home minister asserted in a statement.
He said that a total of 900 posts, including those of bench clerks, office clerks, stenographers, deposition writers, data entry operators, drivers, process servers and peons, will be filled.
Choudhary also announced that 79 courts will be designated as 'act courts' to fast-track cases related to the Arms Act. Swift resolution of such serious cases, he said, will strengthen law and order in the state.
The minister said that Patna alone will get eight fast-track courts, while four courts each will be set up in Gaya, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga and Bhagalpur. Three FTCs each are planned for Nalanda (Bihar Sharif), Rohtas (Sasaram), Saran (Chhapra), Begusarai, Vaishali (Hajipur), East Champaran (Motihari), Samastipur and Madhubani.
Similarly, two courts each will be established in West Champaran (Bettiah), Saharsa, Purnea, Munger, Nawada, Jehanabad, Arwal, Aurangabad, Kaimur (Bhabhua), Buxar, Bhojpur (Arrah), Sitamarhi, Sheohar, Siwan, Gopalganj, Supaul, Madhepura, Araria, Kishanganj, Katihar, Banka, Jamui, Sheikhpura, Lakhisarai and Khagaria. One FTC each is also proposed for the sub-divisional courts of Naugachia and Bagaha.
