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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Case registered against associate film director for sexual assault of model in Kochi
Kochi (PTI): Police on Saturday said they had registered a case against an associate director in the film industry for "sexually assaulting" a model here.
The case was registered against Jojo Kurishinkal of Chengannur in Alappuzha district at the Maradu police station on May 6.
Kurishinkal has worked in several films as an assistant and associate director.
According to the FIR, the complainant, a model based in Kochi, met Kurishinkal through a dating app in July 2023.
The FIR stated that the accused told the complainant he was a film director and had separated from his wife before proposing marriage to her.
He later allegedly assured the complainant and her mother that he would go ahead with the marriage once the legal procedures related to his divorce were completed, the FIR said.
According to the FIR, the accused later invited the complainant to his apartment in Vyttila on April 18, 2024, where he "sexually assaulted" her.
The FIR further alleged that he continued to sexually harass the woman thereafter. It also stated that the accused had "physically assaulted" the complainant on multiple occasions before later refusing to marry her.
Based on the complaint, police registered a case under Section 376(2)(n) of the Indian Penal Code for repeatedly raping the same woman.
Police said the woman’s confidential statement would be recorded, following which the accused would be summoned for questioning.
