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.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
ED attaches fresh assets in PMLA case against Reliance Group; total attachment over Rs 10K cr
New Delhi (PTI): The Enforcement Directorate has attached fresh assets worth Rs 1,120 crore as part of its money laundering probe against the companies of Reliance Group chairman Anil Ambani, officials said.
Eighteen properties, including the Reliance Centre in Mumbai's Ballard Estate, fixed deposits, bank balance and shareholding in unqouted investments of Reliance Anil Ambani Group have been provisionally attached under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they said.
Another set of seven properties of Reliance Infrastructure Ltd, two properties of Reliance Power Ltd, nine properties of Reliance Value Service Private Ltd, fixed deposits in the name of Reliance Value Service Private Ltd, Reliance Venture Asset Management Private Lt, Phi Management Solutions Private Ltd, Adhar Property Consultancy Pvt Ltd, Gamesa Investment Management Private Ltd and investments made in unquoted investment by Reliance Venture Asset Management Private Ltd and Phi Management Solutions Private Ltd have also been attached, they said.
The ED had earlier attached properties worth over Rs 8,997 crore in the bank fraud cases related to Reliance Communications Ltd (RCOM), Reliance Commercial Finance Ltd, and Reliance Home Finance Ltd.
The total attachment in the case against the Reliance Group is now Rs 10,117 crore.
