Makkah,March 4(IINA)
Over a million pilgrims have already left the holy land, after completing their Haj rituals, the Director of Passports Department, Brig. Abdul Aziz Sajini, told the local press. He said that while many have left by air, others have traveled by road and others by sea, adding that around 40,000 leave every day, and the operation is expected to continue until Muharram 15.
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http://www.islamicnews.orgJeddah, March 4(IINA)
The Jeddah-based Islamic Development Bank (IDB) has signed an agreement with Algeria, under which it would grant that country a loan to the tune of Euros 60 million, with which to expand the mobile telephone network.
The loan has been granted to the Algerian Telecommunications Corporation. With this loan, Algeria would be able to add half a million new lines, sot that the total number of subscribers comes to 630,000.
The project would involve technical advice, installation of equipment, maintenance services, and the like. This means that the total cost would be in the region of Euros 142 million.
The loan agreement was signed on behalf of the IDB by Ahmed Bubaker Sisi, Deputy President (Operations), while on behalf of the Algerian side it was signed by Abdul Karim Na’as, of the Algerian Telecommunications Corporation.
The Algerian Democratic People’s Republic was one of the founder members of the IDB, and so far the bank has contributed a total of US$ 2.3 billion toward the development of that country, by financing 33 development projects, in addition to financing 186 external trade transactions, in compliance to the IDB’s policy of encouraging intra-Islamic trade among the member countries.
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http://www.islamicnews.orgQatar: Dr. Turkey emphasized joint Islamic efforts at meeting with Emi
rDoha, March 4 (IINA)
Pursuant to an official invitation from Qatar, Dr. Abdullah Al-Turky, secretary-general of the Muslim World League (MWL) is visitng Qatar, and has met with the country’s Emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani.
The Emir lauded the efforts being made by the MWL in serving the Islamic Da’awa, and in giving the correct image of Islam to the West, as well as in defending Islam’s noble causes.
For his part, Dr. Turky thanked the Emir for his welcome and told him that the MWL has numerous programs in the pipeline, some of which are already in the process of being implemented, emphasizing that it is important that Qatar participates in jointly executing some of these programs that serve Muslims and Islamic causes.
Dr. Turky then went on to outline to the Emir some of the worldwide programs, which the MWL is implementing, for the benefit of mankind. He said that Muslims are a single Ummah, and that it is imperative that governments and their citizens should join together and cooperate in serving, protecting, and defending their faith.
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http://www.islamicnews.org Sharjah, March 4 (Gulf News)
The National Bank of Sharjah (NBS), the first bank to convert itself from a conventional to a fully Islamic bank, has posted a drop in net profit from Dh76.30 million to Dh56.008 million in 2002.
The bank announced a 10 per cent cash dividend, which will absorb Dh36.7 million, and a1:20 bonus issue for its shareholders, against a 20 per cent cash dividend and the same level of stock dividend announced in the previous year. NBS will also expand its branch network to 11 by adding two branches in Sharjah.
Discussing the bank's 2002 financial results, the general manager of NBS, Said Mohammed said that a big chunk of the fresh assets were booked in the last quarter and it would take time for the profits to accrue from them.
Taken From:
http://www.gulf-news.com