A Saudi money exchanger wears a protective face mask and gloves as he counts Saudi riyal currency at a currency exchange shop in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia March 10, 2020. Reuters
A Saudi money exchanger wears a protective face mask and gloves as he counts Saudi riyal currency at a currency exchange shop in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia March 10, 2020. Reuters
A view of a deserted street during a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease in the holy city of Makkah. Reuters
A view of a deserted street during a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease in the holy city of Makkah. Reuters
Members of the Saudi armed forces attend prayers at a mosque in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Makkah on April 3, 2020. AFP
Members of the Saudi armed forces attend prayers at a mosque in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Makkah on April 3, 2020. AFP
A view of a deserted street during a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease in the holy city of Makkah. Reuters
A view of a deserted street during a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease in the holy city of Makkah. Reuters
A policeman wearing a protective face mask blocks the road during a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease in the holy city of Makkah. Reuters
A policeman wearing a protective face mask blocks the road during a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease in the holy city of Makkah. Reuters
A combination of photos shows a small crowd of worshippers around the sacred Kaaba in Mecca's Grand Mosque on March 7, 2020, and a large crowd during the pilgrimage, on August 13, 2019. AFP
A combination of photos shows a small crowd of worshippers around the sacred Kaaba in Mecca's Grand Mosque on March 7, 2020, and a large crowd during the pilgrimage, on August 13, 2019. AFP
Muslim worshippers circumambulate the sacred Kaaba in Makkah's Grand Mosque, Islam's holiest site, on April 3, 2020. AFP
Muslim worshippers circumambulate the sacred Kaaba in Makkah's Grand Mosque, Islam's holiest site, on April 3, 2020. AFP
A man checks his phone as he crosses an empty street in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Makkah on April 3, 2020. AFP
A man checks his phone as he crosses an empty street in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Makkah on April 3, 2020. AFP
A view of a deserted street during a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease in the holy city of Makkah. AFP
A view of a deserted street during a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease in the holy city of Makkah. AFP
A view of a deserted street during a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease in the holy city of Makkah. AFP
A view of a deserted street during a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease in the holy city of Makkah. AFP
A view of a deserted street during a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease in the holy city of Makkah. AFP
A view of a deserted street during a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease in the holy city of Makkah. AFP
Birds are seen near the Grand Mosque during a curfew. Reuters
Birds are seen near the Grand Mosque during a curfew. Reuters
Police officers man a checkpoint in a street in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Makkah on April 3, 2020. AFP
Police officers man a checkpoint in a street in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Makkah on April 3, 2020. AFP
A view of a deserted street during a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease in the holy city of Makkah. AFP
A view of a deserted street during a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease in the holy city of Makkah. AFP
A view of a deserted street during a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease in the holy city of Makkah. AFP
A view of a deserted street during a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease in the holy city of Makkah. AFP
A view of a deserted street during a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease in the holy city of Makkah. AFP
A view of a deserted street during a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease in the holy city of Makkah. AFP
The clock tower is lit up with the phrase "Home Heroes" during a curfew. Reuters
The clock tower is lit up with the phrase "Home Heroes" during a curfew. Reuters
A view of a deserted street during a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease in the holy city of Makkah. Reuters
A view of a deserted street during a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease in the holy city of Makkah. Reuters
The deserted old town of Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coastal city of Jeddah. AFP
The deserted old town of Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coastal city of Jeddah. AFP
A view of a deserted street during a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease in the holy city of Makkah. Reuters
A view of a deserted street during a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease in the holy city of Makkah. Reuters
The announcement comes amid uncertainty over the hajj which is due to take place at the end of July, after authorities this week urged Muslims to temporarily defer preparations for the annual pilgrimage. AFP
The announcement comes amid uncertainty over the hajj which is due to take place at the end of July, after authorities this week urged Muslims to temporarily defer preparations for the annual pilgrimage. AFP
The measures bar people from entering and exiting the capital as well as Jeddah, Mecca and Medina and prohibiting movement between all provinces to stem the spread of coronavirus with the number of deaths from the disease rising to 21. AFP
The measures bar people from entering and exiting the capital as well as Jeddah, Mecca and Medina and prohibiting movement between all provinces to stem the spread of coronavirus with the number of deaths from the disease rising to 21. AFP
Pigeons fly around closed shops in the old town of Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coastal city of Jeddah on April 2, 2020. AFP
Pigeons fly around closed shops in the old town of Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coastal city of Jeddah on April 2, 2020. AFP
A vegetable seller wearing a protective face mask sells fruits and vegetables at a market before markets close, to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease, in Riyadh. Reuters
A vegetable seller wearing a protective face mask sells fruits and vegetables at a market before markets close, to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease, in Riyadh. Reuters
Branded oil tanks at Saudi Aramco oil facility in Abqaiq, Saudi Arabia. Reuters
Branded oil tanks at Saudi Aramco oil facility in Abqaiq, Saudi Arabia. Reuters

Saudi government to cover 60 per cent of salaries amid coronavirus

The latest 9 billion riyal package seeks to limit the number of workers laid off due to the outbreak

James Haines-Young
James Haines-Young

April 03, 2020

  • English
  • Arabic

The Saudi government will cover 60 per cent of the salaries of private-sector workers in industries hit by the coronavirus pandemic, King Salman announced on Friday.

The move is the latest major economic package in the kingdom to help cushion the financial impact of the virus as the number of cases hit 1,885 with 21 deaths.

The state-run Saudi Press Agency announced that companies forced to consider lay-offs due to the virus could now apply to the government to cover 60 per cent of the salaries of workers for the next three months up to 9,000 Saudi riyal per month (Dh 8,787).

The total economic package is valued at over 9 billion riyal.

Coronavirus in the Middle East

Palestinian artist Rana al-Ramlawi works on a sand sculpture in front of her home in Gaza City during the novel coronavirus pandemic crisis. AFP
Palestinian artist Rana al-Ramlawi works on a sand sculpture in front of her home in Gaza City during the novel coronavirus pandemic crisis. AFP
Boys sell cotton candy an hour ahead of the curfew imposed by the government as prevention measures due to the coronavirus outbreak, in Cairo, Egypt. AP Photo
Boys sell cotton candy an hour ahead of the curfew imposed by the government as prevention measures due to the coronavirus outbreak, in Cairo, Egypt. AP Photo
A woman displays her mask as Filipinos who availed general amnesty granted by the Kuwaiti government gather at the Kuwait International Airport Terminal on their home to Manila amid the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic crisis. For systematic documentations, illegal ex-pats from the Philippines, Egypt, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and other countries were at first, requested to submit themselves at a school compound in Farwaniya arranged according to nationalities. AFP
A woman displays her mask as Filipinos who availed general amnesty granted by the Kuwaiti government gather at the Kuwait International Airport Terminal on their home to Manila amid the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic crisis. For systematic documentations, illegal ex-pats from the Philippines, Egypt, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and other countries were at first, requested to submit themselves at a school compound in Farwaniya arranged according to nationalities. AFP
An Iraqi man wearing a protective face mask and gloves gives a bottle of water to a homeless man, who sits in front of a closed shop during a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Basra, Iraq. REUTERS
An Iraqi man wearing a protective face mask and gloves gives a bottle of water to a homeless man, who sits in front of a closed shop during a curfew imposed to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Basra, Iraq. REUTERS
People walk or ride bicycles over a bridge, during the novel coronavirus pandemic crisis, in the Emirati city of Dubai. AFP
People walk or ride bicycles over a bridge, during the novel coronavirus pandemic crisis, in the Emirati city of Dubai. AFP
An Iraqi public hospital specialised doctor checks a woman's temperature for COVID-19 in the capital Baghdad's suburb of Sadr City, as part of actions taken by the authorities against the spread of the novel coronavirus. The process of examining citizens at their residences in Baghdad's eastern districts was launched in order to detect infection with the virus in the area where many cases were found to isolate patients and take them for treatment in public hospitals to limit the spread of the pandemic. AFP
An Iraqi public hospital specialised doctor checks a woman's temperature for COVID-19 in the capital Baghdad's suburb of Sadr City, as part of actions taken by the authorities against the spread of the novel coronavirus. The process of examining citizens at their residences in Baghdad's eastern districts was launched in order to detect infection with the virus in the area where many cases were found to isolate patients and take them for treatment in public hospitals to limit the spread of the pandemic. AFP
A woman covering her face walks past a poster depicting late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in Shatila Palestinian refugee camp, as the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, in Beirut suburbs, Lebanon. REUTERS
A woman covering her face walks past a poster depicting late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in Shatila Palestinian refugee camp, as the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, in Beirut suburbs, Lebanon. REUTERS
Libyans wearing protective face masks queue in front of a bank in the centre of the capital Tripoli, amidst the novel coronavirus pandemic crisis. AFP
Libyans wearing protective face masks queue in front of a bank in the centre of the capital Tripoli, amidst the novel coronavirus pandemic crisis. AFP
A fully veiled Syrian woman sews protective masks against the coronavirus COVID-19 at a workshop belonging to the humanitarian organisation Voluntary Relief Association, in the rebel-held town of Binnish in Syria's northwestern Idlib province. Fears are high that the virus could spread rapidly among the war-battered country's most vulnerable communities. The violence-plagued northwest, where around a million people have been displaced by conflict since December alone, is particularly vulnerable. AFP
A fully veiled Syrian woman sews protective masks against the coronavirus COVID-19 at a workshop belonging to the humanitarian organisation Voluntary Relief Association, in the rebel-held town of Binnish in Syria's northwestern Idlib province. Fears are high that the virus could spread rapidly among the war-battered country's most vulnerable communities. The violence-plagued northwest, where around a million people have been displaced by conflict since December alone, is particularly vulnerable. AFP
Empty chairs and tables are seen in a closed shop as a man walks towards a near-empty ferry pier in Istanbul, Turkey. Turkey has confirmed 168 deaths and 11,535 positive cases of the coronavirus, officials continue to implement steps to contain the spread of the virus including a ban on all intercity bus travel, all Internationals flights have been stopped and recreational activities such as fishing, jogging and barbecuing have been suspended in a bid to stop the spread of the virus. Getty Images
Empty chairs and tables are seen in a closed shop as a man walks towards a near-empty ferry pier in Istanbul, Turkey. Turkey has confirmed 168 deaths and 11,535 positive cases of the coronavirus, officials continue to implement steps to contain the spread of the virus including a ban on all intercity bus travel, all Internationals flights have been stopped and recreational activities such as fishing, jogging and barbecuing have been suspended in a bid to stop the spread of the virus. Getty Images
A woman wears a protective face mask and gloves, amid fear of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), as she sells the masks in Tajrish square in Tehran, Iran. REUTERS
A woman wears a protective face mask and gloves, amid fear of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), as she sells the masks in Tajrish square in Tehran, Iran. REUTERS

Finance Minister Mohammed Al Jadaan thanked King Salman and called on private sector companies to protect workers but also find ways to avoid firing people during the outbreak.

He said the new assistance package will be managed through Sanad, the national unemployment assistance system.

Mr Al Jadaan said that 1.2 million Saudis would be covered by the new measure and a committee under the financial authorities would assess the support and monitor the measure in case it needed to be extended beyond the three-month window.

Read More

Coronavirus latest updates 

Coronavirus: Saudi Arabia puts Makkah and Madinah under 24-hour curfew

The cover will begin in April with the first payments sent to companies on May 3, the minister said.

The government has already announced a package of measures to help companies hit by restrictions brought in to combat the spread of Covid-19.

The 70 billion riyal package exempted them from some taxes and fees and the SPA also highlighted a further 50 billion riyal support package to banks and financial institutions to aid small and medium enterprises.

The move comes after the government extended curfews in several areas on Thursday.

The holy cities of Makkah and Madinah are now under 24-hour curfew – up from 15 hours a day before. In Dammam and the governorates of Taif and Al Qatif, the curfew has been brought forward by four hours to combat the spread of coronavirus.

From Friday, the curfews will begin at 3pm instead of 7pm and end at 6am.

The port of Dammam, on the Gulf, is a main entry point for supplies for the oil industry centred in the eastern region and for the rest of the kingdom.

Riyadh and Jeddah have already been sealed off by authorities, barring people from entering and exiting the cities as well as prohibiting movement between all provinces.

Cars in the cities may only carry one passenger to limit transmission of the virus.

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
'Panga'

Directed by Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari

Starring Kangana Ranaut, Richa Chadha, Jassie Gill, Yagya Bhasin, Neena Gupta

Rating: 3.5/5

While you're here
About Karol Nawrocki

• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.

• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.

• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.

• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.

Brief scoreline

Switzerland 0

England 0

Result: England win 6-5 on penalties

Man of the Match: Trent Alexander-Arnold (England)

TCL INFO

Teams:
Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq
Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi
Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag
Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC
Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC
Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan

Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes
Timeline October 25: Around 120 players to be entered into a draft, to be held in Dubai; December 21: Matches start; December 24: Finals

Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
You might also like
War on waste
ESSENTIALS

The flights

Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.

The hotels

Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.

The tours

A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages. 

While you're here
All%20The%20Light%20We%20Cannot%20See%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreator%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESteven%20Knight%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EMark%20Ruffalo%2C%20Hugh%20Laurie%2C%20Aria%20Mia%20Loberti%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E1%2F5%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Gothia Cup 2025

4,872 matches 

1,942 teams

116 pitches

76 nations

26 UAE teams

15 Lebanese teams

2 Kuwaiti teams

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More on this story
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
On Women's Day
GCC

Most popular today

1

After decades of acclaim, Brad Pitt finally has his blockbuster – and Abu Dhabi helped make it happen

2

Sharjah road closures in place for two months due to Etihad Rail work

3

Dubai launches scheme to help first-time investors buy properties valued up to Dh5m

4

Dubai's new first-time home buyer scheme to benefit existing residents amid foreign investor surge

5

My Riyadh Salary: ‘I took on a $10,000-a-month job as my savings are locked in Lebanon’

6

Inside UAE’s most expensive school, from Dh200,000 fees to esports classrooms

7

Iker Casillas on Cristiano Ronaldo, the rise of Middle East football and the future of sport

8

Nothing Phone (3): UAE release date, price and everything else you need to know

9

As Dubai cracks down on illegal partitions and subletting, here's what you should know

10

Cartoon for July 4, 2025