Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud seen attending the inauguration of the Haramain Railway connecting Mecca and Medina with the Red Sea coastal city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia September 25, 2018. Bandar Algaloud / Courtesy of Saudi Royal Court
Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud seen attending the inauguration of the Haramain Railway connecting Mecca and Medina with the Red Sea coastal city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia September 25,Show more

King Salman calls for curbing of Iran's influence



King Salman bin Abdulaziz, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, has called on the international community to stop Iran’s policy of sowing “chaos and destruction” abroad.

During his annual address to the Shura Council, Saudi Arabia’s formal advisory body, King Salman addressed several topics including the Kingdom’s foreign policy and vision for regional security.

He reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s commitment to fighting terrorism in the region and investing in the future of the Arab world.

“The Kingdom will continue to confront extremism and terrorism, and will lead the push to create more investment opportunities in the region,” King Salman said.

Palestine was the first foreign country he mentioned, with the King saying that the Palestinian cause will remain Saudi Arabia’s “first issue”.

He called on the international community to counter Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programme, and reiterated Saudi Arabia's support for UN efforts to end the war in Yemen.

“The Iranian regime has consistently intervened in the affairs of other states and sponsored terrorism, sowing chaos and destruction in many countries,” he said.

King Salman described the efforts of Saudi soldiers in Yemen as a foremost example of “sacrifice and courage”, saying that they are fighting for the future of the region.

The King made no mention of the recent murder by of dissident writer Saudi Jamal Khashoggi by officials in the Kingdom's Istanbul consulate but said he fully supports the country's judiciary.

“The Kingdom was founded on an Islamic approach based on the establishment of justice, and we cherish the efforts of the lawyers and the public prosecutors in carrying out their entrusted tasks, and affirm that this country will not be derailed from the application of God's laws,” he said.

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Read more:

Saudi Ambassador to the US disputes Washington Post account of Khashoggi murder

Arab Coalition throws its weight behind Yemen peace talks

UAE, Saudi, UK and US establish committee to address Yemen war

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Turning to regional developments, King Salman commended efforts by Iraq to foment closer ties to Saudi Arabia and that “he looks forward to strengthening that cooperation”.

Time spent speaking about peace and stability abroad was matched by discussion of the country's reform project, Saudi 2030.

Speaking to a packed hall in Riyadh, where the audience included Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Foreign Minister Adel Al Jubeir, the King emphasised his support for the private sector in creating jobs for citizens.

King Salman said he was putting Saudi citizens first and will look to advance the position of both youth and women in the coming year.

“The Saudi citizen is the main engine of development and its effective tool, and the youth and young women of this country are the mainstay of achievement and hope of the future, as Saudi women are a full-fledged partner in accordance with our tolerant law,” he said.

He has advised the president of the Economic Council, his son Crown Prince Mohammed, to focus on creating new jobs for the coming generation of Saudi citizens.

He ended by saying Saudi Arabia will continue to develop its oil economy based on their role of using the natural resource to promote international co-operation. He said that he will use international bodies to maintain the stability of oil markets.

10 tips for entry-level job seekers
  • Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
  • Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
  • Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
  • For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
  • Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
  • Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
  • Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
  • Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
  • Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
  • Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.

Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz

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Director: Jon M Chu
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Rating: 4/5
If you go

The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Nairobi, with fares starting from Dh1,695. The resort can be reached from Nairobi via a 35-minute flight from Wilson Airport or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, or by road, which takes at least three hours.

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Rooms at Fairmont Mount Kenya range from Dh1,870 per night for a deluxe room to Dh11,000 per night for the William Holden Cottage.

THE LIGHT

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Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger

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Electric scooters: some rules to remember
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MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League quarter-final (first-leg score):

Juventus (1) v Ajax (1), Tuesday, 11pm UAE

Match will be shown on BeIN Sports

'Worse than a prison sentence'

Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.

“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.

“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.

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Directed by: Anthony Mandler

Starring: Kelvin Harrison Jr., John David Washington 

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