Latest news with #752
Saudi Gazette
7 days ago
- Business
- Saudi Gazette
SAMA: Over 228 million POS transactions worth SR13.6 billion recorded in a week
Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — The number of point-of-sale (POS) transactions in Saudi Arabia during the period from August 3 to 9 reached 228,521,000 with a total value of SR13,680,152,000, compared to SR15,606,245,000 in the previous week. It was revealed in the weekly bulletin released by the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) on points of sale. According to the bulletin, the number of transactions in the transportation sector accounted for 5,819,000 with a value of SR1,037,310,000. The transactions in the health sector amounted to 9,862,000 with a value of SR881,566,000 while in restaurants and cafes sector there were 56,962,000 transactions with a value of SR1,752,504,000, and in baked goods and sweets sector, there were 4,928,000 transactions with a value of SR221,732,000. In hotel sector, there were 989,000 transactions with a value of SR349,972,000, while in food and beverages sector, there were 51,976,000 transactions with a value of SR1,927,744,000, and in clothing and accessories sector, there were 8,378,000 transactions with a value of SR998,901,000, and in culture and entertainment sector, there were 3,663,000 transactions worth SR345,581,000. The number of transactions in professional and commercial services reached 15,083,000 with a value of SR1,035,612,000, while in electronic and electrical appliances, there were 1,641,000 transactions with a value of SR174,837,000, and in furniture and household supplies, there were 2,608,000 transactions with a value of SR489,296,000. In building and construction materials sector, there were 2,447,000 transactions, with a value of SR409,450,000 while in jewelry sector, there were 293,000 transactions, with a value of SR315,067,000, and in communications sector, there were 3,458,000 transactions with a value of SR149,926,000. In education sector, there were 161,000 transactions with a value of SR251,786,000. The public benefits and services sector recorded 700,000 transactions worth SR47,374,000, while in fuel stations, there were 17,226,000 transactions worth SR993,775,000. In laundry services there were 2,914,000 transactions worth SR52,588,000, while the number of other transactions amounted to 39,414,000 worth SR2,245,133,000. At the level of the Kingdom's cities, the number of weekly point-of-sale transactions in Riyadh reached 71,884,000 with a value of SR4,582,144,000, and the number of POS transactions in Makkah reached 9,270,000 with a value of SR578,049,000, while the number of POS transactions in Madinah reached SR9,197,000 with a value of SR545,698,000. The number of POS transactions in Tabuk reached 4,488,000 with a value of SR234,223,000; the number of POS transactions in Hail reached 3,985,000 with a value of SR213,074,000; the number of POS transactions in Abha reached 5,130,000 with a value of SR285,038,000, and the number of POS transactions in Buraidah reached 4,982,000 with a value of SR320,796,000. The number of point of sale transactions in Al-Khobar reached 4,399,000 with a value of SR362,230,000, and the number of POS transactions in Dammam reached 8,579,000 with a value of SR634,676,000. The number of point of sale transactions in Jeddah reached 26,498,000 with a value of SR19,089,220, and the number of POS transactions in other cities reached 20,990,000 with a value of SR878,067,000, the SAMA report pointed out.
IOL News
06-08-2025
- Business
- IOL News
NSFAS under legal review: enhancing student accommodation management and third-party partnerships
South Africa is experiencing a surge in demand for built student accommodation, with a significant shortfall of over 500 000 beds needing to be addressed in the sector. Image: Paballo Thekiso The National Student Financial Aid Scheme's student accommodation management processes and the involvement of third-party partners are currently under a comprehensive legal review. The student financier said it is currently awaiting the outcome of this review and will implement the recommendations to enhance transparency, integrity, and efficiency in its payment processes. 'NSFAS remains dedicated to supporting students and ensuring the timely and accurate disbursement of funds. We appreciate the cooperation of all stakeholders and remain committed to resolving these matters swiftly.' In a statement intended to provide clarity on the current status of payments related to student accommodation, NSFAS said it wished to reaffirm that payments for accommodation are made exclusively for claims that have undergone and satisfied all validation and verification procedures. It said the non-payment may result from claims involving students who are not funded, claims lacking confirmation from relevant institutions, or cases where registration data was not received before the payment deadline. 'NSFAS remains committed to safeguarding students from adverse outcomes, including eviction and safety risks, and continues to collaborate closely with institutions to resolve these issues swiftly and effectively.' The entity said, "It does not confirm owing R62 million in arrears from January 2024 to July 2025." "The Private Housing Student Association (PHSA) is an association representing landlords. NSFAS directly processes payments to individual landlords and does not make payments to associations. Furthermore, PHSA has not furnished a detailed breakdown of the claims they allege to be outstanding.' Last month, Kagisho Mamabolo, the CEO of PHSA, said thousands of students continued to face uncertainty due to delayed NSFAS accommodation payments and the absence of a sustainable student housing funding model. 'Many private accommodation providers-who account for the majority of available beds-are at financial risk, compromising stability and continuity of services,' Mamabolo said then. The Association said inconsistencies in accreditation frameworks, misaligned university policies, and punitive 5% NSFAS levies imposed by third-party intermediaries have created confusion and additional costs for both students and housing providers. According to NSFAS, a total of R744,406,752 was paid to landlords during the April period in an effort to settle outstanding claims and reduce arrears. NSFAS said it affirms that it has not exhausted its funding for paying landlords. It said payments are made strictly based on validated claims for students who are funded. It said delays in payments can occur due to several factors, including: Students residing in accredited properties but not yet funded Students onboarded at institutions not participating in the pilot program Invoice discrepancies or errors Students qualifying for transport allowances but residing in accredited accommodation Properties are inaccurately accredited with high grades despite not meeting minimum norms and standards Challenges related to the registration data upload portal, which was temporarily closed due to funding constraints. This has resulted in some students facing eviction, as landlords deny re-entry owing to unpaid dues. NSFAS said that it, along with partner institutions, is actively engaging to communicate and address these issues, which have caused hardship for affected students. Independent Media Property
New Straits Times
25-06-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
MMEA seizes 178 foreign fishing vessels over past three years
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) has seized a total of 178 foreign fishing vessels over the past three years, with 109 of them already disposed of. MMEA director-general Datuk Mohd Rosli Abdullah said Vietnamese vessels accounted for the highest number of seizures, with 84 boats, followed by Indonesia (61), Thailand (30) and China (three). He said the 109 vessels that were disposed of had a combined estimated value of RM1.83 million. "Vietnamese vessels made up the majority of those disposed of, totalling 97, followed by 11 from Indonesia and one from Thailand. "From 2023 to 2025, the MMEA recorded proceeds from auction sales amounting to RM3,752,330.50, while compounds and fines totalled RM84,141,077.80," he said.
TimesLIVE
12-06-2025
- Automotive
- TimesLIVE
Tesla robotaxi rollout in Austin tests Musk's vision of self-driving future
Tesla did not respond to requests for comment. Tesla advertisements for 'teleoperation' positions say the company needs the ability to 'access and control' autonomous vehicles and humanoid robots remotely, adding that such employees can 'remotely perform complex and intricate tasks'. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration enquired last month about many of the unanswered questions surrounding the Austin rollout. The agency, which is investigating Tesla's FSD driver-assistance feature after a fatal crash in 2023, sent a detailed request seeking information about safety features, Tesla's timetable for expansion, where exactly it will be operating the vehicles and how it is preparing for accidents and emergency scenarios. The responses are due next week. A person familiar with NHTSA's operations said the agency sent the letter because it already has concerns about Tesla's FSD technology, which it sells to customers for $99 (R1,752) a month, and it fears Tesla's Austin rollout may not be safe. The Texas attorney-general is considering a Reuters request for communications between Tesla and city officials in Austin over the past two years, which Tesla has opposed over trade secrets concerns. Austin's department of transportation and public works declined to discuss Tesla's operations. A person familiar with Austin's autonomous-vehicle policies said the city has been meeting regularly with Tesla since December and that the company has shared some deployment plans with the city. Safety experts say there has been a dearth of information about Tesla's technology. Phil Koopman, a Carnegie Mellon University engineering professor and autonomous-vehicle safety expert, said Musk's statements 'leave room for ambiguity' about its plans in Austin and the sophistication of its robotaxi technology. 'When you start to pin it down, it's like jello,' he said. He questioned whether Tesla would be ready for a rapid nationwide rollout soon. 'Having 10 cars on the road and not having a crash,' Koopman said, 'is sort of table stakes for this game.'
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
It's Your Call for May 29
Useless spending I see the city is coming up and spending more money for an aquatic center indoors. I don't know how they spend our money. I wish Donald Trump would come here and fire everyone on the school board and everyone in the city hall. And if the Police Department doesn't step up, they need to be gone, too. Maybe then they'll get somebody in there to watch them spending our money on useless things like Krug Park Bowl, a drug hangout. So, why don't St. Joe wake up and quit spending our money on useless stuff? Catch the speeders I was wondering why the speeders can't be caught in St. Joe. They have closed 752, so there is plenty of traffic going down 22nd St. The big dirt hauling trucks are going anywhere from 50 to 60 miles an hour and using their Jake Brake to stop. Just my opinion I'd like to make a few comments. First of all, they're wanting to raise the sewer rates, and the rates now are impossible for people to afford. I'm just saying it's ridiculous, period. Also, they're wanting to build new schools to bring in people, but St. Joe has high utilities, high crime. The city and MoDOT don't take care of the highways or the streets. This city looks like crap. Why would anybody want to come here and live when everything is so high, crime is bad and nobody cares? Sorry, that's just my opinion. How they voted I urge the editor to publish how our local representative Josh Hawley, Sam Graves and others vote on Trump's beautiful bill. Editor's note: As of May 28, the Senate has not voted on the bill. Local House Rep. Sam Graves voted 'yea.'
