The Saudi Crown Prince is likely to visit the country on November 14 while on his way to the G20 summit in Bali (Indonesia), reports quoting sources said.
He is visiting India on Modi's invitation, they added. It would be a day-long visit.
Earlier, Saudi Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman had visited India last week, which had coincided with the OPEC+ taking a decision to cut oil production.
The General Directorate of Passports said that the list of countries comprised Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, India, Yemen, Somalia, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Libya, Indonesia, Vietnam, Armenia, Belarus, and Venezuela, The Express Tribune reported.
The Directorate emphasised that the validity of the passport of Saudis who intend to travel to non-Arab countries must be more than six months.
Further, the Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia has assured the public that there were no monkeypox cases detected in the country so far.
Abdullah Asiri, Deputy Minister of Health, has said that the Kingdom has the capability to monitor and discover any suspected monkeypox cases and also to fight against the infection if any new case emerges, The Express Tribune reported.
"Until now, cases of transmission between humans are very limited, and therefore the possibility of any outbreaks occurring from it, even in countries that have detected cases, are very low," he added.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization said it expects to identify more cases of monkeypox as it expands surveillance in countries where the disease is not typically found.
They include around 50 per cent women with 22,636 going via Haj Group Organisers and the remaining 56,601 through the Haj Committee of India, from among 83,140 applications including 72,170 online, said Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi.
More than 1,800 Muslim women will go for Haj 2022 without "Mehram" (male companion), and without the lottery system, he added.
Naqvi was inaugurating a two-day training camp for 400 aKhadim-ul-Hujjaj' including 12 women, who will assist the Indian Haj pilgrims in Makkah-Madina with processes related to Haj, accommodation, transport, health and safety.
They will be trained by officials from HCI, BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation, Disaster Management agencies, doctors, airlines, customs and immigration professionals.
The Minister said that Haj is taking place with significant reforms giving utmost priority to health and well-being of the Haj pilgrims and all processes have been chalked out jointly by the governments of India and Saudi Arabia based on criteria like age, health, etc.
"We are making all out efforts to ensure there is no additional financial burden on the pilgrims as they will perform the Haj without any subsidy. Process is going on to take accommodation, transportation and other necessary facilities in Saudi Arabia at affordable prices," Naqvi said.
The selection process of Haj pilgrims was in accordance with the COVID vaccination protocols and other norms decided by the two governments, he said.
Uttar Pradesh leads with a total of 8,701 pilgrims, followed by West Bengal (5,911), Jammu & Kashmir (5,281), Kerala (5,274), Maharashtra (4,874), Assam (3,544), Karnataka (2,764), Gujarat (2,533), Bihar (2,210), Rajasthan (2,072), Telangana (1,822), Madhya Pradesh (1,780), Jharkhand (1,559), Tamil Nadu (1,498), Andhra Pradesh (1,201).
Besides, there will be Haj pilgrims from Delhi (835), Haryana (617), Uttarakhand (485), Odisha (466), Chhattisgarh (431), Manipur (335), Punjab (218), Ladakh (216), Lakshadweep Isles (159), Andaman & Nicobar Islands (114), Tripura (108), Goa (67), Puducherry (52), Himachal Pradesh (38), Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu (34), and Chandigarh 25.
Naqvi said the government has arranged 10 flight embarkation points for Haj 2022 pilgrims going through HCI - Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Cochin, Delhi, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai and Srinagar.
Ahmedabad will cover entire Gujarat, Bengaluru (Karnataka and Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh), Cochin (Kerala, Lakshadweep, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and Andaman & Nicobar Isles), Delhi (Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, western districts of Uttar Pradesh), and Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh except western parts).
Guwahati embarkation point will cover (Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Nagaland), Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh and Telangana), Kolkata (West Bengal, Odisha, Tripura, Jharkhand and Bihar), Mumbai (Maharashtra, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli), and Srinagar (Jammu-Kashmir, Leh-Ladakh-Kargil).
The entire Haj 2022 process was digital/online and has been extremely beneficial to ensure health and well-being of the people besides transparent, accessible, affordable and convenient Haj pilgrimage, Naqvi pointed out.
All Haj pilgrims shall get a Digital Health Card, "E-MASIHA" health facility and "E-luggage pre-tagging", providing all information regarding accommodation/transportation in Makkah-Madinah.
Subhakant, son of Prahallad Pradhan of Lathipada Nuasahi in Nayagarh district, had gone to Saudi Arabia in search of work in September last year. While working there, he fell ill due to the harassment meted out to him by his co-workers.
“He wanted to return home but was not allowed to leave the company. Unable to cope with the mounting tension and ill health, he committed suicide on January 12,” said deceased’s cousin Pradipta Nayak.
To get his body back, Subhakant’s family members ran from pillar to post. They approached many officials, from the district labour officer (DLO) to various people’s representatives, but to no avail.
Meanwhile, the family members observed the death rituals. Even after that, they kept meeting officials, hoping to get some help to bring the body back.
Finally, they saw a ray of hope when they contacted BJP National Vice President Baijayant Jay Panda. Extending his full support to the bereaved family, Panda contacted the Indian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, seeking best possible help on their part.
Panda’s initiative paid off when finally Subhakant’s body was flown from Saudi Arabia back to India. It reached Kolkata airport on Monday and subsequently handed over to the family members.
The family members brought the body to the village on Tuesday morning where people turned up in large numbers get the last glimpse of their lad.
“Had it not for Baijayant Jay Panda’s intervention and help, it would not have been possible for us to see Subhakant’s face for one last time,” said Prahallad Pradhan, Subhakant’s father.
The mortal remains of Subhakant were consigned to flame at the village cremation ground later in the day.
Pakistan has accepted tough conditions for loan repayment: it would have no rollover option and will have to repay the $3 billion loan one year after the date of deposit with a caveat that Pakistan would be bound to return it any time at a 72-hour notice.
The damaging pre-condition of Saudi Arabia's loan, according to Pakistani experts, is that "in case of a dispute, Saudi law will be applicable. Pakistan has surrendered its sovereign claim of immunity from suit, execution, attachment or other legal processes in relation to the $3 billion cash deposit agreement."
Experts are also questioning the high interest rate being charged by Saudi Arabia, unlike previous loans which were almost interest free.
The higher interest rate will reportedly cost Pakistan $24 billion more compared to what the country paid in 2018 when Saudi Arabia had given a $6.2 billion loan to Pakistan
"Pakistan calls Saudi Arabia its brother but Saudi Arabia's preconditions to Pakistan on the $4.2 bn loan, only signifies that Pakistan has no credibility left and stands isolated diplomatically and economically, on the brink of collapse," says Azim M Mian, a Pakistani financial expert.
Under the agreement Pakistan will repay $3 billion to Saudi Arabia no later than one year from the date of the deposit. Saudi Arabia can also demand the immediate return of the money in case of a sovereign default by Pakistan.
According to a report by Express Tribune, the failure by Pakistan to comply with any provision of the cash deposit agreement will lead to a default. Also, Pakistan's failure to service the public external debt of over $100 million will be deemed as a default.
The Pakistani Finance Ministry, in its statement justified that every memorandum of understanding (MOU) contains dispute resolution provisions. "It does not mean that the country's sovereignty has been compromised."
Saudi Arabia announced the $4.2 billion package for Pakistan in October after Prime Minister Imran Khan and his team visited Riyadh and met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman.
Saudi Arabia had ended its loan and oil supply to Pakistan due to Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi's criticism that the Saudi-led Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) was not doing enough to pressure India on the Kashmir issue. Pakistan had to borrow from China to repay the loan back to Saudi Arabia.
"We targeted the King Khalid Air Base in Riyadh city with four drones, hitting military targets at the King Abdullah International Airport and Aramco oil refineries in Jeddah city with four drones, striking a military target in Abha International Airport in Abha city with a drone, targeting other military sites in the cities of Jazan, Najran and Abha with five drones," Houthi military spokesman Yehya Sarea said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya TV reported that the coalition intercepted an explosive-laden drone launched by the Houthis from Sanaa International Airport in Yemen toward Saudi Arabia, and "it is dealing with other Houthi threats", reports Xinhua news agency.
The Iran-backed Houthi militia has recently intensified cross-border missile and drone attacks.
In February, the rebel group began a major offensive against the Saudi-backed government army to capture the oil-rich province of Marib.
Indian students, parents, academicians and educationists will work under the embassy's supervision.
India's Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Ausaf Sayeed, said the education forum is one of the initiatives to be launched to mark India's 75th Independence Day. This year's August 15 also marks the 75th anniversary of bilateral relations between India and Saudi Arabia.
Addressing a community meeting at the International Indian School in Al Jubail, Sayeed said the embassy is working to set up a NEET-UG 2021 examination centre in Saudi Arabia to cater to the academic needs of Indian students.
"The process has been initiated and is under review by the Indian Ministry of Education," he said.
In response to a question on opportunities for higher education for Indian students after their 12th grade, the envoy said that about 400 students can avail sponsorship programmes at Saudi universities.
However, due to lack of awareness among the Indian diaspora, the enrollment rate is less. The embassy has taken steps to create awareness and promote education of the highest standards for Indians residing in the Kingdom, he added.
Saudi Arabia is welcoming the Indian universities to start their campuses there. At present, the dialogues are going on between IIT Delhi and Saudi authorities, he said.
Sayeed also assured that the embassy is trying to bring back Indians to Saudi Arabia, who were stranded in India after the lockdown.
"We have received positive response from the competent authorities," he said, adding that through the Vande Bharat Mission flights, the embassy has helped over 6 lakh Indians to return to their home country during the Covid-19 lockdown.
He also clarified that Indian vaccination certificates are not required to be attested from India for registering with the Tawakkalna app, the saudi government's mobile app to track Covid-19 in real-time and control its spread.
The ambassador urged social activists and entrepreneurs to come forward and support the parents who are unable to pay their wards' tuition fees due to financial constraints.
He also offered to help the Indian business community registered with the Ministry of Investment (previously known as Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority or SAGIA).
For concerns over the Covid-19 pandemic, only the vaccinated and the recovered will be provided with permissions, Xinhua news agency quoted the Ministry of Haj and Umrah as saying in the announcement.
The Deputy Minister of Haj and Umrah, Abdulfattah bin Sulaiman Mashat said the authorities determine the countries from which Umrah performers come, and their numbers on a periodic basis according to the classification of preventive measures.
He called upon the performers to adhere to organisational plans and health procedures set by the Ministry.
On November 1, 2020, Saudi Arabia received foreign pilgrims under tight precautionary measures to perform Umrah for the first time since the outbreak of the pandemic early last year.
In a letter to Javed on Tuesday, Panda urged the diplomat to take appropriate action to bring back the mortal remains of the Odia labourer, identified as Narendra Palai, a resident of Gopinathprasad village under Ayatapur panchayat of Khurda district.
According to sources, as repeated requests by Palai’s wife to the Kendrapara district administration and local representatives failed to yield any results, the Odia labourer’s family members requested Panda to intervene.
Palai, who was working as a plumber in Saudi Arabia, died after being hit by an unidentified vehicle while returning home from work, sources added.
After returning home Hussein said that instead of terror links he was questioned over few of his monetary transactions with Saudi Arabia. The NIA released him after he answered their questions, added Hussein.
"They asked about my monetary transactions with Saudi Arabia and I had made it clear that I had asked for some money from my friends and relatives. I am also still not clear why they had taken me. After interrogation they gave me a clean chit and asked me to return home and took responsibility of returning the materials seized from my house," said Hussein.
Hussein’s family heaved a sigh of relief after his return. "I am happy that my husband returned home as an innocent person after getting a clean chit from the NIA," said Hussein's wife Ashrafunnisa.
Hussein, a resident of Samantarapur under Kissan Nagar police limits of Cuttack, had been detained by the NIA earlier on November 29, after a raid at his residence.
He was released later on that day after a marathon interrogation over alleged links with a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative who was nabbed from Lucknow.
The next day, the NIA issued a notice to Hussein asking him to depose on December 4 at its headquarters in Delhi.
https://youtu.be/rwagAfkKcj8
The deceased, identified as Sudarshan Pradhan of Bainchua under Tangi police limits of Cuttack district, had left Gujarat on February 20, 2017 and was working at a batching plant in a private company in Saudi Arabia. But he died under mysterious circumstances on September 1.
As body of Sudarshan did not reach the village even after a week of his death, a villager Jagatjiban Behera tweeted Sushma Swaraj about this matter. Acting on the tweet the minister instructed her office to take appropriate action following which the ministry has asked the family of Sudarshan to submit all required documents.
Similarly, Kendrapara MP Baijayant Panda has also written a letter to Indian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia seeking assistance to bring back the body.
As per the notification, the role of such recruiters who are sending people without necessary valid authorisation would now be penalised.
Senior police officials have been asked to take stringent action against several agents, recruitment agency or individuals, who are sending emigrants to Middle East, South East Asian Countries without approvals from the Proctor General of Emigrants, Government of India.
The directive of the Crime Branch is likely to act as a deterrent for those sending human resources without necessary authorizations from the State.
Also Read:Odia labourers trapped in Saudi Arabia: Indian Embassy in Riyadh ...
“Any person, who recruits any emigrants without any valid certificate issued by Competent Authority, will be liable for imprisonment for a term of two years and fine of Rs 2, 000,” said the notification.
It can be mentioned that there has been a steep rise in the number of cases of people from Odisha migrating outside the country in search of livelihood and are also subjected to torture at the hands of their employers.
Recently, 25 labourers including 12 from Ganjam district faced such harassment in Riyadh in Saudi Arabia.
After OTV had first telecast a report on the plight of the 25 persons trapped in Saudi Arabia on May 9, Odisha Government and the Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in a tweet had directed the Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia to facilitate for the return of the Odia labourers.
Responding to OTV, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh stated it is making full efforts but it will take time to resolve the issue of the Odia labourers as it is a case of premature repatriation.
Emb. has been making full efforts on this. It is case of premature repatriation before completion of contract. It will take time to resolve.
— India in SaudiArabia (@IndianEmbRiyadh) June 24, 2017
CM Naveen also once more expressed his concern for the Odia labourers and again requested the External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to take swift action on the matter.
Concerned about Odia labourers stuck in Saudi Arabia. Request MEA @SushmaSwaraj ji for expeditious action as appropriate in the matter.
— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) June 24, 2017
Earlier on May 9, soon after OTV reported on the issue, the External Affairs Minister had directed the Indian embassy in Saudi Arabia to facilitate the return of the workers. Naveen had also sought her intervention for the safe return of the Odia labourers. But neither Swaraj nor Patnaik could anything beyond these Twitter responses.
The 25 labourers are still struggling for existence in Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. Twelve of them are from Ganjam district in Odisha. They are jobless since three months and living without money even to buy food.
Reacting to OTV report, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had directed the Indian embassy in Saudi Arabia to facilitate the return of the workers. Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had also sought her intervention for the safe return of the Odia labourers.
But neither Swaraj nor Patnaik have not done anything beyond these twitter responses. The 25 labourers are still struggling for existence at Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. Twelve of these are from Ganjam district in Odisha. They are jobless since three months and living without money even to buy food.
The family members of the 12 labourers on May 11 met Additional District Magistrate (ADM) of Chhatrapur in Ganjam and sought his intervention for their early return to Odisha but that also did not yield any result.
Odisha Labour Department had written a letter to External Affairs Ministry on May 30 seeking their rescue.
Joint Secretary, Labour & ESI Department, Sudhakar Burgi said, "Protector General of India is in contact with Saudi Arabia where process to repatriate them is on. They had gone to work but had shifted to another company due to which they have some problems relating to Visa and Passport which is being taken care by the Indian Embassy."
More than 15 labourers from Telangana are also trapped with the 12 Odias and according to reports the Telangana Government is taking steps to rescue them. However, unless proactive and immediate steps are taken, these labourers will remain bonded for life.
According to sources, the administration has so far collected information on 12 labourers who were trapped and the district labour department has said that based on the information collected they will be rescued.
“After we received the complaints, we have collected information on 12 persons. As per reports, four are from Rangeilunda, three from Beguniapara and one each from Khallikote, Chhatrapur, Patrapur, Chikiti and Hinjilikatu,” said Shiv Narayan Sahu, District Labour Officer.
“We are also receiving more such complaints; hence after we conduct a comprehensive probe we will submit a report to the department and the collector. We will also request the Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia to rescue these persons” said Diptiranjan Mohanty, Assistant Labour Commissioner.
As per reports, these labourers from various blocks of Ganjam district went to Saudi Arabia five months back through an agent from Andhra Pradesh. Reportedly, they were engaged in Al Riyadh Construction Company. However, it is alleged that the company had not paid them for the past 2 months, and has seized their passports. The labourers are also being exploited and threatened, alleged kin.
Following OTV’s publication of the report, the External Affairs minister Sushma Swaraj asked the Indian Embassy in Riyadh to take action to rescue the workers.
Replying to the report tweeted by OTV, the External Affairs minister from her official twitter handle tagged the Indian Embassy in Riyadh, following which the embassy authorities confirmed on twitter, “Embassy cognizant of it and actively working towards their repatriation.”
Replying to the report tweeted by OTV, the External Affairs minister from her official twitter handle tagged the Indian Embassy in Riyadh, following which the embassy authorities confirmed on twitter, “Embassy cognizant of it and actively working towards their repatriation.”
In a series of reply to concerns raised on the micro-blogging site following the publication of the report, the embassy assured – “We are also vigorously pursuing this... Working on it and are confident to resolve the issue.”
On May 8, OTV’s report highlighted how kin of as many as 10 labourers who are allegedly trapped in Saudi Arabia, are being subjected to exploitation and even facing a threat to life have sought the intervention of the State Government and the Ganjam district administration to rescue them.
Also Read: ‘Exploited’ labourers’ kin cry for govt…
As per reports, 24 labourers from various blocks of Ganjam district went to Saudi Arabia five months back through an agent from Andhra Pradesh. Reportedly, they were engaged in Al Riyadh Construction Company. However, it is alleged that after getting 2 months’ pay, their passports were seized and they are being exploited and also have threat to life.
Family members of 10 labourers from Tambuda village under Mathasarsingh and S Sachina panchayats of Beguniapara block of Ganjam, sought government intervention for the safe return of their kin.
According to sources, 24 labourers from various blocks of Ganjam district went to Saudi Arabia five months back through an agent from Andhra Pradesh. Reportedly, they were engaged in Al Riyadh Construction Company. However, it is alleged that after getting 2 months’ pay, their passports were seized and they are being exploited and also threatened for life.
Family members of 10 labourers from Tambuda village under Mathasarsingh and S Sachina panchayats of Beguniapara block of Ganjam, terrified over their family members' ordeal, sought government intervention for their sons’ safe return.
“My son went abroad to take care after his family and parents. He left 4-5 months back. He is not being given food. The company has taken the passport due to which he cannot come back, said mother of one of the trapped labourers.
Meanwhile, the Begunia BDO informed that he will inform the Collector.
The regional Passport Office here in Bhubaneswar has also been brought under the purview of the probe to ascertain how the tourists were able to obtain their passports from the office despite all of them hailed from West Bengal, informed sources.
The missing tourists are from West Bengal and went to Saudi Arabia on a 45-day visa through a tour operator in Mumbai. However, after the tourists didn’t check in to the designated hotel after 3 days, the Kolkata tour operator informed its branch in Mumbai. Subsequently, the Mumbai branch informed the ATS about the missing persons.
“There are a lot of possibilities which have to be looked into here including terror links, engagement in some kind of employment there and also stay with their relatives. This is a very serious lapse and there should at least be a checklist before giving passports,” said retired Police DG, SN Tiwari.
They said the two-day visit of the Crown Prince that concluded on Wednesday has given tremendous structure to the strategic partnership, built on the solid foundation of the relationship and considerably broadened the relations.
The visit also saw a strong thrust to the Saudi investment and $100 billion has been earmarked for investment opportunities reflecting a strong confidence in India's growth story, according to the sources.
On the joint statement issued late Wednesday referring to the need for creating necessary conditions for resumption of dialogue between India and Pakistan, they said Saudi Arabia acknowledged that conditions have to be created for resumption of dialogue with Pakistan and displayed understanding of India's stand that terror and talks cannot go together.
They said there was recognition that Kashmir is a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan. There was also an acknowledgement of threats India is facing in terms of terror.
The joint statement issued also said that the Crown Prince appreciated consistent efforts made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi since May 2014, including his personal initiatives, to have friendly relations with Pakistan.
There was recognition that the Prime Minister had reached out to the western neighbour but acts of friendship were thwarted by acts of terror.
The sources said that Strategic Partnership Council, to be chaired by Prime Minister and the Crown Prince, would have two to three ministerial groups looking at specific areas such as defence and security, and economy, trade and investment.
The proposed joint naval exercise could take place in 2019 and could be later extended to Army and Air Force.
On Saudi investments in India, they said it would cover a wide area including infrastructure, refining, petrochemicals, engineering, minerals, tourism and manufacturing.
In all, 11 MoUs were signed in the meeting of business council which was attended by nearly 50 Saudi entities.
They said that security was identified as a major area of cooperation keeping in mind common threats faced by the two countries.
The statement said that the two sides agreed to constitute a "Comprehensive Security Dialogue" at the level of National Security Advisors and set up a Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism to enhance further cooperation in the counter-terrorism efforts and benefit mutually from real-time intelligence sharing.
It said that the two sides agreed to work together with other Indian Ocean Rim countries for enhancing maritime security.
The sources said that Saudi Arabia has also been sensitive to India's request on prices of crude and has also agreed to requests for release of prisoners and increasing the quota of Haj pilgrims.
It has been sensitive to the predicament of Indians stranded due to closure of a foreign company, they added.
The crackdown on corruption launched in 2017 saw hundreds of elite princes, ministers and businessmen held at the luxury Ritz-Carlton hotel in the Saudi capital. Many were detained for weeks in the upmarket hotel, but most were released after agreeing significant financial settlements.
According to a statement released by the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the corruption investigation concluded on Wednesday with the approval of King Salman bin Abdulaziz.
A royal court statement said the government had summoned 381 people, some as witnesses, under the campaign launched in November 2017. It said 87 people confessed to charges against them and reached secret settlements that included the forfeiture of real estate, companies, cash and other assets, according to SPA.
The public prosecutor refused to settle the cases of 56 individuals due to already existing criminal charges against them, the statement added.
The cases of eight people were referred to the public prosecutor after they refused to reach settlements.
During the probe, over 400 billion Saudi riyal ($107 billion) were recovered by the state "in the form of real estate, companies, cash and other assets".
The figure matched that announced a year ago by the Attorney General, who at the time said 56 suspects remained in custody.
Saudi's anti-graft sweep led by the Crown Prince was labelled by some critics as a shakedown and power grab, but authorities insisted the purge targeted endemic corruption.
The revelation led to Twitter stock dropping nearly 7 per cent on Monday.
In a statement, Twitter said it discovered the bug on November 15 and fixed it a day later.
"During our investigation, we noticed some unusual activity involving the affected customer support form API. Specifically, we observed a large number of inquiries coming from individual IP addresses located in China and Saudi Arabia," said the micro-blogging platform, used by over 336 million users, on one of its support forms.
"While we cannot confirm intent or attribution for certain, it is possible that some of these IP addresses may have ties to state-sponsored actors," Twitter warned.
The bug, said the company, could be used to discover the country code of people's phone numbers if they had one associated with their Twitter account, as well as whether or not their account had been locked by Twitter.
Twitter locks an account if it appears to be compromised or in violation of its rules or Terms of Service.
"Importantly, this issue did not expose full phone numbers or any other personal data.
"We have directly informed the people we identified as being affected. We are providing this broader notice as it is possible that other account holders we cannot identify were potentially impacted," Twitter said, adding it is "sorry this happened".
A Twitter spokesperson told TechCrunch: "For our part, we are committed to understanding how bad-faith actors use our services. We will continue to proactively combat nefarious attempts to undermine the integrity of Twitter."
They agreed to set up a mechanism to look into the possibilities of concrete action in terms of investment, technology, manufacturing and defence, with the Crown Prince stating that Saudi Arabia will be finalising an initial investment into India's National Infrastructure Fund.
The discussion on Thursday also touched on how Saudi Arabia can enhance its investment across a number of sectors in the next two to three years.
Modi, who arrived here on Thursday to take part in the G20 meeting, also met UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
Talking to reporters, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said Modi's first bilateral meeting was with the Saudi Arabia Crown Prince and it was "very cordial and warm".
"The Prime Minister, in particular, stressed upon the importance of having stable and predictable energy prices. Some discussions took place between the two leaders on how Saudi Arabia can contribute and help in stabilising energy prices, particularly for India."
He said the Crown Prince spoke of India "as an important partner" and there was specific discussion on how it can enhance its investment across various sectors.
"The Crown Prince (said) Saudi Arabia will be finalising an initial investment into the National Infrastructure Fund. He also referred to future prospects for investment in the technology sector, energy sector and agricultural sector," Gokhale said.
He said the Crown Prince was especially mindful of the contributions that Indians have made in building Saudi Arabia over the years.
Gokhale said that during Modi's meeting with Guterres, the main subject of discussion was the forthcoming climate change meeting in Poland (COP24).
He said Guterres acknowledged India's role in climate change negotiations and its concrete steps towards addressing challenges of climate change.
The UN Secretary General hoped that India will egg the developed and developing countries to come up with certain solutions which would eventually feed into the climate change summit that the UN Secretary General is planning in 2019.
A statement carried on Saudi state TV on Friday night was the first official confirmation of Khashoggi's death in Turkey 18 days ago, and the first acknowledgment by Saudi Arabia of its role in it, reports CNN.
"The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia expresses deep regret at the painful developments that have taken place in this case and affirms the commitment of the authorities in the Kingdom to bring the facts to the attention of the public and to hold accountable all those involved," it said.
The statement conceded that Khashoggi died as a result of the altercation after he had come to the consulate to obtain paperwork needed for his upcoming wedding to his Turkish fiancee, Hatice Cengiz.
Five high-ranking officials have been removed from their posts, including the deputy head of the Saudi intelligence service, and 18 Saudis have been detained, it added.
Khashoggi disappeared after going to the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul at about 1.15 p.m. on October 2 to obtain the paperwork. She raised the alarm just before 5 p.m, while she was still waiting outside.
According to Saudi state media, citing official sources, the public prosecutor's office investigated a number of suspects based on the information they received from Turkish authorities.
Preliminary investigations showed a suspect went to Istanbul to meet with Khashoggi with the possible intention of bringing the journalist to the Kingdom.
The Saudis have set up a commission, led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, that will restructure the Saudi general intelligence directorate and will have one month to release a report, state TV said.
The commission will consist of national security officials, the Foreign Ministry and the Interior Ministry.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said that he found the Saudi claim credible, CNN said.
He called the official statement from Riyadh a "good first step" and said talks with Saudi officials would continue, including raising some questions about their account of events.
"I think we're getting close to solving a very big problem," Trump said.
He added that Saudi Arabia has been a "great ally in the Middle East", but that "what happened is unacceptable".
Trump said he would work with Congress to develop a response to Khashoggi's death, but said that he didn't want sanctions to affect US arms sales to the Kingdom.
Trump said he would withhold a fuller comment until he speaks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Saudi Arabia has been under intense pressure since Khashoggi's disappearance.
Turkish officials, mostly speaking privately, have released a steady stream of gory details about what happened to the journalist at the consulate. They said he was killed soon after he entered the embassy, and his body dismembered.
None of the Saudi statements however, give any clue as to what happened to Khashoggi's remains.
In a morning tweet, Trump said that the King denied any knowledge of the journalist's whereabouts. Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post and a Saudi royal insider-turned-critic, entered his country's consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, on October 2 and has not been seen since.
"Just spoke to the King of Saudi Arabia who denies any knowledge of whatever may have happened 'to our Saudi Arabian citizen.' He said that they are working closely with Turkey to find the answer. I am immediately sending our Secretary of State to meet with King," Trump tweeted.
Turkish intelligence officials say they have audio and visual evidence that shows Khashoggi, a permanent resident of the US in self-imposed exile, was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
Saudi Arabia, however, denies any involvement in his disappearance and maintains that he left the consulate the same afternoon.
Trump's comments came as the Saudis gave Turkish authorities permission to search the kingdom's consulate in Turkey, where Turkish officials believe the journalist was killed and dismembered, the New York Times reported.
Saudi officials first granted permission for the consulate to be searched last week, but later asked for a delay.
As per reports, Turkish officials also want to search the nearby Consul General's residence and have repeatedly accused the Saudis of failing to cooperate with their investigation.
Diplomatic pressure is growing on the Saudis to give a fuller explanation. The UK, France and Germany demanded a "credible investigation" into the events and Trump warned of serious retribution if the Saudis were found to be behind Khashoggi's possible death.
A joint Turkish-Saudi working group into the case has been proposed, but the results of a separate, internal Saudi investigation should be made public soon, a Saudi official told CNN.
The Saudi official said that a royal decree was issued on Friday directing the public prosecutor to conduct an internal investigation, based on intelligence shared by Turkey.
On Sunday, Washington and Riyadh traded a series of threats, with Trump warning of the potential for "severe punishment" and Saudi officials threatening to retaliate if the US imposed sanctions. Riyadh later softened its tone.
"There's something really terrible and disgusting about that, if that were the case. So we're going to have to see," Trump said in a "60 Minutes" interview broadcast on Sunday.
"We're going to get to the bottom of it and there will be severe punishment."
The news that Turkey could enter the consulate came a day after the Saudi King called Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to discuss the Khashoggi case.
The two leaders agreed on a joint working group to look into the journalist's disappearance.
"I am impatiently waiting for details on the implementation of the Salwa island project, a great, historic project that will change the geography of the region," Saud al-Qahtani, a senior adviser to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, tweeted on Friday.
The plan, which would physically separate the Qatari peninsula from the Saudi mainland, is the latest stress point in a highly fractious 14-month long dispute between the two states, The News International reported.
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Egypt cut diplomatic and trade ties with Qatar in June 2017, accusing it of supporting terrorism and being too close to Riyadh´s archrival, Iran.
Doha denied the charges.
In April, the pro-government Sabq news website reported government plans to build a channel -- 60km long and 200m wide -- stretching across the kingdom's border with Qatar.
Part of the canal, which would cost up to $750 million, would be reserved for a planned nuclear waste facility, it said.
Both Saudi and Qatar authorities did not respond to requests for comment and there was no immediate reaction on the plan from Qatar, The News International reported.
After the dispute erupted last year, Qatar -- a small peninsula nation -- found its only land border closed, its state-owned airline barred from using its neighbours' airspace, and Qatari residents expelled from the boycotting nations.
Mediation efforts led by Kuwait and the US, which has its largest Middle East air base in Qatar, have so far failed to resolve the dispute.
The Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir, Basheer Khan, and Inspector General of Police S.P. Pani along with other officials received the pilgrims.
Another flight carrying 650 pilgrims is scheduled to land here later on Tuesday.
Around 10,000 pilgrims from Jammu and Kashmir performed the Haj this year. Two pilgrims from the state died in Saudi Arabia after performing the Haj.
Russia and key OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) members such as Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have all increased production recently, trying to help compensate for a potential decline in Iranian crude supplies once planned US sanctions take effect later this year, Xinhua reported.
Official data from Russia on Thursday showed that the country's oil output rose by 150,000 barrels per day (bpd) in July from June to 11.21 million bpd.
Output by Saudi Arabia has also risen recently to around 11 million bpd, according to Reuters.
The West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for September delivery lost $0.47 to settle at $68.49 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, while Brent crude for October delivery erased $0.24 to close at $73.21 a barrel on the London ICE Futures Exchange.
The Nipah virus itself can cause encephalitis - a dangerous swelling of the brain - and common symptoms vary from none to elevated fevers, cough, headache, shortness of breath and confusion, the Gulf News reported on Monday.
On May 29, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) banned imports from Kerala.
UAE officials announced that 100 tonnes of fruit, vegetables and fresh produce that was to be imported from Kerala was prohibited from entry.
A UAE-based health provider, VPS Healthcare, sent a flight to the Kerala government carrying medical supplies that will help the fight against Nipah.
As of date, of the 18 positive cases, 16 have died and the remaining two are recovering well at a Kozhikode hospital while the around 2,000 people, who have reported to have come in contact with the affected, are being monitored.
Netanyahu made the announcement during a briefing in Washington on Monday after meeting US President Donald Trump, the Times of Israel reported.
"Air India signed an agreement to fly to Israel over Saudi Arabia," he said, emphasizing that the flights to and from Mumbai would consume the same time as flights between London and Tel Aviv -- about five-and-a-half hours.
There was no immediate confirmation of the agreement from Saudi Arabia or Air India.
Currently, El Al Israel Airlines offers direct flights from Israel to India, with a Tel Aviv-Mumbai route.
In order to avoid Saudi Arabia, which has hitherto forbidden flights to and from Israel over its airspace, the plane must detour over the Red Sea and around the Arabian peninsula, adding over two hours to the journey.
The Indian airline's ability to fly over Saudi Arabia would substantially reduce the flight time. Netanyahu stressed the planes would not be able to fly over Iran, Iraq and Pakistan -- other countries with which Israel has no diplomatic ties, the Times of Israel reported.
The "agreement" marked a significant achievement as Jerusalem attempts to upgrade its relationship with Riyadh, the report said.
While no formal ties exist between Israel and Saudi Arabia, it was revealed by Israeli officials over the last several months that there had been covert contacts between the two countries, according to a Jerusalem Post report.
Netanyahu, who visited India in January, acknowledged the agreement could hurt El Al. During the India trip, Netanyahu had said that an "efficient and direct route" between the countries was an important goal.
"During the meeting, the leaders discussed the developments in the region and the bilateral relations between the two countries" the statement said.
Hariri met Saudi King Salman on Wednesday in his first visit to Saudi Arabia since his "bizarre" resignation announcement in the kingdom last year which sparked a crisis between Beirut and Riyadh, Xinhua news agency reported.
Hariri had posted a selfie on Friday on his Twitter page with the Crown Prince and the Saudi Ambassador to the US Khaled bin Salman.
On November 4, Hariri announced that he was stepping down in a televised address from Riyadh, only to rescind it the following month after France intervened.
The shock resignation stirred tensions between Riyadh and Beirut amid suspicions Hariri had been placed under house arrest.
His visit came after a meeting in Beirut with Saudi envoy Nizar al-Alula during which Hariri said he received and accepted an invitation to travel to Riyadh.
Alula also met President Michel Aoun, who told him of Lebanon's desire to "maintain the best relations" with the oil-rich Gulf state.
Secretary general of the Saudi Health Council Ahmed Al Aamiri praised the decision made by the cabinet last week, Xinhua reported.
Aamiri said the new visa policy was approved as part of various health initiatives suggested by the council to promote the health sector.
The new visa, which will be provided only to those who have proven their competency in different fields, is expected to attract top foreign experts who will take part in the research programmes in the kingdom.
The experts, especially health specialists, could contribute to the major steps the kingdom has been taking to implement various reforms.
Especially, they will help Saudi deal with serious medical issues, including preventing the spread of contagious diseases such as the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) virus that caused many deaths since 2012.
At the inaugural ceremony of the Saudi national and cultural festival Al Janadriyah, where India has been given guest of honour country status this year, Sushma Swaraj said "a large number of my Muslim brothers and sisters from India visit Saudi Arabia every year for Haj and Umrah pilgrimage.
"Once again I thank Your Majesty for increasing the Haj quota for India in 2017 and also for the special arrangements and care given to the pilgrims," she said.
Last month, Saudi Arabia increased the quota of Indians for the Haj pilgrimage by 5,000 from this year.
The decision by Riyadh came after Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi signed a bilateral annual agreement for Haj 2018 with Saudi Minister for Haj and Umrah Mohammad Saleh bin Taher Benten.
Now, a total of 1.75 lakh Indian citizens can go for Haj. Last year, Saudi Arabia increased India's Haj quota by 35,000.
Sushma Swaraj said that India's participation at the Al Janadriyah Festival "provided an opportunity to showcase our strong bilateral relationship".
The visiting Indian minister received the festival's patron Saudi King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud at the India Pavilion showcasing the traditional and modern aspects of India.
"The Pavilion with the theme 'Saudi ka dost Bharat' is a big draw at Janadriyah," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Rveesh Kumar tweeted.
Earlier on Wednesday, Sushma Swaraj called on King Salman here and "steps to further intensify our strategic partnership in all sectors and to work together towards each other's progress came up during (the) warm discussion," according to Kumar.
Prior to that, Sushma Swaraj met her Saudi counterpart Adel Jubeir and discussed deepening of bilateral ties.
According to Kumar, the discussions between Sushma Swaraj and Jubeir focused on enhancing trade and investment, energy, defence and security, culture and people-to-people ties.
"The two Foreign Ministers also discussed the regional and global situation," the spokesperson said.
The India-Saudi Arabia relationship was elevated to that of a Strategic Partnership during the visit of then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to the Gulf kingdom in 2010.
Saudi Arabia is the fourth-largest trading partner for India with bilateral trade exceeding $25 billion in 2016-17.
As India's largest supplier of crude oil, Saudi Arabia accounts for about 20 per cent of the total annual imports.
The Gulf nation is also home to around 3.2 million expatriate Indians, that includes a growing number of professionals, including doctors, software engineers and oil technologists.
Sushma Swaraj arrived here on Tuesday on a three-day visit in what is her first official visit to this Gulf kingdom.
Attorney General Shaikh Saud Al Mujab asserted that anti-corruption efforts would continue and suspects in corruption cases who fled the country would be brought back in cooperation with states they are living in through international arrest warrants after enough evidence is collected against them, Xinhua news agency reported.
The suspects are part of the biggest corruption case in Saudi Arabia that led to the arrest of 159 individuals including princes and sitting and former ministers in November 2017.
Some 376 bank accounts of the detainees or related persons were frozen. Majority of those arrested were released after accepting the settlement.
Mujab said that the cases against the suspects weren't only related to money but also to exploitation of power.
Tough measures against high profile individuals are one of many steps Saudi Arabia has taken to initiate solid economic and social reforms, such as allowing women to drive.
It is a five per cent tax on most goods and services to boost revenue. The VAT will be applied on food, clothes, electronics and gasoline, phone, water and electricity bills, as well as hotel reservations, the BBC reported.
Some outgoings were exempt from the tax or given a zero-tax rating, including medical treatment, financial services and public transport.
The UAE estimates that in the first year, VAT income will be around 12 billion dirhams ($3.3 billion).
"The imposition of VAT will help to raise tax revenues of the Saudi government to be utilised for infrastructure and developmental works," said Mohammed Al-Khunaizi, a member of the Shoura (consultative ) Council.
Organisations such as the International Monetary Fund have long called for Gulf countries to diversify their sources of income away from oil reserves.
In Saudi Arabia, more than 90 per cent of budget revenues come from the oil industry while in the UAE it is roughly 80 per cent.
Both countries have already taken steps to boost government coffers.
In Saudi Arabia, this included a tax on tobacco and soft drinks as well as a cut in some subsidies offered to locals. In the UAE, road tolls were hiked and a tourism tax was introduced.
But there were no plans to introduce income tax, where most residents pay zero per cent tax on their earnings.
The other members of the Gulf Cooperation Council -- Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar -- have also committed to introduce VAT, though some have delayed plans until at least 2019.
The airstrikes targeted Harran village, which is located about 30 km south of battlefronts of Medi desert and Haradh border crossing near the southern Saudi borders, Xinhua reported.
Medics said coalition war planes continued flying over the area and hindered the rescue operations.
Many of the victims were women and children, the official told Xinhua by phone on condition of anonymity.
The exact number of the deaths is still not immediately clear.
This is the latest in a series of airstrikes by the coalition since the war began more than two and a half years.
Last week, the coalition airstrikes hit a hotel and popular marketplace in the nearby province of Saada, killing 29 civilians and injuring other two dozens, although the coalition said the hotel and marketplace were military targets because there were gatherings of Houthi fighters there.
Saudi led a military coalition of 10 countries and intervened in Yemen's civil war in March 2015 to back the internationally recognized government of exiled President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi against Iranian-allied Shiite Houthis, who stormed the capital Sanaa and controlled much of the country's north.
The coalition has yet defeated the Yemeni rebels despite thousands of Saudi-led airstrikes against Houthis.
The war has killed more than 10,000 Yemenis, mostly civilians, and displaced more than 3 million others, according to UN agencies.
The war has led Yemen to the world's most humanitarian catastrophe with less than one million Yemenis hit by a deadly cholera outbreak and pushed the poor Arab country into the brink of mass famine.
The announcement of the arrests was made on Saturday on Al Arabiya, the Saudi-owned satellite network.
Along with the 11 princes, three ministers were removed from their positions: Economy and Planning Minister Adel bin Mohammed Faqih, National Guard Minister Prince Miteb bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz and Naval Forces Commander Admiral Abdullah bin Sultan bin Mohammed Al-Sultan, reports CNN.
King Salman ordered the new anti-corruption campaign as part of an "active reform agenda aimed at tackling a persistent problem that has hindered development efforts in the Kingdom in recent decades", a statement from the Saudi Ministry of Communications said.
The royal decree said the committee was needed "due to the propensity of some people for abuse, putting their personal interest above public interest, and stealing public funds" and will "trace and combat corruption at all levels", the statement said.
The committee, headed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has the authority to investigate, arrest, issue travel bans and freeze the assets of those it finds corrupt, CNN reported.
The three ousted ministers were replaced, with Prince Khalid bin Abdulaziz bin Mohammed bin Ayyaf Al Muqren becoming National Guard minister, Mohammed bin Mazyad Al-Tuwaijri becoming the Economy and Planning Minister, and Vice Admiral Fahd bin Abdullah Al-Ghifaili taking on the role of Naval Forces Commander.
The Ritz Carlton hotel in Riyadh, the de facto royal hotel, was evacuated on Saturday, stirring rumours that it would be used to house detained royals, reports The New York Times.
The airport for private planes was closed, arousing speculation that the crown prince was seeking to block rich businessmen from fleeing before more arrests.
"Saudi Aramco, through its subsidiary Aramco Asia India (AAI), established its business presence in India in 2016. The AAI will now formally engage in crude oil and LPG marketing, engineering and technical services, and other business development activities," said an Indian Petroleum Ministry release.
"Aramco India plans to expand its operation by introducing hydrocarbon sector services functions, including engineering services, information technology operations and security and a research and development centre. It intends to partner with Indian companies and set up integrated business ventures in the hydrocarbon value chain in India," it said.
Saudi Arabia is the second largest supplier of crude after Iraq, accounting for about 19 per cent of India's crude oil imports, as well as 29 per cent of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), or cooking gas, imports.
As per official data, India imported about 39.5 million tonnes of crude from Saudi Arabia during 2016-17.
The Middle East country has requested to purchase 44 THAAD launchers, 360 missiles, 16 fire control station and 7 radars, Xinhua quoted the said the statement as saying.
The sale was part of the $110 billion package of defence equipment and services initially announced during US President Donald Trump's May trip to Saudi Arabia, said an official from the US State Department on condition of anonymity.
"This potential sale will substantially increase Saudi Arabia's capability to defend itself against the growing ballistic missile threat in the region," said the statement from the Pentagon.
Congress has been notified about the possible sale and has 30 days to review the deal.
THAAD missile systems are deployed to defend against ballistic missile attacks.
The two leaders will discuss bilateral relations and means to boost cooperation in various fields, in addition to reviewing regional as well as international issues of mutual interest.
The visit comes a month before members of the OPEC oil cartel, of which Saudi is the biggest producer, are due to meet with the other nations including Russia that have jointly cut crude output to extend the pact that has helped prop up prices.
The company's establishment is in line with Vision 2030, which aims to provide an opportunity for the largest possible number of Muslims to perform Haj and Umrah and to enrich their experience through the development of the Grand Mosque.
The Public Investment Fund announced in a statement on Saudi Press Agency the launch of Rou'a Al Haram company to develop areas around the holy sites of Mecca and raise the quality of services in the local hospitality sector.
The projects will create around 160,000 job opportunities by 2030, with an estimated annual contribution to GDP of $2.1 billion, Xinhua news agency reported.
The first phase of the company's projects will cover an area of 854,000 square metres, delivering 115 buildings of various architectural designs.
Altogether 70,000 new hotel rooms will enable the site to receive 310,000 visitors per day. Also, the first phase will see the development of around 9,000 residential units, 360,000 square metres of commercial space and prayer areas designated for more than 400,000 worshipers.
The project will be only less than 1.5 km away from the Kaaba, the most sacred site in Islam.
Rou'a Al Haram will raise the level of development in the areas surrounding the Grand Mosque, making it among the best examples of development worldwide, the report said.
Also, it will support job creation and investment as part of a wider plan to diversify the national economy.
Initial preparation works were underway, with construction due to start in 2018. The first phase of the project is anticipated to launch in 2024.
The decision has overturned a longstanding policy that has become a global symbol of the repression of women in the ultraconservative kingdom, the New York Times reported.
However, the change will not be implemented immediately as the kingdom has no infrastructure for women to learn to drive or obtain drivers licenses.
"The police will need to be trained to interact with women in a way they rarely do in a society where men and women who are not related rarely interact," the report noted.
Over the years, Saudi clerics have come up with several explanations for banning the women drivers, with one claiming that driving harmed women's ovaries.
During a prolonged campaign by several rights groups who campaigned for the ban to be revoked, many women were arrested and jailed for taking the wheel.
The latest decree highlights how Saudi tries to reform its reputation that was damaged for not allowing the women to drive in public.
It is believed that beyond the effects it could have on Saudi Arabia's image abroad, letting women drive could help the Saudi economy.
"Low oil prices have limited the government jobs that many Saudis have long relied on, and the kingdom is trying to push more citizens into gainful employment, including women.
"But some working Saudi women say that hiring private drivers to get them to and from work eats up much of their pay, diminishing the incentive to work," the report stated.
Many Saudi women rely on ride-sharing apps like Uber and Careem to take relish some freedom of movement.
The Saudi Arabian government-supported NGO, once seen as a promoter of the radical Wahhabism ideology, was founded in 1962 to propagate Islam and to improve worldwide understanding of the religion.
Headquartered in the Saudi city of Mecca, the MWL promotes Islamic (Sharia) law and in its mission statement says it rejects violence and fosters "dialogue with people of other cultures".
The popular photo-sharing app said it was asked by the Saudi authorities to remove the Qatari-backed broadcaster's Discover Publisher Channel because it violated local laws, reports the BBC.
"We make an effort to comply with local laws in the countries where we operate," a Snapchat spokesperson said in a statement.
Qatar is in an ongoing dispute with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The four countries cut ties with Qatar earlier this year, accusing the country of supporting terrorism.
After the start of the dispute, Saudi Arabia had also demanded the Qatari government to shut Al Jazeera altogether as one of 13 conditions to remove sanctions against the country.
However, those conditions were later withdrawn.
Trump spoke by telephone with the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, on Wedmesday and offered to host the meeting if it would help them resolve their differences, the White House said in a statement.
"The President emphasised the importance of all countries in the region working together to prevent the financing of terrorist organisations and stop the promotion of extremist ideology in his call with the Qatari ruler," the White House said.
The White House did not specify if the meeting proposed by Trump would include just the member nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council -- Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia -- or also other nations which have joined the diplomatic boycott of Qatar, Efe news reported.
So far, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Egypt, Yemen, Libya, Mauritania and the Maldives have broken diplomatic ties with Qatar, while Jordan has announced that it will reduce its diplomatic representation in that country and Senegal has called its envoy to the emirate home for consultations.
The rupture is based on the accusation that the Qatari government finances terrorist organisations, including the Islamic State, Al Qaida and the Muslim Brotherhood, an accusation that Qatar has denied.
Kuwait is trying to mediate in the conflict and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Monday offered Washington's help in resolving the dispute, but Trump himself had not offered to become involved as a mediator until now.
Trump's call to the Qatari emir comes a day after the President spoke by telephone with Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdelaziz and expressed to him the importance of unity against terrorism in the Persian Gulf.
"Iran must never be allowed to possess a nuclear weapon," Trump said, standing beside Israeli President Reuven Rivlin.
Donald Trump on Monday was on the second stop of his first international tour, having arrived from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, aboard Air Force One, Efe news reported.
The President reinforced the message when he went on to have a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Trump also labeled the nuclear agreement reached between Iran and the Group 5 + 1 (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany) as a mistake.
"It was a terrible, terrible thing for the United States to enter that deal and, believe me, Iran will never have a nuclear weapon, that I can tell you," Trump said to Netanyahu.
Trump warned of Iran's escalating presence in the region.
"No matter where we go we see the signs of Iran in the Middle East," Trump said.
Trump arrived here accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump on Saturday on a two-day trip, beginning his first foreign trip as President that includes visits to Israel, the Vatican City, Belgium and Italy where he is to take part in NATO and G7 summits.
Trump's daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner were also travelling as part of the presidential entourage.
Video of the dance shows Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross dancing with swords perched on their shoulders as part of a line of men in traditional Saudi garb ahead of a state dinner, reports CNN.
Trump, surrounded by Saudi officials, bops back and forth with a smile on his face, while White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, chief of staff Reince Priebus and chief economic adviser Gary Cohn appear more reserved in their moves.
The traditional men's sword dance is known as the 'ardah'.
The performance combines dance, drumming and chanting poetry, and it signifies the start of notable occasions like religious holidays or weddings.
Other world leaders have similarly participated in the ardah.
Britain's Prince Charles donned traditional robes and a sword as part of his tour of the Middle East in 2014, and former US President George W. Bush in 2008 held a sword, CNN reported.
Ahead of the dinner, Trump sealed an arms deal with Saudi Arabia worth $350 billion over 10 years, with nearly $110 billion to take effect immediately.
According to the White House, this deal will bolster security "in the face of Iranian threats" and the "package demonstrates the US' commitment to partnership with Saudi Arabia, while also expanding opportunities for American companies in the region."
Trump also held meetings with King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and his government, including the powerful Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
On Sunday, Trump will participate in a meeting with member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council as well as a summit with leaders and representatives from around 50 Middle Eastern and Islamic countries.
Parallel to these meetings, a forum for the fight against terror and extremism is to be held, sponsored by the Saudi-led anti-terror military coalition.
He will fly to Israel later on Sunday.
Trump will arrive here on May 20 in his first foreign visit as the President to attend the Gulf Cooperation Council-US Summit and the Arab, Islamic and US Summit, Xinhua news agency reported.
These summits will discuss various topics, especially counter-terrorism efforts.
Meanwhile, the news report highlighted the drawing up of tight security plan to host the US leaders and others.
The GCC foreign ministers will hold meeting on Wednesday in Riyadh to discuss topics that will be reviewed at the summit.
Saudi Arabia launched on Tuesday an official website that includes information on the Saudi-US summit, the GCC-US and Arab-Islamic-US summit.
And the website highlights the importance of the summits in promoting global security, deep-rooted economic partnerships and constructive political and cultural cooperation and consolidation of views to combat terrorism.
Launched by the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology with highly advanced techniques, Saqr 1 is equipped with a KA-SAT satellite communication system that gives superiority privilege to this drone, Xinhua news agency reported.
It can fly for a range of more than 2,500 km with the ability to carry missiles, guide bombs with laser system and launch from different heights from 500 to 6,000 metres and a range of up to 10 km with an accuracy of less than 1.5 metres.
The drone is capable of flying at an average altitude of 20,000 feet and has a flight time of 24 hours.