Saudi Shura Council to vote on curbing autonomy of morality policeRIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia s Shura Council, an influential advisory body to the government, will vote on a proposal to merge the religious police into the ministry of Islamic affairs, local media reported, further curbing the force s authority. The religious police, officially known as the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, patrols public spaces to enforce bans on alcohol, music, prayer time, store closures and the mixing of unrelated men and women. It also imposes strict modesty requirements on women s dress. Last year, amid a reform drive to diversify the Saudi economy and open up its society, the government increased curbs on the religious police, barring it from pursuing suspects or making arrests. Saudi Gazette reported late on Sunday that the proposal to end the commission s autonomous status, put forward by Atta Al-Thibaiti and two other members, is expected to see a vote next week. King Salman s approval would be needed to implement such a measure.  The promotion of virtue and prevention of vice is an Islamic duty for every Muslim, and the Sharia tenets had never considered practicing [that] to be under an independent organ or an autonomous entity,  the report said, citing the proposal s supporters. The Shura members were quoted as saying the merger would also help ease the state s budget deficit by  avoiding duplication of efforts and cutting expenditure . Hardline conservatives say the religious police are central to imposing the kingdom s austere form of Sunni Islam, while aggressive enforcement of strict morality rules has drawn criticism from more liberal Saudis. The vice squad has come under fire online and in local media over several high-profile cases of car chases resulting in fatal accidents, prompting the commission s president to ban such pursuits in 2012. The commission stirred controversy again last year after video posted on social media showed members beating a young woman outside a Riyadh mall. The patrol had tried to force the woman to cover her face, local media reported. Saudi Gazette quoted Thibaiti as saying the proposal to merge the two bodies had overcome initial opposition by the Shura s committee on Islamic and judicial affairs. Members could not immediately be reached for comment. worldnews
saudi sha council vote curling autonomy morality policeriyadh reuters saudi arabia sha council influential advisory body government vote proposal merge religious police ministry islamic affairs local media reported curling force authority the religious police officially known commission promotion virtue prevention vice patrols public spaces enforce bans alcohol music prayer time store closures mixing unrelated men women it also imposes strict modesty requirements women dress last year amid reform drive diversify saudi economy open society government increased curb religious police barring pursuing suspects making arrests saudi gazette reported late sunday proposal end commission autonomous status put forward att two members expected see vote next week king salman approval would needed implement measure the promotion virtue prevention vice islamic duty every muslim sharia tenets never considered practicing independent organ autonomous entity report said citing proposal supporters the sha members quoted saying merger would also help ease state budget deficit avoiding duplication efforts cutting expenditure hardline conservatives say religious police central imposing kingdom austere form sunny islam aggressive enforcement strict morality rules drawn criticism liberal saudi the vice squad come fire online local media several cases car chases resulting fatal accidents prompting commission president ban pursuits the commission stirred controversy last year video posted social media showed members beating young woman outside riyadh mall the patrol tried force woman cover face local media reported saudi gazette quoted thibaiti saying proposal merge two bodies overcome initial opposition sha committee islamic judicial affairs members could immediately reached comment worldnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Saudi Shura Council to vote on curbing autonomy of morality policeRIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia s Shura Council, an influential advisory body to the government, will vote on a proposal to merge the religious police into the ministry of Islamic affairs, local media reported, further curbing the force s authority. The religious police, officially known as the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, patrols public spaces to enforce bans on alcohol, music, prayer time, store closures and the mixing of unrelated men and women. It also imposes strict modesty requirements on women s dress. Last year, amid a reform drive to diversify the Saudi economy and open up its society, the government increased curbs on the religious police, barring it from pursuing suspects or making arrests. Saudi Gazette reported late on Sunday that the proposal to end the commission s autonomous status, put forward by Atta Al-Thibaiti and two other members, is expected to see a vote next week. King Salman s approval would be needed to implement such a measure.  The promotion of virtue and prevention of vice is an Islamic duty for every Muslim, and the Sharia tenets had never considered practicing [that] to be under an independent organ or an autonomous entity,  the report said, citing the proposal s supporters. The Shura members were quoted as saying the merger would also help ease the state s budget deficit by  avoiding duplication of efforts and cutting expenditure . Hardline conservatives say the religious police are central to imposing the kingdom s austere form of Sunni Islam, while aggressive enforcement of strict morality rules has drawn criticism from more liberal Saudis. The vice squad has come under fire online and in local media over several high-profile cases of car chases resulting in fatal accidents, prompting the commission s president to ban such pursuits in 2012. The commission stirred controversy again last year after video posted on social media showed members beating a young woman outside a Riyadh mall. The patrol had tried to force the woman to cover her face, local media reported. Saudi Gazette quoted Thibaiti as saying the proposal to merge the two bodies had overcome initial opposition by the Shura s committee on Islamic and judicial affairs. Members could not immediately be reached for comment. worldnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: saudi sha council vote curling autonomy morality policeriyadh reuters saudi arabia sha council influential advisory body government vote proposal merge religious police ministry islamic affairs local media reported curling force authority the religious police officially known commission promotion virtue prevention vice patrols public spaces enforce bans alcohol music prayer time store closures mixing unrelated men women it also imposes strict modesty requirements women dress last year amid reform drive diversify saudi economy open society government increased curb religious police barring pursuing suspects making arrests saudi gazette reported late sunday proposal end commission autonomous status put forward att two members expected see vote next week king salman approval would needed implement measure the promotion virtue prevention vice islamic duty every muslim sharia tenets never considered practicing independent organ autonomous entity report said citing proposal supporters the sha members quoted saying merger would also help ease state budget deficit avoiding duplication efforts cutting expenditure hardline conservatives say religious police central imposing kingdom austere form sunny islam aggressive enforcement strict morality rules drawn criticism liberal saudi the vice squad come fire online local media several cases car chases resulting fatal accidents prompting commission president ban pursuits the commission stirred controversy last year video posted social media showed members beating young woman outside riyadh mall the patrol tried force woman cover face local media reported saudi gazette quoted thibaiti saying proposal merge two bodies overcome initial opposition sha committee islamic judicial affairs members could immediately reached comment worldnews